How Kent Outdoors and Elan Pure Are Using AI & Anagram to Scale Smarter: Lessons from the Commerce Catalyst Panel

At a recent Commerce Catalyst lunch and learn, a great panel of eCommerce leaders gathered to tackle one of today’s hottest topics: how AI is reshaping the way brands connect with their customers, drive conversions, and build long-term loyalty.

Moderated by Paige from Elan Pure, with insights from Keegan of Kent Outdoors, Jeff from Built Brands, and Carl from Rapid Talk, the conversation was packed with actionable advice — especially for growing brands that want to use AI to scale without losing their human touch.

Let’s dig into the highlights, focusing on how Keegan and Paige are leveraging tools like Anagram to punch above their weight in eCommerce.

AI as a Growth Engine: Keegan & Paige’s Approach

Both Kent Outdoors and Elan Pure are great case studies in how lean teams can use AI to unlock big opportunities.

Paige, founder of Elan Pure, shared how her brand has grown rapidly without raising outside capital, thanks in large part to AI tools. As a solo founder running a young brand, Paige emphasized how AI has enabled her to handle everything from customer service to content generation — saving time, increasing conversion rates, and improving customer engagement.

“Elan Pure hasn’t even been live a year and we’ve already seen huge gains by leveraging AI. It’s like having an extra team, without the extra headcount.” — Paige, Elan Pure

Paige even demoed her brand’s AI-powered customer service live, where Rapid Talk and Anagram integrations helped a virtual assistant answer questions about ingredients, shipping, and more in real-time. It showcased just how natural and helpful an AI chat experience can feel for customers.

For Keegan at Kent Outdoors, a family of established outdoor brands making a fresh push into DTC (direct-to-consumer) eCommerce, AI has been a game-changer for educating customers on highly technical products.

“We use Anagram on our product pages and in our apps to guide people who might have zero knowledge about what they need. Instead of endless FAQ pages, they just ask a question and get an instant, confident answer.” — Keegan, Kent Outdoors

Whether it’s helping a first-time snowboarder pick the right board or clarifying compatibility between gear, Keegan explained how Anagram helps simplify complex buying decisions, reduce returns, and build trust with consumers.

Faster Conversions Through Smarter Discovery

A key takeaway from the panel: today’s shoppers demand speed and clarity. AI helps brands deliver exactly that.

Keegan explained that with outdoor gear, customers often feel overwhelmed by technical jargon. AI chat tools powered by Anagram cut through the confusion, offering instant product recommendations based on specific needs like weight, height, skill level, and use-case.

This not only speeds up the buying process but also reduces costly returns — a win-win for customers and the brand.

Paige echoed this sentiment, noting that Elan Pure’s AI setup empowers shoppers to get answers in seconds, whether they're asking about ingredients or shipping times.

“When you let customers control the conversation, they’re more confident to click buy.” — Paige, Elan Pure

Building Retention and Personalization at Scale

The conversation also covered how AI is driving retention and lifetime value (LTV). Paige and Keegan both stressed that personalization — done well — can replace clunky old workflows.

Paige shared how AI removes the need for rigid workflows, allowing for personalized, real-time engagement based on customer behavior. For example, AI tools can detect if a customer hasn’t interacted with the brand for a few days and send a personalized follow-up.

Keegan added that this same approach applies beautifully to product support. By combining Anagram with their other systems, Kent Outdoors ensures that even first-time buyers feel supported throughout their journey — from product discovery to post-purchase follow-ups.

“With Anagram, it’s like giving your customer a personal guide through your store, without them having to wait for a human response.” — Keegan, Kent Outdoors

Balancing AI with the Human Touch

One of the smartest parts of the panel? The discussion on how to avoid over-reliance on AI.

Both Keegan and Paige recognize that while AI delivers speed and scale, human empathy still matters — especially when customers are frustrated or need nuanced help. Kent Outdoors uses Anagram and other AI tools for everyday inquiries but ensures human agents step in when deeper empathy or complex troubleshooting is required.

“AI is great, but it doesn’t have empathy. You still need humans for that — it’s about finding the right balance.” — Keegan, Kent Outdoors

Actionable Takeaways for Brands

If you’re building an eCommerce brand and want to harness AI like Keegan and Paige, here are your top takeaways:

1. Use AI for product discovery
   Help customers find the right products faster with tools like Anagram that can answer technical or beginner questions in real time.

2. Boost retention with personalized engagement
   Set up AI-driven follow-ups based on customer behavior. Reach out at the right moments to increase LTV.

3. Balance automation with humanity
   Let AI handle the routine, but have human agents ready for sensitive or complex issues.

4. Start where you are
   Even if you’re a small team, you can use tools like Anagram and Rapid Talk to scale support and engagement without needing to hire an army.

Final Word

This session proved what many of us already suspected: AI isn’t just a trend — it’s the future of eCommerce.

By integrating smart AI tools like Anagram, brands like Kent Outdoors and Elan Pure are not just keeping up — they’re staying ahead, growing faster, and delivering standout customer experiences at scale.

As Paige said perfectly: “AI gives you the power of a full team, even if you’re running solo.”

And honestly? We love to see it.

You can watch the whole video recording here: