Human in the Loop

Teikametrics

This brand new show explores the dynamic intersection of human intelligence and cutting-edge technology within the ever-evolving landscape of ecommerce. From in-depth discussions on artificial intelligence, to viral brands that launched on TikTok, to the stories behind today’s biggest technology companies, brands, and sellers.. Welcome to the forefront of the ecommerce revolution, where being a Human in the Loop is not just a just a strategy... But the very essence of progress.

  1. 3D AGO

    How to Break Through on TikTok: Lessons for Big Spenders & Breakthrough Brands

    Is TikTok really for every brand? Ali Tatarzyn, Director of Product at Teikametrics, breaks down what's working — and what's not — for brands on TikTok in 2026. TikTok has officially moved past the experimental phase. Brands are allocating real budgets, building dedicated teams, and treating it as a serious growth channel — but most are still getting stuck. In this episode, Ali Tatarzyn, Director of Product at Teikametrics, breaks down what she's hearing from brands every week, from enterprise players investing heavily to smaller brands just dipping a toe in. She shares why TikTok isn't a fit for every brand, the two very different conversations happening across the industry right now, and the mindset shift required to actually win on the platform. Whether you're trying to prove halo impact to leadership or just trying to get your first piece of content to land, this conversation lays out where brands get stuck — and how to break through. Key Takeaways TikTok isn't for every brand — it rewards a specific way of operating that's fast, content-heavy, and creator-driven, and brands unwilling to adapt will struggle. The real challenge isn't ad spend or optimization, it's content. Most brands aren't built for the speed and volume TikTok demands. Organic, affiliate, and paid aren't separate strategies — they form a loop. Test organically, scale with affiliates, amplify winners with paid. Two distinct conversations are happening right now: mature brands focused on halo impact and measurement, and breakthrough brands trying to figure out why nothing is sticking. Big spenders get stuck on attribution and proving incrementality to leadership. Breakthrough brands get stuck producing content that's too polished and too brand-heavy. Letting go of creative control is one of the hardest — and most important — shifts brands need to make. Trust your creators to do what they do best. The time to invest is now. With Ulta, Sally Beauty, and other major retailers joining TikTok Shop, the platform is only getting more serious — but it's not too late. Don't bring your Amazon or Meta playbook to TikTok. Speed, volume, and creative iteration win over structure and control. Chapters 00:00 — Intro: Why Ali has a front-row seat to the TikTok conversation 00:54 — Is TikTok for every brand? A spicy take 03:20 — The biggest questions brands are asking right now 06:00 — The organic, affiliate, and paid loop 09:02 — The two camps of brands on TikTok 11:00 — Where big-investment brands get stuck (and how to fix it) 14:08 — The halo effect and the measurement problem 15:33 — Where breakthrough brands get stuck 17:22 — Why relinquishing creative control matters 18:38 — Final takeaways: the time is now 21:45 — Ulta, Sally Beauty, and what big retail moves signal for TikTok

    23 min

  2. MAY 6

    TikTok Halo: Discover on TikTok, Buy on Amazon

    The dominant consumer pattern of 2026 isn't buy on TikTok — it's discover on TikTok, buy on Amazon . That's great for the brands paying attention. It's a measurement nightmare for everyone else. In this episode, Cameron Yoder is joined by Alasdair McLean-Foreman, CEO and Founder of Teikametrics to break down the TikTok Halo: Why traditional attribution falls apart between the two platforms, why the discounting strategy that works for native TikTok Shop products actively hurts established brands, and how creator behavior — including off-message claims like "this product is being discontinued" — turns into a brand-safety problem the moment a video goes viral. The conversation gets practical: what big brands should actually measure (hint: not direct ROAS), why TikTok belongs in an experimental, upper-funnel bucket for most established brands, why the content engine is the muscle to start building today even if you can't justify the spend yet, what Amazon tried and abandoned on the discovery side, and why the DTC brands that swore off Amazon five years ago are quietly leaning back in — using Amazon Prime as a fulfillment layer rather than a competing channel. Takeaways at the end, and a tease that this won't be the last TikTok Halo conversation on the show. Timestamps / Chapters 00:00 — Cold open: discover on TikTok, buy on Amazon Prime 00:44 — What "TikTok Halo" actually means: the attribution gap, defined 01:55 — Why discounting blows up the strategy for established brands 03:39 — Consumer trust: Amazon Prime vs. TikTok, and the younger-audience split 04:46 — When creators go off-script: the beauty brand and pet food cases 07:00 — The metrics question: why direct ROAS will disappoint you 09:21 — The right framing: experimental bucket, upper-funnel marketing 11:36 — Build the content muscle now (and why Amazon's TikTok-style feed failed) 15:00 — DTC's quiet pivot: leaning back into Amazon as a fulfillment layer 16:28 — Key takeaways and what's next Key Topics / Talking Points What you'll learn in this episode: What the TikTok Halo is and why it's the dominant cross-channel pattern in 2026 Why "discover on TikTok, buy on Amazon" is the strategy big brands need to plan around — even if it's harder to measure Why the discounting playbook that works for native TikTok Shop brands actively damages established brands' merchandising How consumer trust differs between TikTok and Amazon, and where the younger-audience exception applies Real examples of creator-driven brand risk (e.g., false discontinuation claims) and how to think about brand control on a content-first platform The metrics big brands should and shouldn't use to evaluate TikTok performance Why TikTok belongs in an "experimental bucket" — and what that bucket should fund Why building the content engine today matters more than nailing the ROAS math What Amazon tried on the discovery side, why it didn't work, and what that says about platform moat Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube and beyond for more AI-related content!

    19 min

  3. APR 29

    What the hell is MCP — and can it actually run your marketplace business?

    Alasdair and Cameron debate whether you can really plug Claude into Amazon, let it rip on a $500K/month ad budget, and call it a business. Episode Summary: Everyone's talking about MCP — Model Context Protocol — and the dream of plugging a large language model like Claude straight into Amazon to run an entire marketplace business. In this episode, Cameron Yoder and Alasdair McLean-Foreman cut through the LinkedIn buzz to define what MCP actually is (spoiler: it's effectively a glorified API), where it genuinely shines today, and where the wheels come off when you try to hand a $500,000/month ad budget to a model with no middle layer. They get into the specifics: which use cases are ready right now (analytics, querying, cross-channel data exploration), why running an enterprise marketplace business demands more than a pipe between an LLM and a database, and what an MCP-native operating model actually looks like — including how it might compress headcount, why you'd want to build your own data layer, which categories of SaaS are most exposed (HubSpot Breeze, Zapier, legal tools all come up), and the Nvidia executive's "every software company becomes a token factory" line. Key Topics / Talking Points What MCP (Model Context Protocol) actually is — and why "it's a glorified API" is the right mental model Why plugging Claude directly into a large Amazon brand is, at this moment, a stretch — and what specifically breaks The use cases that already work today: analytics, ad-hoc querying, replacing BI/spreadsheet workflows The use cases that don't work yet: autonomous bid management, full-budget campaign edits, cross-channel optimization Why a "middle layer" — your own database and interface — is non-negotiable for serious marketplace operators How MCP changes headcount math: not zero people, but maybe one person doing three jobs The Anthropic "one-person marketing team" precedent and what it does and doesn't prove The Nvidia "token factory" thesis and which SaaS categories are most exposed Why HubSpot Breeze and Zapier hint at where mainstream B2B software is heading The real competitive threat to incumbent marketplace SaaS: lean, AI-native, agentic-from-day-one startups Why the right move for most operators is to test MCP — not bet the business on it Timestamps / Chapters00:00 — Cold open & opening positions: can you really plug Claude into Amazon? 01:33 — What MCP actually is: the "glorified API" definition 03:42 — The "right" use cases: where Claude shines vs. where it breaks 05:11 — Would you let it run a $500K/mo ad budget? The middle-layer debate 07:04 — The data gap: cross-channel signals and why a pipe isn't enough 09:28 — The "token factory" thesis and headcount implications 11:17 — Architecting it yourself: which SaaS categories get displaced 14:04 — HubSpot Breeze, Zapier, and the AI-native competitor threat 17:17 — Takeaways and the buy-a-brand experiment tease If you got value from this episode: Subscribe to Human in the Loop on Spotify and YouTube so the next episode lands in your feed. Follow Cameron and Alasdair on LinkedIn — that's where the between-episode debates and experiment updates live. Try the test yourself. Spin up an MCP connection on a small slice of your business and see what it can actually do — you don't have to bet the budget to learn something. Tell us what to sell. We're seriously considering buying a brand and running it with AI in the loop. Reply on LinkedIn or email the show with what category we should pick. Rate the show wherever you're listening — it's the single biggest thing that helps new operators find us.

    19 min

  4. JAN 7

    Introducing ARI: Artificial Retail Intelligence with Alasdair McLean-Foreman

    In this episode, Cameron sits down with Alasdair McLean-Foreman, CEO & Founder of Teikametrics, to unpack ARI (Artificial Retail Intelligence), the most significant platform evolution in Teikametrics history. The conversation clarifies what ARI is, why it matters now, and how it represents a fundamental shift from ad optimization toward a unified, AI-powered orchestration layer that helps brands manage and scale their intellectual property across multiple retail channels. Key Takeaways ARI is a platform shift, not a feature releaseIt marks Teikametrics’ evolution beyond ads into a holistic retail intelligence and orchestration layer. Intellectual property is the core asset ARI optimizesProduct content, listings, imagery, and brand IP are treated as strategic inputs that fuel performance across channels. Generative AI enables what wasn’t possible beforeAdvances in AI over the last 6–12 months made ARI feasible at a quality level brands can trust. Multichannel growth becomes operationally simplerARI is designed to help brands move faster across Amazon, Walmart, TikTok, and beyond without duplicating effort. Teikametrics is expanding into a new categoryARI positions the company closer to product information management, feed management, and channel orchestration—powered by AI. Episode Timeline 00:00  | Introduction and why ARI matters now 00:55  | What ARI is and how the concept was formed 01:40  | How ARI differs from previous Teikametrics solutions 03:10  | The role of generative AI and why timing matters 04:30  | ARI’s impact on multichannel ecommerce strategy 05:25 | How ARI aligns with Teikametrics’ long-term mission 06:30 | Future implications for sellers, partners, and employees 08:10 | Closing thoughts and what’s coming next Key Quotes “ARI is the most important thing we’ve ever done—it’s the evolution of our company beyond ads.” “Brands have intellectual property, and ARI is about orchestrating that IP across channels using AI.” “When you shift the problem from ads to content and IP management, you enter a completely new category.”

    9 min

  5. 09/10/2025

    From the Show Floor: Announcing GenAI Smart Pages with Alasdair McLean-Foreman

    This episode is all about Teikametrics' most recent release: GenAI Smart Pages. Cameron Yoder chats with Alasdair McLean-Foreman, CEO & Founder of Teikametrics about what GenAI Smart Pages is, how it's impacting sellers now, and what's to come in the future. Key Timestamps: 00:00 | Setting the stage at Let’s Grow 2025 – Event energy, Teikametrics’ growth, and seller engagement. 00:28 | Introducing GenAI Smart Pages – Why this is the most important product Teikametrics has built. 01:13 | How Smart Pages work – Generative AI + patented algorithms producing optimized listings. 01:43  | Immediate seller results – Increased organic sales, higher ROAS, and unlocking ad spend confidence. 02:31 | Future roadmap – Seasonal optimization, AI-powered images, video, and even avatars. 03:36  | The “Magic Button” – Seamlessly mapping Amazon success onto Walmart with optimized listings. 04:26 | Seller impact – Simplifying messy, time-consuming listing optimization at scale. 05:10 | All-in-one solution – Research, keyword targeting, AI content, listing uploads, and ads in one clean package. 05:45 | Closing thoughts – Why Smart Pages are a game-changer for sellers and the future of ecommerce. Key Takeaways Smart Pages = Teikametrics’ biggest innovation: AI-driven, automated listing optimization delivering measurable performance boosts. Real results already happening: Sellers are seeing higher organic sales and improved ad efficiency. The flywheel effect: Better listings → better sales → better ads → more budget unlocked. Magic Button: Game-changing ability to port success from Amazon to Walmart with AI-mapped listings. Future vision: AI-powered content tailored by season, images, video, and even avatars. Ultimate value: Saves sellers massive amounts of time while driving growth at scale.

    6 min

  6. 06/24/2025

    Inside Fire TV & Alexa Advertising: Full-Funnel Strategies with Amazon’s Charlotte Maines

    Podcast Summary: In this episode, Teikametrics CEO Alasdair McLean-Foreman sits down with Charlotte Maines, Director of Fire TV Business and Devices Advertising at Amazon, to explore how Fire TV, Alexa, and other Amazon devices are transforming the advertising landscape. From full-funnel strategies and AI-powered personalization to GenAI-powered creative production and campaign accessibility for e-commerce brands, this conversation is packed with actionable insights for any brand advertising on Amazon. Timestamped Episode Outline: 00:00 🔹 Introduction: Charlotte Mayes’ role at Amazon and her history with Fire TV 00:40 🔹 Fire TV’s global growth (250M+ devices) and role in Amazon’s advertising ecosystem 02:08 🔹 Devices as a full-funnel opportunity: engaging customers in relaxed, non-transactional moments 03:50 🔹 The power of pairing Fire TV UI placements with Prime Video ads (2x incremental reach) 05:02 🔹 Accessibility: How eCommerce brands can buy Fire TV ads through Amazon DSP 06:17 🔹 Including devices in broader DSP buys to hit KPIs and maximize efficiency 08:25 🔹 GenAI and large language models for content discovery and personalization 10:05 🔹 How GenAI supports advertisers: faster creative production with brand control 13:16 🔹 GenAI-generated audio ads: using product detail pages and reviews to outperform traditional ads 15:01 🔹 Trust, IP, and the role of human input in generative workflows 17:08 🔹 Future trends: Avatars, Alexa Plus, and the rise of humanized brand engagement 19:20 🔹 Fire TV as a discovery engine: the six-minute window to capture attention 22:03 🔹 Testing on a budget: Why Alexa and Fire TV placements offer high ROAS and low risk 24:33 🔹 Final thoughts: Education, accessibility, and the future of full-funnel Amazon advertising ✅ Key Takeaways: Fire TV is a full-funnel ad solution with over 250 million devices sold globally and 4.2+ hours of daily viewership per user. Advertisers can access Fire TV and Alexa placements via Amazon DSP, making them available to even small and mid-sized eCommerce brands. Pairing Prime Video ads with Fire TV placements yields more than 2x incremental reach. GenAI is streamlining creative production, especially for asset-heavy placements like the Fire TV “feature rotator.” Amazon’s GenAI audio ads use detail pages and reviews to create ads that can outperform human-generated creative. Testing is low-risk via CPC-based DSP campaigns; advertisers only pay for what works. Alexa Plus and Fire TV represent a new wave of contextual, immersive brand engagement—reaching users while they’re relaxed and attentive

    25 min

  7. 05/05/2025

    AMC Demystified: Smarter Ad Strategies for Sellers

    In this episode of Human in the Loop, host Cameron Yoder welcomes Jeff Cohen to break down Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC)—Amazon’s powerful, privacy-safe analytics tool. Jeff explains why AMC is crucial for understanding customer journeys, optimizing ad spend, and increasing conversions by leveraging full-funnel insights. Listeners will walk away with a clear understanding of how AMC works, why it’s a must-have for advertisers, and how brands are already leveraging it to maximize their Amazon advertising ROI. The episode also covers real-world case studies, including how Funko and Connolly (a French skincare brand)optimized their budget allocation using AMC and achieved significant increases in brand purchases, sales, and conversion rates. Plus, Cameron shares exciting updates on how Teikametrics is making AMC more accessible for sellers with new audience creation tools. Timestamps of Key Sections ⏱ (00:19) What is Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC)? ⏱ (01:50) Why advertisers should be using AMC today ⏱ (03:09) How AMC helps with audience creation and campaign optimization ⏱ (06:53) Practical use cases: Bid boosting, audience segmentation & measurement ⏱ (09:08) Case study: Connolly’s success with DSP and Streaming TV ads ⏱ (12:21) Case study: Funko’s strategic budget allocation using AMC ⏱ (16:45) The future of AMC & new Teikametrics updates ⏱ (18:42) Final thoughts & where AMC is headed next Key Takeaways 🚀 AMC unlocks full-funnel visibility: Instead of just last-click attribution, sellers can now track the entire customer journey—seeing how multiple ad types interact before a conversion. 🎯 Audience targeting just got smarter: Sellers can create precise audience segments using shopping behaviors, purchase frequency, and even category browsing habits. 📈 Data-driven bidding boosts ROI: Advertisers can now adjust bids dynamically based on customer intent signals, leading to higher conversions at lower costs. 💡 Cross-campaign optimizations are a game-changer: AMC allows sellers to analyze how different ad types (like Sponsored Display and Streaming TV) impact search behavior. 🔄 Testing & iterating is crucial: Sellers leveraging AMC should experiment with audience segments, bid boosts, and cross-channel data to refine their ad strategies continuously. 📊 Budget allocation is now backed by hard data: Companies like Funko increased brand purchases by 44% and overall reach by 48% by shifting budgets towards upper-funnel tactics based on AMC insights. 🛠 Teikametrics is making AMC more accessible: A new audience creation tool launching on March 10 will allow sellers to easily build audiences without needing coding expertise. 📢 AMC is still evolving: The future holds predictive analytics and real-time bidding adjustments, making AMC an essential tool for long-term success on Amazon. Top 3 Quotes from the Episode 1. 🗣 “Instead of guessing what might work, AMC lets you see exactly how customers interact with your ads—and then adjust strategies accordingly.” — Jeff Cohen 2. 🗣 “AMC is turning data signals into actionable insights—helping sellers make smarter decisions on where to invest their ad dollars.” — Jeff Cohen 3. 🗣 “Brands that integrate AMC into their strategy are seeing higher ROI, better audience targeting, and smarter budget allocation.” — Cameron Yoder Subscribe & Follow 🚀 Enjoyed this episode? Don’t forget to subscribe to Human in the Loop on Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/hitl 📲 Follow Teikametrics for more cutting-edge insights on Amazon & Walmart advertising: 🔹 LinkedIn 🔹 Twitter/X 🔹 Instagram

    21 min

  8. 04/24/2025

    Adapting to Tariffs: Strategies to Stay Profitable

    Podcast Summary In this episode of Human in the Loop, we tackle a major challenge ecommerce sellers are facing right now: rising tariffs. With new import duties hitting products sourced from China and beyond, sellers are being forced to rethink everything—pricing, advertising, and inventory strategy. Cameron breaks down how these tariffs are impacting profitability, and what actions sellers can take right now to protect their margins. From adjusting ACOS targets and reallocating ad spend, to strategic pausing and shifting product focus, this episode is a tactical guide to staying profitable in a high-cost environment. Whether you’re an Amazon or Walmart seller, this is your tariff response playbook. ⏱️ Key Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction: What’s happening with tariffs, and why it matters now 02:28 – How tariffs are directly affecting costs, margins, and planning 05:45 – Tactical ad strategy shifts: Where to cut, where to invest 09:10 – Should you raise prices? How to do it without losing the Buy Box 13:22 – Recalculating ACOS targets and rethinking budget allocation 16:35 – When it’s smart to pause ads (and when it’s not) 19:48 – Inventory strategy shifts in response to tariffs 22:10 – Staying agile: Adapting to changing conditions in real-time ✅ Key Takeaways Tariffs as high as 145% are significantly impacting sellers sourcing from China. COGS increases mean tighter margins—pricing and ad strategy must evolve. Reallocate ad spend to high-margin products and use real-time profit tracking tools. Adjust ACOS goals per SKU based on updated COGS and margin scenarios. Strategic price increases must be monitored closely—watch for Buy Box suppression and conversion drops. AI-powered tools are critical for adjusting bids, budgets, and strategy at scale. Sellers should rethink inventory mix and sourcing strategy to reduce tariff exposure. Pausing ads can be smart—but only if done surgically, not reactively. 📣 Subscribe & Follow Check out our blog: https://www.teikametrics.com/blog/adapting-to-tariffs-how-ecommerce-sellers-can-stay-profitable-agile/ If this episode gave you value, make sure to follow Teikametrics on LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram for more data-driven strategies. And don’t forget to subscribe to Human in the Loop on Spotify or Apple Podcasts so you never miss an episode.

    17 min
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Trailer

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About

This brand new show explores the dynamic intersection of human intelligence and cutting-edge technology within the ever-evolving landscape of ecommerce. From in-depth discussions on artificial intelligence, to viral brands that launched on TikTok, to the stories behind today’s biggest technology companies, brands, and sellers.. Welcome to the forefront of the ecommerce revolution, where being a Human in the Loop is not just a just a strategy... But the very essence of progress.

Information

  • Creator
    Teikametrics
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    45
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Teikametrics
  • Show Website
    Human in the Loop

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