eCom Logistics Podcast

What Supply Chain Leaders Are Re-Thinking Ahead of Manifest 2026

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN Why decision quality matters more than perfect systems in today’s supply chainsHow leaders are shifting from growth-at-all-costs to margin-first thinkingWhat’s actually breaking inside warehouses amid labor churn and volatilityWhere AI is helping operators—and where hype still outpaces realityWhy explainability, KPIs, and guardrails matter for AI adoption in operationsHow leadership expectations are changing across supply chain organizationsWhat conversations operators are prioritizing heading into Manifest 2026HIGHLIGHTS00:00–02:35 | Why 2025 forced hard reflection across supply chain03:17–04:30 | Decisions feel heavier, mistakes cost more05:23–06:49 | The shift from growth to margin as a first principle07:05–07:43 | Why warehouse systems lag brand expectations08:08–08:58 | Recalibration after stacked volatility09:48–11:20 | Why peak season planning never really ends12:32–13:45 | Labor, churn, and execution pressure inside warehouses14:35–16:51 | AI as decision enablement—not the strategy itself18:14–21:43 | From AI fear to outcome-driven adoption22:23–25:44 | What leadership looks like in volatile environments26:47–28:16 | What leaders are watching heading into Manifest 2026QUOTES[00:03:17] “Decisions feel heavier. Mistakes are more expensive.” – Tanzil Uddin[00:05:45] “There’s a shift away from growth at all costs, really a repositioning of margin as a first principle.” – Kinta Gates[00:12:32] “The complexity with labor, training of the labor, churn of the labor, weather events, and the geopolitical state really impacts warehouse services.” – Linda Ewing[00:22:23] “Leadership looks like getting in the weeds. We don’t have the luxury of just delegating.” – Kinta GatesABOUT THE GUESTSTanzil UddinSVP of Content & Partnerships at Manifest, where he works closely with supply chain leaders to shape programming around real operator priorities, partnerships, and emerging challenges across logistics and technology.Kinta GatesVP of Supply Chain & Operations at Glossier, overseeing end-to-end product operations. Kinta brings a people-first, margin-aware approach to scaling fulfillment, manufacturing, and supply chain execution.Linda EwingSVP Strategy & Operations at ID Logistics with deep experience across manufacturing, supply chain, and warehouse services. Linda focuses on execution reality inside 3PL environments, labor challenges, and responsible technology adoption.LINKS MENTIONEDManifest 2026 Agenda: https://manife.st/agenda/💡 Planning to attend Manifest 2026? Use this exclusive link for $200 off the current registration price: https://partner.manife.st/partner/ecomlogistics Subscribe and Keep Learning!If you’re a logistics leader looking to scale sustainably, don’t miss out! Subscribe for more expert strategies on tackling modern supply chain challenges.Be sure to follow and tag the eCom Logistics Podcast on LinkedIn and YouTube

Connected Commerce: How OnX Is Redefining Fulfillment in the Age of AI

What You’ll Learn- Why legacy commerce APIs and EDI no longer suffice in today’s fragmented commerce landscape- How AI and emerging protocols like MCP are accelerating the need for real-time fulfillment integration- The structure, tools, and resources defined by OnX for seamless order management across ecosystems- The nonprofit "business league" legal framework that keeps OnX vendor-agnostic and collaborative- The challenges commerce platforms face with OMS integrations and how OnX aims to reduce friction- The shift from platform-centric to protocol-centric commerce enabled by open standards- How industry players—brands, 3PLs, ERP, WMS, and commerce platforms—are rallying behind OnXHihghlights- 00:00 — Welcome, introduction to Kelly Goetsch and the focus: “Connected Commerce”- 02:00 — The fragmentation problem: marketplaces, social commerce, AI, and legacy EDI- 04:00 — The rise of MCP and Agentic Commerce Protocol as enablers for a new standard- 06:00 — Building a “big tent” network: OMS, 3PLs, WMSs, ERPs connectivity challenges- 10:00 — Commerce platform vs fulfillment backend: the tech and mindset divide- 14:00 — What is OnX? Tools, resources, member base, and the standard’s scope- 18:00 — How MCP makes OnX possible, collapsing layers between selling and fulfillment- 22:00 — OnX’s “business league” structure explained- 24:00 — Platform, payment, and AI player involvement and adoption challenges- 28:00 — How to participate: advisory boards, GitHub access, and community involvement- 30:00 — The future of connected commerce and invitation to join OnXQuotes[00:02:00]: "If the last decade was about composable commerce, the next one is about connected commerce." - Ninaad [00:04:00]: "AI is the reason for both of these. We’re really, really collapsing down." - Kelly Goetsch [00:10:00]: "About 70% of enterprise brands still run point-to-point integration, and that has its own set of challenges." - Ninaad [00:22:00]: "The benefit of that is: we, as a community, get together and evolve and change as technology changes. And that’s great." - Kelly Goetsch About the GuestKelly Goetsch is a technologist and strategist shaping the future of digital commerce and order fulfillment. Known for his leadership in the MACH Alliance and now Pipe17, Kelly has been a central voice in evolving commerce technology standards. He currently chairs the Commerce Operations Foundation, driving the development and adoption of the OnX standard for connected commerce.Links Mentioned- Commerce Operations Foundation website: commerceopsfoundation.org- Commerce Operations Foundation GitHub: github.com/commerceopsfoundation- Kelly Goetsch on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kgoetsch- MACH Alliance: machalliance.org------------------------------------------Heading to Manifest 2026? Get $200 off the current registration price:https://partner.manife.st/partner/ecomlogistics Subscribe and Keep Learning!If you’re a logistics leader looking to scale sustainably, don’t miss out! Subscribe for more expert strategies on tackling modern supply chain challenges.Be sure to follow and tag the eCom Logistics Podcast on LinkedIn and YouTube

How to Turn Fulfillment into a Growth Engine: Patrick Allard’s Playbook

What You’ll Learn:The enduring priorities in fulfillment despite two decades of industry change: focus on the end-consumer experience and aligned people/processThe definition and strategic value of connected commerce as a frictionless end-to-end ecosystem across sales channels and fulfillmentWhy tech integration across OMS, WMS, TMS and digital marketplaces remains the biggest hurdle to unified fulfillmentHow Essendant repositions fulfillment from cost center to growth enabler, leveraging digital teams and marketplace expertiseWhen to accelerate 3PL expansion versus stabilize and optimize existing operations, anchored on clear value and identity assessmentThe realities and opportunities around Seller Fulfilled Prime, including network scale, inventory optimization, and performance requirementsKey operational metrics beyond OTIF, including inventory health and profitability by channel, critical in managing complexityPeak season outlook: early marketplace promotions, supply chain stability, and the goal to flatten the demand curve for better operational controlHighlights00:00 – Guest Introduction & Industry Background01:00 – Consistencies & Changes Over Two Decades in Fulfillment03:00 – Defining Connected Commerce & Its Strategic Objectives05:00 – Common Fulfillment-Tech Challenges & Silo Breakdown07:00 – Unlocking Fulfillment as a Revenue Lever, Not Just Cost Center10:00 – When to Accelerate vs. Stabilize 3PL Operations14:00 – Procurement & Evaluation Dynamics in Mid-Market Deals17:00 – Seller Fulfilled Prime: Market Demand & Execution Challenges22:00 – Focused Operational Metrics to Drive Business Outcomes28:00 – Peak Season Predictions & Advice30:30 – Closing Thoughts & Contact Info  Quotes:[00:02:00]: “The things that remain consistent would certainly be focusing on the end consumer... building the right team around us to align with that strategy and then making sure that we had the right processes.” - Patrick Allard[00:04:00]: “Connected commerce to us is really about creating that frictionless end-to-end ecosystem... from product discovery through the purchase cycle, all the way through fulfillment, delivery, final mile returns.” - Patrick Allard[00:10:00]: “How do we know when to pour gas on the fire and really go for expansion, and when is it time to maybe take a step back, pause, and get the house in order?” - Dan[00:19:00]: “There's still quite a bit of pain for the larger brand retailers that might have a really good dominant market and brand recognition, but where they want the prime badge, but having that inventory all locked up in Amazon...puts them in a financial challenge.”- Patrick Allard[00:23:00]: “There’s a million things you can track and it is data overload... but the key is focusing on promise metrics, inventory health, and profitability by channel.”- Patrick AllardAbout the Guest:Patrick Allard is President of Fulfillment Services at Essendant, driving the transformation of a traditional B2B distributor into a connected commerce powerhouse. With over 20 years in e-commerce and logistics, Patrick has held leadership roles at Newgistics, Pitney Bowes, and Radial. His expertise spans M&A integrations, fulfillment scalability, multi-channel retail logistics, and leveraging fulfillment as a revenue growth lever rather than simply a cost center.Links Mentioned:Essendant Fulfillment Services: https://www.essendant.com/Patrick Allard LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-allard-04657111/------------------------------------------Heading to Manifest 2026? Get $200 off the current registration price:https://partner.manife.st/partner/ecomlogistics Subscribe and Keep Learning!If you’re a logistics leader looking to scale sustainably, don’t miss out! Subscribe for more expert strategies on tackling modern supply chain challenges.Be sure to follow and tag the eCom Logistics Podcast on LinkedIn and YouTube

After De Minimis: Krish Iyer’s Strategy for Peak-Season Cross-Border Costs

What You’ll LearnHow recent de minimis and tariff changes impact international customer behavior and brand pricing strategyThe evolving complexity of cross-border returns and strategic decisions on return policiesCarrier rate shifts: oversized fees, peak surcharges, dimensional weight changes, and their real cost impactWhy accurate rates and delivery promise engines remain table stakes — and why most still fall shortThe role of AI in improving warehouse operations, HS code auto-classification, and carrier selectionInsights on agentic AI’s potential to revolutionize e-commerce shopping and logistics decision-makingHow bundled logistics connects carriers, warehouses, and tech providers to streamline cross-border tradeHighlights[00:00:00] Intro[00:02:00] Advice navigating current cross-border chaos and customs tightening[00:04:00] Impact of tariff/de minimis changes on international shopper behavior[00:06:00] Preparing for peak season: item selection, returns policy, and brand impact[00:09:00] Strategies around secondary market liquidation vs. returns complexities[00:11:00] Carrier pricing updates, surcharges, and dimensional weight changes for peak season[00:14:00] AI’s growing role in warehouse efficiency and logistics decision-making[00:18:00] Advances in HS code auto-classification powered by AI[00:20:00] Agentic AI and its future impact on shopper intent and carrier selection[00:23:00] Importance of relationships and bundled logistics connecting tech, carriers, warehouses[00:25:00] Reducing returns through better product info, website UX, and AI applications[00:27:00] The painful reality of rates & delivery promise engines still lagging in 2025[00:29:00] Key 2025 e-commerce outlook takeaway focused on returns management timing[00:30:00] Closing, social links, and final thoughtsQuotes[00:03:45]: “The retailers who are taking it seriously and really are trying to make that good faith effort are the ones that are gonna succeed. They’re trying to adapt to new normals, new narratives, and trying to get a hold of it first rather than just throwing up their hands.” - Krish Iyer[00:07:30]: “What are my return costs? What are my processing costs? How badly do I need that item back in my inventory for resale? And what’s gonna be my brand experience if I have a ‘keep it’ philosophy?” - Krish Iyer[00:27:30]: “If you ship more than a hundred units a day, you should have the technology capable of actually making a commitment as to when the shipping is going to happen. That should be absolute table stakes for anyone that does meaningful volume.” - Ninaad[00:19:15]: “If you give more data and granularity around what you’re shopping for—the intent, what it’s being used for—you can get some pretty good answers from agentic AI.” - Krish IyerAbout the GuestKrish Iyer is the VP of Global Partnerships at EasyShip, where he supports brands scaling cross-border e-commerce logistics. With a career spanning FedEx, Pitney Bowes, and ShipEngine, Krish brings a comprehensive industry perspective on strategy, carrier integration, and international fulfillment. Known for blending deep operational insight with a human-centered approach to logistics, he’s also a repeat guest on this show.Links Mentioned- Krish Iyer LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/globalkrishna/- EasyShip website: https://www.easyship.com/- Previous episode with Krish Iyer: https://ecomlogisticspodcast.com/podcast/unboxing-e-commerce-efficiency-with-krish-iyer/ ------------------------------------------Heading to Manifest 2026? Get $200 off the current registration price:https://partner.manife.st/partner/ecomlogistics Subscribe and Keep Learning!If you’re a logistics leader looking to scale sustainably, don’t miss out! Subscribe for more expert strategies on tackling modern supply chain challenges.Be sure to follow and tag the eCom Logistics Podcast on LinkedIn and YouTube

How ThredUp Processes 100,000 Items a Day with AI and Automation

What You’ll LearnWhy sustainability wasn’t the initial growth lever and how ThredUp found product-market fit by prioritizing value and convenience.The pivotal shift from a peer-to-peer marketplace to an asset-backed resale model through bag-drop logistics.How ThredUp scaled partially automated distribution centers to process over 100,000 unique items daily.The key metrics that balance throughput, speed, and quality in large-scale resale operations.How generative AI and visual search transformed discovery, personalization, and customer confidence.The cultural practices — hackathons, AI bootcamps, and atomic building blocks — that sustain innovation and rapid adoption internally.How Resale-as-a-Service enables major brands like Madewell to run white-labeled resale programs powered by ThredUp’s technology and operations.Highlights00:00 – Introduction: Dan’s 15-year journey at ThredUp02:00 – Why sustainability alone didn’t drive growth04:00 – The bag-drop pivot: asset-backed vs. P2P resale07:30 – Marketplace dynamics: limited buyer-seller overlap09:00 – Jobs-to-be-done thinking & unlearning old models12:00 – Scaling ops: from scrappy warehouses to the world’s largest clothing carousel17:00 – Throughput vs. quality: metrics that matter21:00 – AI-powered search & discovery: cottagecore to mermaidcore26:30 – Internal AI adoption: hackathons & “atomic building blocks”33:30 – Building a culture of innovation and infinite learning36:30 – Resale-as-a-Service for brands like Madewell39:30 – Future of shopping: agentic AI and frictionless commerce42:00 – Shoptalk Fall preview + closing thoughtsQuotes[00:02:30]: “Even if someone cares about the planet... we did not find product-market fit. We had to work a lot early on to better understand the needs of both buyers and sellers.” - Dan DeMeyere[00:12:15]: “It was a little bit like jumping out of an airplane and just having trust in ourselves that we're gonna build or find a parachute before we hit the ground.” - Dan DeMeyere[00:20:30]: “Trust is so important, especially in the used space. We have to become clever in helping customers feel confident with the potential fit and flattery of every item.” - Dan DeMeyere[00:39:30]: “If your core experience can be improved through AI, why do you need to put ‘AI’ on the website? It’s about the value you bring, the job they’re hiring you for.” - Dan DeMeyereAbout the GuestDan DeMeyere is the Chief Product and Technology Officer at ThredUp, a leading online resale platform pioneering sustainable fashion through technology and operational innovation. With 15 years at ThredUp starting from its inception, Dan has overseen the company’s evolution from a peer-to-peer marketplace into a high-velocity, AI-enabled resale giant processing over 100,000 items daily. He is passionate about customer-centric product development and leveraging AI to transform retail experiences at scale.Links Mentioned- ThredUp: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thredup/- Dan DeMeyere on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dandemeyere/👉 Don’t forget to join us at Shoptalk Fall, October 16–18 in Chicago!🎟️ Grab your tickets here: https://fall.shoptalk.com/ticketsFeatured Sessions at Shoptalk Fall:Harshida Acharya, Partner & CSO at Fulfillment IQ – Scenario Planning in a Volatile WorldNinaad Acharya, Co-Founder & CEO at Fulfillment IQ – Supply Chain Agility in the Age of DisruptionDan DeMeyere, Chief Product and Technology Officer at ThredUp – Retail Intelligence: What AI Can – and Can’t – Do TodayJames Reinhar, Founder & CEO at ThredUp – Leading Through Culture ShiftsCheck the full agenda here. Subscribe and Keep Learning!If you’re a logistics leader looking to scale sustainably, don’t miss out! Subscribe for more expert strategies on tackling modern supply chain challenges.Be sure to follow and tag the eCom Logistics Podcast on LinkedIn and YouTube