Brands are constantly looking for ways to innovate and grow, especially as we head into 2025. To shed some light on the best practices in the e-commerce space, I had a chance to speak with Avishai Sam Bitton, a seasoned entrepreneur and growth expert with an impressive track record. Avishai shared his valuable insights on building a sustainable brand, navigating the evolving tech landscape, and how AI is shaping the future of e-commerce.
The Secret Sauce to E-Commerce Growth
Avishai, a three-time founder, has deep experience across various industries. His journey began with the founding of an analytics company that was eventually sold to LinkedIn. From there, he built a successful publishing company that merged performance marketing, AI, and content, reaching a peak revenue of $70 million with a team of 80 employees.
Today, he’s focused on scaling his third venture—a demand generation partnership company, and has worked extensively with 8fig, a growth partner for e-commerce sellers. His expertise spans funding, scaling, and most importantly, helping e-commerce brands unlock their full growth potential.
Avishai’s view on the future of e-commerce is clear: success lies in mastering the art of omni-channel marketing. "Don’t just focus on one channel, like Facebook, and ignore others like Google, Bing, or YouTube," he advises. A robust strategy should include performance marketing, content creation, email marketing, partnerships, and influencer engagement. Only by embracing multiple channels can a brand truly build long-term growth and avoid putting all their eggs in one basket.
How Innovation Drives Growth
Looking ahead to 2025, Avishai emphasizes the critical role of the Shopify tech stack. For e-commerce brands, selecting the right tools is essential to building a scalable business. As he explains, integrating apps like Rep AI, which serves as a digital salesperson, into a tech stack allows brands to offer personalized, real-time customer interactions.
Beyond that, tools for A/B testing, customer reviews, retargeting, and personalization are crucial for driving conversions. The key takeaway here is ensuring these tools integrate well with each other to maximize their value. "The multiplier effect happens when tools work in harmony with each other," says Avishai. This integration should be seamless, so brands can make data-driven decisions and improve the customer journey without friction.
The Role of AI: A Blessing and a Challenge
AI is everywhere in the e-commerce world today, and Avishai sees it as an indispensable tool for customer support and data analysis. However, he believes there are limits to what AI can do. For tasks like creative strategy and community building, the human touch is still irreplaceable. As Avishai puts it,
"You need the mind behind it. AI is great for assisting with tasks like cash flow projections and inventory restocking, but when it comes to creativity and building genuine relationships, humans are irreplaceable."
AI-powered tools like Rep AI, which help brands optimize their websites and engage with customers, are invaluable. They bridge the gap in understanding customer needs and behaviors, offering insights into what information shoppers are missing or looking for. As AI continues to evolve, the key will be finding the right balance between human creativity and AI assistance.
The Mistakes Brands Are Making and How to Fix Them
One of the biggest mistakes Avishai sees in the e-commerce space today is focusing too narrowly on one or two channels. "Many e-commerce sellers are missing the opportunity to diversify their marketing efforts across different channels, such as performance marketing, SEO, email, and partnerships," he warns. E-commerce businesses need to think beyond just Facebook ads or TikTok, and build a strong foundation with multiple touchpoints. This approach not only enhances brand visibility but also safeguards against the risks of platform dependency.
Avishai also cautions against getting caught in the "shiny object syndrome." New tools and trends will always emerge, but focusing on what’s currently working and refining it should always be the priority. "The best tools are those that are tried, tested, and integrated effectively into your business model," he says.
Creating a Winning Customer Experience
To truly drive conversions, Avishai believes e-commerce stores need to offer clear, transparent, and informative experiences for their customers. "Make sure your product pages are clean, clear, and informative. Provide as much information as possible to help customers make a confident purchase decision," he advises.
For brands looking to enhance customer experience, AI tools that reveal what shoppers are missing on product pages can be game-changers. By using Rep AI to proactively provide answers to questions or guide shoppers through their journey, brands can increase customer satisfaction and reduce bounce rates.
Looking Ahead: The Future of E-Commerce and AI
As we look to 2025 and beyond, Avishai sees AI continuing to play a pivotal role in e-commerce, but with a key distinction between tasks suited for automation and those that still require a personal touch. Customer support, inventory management, and marketing insights are areas where AI can thrive. However, when it comes to strategy and relationship-building, human input remains crucial.
In summary, Avishai’s advice is simple but profound: "Focus on omni-channel marketing, build a cohesive tech stack, use AI wisely, and never underestimate the power of human creativity in building lasting customer relationships."
As the e-commerce landscape continues to evolve, these insights will help brands not only survive but thrive in an increasingly competitive market.