Welcome to Inside Commerce, your independent guide to ecommerce success. Hosted by seasoned consultants James Gurd & Paul Rogers, our weekly podcast delivers clear, unbiased insights backed by decades of industry expertise. Formerly known as Re:platform, Inside Commerce is your go-to resource for navigating the fast-paced world of ecommerce and planning for performance improvements. Get weekly updates to keep pace with the latest trends, expert interviews, and real-world case studies to stay ahead of the curve. At Inside Commerce, we believe informed decisions are the key to lasting success.
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What is Inside Commerce: Ecommerce Strategy, CX and Technology Podcast?
Inside Commerce: Ecommerce Strategy, CX and Technology Podcast is a business podcast hosted by Paul Rogers and James Gurd, with 361 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.
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Paul Rogers and James Gurd hosts Inside Commerce: Ecommerce Strategy, CX and Technology Podcast, a business show with 361 episodes published.
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Episode #358
EP360: How Ellis Brigham Is Building a Modern Retail Experience Through Technology
Aug 11, 202645 min
How Ellis Brigham Is Building a Modern Retail Experience Through Technology tl;dr - what you'll get: Learn how Ellis Brigham approached a major ecommerce platform migration to Centra and the commercial considerations behind the decision. Discover how investments in delivery experience, customer data and personalisation are helping strengthen customer loyalty. Get practical insights into balancing retail heritage with digital innovation, including real-world experiences of adopting AI across ecommerce operations. Summary: In this episode, we speak with Mark Oldham, Head of Operations at Ellis Brigham Mountain Sports, about the evolution of one of the UK's best-known outdoor retailers and how the business is modernising its ecommerce ecosystem while staying true to its heritage. The conversation explores the commercial thinking behind Ellis Brigham's move from Magento to Centra, examining the operational challenges that prompted the migration. Mark explains the importance of building a flexible technology stack that supports growth, improves efficiency and delivers a better customer experience. Customer experience is a central theme throughout the podcast, with insights into the implementation of Ingrid to transform delivery choice and customer communication. The discussion highlights why transparent fulfilment and post-purchase experiences have become critical drivers of customer loyalty and lifetime value. We also explore how Ellis Brigham has successfully balanced nearly three decades of retail expertise with the demands of modern digital commerce. Mark shares his perspective on preserving the unique identities of Ellis Brigham, Snowboard Asylum and Outsiders, while ensuring each brand delivers a consistent experience across every customer touchpoint. The conversation then turns to data and personalisation, looking at how Voyado is helping consolidate customer data and unlock more meaningful CRM strategies. From understanding customer intent during product discovery to creating more personalised onsite experiences, the discussion examines how retailers can make better use of the data they already collect. Finally, the episode explores the growing role of artificial intelligence within ecommerce teams. Mark shares how AI is being introduced into day-to-day operations, the efficiencies it can unlock and the practical challenges businesses face when embedding AI into established workflows. Chapters: [0:30] — Intro to Ellis Brigham and the episode topic[1:30] — Mark introduces Ellis Brigham and his role[4:05] — Why the move from Magento and the replatforming drivers[9:15] — Why Centra was the right fit[13:15] — Ingrid / order communication and customer experience[19:35] — Blending store expertise with digital content[25:05] — Omnichannel fulfilment and store operations impact[28:00] — Why Ellis Brigham keeps distinct brand identities[33:30] — Voyado, customer data and intent signals[35:55] — AI adoption across the business[38:30] — AI governance and data controls[42:20] — Dashboards, AI and the future of analytics
EP359: Native Apps Vs Mobile Web - When Does A Native App Actually Make Sense For An Ecommerce Brand?
Aug 3, 202638 min
The debate around native apps versus mobile websites has changed significantly. Thanks to Progressive Web Apps (PWAs), improved mobile browsers and advances in web technologies, many capabilities that once required a native app are now available through the mobile web. For most ecommerce brands, the decision is no longer driven by technology limitations but by customer behaviour, retention strategy and commercial return on investment. This podcast explores where native apps still deliver meaningful advantages, including push notifications, deeper integration with mobile devices, offline functionality and richer customer experiences. It also examines which types of retailer genuinely benefit from investing in an app, highlighting examples such as Gymshark, Represent and Myprotein, where apps support loyalty, exclusive product launches and community engagement rather than simply replicating the website. The conversation concludes with a practical framework to help retailers determine whether a mobile website is sufficient or whether a native app can drive higher customer lifetime value through repeat purchasing, personalisation and stronger customer engagement. What you'll get from listening: Understand why the native app versus mobile web debate has fundamentally shifted in the last few years. Learn which capabilities native apps still offer that even modern websites ecannot fully match. Discover why customer lifetime value and retention are now the strongest commercial reasons to build an app. Hear practical examples of how brands including Gymshark, Represent and Myprotein use apps to strengthen loyalty and increase repeat purchases. Understand how push notifications, loyalty programmes and exclusive product launches can transform customer engagement. Learn which retail sectors are most likely to generate a positive return on investment from a native app, and which are unlikely to benefit. Get a practical decision-making framework to help determine whether your business should invest in a native app or continue focusing on delivering the best possible mobile website.
EP358: Strategic Affiliate Marketing For Next Level Incrementality, With Gabrielle McLeod & George Whitmore From Vervaunt
Jul 30, 202618 min
Our Pulse Special episodes feature the hottest content from the 2026 event, including panel discussions with leading brands and technology vendors. Exclusive to Inside Commerce, these discussions share interesting insights from respected industry practitioners. In this panel, leading experts on affiliate marketing explain the current framework for affiliate marketing, exploring how the market has shifted and the mindset and toolkit that marketers need to drive incremental revenue. Gabrielle McLeod & George Whitmore from Vervaunt give expert advice on the following: The strategic market shift. The four levers for effective affiliate marketing. Practical advice for retailers. View all Pulse panels . About Pulse Pulse is an ecommerce conference designed for ambitious high-growth retailers and brands looking for inspiration and innovation from some of the top speakers in ecommerce and digital marketing. FOLLOW US: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/inside-commerce/
EP357: Next Generation Ecommerce Stack - Discussing The Future of Tech With DEMA, Emfas, Visually & Harper
Jul 30, 202620 min
Our Pulse Special episodes feature the hottest content from the 2026 event, including panel discussions with leading brands and technology vendors. Exclusive to Inside Commerce, these discussions share interesting insights from respected industry practitioners. In this panel, Shamoli Miah from Vervaunt hosts a discussion with the leadership teams of some of the most innovative and dynamic ecommerce technology vendors in the market. The panel includes Jessika Odling from DEMA, Sarah Young from Harper, Marc Adelman from Visually & Vidar Trojenborg from Emfas. View all Pulse panels . About Pulse Pulse is an ecommerce conference designed for ambitious high-growth retailers and brands looking for inspiration and innovation from some of the top speakers in ecommerce and digital marketing. FOLLOW US: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/inside-commerce/
EP356: The Secret To A Heritage Brand’s Digital Rebirth: How John Smedley Used Technology To Modernise Without Losing Its Soul
Jul 22, 202645 min
Replacing An Entire Tech Stack - John Smedley’s Migration Journey From Magento to Centra. Most brands are afraid to overhaul their legacy systems for fear of losing their identity but John Smedley’s story proves that a strategic replatform can elevate a storied heritage brand without diluting its uniqueness. Our guest, Jamie Austen, is the Head of Ecommerce Operations at John Smedley, who has been the driving force for transforming a 240-year-old British heritage icon into a digitally agile, premium experience without sacrificing its timeless appeal. Jamie explains how they navigated the complex journey from Magento to a headless, customer-centric architecture on Centra, building a stronger foundation that drives commercial results and sharpens brand storytelling. Chapters: [00:30] — Intro: John Smedley’s move from Magento to Centra [05:30] — Managing a lean team through a large replatforming project. [09:00] — Building the business case for modernising the tech stack. [12:00] — Working with LimeSharp and phasing the build. [15:15] — Rebuilding the wider tech stack around Centra. [25:10] — Choosing Dato CMS and improving content management. [29:00] — Impact on the internal team after launch. [32:30] — Centra wholesale/B2B plans and adoption considerations. [38:30] — Challenges and lessons from the replatform. [42:45] — Future priorities: loyalty, in-store connection and digital gift cards. What drives a heritage brand like John Smedley to completely rethink its tech stack? Jamie explains how market change, technical debt and the need for agility pushed them to embrace innovation while safeguarding their rich history. You'll discover the key decision points: Shifting to a flexible, headless setup with Centra Replacing legacy platforms with tools like Voyado Elevate and Engage Creating a seamless, multi-channel customer experience that balances tradition with modernity. We discuss the internal dynamics of managing a lean team through a complex transition, the importance of ruthless prioritisation during launch and how a strong partner, both technically and culturally, is essential. Tune in for insights into: Overcoming internal resistance Centralising the customer experience Building a future-proof stack that supports personal relationships, wholesale channels and international complexity. If you’re contemplating a replatform or curious how strategic tech choices can preserve brand equity while unlocking new opportunities, this conversation offers proven lessons, practical frameworks, and inspiration to move confidently into the future.
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