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- ASR Sunday Brief #4
ASR Sunday Brief #4
What Shopify operators were talking about this week
From the founder:
Welcome back to the ASR Sunday Brief - issue #4.
One thing I'd love your help on. We're four issues in and still figuring out the right rhythm for this newsletter. Is Sunday actually working for you? Some of you mentioned in replies that Sunday morning hits at the right time - others said it lands when you're already off-screen for the week. If a different day would fit better - Monday morning, Friday afternoon, anything else - hit reply and tell us. There's also a feedback section at the very end of this issue.
Like this newsletter? Forward this email to another brand operator or app developer!
Welcome to the brand network:
These are a few brand operators that joined us this week:
James M. - Owner, United Kingdom · Fashion & Apparel · Advanced plan
Pierre L. - Owner, United Kingdom · Fashion & Apparel · Advanced plan
Avi R. - Owner, United States · Health & Beauty · Grow plan
Start a project to meet these participants and others like them.
Popular projects last week:
See how AI can plan and execute your Klaviyo campaign calendar automatically
Research Call · Incentive: $100 · 30 mins
Seeking enterprise store owners looking for AI solutions
Research Call · Incentive: $100 · 45 mins
An AI tool that helps you find margin hiding in your logistics invoices
Research Call · Incentive: $250 · 30 mins
Breakout Apps of the Week
Three categories worth knowing about this week - each is rebuilding a piece of the operator stack with a different angle.
1. AdZeta | Predictive LTV for ad bidding This category of apps is rewiring paid acquisition around predicted customer lifetime value, not first-purchase ROAS — so Google and Meta start bidding for the customers who'll stick around, not the cheapest clicks.
2. Oya | Operating system for creator programs This category of apps is the missing infrastructure for influencer and creator marketing — keeping the agreements, terms, performance, and rebooking history attached to creators across campaigns so teams stop starting from scratch every time.
3. Lockscreen.ai | Lock-screen push notifications without an app This category of apps uses Apple Wallet passes to deliver branded notifications directly to a customer's lock screen — bypassing the inbox and beating the algorithm for attention, without any mobile app development.
Pattern of the week
Something different happened in the data this week. More than a third of operators opened their submission by admitting what isn't working - not by listing what they want to buy.
"My conversion rate has never been great."
"Subscriptions are rarely taken advantage of."
"We have not done a great job with this thus far."
No vendor pitch. No framework. Just operators naming the stuck thing.
Why it matters: the operators who lead with the admission, not the shopping list, make better buying decisions. They've already done the hard part. If your subscription program has been quietly underperforming for a year, the right next move isn't to demo another loyalty app - it's to find out why customers aren't using the discount you're already giving them.
Naming what's broken is the most underrated step in any buying cycle.
New App Reviews
Our brand network frequently writes reviews for apps they use. These reviews are visible from all Shopify app accounts under the App reviews tab.
1. Omnisend Email Marketing & SMS
Reviewer: Owner, Toys & Games
Operator liked | Didn't like |
|---|---|
Strong email/SMS/push platform that works like Klaviyo at lower cost | A bit expensive for a smaller shop |
Easy to use day-to-day | No AI-powered suggestions for open rates or campaign efficacy |
Stable enough to be critical to the job | Would love tailored, data-driven recommendations based on ROI |
2. Tidio Live Chat & AI Chatbots
Reviewer: Owner, Fashion & Apparel
Operator liked | Didn't like |
|---|---|
Seamless, affordable customer experience tool | Missing a TikTok DM integration (acknowledged as not really Tidio's fault) |
AI features have started becoming genuinely useful | |
Held up as critical after 2–3 years |
3. Plug In SEO
Reviewer: E-commerce Manager, Jewelry & Accessories
Operator liked | Didn't like |
|---|---|
"Quick start" SEO assessment and fix delivered a very good experience | Wanted to be able to hire the team beyond the quick start service |
Sat unused for a while — once activated with the team's help, became critical to the role | More hands-on work for what's beyond personal time or technical comfort |
Honest about the app needing engagement to deliver value |
Join our private communities
Join the ASR Brand Operator Slack
Private discussions for Shopify brands. Apply to join →
Join the ASR Shopify App Slack
For Shopify app founders. Apply to join →
Photo of the week
Howard Schultz at the Pike Place Starbucks counter, 1981, before he bought the company. The curious fact: Schultz nearly didn't pursue espresso at all - the original Starbucks founders rejected his Italian-café idea for two years. He didn't lead with what he wanted to build. He led with what was missing from the existing stores. Operators who name the gap first end up running the company.
See you next week.
Jon and team
— app store research
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