The Watson Weekly - Your Essential eCommerce Digest - podcast cover

The Watson Weekly - Your Essential eCommerce Digest

RMW Commercewww.rmwcommerce.com
Join Rick Watson, 20+ year eCommerce veteran and CEO & Founder of RMW Commerce, to hear all the latest in the world of eCommerce — from established players like Amazon and Shopify to the new startups, fresh off their latest round of funding. From Marketplaces to Direct-to-Consumer to Supply Chain to Payments, it’s all here. New episodes every Monday, just in time for your morning commute! Find more great content from Rick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ecommercestrategyconsulting/

Episodes

March 10th, 2025: Target 2024 earnings shows company falling behind, when will merchants stop treating data as a project? Commercetools layoffs throws into question IPO plans, and has Shopify Enterprise turned a corner?

Today on our show: Target 2024 earnings shows company falling behind When will merchants stop treating data as a project? Commercetools layoffs throws into question IPO plans Has Shopify Enterprise turned a corner? - and finally, The Investor Minute which contains 5 items this week from the world of venture capital, acquisitions, and IPOs. Today's episode is sponsored by Mirakl. https://www.rmwcommerce.com/ecommerce-podcast-watsonweekly...

Mar 10, 202514 minEp. 173

March 3rd, 2025: Is Beyond.com doomed? Klaviyo reports 2024 earnings, Klaviyo coming for Salesforce Service Cloud, and Paypal Investor Day offers problematic vision

Today on our show: Is Beyond.com doomed? Klaviyo reports 2024 earnings Klaviyo coming for Salesforce Service Cloud Paypal Investor Day offers problematic vision - and finally, The Investor Minute which contains 5 items this week from the world of venture capital, acquisitions, and IPOs. Today's episode is sponsored by Mirakl. https://www.rmwcommerce.com/ecommerce-podcast-watsonweekly...

Mar 03, 202516 minEp. 172

February 24th, 2025: Walmart reports fiscal year 2025 earnings, Saks stopped paying vendors on time, TikTok subscriptions could help creators, and BigCommerce reports 2024 earnings

Today on our show: Walmart reports fiscal year 2025 earnings Saks stopped paying vendors on time TikTok subscriptions could help creators BigCommerce reports 2024 earnings And finally, The Investor Minute, which contains 5 items this week from the world of venture capital, acquisitions, and IPOs. Today’s episode is sponsored by Mirakl. https://www.rmwcommerce.com/ecommerce-podcast-watsonweekly  ...

Feb 24, 202517 minEp. 171

February 17th, 2025: Shopify Q4 2024 earnings: The age of efficiency comes to Shopify, it’s not just you - age of efficiency accelerating, Amazon Q4 earnings wins the Grammy for free cash flow, and Amazon ad engine getting hungry: look out Google Shopping

Today on our show: Shopify Q4 2024 earnings: The age of efficiency comes to Shopify It’s not just you - age of efficiency accelerating Amazon Q4 earnings wins the Grammy for free cash flow Amazon ad engine getting hungry: look out Google Shopping And finally, The Investor Minute, which contains 5 items this week from the world of venture capital, acquisitions, and IPOs. Today’s episode is sponsored by Mirakl. https://www.rmwcommerce.com/ecommerce-podcast-watsonweekly...

Feb 17, 202518 minEp. 170

February 10th, 2025: Trump eliminates the de minimis for China, AI won't solve all the problems, but we don't realize it yet, UPS Q4 2024 earnings, AI is not the new SEO. Brands could be in a marketplace without realizing it

Today on our show: Trump eliminates the de minimis for China AI won't solve all the problems, but we don't realize it yet UPS Q4 2024 earnings: steering towards margin, away from Amazon AI is not the new SEO. Brands could be in a marketplace without realizing it And finally, The Investor Minute, which contains 5 items this week from the world of venture capital, acquisitions, and IPOs. Today’s episode is sponsored by Mirakl. https://www.rmwcommerce.com/ecommerce-podcast-watsonweekly  ...

Feb 10, 202514 minEp. 169

Special Episode: Global eCommerce Leaders Forum, Cross-Border Trends, & Honoring Kent Allen

Today on a special edition of our show: Remembering Kent Allen Evolution of Global eCommerce Pioneers in Cross-Border Trade Current Trends and Players Jim Okamura Partner, McMillanDoolittle and co-founder, Global E-Commerce Leaders Forum Jim has over 25 years of consulting experience focused on strategic planning in the retail industry. His work in retail innovation and digital transformation has resulted in industry-leading thinking on retailer best practices and strategy. Jim has publishe...

Feb 06, 202535 min

February 3rd, 2025: Risks to Amazon in the AI Wars, private equity outlook in 2025, Artificial Intelligence moving from creating to doing with OpenAI Operator, how to grow faster is an elusive question

Today on our show: Risks to Amazon in the AI Wars Private equity outlook in 2025 Artificial Intelligence moving from creating to doing with OpenAI Operator How to grow faster is an elusive question And finally, The Investor Minute, which contains 5 items this week from the world of venture capital, acquisitions, and IPOs. Today’s episode is sponsored by Mirakl. https://www.rmwcommerce.com/ecommerce-podcast-watsonweekly  ...

Feb 03, 202515 minEp. 168

Shaping the Future: Social Commerce, AI, and Predictions for 2025 with Kelly Goetsch

In the final episode of this special 3-part  Watson Weekly  series, Rick Watson is joined by Kelly Goetsch, Advisor at Commerce Tools, to discuss what’s next for the world of commerce. Key topics include: The rise of social shopping and platforms like TikTok Shops How AI is redefining brand discovery and trust Predictions for retail growth and consumer behavior in 2025 The enduring influence of earned media in building connections This episode ties the series together with forward-look...

Jan 23, 202511 min

January 20th, 2025: Our 2025 NRF event analysis, recapping the first ever RMW Commerce Five Forces event in New York City

Today on our show: Our 2025 NRF event analysis Recapping the first ever RMW Commerce Five Forces event in New York City And finally, The Investor Minute, which contains 5 items this week from the world of venture capital, acquisitions, and IPOs. Today’s episode is sponsored by Mirakl. https://www.rmwcommerce.com/ecommerce-podcast-watsonweekly...

Jan 20, 202511 minEp. 167

Modernizing B2B Commerce: Overcoming the Bob Problem with Kelly Goetsch

In Part 2 of this special  Watson Weekly  series, Rick Watson and Kelly Goetsch dive deep into the complexities of B2B commerce. They discuss: The generational shift reshaping the industry Challenges like the "Bob Problem" and outdated practices The role of composable commerce in streamlining processes How solutions like Commerce Tools Foundry are enabling businesses to innovate Explore how B2B is evolving to meet modern demands while navigating its unique challenges. Don’t miss this i...

Jan 16, 202519 min

January 13th, 2025: Shopify 2025: The Entrepreneur, the Rulemaker and the Bridge-Builder, Mastercard Holiday numbers show roses for eCommerce, Is 2025 the year of the niche down? And Amazon still the king of warehouse growth

Today on our show: Shopify 2025: The Entrepreneur, the Rulemaker and the Bridge-Builder Mastercard Holiday numbers show roses for eCommerce Is 2025 the year of the niche down? Amazon still the king of warehouse growth And finally, The Investor Minute, which contains 5 items this week from the world of venture capital, acquisitions, and IPOs. Today’s episode is sponsored by Mirakl. https://www.rmwcommerce.com/ecommerce-podcast-watsonweekly...

Jan 13, 202514 minEp. 166

Breaking Barriers in E-commerce and Healthcare with Kelly Goetsch

In this special episode of  Watson Weekly , Rick Watson is joined by Kelly Goetsch, a Commercetools Advisor and industry thought leader. Kelly shares his unique insights into the evolving landscape of e-commerce, focusing on the intersection of technology and healthcare. Together, they explore key topics like consumer behavior trends, the growing role of composable commerce, and the untapped opportunities in health tech. From tackling HIPAA compliance to redefining retail experiences, this ...

Jan 06, 202528 min

December 23rd, 2024: Amazon building 25% of all warehouses, UPS hiking SurePost rates by 10%, Lowes develops a new marketplace, and Quickbooks partners with Amazon Marketplace Seller Central

Today on our show: Amazon building 25% of all warehouses UPS hiking SurePost rates by 10% Lowes develops a new marketplace Quickbooks partners with Amazon Marketplace Seller Central And finally, The Investor Minute, which contains 5 items this week from the world of venture capital, acquisitions, and IPOs. Today’s episode is sponsored by Mirakl. https://www.rmwcommerce.com/ecommerce-podcast-watsonweekly  ...

Dec 23, 202413 minEp. 165

December 16th, 2024: Shopify releases a boring update, was Amazon haul launched sooner as political strategy? What is the potential impact of tariffs on eCommerce? And why use an outside consultant to help you solve a problem?

Today on our show: Shopify releases a boring update Was Amazon haul launched sooner as political strategy? What is the potential impact of tariffs on eCommerce? Why use an outside consultant to help you solve a problem? And finally, The Investor Minute, which contains 5 items this week from the world of venture capital, acquisitions, and IPOs. Today’s episode is sponsored by Mirakl. https://www.rmwcommerce.com/ecommerce-podcast-watsonweekly...

Dec 16, 202418 minEp. 164

December 9th, 2024: 3 observations from Cyber Week, the 3 coming wars in the next 5 years, and 5 reasons Klaviyo is growing faster than most anyone right now

Today on our show: 3 observations from Cyber Week The 3 coming wars in the next 5 years 5 reasons Klaviyo is growing faster than most anyone right now And finally, The Investor Minute, which contains 5 items this week from the world of venture capital, acquisitions, and IPOs. Today’s episode is sponsored by Mirakl. https://www.rmwcommerce.com/ecommerce-podcast-watsonweekly...

Dec 09, 202415 minEp. 163

We'll be back next week!

Attention, Watsonians! Pardon us as we were on a brief hiatus over the holiday week - we'll be back next week with a brand new episode!

Dec 02, 202421 sec

November 25th, 2024: How you should read the Gartner Quadrant, Wordpress is the Craigslist of website builders, Target reports terrible earnings, and Walmart reports great earnings

Today on our show: How you should read the Gartner Quadrant Wordpress is the Craigslist of website builders Target reports terrible earnings Walmart reports great earnings And finally, The Investor Minute, which contains 5 items this week from the world of venture capital, acquisitions, and IPOs. https://www.rmwcommerce.com/ecommerce-podcast-watsonweekly...

Nov 25, 202418 minEp. 162

November 18th, 2024: Shopify reported Q3 2024 earnings, Klaviyo reports even better Q3 earnings, new RMW Commerce event being held in January, and BigCommerce trying to escape the Alabama mud like My Cousin Vinny

Today on our show: Shopify reported Q3 2024 earnings Klaviyo reports even better Q3 earnings New RMW Commerce event being held in January BigCommerce trying to escape the Alabama mud like My Cousin Vinny And finally, The Investor Minute, which contains 5 items this week from the world of venture capital, acquisitions, and IPOs. https://www.rmwcommerce.com/ecommerce-podcast-watsonweekly...

Nov 18, 202419 minEp. 161

November 11th, 2024: Amazon reports great Q3 2024 earnings, Children's Place partnership with Shein could be genius, the state of SaaS venture capital valuations, and AI platforms looking to challenge every software category

Today on our show: Amazon reports great Q3 2024 earnings Children's Place partnership with Shein could be genius The state of SaaS venture capital valuations AI platforms looking to challenge every software category And finally, The Investor Minute, which contains 5 items this week from the world of venture capital, acquisitions, and IPOs. https://www.rmwcommerce.com/ecommerce-podcast-watsonweekly...

Nov 11, 202417 minEp. 160

November 4th, 2024: CEO merry-go-round continues, Paypal earnings report show progress and challenges, UPS releases Q3 earnings, and everyone in retail copying everyone else

Today on our show: CEO merry-go-round continues  Paypal earnings report show progress and challenges UPS releases Q3 earnings Everyone in retail copying everyone else And finally, The Investor Minute, which contains 5 items this week from the world of venture capital, acquisitions, and IPOs. https://www.rmwcommerce.com/ecommerce-podcast-watsonweekly  ...

Nov 04, 202418 minEp. 159

October 28th, 2024: Is 2024 the Generative AI holiday? Amazon's new low cost store concept might as well be called "Off-Prime", is 2025 the year bad eCommerce content officially dies? And BigCommerce expands its leadership team

Today on our show: Is 2024 the Generative AI holiday? Amazon new low cost store concept might as well be called "Off-Prime" Is 2025 the year bad eCommerce content officially dies? BigCommerce expands its leadership team And finally, The Investor Minute, which contains 5 items this week from the world of venture capital, acquisitions, and IPOs. https://www.rmwcommerce.com/ecommerce-podcast-watsonweekly  ...

Oct 28, 202415 minEp. 158

October 21st, 2024: Optimization will be the watchword in 2025, OpenStore pivoting into Helpdesk Software, Walmart appoints Seth Dellaire as Chief Growth Officer, and new report shows Unicorns lack exit options

Today on our show: Optimization will be the watchword in 2025 OpenStore pivoting into Helpdesk Software Walmart appoints Seth Dellaire as Chief Growth Officer New report shows Unicorns lack exit options And finally, The Investor Minute, which contains 5 items this week from the world of venture capital, acquisitions, and IPOs. https://www.rmwcommerce.com/ecommerce-podcast-watsonweekly  ...

Oct 21, 202415 minEp. 157

October 14th, 2024: Holiday season preview, what’s happening with Shop Promise? Former Amazon leader Dave Clark raises $100M for Auger and marketplaces like eBay are dropping their fees

Today on our show: Holiday season preview What’s happening with Shop Promise? Former Amazon leader Dave Clark raises $100M for Auger Marketplaces like eBay are dropping their fees And finally, The Investor Minute, which contains 5 items this week from the world of venture capital, acquisitions, and IPOs. https://www.rmwcommerce.com/ecommerce-podcast-watsonweekly...

Oct 14, 202416 minEp. 156

October 7th, 2024: Lightspeed exploring strategic alternatives, Loop creates offset return feature, CVS conducting a strategic review, and Travis Hess named new BigCommerce CEO

Today on our show: Lightspeed exploring strategic alternatives Loop creates offset return feature CVS conducting a strategic review Travis Hess named new BigCommerce CEO And finally, The Investor Minute, which contains 5 items this week from the world of venture capital, acquisitions, and IPOs. https://www.rmwcommerce.com/ecommerce-podcast-watsonweekly...

Oct 07, 202418 minEp. 155

September 30th, 2024: John Donahoe steps down from Nike, Amazon introduces new supply chain service, what’s going on with the retail job market? And the fight over de minimis and how this will end

Today on our show: John Donahoe steps down from Nike Amazon introduces new supply chain service What’s going on with the retail job market? The fight over de minimis and how this will end And finally, The Investor Minute, which contains 5 items this week from the world of venture capital, acquisitions, and IPOs. https://www.rmwcommerce.com/ecommerce-podcast-watsonweekly...

Sep 30, 202417 minEp. 154

September 23rd, 2024: Shopify’s progress in the enterprise market, Biden White House makes de minimis announcement, Amazon’s return to office memo code for layoffs, and Salesforce makes several release announcements at Dreamforce - or does it?

Today on our show: Shopify’s progress in the enterprise market Biden White House makes de minimis announcement Amazon’s return to office memo code for layoffs Salesforce makes several release announcements at Dreamforce - or does it? And finally, The Investor Minute, which contains 5 items this week from the world of venture capital, acquisitions, and IPOs. https://www.rmwcommerce.com/ecommerce-podcast-watsonweekly...

Sep 23, 202419 minEp. 153

September 16th, 2024: What is going on with Bolt, Walmart and StockX partner up, Bankrate holiday consumer survey results, creating the perfect board presentation

Today on our show: What is going on with bolt? Walmart and StockX partner up Bankrate holiday consumer survey results Creating the perfect board presentation And finally, The Investor Minute, which contains 5 items this week from the world of venture capital, acquisitions, and IPOs. https://www.rmwcommerce.com/ecommerce-podcast-watsonweekly  ...

Sep 16, 202412 minEp. 152

September 9th, 2024: Walmart Marketplace expands services for sellers, a few notes on planning, Paul Graham’s “Founder Mode” essay, and Temu starting to recruit US brands

Today on our show: Walmart Marketplace expands services for sellers  A few notes on planning Paul Graham’s “Founder Mode” essay Temu starting to recruit US brands And finally, The Investor Minute, which contains 5 items this week from the world of venture capital, acquisitions, and IPOs. https://www.rmwcommerce.com/ecommerce-podcast-watsonweekly  ...

Sep 09, 202412 minEp. 151

September 2nd, 2024: BigCommerce looks like it’s not selling, Shopify hires a new Chief Technology Officer, why technology is not a business differentiator for brands, and are layoffs the order of the day in eCommerce?

Today on our show: BigCommerce looks like it’s not selling Shopify hires a new Chief Technology Officer Why technology is not a business differentiator for brands Are layoffs the order of the day in eCommerce? And finally, The Investor Minute, which contains 5 items this week from the world of venture capital, acquisitions, and IPOs. https://www.rmwcommerce.com/ecommerce-podcast-watsonweekly  ...

Sep 02, 202416 minEp. 150

We'll be back next week!

Sorry, Watsonians, we're on a brief hiatus this week. But fear not, we'll be back next week so be sure to tune in!

Aug 26, 202415 sec