Growing Ecommerce – The Retail Growth Podcast

Smarter Ecommerce
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  • MARKETING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Feed your growth mindset. Ecommerce is growing, and so are the challenges and opportunities for online retailers. In the Growing Ecommerce podcast, Mike Ryan and other smec experts are joined by industry leaders in ecommerce, digital marketing, and data science. By sharing business trends, practical solutions, and best practices, this podcast helps online retailers solve the challenges of tomorrow.

  1. How the Top 1% Retailers Run Google Ads in 2026

    5D AGO

    How the Top 1% Retailers Run Google Ads in 2026

    Ever wonder what the biggest e-commerce brands are discussing behind closed doors? We are opening up the vault. 🤫 In this episode of Growing Ecommerce, Mike Ryan and Chris Scharmueller give you a backstage pass to their recent strategy meetings with some of Europe's largest retailers. We are unpacking the exact playbooks, fears, and tactics dominating the boardrooms of the top 1% right now. Forget the basic tutorials—this is what the mega-brands are actually testing. First, we tackle Google's controversial new push for "Demand Led Growth" (DLG). Are the top retailers really giving Google unlimited budgets, or is there a smarter way to use Target ROAS to capture demand spikes. We also break down the reality of the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) and why Europe's smartest marketing teams are obsessing over conversational feed attributes to win the AI search war. Finally, we reveal what CMOs are secretly telling their CFOs: With Chinese giants like Temu driving up costs, cheap incremental growth is dead. Discover why Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM) is the new survival tool for 2026. 🔗 Resources & Links: Access all our webinars, reports, and playbooks in our Knowledge Hub: https://smarter-ecommerce.com/en/knowledge-hub/How is your industry stacking up in the market? Find out with smec’s Google Ads Benchmarks: https://smarter-ecommerce.com/en/smec-market-observer/ About Smarter Ecommerce (smec): Smarter Ecommerce (smec) empowers e-commerce brands with AI-driven PPC automation that optimizes for profit and business outcomes while maintaining strategic control. The platform activates first-party data - profit margins, customer lifetime value, and key business metrics - to automate campaign optimization toward goals like profitability and efficient growth, while detailed campaign insights provide full transparency and enable PPC teams to focus on strategic oversight rather than manual execution. As a Google Premier Partner and three-time Microsoft Retail Partner of the Year, smec manages over €500 million in ad spend and drives €5B+ in annual e-commerce revenue for 350+ global retail clients including THG, Snipes, REWE, and Intersport. Make sure to follow smec - Smarter Ecommerce for more performance marketing insights: smec - Smarter Ecommerce: https://www.smarter-ecommerce.com LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/smarter-ecommerce-gmbh Newsletter: https://smarter-ecommerce.com/en/newsletter/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smarterecommerce/

    33 min
  2. Temu Hits 71% Market Share – Should You Worry? Plus: Google's Coming for Your Landing Pages

    MAR 24

    Temu Hits 71% Market Share – Should You Worry? Plus: Google's Coming for Your Landing Pages

    Is the "clash of the titans" coming for your profit margins, and is Google about to take away your website traffic? In this episode of Growing E-commerce, Mike Ryan and Chris Sharma tackle two massive, existential shifts threatening the traditional online retail playbook. First, we dive into the aggressive European expansion of Chinese e-commerce giants. While JD.com (Joybuy) and SHEIN are making aggressive moves, Temu is completely taking over. We break down the official monthly active user data, revealing that Temu now commands a 40% overall market share in Europe – including a staggering 71.1% market share in Poland and 44% in Germany. Are European retailers simply becoming collateral damage in this war of attrition? Then, we unpack a recently granted Google patent that sounds like a sci-fi nightmare for marketers. The patent outlines a system where Google evaluates your landing page, and if it doesn't meet their qualitative standards, they will generate an AI replacement landing page within the ad ecosystem. We discuss what this means for the loss of your tracking data, zero-click purchases, and the ultimate "PMax-ification" of Google Ads. 🔗 Resources & Links: Access all our webinars, reports, and playbooks in our Knowledge Hub: https://smarter-ecommerce.com/en/knowledge-hub/ About Smarter Ecommerce (smec): Smarter Ecommerce (smec) empowers e-commerce brands with AI-driven PPC automation that optimizes for profit and business outcomes while maintaining strategic control. The platform activates first-party data - profit margins, customer lifetime value, and key business metrics - to automate campaign optimization toward goals like profitability and efficient growth, while detailed campaign insights provide full transparency and enable PPC teams to focus on strategic oversight rather than manual execution. As a Google Premier Partner and three-time Microsoft Retail Partner of the Year, smec manages over €500 million in ad spend and drives €5B+ in annual e-commerce revenue for 350+ global retail clients including THG, Snipes, REWE, and Intersport. Make sure to follow smec - Smarter Ecommerce for more performance marketing insights: smec - Smarter Ecommerce: https://www.smarter-ecommerce.com LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/smarter-ecommerce-gmbh Newsletter: https://smarter-ecommerce.com/en/newsletter/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smarterecommerce/

    34 min
  3. Sam Altman SCREWS UP ChatGPT Shopping | Plus: Google Product Feed Deep Dive

    MAR 17

    Sam Altman SCREWS UP ChatGPT Shopping | Plus: Google Product Feed Deep Dive

    Why did OpenAI quietly kill its shopping feature, and what does it mean for the future of Google Ads? 🚨 In this episode of Growing E-commerce, Mike Ryan and Chris Sharma tackle the reality of the "AI takeover" in paid search. Following Chris's exclusive executive Think Tank with 20 leading CMOs in London, we are cutting through the noise to discuss the 2026 playbook. First up: The ChatGPT Shopping disaster. We discuss why OpenAI had to walk away from its "thin Google Shopping wrapper" to save its burn rate, and why Google's ad ecosystem dominance is stronger than ever. We also dive into the "Wild West" of agentic commerce, including Amazon's massive legal battle with Perplexity over spoofed traffic and lost ad revenue. But it's not all drama! The second half of this episode is a pure, actionable deep dive into the future of Google Product Feeds. With AI search queries getting 2.5x longer, we break down exactly how to future-proof your  About Smarter Ecommerce (smec): Smarter Ecommerce (smec) empowers e-commerce brands with AI-driven PPC automation that optimizes for profit and business outcomes while maintaining strategic control. The platform activates first-party data - profit margins, customer lifetime value, and key business metrics - to automate campaign optimization toward goals like profitability and efficient growth, while detailed campaign insights provide full transparency and enable PPC teams to focus on strategic oversight rather than manual execution. As a Google Premier Partner and three-time Microsoft Retail Partner of the Year, smec manages over €500 million in ad spend and drives €5B+ in annual e-commerce revenue for 350+ global retail clients including THG, Snipes, REWE, and Intersport. Make sure to follow smec - Smarter Ecommerce for more performance marketing insights: smec - Smarter Ecommerce: https://www.smarter-ecommerce.com LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/smarter-ecommerce-gmbh Newsletter: https://smarter-ecommerce.com/en/newsletter/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smarterecommerce/

    33 min
  4. The State of PPC 2026: Live from SMX Munich w/ Wijnard Meijer (TrueClicks) and Frederick Vallaeys (Optmyzr)

    MAR 12

    The State of PPC 2026: Live from SMX Munich w/ Wijnard Meijer (TrueClicks) and Frederick Vallaeys (Optmyzr)

    If you want to know how your peers are actually handling the grind, the Google Ads updates, and the "AI takeover," this episode is a must-watch. We recorded a special edition of Growing Ecommerce live from SMX Munich! Host Mike Ryan is joined by Wijnand Meijer (Co-founder & CEO at TrueClicks) and Frederick Vallaeys (CEO at Optmyzr) to dive deep into the freshly released Global State of PPC 2026 Report. This isn't just another PDF to gather dust in your downloads folder. Driven by the team at TrueClicks and supported by top industry partners, it’s an unfiltered reality check for the entire paid search industry.  With 1,300+ respondents spilling the tea across 60+ charts and 14,000 words, we unpack the hard insights on agency billing, Performance Max workarounds, and why AI isn't saving us as much time as the tech bros promised. The Complexity Struggle: 53% of practitioners say managing PPC is harder than it was two years ago.Agency Operations: Agencies managing over $1M/month are doing so with 20% fewer people. Yet, 1 in 5 agencies still charge by billable hours (with heavy geographical differences: only 4-12% in the US/AUS vs. 25% in Europe).The PMax Paradox: 48% complain about a lack of granular control, leading to workarounds like standard shopping hybrids (37%) and feed-only builds (17%). Despite this, 65% are satisfied with their PMax results.The AI Elephant in the Room: On average, professionals report saving only 5.2 hours a week using AI. Furthermore, 70% state that quality and accuracy (hallucinations) are their biggest AI hurdles.The Tool Stack: Surprisingly, 62% of respondents don't use paid third-party tools for analysis or optimization, relying entirely on native interfaces and spreadsheets. Resources & Links:Read the full, unfiltered report for free at: www.ppcsurvey.comA massive thank you to Wijnand Meijer and the TrueClicks team for driving this monumental effort.Shoutout to all the fellow partners for making this happen: DataFeedWatch by Cart.com, God Tier Ads, Hero Conf, Optmyzr, Producthero, SMX Advanced Europe, Swydo, TrueClicks, and Smarter E-commerce (smec).Learn more about Smarter E-commerce: smarter-ecommerce.comAbout Smarter Ecommerce (smec): Smarter Ecommerce (smec) empowers e-commerce brands with AI-driven PPC automation that optimizes for profit and business outcomes while maintaining strategic control. The platform activates first-party data - profit margins, customer lifetime value, and key business metrics - to automate campaign optimization toward goals like profitability and efficient growth, while detailed campaign insights provide full transparency and enable PPC teams to focus on strategic oversight rather than manual execution. As a Google Premier Partner and three-time Microsoft Retail Partner of the Year, smec manages over €500 million in ad spend and drives €5B+ in annual e-commerce revenue for 350+ global retail clients including THG, Snipes, REWE, and Intersport. Make sure to follow smec - Smarter Ecommerce for more performance marketing insights: smec - Smarter Ecommerce: https://www.smarter-ecommerce.com LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/smarter-ecommerce-gmbh Newsletter: https://smarter-ecommerce.com/en/newsletter/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smarterecommerce/

    54 min
  5. The end of Dynamic Search Ads is here! Insights from 200+ AI Max campaigns

    MAR 10

    The end of Dynamic Search Ads is here! Insights from 200+ AI Max campaigns

    In this episode of Growing E-commerce, Mike Ryan and Chris from Smarter Ecommerce (smec) tackle the massive news that DSA's time on Earth is limited. With DSA going the way of the dinosaurs, Google is pushing advertisers toward AI Max for Search. But is it actually a worthy replacement? To find out, Mike breaks down the findings from his brand-new 18-page report, The Ultimate Guide to AI Max. After analyzing 1 year of data across more than 600 Google Ads search campaigns, the numbers tell a nuanced story about incrementality versus efficiency. We cover exactly what AI Max is, how it overlaps with PMax and Broad Match, and the real cost of those "incremental" conversions. If you are a heavy DSA user, this is the exact data you need to start planning your migration strategy! 📊 Key Takeaways from the 600-Campaign Study: The DSA Sunset: Google confirmed DSA will eventually be retired, making AI Max the logical testing ground for future-proofing your search strategy.The Incrementality Reality: AI Max does generate more conversions (about 13% more on average), but it comes at a cost.The Efficiency Trade-Off: Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) is typically 16% higher.ROAS Volatility: While Google claims AI Max maintains similar efficiency, the data shows a very broad, flat distribution of ROAS outcomes—meaning active management is required.Cannibalization Risks: 48% of AI Max users are also running DSA and PMax, leading to potential account bloat and self-competition.🔗 Resources & Links: Download the free 18-page Ultimate Guide to AI Max (PDF, Long-form article, and Script): https://smarter-ecommerce.com/blog/en/google-ads/the-ultimate-guide-to-ai-max-for-google-search/ About Mike Ryan: Based in Austria and originally from Boston, Mike Ryan is the Head of Ecommerce Insights at Smarter Ecommerce (smec) with over ten years of experience in retail and PPC landscape. With a robust background spanning retail operations, product management, and digital ads, Mike leverages his multidisciplinary expertise to drive data-informed strategies that help online retailers optimize their performance in an increasingly competitive market. About Christian Scharmueller: As a seasoned veteran in the PPC and Ecommerce space, Christian Scharmüller serves as the CCO & Managing Director of Smarter Ecommerce. With over 12 years of About Smarter Ecommerce (smec): Smarter Ecommerce (smec) empowers e-commerce brands with AI-driven PPC automation that optimizes for profit and business outcomes while maintaining strategic control. The platform activates first-party data - profit margins, customer lifetime value, and key business metrics - to automate campaign optimization toward goals like profitability and efficient growth, while detailed campaign insights provide full transparency and enable PPC teams to focus on strategic oversight rather than manual execution. As a Google Premier Partner and three-time Microsoft Retail Partner of the Year, smec manages over €500 million in ad spend and drives €5B+ in annual e-commerce revenue for 350+ global retail clients including THG, Snipes, REWE, and Intersport. Make sure to follow smec - Smarter Ecommerce for more performance marketing insights: smec - Smarter Ecommerce: https://www.smarter-ecommerce.com LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/smarter-ecommerce-gmbh Newsletter: https://smarter-ecommerce.com/en/newsletter/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smarterecommerce/

    33 min
  6. The Expensive Problem with Google’s Search Partner Network (SPN): Insights from 1,500+ Campaigns

    MAR 3

    The Expensive Problem with Google’s Search Partner Network (SPN): Insights from 1,500+ Campaigns

    🚨 Breaking Google Ads News: Dynamic Search Ads (DSA) will be going "the way of the dinosaurs." As confirmed by Google's Ginny Marvin, DSA's time is limited, paving the way for AI Max as the future-proof campaign standard. Is the Google Ads Search Partner Network draining your Performance Max budget? We looked at 1,500+ campaigns and finally have the data to prove it. In this episode of Growing Ecommerce, Mike Ryan and Chris Scharmueller dive into data from over 1,500 PMax campaigns throughout 2025 and early 2026. The numbers are in—and they are highly concerning for advertisers relying on the Search Partner Network (SPN). We break down exactly where your PMax impressions are going, why Google is hesitant to give you an opt-out button, and the massive impact SPN has on your ROAS and CPA.  PLUS: We share exclusive breaking news confirmed by Google's Ginny Marvin: the sun is setting on Dynamic Search Ads (DSA). If you want to stay ahead of the curve and stop wasting ad spend on low-intent, bot-heavy traffic, this episode is a must-watch! Key PMax Data Insights Shared in This Episode: Based on a trimmed mean analysis of 1,500+ PMax campaigns with 30+ monthly conversions: PMax Impression Share (Excluding Search): YouTube (49%), Google Display (17%), SPN (17%), Maps (11%), Discover (7%), Gmail (0.5%).Click-Through Rate (CTR): 40% lower on the Search Partner Network.Conversion Rate: 63% lower on SPN.Cost Per Acquisition (CPA): 73% higher on SPN.Return on Ad Spend (ROAS): 63% lower on SPN compared to parent campaigns.Invalid Traffic (IVT): SPN holds the highest share of malicious and fraudulent clicks across networks.— About Mike Ryan: Based in Austria and originally from Boston, Mike Ryan is the Head of Ecommerce Insights at Smarter Ecommerce (smec) with over ten years of experience in retail and PPC landscape. With a robust background spanning retail operations, product management, and digital ads, Mike leverages his multidisciplinary expertise to drive data-informed strategies that help online retailers optimize their performance in an increasingly competitive market. About Christian Scharmueller: As a seasoned veteran in the PPC and Ecommerce space, Christian Scharmüller serves as the CCO & Managing Director of Smarter Ecommerce. With over 12 years of experience at the forefront of ad tech, Christian is a sought-after speaker at major industry events, including SMX and OMR, where he shares insights on hig About Smarter Ecommerce (smec): Smarter Ecommerce (smec) empowers e-commerce brands with AI-driven PPC automation that optimizes for profit and business outcomes while maintaining strategic control. The platform activates first-party data - profit margins, customer lifetime value, and key business metrics - to automate campaign optimization toward goals like profitability and efficient growth, while detailed campaign insights provide full transparency and enable PPC teams to focus on strategic oversight rather than manual execution. As a Google Premier Partner and three-time Microsoft Retail Partner of the Year, smec manages over €500 million in ad spend and drives €5B+ in annual e-commerce revenue for 350+ global retail clients including THG, Snipes, REWE, and Intersport. Make sure to follow smec - Smarter Ecommerce for more performance marketing insights: smec - Smarter Ecommerce: https://www.smarter-ecommerce.com LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/smarter-ecommerce-gmbh Newsletter: https://smarter-ecommerce.com/en/newsletter/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smarterecommerce/

    22 min
  7. Is ROAS Overrated? – Why the “Revenue Trap” Might Kill Your Google Ads Profit

    FEB 24

    Is ROAS Overrated? – Why the “Revenue Trap” Might Kill Your Google Ads Profit

    Is ROAS a flawed metric for Google Ads? According to acclaimed ecommerce experts Mike Ryan and Christian Scharmüller, using Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) as your primary "North Star" metric creates a dangerous "Revenue Trap." Because ROAS measures revenue rather than actual margin, it creates an "air gap" that ignores the law of diminishing returns, ultimately hurting the profitability of mature Google Ads campaigns. In this episode of Growing eCommerce, the hosts break down how to properly use ROAS as a bidding signal and explore the latest transparency updates to Google’s Performance Max (PMax) campaigns. The Problem with ROAS as a Profit Proxy: Many advertisers use ROAS as a stand-in for profit. However, as campaigns scale, incremental returns flatten out. A 600% ROAS does not guarantee your next ad dollar will yield the same profit margin. ROAS is a Communication Vessel, Not Just a Goal: Setting a blanket ROAS target across multiple campaigns is a strategic mistake. ROAS is actually your primary bidding signal and pacing tool to steer Google's algorithms. Dynamic vs. Static Targeting: Advertisers should move away from adjusting ROAS based on "gut feeling" and adopt a scientific, data-driven approach based on specific campaign constraints. Resources & Expert Links FREE smec Advanced Channel Report Script: https://smarter-ecommerce.com/en/google-ads-scripts/pmax-channel-insights/About Mike Ryan: Based in Austria and originally from Boston, Mike Ryan is the Head of Ecommerce Insights at Smarter Ecommerce (smec) with over ten years of experience in retail and PPC landscape. With a robust background spanning retail operations, product management, and digital ads, Mike leverages his multidisciplinary expertise to drive data-informed strategies that help online retailers optimize their performance in an increasingly competitive market. About Christian Scharmueller: As a seasoned veteran in the PPC and Ecommerce space, Christian Scharmüller serves as the CCO & Managing Director of Smarter Ecommerce. With over 12 years of experience at the forefront of ad tech, Christian is a sought-after speaker at major industry events, including SMX and OMR, where he shares insights on high-level e-commerce strategy and the future of retail media. About Smarter Ecommerce (smec): Smarter Ecommerce (smec) empowers e-commerce brands with AI-driven PPC automation that optimizes for profit and business outcomes while maintaining strategic control. The platform activates first-party data - profit margins, customer lifetime value, and key business metrics - to automate campaign optimization toward goals like profitability and efficient growth, while detailed campaign insights provide full transparency and enable PPC teams to focus on strategic oversight rather than manual execution. As a Google Premier Partner and three-time Microsoft Retail Partner of the Year, smec manages over €500 million in ad spend and drives €5B+ in annual e-commerce revenue for 350+ global retail clients including THG, Snipes, REWE, and Intersport. Make sure to follow smec - Smarter Ecommerce for more performance marketing insights: smec - Smarter Ecommerce: https://www.smarter-ecommerce.com LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/smarter-ecommerce-gmbh Newsletter: https://smarter-ecommerce.com/en/newsletter/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smarterecommerce/

    29 min
  8. PMax vs. Standard Shopping? – 3 Google Ads Myths Busted

    FEB 17

    PMax vs. Standard Shopping? – 3 Google Ads Myths Busted

    In this episode of Growing eCommerce, Mike Ryan and Chris debunk three persistent myths that are still holding retailers back in 2026. While everyone is distracted by the hype of UCP and Agentic Commerce, many accounts are bleeding efficiency due to outdated structures like the "Heroes & Zombies" matrix and one-dimensional margin buckets. We break down why these old-school tactics create self-fulfilling prophecies of failure and share what sophisticated retailers are doing instead to balance volume, margin, and the new reality of AI-driven search. In this episode, we cover: The "Zero Click" Wake-Up Call: Why the shift to walled gardens means you need to fix your tactical basics now before the ecosystem changes forever.Myth #1: Heroes & Zombies: Why classifying low-volume products as "zombies" is a logical flaw that starves your potential growth engines. We explain the danger of using historical data to doom new products.Myth #2: Margin Buckets: Why segmenting campaigns by gross margin % (e.g., 0-5%, 5-10%) is dangerous. Mike shares data showing how this ignores conversion volume and pricing strategies, leading to "death by optimization."Myth #3: PMax vs. Standard Shopping: It’s no longer an either/or decision. We discuss the rise of hybrid setups and why Standard Shopping is actually gaining cost share again.Key Takeaways: Don't rely on single-dimensional data: Grouping products solely by ROAS or Margin % ignores critical context like seasonality, price competitiveness, and absolute profit.Standard Shopping isn't dead: Even Google is now advocating for hybrid use cases, such as using Standard Shopping for query filtering or specific inventory control. +1The "Self-Fulfilling Prophecy": If you put a new product in a "zombie" campaign with low budget because it has no data, it will never get data. You need a multi-dimensional scoring strategy.About Mike Ryan Based in Austria and originally from Boston, Mike Ryan is Head of Ecommerce Insights at Smarter Ecommerce (smec). With 10+ years in retail and PPC, and experience across retail operations, product management, and digital advertising, he helps online retailers turn data into strategies that improve performance in a highly competitive market. About Christian Scharmüller Christian Scharmüller is CCO & Managing Director at Smarter Ecommerce and a long-time expert in PPC and e-commerce. With 12+ years in ad tech, he’s About Smarter Ecommerce (smec): Smarter Ecommerce (smec) empowers e-commerce brands with AI-driven PPC automation that optimizes for profit and business outcomes while maintaining strategic control. The platform activates first-party data - profit margins, customer lifetime value, and key business metrics - to automate campaign optimization toward goals like profitability and efficient growth, while detailed campaign insights provide full transparency and enable PPC teams to focus on strategic oversight rather than manual execution. As a Google Premier Partner and three-time Microsoft Retail Partner of the Year, smec manages over €500 million in ad spend and drives €5B+ in annual e-commerce revenue for 350+ global retail clients including THG, Snipes, REWE, and Intersport. Make sure to follow smec - Smarter Ecommerce for more performance marketing insights: smec - Smarter Ecommerce: https://www.smarter-ecommerce.com LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/smarter-ecommerce-gmbh Newsletter: https://smarter-ecommerce.com/en/newsletter/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smarterecommerce/

    35 min
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Feed your growth mindset. Ecommerce is growing, and so are the challenges and opportunities for online retailers. In the Growing Ecommerce podcast, Mike Ryan and other smec experts are joined by industry leaders in ecommerce, digital marketing, and data science. By sharing business trends, practical solutions, and best practices, this podcast helps online retailers solve the challenges of tomorrow.

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