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Join Rick Watson, 20+ year eCommerce veteran and CEO & Founder of RMW Commerce, to hear all the latest in the world of eCommerce — from established players like Amazon and Shopify to the new startups, fresh off their latest round of funding. From Marketplaces to Direct-to-Consumer to Supply Chain to Payments, it’s all here. New episodes every Monday, just in time for your morning commute! Find more great content from Rick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ecommercestrategyconsulting/
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Welcome to The Watson Weekend – a rollicking weekly live conversation (and dance party) about all things retail, tech, and ecommerce! Hosts Rick Watson and Jess Lesesky and guests from all around the ecommerce world cut through the BS and bring you no-nonsense conversation, deep insights, and opinions that aren’t afraid to be contrarian. Join us for the livestream every Friday at noon on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/ecommercestrategyconsulting/ and YouTube at https://www.youtube.c ...
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In this insightful episode, The Watson Weekly welcomes Alex Yancher (Yon-cher), CEO of Passport, just hours after the U.S. government announced sweeping new global trade tariffs. With $3.3 trillion in cross-border e-commerce at stake, this conversation couldn’t be more timely. Guided by a Thomas L. Friedman-inspired prologue, we dive deep into the …
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Today on our show: Composable Conference in Chicago Shows MACH Progress ChatGPT and Shopify Partnership Teased Shopify Promotes Internally for Chief Design Officer: What's Going On? - and finally, The Investor Minute which contains 5 items this week from the world of venture capital, acquisitions, and IPOs. Today's episode is sponsored by Mirakl. h…
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In this episode of The Watson Weekend, Rick and Jess welcome Donna Felix, VP of Product & E-commerce at Vivrelle, the innovative luxury fashion membership club that's changing how we access designer handbags and accessories. Donna shares Vivrelle's origin story (written on a napkin during the founders' honeymoon!), explains how they track thousands…
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Is Walmart More Exposed to Tariffs Than They Are Admitting? In a recent investor day, Walmart indicated that only one-third of its products are not made in the USA. Are we sure about that number? Given the fact that there is no universal definition of made in the USA, I think that number could be a lot higher than the company is letting on. Learn a…
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In this episode of The Watson Weekend, Rick Watson and Nick Kaplan dive into the evolving world of marketplaces with special guest Jordan Sielaff, co-founder and CEO of Geared. They discuss Amazon's potential TikTok acquisition, the Shein IPO's challenges amid tariff concerns, and the wave of eye-opening Chinese manufacturing content flooding TikTo…
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Join Gordon and Ger and they take flight with Bobby Healy of Manna Air Delivery, the Irish drone delivery company that's posing a serious threat to Amazon's dominance of the ecommerce space. Has the saviour of independent retailers literally been heaven sent? Drones promise much. Delivery within minutes from local retailers that bypasses clogged ro…
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The biggest debate in eCommerce. The business case for replatforming Replatforming can either be trying to use a band-aid on a large wound or it could be like squeezing juice. Vince Santo (The Maze Group) debating Chris Silver (Discoverist AI) on replatforming. Architecture: The headless straw man debate. Headless technology enables brands to move …
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In this episode of The Watson Weekend, hosts Rick Watson and Jessica Lesesky navigate the turbulent economic landscape with special guest Sid Jatia, VP of Digital Commerce and Service at General Motors. They discuss the week's top stories including suspended IPOs, Nintendo Switch pre-order rollercoaster, the Prada-Versace acquisition, and the impac…
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In this special episode of The Watson Weekly, we sit down with Dirk Hoerig, co-founder of Commercetools, to explore the company’s journey from Germany to global eCommerce leader. Dirk shares insights on their ideal customer, key pain points they solve, and why their North American market entry succeeded where others failed. We also dive into the la…
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Is There a Worse Owner For TikTok Than Amazon? Look, I am going to bottom line it for you guys. I can’t think of a worse owner for Tiktok than logistics company Amazon. I know there are a lot of chocolate and peanut butter theories of how these two great companies could taste better together, but I think this would be the start of a slow boringific…
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In this episode of The Watson Weekend sponsored by Elastic Path, hosts Rick Watson and Jessica Lesesky explore the latest developments in e-commerce and retail with special guest John Shea from Momentum Commerce. They discuss Target's employee bonus cuts, the Kate Spade x Target collaboration, PetSmart's ship-from-store strategy, NRF's optimistic s…
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Why is digital commerce still hitting roadblocks in 2025? In this special episode, Bryan House of Elastic Path joins us to unpack the paradox: companies claim to have a clear digital strategy, yet budgets for tech investment remain elusive. We tackle the real barriers—lack of knowledge, outdated mindsets, and the hidden opportunity cost of standing…
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In this episode of Watson Weekend, hosts Rick Watson and Nick Kaplan dive into the latest updates in retail technology and e-commerce. They share their experiences from the ShopTalk conference, discuss the latest in tariffs and inventory management, and explore the impact of generative AI and digital agents in the industry. The duo also highlights …
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Is Adobe Hopeless or Will The New Product Teases Get Them Back in the Game? This week on the Watson Weekly podcast, we unpack two new product announcements from Adobe that are expected to launch by June 2025. One is the Adobe Commerce Optimizer, an eCommerce front-end that can be used with any storefront platform. This is one that I’m excited to se…
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In this episode of Watson Weekend, hosts Rick Watson and Jessica Lesesky dive into the latest e-commerce and retail news. They discuss Skims' innovative strategies, Forever 21's looming bankruptcy, and the storied history of the fashion retailer. Special guest Stephen Cope, CIO of ASTRAK, shares his insights on digital transformation in the B2B sec…
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Can this be right? A vendor as a guest? Yes, it is true. And a Big one too. Ger and Gordon are joined by Travis Hess, CEO of BigCommerce, to review the e-commerce platform landscape and discuss what the future holds. Frankly, is there life beyond Shopify? (Spoiler: Of course there is.) Developments are coming thick and fast in e-commerce and commer…
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Is Paypal Running an Affiliate Scam? That’s What Google’s New Chrome Rules Seem to Be Saying. Many users don’t realize that Paypal’s Honey Application, the plugin which is supposed to secure you discounts on items. Instead, it looks to be cutting certain publishers out of affiliate credits that they would otherwise be due. You’ll find this and othe…
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In this episode of Watson Weekend, hosts Rick Watson and Jessica Lesecky dive into the latest in retail, tech, and e-commerce news. Key topics include China's pushback against Walmart's supplier policies, Shein's new merchandising strategies, and Kohl's partnership with Sephora. Special guest Matt Steinbrecher joins to delve into the intricacies of…
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Today on our show: Target 2024 earnings shows company falling behind When will merchants stop treating data as a project? Commercetools layoffs throws into question IPO plans Has Shopify Enterprise turned a corner? - and finally, The Investor Minute which contains 5 items this week from the world of venture capital, acquisitions, and IPOs. Today's …
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In this episode of Watson Weekend, hosts Rick Watson and Jessica Lesesky dive into the latest in e-commerce and retail news. They discuss Shopify's new AI feature and review Google's AI-driven changes in performance marketing with insights from expert guest Mike Ryan. Mike shares his take on Google PMAX, differences in global strategies, and what m…
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Today on our show: Is Beyond.com doomed? Klaviyo reports 2024 earnings Klaviyo coming for Salesforce Service Cloud Paypal Investor Day offers problematic vision - and finally, The Investor Minute which contains 5 items this week from the world of venture capital, acquisitions, and IPOs. Today's episode is sponsored by Mirakl. https://www.rmwcommerc…
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In this episode of Watson Weekend, hosts Rick Watson and Jessica Lesesky dive into the latest trends in e-commerce, retail, and technology. They discuss the logistics industry's complexities and innovations with special guest Ben Emmrich, CEO of Tusk Logistics. Topics include the market opportunities for Klaviyo, Temu's expansion into Canada, the r…
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Today on our show: Walmart reports fiscal year 2025 earnings Saks stopped paying vendors on time TikTok subscriptions could help creators BigCommerce reports 2024 earnings And finally, The Investor Minute, which contains 5 items this week from the world of venture capital, acquisitions, and IPOs. Today’s episode is sponsored by Mirakl. https://www.…
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In this episode of Watson Weekend, hosts Rick Watson and Jessica Lesecky discuss the latest in technology, e-commerce, and retail news, including Skims' partnership with Nike and Amazon's new cost-saving strategies. Special guest Josh Carter joins to share insights into social commerce, influencer marketing, and the importance of being brave in bra…
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Join hosts Rick Watson and Jess Lesesky on this edition of Watson Weekend LIVE as they sit down with special guest Scott Lux—a seasoned leader in e-commerce and digital strategy. In this insightful discussion, Scott reveals why the era of explosive revenue growth is shifting towards an "Age of Efficiency" in 2025. In This Episode: How financial pre…
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Today on our show: Shopify Q4 2024 earnings: The age of efficiency comes to Shopify It’s not just you - age of efficiency accelerating Amazon Q4 earnings wins the Grammy for free cash flow Amazon ad engine getting hungry: look out Google Shopping And finally, The Investor Minute, which contains 5 items this week from the world of venture capital, a…
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Ecommerce has come a long way, but are we still innovating—or just optimizing? In this episode of Watson Weekend, we sit down with Dimple Rao, a seasoned product management leader with over 15 years of experience in retail and digital commerce. We dive into: ✅ How ecommerce innovation has evolved (and where it's stalled) ✅ The balance between effic…
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Today on our show: Trump eliminates the de minimis for China AI won't solve all the problems, but we don't realize it yet UPS Q4 2024 earnings: steering towards margin, away from Amazon AI is not the new SEO. Brands could be in a marketplace without realizing it And finally, The Investor Minute, which contains 5 items this week from the world of ve…
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This week on Watson Weekend, we’re breaking down the biggest shifts in e-commerce and AI in 2025 with Bryan House, President of Elastic Path! 🔍 What’s on the agenda? 📰 Headline Hangover: The latest trends in store closures, AI’s impact on retail, and consumer trust. 🤖 Shopping Habits in 2025: Is browsing dead? Has AI taken over the retail experienc…
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Today on a special edition of our show: Remembering Kent Allen Evolution of Global eCommerce Pioneers in Cross-Border Trade Current Trends and Players Jim Okamura Partner, McMillanDoolittle and co-founder, Global E-Commerce Leaders Forum Jim has over 25 years of consulting experience focused on strategic planning in the retail industry. His work in…
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Today on our show: Risks to Amazon in the AI Wars Private equity outlook in 2025 Artificial Intelligence moving from creating to doing with OpenAI Operator How to grow faster is an elusive question And finally, The Investor Minute, which contains 5 items this week from the world of venture capital, acquisitions, and IPOs. Today’s episode is sponsor…
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This week on Watson Weekend, Rick and Jess cover the biggest retail and tech news, including the potential TikTok ban, Target's plan to shorten GTM times, Walmart's metaverse move, and the end of "try before you buy." Plus, a recap of NRF 2025 and insights on the 5 Forces Affecting Commerce. Nick Kaplan joins us for Kaplan's Corner to discuss the O…
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In the final episode of this special 3-part Watson Weekly series, Rick Watson is joined by Kelly Goetsch, Advisor at Commerce Tools, to discuss what’s next for the world of commerce. Key topics include: The rise of social shopping and platforms like TikTok Shops How AI is redefining brand discovery and trust Predictions for retail growth and consum…
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Today on our show: Our 2025 NRF event analysis Recapping the first ever RMW Commerce Five Forces event in New York City And finally, The Investor Minute, which contains 5 items this week from the world of venture capital, acquisitions, and IPOs. Today’s episode is sponsored by Mirakl. https://www.rmwcommerce.com/ecommerce-podcast-watsonweekly…
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In Part 2 of this special Watson Weekly series, Rick Watson and Kelly Goetsch dive deep into the complexities of B2B commerce. They discuss: The generational shift reshaping the industry Challenges like the "Bob Problem" and outdated practices The role of composable commerce in streamlining processes How solutions like Commerce Tools Foundry are en…
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Today on our show: Shopify 2025: The Entrepreneur, the Rulemaker and the Bridge-Builder Mastercard Holiday numbers show roses for eCommerce Is 2025 the year of the niche down? Amazon still the king of warehouse growth And finally, The Investor Minute, which contains 5 items this week from the world of venture capital, acquisitions, and IPOs. Today’…
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In this special episode of Watson Weekly, Rick Watson is joined by Kelly Goetsch, a Commercetools Advisor and industry thought leader. Kelly shares his unique insights into the evolving landscape of e-commerce, focusing on the intersection of technology and healthcare. Together, they explore key topics like consumer behavior trends, the growing rol…
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This week, we’re thrilled to welcome Scot Wingo, a 4-time serial entrepreneur and co-host of the popular Jason and Scot Show, to Watson Weekend! 🎙️ Scot has built some incredible ventures like ChannelAdvisor and Spiffy while passionately supporting startups in North Carolina through the Tweener List and Tweener Fund. Now, he’s joining us to tackle …
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Today on our show: Amazon building 25% of all warehouses UPS hiking SurePost rates by 10% Lowes develops a new marketplace Quickbooks partners with Amazon Marketplace Seller Central And finally, The Investor Minute, which contains 5 items this week from the world of venture capital, acquisitions, and IPOs. Today’s episode is sponsored by Mirakl. ht…
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In this episode of Watson Weekend LIVE, we’re joined by Gary Benerofe, entrepreneur and investor, to discuss the future of acquisitions, tech investments, and how to build a company in today’s ever-evolving market. Gary shares his journey from real estate to Mu Ventures, offering unique insights into the shifting landscape of SaaS, eCommerce, and s…
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Today on our show: Shopify releases a boring update Was Amazon haul launched sooner as political strategy? What is the potential impact of tariffs on eCommerce? Why use an outside consultant to help you solve a problem? And finally, The Investor Minute, which contains 5 items this week from the world of venture capital, acquisitions, and IPOs. Toda…
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The good, the bad, and the ugly—Watson Weekend LIVE dives into 2024’s eCommerce rollercoaster! Nick Kaplan joined Rick Watson to unpack this year’s biggest stories, from moments of triumph to epic fails. 🎙️ Topics we covered: The Good: Klarna’s IPO momentum, Walmart’s resilience, and Chapter 11 law firms dominating. The Bad: NRF’s misplaced optimis…
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Today on our show: 3 observations from Cyber Week The 3 coming wars in the next 5 years 5 reasons Klaviyo is growing faster than most anyone right now And finally, The Investor Minute, which contains 5 items this week from the world of venture capital, acquisitions, and IPOs. Today’s episode is sponsored by Mirakl. https://www.rmwcommerce.com/ecomm…
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In this season finale, Ger and Gordon look back on Season 2 and discuss the highlights and key learnings. Together they explore the wealth of knowledge that was so generously given by our guests over the past nine episodes. No stone is left unturned. Proposition, branding, storytelling, product launch, entering new markets, marketing, customer expe…
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This week on Watson Weekend, we break down the Gartner Magic Quadrant and its true utility in evaluating platforms. Rick explains why focusing on "Ability to Execute" might be the only lens that matters. We also sit down with Dina Rosenbloom, CEO of Hairstory, to discuss: Her journey from global brands like Estee Lauder to leading Hairstory How she…
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Today on our show: How you should read the Gartner Quadrant Wordpress is the Craigslist of website builders Target reports terrible earnings Walmart reports great earnings And finally, The Investor Minute, which contains 5 items this week from the world of venture capital, acquisitions, and IPOs. https://www.rmwcommerce.com/ecommerce-podcast-watson…
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In this engaging Watson Weekend episode, we explore Shopify’s meteoric growth, what it means for their future, and whether they can truly compete as an enterprise and B2B solution. Our guest Paula Macaggi, global retail expert and host of the OFFBounds Podcast, joins us to break down the retail landscape and share what she’s learned from leaders ac…
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Today on our show: Shopify reported Q3 2024 earnings Klaviyo reports even better Q3 earnings New RMW Commerce event being held in January BigCommerce trying to escape the Alabama mud like My Cousin Vinny And finally, The Investor Minute, which contains 5 items this week from the world of venture capital, acquisitions, and IPOs. https://www.rmwcomme…
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