How PopSips Uses Influencer Gifting and AI to Seed Products at Scale

How PopSips Uses Influencer Gifting and AI to Seed Products at Scale

Influencer gifting doesn’t have to mean endless DMs and guesswork. Andy, co-founder of PopSips and Passion Tree, shares how his team uses a combination of AI tools and the Influencer Gift Form Shopify app to scale their influencer seeding strategy—without a massive budget.

If you're a Shopify brand looking to send products to influencers without the headaches, this one's for you.

From RV Launch to Target Shelves

PopSips didn’t start with fancy funding or celeb founders. Andy and his co-founders launched their first brand, Passion Tree, by wrapping an old RV, brewing in their apartment, and hitting liquor stores door-to-door.

Fast forward: they landed in Target, scaled their second brand PopSips into 700+ stores, and built a grassroots following by being different.

Now? They’re all-in on influencer gifting as a scalable way to get their product in the right hands.

Why They Chose Influencer Gifting Over Ads

"If you're a startup, every dollar counts," Andy says. "And paying influencers can feel like a casino bet."

Instead of blowing budget on paid influencer campaigns, Andy uses product seeding to:

• Let creators experience the product organically

• See who genuinely resonates with the brand

• Identify future paid partners based on real enthusiasm

Their Gifting Workflow (Powered by AI + Shopify)

Here’s how Andy and the PopSips team send free product to hundreds of creators without losing their minds:

1. Find aligned creators on Instagram and TikTok

2. Use Bardeen AI to scrape their follower lists and build a spreadsheet of potential new influencers

3. Automatically send email outreach + a link to the Influencer Gift Form

4. The influencer fills out the form, selects their product, and Shopify handles fulfillment

No DMs. No spreadsheets. No asking "what's your address?"

"We're saving so much time and getting product into the hands of creators who are actually excited about it," Andy says.

Why It Works

PopSips is in a super crowded category (RTD beverages), but their prebiotic spiked soda stands out. And when influencers genuinely like what they receive, they post about it. Not because they're paid, but because it's actually cool.

"Some creators just message us saying 'I loved this!' even if they don't post. That tells us a lot," Andy explains. "Those are the ones we remember later when it's time to do a real collab."

Tips for Brands Starting with Influencer Gifting

• Let go of control: Not every gift will result in a post. That’s okay.

• Use gifting to test brand resonance: The ones who love it will tell you.

• Automate what you can: Time is your most valuable asset.

• Keep it human: Personalize outreach when possible.

Bonus Use Case: Gifting as a Pre-Collab Filter

Instead of betting big on paid influencer deals, PopSips uses gifting as a filter:

• Do they love the product?

• Do they naturally share it?

• Does their content feel authentic?

If yes, that's when Andy considers inviting them into longer-term partnerships.

Want to Try Andy's Workflow?

You don’t need a 10-person marketing team or an agency to scale your gifting. Tools like Bardeen AI and Influencer Gift Form can help you:

• Find the right creators

• Send gifts automatically

• Track everything inside Shopify

It’s how Andy does it. And it might be how you scale your brand, too.

More Founder Playbooks Coming Soon

We’re interviewing more Shopify founders to learn exactly how they use influencer gifting and product seeding to grow. Subscribe to Influencer Gifting w/ Neil Magnuson on YouTube to catch the next episode.