Offcuts

Tim Richardson

Offcuts is a podcast and newsletter about commerce, culture and AI.

 We explore how brands grow in a changing landscape. From shifting consumer behaviour to the rise of AI in digital work. It is part founder’s perspective, part field notes from inside the industry. We speak to founders, operators and technologists about what is working, what is changing and what is next. Expect sharp thinking, useful links and the occasional hot take. All grounded in what is actually happening. Not just what is trending.

 Brought to you by the team at Factory: https://www.factory-digital.com/

  1. 9月3日

    Ep 168: Is the AI Bubble About to Burst? With Luke Hodgson co founder of Commerce Thinking & High Cohesion

    On this episode, I’m asking a simple question with a very complicated answer. Is the AI bubble about to burst? With Luke Hodgson, co-founder of Commerce Thinking and High Cohesion. We kick things off by reviewing four recent news stories that have fuelled bubble talk, from Mira Murati’s $2 billion raise at Thinking Machines Lab to Palantir’s stock drop and Meta’s AI hiring freeze. Then we dig into the reality. What’s hype, what’s real, and how should brand operators navigate it? Luke and I explore whether the current wave of AI investment is overinflated or just misunderstood. We talk about unit economics, cracks in the AI stack, and how the winners might not be the AI-first startups, but the brands quietly experimenting in the background. We also zoom out. If this is an industrial revolution compressed into a decade, what happens to jobs? How should brands structure their teams? And is there any government on the planet actually ready for what’s coming? If you work in tech or commerce, and you’re trying to make sense of the AI noise, this one’s for you. Depict.ai are on a mission to help shoppers discover the products they love - while giving merchandisers total creative control. Turn keyword searches into real conversations. Help customers explore and uncover more of your catalogue. Merchandisers stay in control of the story. Upgrade your storefront at Depict.ai Checkout Factory here. Sign up to our newsletter here.

    32 分钟
  2. 8月21日

    Ep 166: 2025 Commerce Tech Winners & Losers, With Luke Hodgson co founder of Commerce Thinking & High Cohesion

    On this episode, I’m revisiting the big shifts in commerce tech with Luke Hodgson. Who’s winning, who’s losing, and what’s changing under the surface. We break the conversation down into four key areas: platforms, frontend tools, back office systems, and AI. We look at why Shopify still has the momentum, why BigCommerce’s rebrand hasn’t made much impact, and why platforms like Centra are gaining ground with modern fashion brands. Luke also explains why Magento is fading, and why Salesforce Commerce Cloud rarely comes up in conversation anymore. We talk about why fragmented tool stacks are falling out of favour, and how consolidation is changing the frontend experience. And we dive into the back office, where the ERP landscape is overdue for disruption, but still proving hard to unseat. Luke shares a strong view on where AI will change everything and where it won’t. We end with predictions. Luke backs next-gen merchandising tools. I put my money on the Nordics. If you’re watching the commerce tech landscape and wondering where to place your bets, this one’s for you. Depict.ai are on a mission to help shoppers discover the products they love - while giving merchandisers total creative control. Turn keyword searches into real conversations. Help customers explore and uncover more of your catalogue. Merchandisers stay in control of the story. Upgrade your storefront at Depict.ai Checkout Factory here. Sign up to our newsletter here.

    34 分钟

关于

Offcuts is a podcast and newsletter about commerce, culture and AI.

 We explore how brands grow in a changing landscape. From shifting consumer behaviour to the rise of AI in digital work. It is part founder’s perspective, part field notes from inside the industry. We speak to founders, operators and technologists about what is working, what is changing and what is next. Expect sharp thinking, useful links and the occasional hot take. All grounded in what is actually happening. Not just what is trending.

 Brought to you by the team at Factory: https://www.factory-digital.com/