May 2025 recap: Ecommerce experts on growth, genAI, and going composable
As ecommerce leaders rethink scale, platforms, and AI integration in 2025, we spoke with four standout operators from PopSockets, BÆRskin Tactical, MOO, and Society6 to learn how they’re navigating product expansion, replatforming, composability, and brand evolution.
In this recap, we explore the most impactful insights from:
- Jack Farrell, VP of Ecommerce at PopSockets
- Gus Fune, CTO at BÆRskin Tactical
- Corin Mills, Director of Ecommerce & Brand Marketing at MOO
- Brit Tucker, VP of Product, Technology & CX
TL;DR: What ecommerce leaders need to know from May 2025
- Why PopSockets sees GenAI as a creative unlock—and ROAS as “just a definition”
- How BÆRskin runs 40+ microservices with a four-person team
- Why MOO split replatforming from rebranding—and how direct mail still drives growth
- What Society6 learned from repositioning its business and rebuilding its tech stack
Episode 1: Jack Farrell, VP of Ecommerce at PopSockets
Topic: Moving from viral product to scalable ecosystem
PopSockets isn’t just a phone grip anymore—it’s a brand that’s turning the back of your phone into a lifestyle canvas. Jack shared how the team balances DTC and retail, treats the product as a platform, and uses GenAI to scale performance creative.
“We’re not chasing virality—we’re building a product and content engine that taps into internet subcultures at speed.”
— Jack Farrell, VP of Ecommerce at PopSockets
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Takeaways:
- Profitability > vanity metrics: cost controls and incrementality matter
- GenAI is key to scaled creative testing and product launches
- The brand is built for TikTok, retailers, and personalization all at once
Episode 2: Gus Fune, CTO at BÆRskin Tactical
Topic: Building MACH architecture with a four-person team
Gus didn’t just lead a replatform—he built a full composable stack with over 40 microservices and a headless, event-driven infrastructure. He shared how the team manages build vs. buy decisions, experiments aggressively, and uses AI to push code (literally).
“Our database went offline overnight. Orders still came in. That’s the power of modular design.”
— Gus Fune, CTO at BÆRskin Tactical
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Takeaways:
- Build what’s strategic, buy what’s regulated (e.g. payments)
- A composable stack can be resilient—even with a lean team
- AI is not a buzzword: it’s writing and shipping production code
Episode 3: Corin Mills, Director of Ecommerce & Brand Marketing at MOO
Topic: Rebranding, replatforming, and getting physical in a digital world
Corin unpacked how MOO timed its rebrand just before replatforming—and why doing both at once is a bad idea. He also shared how MOO blends DTC with B2B and how sample packs and personalized mail still play a critical role in conversion.
“Replatforming is an enablement project. Rebranding is a creative one. Combine them—and everything gets harder.”
— Corin Mills, Director of Ecommerce & Brand Marketing at MOO
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Takeaways:
- Separate brand and tech transformations to reduce risk
- Micro transactions (like sample packs) help physical products win online
- B2B and B2C can coexist—if your site architecture supports choice
Listen to Corin's episode now.
Episode 4: Brit Tucker, VP of Product, Technology & CX at Society6
Topic: Replatforming, repositioning, and rethinking the customer experience
Brit helped lead Society6 through a strategic shift from open marketplace to curated retailer. Alongside a redesign and replatform to Shopify, she instilled a culture of experimentation and centralized the digital org under a single VP.
“If all your teams answer differently when asked why you’re replatforming—you’re not ready to replatform.”
— Brit Tucker, VP of Product, Technology & CX
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Takeaways:
- Replatforms need aligned intent—and post-launch optimization
- Experiments should be cross-functional and failure-tolerant
- The creator economy is now core to brand and product discovery
What May's episodes revealed about ecommerce in 2025
Across these four conversations, a few clear themes emerged:
- Composable doesn’t mean complicated—when done right, it scales lean
- GenAI isn’t just content fluff—it’s a force multiplier for creative and code
- Physical brands still win—but only if the digital experience delivers clarity
- Replatforming is a team sport—and a strategic choice, not a cure-all
- Profitability, not just growth, is the new North Star
Listen to the full May lineup
Catch up on all four episodes of The Ecommerce Toolbox: Expert Perspectives on your favorite platform:
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