From our Rithum-themed guitar hero game to our TikTok Shop and Amazon Happy Hour, the Rithum team had a great time meeting with brands, retailers, and partners at Shoptalk Vegas! After a few days of recuperation from the whirlwind, I caught up with James Lang, Dylan Hogan, and Matt Mallouk, to get their takes on what had the biggest buzz across everything they saw, heard, and shared at the conference.
One word: Social-Selling
James Lang, Vice President of Client Partnerships
“The biggest question I’m hearing is whether social selling is really worth it—especially at a national level. If the answer is yes, the next step retailers are eager to explore is how to launch a private (curated) marketplace, enhance decision-making, and improve reaction time. Everyone is trying to figure out not just what tools to use, but how to use them to drive real outcomes.”
Next stop from Shoptalk: If social commerce is top of mind, check out these resources to keep exploring how it might work for you:
- Three Reasons Why Retailers and Brands Are Choosing to Sell Through Online Marketplaces
- AI & Automation, E-commerce Resilience, & the Power (and Pitfalls) of Diversification: 3 Hot Takes from the Future of 3P Commerce Webinar
- How to Sell on TikTok Shop
One word: AI
Dylan Hogan, Vice President of Sales
“You couldn’t walk around the Shoptalk floor without hearing about AI from every direction. The question now is about real-world integration. How can AI be interwoven into operations, the customer experience, and growth strategies.”
Next stop from Shoptalk: If AI is top of mind, check out these resources to keep exploring how it might work for you:
- 3 E-Commerce Trends from Cyber 5 to Carry into 2025
- On-Demand Webinar: The Rise of 3P Commerce: Why Multichannel Selling is the Future of E-Commerce
- Rithum Introduces AI Magic Mapper for Brands: Reduce Time and Effort for Channel Expansion
One word: Relationships
Matt Mallouk, Vice President, Client Partnerships: Relationships
“What I’ve heard the most is about how brands interact with their retail partners. Whether it’s item set up, running promotions, or updating pricing, the brand-retailer relationship is under the microscope. Every category plays differently, but the quality of those relationships is what’s really shaping success.”
Next stop from Shoptalk: If relationship optimization is top of mind, check out these resources:
- Explore Rithum’s Network & Platform
- Scale Your Retail Business Through Dropship and Private Marketplaces
- Demand for 3P Commerce Grows Among Global Retailers and Brands
Bonus takeaway: Tariffs
Another theme in the content sessions during the show was how to drive growth both in-store and online in the face of economic uncertainty. According to Dylan, “This is especially top of mind now that import tariffs have officially taken effect, adding fresh complexity to an already challenging macroeconomic environment.”
Missed us at Shoptalk Vegas? We’ll be at Shoptalk Europe in June, and you can always contact us here for any questions on what’s coming next in commerce.
