Growing Ecommerce

The online retail growth podcast with Mike Ryan & Chris Scharmüller

Feed your growth mindset

digital-momentum-the-retail-growth-podcast-with-mike-ryan - illustration In 2025, we welcomed PPC whizz Chris Scharmueller to the Growing Ecommerce family – doubling our firepower and freshening our take. Now, Mike Ryan and Chris dig into the real pain points and opportunities facing online retailers today.

They’re joined by industry leaders in ecommerce, digital marketing, and data science to share fresh trends, practical tactics, and cautionary tales. Ready to see what’s really working (and what’s overhyped)? Tune in to solve tomorrow’s challenges with insights you can put into action today.

Latest episode:

Listen to our podcast on:

Spotify Podcasts

Spotify

Podcast on YouTube

YouTube

Apple Podcasts

Apple

digital-momentum-the-retail-growth-podcast-with-mike-ryan - illustration

New episodes

27 min

Google & OpenAI are FORCING You to Pay:
The AI Ad Overhaul

Google & OpenAI are FORCING You to Pay: The AI Ad OverhaulIt's here! Ads are officially landing inside your AI search results, and Google’s not asking for permission.  In this episode, Mike Ryan and Chris break down the massive global rollout of AI Overviews (AIO) and AI Mode (AIM). They reveal the experimental phase where ads will soon appear inside the AI content itself, and expose the most critical…

Listen here:
Spotify Podcasts

Spotify

Google Podcasts

YouTube

Apple Podcasts

Apple

25 min

Zalando is Banning Shoppers:
Are Returns Killing YOUR Profits?

Zalando is Banning Shoppers: Are Returns Killing YOUR Profits?This controversial episode is tackling the messy side of shopping! Hosts Mike Ryan and Christian Scharmueller dive straight into the news that Zalando is tightening its return policy, issuing warnings and even year-long bans for shoppers with "disproportionately high return volumes".  With fashion return rates soaring (sometimes 30-70%!),…

Listen here:
Spotify Podcasts

Spotify

Google Podcasts

YouTube

Apple Podcasts

Apple

37 min

Google Email Leak Explained:
What’s coming next to Google Ads?

Google Email Leak Explained: What’s coming next to Google Ads?In this solo episode, host Mike Ryan tackles the opaqueness of the digital advertising industry. He then reveals a previously confidential email from two senior Google executives. This internal communication confirms that Google’s “PMAXification” phase is over. While their old approach was to push Performance Max as the end-all solution,…

Listen here:
Spotify Podcasts

Spotify

Google Podcasts

YouTube

Apple Podcasts

Apple

31 min

Google AI’s Secret Plan:
The BIGGEST THREAT to Your Retail Business Yet?

Google AI’s Secret Plan: The BIGGEST THREAT to Your Retail Business Yet?Will Google's new AI strategy kill ecommerce as you know it? In this episode of Growing Ecommerce, Mike Ryan and Chris Scharmueller dissect the biggest news from DMEXCO 2025 in Cologne, Germany, and reveal their bold take on the future of paid search and online retail. Chris shares his on-the-ground insights from the conference,…

Listen here:
Spotify Podcasts

Spotify

Google Podcasts

YouTube

Apple Podcasts

Apple

29 min

Google's A/I Max & The Temu Takeover:
Navigating the E-commerce Future

Google's A/I Max & The Temu Takeover: Navigating the E-commerce FutureWelcome to Episode 10 of Growing ecommerce! Get ready to cut through the noise with your hosts Mike and Chris, as they tackle the real-world implications of three massive forces in the market. First, they take on Google's newest AI-powered ad product, A/I Max. While Google promises performance, Mike and Chris reveal how it can lead…

Listen here:
Spotify Podcasts

Spotify

Google Podcasts

YouTube

Apple Podcasts

Apple

29 min

AI's Reality Check:
Financial Bubble or Foundation for the Future?

AI's Reality Check: Financial Bubble or Foundation for the Future?Welcome to Episode 9 of Growing Ecommerce! In a world buzzing with AI hype, we're cutting through the noise to ask the big question: Is this the next dot-com bubble, or a long-term, foundational shift for the future of business? Join hosts Mike and Chris as they debate the financial health of the tech giants driving the AI revolution…

Listen here:
Spotify Podcasts

Spotify

Google Podcasts

YouTube

Apple Podcasts

Apple

37 min

Google vs. Amazon vs. TikTok vs. Meta:
Welcome to the AI Ad Wars

Google vs. Amazon vs. TikTok vs. Meta: Welcome to the AI Ad WarsIn this week’s show, Mike Ryan and Chris Scharmueller dive headfirst into the "PMAXification" of the advertising landscape, a term Mike coined to describe how platforms from Google to TikTok are rushing to automate your ad spend.  But just as we thought the black box was here to stay, Google is making a surprising U-turn, opening up more…

Listen here:
Spotify Podcasts

Spotify

Google Podcasts

YouTube

Apple Podcasts

Apple

40 min

Is AI Shattering Google’s Fortress? Plus:
Inside Amazon’s Risky Ads Test

Is AI Shattering Google’s Fortress? Plus: Inside Amazon’s Risky Ads TestIs AI a wolf in sheep’s clothing for Google's empire? Mike Ryan and Christian Scharmueller are back to spill the tea on the biggest players in ecommerce!  This week they're dissecting Google's "fortress" of a business and Meta's uncanny ability to sell us things we didn't even know we needed. Our hosts will also dive into the mysterious…

Listen here:
Spotify Podcasts

Spotify

Google Podcasts

YouTube

Apple Podcasts

Apple

Never miss an episode

Join our newsletter to stay on top of recent strategies & tactics in ecommerce and digital advertising.

Subscribe