At Chargeflow’s second annual “Shaping the Future of DTC” webinar, ten leaders in eCommerce and marketing came together to answer one big question: what will it take to grow in 2025?

The message was clear — success won’t hinge on hacks or paid channels. It will require clarity, resilience, and a sharper focus on what customers actually care about. Across two interactive panels, operators, marketers, and founders broke down what’s changing — and what smart brands are doing to stay ahead. 

What Today’s Shoppers Actually Want 

Consumers are more cautious and selective. Brands can’t rely on clever messaging alone — they need to show value fast. 

Alexa Kilroy of Fermat summed it up well: “You want your product to feel like medicine, not a vitamin.” Today’s shoppers prioritize urgent, essential, or emotionally satisfying products over nice-to-haves.

Zoe Kahn of Inevitable Agency emphasized that trust has become everything: “If your content doesn’t build trust instantly,” she said, “your CAC is going to keep climbing.”

Takeaway: Build fast trust through clarity, not polish. Sell the outcome, not just the offer. 

Where Ads Still Work (and Where They Don’t)

Ad platforms haven’t disappeared — but their effectiveness depends on where and how you use them. 

Mia Healy of Triple Whale shared that TikTok is excelling with impulse purchases for lower-priced items, while Pinterest is winning for visually driven, higher-consideration categories like home goods and fashion.

“The ad creative has to match how people are feeling – not just who they are.” 

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Nick Sharma of Sharma Brands emphasized the need for cultural nuance when expanding globally: 

“Different cultures respond differently to the same message. You can’t just duplicate your strategy internationally—it needs to be adapted to how people think and buy.”

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Takeaway: Align platform, mindset, and creative. Test more, guess less.

How to Adapt Your Supply Chain (Without Panic)

Tariffs and shifting trade policies are pressuring merchants more than ever – but overhauls aren’t the answer.

“Things are changing by the hour. You don’t need a full overhaul — just options,” said Healy.

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Her sourcing playbook (in response to ongoing tariff and trade pressures):

• Revisit outdated supplier contracts
• Use tariff-friendly design tweaks
• Pilot production runs in alternate regions like India or Mexico

Alexa Kilroy also noted how some brands are responding to tariffs on the front end: running “tariff sales,” adding checkout surcharges, or doing nothing at all. Her advice?

“Please A/B test before you roll out tariff surcharges — consumers are wary.”

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Takeaway: Flexibility beats reaction. Add optionality before making big changes. 

Why Retention Beats Acquisition in 2025

Retention isn’t just cost-effective; it’s the key to long-term profitability.

Ellie Weiss of Yotpo said it best: “Stop treating loyal customers like strangers.”

That means loyalty programs should feel rewarding, not generic. And SMS should start real conversations, not just trigger offers. 

Eli Weiss added a CX lens: “The idea that customers don’t have to fight with a chatbot to fix an order… that’s a win.”

Ebuka Chukwuaonwe of Gorgias built on that, noting, “Support is no longer reactive. The brands winning in 2025 are thinking about CX as a conversion tool, not just a cost center.”

Takeaway: Don’t just keep customers — equip them. Empowerment drives loyalty.

The Future of Getting Paid

Payments are evolving fast, and with them, the strategies that safeguard revenue.

“The next big shift isn’t just in marketing — it’s in how you get paid.” — Dan Moshkovich of Chargeflow

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He highlighted trends like real-time payments, stablecoins, and automated dispute recovery. With rising fraud and tighter margins, proactive revenue protection isn’t optional; it’s a growth lever. 

‍Ronak Shah of Obvi shared how automation has transformed how his team handles disputes:

“We win 6 out of 10 chargebacks. A year ago, we were only winning 2 out of 10. Now, I don’t even have to think about chargebacks—that’s the point.”

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‍Takeaway: Your financial stack is now a performance channel. Treat it like one.

What AI Means for Discovery and Growth

Jonathan Snow of Avenue Z explained how generative AI is reshaping product discovery, from search to recommendation.

Meanwhile, Taylor Holiday of Common Thread Collective reminded us that marketing should be tied to business fundamentals:

“Most brands don’t need more growth — they need more predictability.”

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Takeaway: Plan for visibility in an AI-first ecosystem — and align teams around financial outcomes. 

Meet the Speakers

Alexa Kilroy
Director of Marketing, Fermat

Zoe Kahn  

CEO & Founder, Inevitable Agency

Mia Healy

Director of Tech Partnerships, Triple Whale

‍Ellie Weiss  

VP of Retention, Yotpo

Ebuka Chukwuaonwe  

Partner Manager, Gorgias

Dan Moshkovich

VP of Marketing, Chargeflow

Dov Carpe

Host & Strategic Partnerships, Chargeflow

‍Jonathan Snow  

Co-Founder, Avenue Z ‍

Taylor Holiday  

CEO, Common Thread Collective ‍

Ronak Shah

Co-Founder & CEO, Obvi ‍

Nick Sharma

Founder & CEO, Sharma Brands‍

11 Quotes That Captured the Moment

"Your product needs to feel like medicine, not a vitamin."
— Alexa Kilroy, Fermat

"If your content doesn’t build trust instantly, your CAC is going to keep climbing."
— Zoe Kahn, Inevitable Agency

"Things are changing by the hour—you don’t need a full overhaul—just options."
— Mia Healy, Triple Whale

"The idea that customers don’t have to fight with a chatbot to fix an order… that’s a win."
— Eli Weiss, CX & Retention Leader

"In 2025, your tech stack is only as strong as its weakest integration."
— Mia Healy, Triple Whale

"We’re not just talking about trends—we’re talking about survival."
— Dov Carpe, Chargeflow

"The next big shift isn’t in marketing—it’s in how you get paid."
— Dan Moshkovich, Chargeflow

"Generative AI is already reshaping how people discover and buy."
— Jonathan Snow, Avenue Z

"Most brands don’t need more growth—they need more predictability."
— Taylor Holiday, Common Thread Collective

"We win 6 out of 10 chargebacks. A year ago, it was 2 out of 10. Now, I don’t even think about chargebacks—that’s the point."
— Ronak Shah, Obvi

"Different cultures respond differently to the same message. You can’t just duplicate your strategy internationally—it needs to be adapted to how people think and buy." — Nick Sharma, Sharma Brands

Want to watch the full webinar replay? Check it out:

Part 1, Part 2