The FODcast

Hosted by Tim Roedel and James Hodges

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Latest episode

May 2026

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About the show

In the FODcast (The Future of #DigitalCommerce) we explore the real career stories of the people who have made it to the very top of the sector and those who are working at the cutting edge of innovation and change right now. Listeners to the podcast gain insight into the journeys industry leaders have taken to be where they are today, the challenges they are facing now and their aims for the future.

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60 recent

June 16, 2026Episode 31 hr 0 min

Why Product Data Is the New AI Battleground with Romain Fouache, Akeneo

Most businesses know AI is changing commerce. The bigger question is whether their product data is actually ready for it. In this episode of The FODcast, Tim speaks with Romain Fouache, CEO at Akeneo, about conversational AI, agentic commerce and why structured product information is becoming such an important topic for brands and retailers. The conversation covers: Why AI changes how products are discoveredThe growing importance of attributes and enrichment Why “good enough” product data may no longer be enoughHow marketplaces and ecommerce journeys could evolve from here One line from Romain that really stuck with us: “Your product data strategy is your go-to-market strategy.” It’s a great listen...enjoy.Listen | Share | Comment #AI #DigitalCommerce #RetailTech #ProductData #ConversationalAI #AkeneoSimply Commerce is the leading supplier of talent into digital commerce across technology, digital marketing, product, sales, and leadership. Find our more about our approach and our services within digital commerce recruitment here: https://simply-commerce.co.uk/

May 21, 2026Episode 253 min

Shopify, Headless & The Real Cost of Ecommerce Growth - with Marina Milojkovic, Grebban

Are brands looking far enough ahead when evaluating ecommerce platforms?On the latest episode of The FODcast, James sits down with Marina Milojkovic, VP UK at Grebban, to unpack why total cost of ownership in ecommerce is often far more complex than brands initially expect.From app sprawl and operational complexity, through to team structure, ownership and long-term scalability, the conversation explores why platform decisions cannot just be evaluated on implementation cost alone.We cover a whole host of topics including:Why Shopify doesn’t always mean lower TCO long termThe hidden cost of apps, integrations and operational complexityWhy brands need to look at years three and four, not just implementationHow regular TCO audits can help keep tech stacks leanWhy TCO, AI, brand experience and UX are increasingly part of the same ecommerce investment conversationA really practical discussion for brands reviewing their ecommerce setup, planning a replatform, or simply trying to understand where complexity and cost actually come from.Listen | Share | Comment#FODcast #DigitalCommerce #eCommerce #Shopify #Centra #RetailTech Simply Commerce is the leading supplier of talent into digital commerce across technology, digital marketing, product, sales, and leadership. Find our more about our approach and our services within digital commerce recruitment here: https://simply-commerce.co.uk/

April 27, 2026Episode 144 min

Pricing Isn’t Broken - it’s Blind, with Meghan Stabler

Pricing in retail still isn’t where it needs to be.In this episode of The FODcast (and the launch of Season 8), we sit down with Meghan Stabler (Co-Founder and CMO at AI-driven, contextual pricing platform alentr) to explore why pricing remains one of the most complex and underdeveloped areas in digital commerce.Drawing on her experience as former SVP of Global Marketing at BigCommerce where she helped scale the business through to IPO, Meghan shares a clear and practical perspective on the gap between performance metrics and pricing strategy - and what businesses need to rethink.We cover: Margin vs conversion - why strong performance doesn’t always mean pricing is right The reality of discounting - easy to implement, harder to sustain AI in pricing - where it adds value and where it still falls short Static vs dynamic models - why many businesses remain reactive Pricing guardrails - protecting margin while staying competitiveIf pricing is still being treated as a periodic review rather than an active, strategic lever, this is a conversation worth your time.🎧 Listen | Comment | Share#FODcast #DigitalCommerce #Retail #PricingStrategy #AI #eCommerceSimply Commerce is the leading supplier of talent into digital commerce across technology, digital marketing, product, sales, and leadership. Find our more about our approach and our services within digital commerce recruitment here: https://simply-commerce.co.uk/

March 11, 202654 min

B2B Commerce Isn’t Broken - It’s Complicated with Tom Williams, UNRVLD

B2B commerce complexity isn’t just technical. It’s organisational, behavioural and cultural.On this week’s episode of The FODcast, James sits down with Tom Williams, Head of Commerce at UNRVLD to unpack why B2B transformations stall…and what actually gets them moving.We cover a whole host of topics including:Complex pricing + org structures: different users, permissions and hierarchies; and why it needs uncovering earlyLegacy order channels (email, punchout, OCR and more): you often can’t “switch it off” even if it’s inefficientCustomer-first vs tech-first: most businesses start with a feature tick list, not customer behaviourDigital maturity reality checks: why teams think they’re further along than they areIntegration first: a robust middleware approach that lets you change systems without breaking everything elseIf you’re modernising B2B, this is a practical conversation: start with the “as is”, map the “to be”, then make progress iteratively - without forcing a big bang.🎧 Listen | Comment | Share Simply Commerce is the leading supplier of talent into digital commerce across technology, digital marketing, product, sales, and leadership. Find our more about our approach and our services within digital commerce recruitment here: https://simply-commerce.co.uk/

February 25, 202657 min

Using Technology With Purpose in a Post-Hype World with Jim Tattersall and Andy Jackson

“People sleepwalk without intent.”That’s how Jim Tattersall, Founder & CTO at Rotate°, describes one of the most common causes of failed commerce transformations.In the latest episode of The FODcast, Jim and Andy Jackson (Rotate’s Chief Creative Officer) unpack why brands often reach for tools, platforms and architectures before they’ve properly defined the problem they’re trying to solve.They discuss:How hype cycles push teams into reactive decisionsWhy over-reliance on third-party tools creeps in unnoticedThe risk of building teams around technology rather than outcomesWhy intent matters more than architectureThe message is measured but clear: progress comes from clarity, not momentum. This really was a great 3-way conversation with our Director of Client Engagement, James…and really frames some of the background and points raised in Rotate’s recent Tech Report.#DigitalCommerce #TechnologyStrategy #Leadership #FODcast Simply Commerce is the leading supplier of talent into digital commerce across technology, digital marketing, product, sales, and leadership. Find our more about our approach and our services within digital commerce recruitment here: https://simply-commerce.co.uk/

February 5, 202654 min

Why E-Commerce Won’t Win on Best Practices Alone with Rob Hoekman

“We’re kind of drowning in a sea of sameness.”That’s how Rob Hoekman, Senior Director of Experience Consulting at Empathy Lab by EPAM describes the state of ecommerce today.On this week’s episode of The FODcast, our CEO Tim and Rob unpack how decades of optimisation and best practice have led to convergence - in platforms, patterns and experiences - and why differentiation is getting harder, not easier.They explore:How ecommerce capability has become commoditisedWhy replatforming now delivers smaller gains than it once didThe risk created by years of customisation and legacyWhy brands are being pushed to rethink their entire commerce fabricRob’s view is measured but direct: the next phase of growth won’t come from chasing new stacks, but from rethinking how commerce ecosystems are designed and operated.🎧 Listen | Comment | Share#DigitalCommerce #DigitalStrategy #Engineering #FODcast Simply Commerce is the leading supplier of talent into digital commerce across technology, digital marketing, product, sales, and leadership. Find our more about our approach and our services within digital commerce recruitment here: https://simply-commerce.co.uk/

January 21, 202650 min

Outcomes Over Architecture: Why Simplicity Wins in Commerce with Serge El Hachem

“It’s not the licence cost that kills you; it’s the invisible overhead.”That’s how Serge El Hachem, Director of Solutions Engineering at Lazer Technologies, describes what’s really slowing enterprise commerce down.On this week’s episode of The FODcast, host James and Serge unpack how global retailers are simplifying their stacks, cutting total cost of ownership, and finding real speed on Shopify.We also cover:The invisible overhead - multiple vendors, fragile integrations, endless QA and DevOps cycles.Where costs shrink fastest; hosting, scaling, PCI and security handled natively, no AWS bills or patching.Speed as the unlock - six-month builds become six-week sprints, compounding learning and growth.App strategy that scales - Serge’s rule: every app should automate, measure, or personalise, or it’s bloat.Enterprise maturity - extensible checkout, powerful promo logic, and fast-maturing B2B capabilities.With two decades in engineering and eight years focused on Shopify, Serge’s insight is clear: simplify the architecture, and growth follows.🎧 Listen | Enjoy | Comment | ShareSimply Commerce is the leading supplier of talent into digital commerce across technology, digital marketing, product, sales, and leadership. Find our more about our approach and our services within digital commerce recruitment here: https://simply-commerce.co.uk/

January 7, 202651 min

Your Cart Is Fine; Your Duties Are Not: Why US Shoppers Panic At Checkout with Jamie Vaughan

Confused about what’s actually working in digital commerce right now? You’re not alone. Between US conversion chaos, rising costs, and AI hype, it’s hard to tell what moves the needle and what’s just noise.On this week’s episode of The FODcast, host Tim Roedel sits down with Jamie Vaughan, ex MD at Signifly, to cut through the chatter and get practical about what to fix first.Here’s what we cover: The “Donald effect” impacting US growth - and how to rebuild confidence through landed cost clarity and reassuranceConversion that counts: prioritising high-impact experiments using RICE (Reach, Impact, Cost, Effort) Life after cookies: why attribution and cohort analysis (with tools like Triple Whale) are now essentials Turning first-party data into your growth engine - not a last-ditch paid ads replacementPlus, real examples, clear takeaways, and no fluff. If you’re scaling, re-platforming, or rethinking your funnel for 2025, you’ll want to hear this one.🎧 Listen now #DigitalCommerce #Ecommerce #Shopify #AI #DataStrategy #Search #CRO #FODcastSimply Commerce is the leading supplier of talent into digital commerce across technology, digital marketing, product, sales, and leadership. Find our more about our approach and our services within digital commerce recruitment here: https://simply-commerce.co.uk/

December 10, 202557 min

Compliance Is the Floor; Inclusion Is the Strategy with Hilary Stephenson

"Accessibility isn’t a niche feature set; it’s the operating system of a fair and profitable digital world."On this week’s episode of The FODcast, James sits down with Hilary Stephenson, Managing Director at Nexer Digital, to unpack how inclusive design drives growth, reduces risk, and builds trust across every customer journey.In our chat, we cover a whole host of things, including:The European Accessibility Act - what’s in scope, what deadlines matter, and why compliance is only the floor, not the ceilingThe biggest friction points in retail journeys - and how to turn them into wins through clear content, contrast, and keyboard-friendly designWhat government digital services get right: co-design, testing with assistive tech, and radical transparencyHow inclusive design and immersive commerce can coexist, and why heavy scripts, pop-ups, and “dark patterns” are just bad UXThe practical sequence to start today: set a baseline, “fix the six,” publish an honest accessibility statement, and keep testingWith more than 25 years in content, UX and inclusive service design, Hilary brings the experience of someone who’s helped make accessibility business-critical for leading brands and public sector organisations alike.Tune in, enjoy, and let us know your thoughts!Simply Commerce is the leading supplier of talent into digital commerce across technology, digital marketing, product, sales, and leadership. Find our more about our approach and our services within digital commerce recruitment here: https://simply-commerce.co.uk/

November 27, 202548 min

When AI Takes the Busywork: How Teams May Evolve in the Age of Agents with Rob Goodwin

AI is not just changing tools, it is changing teams, skills and how customers find you online.In this week’s episode of The FODcast, host James Hodges sits down with Rob Goodwin, Chief Data Officer at MSQ Partners, to talk about what is moving fast, what is hype, and what leaders should fix now.We cover: AI agents for triage, code generation and repetitive analytics, and what that means for junior and mid-level rolesThe rise of AI Ops to monitor, tune and audit models in productionWhy first-party data quality still beats shiny tools, and how to clean and enrich what you already havePractical steps to align clickstream, CRM and purchase data so personalisation actually worksTrust in an AI world, including QA, transparent citations and brand-owned communitiesIf your 2025 plan touches AI, data or search, this one is absolutely ESSENTIAL listening. 🎧 Tune in now#AI #DataStrategy #DigitalCommerce #MarTech #Search #Personalisation #FODcastSimply Commerce is the leading supplier of talent into digital commerce across technology, digital marketing, product, sales, and leadership. Find our more about our approach and our services within digital commerce recruitment here: https://simply-commerce.co.uk/