Inside Prosper Show 2025: TikTok Tips, Retail Realities, and the E-Commerce Truths No One Wants to Admit

The Prosper Show in Vegas is always a whirlwind – equal parts networking haven, goldmine of insights, and slightly overwhelming product demo jungle. This year? It served up a cocktail of strategic clarity, marketing reality checks, and the occasional “wait, how did I not think of that?” moment. 

But before we dive in – let’s address the elephant in the convention center hall:

The International Pizza Expo next door.

By Nataliia Popelniukh, Netpeak’s investigative wanderer through the wilds of booths, panels, and post-panel banter

And let me tell you – if you saw a group of E-Commerce pros staring longingly at Pizza Expo entrance like kids with their noses pressed against a bakery window, that was us. Sparkling signage, mozzarella air, booths glowing like pizzerias in Rome… it was everything your Shopify dashboard isn’t.

More than a few people at Prosper looked around at their Amazon reports, then toward the garlic knots, and whispered:

Are we… in the wrong business?

Anyway. Back to data!

Pick Your Software Wisely, and for the Love of Data, Know Your Stack

Let’s kick it off with Yoni Mazor from Getida. His session on building successful eCommerce operations wasn’t just practical – it was borderline cathartic. He came in swinging with this simple observation: most sellers choose software like they choose restaurants – word of mouth. That’s why half of them feel like marketing is their biggest pain point.

The fix? Test. Measure. Own your stack.

It’s 2025 – If You’re Not Mobile-First, You’re Last

Lucas Bassa of Channable dropped what felt like a live mic in slow motion:

Design listings for mobile. Always. Regardless of the marketplace.

A lot of us in the room blinked like we just remembered the Internet exists on phones too.

His bigger point: people don’t shop based on keywords anymore – they shop because something looks good. Especially on TikTok.

TikTok Shop: Clean Your Room Before You Go Viral

Michelle Barnum Smith of TTSellers gave us a masterclass in reality-check marketing. Want TikTok to hand you traffic? You better be ready for it. That means:

• Cutting SKU clutter.
• Connecting videos to all listings (not just the flashy ones).
• Optimizing for impulse buys (hello, flash deals and free shipping).
• Reaching out to creators before you launch – because a good TikTok creator can do more than 10 Facebook ads ever could.

Conversion: It’s Not Just Money, It’s Data in Disguise

Caulen Foster of BrainPower Group reminded us all:

Conversion isn’t just money – it’s information.

That lead who didn’t buy? They’re still part of the funnel. Nurture. Retarget. Play the long game.

His real zinger though? Ask yourself if you should expand before figuring out how. There’s wisdom in restraint, folks. Especially when scaling means stretching beyond what your ops, team, or sanity can handle.

CRO, Social Commerce, and the AI Balancing Act

James Roberts from Roswell Studios painted the future of E-Commerce with a three-pronged brush:

1. CRO. Heat mapping, data-driven decisions, kill the underperformers, amplify the winners. Optimize like your life depends on it.
2. Social Commerce. Live selling is creeping in from Asia, and it’s not leaving. 73% of people are more likely to buy after watching a live shopping event. Video > text. Authenticity > polish.
3. AI + Personalization. AI content is getting good, but still needs a human touch. The winning combo? Speed from AI, heart from humans. Also, personalized product recs = 35% of Amazon’s sales. Yes, thirty-five percent.

Retail Dreams Require Data, Grit, and a 12-Month Head Start

Tom Wollan and Jimmy Barber of The Bluebird Group brought us back to Earth with their deep dive into mass retail. If you think you can waltz into Costco because you crushed it on Amazon… think again.

Retailers now shrink their seller rosters and make data-backed decisions. Want in?

• You need a year-long runway.
• Solid digital sales (which drive retail lift 3–6 months later).
• And a brand strategy strong enough to survive a rollercoaster shelf launch.

Final Impressions: The Prosper Mantras of 2025

After two caffeine-fueled days (and maybe a little jealousy of the Pizza Expo), one thing is clear: The future of eCommerce is:

• Seamless
• Personal
• Authentic
• Holistic
• And very, very data-driven

You don’t just need a good product. You need:

• A stack that fits your business (not someone else’s).
• Creators that like your brand.
• An online presence that doubles as a retail pitch deck.
• And a strategy that respects the slow burn of trust and loyalty.

Prosper left us with serious tactics – and serious food envy. But hey, in the end, whether you’re slinging margheritas or managing marketplaces, it all comes down to the same thing: