Episode Introduction
Welcome back to eCommerce Fastlane! Today, we’re spotlighting a marketing channel that’s quietly dominating Europe, Australia, and beyond—but is still underused in North America: WhatsApp marketing.
While most Shopify brands are stuck battling expensive Facebook ads and crowded email inboxes, a new frontier is emerging that offers 80–90% open rates and instant, conversational engagement.
To break down this opportunity, I’m joined by Jeremy Horowitz, CEO of CocoAI. Jeremy’s background in private equity, Shopify app acquisitions, and international DTC growth gives him a unique vantage point on why WhatsApp is poised to become the next big wave for Shopify merchants—especially as brands look to expand internationally and leverage AI-powered automation.
If you’re ready to move beyond traditional channels and tap into a high-value, conversational approach to commerce, this episode is your playbook for getting started.
What You’ll Learn
✅ Why WhatsApp is the most overlooked channel for North American Shopify brands
✅ How WhatsApp marketing achieves 80–90% open rates (vs. 20–25% for email)
✅ The three keys to successful WhatsApp list growth and engagement
✅ How AI-powered chat on WhatsApp delivers instant, personalized sales support
✅ Why WhatsApp is critical for international expansion (and which markets are leapfrogging SMS and email)
✅ Real-world ROI: How early adopters are seeing 20–100x returns on WhatsApp campaigns
✅ Tactical steps to launch WhatsApp flows, abandoned cart recovery, and product recommendations
✅ The unique advantages of WhatsApp over onsite chatbots and SMS platforms
Episode Sponsor: Instant
You know what’s driving me crazy? Watching eCommerce brands spend thousands on ads to drive traffic—only to watch 98% of visitors disappear forever without buying. It’s like pouring money down the drain.
That’s why I’m excited to introduce today’s sponsor, Instant. Their Instant Audiences platform tackles the biggest leak in your revenue funnel: identifying and re-engaging anonymous shoppers who represent the vast majority of your traffic.
Here’s what makes Instant different: they’re identifying anonymous shoppers in real-time and capturing their email addresses, enabling you to recognize them every time they return. The platform captures 10-15x more email addresses than traditional methods.
The results are incredible. Brands are seeing 94x ROI, with The Collagen Co. increasing revenue by $150,000 in just 30 days. Instant has helped generate over $3.8 million in additional sales and is trusted by 500+ leading brands including Toys R Us and Liquid I.V.
Best part? It integrates seamlessly with Shopify and Klaviyo—you can go live in minutes with white-glove onboarding. Stop letting prospects slip away? Head over to instant and join the 500+ brands transforming anonymous visitors into loyal customers.
Episode Summary
Are you still relying on crowded inboxes and paid ads to drive growth? Jeremy Horowitz reveals why WhatsApp is quickly becoming the go-to channel for direct, high-engagement commerce conversations—and how most North American brands are missing out.
He explains that, unlike SMS and email, WhatsApp offers a native, high-value inbox for billions of users worldwide. Brands using CocoAI are seeing 20–40x ROI on WhatsApp spend, with some optimized accounts hitting 100x, simply because the channel is so new and uncluttered.
Jeremy breaks down the key to success:
- Respect the inbox (don’t spam, send 1–2 high-value messages per month)
- Leverage AI for instant responses (answer product, shipping, and usage questions in seconds)
- Use WhatsApp for international growth (with support for 96+ languages and deep market penetration in LATAM, Europe, and the Middle East)
He also contrasts WhatsApp with traditional onsite chat widgets and SMS, showing how WhatsApp’s persistent, remarketable channel creates a long-term asset for brands. Plus, he shares actionable tactics for list growth, abandoned cart recovery, and campaign segmentation by language and market.
Key Insights
- WhatsApp is the next SMS: In markets like Spain, Mexico, and the UAE, WhatsApp is the primary communication channel, leapfrogging both SMS and email.
- AI-powered sales, not just support: CocoAI’s platform focuses on sales conversations, instantly answering pre-purchase questions and recommending products—while escalating true support issues to human agents.
- International expansion made easy: CocoAI supports 96 languages out of the box, automatically segments by country and language, and is ideal for brands selling across multiple regions.
- First-mover advantage: Early adopters are seeing massive returns because they’re often the only brand in a customer’s WhatsApp inbox.
- Smart campaign tactics: Use WhatsApp’s 24-hour conversation window to send timely follow-ups for free, boosting campaign ROI without list fatigue.
- Easy Shopify integration: Brands can launch abandoned cart flows and AI-powered chat in under an hour, with full onboarding support and ongoing optimization.
Guest Spotlight
Jeremy Horowitz is the CEO of CocoAI, a leading WhatsApp marketing and AI sales platform for Shopify brands. With a background in private equity, DTC brand operations, and Shopify app acquisitions, Jeremy brings a data-driven, global perspective to conversational commerce. He’s passionate about helping brands unlock new growth channels and build competitive moats with AI and automation.
Connect with Jeremy on LinkedIn for daily insights on ecommerce, AI, and international expansion.
Guest Information
Jeremy Horowitz
CEO of CocoAI
Links & Resources
Thanks for Supporting the Pod!
Over the past eight seasons, I’ve been incredibly lucky to chat with some of the brightest founders in ecommerce building remarkable Shopify brands and partners shaping the app and marketing ecosystem. Honestly, every conversation has taught me something new, and I’m grateful for the chance to learn alongside you.
What matters most is that this podcast helps you solve real challenges and unlock new growth for your business. Your support, feedback, and stories have made this journey truly special. Thanks for tuning in, sharing your wins, losses, and being part of the eCommerce Fastlane community.
- Leave an Honest Rating/Review:Share your thoughts on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
- Follow & Subscribe on YouTube:Get notified about new episodes on YouTube.
Contact Steve
