DTC822: Shopify Summer Editions 2025 Updates

Good morning,

Here’s what you’ll find in today’s DTC:

☀️ Shopify’s 150+ Updates
New AI tools to optimize your storefront.

💸 Stuck in a Meta Slump?
Tactical tips to fix underperforming ads.

⭐ Drive Repeat Purchases
The benefits of building a strong referral program.

📦 Daily Tariff Tracker
Trump threatens the EU and Apple with hefty tariffs.

😂 Rhode-Inspired Mayo Case?
Ayoh! drops a playful product for summer.

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You’re reading this newsletter along with new subscribers from: Pepper, Moonpig, and Glacier Guides. 👋

🚨 LAST CHANCE: This Epic AI Ad Training Series Starts TOMORROW

It’s here.

💥 Motion’s 3rd annual Make Ads That Convert, starts tomorrow and runs May 27–June 4.

This unparalleled online event brings you the latest in cutting-edge AI tech, giving you the tools you need to elevate tried-and-true ad strategy to new levels. 📈

🧠 It’s a live online masterclass series featuring five one-hour sessions, taught by the experts leading the advance into AI in DTC. You’ll hear from AI masters like Alex Cooper, Jimmy Slagle, and Jacob Posel, with live Q&A sessions that let you ask your most pressing questions.

🧑‍💻 Each session builds on the last, letting you workshop ads in real-time. Get access to brand-new AI tools that aren’t even on the radar yet, and get ahead of the competition.

Ready to level up? See you there tomorrow. 🌟

💡 Shopify Unleashes 150+ Updates Including AI Store Builder

Shopify just dropped over 150 updates in its Summer Editions, giving ecommerce brands more flexibility, automation, and creative control.

Build a Storefront with AI: Shopify’s new design foundation, Horizon, lets you design a stunning site without code.

Use drag-and-drop theme blocks or let AI generate them for you.

You can even start from scratch using the new AI Store Builder.

👉 Describe your brand in a prompt and it will generate a storefront within seconds.

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AI Shopping Agents + Smarter Discovery: Shopify has partnered with AI search engines like Perplexity, giving merchants more visibility and control in search results.

And coming soon…there will be new ways for merchants to build AI-powered shopping agents that showcase your products to millions of potential customers.

Smarter AI Assistant: Sidekick now connects your store’s data to answer complex questions, generate high-res images, and respond via voice chat.

Shop App Upgrades: The Shop app now offers real-time, personalized product feeds and lets users create and share curated collections.

Merchants can now get featured directly in the feed and rake in more sales through the app.

Which update are you the most excited about? Reply back and let us know!

📦 Your Daily Tariff Check-In

Whether it’s a minor tweak or a major shift, we’ll keep you posted on the latest tariff changes—so you’re always in the know.

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May 23, 2025 update:

• Trump Makes New Tariff Threats
  • On Friday President Trump threatened the EU with a 50% tariff starting on June 1st, posting that trade talks with them are "going nowhere."
  • This message came right after Trump threatened Apple with a 25% tariff if they do not produce iPhones in the U.S.

Keep in mind: These details are current as of writing but could change before this reaches your inbox.

☀️ Cash In On Peak Summer Season With Walmart Marketplace

Millions of shoppers turn to Walmart.com every summer for travel must-haves, outdoor essentials, and seasonal gear. ⛺

That surge in demand creates a huge opportunity for ecommerce businesses selling swim products, patio furniture, grills, camping gear and more. 🏖️

If you’re not selling on Walmart Marketplace yet, now’s the time to join before summer demand heats up. 😎

💸 As a new seller you’re eligible to save up to $75,000 in New-Seller Savings, Walmart’s incentive program going on now that includes:

• Up to 75% off base referral fees*  
• Up to 50% off storage fees and 25% off fulfillment fees** (a $2K value)  
• $1K in advertising credits with Walmart Connect***  

👉 New Seller Savings runs through January 31, 2026, but the sooner you start, the more you can save. List your products now and make this your biggest summer yet.

*Conditions apply.

🎧 How Talkable Cuts CAC with Referral Loops and Wallet-Based Sharing

In this episode of the DTC Podcast, we sit down with Jeremy Foreshew from Talkable to discuss the power of referral marketing.

We discuss how referral programs offer a cost-effective and authentic way to acquire new customers as advertising costs rise and serve as a sustainable growth channel for DTC brands.

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In this episode, you'll learn:

• Benefits of referral marketing: How it can supercharge your growth strategy and create a self-sustaining customer acquisition loop.
• How to build an effective referral program: Learn how Talkable's platform provides tools for segmentation, A/B testing, and fraud prevention.
• Increase conversion rates: How using digital wallets like Talkable Wallet for mobile referrals and timely referral prompts can lead to higher sales.

👉 Listen to the full episode with Jeremy here.

💡 Are You In A Performance Rut?

Diagnosing the issue in your account is one of the most important steps to getting out of a performance rut.

Once you pinpoint what the main issue in your account is, it’s time to plan out the next steps.

The Pilothouse Meta team has a few tips to help guide you to what next steps might be helpful on your account:

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Issue: Increasing click costs

✅ Possible solutions:

• Test new, less branded creatives such as UGC or warehouse content.
• Refresh your top-performing creative with new ad copy.
• Increase exclusions to push more spend into top of funnel.

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Issue: Decreasing conversion rate

✅ Possible solutions:

• Review landing page load speed and optimize!
  • Use tools like Google PageSpeed to identify elements slowing down landing pages and optimize based on the recommendations.
• Review the checkout process and look for ways to simplify by removing friction points.
  • Minimize the number of steps in the checkout process to reduce cart abandonment.
• A/B test different images and CTAs on landing pages and PDPs

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Issue: Decreasing AOV

✅ Possible solutions:

• Implement upselling or cross-selling strategies
  • This can be done on product pages or in cart and leveraging AI can help personalize the experience
• Offer discounts with higher volume orders or bundle deals
  • Run ads specifically calling out these offers
• Create audiences for people who have viewed higher AOV products or bundles and retarget this segment of traffic

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Shoutout to the Pilothouse team for the tips! Happy optimizing!

🌐 IN THE SOCIAL SPHERE

Molly Baz releases a Rhode-inspired phone case for her condiments brand Ayoh! Just in time for summer barbeque season.

The hilarious UGC play comes in multiple color ways and is perfect for holding your favorite condiment packet.

Would you buy a condiment phone case?

100%

Not a fan

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⚡ QUICK HITS

🚀 Skyrocket your brand's TikTok engagement. Spotlight Oral Care gained 6M views and $30,365 EMV (earned media value) in their collaboration with 50 micro-influencers from minisocial. Unlock your big viral moment. *

🔍 Looking for a tool to unlock insights about your customers? Decile knows that personalization starts with a 360-degree customer view. Get a free tour of the product here. *

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📅 EVENTS

Shopware Community Day 2025 - This one-day ecommerce conference aims to illuminate the future of digital commerce and shape its next 25 years through collaboration and shared knowledge.

📅 June 4, 📍 Cologne, Germany 💰 Register To Attend

AI and Big Data Expo - A showcase of AI and big data advancements across enterprise, consumer, and innovation applications with keynotes, demos, and panels.

📅 June 4-5, 📍 Santa Clara, CA 💰 $699

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💸 MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS

• OpenAI purchases iPhone designer Jony Ive’s AI device startup for $6.4 billion.
• Levi Strauss sells Dockers to Authentic Brands for $311 million.

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📰 NEWS

• Trump threatens the EU with a 50% tariff starting June 1st.
• Google Ads rolls out a Smart Bidding Exploration feature for advertisers.
• YouTube reveals a new ad format called ‘Peak Points’.

📥 Got a B2B Biz?

Join dozens of B2B companies finding demand-gen success through our niche community of 150k brand leaders and founders this year. Talk to our team to learn more.

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Have you heard our latest podcasts?

• 🍳 TWBERP 34: Inside Cookware Brand Hestan’s Retention Strategy
• 🫖 How Art of Tea Scaled Through Story and Quality
• 🏆 AKNF 508: How to Scale an Agency with Kyle Hitchcox
• 🔥 Ad-venturous 2: FIIIIREE Memorial Day Sales Tips & Tricks
• 🤖 TWBERP 33: Understanding Clicks, Open Rates, and Bot Traffic
• 💡 How to Optimize Subscription Offers for Better Retention & Profit

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Don’t forget to rate the DTC Podcast on Apple (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

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DTC Newsletter is written by Rebecca Knight and Frances Du. Edited by Eric Dyck.

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