The eCom Ops Podcast

Stop Staring at Dashboards: What E-commerce Analytics Should Really Tell You
Mia Umanos, CEO of Clickvoyant and a 2022 Tory Burch Fellow, has made a significant impact on the digital landscape with her 15-year tenure in marketing analytics. Her rise in global digital marketing agencies is marked by her ability to consistently transform projects into success stories. Notable achievements include driving a $20M revenue surge during the pandemic through CRO and securing a Google News Initiative Grant to enhance a news platform's engagement and reach.
Clickvoyant, a proudly women-owned AI data analytics venture, is dedicated to breaking down barriers in e-commerce and marketing. Their cutting-edge technology swiftly delivers actionable data insights to businesses of all sizes, empowering them to thrive in the digital landscape. Clickvoyant's solutions save time and uncover insights that lead to increased revenue and customer growth.

• No.1 eCom Operations hack
  • We should track our e-commerce DTC sites as if a store would. Do you know how this grocery store tracks what you put in, what you take out, and where you stop when you're going there? In digital, it's so much easier to see, but these e-commerce companies there don't know how to do it.

• You Will Learn:
  • How automating statistical research with AI can transform your e-commerce business.
  • Effective strategies for enhancing website hierarchy and boosting conversion rates.
  • The importance of understanding customer behavior to create personalized shopping experiences.
  • Practical tips for implementing A/B testing and leveraging actionable insights to drive revenue growth.

• This episode is sponsored by B2Bware the B2B commerce platform that replaces your email orders, your manual data entry, and your integration mess with one system that runs on your ERP. Check them out at b2bware.com.

Let’s keep learning and growing together in the world of eCommerce!

If you want to learn more about our podcast or have an exciting story to share with our audience, check SyncSpider’s website for more info.

Ranking #1 Isn't Enough Anymore. Will AI Recommend Your Brand? 
Your website ranks on Google. Great. But what happens when your customer doesn't Google at all?

In this episode of the eCom Ops Podcast, host Norbert Strappler talks with Leo Poitevin, Founder of Astrack and Co-founder of Linkavista, about the shift from traditional SEO to generative engine optimization, and why visibility is increasingly about being mentioned, trusted, and recommended rather than simply earning the click.

Leo explains how AI systems research brands, why third-party sources matter, how to identify the citations influencing AI recommendations, whether backlinks still work, and which eCommerce categories should be paying the most attention to GEO right now.

• About:
  • Leo Poitevin is the Founder of Astrack and Co-founder of Linkavista. After beginning his career in SEO at French eCommerce giant Cdiscount, he spent years working in highly competitive search industries where constant experimentation was essential to ranking.

• You Will Learn:
  • What GEO actually means without the marketing jargon
  • How AI decides which brands to recommend
  • Why ranking well doesn't automatically make your brand visible in ChatGPT
  • How to find the sources influencing AI answers
  • Why Reddit and comparison sites can matter for AI visibility
  • Which GEO tactics Leo believes businesses are overestimating
  • Which eCommerce categories should prioritize GEO first
  • Why AI referral traffic doesn't show the complete customer journey
  • Whether SEO and backlinks are still worth investing in
  • What you can do this month to improve AI visibility
  • Why brand awareness may become an increasingly important part of search strategy
  • Leo's simple rule for adopting AI internally: start with AI

• Show Notes:
  • (00:02:28) From SEO to GEO Journey
  • (00:05:26) SEO vs GEO Overlap
  • (00:07:34) Will AI Replace Google
  • (00:08:58) How AI Picks Brands
  • (00:12:25) Testing Your AI Presence
  • (00:16:57) Who Needs GEO Most
  • (00:21:13) SEO Still Matters
  • (00:23:06) Backlinks Still Work
  • (00:25:37) Linkavista Data Insights
  • (00:26:58) Can Backlinks Be Detected
  • (00:30:49) What Marketing Must Change
  • (00:32:08) Mentors and AI Workflow Hack

• The No.1 eCom Operations hack
  • Just opening incognito mode. You go into ChatGPT, you check your brand, you check what is appearing on your stuff when you're searching the best solution for the services that you're providing, and you check all the sources.

• This episode is sponsored by B2Bware the B2B commerce platform that replaces your email orders, your manual data entry, and your integration mess with one system that runs on your ERP. Check them out at b2bware.com.

Let’s keep learning and growing together in the world of eCommerce!

If you want to learn more about our podcast or have an exciting story to share with our audience, check SyncSpider’s website for more info.

The Hidden Rule Behind Every 7-Figure Solo eCommerce Brand
What if you could scale your e-commerce store with just 1–3 people? Elaine Pofeldt, author of The Million-Dollar, One-Person Business, reveals how solopreneurs are crushing it.

Elaine Pofeldt is an award-winning freelance journalist, author, and speaker specializing in entrepreneurship and innovation. Her work has been featured in Forbes, CNBC, Fortune, and other top-tier publications. She's also the bestselling author of The Million-Dollar, One-Person Business, and Tiny Business, Big Money, which explores how individuals worldwide build scalable, capital-efficient ventures.

• The No.1 eCom Operations hack
  • Test fast, cut losses early, and reinvest in your winners.

• You Will Learn
  • Why outsourcing is non-negotiable for growth
  • How to attract media attention (without a PR team)
  • The “test fast, pivot faster” strategy for product success
    
    
• Key Moments
  • (1:31) Elaine's Background and Expertise
  • (2:27) Key Strategies for E-commerce Success
  • (5:30) The Million Dollar One Person Business
  • (9:03) Media Exposure and Business Growth
  • (16:00) Insights from a Business Plan Competition

• This episode is sponsored by B2Bware the B2B commerce platform that replaces your email orders, your manual data entry, and your integration mess with one system that runs on your ERP. Check them out at b2bware.com.

Let’s keep learning and growing together in the world of eCommerce!

If you want to learn more about our podcast or have an exciting story to share with our audience, check SyncSpider’s website for more info.

Sales Tax in eCommerce: Why Software Alone Won't Keep You Compliant 
In this episode of the eCom Ops Podcast, Norbert talks with Lahari Neelapareddy, CPA and Founder of Tax Hero, about one of the most dreaded parts of running an online store: sales tax.

Lahari explains why compliance is a legal obligation for every seller shipping to the US, why small stores are just as exposed as large ones, and how economic nexus, changing state rules and Shopify alerts can quietly create big liabilities. She also compares the US state-by-state system with Europe's OSS model, and shares a real client story where a "zero dollar" filing problem led to notices, penalties and a payment plan with the state of California.

Lahari Neelapareddy is the CEO and founder of Tax Hero, a full-service sales tax solution provider for eCommerce businesses. Combining technology with expert human oversight, Tax Hero ensures that businesses of all sizes remain compliant across every state, allowing owners to focus on growth instead of sales tax worries.

Tax Hero is a full-service sales tax solution provider designed to take the burden of compliance off the shoulders of eCommerce businesses. Specializing in Shopify stores and CPG industries, Tax Hero offers an all-inclusive service that handles every aspect of sales tax management—from configuration to filing. With a single, transparent price package, businesses of all sizes can benefit from Tax Hero’s expertise without worrying about hidden fees or complicated DIY setups.

• What you'll learn:
  • Why sales tax compliance is a legal and cash flow issue, not just paperwork
  • What physical nexus and economic nexus mean, and why 200 orders in a state can trigger registration
  • Why food and beverage brands and small stores are not exempt
  • Why you should not blindly follow Shopify's "you need to register" alerts
  • Why Streamlined Sales Tax (SST) registration can open you up to state income and franchise tax
  • How the US state-by-state approach differs from the EU OSS system
  • Why you need a human expert on top of your tax software
  • How to use a sales tax cash flow forecast so you don't spend money you owe to the states

• This episode is sponsored by B2Bware the B2B commerce platform that replaces your email orders, your manual data entry, and your integration mess with one system that runs on your ERP. Check them out at b2bware.com.

Let’s keep learning and growing together in the world of eCommerce!

If you want to learn more about our podcast or have an exciting story to share with our audience, check SyncSpider’s website for more info.

How One Marketplace Killed the Handshake Deal in Wholesale Auto
How do you digitize a B2B industry where buyers traditionally want to inspect the product themselves before spending a cent?

In this episode of the eCom Ops Podcast, host Norbert Strappler talks with Vikas Mehta, COO of ACV Auctions, about how ACV is transforming the relationship-driven world of wholesale automotive auctions through trust, transparency, automation, and AI.

Vikas Mehta is the Chief Operating Officer of ACV Auctions, a digital B2B marketplace transforming wholesale automotive transactions. Before joining ACV, Vikas spent more than a decade at eBay, working across international marketplaces including Canada, Germany, and Italy.

His career has focused on digital transformation, marketplace operations, customer experience, and using technology to make complex transactions more transparent, predictable, and scalable.

• You Will Learn:
  • How ACV convinced dealers to buy vehicles they had never physically inspected
  • Why transparency is the foundation of trust in digital B2B marketplaces
  • How AI analyzes engine sounds and vehicle undercarriages
  • How ACV automated vehicle transportation at scale
  • Why personalized recommendations initially made some buyers nervous
  • What eBay taught Vikas about marketplace behavior across countries
  • Why B2B businesses still need human relationships in a self-service world
  • What buyers expect today that they didn't expect five years ago
  • Why digitalization should never be the goal itself
  • How rapid growth forced ACV to automate vehicle-title processing
    
    
• Show Notes:
  • (00:01:07) Meet Vikas and ACV
  • (00:02:16) Marketplace Basics and Trust
  • (00:06:32) Selling Sight Unseen
  • (00:10:56) Inspection Tech and AI
  • (00:12:26) Engine Audio and 3D Scan
  • (00:17:12) Automating Vehicle Transport
  • (00:22:22) When Tech Meets Habits
  • (00:24:01) Global Marketplace Nuances
  • (00:28:24) People Plus Tech in B2B
  • (00:31:03) Digital Transformation Advice
  • (00:33:04) Scaling Titles and Paperwork
  • (00:35:28) AI Hacks and Wrap Up

• The No.1 eCom Operations hack
  • “"It's a combination of people plus tech in the most synergistic way that truly unlocks what people are looking for.”

• This episode is sponsored by B2Bware the B2B commerce platform that replaces your email orders, your manual data entry, and your integration mess with one system that runs on your ERP. Check them out at b2bware.com.

Let’s keep learning and growing together in the world of eCommerce!

If you want to learn more about our podcast or have an exciting story to share with our audience, check SyncSpider’s website for more info.

He Cracked TikTok Shop and Built Millions
Jesse shares how resilience, smart systems, and trend-driven product selection helped him scale his eCommerce empire. Whether you're just starting or looking to scale, this episode is packed with mindset shifts and practical strategies you won’t want to miss.

The No.1 eCom Operations hack“Start slow, start with something that doesn't require as much capital upfront investment. Start with something that you can do during your spare time when you get home from your regular job.”

You Will Learn

• Why resilience isn't just a mindset - it's a business model
• Jesse’s organic-first strategy for finding and testing viral products
• The affiliate model that fuels his 7-figure brand
• How systems, not hustle, are the key to scaling from 6 to 7 figures
• Why e-commerce is far from saturated and where the biggest opportunities lie

Resources Mentioned:

• Prestige University
• AI Product Research: Viral Ninja
• TikTok Tools: TikTok Trend Discovery, TikTok Affiliate Center
• Dropshipping Suppliers: CJ Dropshipping, Zen Drop
• Automation: SyncSpider, Zapier
• Affiliate Management Platform: Brandfam
• Authors of the recommended books: Russell Brunson, Robert Kiyosaki, Robert Cialdini

Show Notes

• (00:00:57) Meet Jesse Frimpone: From Homelessness to Success
• (00:03:09) Overcoming Hardships and Building Resilience
• (00:05:29) The Power of the First Sale
• (00:07:00) Mastering Marketing for E-commerce
• (00:09:04) Testing Products and Campaigns with AI
• (00:12:51) The Logistics of E-commerce
• (00:17:17) Mindset Shifts for E-commerce Success
• (00:19:03) Scaling from Six to Seven Figures
• (00:21:36) Debunking E-commerce Myths
• (00:22:55) The Future of E-commerce and B2B
• (00:24:22) Final Thoughts and Farewell

• This episode is sponsored by B2Bware the B2B commerce platform that replaces your email orders, your manual data entry, and your integration mess with one system that runs on your ERP. Check them out at b2bware.com

Let’s keep learning and growing together in the world of eCommerce!

If you want to learn more about our podcast or have an exciting story to share with our audience, check SyncSpider’s website for more info.

The Legal Blind Spot That's Costing Startups Millions
Jeff breaks down the legal blind spots that quietly cost founders the most: why documentation beats any contract template, how skipping trademark protection early can tank your company's valuation later, and why that "quick" copy-paste terms and conditions page could expose your eCommerce store to ADA lawsuits, product liability claims, and predatory settlement demands.

They also get into where AI actually helps in legal work - and where it's dangerous enough to get attorneys sanctioned in court. Plus, Jeff shares the wildest negotiation of his career: how a company closed a six-figure domain deal not with money, but with a plaque.

• In this episode:
• The one habit that prevents most startup lawsuits (it's not a lawyer)
• Why ignoring trademarks can quietly shrink your company's valuation
• The hidden legal risks in generic eCommerce templates (warranties, ADA compliance, liability)
• How predatory "ambulance chaser" firms target growing online stores
• Where AI helps lawyers, and where it's putting them at real risk
• The story behind the plaque that closed a major domain deal

• Show Notes
• (00:01:09) Welcome to the e-Commerce Podcast
• (00:01:47) Meet Jeff Felman: Startup Legal Expert
• (00:03:07) Biggest Early Learning in Building a Business
• (00:06:48) Misconceptions About Intellectual Property
• (00:08:08) The Importance of Documentation for Startups
• (00:11:48) Legal Loopholes and Compliance Issues
• (00:16:38) AI's Impact on the Legal Industry
• (00:18:31) Pricing Strategy for Legal Services
• (00:20:55) Creative Negotiations: A Fun Story
• (00:24:01) Dealing with New Regulations
• (00:26:24) Final Thoughts and Farewell

• This episode is sponsored by B2Bware the B2B commerce platform that replaces your email orders, your manual data entry, and your integration mess with one system that runs on your ERP. Check them out at b2bware.com.

Let’s keep learning and growing together in the world of eCommerce!

If you want to learn more about our podcast or have an exciting story to share with our audience, check SyncSpider’s website for more info.

A Gartner Expert Explains Why Most B2B Transformations Fail
Every company wants to modernize. The question is whether they're fixing the business or simply adding more technology.
Jackie Swanson is the Managing Partner at Gartner Consulting, leading global transformation engagements across retail, consumer products, manufacturing, and utilities. With more than two decades of experience spanning consulting and business operations, she helps organizations redesign operating models, modernize enterprise processes, improve data quality, and successfully adopt AI and digital technologies.

• You Will Learn:
  • Why successful B2B transformation starts with the operating model—not the software
  • What Shadow AI is and why enterprises should pay attention
  • Why bad processes create bad data
  • How clean data becomes the foundation for successful AI adoption
  • Why digital ordering projects often fail despite good technology
  • How to improve employee adoption during transformation projects
  • What modern B2B buyers expect in 2026
  • Why the first warning sign of a failing transformation usually comes from employees
    
    
• Show Notes:
  • (00:00:56) Meet Jackie Swanson
  • (00:03:02) AI Speed and Risk
  • (00:07:22) Moving Off Manual Orders
  • (00:10:12) Data Quality Matters
  • (00:14:59) Stalled Rollout Costs
  • (00:16:42) Sales Reps as Blockers
  • (00:19:24) Buyer Expectations 2026
  • (00:21:09) Transformation War Story
  • (00:25:22) Early Warning Signals
  • (00:26:14) Career Lessons and Wrap

• The No.1 eCom Operations hack
  • “Operating model comes first, technology second. Companies should define how they want to run the business before layering on AI or new tools, not the other way around.

• This episode is sponsored by B2Bware the B2B commerce platform that replaces your email orders, your manual data entry, and your integration mess with one system that runs on your ERP. Check them out at b2bware.com.

Let’s keep learning and growing together in the world of eCommerce!

If you want to learn more about our podcast or have an exciting story to share with our audience, check SyncSpider’s website for more info.

The 80/20 Rule That Fixes Broken Amazon Ad Accounts

• What do you know about Amazon PPC? In this episode, you'll discover the secrets behind mastering Amazon PPC (pay-per-click) with Elizabeth Greene, Co-Founder of Junglr. Elizabeth provides actionable insights and shares her journey into the world of Amazon advertising, offering eCommerce sellers a fresh perspective on boosting their Amazon sales.

• Elizabeth Greene co-founded Junglr, an Amazon PPC management agency that drives sales growth for Amazon sellers. With a focus on leveraging keywords and buyer psychology, Junglr helps sellers position their products effectively in a competitive market.

• You Will Learn:
  • Common mistakes sellers make with Amazon PPC and how to avoid them
  • How to align your ad strategy with your business goals
  • The benefits of building in-house PPC tools for optimization
  • Proven strategies to navigate complex product categories like clothing

• This episode is sponsored by B2Bware the B2B commerce platform that replaces your email orders, your manual data entry, and your integration mess with one system that runs on your ERP. Check them out at b2bware.com.

Let’s keep learning and growing together in the world of eCommerce!

If you want to learn more about our podcast or have an exciting story to share with our audience, check SyncSpider’s website for more info.

How Do You Scale eCommerce Without Replacing Your ERP?
In this episode of the eCom Ops Podcast, host Norbert Strappler sits down with the Founder and CEO of scandiweb to discuss what more than two decades in enterprise eCommerce have taught him about scaling businesses. From early HTML websites and Magento projects to AI-powered operations and backend automation, Antons shares why operational complexity (not technology) is the biggest challenge facing growing retailers.

Antons Sapriko is the Founder and CEO of scandiweb, a global enterprise eCommerce consulting and delivery agency specializing in Adobe Commerce (Magento), Shopify, and BigCommerce. With more than 23 years of experience, he has helped global B2B and B2C retailers scale through commerce strategy, backend integration, and operational innovation.

• You Will Learn:
  • Why growth bottlenecks move from the storefront to the back office
  • Why enterprise systems usually fail between departments rather than within them
  • How Opera Layer bridges operational gaps without replacing existing systems
  • Why ERP replacement projects are so difficult—and when to avoid them
  • How AI is changing enterprise software development and operations
  • Why clean, reliable data should come before any AI investment
  • Lessons learned from more than 23 years of enterprise eCommerce
    
    
• Show Notes:
  • (00:02:03) 23 Years in Ecommerce
  • (00:05:15) B2B Sales Promise Explained
  • (00:09:22) Why Companies Keep Their ERP
  • (00:11:21) AI Needs Data Foundations
  • (00:13:04) Magento Future in AI Era
  • (00:15:19) Lessons From Customers
  • (00:17:14) Hidden Friction in Orchestration
  • (00:18:51) Question for Next Guest
  • (00:19:25) Wrap Up and Final Thanks

• The No.1 eCom Operations hack
  • “Your first investment in AI should be investment in your data infrastructure.”

• This episode is sponsored by B2Bware the B2B commerce platform that replaces your email orders, your manual data entry, and your integration mess with one system that runs on your ERP. Check them out at b2bware.com.

Let’s keep learning and growing together in the world of eCommerce!

If you want to learn more about our podcast or have an exciting story to share with our audience, check SyncSpider’s website for more info.