DTC673: Google Shopping’s AI Updates

Good morning,

Microsoft shares that brands may want to launch those holiday campaigns earlier this year.

Their research shows that a considerable amount of holiday conversions come from October clicks so start targeting those early holiday shoppers with gifting suggestions!

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

💡 Google Shopping introduces new AI updates, which includes personalized home feeds and a deal section for budget-conscious shoppers.
🧢 Bart Szaniewski, co-founder of DadGang, shares why it’s important to keep things simple while scaling a multimillion-dollar hat brand.
🏃 And…searches for this fitness item just reached an all-time high.

You’re reading this newsletter along with new subscribers from: Unilever, Spearman Sports Clubs, and Deschutes Brewery. 👋

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💡 Google Shopping’s AI Makeover

Thanks to generative AI, Google Shopping is about to get a whole new look.

Google has taken 45 billion product listings from Google’s Shopping Graph and fed them into their AI model, Gemini, to improve how users discover products and shop online.

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What has changed?

Now, users can visit a personalized homepage that suggests shoppable products and videos based on past preferences and user activity on YouTube and Google (remembering what you searched for last time to serve relevant information).

Gemini will also provide AI-generated briefs so customers can find relevant products. For example, the search query ‘men’s winter jacket for Seattle’ will product recommendations specific to that climate.

Lilian Rincon, VP of Consumer Shopping Product for Google Shopping, shares, “We know shopping is personal, and that’s what we’ve created with our feed. Personalization can create categories based on your recent shopping. We think it solves real shopper pain points.”

This page will also have price comparison tools, shopping insights, and a deals page for budget-conscious shoppers.

This new shopping experience will also have a virtual try-on feature and AR shopping tools so customers can make better purchasing decisions.

Google invites users to provide feedback as they continue to improve on the experimental feature. If something on the feed doesn’t match your preferences, you can hit the ‘thumbs down’ button to remove it.

This update will roll out across the U.S. for desktop and mobile in the next few weeks.

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🎧 C-Suite Exclusive: Simplicity at Scale, the DadGang.co story with Bart Szaniewski

In this special edition of the DTC Podcast, we revisit Bart Szaniewski's powerful presentation from the C-Suite Mastermind event in Victoria, BC.

Bart, co-founder of DadGang.co, shares his incredible journey from selling his first 100 hats to surpassing 250,000 hats sold.

What started as a simple idea between friends—celebrating fatherhood with style—has blossomed into a multimillion-dollar business.

Bart emphasizes the power of keeping things simple while scaling. This principle has helped DadGang build organic partnerships with top athletes and global organizations, all fueled by one unifying message: pure dad pride.

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In this podcast, we cover:

• Simplicity at scale: How DadGang grew from a small project into a scalable brand without over-complicating processes.
• Building community over driving immediate sales: Bart shares how DadGang engages with over 10,000 dads directly for product feedback.
• Organic Growth: Organic partnerships with major athletes like Mookie Betts outperform highly produced content, showing that authenticity matters more to their audience.
• Scarcity strategy: The power of limited-edition product drops has created a sense of urgency and community excitement, fueling growth without over-reliance on paid ads.

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👉 You can listen to the full episode with Bart here.

📈 SEARCH SURGE

Trending in Search: Fitness trackers

Why is this happening? Searches for fitness trackers reached an all-time high this month as customers are looking to get an early start on their fitness goals before the New Year.

This is a great opportunity for health and fitness brands to use this trending item as a contest prize for their holiday giveaway campaigns.

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Have you heard our latest podcasts?

• ✅ TWBERP 3: BFCM Email Strategies That Work
• 🦁 Building A Mathematical Model That Leads To Growth Goals
• 💸 AKNF 446: The Art of Not Leaving Money on The Table
• 📧 TWBERP 2: Master Email Metrics and Measure Program Success
• 🔪 Montana Knife’s 8 Figure Product Launch Schedule
• 💪 AKNF 444: How to Maintain a Brand That Creates Tons of Content

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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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