The Salsify Digital Shelf Summit (DSS) brought together top eCommerce minds to discuss the future of product content, omnichannel commerce, and digital shelf strategy.
As a proud Salsify partner, Hinge Commerce attended this year’s summit to connect with brands, share ideas, and showcase how we help turn platform potential into real marketplace performance. We sat down with two team members to reflect on the experience, from booth conversations to bold takeaways.
Here’s what they had to say:
About the Event: Salsify Digital Shelf Summit
1. What is the Salsify Digital Shelf Summit, and who is it for?
The summit is an annual gathering of Salsify customers, partners, and digital shelf leaders. It’s designed to help brands get more out of their Salsify experience, whether that means understanding the platform’s vision, learning new ways to use their license, or finding partners like Hinge Commerce to scale their growth efforts.
2. What made this year’s summit especially exciting or relevant?
This year felt different in the best way. It was more intimate and hands-on, with tactical sessions tailored for those in the day-to-day trenches of digital shelf execution. The venue setup fostered collaboration, and the overall energy was focused, informed, and genuinely collaborative.
Hinge Commerce, a Trusted Salsify Partner, at the Summit
3. What was it like having a booth at the event?
The summit’s smaller, more intimate setting made it easy to have real, one-on-one conversations. At our booth, we set up an AI-powered headshot station, and attendees could get a quick photo taken and receive an AI-enhanced version afterward. It was a fun and approachable way to showcase how AI can also simplify the content process.
That said, many visitors were hesitant at first, adjusting their clothes, fixing their hair, trying to perfect the shot. But that was kind of the point: realizing that AI was going to do some of the work for them. Once people understood that, it became a great icebreaker. It sparked conversations not just about headshots, but about how brands can embrace AI without losing authenticity.
4. What kinds of conversations were you having with brands?
Many brands we spoke with are past the “why content matters” stage. They know digital shelf content is essential, but they’re struggling with execution, especially scaling content across different platforms and getting leadership buy-in. Some lacked the internal resources or strategic clarity to make it all work. That’s where Hinge Commerce came in. We showed them how we plug into their ecosystem to deliver scalable, platform-ready content that drives results.
One key takeaway? Brands are starting to align content strategy with performance, especially when it comes to retail media. It’s not just about driving traffic anymore; it’s about converting and creating long-term value.
One major CPG brand shared its own transformation story. They realized their content wasn’t effective; their content was generic, disconnected across SKUs, and failing to educate shoppers. Once they invested in a unified content strategy, they began using images, video, and copy to guide shoppers through the product experience. They incorporated info on how to use it, why it matters, and what makes it different. The result? Higher conversions, stronger brand loyalty, and repeat purchases.
That session reinforced what we always say: education upfront isn’t just helpful, it’s revenue-driving. Quality content is an investment worth the ROI and its lifetime value.
5. How did our Salsify partnership shape the conversations?
Our partnership with Salsify was a key differentiator at the event. It allowed us to speak confidently about how we help brands go from content creation to syndication, all within one connected workflow.
Once we develop platform-optimized content, we help teams manage and publish it directly through Salsify, which eliminates bottlenecks, boosts ROI, and increases adoption of the platform. We’re not just creating content, we’re helping brands get more value out of the tools they’ve already invested in.
Salsify sees Hinge Commerce as a trusted and flexible content partner. We’ve worked together for years, and they’re confident in our ability to deliver creative that not only meets brand standards but also drives results across channels.
That trust was reflected at the summit. We had team members from Salsify stopping by our booth and introducing us to brands as a go-to content partner. They know we’re nimble, strategic, and able to adapt to each brand’s specific needs, which makes us a valuable extension of their ecosystem.
Key Learnings from the Salsify Digital Shelf Summit
6. What were your biggest takeaways from the sessions?
A major theme across the sessions was the shift toward speed, scale, and alignment. Brands are moving faster than ever, and tools like Vizit are playing a key role in that acceleration by cutting content testing timelines from 8 to 10 weeks to just a few hours. That kind of turnaround means teams can test visual content, gather insights, and iterate quickly without sacrificing quality. It’s a game-changer for brands looking to scale without slowing down.
Another big takeaway was just how much growth is now tied directly to eCommerce. Several speakers emphasized that, for many large brands, the majority of their growth over the past 12 to 24 months has come from digital channels. That’s helping shift internal mindsets, especially among non-eCommerce stakeholders, and making it easier to justify deeper investment in retail media, content creation, and syndication.
The message was clear: if you want to grow, you need to prioritize the digital shelf and get the whole organization aligned around it.
7. What’s one thing you’re bringing back to the Hinge Commerce team or clients?
One of the clearest messages from the summit was that while AI is a powerful tool, brands are still looking for people to lead the creative process. Yes, AI can support operations, testing, and even assist with content creation, but human input, strategy, and storytelling are still essential for building trust and driving conversion. Brands want content that reflects their identity and resonates with shoppers, and that requires nuance, not just automation.
In fact, one brand shared a great example: they experimented with AI-generated copy over the past year but found that the internal review process took longer than when working with a trusted content partner.
Why? AI-generated content often requires more scrutiny, revisions, and internal debate. When they worked with an experienced team, the copy was on-brand, accurate, and ready to go, saving time and reducing friction. That kind of insight only reinforces what we already believe at Hinge Commerce: technology is a tool, but people make it powerful.
eCommerce Insights for Brands Looking Ahead
8. What are brands still getting wrong about the digital shelf, and what should they do differently in 2025?
One of the biggest gaps we see is the disconnect between content and retail media. Many brands are still treating product page content and retail investment as separate efforts, but they have to work together. You can spend heavily on retail media, but if the product detail page isn’t optimized to educate, convert, and build trust, you’re leaving money on the table. Content needs to do more than check a box, it has to educate and tell a story that drives action.
Retail media has become a buzzword, and understandably so; it’s a powerful lever. But too many brands are skipping the fundamentals. You can’t drive sustainable growth by throwing dollars at ads without first building a strong foundation. Content is that foundation. High-quality images, compelling copy, and platform-specific strategy must come first. Once that’s in place, retail media can amplify the message, not compensate for what’s missing. The brands seeing real ROI are the ones that align everything from the start.
9. How does Hinge Commerce help brands get the most out of Salsify?
We don’t just optimize content, we operationalize it. Hinge Commerce helps brands transform their Salsify platform into a performance engine by creating platform-specific content that’s ready to syndicate across Amazon, Walmart, Target, and more. From high-converting copy and imagery to category-specific strategy, we make sure your product content isn’t just beautiful; it’s built to perform.
Because we publish directly through your Salsify platform, everything stays connected, efficient, and centralized. That means your product data, assets, and updates live in one place — a true single source of truth.
Whether you’re just getting started with Salsify or looking to drive more value from your existing setup, Hinge Commerce helps bridge the gap between content creation, syndication, and measurable growth.
10. Why does it matter to unify content, syndication, and strategy across platforms like Amazon, Walmart, and Target?
Fragmented content equals missed opportunity. With a single source of truth in Salsify, plus Hinge Commerce’s strategic support, brands can maintain consistency across every touchpoint. Unified content supports SEO, strengthens brand identity, and drives conversion, especially when tailored for each retailer.
Final Thoughts from Hinge Commerce
11. If you had to sum up the summit in one key takeaway, what would it be?
eCommerce-centric content is no longer a “nice to have.” It’s the engine behind performance, and brands that prioritize it are winning. It’s time to double down, build a strategy that works across platforms, and make content planning part of the budgeting conversation from the start.
12. What are you most excited about as the Hinge Commerce + Salsify partnership continues to grow?
We met with several Salsify teams during the summit, and the excitement was mutual. They trust us with their biggest brands, and we’re proud to be a flexible, reliable partner who can adapt to any content needs. We’re looking forward to growing together and helping more brands unlock the full power of Salsify.
13. Any final thoughts?
Just that the atmosphere in New Orleans was unforgettable. It was relaxed, collaborative, and perfect for real conversations. We’re already looking forward to next year’s summit in Atlanta.
See you at DSS in 2026!
