Cocktails & Commerce with Kailin Noivo

Episode notes

Answer engines like ChatGPT are reshaping how consumers discover information but their real impact on ecommerce traffic today is far smaller than most headlines suggest. In this episode of Cocktails and Commerce, hosts Brian Walker and Bill Friend sit down with Kailin Noivo, Co-Founder and President of Noibu, to cut through the hype around AI-powered discovery and focus on what ecommerce leaders should actually be prioritizing right now. Kailin shares real-world data showing that answer engines currently drive less than 1% of referral traffic for most ecommerce brands, even though conversion rates are often strong when traffic does arrive. The takeaway isn’t to ignore the channel but to treat it as an emerging signal, not a primary revenue engine. The conversation then shifts to the far bigger forces reshaping ecommerce economics: two straight years of declining ROAS, rising acquisition costs, and growing dependence on intermediaries. Kailin argues that the brands best positioned for the next phase of growth are doubling down on retention, owned channels, and direct customer relationships - especially native mobile apps, which are quietly growing while web traffic compresses.