Ask Phill & Friends: what's next in commerce for 2025

Speakers 

• Philip Argyropoulos, IT Business Partner - Digital and Ecommerce at Tony’s Chocolonely 
• Beatrice Porcescu, Senior Solutions Engineer at Shopify.

Tony’s Chocolonely, one of the Netherland’s fastest and most ethically scaling FMCG brands, quickly warmed to Shopify’s latest Winter Edition despite being cast as "boring." Tony’s mission is to sell slave-free cocoa to the world, but what does that look like operationally? With Shopify, Tony’s has managed to ‘set up expansion stores, across seven different regions’ balancing complexities like taxes, payouts, and delivery logistics unique to each market. As they continue to scale, these ‘boring updates’ are more essential than ever to maintain efficiency and reliability in every region. It’s why Shopify has been ‘focusing on the core functionality stuff, the kind of stuff we like to do.’ What does this look like? Keep reading:

Key Insights

1. "Boring" but effective
   Shopify focused on reform this edition. It's a self-aware release, addressing merchant feedback to prioritise usability over introducing standalone features. The "boring" narrative was embraced publicly, generating a fan in Phillip and many IT specialists across ecommerce. 
2. Shopify mastering integration
   Philip talked about the positive impact Shopify’s integration updates had on Tony’s technical operations. From ‘draft orders to checkout, it all works together seamlessly.’ When the backend runs smoothly, focus can pivot to building brand output and a strong retention strategy.
3. AI wrapper generator
   Personalisation is key for any brand looking to scale, Philip emphasised how Tony’s uses AI to level up the customer experience, ‘It’s not about automating everything’ - it’s about using AI in the places where it genuinely adds value. A standout example? Their AI-powered wrapper generator that lets customers create branded chocolate bars.
4. Global reach, local feel
   While growing globally, Tony’s likes to keep a personal touch in every market. Phillip said Shopify’s multi-currency and multi-entity features were expertly enhanced in the 'boring edition' improving localised experiences everywhere.
5. Expanding B2B capabilities
   As Tony’s is primarily B2B operated, Shopify’s tools have been essential. Philip highlighted how Shopify makes it easy for them to manage bulk orders and customise products for business clients. Everything’s in one place - simple and efficient.

Standout quote 

“I do sincerely believe Shopify helps take away all of the clunky stuff. It just works at scale and then performs. You can just focus on extensibility, or anything that makes you unique as a merchant.” - Philip Argyropoulos

Speakers 

• Penny Jane Ros-Rahimzadeh, Founder of PAL Sporting Goods 
• Yasmina Azhoum, Brand Manager at PAL Sporting Goods
• Martijn Wijsmuller, Co-Founder at Ask Phill. 

Authenticity over shortcuts. PAL Sporting Goods carries a clear aesthetic, but exclusive? They are anything but. Designing to be ‘un-hyped’, producing clothes for the teenager and their Dad, PAL has thought long and hard about their story, and online, It just wasn’t cutting it. Ask Phill recommended a migration from Lightspeed to Shopify and now, as Penny put it ‘we are finally able to show what the brand stands for. The campaigns we put so much effort into, get to be shown how we imagined.’ It all happened in just six weeks. Discover what else they noticed:

Key Insights

1. Scalable flexibility
   Ease of use was non-negotiable when transitioning to a new platform, as was scalability. Penny shared that “Shopify just lets us get on with it. It's so easy to use and is flexible enough to manage our creative spontaneity whilst supporting our needs as we grow." This flexibility allowed PAL to focus on what they do best, creating authentic, long-lasting products, while Shopify handles ecommerce complexity.
2. The tech transition that simplified the backend
   A growing brand with limited resources, ‘you have to do everything yourself, it needs to be dummy-proof.’ Penny was after a solution that would eliminate tech roadblocks for her team. Yasmina shared how much easier it is to upload content and integrate their B2B system with Shopify. "Before, we spent hours just trying to get the content right. With Shopify, it's so much more seamless."
3. The importance of offline connections
   Despite PAL’s ecommerce success, connecting with their audience in person is key. Penny shared how their annual “House of Pal” event serves as a vital touchpoint where they can meet customers face-to-face, gaining real insights into their needs and preferences. “It’s chaotic, it’s fun, and it’s invaluable.” The offline moments really help PAL understand what resonates online.

Standout quote 

“You're the brand, you need the technical people. Technical people need brands. Put away your ego and it becomes a really great marriage - that’s what we’ve got with Ask Phill” - Penny Jane Ros-Rahimzadeh

Speakers 

• Fredrik Samuelsson, Ecommerce Specialist at Axel Arigato  
• Emiel Lutz, Country Manager Benelux at Ingrid.

Axel Arigato, a brand that blends a Swedish name with a Japanese “thank you,” draws cross-cultural inspiration to produce clean, efficient and effective designs. Their story started in footwear, gradually expanded into ready-to-wear apparel and it continues to live across 16 stores globally. Overtime, a positive in-store experience cemented, but it became lost in delivery. The answer was Ingrid, the end-to-end delivery platform for ambitious retailers. The partnership began in 2022 “simply to add multi-carriers to Axel Arigato’s site”. You’ll learn it afforded them much more:

Key Insights 

• Ingrid’s AI making fulfillment smarter and faster
  Fulfillment isn’t just about speed - it’s about precision. From real-time delivery options to flexible delivery dates, Ingrid’s integration helps maximise convenience for customers. But Fredrik was clear: AI and automation only work when they serve the customer, not just the backend. “The question is always, how does this make the experience better?”
• Bridging tech with human connections
  Ingrid didn’t just make fulfillment easier, it also gave Fredrik’s team the tools to build trust with customers. The integration enabled better communication between warehouses, carriers, and customers. For Fredrik, "It’s about giving the customer what they need, exactly when they need it” he explained.
• Smarter shipping, higher conversions
  The partnership began to add multi-carriers, but it quickly became much more. “The conversion rate is up a lot,” Frederick noted, as they optimised free shipping thresholds and introduced ship-from-store. Owning the post-purchase experience, not leaving it to carriers, has turned delivery into an upsell opportunity, driving traffic back to their site.

Standout quote 

“It’s partnerships like these that help us focus on what we do best - building a brand people love.” - Fredrik Samuelsson