Podean and Commerce Canal join forces to create the largest independent global marketplaces-focused agency

Podean, the leading global marketplace agency and recipient of Amazon’s coveted “Global Expansion Award”, announced the strategic acquisition of Commerce Canal, a leader in marketplace strategy and operations. With investment from Mountaingate Capital, the combined company establishes a powerful platform for high-growth global brands, bringing together Podean’s global strategy, analytics, media, social commerce, and content solutions with Commerce Canal’s marketplace optimization strategy, brand, licensor, and licensee management capabilities. 

The combination of Podean and Commerce Canal will create the largest independent global marketplace-focused agency and deliver an end-to-end solution, powered by the proprietary Purvey.AI data and insights platform. The integrated offering, spanning all major marketplaces including Amazon, Walmart, Costco, Target, Instacart, and Mercado Libre, will drive accelerated growth and sales, and create an unfair advantage for their clients.

Mark Power, who founded Podean in 2019, commented, “It has always been our vision to build the leading independent agency servicing clients on marketplaces around the world. The addition of Commerce Canal further deepens our marketplace strategy and operations and embeds deep data and AI into our processes to deliver insights and optimizations with scale and speed.”

Ryan Craver, Commerce Canal’s founder, added, “We’re excited to join forces with Podean, a respected industry leader, to deliver a truly differentiated, machine‑learning‑driven offering powered by our Purvey.AI platform. Together, we’ll help brands expand globally through Podean’s global reach, creative expertise, and social commerce capabilities.”

The company will have more than 200 team members across 17 countries on 5 continents, supporting over 200 brands and licensees globally. Clients of the combined platform include Mattel, Danone, Wella, De’Longhi, Revolution Beauty, Colgate-Palmolive, Luxottica, Spectrum Brands, Shure, OluKai, Steve Madden, AB InBev, Skechers, and Fruit of the Loom. 

Adam Cagan, SVP, Kids at Centric Brands, said, "Centric Brands has deep expertise and understanding in what it takes to build and grow a successful Amazon business. We manage tens of thousands of apparel and accessory SKUs across multiple marketplaces globally. Podean has been a strategic partner of ours across many divisions since 2021, and we appreciate their continued investment in offerings through their new acquisition, in particular, a focus on applying AI to deliver the efficiency and effectiveness needed for us to maintain and expand our category leadership."

Travis Johnson, Podean’s CEO, concluded, “This is the beginning of something unique and at scale in the market. Commerce Canal is the perfect complement to Podean’s current global offering. We’re excited to join forces and leverage our combined capabilities as one team of marketplace experts.”

The three agency founders will transition into new roles and be key board members within the larger platform.  Mark will focus on the growth of relationships, talent, and clients. Ryan will focus on the strategy and analytics disciplines within the business. Travis will be the Chief Executive Officer.

The strategic combination of Podean and Commerce Canal was facilitated via an equity investment from Mountaingate Capital, a Colorado-based, growth-focused private equity firm.  Mountaingate has deep experience in this space, having been the original private equity investors in Tinuiti and Mars United Commerce.

About Podean - A Global Amazon Powerhouse

Founded in 2019 by Mark Power and joined soon after by Travis Johnson, Podean initially established itself as a pure-play Amazon agency. Since its inception, it has evolved into the only truly global, independent marketplace agency, offering an extensive suite of end-to-end marketplace services. These services span global strategy, analytics, media, social commerce, and content solutions, delivered across major platforms including Amazon, Walmart, Target, Instacart, and Mercado Libre.

Podean is also a leader in social commerce through their LiveCraft division, which capitalizes on driving commerce through influencers.  Given Podean’s leadership in this area, they were one of TikTok’s earliest accredited agency partners.    

Podean’s global footprint is extensive, with operations across North America, Latin America, Australia, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Its operational model is remote, comprising approximately 180 employees globally, supported by a team in the Philippines that provides 24/7 assistance for design, media, and reporting functions. The firm holds industry-leading Amazon credentials, including Advanced Amazon Partner status in the markets it serves. Podean was awarded the Global Expansion Partner of the Year Award by Amazon in 2023 and has been chosen to present at Amazon events, including Cannes and numerous webinars.  

About Commerce Canal - Specialists in Marketplace Strategy and Operation

Commerce Canal, founded in 2016 by Ryan Craver, began as a pure-play Amazon agency before transforming into a full-service marketplace management firm. Its unique differentiators stem from a consultative approach, deeply rooted in Ryan’s background in management consulting at Accenture, coupled with extensive expertise in supply chain, logistics, and licensee management at Hudson’s Bay Company.  

Commerce Canal primarily serves mid-market brands and licensees, with a notable specialization in the apparel sector. While renowned for its advanced Amazon capabilities, the company also enables brands to excel on platforms such as Costco, Target, Macy’s, Walmart, and Wayfair. Additionally, Commerce Canal offers a leading Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) service, helping brands adapt to the evolving consumer landscape as shopping journeys increasingly leverage AI-powered chat engines like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot. A cornerstone of Commerce Canal’s solution is Purvey.AI, its proprietary, AI-driven technology platform engineered specifically for the marketplaces sector. Leveraging advanced machine learning algorithms, Purvey.AI optimizes demand forecasting, automates client reporting, enhances inventory management, and streamlines product catalog operations—empowering retailers with data-driven insights and operational efficiency.

More about Purvey.AI:

Purvey.AI transforms eCommerce businesses into forward-thinking, data-driven powerhouses. Its capabilities empower clients to uncover hidden opportunities, proactively identify and address problems before they escalate, and outmaneuver competitors. The platform provides key metrics in one convenient interface, offering daily snapshots, real-time notifications, and AI-powered reporting and suggested optimizations. Purvey.AI significantly reduces the time clients spend on data digging, allowing them to allocate more time to strategic planning and execution. Podean’s proprietary measurement and management technology will be integrated with Purvey.AI. 

For Press Inquiry: 

For further information, please contact Mark Power, Founder and Chief Growth Officer, mark@podean.com, ‭+1 (646) 463-0066‬, or Ryan Craver, Founder and Chief Strategy & Analytics Officer, ryan@podean.com, +1 ‭(917) 733-1226‬

Want to know more? Get in touch with the newest global marketplace powerhouse below.