eCommerce Masters Summit 2025 Recap
Hosting the eCommerce Masters Summit 2025 wasn’t just a highlight of my year — it was a reminder of why I love building this community. Every time we bring this group together, I’m struck by the mix of collaboration, expertise, and honesty that makes it special.
This Summit wasn’t just about polished decks or thought-leadership slides. It was about innovators, builders, and thinkers coming together to share what’s really working — and just as importantly, what’s not. From the opening session through the closing forum, the energy in the room was electric.
As host, what I loved most was how open everyone was to dig into challenges and lessons learned. We didn’t shy away from the hard stuff — tariffs, channel conflicts, AI shifts, B2B complexity. And we still found time for the side conversations and connections that make Baltimore feel like the perfect backdrop for this kind of event.
Event Highlights
Watch the Recap Video
Here, you’ll find the full recap: sessions, takeaways, and quotes that are already shaping how I think about the year ahead.
Welcome & Opening Remarks
We began the day reflecting on just how far this industry has come. When I built my first eCommerce site in the mid-90s, the big debates were about whether online sales could even be trusted. Fast forward to 2025, and we’re now talking about agentic AI, lifecycle personalization, and B2B digital transformation at scale.
I welcomed everyone to Baltimore and set the stage: this wasn’t just a day about technology, but about people — the teams, partners, and communities behind successful commerce. From tariffs and first-party data to AI-driven discovery, our packed agenda was designed to spark real discussion and actionable insights.
Takeaway: This community is about more than tools — it’s about people driving transformation.
Session 1: From Data to Dollars – Klaviyo | Gina Potenza
Gina Potenza reframed how we think about customer data. While many still associate Klaviyo with email and SMS, she positioned it as something much broader: the only CRM built for B2C.
“The funnel is dead. Long live the lifecycle.”
Key Insights:
- Stand Alone CDPs are fading, but data still matters. Standalone CDPs may be consolidating, but brands still need unified customer views.
- Values > Discounts. Four in ten consumers care more about brand values than they did last year.
- Consistency builds trust. Consumers rank inconsistent pricing as their #1 frustration.
- High-value engagement wins. “More messages to fewer people” outperforms broad blasts.
Her Hydro Flask case study showed how flows evolve from basic winbacks to AI-driven predictions.
Takeaway: Map your lifecycle, not just your funnel.
Session 2: Smarter Merchandising with AI – HawkSearch | John Murcott
John Murcott dove into the world of AI-powered product discovery with a simple idea:
“Your search bar should ask follow-up questions — just like a great salesperson would.”
Key Insights:
- From keywords to concepts. AI vector search understands intent, not just words.
- Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG). Marrying embeddings with generative AI creates conversational, accurate search.
- Conversational commerce. Shoppers increasingly expect a back-and-forth, not just results.
- AI helps merchandisers, too. Automating synonyms, enriching data, and surfacing gaps.
John painted a future where search is not a utility but a guided, personalized conversation.
Takeaway: Search is your best salesperson — treat it that way.
Session 3: Winning Across Channels – Feedonomics | Philip Joseph
Philip Joseph shifted the lens to omnichannel success with one blunt truth:
“Your data is your advantage.”
Key Insights:
- The “Feedprint.” Just as footprints show where you’ve been, feedprints reveal your product presence across channels.
- Optimized titles = performance. Longer, better titles drive CTR and conversion.
- The compounding effect. Cleaner data → better visibility → more sales → more resources to reinvest.
- Performance lift. Optimized feeds drive +19% ROAS, +16% CTR, +15% revenue, +14% conversion.
Philip reminded us that in an AI-driven era, product data is customer experience.
Takeaway: Your product data defines how (and if) customers find you.
Session 4: Agents and Agentic Commerce – Shopware | Jason Nyhus
Jason Nyhus tackled B2B sales in the AI era, flipping the narrative that tech replaces reps.
“The real opportunity is not replacing reps — it’s giving them time back to connect with people.”
Key Insights:
- The “hard 90.” Reps focus on their top 10% of accounts; AI can automate the rest.
- Digital Sales Rooms. Live, collaborative sales spaces built into portals.
- No-code automation. Reduce repetitive work so reps can build relationships.
- AI copilot. From translations to product copy, embedded AI reduces friction.
Takeaway: AI doesn’t replace reps — it frees them to do what they do best.
Session 5: The Pain and Reward of Checkout Conversion – ShipperHQ | Jo Baker
Jo Baker closed the speaker lineup with one of the most memorable talks of the day, breaking down the neuroscience of checkout.
Browsing = dopamine. Checkout = cortisol. Brands must manage that emotional shift to drive conversion.
Key Insights:
- Checkout is stressful. Paying triggers anxiety and second-guessing.
- Transparency > speed. Customers want certainty more than speed.
- Expectation-setting matters. People will pay more for confidence in timing.
- Proven results. Transparency cut support tickets in half, boosted retention 25%, and in one case drove 82% revenue growth.
Takeaway: The last mile of checkout is an emotional journey — design for trust, not just speed.
Attendee Voices
Hearing directly from attendees was one of my favorite parts:
“The event was immaculately planned. Every detail was perfect. Having the dinner post-summit was a great way to wrap up the day.” — Amanda Burgess, McKenzie Creative Brands
“You done good. A lot of prep had to go into this event, and it went off seamlessly.” — David, Moore Brothers
Others asked for more open forum time and expanded social promotion to drive FOMO — feedback we’ll absolutely use as we plan 2026.
The eCommerce Masters Forum & Closing Reflections
We ended with the eCommerce Masters Forum — an open, candid conversation where no topic was off-limits. Tariffs, AI, B2B strategy, tech choices… nothing was too polished or too safe. And that’s what makes this community stand out.
As I said in my closing remarks:
“The eCommerce Masters Summit isn’t about polished slides — it’s about honest conversations, shared experiences, and pushing each other to get better. That’s what makes this community special.”
Dinner afterward felt less like a wrap-up and more like a continuation of those conversations — laughter, new friendships, and ideas already turning into partnerships.
Looking Ahead to 2026
We’re already planning the next Summit, and it’s going to be even bigger.
Save the date: June 2–3, 2026, back here in Baltimore.
If this year’s energy was any sign, you won’t want to miss it. Space will be limited again, so make sure you’re on the list early.
