The Deal Closers Podcast

Smarter Checkout Strategies and Hidden Tech Debt, with Sarah Gallagher

July 8, 2025·31 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

Many Ecommerce brands believe their customer journey is optimized, but are they leaving significant revenue and trust on the table without even knowing it? From a clunky checkout to hidden technical debt, seemingly small issues can quietly erode profits and customer loyalty.In this episode of Deal Closers, we chat with Sarah Gallagher, CEO and Head of Strategy at Gamma Waves. Sarah has helped major brands like Nike and Airbnb, as well as fast-growing startups, build smarter Ecommerce foundations. She dives into how to create strategic checkout experiences, identify and eliminate hidden tech debt, and build scalable Ecommerce systems that drive growth.You’ll learn:Why a "good enough" checkout experience is actually a major revenue leakHow to leverage the checkout process to build trust with new customersPractical strategies for "smarter upsells" that feel valuable, not "icky"What "technical debt" is and how it can silently sabotage your site's performanceA real-world case study of a 37% conversion rate increase by simply cleaning up backend codeWhy AB testing is critically underutilized in Ecommerce and where to startThe growing importance of "circular commerce" and how brands are owning the resale marketHow to get your hands around your data to unlock powerful insightsTimestamps:00:00:00 – The critical importance of understanding your data00:00:30 – Introduction to Sarah Gallagher: The unsung hero of the customer journey00:01:30 – Sarah's journey into digital commerce: From early 2000s to Gamma Waves00:02:00 – Building the first Shaq Ecommerce site and Sony Latin America00:04:00 – The evolving nature of Ecommerce and why customer experience always wins00:05:00 – Why your checkout experience is a major revenue opportunity00:06:00 – Building trust signals at checkout for new customers00:07:00 – Case studies: Optimizing checkout for Flight Club and Supergoop00:08:00 – Using AB testing to uncover hidden opportunities (and biases)00:11:00 – The surprising results of an AB test: Percent vs. Dollar savings00:12:00 – Implementing "smarter upsells" that genuinely add value00:15:00 – Understanding and eliminating technical debt in your Ecommerce site00:17:00 – The 37% conversion rate increase from a simple backend cleanup00:19:00 – Why site audits are often neglected and their hidden value00:20:00 – Long-term strategic planning and the concept of "circular commerce"00:24:00 – The biggest "money leaks" in Ecommerce: Tech debt and lack of AB testing00:25:00 – Where to start with AB testing for maximum impact00:27:00 – What's next for Ecommerce brands: Getting a handle on their data00:29:00 – How AI can help pull insights from clean data00:30:00 – Connecting with Sarah Gallagher and Gamma WavesConnect with Sarah Gallagher:Website: gammawaves.ioLinkedIn: Sarah GallagherDeal Closers is brought to you by WebsiteClosers.com and produced by Walk West. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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