This year has proven to be a wild ride for businesses in ecommerce and technology, from the TikTok ban saga to US tariff uncertainty. We sat down with two co-founders in the industry to ask some tough questions and gain some perspective on the future of e-commerce.
Abhijeet, CEO and Co-Founder of App Brew Mobile Shopping App and Guillaume Faure Co-Founder of LiveMeUp Livestreaming Software.
Abhijeet Singh: Honestly, it's becoming super clear. Your mobile app is not just an extra channel anymore. It is the channel. Paid ad performance is shaky, privacy changes are biting hard, and brands are realizing they need a direct, ownable space where they can engage, sell, and retain. That’s why we’re seeing more DTC brands double down on turning their app into their highest-performing channel. If you’re still only optimizing for web, you’re missing where the best retention and engagement are happening.
Guillaume Faure: Right now, two major trends stand out, community-led growth and Video-driven commerce. We’re seeing more DTC brands lean into building authentic, niche communities—especially on platforms like TikTok, and inside their own apps. But community doesn’t convert unless you build experiences around it. That’s where shoppable video, and livestreaming come in. They allow brands to turn storytelling into action, seamlessly. Also, the rise of owned channel strategies is huge. Relying only on paid ads or marketplaces isn’t sustainable anymore. Brands are investing in their own websites, apps, and email flows to build deeper, higher-retention journeys.
TLDR: Abhijeet suggests brands double down on app retail. Both founders agree that brand-owned channels are the future.
Abhijeet Singh: Personalization used to mean “Hey, first name” in a notification. That doesn’t cut it now. We’re seeing smart brands use real-time user behavior based on cart value, location, purchase history to completely change what customers see in the app. Like, your homepage should look totally different for a loyal customer vs a first-time user. That’s what we’re building at Appbrew—personalized blocks, product feeds, banners, everything.
Guillaume Faure: Personalization is no longer just a nice-to-have; it’s now the expectation. Inside shopping apps, we’re seeing a shift toward behavior-based personalization: showing the right content, in the right format, at the right moment.
The most effective tools?
• Klaviyo for triggered messaging and segmentation
• LiveMeUp, of course, for tailoring video content based on user behavior (e.g. suggested videos based on browsing or cart activity)
• Mobile app builders like AppBrew that integrate video + loyalty + personalization features directly inside the app experience
We’re also seeing brands test personalized content or VIP live events for app users. That kind of gated experience creates serious loyalty.
TLDR: Guillaume and Abhijeet agree that personalized experiences provide value.
Abhijeet Singh: They don’t need massive budgets. They need agility. You can launch a quick drop, run a community Q&A, or feature a real customer styling a look on a livestream. Smaller brands actually win here because they feel more authentic. With Appbrew, we’ve seen brands turn around a new campaign with custom blocks and deep links in under an hour. It’s speed over polish now.
Guillaume Faure: Smaller brands actually have a huge advantage: authenticity and agility. You don’t need celebrity influencers to go live. What works best is real people, real stories, real moments. And smaller teams can move fast, test different video formats, tweak the tone, and engage 1:1 with their community during lives. LiveMeUp helps smaller brands go live without needing a full dev team or massive budget. Plus, by leveraging a mobile app, these brands can launch combination app and live experiences in weeks, not months.
TLDR: Both founders agree that smaller brands with agility can achieve big brand results.
Abhijeet Singh: Trying to copy TV? Live shopping inside an app isn’t a show but it’s an experience. The mistake is treating it like a broadcast instead of an interactive moment. The best ones feel like you’re FaceTiming a friend who’s showing off a new launch. Keep it casual. Let people comment, ask questions, click to buy mid-stream. Use the app’s built-in tools to make it feel native, not bolted on.
Guillaume Faure: They treat it like a one-off event instead of building a habit. Live shopping works best when it’s part of a regular content rhythm, not just a Black Friday or product launch play. Another mistake: not promoting it properly inside the app. A lot of brands forget to use push notifications, in-app banners, or exclusive live-only offers to drive engagement. Lastly, some underestimate the learning curve, not on the tech, but on the content. It takes a few sessions to find your voice and format. But once you do, the connection (and conversion) is unmatched.
TLDR: Abhijeet suggests that IRL broadcasts feel the most authentic. Both founders agree that brands could be utilizing notifications and live stream frequency for a larger impact.
Learn more about App Brew Mobile Builder and LiveMeUp Livestream Software.
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