EP28: Hot Takes and Predictions for eCommerce in 2025

In this episode of the ASOM Pod hosts John Roman (CEO of BattlBox), Amer Grozdanic (CEO of Praella), Bryan McDonald (Director of eCommerce at Oma's Pride), and Jimmy Kim (CEO of eCom Email Marketer & Founder of Sendlane) dive headfirst into bold predictions for 2025. Covering everything from the rise of subscription-based businesses to the seismic shifts driven by AI, the crew explores the future of eCommerce, social commerce, and beyond. With their trademark humor and sharp insights, they debate the continued dominance of Shopify, the challenges of creator-led brands, and whether live shopping will finally break through in the U.S. They also tackle weighty topics like quantum computing, tariffs, and how economic and political shifts will reshape global markets. What You’ll Learn: The future of subscription models: Will they dominate or decline? Why cryptocurrencies may revolutionize eCommerce How AI and AGI are reshaping team structures and business efficiencies The growing importance of creator-led brands and social commerce Tariffs, global production shifts, and the challenges for brands relying on cheap goods Predictions on Google’s relevance, quantum computing, and the impact of generational shifts Why live shopping might finally take off in the U.S. The potential implications of a TikTok ban and its aftermath This episode is packed with expert opinions, thought-provoking debates, and predictions that will have you rethinking your strategies for this new year. _______ Big thanks to Omnisend for sponsoring the pod! With 125,000+ eCommerce merchants, Omnisend is the all-in-one email & SMS marketing platform built to deliver seamless, personalized experiences with ease. Learn more at https://www.omnisend.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter! We drop weekly hot takes, totally unfiltered. Join us at ⁠⁠https://asompod.com⁠ _______ 00:00 Teaser Trailer 01:52 Intro to The ASOM Pod 04:33 2025 Predictions 10:06 Subscription Models Debate 16:51 Cryptocurrency and eCommerce 20:31 Rise of Creator-led Brands 22:21 SaaS Market Shifts 33:46 Debating Meta's Future in Social Commerce 34:47 Historical Comparison: Google vs. Meta 36:02 The Decline of Google Search and Rise of AI 37:14 Generational Shifts in Internet Usage 38:26 The Future of Google and Quantum Computing 40:01 Challenges for Brands Relying on Cheap Goods 42:35 Tariffs and Global Production Diversification 47:09 Shopify's Dominance and Social Commerce 48:37 The Potential TikTok Ban and Its Implications 52:13 Live Shopping's Breakthrough in the U.S. 54:58 AI and AGI Transforming Team Structures 01:00:36 Predictions for Brand Survival and Market Trends 01:01:39 Conclusion and Future Episodes _____ Follow Jimmy Kim at:  X:  https://www.twitter.com/yojimmykim  Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/yojimmykim IG: https://www.instagram.com/@yojimmykim  Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@yojimmykim Follow Bryan MacDonald at: X: https://www.twitter.com/bryanomaspride LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryan-macdonald-ct IG: https://www.instagram.com/@anythingbutasalad Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@anythingbutasalad Follow John Roman at:  X: https://www.twitter.com/@JohnMRoman Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-roman/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/@johnnyromes Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@johnmroman Follow Amer Grozdanic at:  X: https://www.twitter.com/@AmerGrozdanic Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amer-grozdanic IG: https://www.instagram.com/@amergrozdanic Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amergrozdanic Contact us at [email protected] for sponsorships, appearance requests, interviews, or general information! Subscribe to our newsletter! We drop weekly hot takes, totally unfiltered. Join us at ⁠⁠https://asompod.com⁠