• Viral Mattress Ads & Crowdfunding
    Jul 22 2025

    Available on YouTube: [youtu.be/wDlijQtbLJo](https://youtu.be/wDlijQtbLJo)

    What if your brand could sell a million orders before shipping a single product?

    Bryant Garvin, marketing lead at Ozlo Sleep and former CMO of Groove Life, did exactly that. In this episode, he shares how performance branding, differentiated product, and a viral video formula helped Ozlo launch with massive traction. From his early work at Purple Mattress to Groove Life’s rise, Bryant breaks down what it takes to turn pre-orders into a brand-building machine.

    Sponsors:

    • Swym – Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & more
    • Cleverific – Smart order editing for Shopify
    • Zipify – Build high-converting sales funnels

    Links & Resources:

    • Bryant Garvin on LinkedIn
    • Ozlo Sleep
    • Purple Mattress
    • Groove Life

    Work with Kurt

    • Work
    • Apply
    • Newsletter
    Show more Show less
    48 mins
  • What 20M Shopify Surveys Reveal About Attribution
    Jul 15 2025

    Watch the video interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/TMVqWfaddG8

    Shopify store owners: what if one simple question could improve your ad spend, creative, and segmentation?

    In this episode of The Unofficial Shopify Podcast, Matt Bahr, founder of Fairing, unpacks what 20 million post-purchase surveys taught him about attribution—and why most brands still get it wrong. Learn how to track what really works, identify new channels like AppLovin and CTV, and use surveys to improve more than just marketing.

    In this episode, you’ll learn:

    • Why last-click attribution is broken—and what to use instead
    • The one survey question every brand should ask
    • How Fairing’s data reveals the rise of AppLovin and CTV
    • What zero-party data can do for your segmentation and CRO
    • How top brands like Bombas and Thrive use surveys to drive action

    Sponsors:

    • Swym – Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & more
    • Cleverific – Smart order editing for Shopify
    • Zipify – Build high-converting sales funnels

    Resources mentioned:

    • Fairing
    • Shopify App Listing
    • LLM Benchmarks
    • Matt Bahr on LinkedIn

    Work with Kurt:

    • Apply
    • Client Results
    • Join the Newsletter
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    43 mins
  • Top Shopify Conversion Mistakes
    Jul 8 2025

    Also on YouTube...

    What’s really holding your Shopify store back? After 10,000 UX audits, Oddit co-founder Shaun Brandt has answers, and most stores are making the same 7 mistakes. Menus that bury the merch. Popups that hijack the screen. Product pages with zero context.

    This episode is a takedown of bad ecommerce decisions, packed with fixes that actually make you more money. Whether you’re running a $50k side hustle or an eight-figure brand, the solutions are simple and the impact is real.

    If your conversion rate’s stuck, this is your episode.

    Sponsors:

    • Swym – Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & more
    • Cleverific – Smart order editing for Shopify
    • Zipify – Build high-converting sales funnels

    Links

    • Oddit
    • Shaun Brandt on LinkedIn
    • Shopify Blog: What Is Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)?

    Work With Kurt

    • Apply
    • Results
    • Newsletter
    Show more Show less
    48 mins
  • SEO for AI: What Works, What’s Snake Oil
    Jul 1 2025

    Available on YouTube: youtu.be/qdpFmuFD8yE

    Shopify merchants are getting pitched AI SEO “solutions” left and right—none of them proven. So I called Jason Berkowitz, an SEO who actually knows the game, to answer the real question: what should you actually do to rank in an AI-powered world? (Spoiler: most of it’s nonsense.) We break down what’s real, what’s trash, and why good SEO still wins—even in a sea of chatbots and grifters.

    Sponsors

    • Zipify – Build high-converting sales funnels
    • Cleverific – Smart order editing for Shopify
    • Viralsweep – Create sweepstakes, contests, and giveaways

    Links

    • Jason Berkowitz / Break the Web
    • Shopify Global Product Catalog
    • ChatGPT Product Search Beta

    Work With Kurt

    • Grow your Shopify store with me: https://ethercycle.com/apply
    • See client results: https://ethercycle.com/work
    • Join my newsletter for Shopify insights: https://kurtelster.com/
    Show more Show less
    43 mins
  • How Divorce, Cancer, and TikTok Built a Shopify Brand
    Jun 24 2025

    Sara Olsher started Mighty + Bright as a handmade calendar to help her toddler cope with divorce. A decade (and one breast cancer diagnosis) later, it’s a full-time Shopify business helping kids, adults, and neurodivergent folks navigate tough life stuff with visual structure. In this episode, Sara shares how she bootstrapped the brand, embraced customer feedback, and scaled with purpose—not just ad spend.

    You’ll learn:

    • How personal chaos sparked a viral product line
    • Why bootstrapping kept her business healthy and profitable
    • The power of customer-led product development
    • How one TikTok collab outsold her entire kids’ line

    Sponsors

    • Zipify – Build high-converting sales funnels
    • Cleverific – Smart order editing for Shopify
    • Address Validator – Reduce delivery address errors & costs
    Links and Resources:
    • Sara Olsher
    • Mighty + Bright

    Apps, Tools, & Services

    • StoreHero – Profit-focused ad tracking and analytics
    • Octane AI – Shop quizzes for Shopify
    • Sensible Forecasting – Inventory planning
    • Bundles.app – Inventory syncing for Shopify bundles
    • iPaKey – Packing and fulfillment scanner tool

    Work with Kurt:

    → Grow your Shopify store
    → See client success stories
    → Join Kurt’s newsletter

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    49 mins
  • Shopify POS V10: What’s New?
    Jun 17 2025

    Also on YouTube: youtu.be/4lOLw1k4ocA

    Shopify VP of Retail, Ray Reddy, joins to walk through what’s new in POS V10.

    • Faster checkouts
    • Split fulfillment
    • Custom branding
    • Better search

    If you sell in person, this episode is for you.

    Show Links
    • Shopify POS
    • Shopify Editions (Summer 2025)
    • Ray Reddy on LinkedIn
    Sponsors
    • Zipify – Build high-converting sales funnels
    • Cleverific – Smart order editing for Shopify
    • Boost AI Search & Filter – Frictionless Product Discovery with AI
    Work with Kurt
    • Grow your Shopify store with me
    • See our recent client wins
    • Join my newsletter
    Show more Show less
    39 mins
  • Inside Shopify Editions.dev 2025
    Jun 10 2025

    Watch on YouTube

    Shopify unveiled a sweeping AI-first vision at Editions.dev 2025, and it's got their partners buzzing. In this episode, we go beyond the keynote to bring you on-the-ground reactions from developers, partners, and skeptics alike.

    Featuring interviews with:

    • Anne Thomas (Design Packs)
    • Ezra Firestone (Zipify)
    • Jamil Bhuya (Otherhalf Studio)
    • Karl Meisterheim (Liquid Weekly)

    We dig into:

    • Horizon's AI-generated blocks
    • Shopify’s global product catalog push
    • The looming idea of a multi-store global cart

    Some call it the future of commerce. We call it required listening.

    Sponsors
    • Zipify – Build high-converting sales funnels
    • Cleverific – Smart order editing for Shopify
    • Viralsweep – Create sweepstakes, contests, and giveaways
    Links
    • Shopify Editions Summer '25
    • Editions.dev

    Related Resources

    • Will Premium Themes Get Horizon Blocks? (ed.codes)
    • TUSP Facebook Group Post
    • Understanding Shopify Catalog API (Sherocommerce)
    • Liquid Weekly

    For more unfiltered Shopify wisdom:

    • kurtelster.com
    • paulreda.com
    • ethercycle.com
    Help the show
    • Ask a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook Group
    • Leave a review
    • Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts
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    1 hr
  • How BRĒZ Built a $28M Better-For-You Buzz Brand on Shopify
    Jun 3 2025

    What if your Shopify brand could sell 16 million cans and hit $28M in its first full year? Aaron Nosbisch did just that with BRĒZ, a microdose drink brand that taps into the decline of alcohol, the rise of wellness, and a smarter ecommerce playbook. In this episode, he breaks down the entire journey—from ignored category to household name.

    Show Links

    • Aaron Nosbisch: https://twitter.com/AaronJNosbisch
    • BRĒZ: https://drinkbrez.com
    • Lucyd: https://www.wearelucyd.com

    Sponsors:

    • Zipify – Build high-converting sales funnels
    • Cleverific – Smart order editing for Shopify
    • Viralsweep – Create sweepstakes, contests, and giveaways.

    Work with Kurt:

    • Grow your Shopify store: https://ethercycle.com/apply
    • Join the newsletter: https://kurtelster.com/

    Subscribe for more Shopify founder stories.

    Show more Show less
    37 mins