Welcome back to another insightful episode of Add To Cart! This time, we’re breaking our usual rule and revisiting two of our most popular guests from last year: Simon Beard, former CEO of Culture Kings, and Hannah Udina from Shopify. If you tuned in to our previous conversation, you know these two bring a wealth of knowledge and energy to the table. With 2024 shaping up to be a pivotal year for retail and e-commerce, we just couldn’t resist diving back in with them to explore the latest trends and strategies.
Today’s episode is brought to you by Shopify Plus and includes insights from their 2024 Australian Retail Report.
A Year in Review: What’s Changed?
When we last spoke with Simon and Hannah, the retail landscape was facing significant challenges and opportunities. One year later, the environment has evolved dramatically. The rise of social commerce, the integration of new technologies like AI, and the ongoing shift toward omnichannel retailing have redefined how brands connect with customers.
In this episode, we pick up where we left off, exploring how these trends have developed and what they mean for the future of e-commerce. Simon, with his unparalleled experience leading Culture Kings, shares how staying hands-on with your ads and content can make all the difference in a competitive market. Meanwhile, Hannah brings us up to speed on Shopify’s latest innovations, including the game-changing YouTube integration that’s simplifying the way brands tell their stories online.
Mastering Ads is Still Crucial
Simon couldn’t stress enough the importance of being deeply involved in your ad accounts, even as a founder. “Successful e-commerce founders are in their ad accounts every day. They understand the fundamentals, and they’re the ones that are profitable,” Simon shared. He highlighted the risk of relying too much on agencies, saying,
“If you’re not in your ad account daily, you’re just shredding money.”
Even though AI is becoming increasingly integral in managing ad campaigns, Simon reminded us that it should complement rather than replace human oversight. “I know for myself, I thought most e-commerce founders were in the ad account every day…it blew my mind as I met others and they’d never even logged in before.” His approach reflects the balance between leveraging new technologies and maintaining a hands-on strategy to ensure your campaigns are truly effective.
The Importance of Omnichannel Experiences
Omnichannel retailing has become more critical than ever, with Hannah Udina highlighting how essential it is to be present wherever your customers are. “With 43% of Australian customers preferring to shop in-store and many more spreading their shopping across various channels, retailers need to offer a consistent experience everywhere,” Hannah explained.
But Simon took it a step further, emphasising the need to create memorable experiences across all channels.
“Physical retailers who aren’t creating content out of their stores are just absolutely mad.”
Simon Beard
He urged retailers to use their stores as content-generating hubs that capture the authenticity of in-person shopping. “Smash all your SLR cameras—just use iPhones for content!” Simon’s approach to retail is a reminder that while being omnipresent is important, the quality and memorability of those interactions are what truly drive customer loyalty.
Don’t Cook the Hook!
One of the standout moments from the episode was Simon’s advice on crafting the perfect “hook” for ads—the crucial first few seconds that either grab your audience’s attention or lose them entirely. “Your hook is everything,” Simon said.
“If the first three seconds of your ad don’t grab attention, you lose them entirely.”
Simon Beard
Simon shared how he’s seen brands transform their ad performance by focusing on this metric. “I’ve seen ads go from 30% to 80% hook rate just by tweaking the first few seconds. You’ve paid for that impression—make sure it counts.” This insight is a powerful reminder that even small changes to your content can significantly impact your results, making the difference between a successful campaign and one that falls flat.
Looking Forward: What’s Next for Retail?
As we move further into 2024, the insights shared by Simon and Hannah offer a roadmap for navigating the changing retail landscape. From leveraging new social commerce tools to ensuring that your omnichannel strategy is not only present but impactful, there’s plenty to learn and apply.
We’re excited to see how these trends will continue to evolve and what new challenges and opportunities the next year will bring. One thing’s for sure—staying agile, creative, and customer-focused will be key to success.
To dive deeper into these topics and hear the full conversation, listen to the latest episode of Add To Cart. And if you haven’t already, make sure to download Shopify’s 2024 Australian Retail Report. It’s packed with valuable insights that could shape the future of your e-commerce strategy.
Let’s keep the conversation going—who knows, maybe we’ll be back again next year with even more to share!
