The Unofficial Shopify Podcast

Kurt Elster, Paul Reda
  • 0.0 (0)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

NEW EPISODES EVERY TUESDAY, SUBSCRIBE FOR UNBEATABLE ECOM RECON – Every Tuesday since 2014, host Kurt Elster shares the Shopify success stories that nobody tells you about, straight from the entrepreneurs living it. Subscribe for a raw look at what it really takes to succeed on Shopify.

  1. Bots, Fraud, & Other Online Store BS

    2 DAYS AGO

    Bots, Fraud, & Other Online Store BS

    We're seeing 10x more bots than humans on client stores. Fraudsters are buying your cheapest items to test stolen credit cards. Your SEO agency wants 150 new collections. This week, we dig into the actual problems hitting Shopify stores right now. Not theory, not best practices, but the real BS we're fixing for clients. We break down why your analytics are lying, how to stop credit card testers, and whether more granular SEO collections are brilliant or idiotic. Plus: The free Shopify app that caught a critical launch mistake, proof that ChatGPT drives revenue, and beta access to our new Promo Party app. SPONSORSSwym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & more getswym.com/kurt Cleverific - Smart order editing for Shopify cleverific.com Zipify - Build high-converting sales funnels zipify.com/KURT LINKSShopify Launch CheckMicrosoft ClarityFraud ControlCheckout BlocksBeta test Promo Party: Contact Kurt via newsletter or LinkedInWORK WITH KURTApply for Shopify Help ethercycle.com/apply See Our Results ethercycle.com/work Free Newsletter kurtelster.com The Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

    43 min
  2. The $720K Exit That Disappeared

    9 SEPT

    The $720K Exit That Disappeared

    "I'm not very good at success. That's something I learned as part of this." Ben Knegendorf went from forklift operator at Walmart to selling his stake in an indoor golf business for $720,000. Then he watched most of it disappear through lifestyle creep, speculative investments, and financial ignorance. His second exit was different - and his brutal honesty about where the money went offers real lessons for entrepreneurs facing their first big payday. SponsorsSwym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & more getswym.com/kurt Cleverific - Smart order editing for Shopify cleverific.com/unofficial Zipify - Build high-converting sales funnels zipify.com/KURT LinksBen Knegendorf: https://www.benknegendorf.com/Dropship Breakthrough: https://dropshipbreakthru.com/Ben's 2022 Episode: https://unofficialshopifypodcast.com/episodes/ben-knegendorf-dropships-FLGufeLEJohn Murphy's Episode: https://unofficialshopifypodcast.com/episodes/john-murphy-ebikegeneration-IcHgGRVaWork with KurtApply for Shopify Help ethercycle.com/apply See Our Results ethercycle.com/work Free Newsletter kurtelster.com The Unofficial Shopify Podcast explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

    44 min
  3. They Bought a 'Hated' Shopify App for 2X Revenue (Now Worth Millions)

    2 SEPT

    They Bought a 'Hated' Shopify App for 2X Revenue (Now Worth Millions)

    Also available on YouTube: youtu.be/gGdS45JY2Yo Andrew Le and Tu Pham acquired Edit Order, a distressed Shopify app with a terrible reputation, for just 2x revenue in 2015. Ten years later, they've transformed it into Cleverific—a multi-million dollar order editing powerhouse. Guests: Andrew Le - Co-founder & Lead Developer, CleverificTu Pham - Co-founder, Marketing & Design, CleverificWebsite: https://cleverific.com/SponsorsSwym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & more getswym.com/kurt Cleverific - Smart order editing for Shopify cleverific.com Zipify - Build high-converting sales funnels zipify.com/KURT Work with KurtApply for Shopify Help - ethercycle.com/apply See Our Results - ethercycle.com/work Free Newsletter - kurtelster.com The Unofficial Shopify Podcast explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

    48 min
  4. Why Shopify's Shipping Just Got Way Better

    26 AUG

    Why Shopify's Shipping Just Got Way Better

    Also on YouTube: youtu.be/56r_UJZbtLg "We want to make sure that merchants who are starting their business who don't know what are all the jobs they need to take care of for shipping to merchants who are thriving and understand the space and have complex workflows, we can solve this problem for everybody." Vibhor Chhabra, Director of Product at Shopify, breaks down how Shopify Shipping has evolved into something completely different from what you might remember. We covered the new carrier integrations (including FedEx), bulk label printing for up to 250 orders, automatic shipping insurance up to $200, and why Amazon is now a fulfillment partner through SFN. Plus how shipping transforms from a cost center into a competitive advantage. SPONSORSSwym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & more getswym.com/kurt Cleverific - Smart order editing for Shopify cleverific.com/unofficial Zipify - Build high-converting sales funnels zipify.com/KURT LINKSEmail: vibhor.chhabra@shopify.com (feedback welcome)Shopify Shipping: https://www.shopify.com/shippingWORK WITH KURTApply for Shopify Help ethercycle.com/apply See Our Results ethercycle.com/work Free Newsletter kurtelster.com The Unofficial Shopify Podcast explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

    42 min
  5. Ex-Supps CMO's Counter-Intuitive Growth Strategies

    19 AUG

    Ex-Supps CMO's Counter-Intuitive Growth Strategies

    Also available on YouTube: youtu.be/0HHJ5tONfVo Most Shopify store owners are doing growth completely wrong. They're trying to lower ad costs, make prettier websites, and rush customers to buy. Devyn Merklin from X-Scale flips all of this on its head with counter-intuitive strategies that actually work. In this episode, you'll discover why the biggest mistake seven-figure brands make is racing to the bottom on customer acquisition costs instead of learning to outbid competition. Devyn shares how one brand tripled subscription revenue from $6K to $22K MRR in just 45 days using gamification instead of discounts. You'll learn the psychology behind giveaway strategies that actually build qualified prospect lists, why ugly websites convert better than pretty ones, and the empathy-driven approach to customer journey optimization that most brands completely miss. Sponsors: Swym (getswym.com/kurt) – Wishlists & back in stock alertsCleverific (cleverific.com/unofficial) – Smart order editingZipify (zipify.com/KURT) – High-converting sales funnelsKey takeaways include the LTV vs CAC mindset shift that separates big brands from struggling stores, the month 4 subscription churn fix that prevents customer dropout, and why your landing pages are probably bleeding money without you knowing it. If you're tired of following conventional wisdom that doesn't work, this episode reveals the contrarian strategies that actually drive results. Guest: Devyn Merklin, X-Scale (thexscale.com) Links: Apply to work with Kurt: ethercycle.com/applyKurt's newsletter: kurtelster.comFree growth mastermind: thexscale.com

    58 min
  6. The £500K Exit That Saved Jayden Clark's Sanity

    12 AUG

    The £500K Exit That Saved Jayden Clark's Sanity

    Also on YouTube: YouTube: youtu.be/p1PO9o9Se5o "I'm not very good at success. That's something I learned as part of this. I actually think probably most of us aren't very good at success." Jayden Clark thought he'd cracked the code on dropshipping success. Then his seven-figure business nearly broke him. We talked about why he sold for £500K instead of holding out for millions, the SEO and paid ad strategies that drove his rapid growth, and how a 90-minute massage changed everything. SPONSORSSwym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & more getswym.com/kurt Cleverific - Smart order editing for Shopify cleverific.com/unofficial Zipify - Build high-converting sales funnels zipify.com/KURT LINKSFounders Clubhouse: https://foundersclubhouse.co.uk/kurtWoodlark Garden Luxury: http://woodlarkgardenluxury.co.uk/Ben Knegendorf's episode: https://unofficialshopifypodcast.com/episodes/ben-knegendorf-dropships-FLGufeLEWORK WITH KURTApply for Shopify Help ethercycle.com/apply See Our Results ethercycle.com/work Free Newsletter kurtelster.com The Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

    57 min
  7. How Portland Leather Hit $500M + Top 50 on Shopify

    5 AUG

    How Portland Leather Hit $500M + Top 50 on Shopify

    Also on YouTube: youtu.be/nckQhAvYA-Q "We'll have done over 500 million in total sales. We'll do 310 million in the next 18 months." Curtis Matsko went from art festivals to a top 50 Shopify store by doing everything conventional wisdom says not to do. His company controls every step from raw material procurement to customer delivery, achieving top 50 Shopify status while maintaining 50% repeat customer rates on non-consumable goods. Today he owns the biggest leather factory in North America and has some very strong opinions about banking, business clichés, and why most Shopify owners are doing it wrong. Most valuable insight: Meta doesn't know when you run out of inventory - they just think your ads stopped working and charge you more. Listen now on The Unofficial Shopify Podcast. SponsorsSwym – Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & moreCleverific – Smart order editing for ShopifyZipify – Build high-converting sales funnelsLinksGuest: Curtis Matsko - LinkedInPortland Leather Goods - WebsitePortland Leather Goods - InstagramWork with Kurt: ApplyClient ResultsJoin the Newsletter

    49 min
  8. How Shine Supply Hit $7M/yr Without Paid Ads

    29 JUL

    How Shine Supply Hit $7M/yr Without Paid Ads

    Also Available on YouTube: youtu.be/_nqN9HyOpxM What happens when a 23-year-old refuses to play the ecommerce advertising game? Colby Stevens built Shine Supply into a $7M detailing brand using nothing but Instagram ASMR videos, authentic storytelling, and a "people over profit" philosophy. No paid ads until last month. No Amazon. No selling out to scale. Instead: 80,000 Instagram followers, hundreds of photo reviews, and a community that buys because they believe in the brand, not just the product. Colby breaks down the exact strategies that grew their family's Shopify store - from Klaviyo automation that actually works to the review incentive system that drives social proof. Plus why they turned down millions in Amazon revenue to stay true to their dealers. Key Takeaways:How to build 80k Instagram followers organicallyThe ASMR video strategy getting thousands of viewsReview incentive system that drives social proofWhy they refused millions in Amazon revenueKlaviyo automation that actually convertsBuilding authentic brand community on ShopifyFair warning: you'll want to detail your car after this one. Sponsors:Swym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & more getswym.com/kurt Cleverific - Smart order editing for Shopify cleverific.com/unofficial Zipify - Build high-converting sales funnels zipify.com/KURT Guest Links:Shine Supply - Colby's detailing brand shinesupply.com Shine Supply Instagram - 80k followers, zero ads instagram.com/shinesupply Mentioned Tools:Shopify - Ecommerce platform shopify.com Klaviyo - Email marketing automation klaviyo.com Loox Reviews - Photo review system loox.app Work With Kurt:Apply for Shopify Help ethercycle.com/apply See Our Results ethercycle.com/work Free Newsletter kurtelster.com The Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

    36 min
See All (498)

About

NEW EPISODES EVERY TUESDAY, SUBSCRIBE FOR UNBEATABLE ECOM RECON – Every Tuesday since 2014, host Kurt Elster shares the Shopify success stories that nobody tells you about, straight from the entrepreneurs living it. Subscribe for a raw look at what it really takes to succeed on Shopify.

Information

  • Creator
    Kurt Elster, Paul Reda
  • Years Active
    2014 - 2025
  • Episodes
    498
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © ETHERCYCLE LLC. Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
  • Show Website
    The Unofficial Shopify Podcast

You Might Also Like