Are we moving from search… to conversation?

On this episode of The FODcast, Tim sits down with Alex Melen, Co-Founder at SmartSites, one of the world’s largest independently owned digital marketing agencies.

With more than 400 employees and over 15 years of growth behind the business, Alex has spent decades at the forefront of digital marketing and ecommerce, making this a really insightful conversation around where AI, search and digital commerce are heading next.

Alex shares why he believes the next 12 months could bring more transformation than the last 12 years.

We cover a LOT of ground in the chat with Alex, including:

• Why search behaviour is shifting so quickly
• How conversational AI is changing discovery
• What agentic shopping could mean for ecommerce brands
• Why retailers need to think about visibility beyond Google
• How Shopify is positioning itself for this next phase
• What teams need to understand as AI becomes part of the buying journey

A really interesting episode for anyone thinking about where digital commerce, search and AI-enabled shopping could be heading next.

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#FODcast #DigitalCommerce #Ecommerce #AISearch #AgenticCommerce #SmartSites

Simply Commerce is the leading supplier of talent into digital commerce across technology, digital marketing, product, sales, and leadership.

Find our more about our approach and our services within digital commerce recruitment here: https://simply-commerce.co.uk/

“Safe, connected and capable.”

On this week’s episode of The FODcast, Daniel Temm, CEO of Puresport explains the three feelings the brand wants customers to experience when they engage with the business.

It’s a fascinating discussion around what modern consumer brands need to become beyond simply “selling products”.

Tim and Daniel discuss:

• Building a brand in one of the world’s most crowded categories
• Why community became a growth engine for Puresport
• The move from startup experimentation to scale-up execution
• The realities of Amazon growth and omnichannel retail
• Why many founders struggle with prioritisation
• The importance of simplicity, storytelling and emotional connection

There’s also an honest conversation around leadership pressure, mentorship and how rapidly growing businesses force founders to constantly evolve.

A really strong episode for anyone interested in modern ecommerce, brand building and scaling consumer businesses.

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Simply Commerce is the leading supplier of talent into digital commerce across technology, digital marketing, product, sales, and leadership.

Find our more about our approach and our services within digital commerce recruitment here: https://simply-commerce.co.uk/

Is CRO really about conversion rate, or are too many brands looking at the wrong thing?

On the latest episode of The FODcast, James sits down with Adam Pearce, Co-founder of Blend Commerce, to unpack what CRO actually means in ecommerce.

Adam breaks it down through three simple levers: buy now, buy more and buy again.

The conversation covers:

• Why CRO is often misunderstood
• Why data needs to challenge opinion, not just support it
• The role of customer behaviour in shaping better buying journeys
• Why site search is still massively underutilised
• The difference between improving conversion and improving profitability
• Why founders sometimes need to step back and let the data lead

There are also some really practical insights around upselling, product discovery, customer retention and how brands should think about CRO at different stages of growth.

A really useful listen for ecommerce teams thinking about revenue, profitability and customer experience.

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#FODcast #CRO #Ecommerce #ConversionRateOptimisation #DigitalCommerce #CustomerExperience #Retail

Simply Commerce is the leading supplier of talent into digital commerce across technology, digital marketing, product, sales, and leadership.

Find our more about our approach and our services within digital commerce recruitment here: https://simply-commerce.co.uk/