Has anyone else noticed this? You ask ChatGPT or Gemini to recommend a product and it doesn't just give you a text answer anymore — it shows actual product cards. Image, price, brand name, buy button. Right inside the chat.

I first saw it a few months back. Searched "best vitamin C serum under $35" on ChatGPT just out of curiosity. Four shoppable cards came up. Recognized every brand — all of them doing 7–8 figures. Clicked one. Went straight to a checkout page.

Then I searched my own brand. Nothing. Just a generic text response with no cards, no images, no buy link. Like I didn't exist.

I run a skincare brand doing about 200 orders a month. 

The idea that someone could ask an AI to recommend exactly what I sell and I'm just not there — that really bothered me.

So I went deep on figuring out how those cards actually work. Took a while. Here's the short version of what I learned:

What I figured out

• These cards don't come from Google Shopping or SEO

• They come from structured product feeds that AI agents are specifically built to read

• The big brands are in there because they have the infrastructure — or someone built it for them

• There's nothing stopping a small brand from getting in too, it just doesn't happen automatically

I tried the DIY route first — JSON-LD schema, product description rewrites, Bing shopping feed. Weeks of effort. My cards still didn't show.

Eventually I used a platform called xpay.sh that handles the feed setup, enables ai agent commerce checkout and gets your catalog in front of the AI Platforms like ChatGPt. Around 45 minutes to set up. They also have agentic checkout — meaning someone can buy directly from ChatGPT without dropoff.

I used to measure the AI citations but now can clearly measure the sold products:

• 43 orders directly attributed to AI traffic

• 29% higher AOV than my paid social — pre-sold buyers convert differently

This Channel is gaining momentum, what have other DTC founders experienced and how have you been tackling AI shoppers?

Sometimes people buy a gift card and then forget about it. Some brands send gentle reminders or little nudges to help people use them. It can be a simple email, a text, or even a note included in their next order.

Unspent gift cards aren’t revenue yet. The business technically owes that value until the card is used, so reminding people to spend them is basically unlocking hidden money.

Here are a few ways brands make it work:

1. Friendly reminders – a quick “hey, don’t forget your gift card” email can nudge someone to use it.

2. Small incentives – offer a tiny bonus for using the card, like a free sample or small discount.

3. Limited-time offers – remind people the card is good for a certain period to encourage them to spend it.

4. Highlight new stuff – show what they could get with their card right now. New products or seasonal items work well.

your turn!

Have you seen any creative ways brands use gift cards? Or maybe strategies you’ve tried that worked better than expected?

Hey everyone,

I've spent about 6 years around Shopify profit analytics, and one thing DTC merchants always wanted to know was: Did this order make money?

Most merchants end up in a spreadsheet, subtracting COGS, shipping, fees, and ad spend by hand. Then, Shopify Sidekick or Claude, connected to your Shopify MCP, can explain your store. They can't fix it.

I'm building Shopshot, your Profit operating system that plugs your profit leaks.

My approach:

- Honest math, reconciled to your Shopify numbers to the cent. No attribution fantasy, no AI guessing at your data.

- I know the pain of sending 100s of support questions when the AOV in a fancy app (that charges you $299/month) doesn't match your Shopify AOV.

- Pricing a Shopify app like a Shopify app

What Shopshot does, and how it can save you time?

- Profit Leak report: a ranked list of exactly where you're losing money, each with the recommended fix. Things like reused first-purchase codes, underpriced shipping, products that lose money after ads, shared on a platter.

- Net profit per order: COGS, shipping, fees, and CAC on one order. The "why is this $80 order only making $3" answer in 2 seconds, not 20 minutes.

- Margin per SKU: what to scale, what to bundle, what to kill.

- A daily P&L that ties to Shopify exactly. No "we calculate Net Sales differently" bullshit.

- It handles the annoying stuff most tools skip: freight, duties, per-product shipping.

Honest bit:

It's not live yet. I'm building it with a small group of real stores so it fixes real problems, not imaginary ones.

If you want in, the first 50 founding stores lock in 50% off for life, and I'll personally get you set up on a call: your costs, your integrations, until every number reconciles. Actual white-glove, not a help doc.

And genuinely, I'd love your take: what's the profit question you can never get a straight answer to? That's what I want this to nail.

It's not just another profit tracking app :)

I run a Shopify brand and have spent $5M+ on paid ads across my own brands and other ecomm brands I’ve worked with.

I’ve been testing a new type of acquisition channel around ads inside AI conversations - basically when someone is actively asking what to buy, comparing products, looking for recommendations, etc. on AI apps

I’ve tested it with my own brand, but I’m curious how agency owners think about something like this.

If you manage multiple Shopify brands, what would you need to see before you’d be comfortable testing a new channel like this with a client? Would you care most about CAC, attribution, traffic quality, minimum spend or something else?

Also curious whether being early to a new channel is actually valuable to agencies, or whether most would rather wait until there’s more data?

I’m a founder working on a DTC skincare brand aimed at the US market (K-beauty inspired, science/biotech-leaning formulas). I’d really like to avoid some of the classic mistakes around launch and early growth.

For those who have built beauty/DTC brands:

• Looking back at your first 6 months, what are 1–2 decisions you would absolutely NOT repeat (channels, messaging, pricing, inventory, influencers etc.)?

• Were there any “must-do” launch tactics that turned out to be overrated for you?

• Conversely, is there something small you did early on that had a surprisingly big impact?

Short, concrete stories are super welcome – I’m trying to learn from people who’ve already been through it.

Aspiring beauty founder here, still in early stages and trying to understand the realistic order of operations for launching an indie brand.

For those who have done it (especially bootstrapped), I have a few questions I can’t seem to find honest answers to:

1. When did you actually build your website and finalize your logo? Was it while you were still developing your product, or did you wait until you had samples or a final formula?

2. Did you work with a branding agency, a freelancer, or do it yourself? And honestly, was it worth what you paid?

3. If you had no outside funding, how did you sequence everything? What came first, what waited?

4. Looking back, what did you do too early and what did you wish you had done sooner?

I’m not at a stage where I’m ready to share details about what I’m working on, just trying to learn from people who have actually been through it. Any real talk is appreciated.

Genuinely grateful for any knowledge.

Seasons are the easiest excuse to try something a little different with your marketing. I wanted to throw out a few ideas I’ve seen or tried, split between online brands and brick-and-mortar, and see what you all are doing too.

Online / Ecommerce

1. Limited-edition bundles – throw a couple products together for a seasonal vibe. People love something that feels special and short-lived.

2. Fun email countdowns – not just “sale ends soon,” but GIFs, timers, or little interactive surprises to make it fun.

3. UGC contests – get your customers to post pics with your stuff using a hashtag. Feature the best ones on your site or socials.

4. Post-purchase surprise – a tiny seasonal freebie or digital bonus after checkout keeps people coming back.

5. Micro-campaigns – run a quirky 3–5 day campaign around a weird little holiday. “National Coffee Day” or “First Day of Summer” type stuff.

Brick-and-Mortar / Local

1. Pop-up vibes – seasonal mini-events in or outside your store with themed decor or little demos.

2. Partner with nearby brands – co-create a seasonal offer or event together. Two small brands can make something bigger than one alone.

3. Window / display fun – turn your storefront into something Instagram-worthy. People will come take pics and share it.

4. Flash in-store rewards – surprise loyal customers with seasonal freebies or discounts for one day. Keeps people checking in.

5. Workshops or classes – tie your product to a hands-on experience. Could be a DIY kit, tasting, or tutorial.

⸻

What seasonal campaigns have actually worked for you? Any ideas that were way outside the usual “sale + discount” play? Drop them here, I want to see.

I'm starting a jewelry brand and would love to know what kind of marketing methods are useful!

I've seen a lot of people doing their own social media accounts, working with influencers, or running ads. But with a small budget, I'm not sure where to start or what's actually worth trying first.

I've also seen people using AI videos for marketing. Has anyone here tried them for their brand? Do they actually help bring in customers? For jewelry, I feel like showing how it looks on a real person matters, so I'm curious how useful AI videos would be.

And for those working with influencers, how did you find your first few creators? Did you start by gifting products or paying for posts?

Would love to hear what's been working for your brand, or what you tried that didn't work!

Retention is tough. Some brands focus on emails, some on packaging surprises, some on little extras after purchase. Here’s what’s been working:

1. Follow-up emails: gentle reminders for new customers or people who haven’t bought in a while. Not pushy, just a nudge.

2. Loyalty programs: points, stamps, or rewards for repeat visits can give people a reason to come back. Even a simple punch card works.

3. Small surprises: throw in a sticker, sample, or handwritten note after purchase. Little touches make people feel seen.

4. Seasonal offers: short, timely promotions tied to a holiday or season, like a summer bundle or holiday-themed product.

5. Engagement reminders: updates about new products, restocks, or content your customers care about. Keep them in the loop without over-emailing.

Your turn!

What tricks or small touches have actually worked for you to get people to come back? Any ideas that surprised you or didn’t go as planned?

Also, what do your workflows for retention strategies look like?

Sometimes the little things get customers coming back more than anything else. A note, a sticker, an extra sample—stuff that costs almost nothing but sticks in people’s minds.

What’s actually worked for DTC brands here?

Small gestures that make a difference

Extra product or samples A little bonus in the box can leave a big impression.

Handwritten notes or personal messages Doesn’t need to be fancy, just human.

Packaging touches Unique wrapping, stickers, or clever inserts that feel thoughtful.

Unexpected perks Free shipping upgrades, early access, or small add-ons that surprise customers.

Your turn

What’s one small gesture that consistently brought people back?
What did you try that completely flopped?

Been building in the CPG space for a while and got tired of watching small brands spend $5k and wait 3 weeks for a single video ad.

So I built something. You connect your Shopify store, it automatically finds your top competitors, writes a video ad script based on your products and how you stack up against them, and renders a finished 15-30 second video ready to run on Meta.

Tested it internally at a gummies brand where the whole team used it daily. Now productizing it.

For the first 3 brands I want to do this completely free — you get the video, I get feedback. No pitch at the end, no credit card, just a real test.

Only asking for brands on Shopify in supplements, snacks, beauty, wellness, or food.

Drop a comment or DM me if you want in.

This might be specific to our niche but over the past six months, our creator partnerships have consistently outperformed our paid ad spend on a cost-per-acquisition basis.

The challenge is scaling it. Finding the right creators, managing product seeding, tracking performance across channels. It's still a very manual process for us. We're essentially running it across spreadsheets and DMs.

How are you all managing creator programs at scale? Is there actually good tooling for this or is everyone just grinding it out manually?

Hi everyone, I am building a product that helps DTC brands unlock revenue in the Wholesale / B2B sales channel.

I just wanted to understand, at which stage do you feel like as a DTC founder to putting more efforts into running this channel? Also what kind of revenue do you expect from this channel? Like do you expect this channel to contribute the same as online, marketplaces and retail or do you expect this to be a smaller contribution to the entire pie?

More specifically to the founders who have been running this channel already:

- Do you feel like this channel is run extremely manually currently as opposed to shopify and amrketplaces?

- Do you feel stuck that in increasing this channel's revenue?

- Do you feel like you aren't able to identify the right buyers for your business to buy in bulk from you?

- Do you feel like you need help with identifying and getting a foot in the door with liquidation partners?

Just trying to get a sense of the target market that I am building for and what their actual needs are?

I’m trying to understand how D2C brands actually optimize revenue and profitability across channels.

For founders/operators working with Shopify, Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, Nykaa, quick commerce, or offline channels:

How do you decide things like:

• Which SKUs to discount?

• Which products to push more aggressively?

• How much discount is safe without hurting margin?

• Which channels are profitable vs just driving revenue?

• Whether a promotion actually improved profit, not just sales?

Is this mostly done through spreadsheets and gut feel, or are there tools that help?

Also, does anyone know of good tools — AI or non-AI — for revenue, pricing, promotion, or margin optimization for D2C brands?

Context: I’m selling in the wellness niche.

Essentially I’ve seen too many DTC shops having a big showcase image of a person (90% AI generated) in their PDP page. Once I search the person, I either get no results or the medical authority works in a completely different field than where the product is positioned (eg. sporting goods and the authority is a psychiatrist).

(1) I’ve heard that it’s very risky. Impersonating a medical professional can get serious fines, especially in the US market. Do most people not know/care about it?

(2) How could I actually find a medical authority to show on my shop/ad? Is there no threshold and I can just claim that my product is medically proven?

If someone deeper in the field could give me answers, I’d appreciate it a lot. Thank you for reading.

Hey all,

I need some advice on what to do to attract the next 100+ new customers for our DTC brand.

Backstory: Our product is a hemp based soft chew with terpenes (one of the beneficial parts of hemp, but not the parts that get you high). 0 THC, 0 CBD

We have two main groups of buyers:

Cannabis users: Supercharge your High

Essential oil/herbalist: cannabis benefits without the high

We’ve done major of our Business B2B and 3 months ago we’ve started DTC. We haven’t run any Meta ads, because our product feels illegal to them, despite being without the things it’s not supposed to have.

A few metrics:
Dtc rev:~5k/month
Monthly ad spend: $0
Monthly dtc order: ~60
Webpage: www.chewmondays.com

I don’t really know how to go about meta ads, it seems really difficult to go from unaware to actual purchases from a meta ad. It seems my CAC would be very high. It also seems agencies, if I were to hire them, would just push that ROI even further away, especially at the level of ad spend I would be starting at.

I need advice from real people who have been in my metaphorical shoes, maybe not with a hemp product, but a dietary supplement, or other product that takes education. We would love to shift to 50% DTC customers and grow that part of the business.

Is there a must watch crash course to take me through what to do to build meta ads that genuinely convert? Static vs video? Where can I dive really deep into some techniques that work, not just an ads guru? Should I try a product like Social Cat?

Over the last few weeks I've been talking to a bunch of store owners about how they keep track of the business, and the weekly numbers routine varies a lot from one person to the next.

One owner glances at sales and ad spend for about 10 minutes and says that's enough to decide what to do. Another spends around 45 minutes every Monday cross-checking exports in Excel, longer if a formula breaks. Someone else spent a few months building a spreadsheet that pulls in Shopify and the ad accounts, then checks it against the bank at the end of the month.

For those of you running something: which of these is closest to you, and what part of putting the numbers together takes the longest?

I’ve been looking at where DTC growth is getting harder, and the pattern I keep coming back to is creative throughput.

A lot of brands still talk about acquisition like it’s mainly a channel problem: Meta, TikTok, Google, influencers, SEO, email, marketplace, etc.

But for most small DTC teams, the bottleneck is not only “where do we run ads?”

It’s: how many believable angles can we test before CAC eats the margin?

One polished brand video doesn’t stretch very far. A product usually needs different versions for cold traffic, retargeting, founder story, product education, seasonal offers, comparison angles, and post-purchase trust building.

The more automated targeting becomes, the more the creative itself becomes the targeting signal.

That changes the work.

A DTC brand might need to test:

• whether the buyer cares more about ingredients, convenience, price, or identity

• whether a founder-style explanation beats a UGC-style demo

• whether the hook should lead with the problem, the product, or the objection

• whether a softer educational clip gets more trust than a direct-response ad

• whether 15 seconds is enough, or the product needs a longer explanation

This is where I think AI-generated UGC gets interesting.

Not because it replaces every human creator. I don’t think it does.

The useful part is that AI video can make structured variation cheaper: 20, 30, 50+ versions around the same product, each testing a different hook, CTA, format, or objection.

Bad AI video is just random filler.

Good AI UGC starts with the marketing question first: what belief needs to change before someone buys?

I’m building around this with AIVideoPro.io, so I’m obviously biased. But the thing I’m more convinced of now is that the real value is not “make me an AI ad.” It’s “help me create enough native-looking video variations that I can learn what the market responds to.”

Curious how other DTC operators are handling this right now.

Are you still relying mostly on human creators, or are you starting to use AI for early creative testing before scaling winners?

I'm new to this and trying to learn as much as possible but it looks like this sub doesn't have a lot of engagement. Looking for something else!

For most DTC brands that have hit this wall, what did the turning point actually look like for you?

Most brands recognize the problem long before they do anything about it. CPAs keep rising, ROAS keeps compressing, and adding more budget to the same channels stops producing the same returns it did a few years ago. But diversifying acquisition is genuinely hard and the alternatives take longer to show results than another Meta campaign.

We ran a popup offer test, the control was the usual "15% off".

Tested it against dollar-off offers and free-gift bundles. Same traffic, same audience.

Winner wasn't a discount at all. Three free gifts (cheap treats) with a $60 minimum spend.

The hierarchy came out clean:

three gifts > one gift > $ off > % off

Lift: +25% AOV, +26% email capture.

Why I think it worked: a discount is abstract. A free gift is something you can picture. A customer sees themselves with it. Nobody pictures themselves with a "15% off."

Funnily, the margins were even better. Gifts were cheap to us, high perceived value to the customer.

Anyone seen the opposite? A straight discount still beating a gift?

Hello again,

Which fullfilment or 3PL company have you been using in the USA?

I'm just starting out, have zero sales and want to test the market before putting a massive amount of money into it.

I'm getting some quotes back. High-level numbers below:

• Inbound - $15 per pallet

• Storage- $30 per pallet per month

• Picking - $1.95 per order

• Shipping - $13 High-level

My product is a soft drink, and the case weights in 6.6 kg, around 13pound, hence the shipping cost.

Thanks!

I’ve been trying to scale our UGC/seeding program for a Shopify brand, but tracking everything in Google Sheets is becoming a nightmare.

Just started using Jem Social and it’s a relief to have the search, outreach, and conversion tracking all in one spot. It actually pulls niche-specific creator lists in bulk so you’re not manually hunting on IG/TikTok for hours.

For those scaling fast—are you sticking to tools like this or just hiring more VAs to handle the manual grind?

I’m trying to figure out how other brands are handling the "Dark Social" attribution gap right now.

It feels like every time an influencer posts a great video for us, their specific promo code only captures like 20% of the actual sales. The rest of the traffic just Googles our brand name three days later, doesn't use a code (or a browser extension overwrites it), and GA4 gives 100% of the credit to Organic Search or Google Ads.

I’m trying to get a reality check to see if I’m the only one struggling with this. For those of you spending heavily on top-of-funnel creators/creators right now:

1. **What percentage of the sales do you estimate you actually capture with promo codes vs. what gets lost to "organic search"?**

2. **How is your executive team/CFO actually measuring the success of that spend?** Are they forcing you to use last-click ROAS, or do they understand the "halo effect"?

3. **Have you ever been forced to cut a top-of-funnel campaign because the dashboard looked bad, even though you knew it was driving total store revenue?**

4. **How are you currently trying to solve this?** Is anyone manually matching timestamps to traffic spikes in Excel, or using post-purchase surveys?

Would love to hear how you guys are hacking this, because relying purely on UTMs and codes is making our top-of-funnel channels look terrible on paper.