Ecommerce Playbook: Numbers, Struggles & Growth: Recent Episodes
Common Thread Collective
Week-over-week, join Andrew Faris — CEO of 4x400 — where he shares the real-life numbers, struggles, and everything in between when running multiple ecommerce businesses.
4x400 is an ecommerce holding company that acquires, launches, and grows DTC brands (owned by Common Thread Collective). That means you’ll get to go behind the scenes into the raw truths. Even if it sounds crazy, this is the unpolished story: from failures to successes, from “the high highs to the low lows.” Let’s take this journey together.
Welcome to another episode of the eCommerce Playbook Podcast! Today, Taylor is joined by Kyle Hency, co-founder of Chubbies and CEO of GoodDay Software. They dive into Kyle’s journey from Chubbies to Loop Returns and now GoodDay Software, sharing invaluable insights on:
- Building and scaling Chubbies, a leading ecommerce brand
- Creating Loop Returns to solve operational challenges
- The importance of effective inventory management
- Introducing GoodDay Software, a game-changer in ERP solutions
Kyle discusses the critical role of data integrity in making better inventory decisions, enhancing operational efficiency, and opening new sales channels.
Follow Kyle and GoodDay Software:
- Website: gooddaysoftware.com
- Twitter: @gooddaysoftware
Don’t miss this episode packed with practical advice from one of the top minds in ecommerce. Subscribe for more insights on business growth and operational excellence.
Show Notes:
- Visit https://bit.ly/4bSvSif today to learn how to scale with a focus on profitability.
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
In this episode of the eCommerce Playbook Podcast, Taylor and Tony Chopp, the VP of Paid Media from Common Thread Collective, explore the shifting landscape of Google Ads and the challenges posed by the implementation of PMAX. With over 20 years of experience in digital advertising, Tony brings invaluable insights into how AI developments are reshaping the strategies for Google Ads, particularly with PMAX's impact on advertising effectiveness and budget allocation.
Tony breaks down the complexities of Google Shopping, the nuances of data feeds, and how brands can effectively navigate the ever-evolving digital advertising space. He also shares his journey from learning painful lessons in eCommerce advertising to becoming a data feed expert, making this session a goldmine for marketers looking to enhance their Google Ads proficiency.
Key topics covered include:
- The transition to PMAX and its industry-wide repercussions.
- Strategies for managing brand and non-brand PMAX campaigns to maximize ROI.
- Analyzing recent shifts in ad spend distribution within the eCommerce sector.
This episode is packed with actionable advice and strategic insights to help you leverage Google Ads for your business advantage in the AI era. Don't miss out on understanding the current dynamics of digital advertising from one of the industry's seasoned experts!
Show Notes:
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
Welcome to the April edition of our State of the eCommerce Industry Report! Our experts are here to break down everything that's happening in the market right now.
We’re covering everything from impressive revenue growth across different brand sizes to significant shifts in advertising strategies and the evolving roles of platforms like PMAX and Advantage Plus. Plus, we'll discuss the recent turbulence in Shopify and Meta stock values.
Wondering how to adjust your digital marketing or just curious about the future directions of eCommerce? This episode is packed with must-know info and actionable insights.
Stay tuned as we chat about the real-world data that’s shaping our strategies and predictions, making sure you're equipped to navigate the dynamic landscape of online business. Don't miss out on this informative and engaging session—hit that play button now for a deep dive into the state of eCommerce!
Show Notes:
- Get the DTC Index - https://www.dtcindex.com/
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
In this episode of the eCommerce Playbook Podcast, we're diving deep into why organic revenue is essential for sustainable growth. Richard and Taylor are joined by Travis Biechele, the brand-new Director of SEO at CTC.
They discuss the strategic reasons behind CTC's shift towards SEO and how we're leveraging organic growth to build a stable revenue foundation for our clients. Learn about Travis's journey from a random tweet to becoming CTC's SEO Director. Hear about his innovative approach and dedication to driving results, and find out why he's the perfect fit for leading our SEO efforts.
Show Notes:
- Get your free ticket to Make Ads That Convert: https://bit.ly/3UzCv26
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
In this episode of the eCommerce Playbook Podcast, Taylor is joined by Steven Borrelli of Cuts Clothing. Steven shares how his brand, Cuts, launched as a small team focused on men's T-shirts and rapidly grew into a GQ giant.
He discusses the pivotal post-COVID era, navigating supply chain disruptions, inventory challenges, and the surge in demand for new products. He also reflects on lessons learned from launching products, understanding growth vs. seasonal items, and coordinating marketing, finance, and operations to drive cash-based marketing strategies.
Tune in as we unpack how to navigate unpredictable demand, refine cash flow models, and build seamless teamwork between departments. Learn about the importance of liquidation, ordering strategies, and the nuances of contribution margins. Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting out, this episode is a goldmine of insights on building a successful e-commerce business that scales efficiently while minimizing costly missteps.
Show Notes:
- Get your free ticket to Make Ads That Convert: https://bit.ly/3JTlXxa
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
Last week, Taylor sat down with Sean Frank from Ridge and Tomer Tagrin of Yotpo to discuss the future of ecommerce SaaS companies.
This week, Taylor joins Richard to clarify an important point from that discussion — brand equity is still the difference maker for both SaaS and DTC businesses.
Show Notes:
- Get your free ticket to Make Ads That Convert: https://bit.ly/3QEwaRN
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
In this special edition of the Ecommerce Playbook Podcast, Richard sits down with CTC Sales Directors Matthew Axline and Peter Hassan to discuss the most common mistakes brands make, the organizational error that destroys profitability, and the one thing they’d rather not have to say on sales calls anymore.
Show Notes:
- Get your free ticket to Make Ads That Convert: https://bit.ly/4bkY5Ox
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
In this episode of the eCommerce Playbook Podcast, we've convened a panel of experts from the ecommerce industry to dive into one of the most debated topics today: SaaS pricing.
Today's discussion features insights from Sean Frank of Ridge, and Tomer Tagrin of Yotpo, with moderation by Eric Dyck from DTC. This episode promises to offer an in-depth exploration of the strategies, challenges, and innovations shaping SaaS pricing in ecommerce.
Tune in for a riveting conversation filled with expert analyses and real-world perspectives. Join us for an episode packed with valuable takeaways and straight talk from some of the top minds in the business.
Show Notes:
- Get your free ticket to Make Ads That Convert: https://bit.ly/3Wg5kDe
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
In this episode of the eCommerce Playbook Podcast, we’re diving into the world of marketing incrementality and its impact on brand growth. Join Taylor and Luke as they explore the nuances of incrementality, attribution tools, and the quest for measurable ROI.
Luke, our resident tactician, shares his expertise on how brands can strategically allocate their resources to maximize incremental contribution to their bottom line. Whether you're a marketer seeking clarity on where to invest your budget or simply curious about the evolving landscape of digital marketing, this episode is for you.
Show Notes:
- Get 50% off your first month of Motion when you mention Common Thread Collective to the Motion team. https://bit.ly/44aWUiw
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
Join us for a raw and honest discussion as we dive into the evolution of company culture and the challenges faced by CTC in maintaining focus amidst changing priorities. In this episode, Orchid and Dane explore the journey of realization about the shift in priorities from personal dreams to core company objectives.
From the inception of a visionary employee program, "Tell Me Your Dreams," to the realization of its impact on company culture, we uncover the pivotal moments and reflections of leadership. Learn about the complexities of balancing personal aspirations with professional obligations and the critical role of culture alignment in driving organizational success.
Discover how this CTC navigated the transition from embracing personal dreams to prioritizing client service excellence, and the valuable lessons learned along the way. Join us as we explore the importance of setting clear boundaries, defining company purpose, and aligning culture with core business objectives.
Show Notes:
-Get 50% off your first month of Motion when you mention Common Thread Collective to the Motion team. https://bit.ly/44aWUiw
-The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
Welcome to the March edition of our State of the eCommerce Industry Report! In this episode, we take a deep dive into the performance of the industry throughout March. Joined by experts from various data conglomerates, we unravel the trends and insights shaping the eCommerce landscape.
We're excited to share teasers from our latest report, which goes live on Monday, April 15th at https://www.dtcindex.com/. Make sure to sign up for immediate access to the full report and past issues in PDF format.
In this episode, we're looking into Mother's Day trends, drawing from data collected in 2023 to anticipate 2024's market dynamics. From purchasing patterns to timing insights, we equip eCommerce businesses with actionable strategies for maximizing sales during this crucial holiday period.
Furthermore, we delve into consumer confidence metrics, highlighting significant milestones reached in March. Despite ongoing economic uncertainties, our survey data reflects a cautiously optimistic outlook among DTC shoppers, offering valuable implications for business strategies.
Additionally, we unveil intriguing revelations about media buying trends on major platforms. From Meta (formerly Facebook) to TikTok, we analyze spending, CPM rates, and ROAS fluctuations, providing a comprehensive snapshot of the e-commerce advertising landscape.
Ultimately, our goal is to empower eCommerce businesses with data-driven insights to navigate the ever-evolving market landscape. Join us as we explore the intricacies of the eCommerce industry and uncover actionable strategies for success.
Don't miss out on the latest industry insights—subscribe now and stay ahead of the curve!
Welcome back to another episode of the eCommerce Playbook Podcast! Today we dive deep into the fascinating world of marketing economics with CTC alumni Andrew Faris. Join us as we explore the concept of Negative Customer Acquisition Costs (CAC) and how it's revolutionizing the way businesses approach customer acquisition.
In this episode, we discuss the idea of getting paid to acquire customers through strategic content creation. We explore real-world examples, including the innovative tactics used by successful businesses like Missouri Quilt Co. and others, who have turned their marketing expenses into profit centers.
Discover how content-first businesses are not only avoiding traditional paid acquisition costs but are actually generating revenue from the content they create. From YouTube channels to subscription-based magazines, we uncover the strategies behind this game-changing approach to marketing.
Show Notes:
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
- "With $10M In Revenue And $0 In Ad Spend, Isaac Medeiros Is In A Class Of His Own" (Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3SgdOZa Apple: https://apple.co/43SQi7m)
- "Growing Profitability ft. Alan Doan of Missouri Quilt Co" Ecommerce Playbook Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nvrtLkJOXM
- NVIDIA CEO Jensen Yang's "I Wish You Suffering" Video: https://twitter.com/petergyang/status/1768645902263369776
- Kevin Espiritu On Negative Cac: https://twitter.com/kevinespiritu/status/1770159574194217368
- Subscribe to Andrew's pod: https://www.youtube.com/@andrewfarispodcast
Welcome back to another episode of the eCommerce Playbook Podcast! In today's episode, we're diving deep into the fascinating journey of Loop Earplugs (GQ score of 148), a brand that has not only disrupted the earplug industry but has also redefined how we perceive hearing protection.
Join us as we sit down with Dimitri O, one of the co-founders of Loop Earplugs, for a conversation on their remarkable evolution and strategic pivots.
Show Notes:
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
Most brands put a huge amount of time and effort into hiring staff — multiple rounds of interviews, reference calls, take-home assessments. So why don’t brands put the same effort into hiring an agency?
In this episode, Taylor and Richard talk through the 5 questions to ask an agency before you hire them … and who you should seek the answers from.
Show Notes:
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
Welcome back to another episode of the E-Commerce Playbook Podcast! Today's episode is one for the books, featuring a guest who needs no introduction other than "your mom's favorite." Yes, you heard that right, it's none other than Alan Doan, co-founder of the Missouri Star Quilt Company, a.k.a Dr. Bill Nye on Twitter!In this episode, Alan shares the fascinating journey behind the Missouri Star Quilt Company, from its humble beginnings to becoming the world's largest quilt shop, with over a hundred million in revenue annually and a whopping 400 employees! But what sets them apart isn't just their impressive stats; it's their commitment to community, authenticity, and genuine connection with their customers.Discover how Alan and his team built an engaged, loyal audience through their YouTube channel, offering everything from quilting tutorials to product demos, and revolutionizing the quilting industry one stitch at a time.Tune in as Alan dives deep into the philosophy behind their success, the importance of authenticity in ecommerce, and the joy of building meaningful relationships with customers. Whether you're a seasoned marketer or a newbie to the craft, this episode is sure to inspire and delight! Don't miss out—hit play now and join us on this incredible journey with Alan Doan!
Show Notes:
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
Big news from Meta this week: “Engaged” audiences are now available for reporting in Advantage+ Shopping Campaigns. But what does this change really mean for brands, and how is it useful if you can’t optimize against it?
CTC Director of Growth Strategy Luke Austin joins Richard on the pod this week to talk about the rollout of the Engaged Customers Audience and how you can harness it to get insight into customer LTV.
Show Notes:
- Want an easier way to source UGC? Streamline your process with SARAL’s chrome extension: http://getsaral.com/champions/ctc
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
In this episode, Taylor and Brian Garofalow take listeners on a captivating journey through Brian's remarkable career path, tracing his evolution from a passionate skateboarder in Southern California to his current leadership role as CEO of Skullcandy. Throughout their discussion, Taylor and Brian—affectionately known as BG—explore the pivotal moments, challenges, and lessons learned along the way.
BG's story serves as a testament to the power of perseverance, seizing opportunities, and cultivating meaningful connections. From his early experiences in the vibrant world of board sports to navigating the complexities of tech startups and ecommerce ventures, BG's diverse background provides invaluable insights for listeners at every stage of their own career journeys.
Show Notes:
- Get 30 free days of Toki’s cutting-edge customer loyalty platform (including cashback and paid membership programs) at buildwithtoki.com/ctc.
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
In our recent DTC Index Monthly report, we analyzed the ways Meta seems to have “broken” over the last several weeks. But if Meta’s broken, what can you do about it?
On this episode of the pod, Taylor and Richard dive deep into what to do — and what NOT to do — when the fundamental system your ads are built on stops working properly.
Show Notes:
- Sign up for the DTC Index here: https://www.dtcindex.com/
- Want an easier way to source UGC? Streamline your process with SARAL’s chrome extension: http://getsaral.com/champions/ctc
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
In this episode of the State of the Ecommerce Industry brought to you by the DTC Index, we dive into the hot topics swirling around the ecommerce landscape. Join us as we dissect the noise surrounding Meta's performance, the impact of the Super Bowl, and the Valentine's Day shopping frenzy.
Our team of experts, including Jeremiah Prummer from KnoCommerce, Wyatt Mayhem from Cast Metrics, Yarden Shaked from Varos, and Steve Rekuc from Common Thread Collective, bring you exclusive insights based on extensive data analysis and industry expertise.
From uncovering gifting trends around Valentine's Day to evaluating the effectiveness of Super Bowl commercials for brands like Elf and Etsy, we leave no stone unturned in our quest to provide you with actionable insights.
But the burning question remains: Was Meta truly broken in February? Find out as we dive deep into the data and separate fact from fiction in this highly anticipated episode.
Show Notes:
- Want an easier way to source UGC? Streamline your process with SARAL’s chrome extension: http://getsaral.com/champions/ctc
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
Dive into the fascinating journey of Duke Cannon Supply Co. on the Ecommerce Playbook Podcast! Join Chris Lutz, Director of Digital and Ecommerce, as we explore the brand's unconventional path to success—from specialty retail to major chains like Target and Walmart.
Discover how Duke Cannon's unique packaging and merchandising strategy sets them apart on every shelf. Chris shares insights into their digital marketing challenges on platforms like Meta and TikTok, emphasizing humor and authenticity to engage their audience.
Show Notes:
-The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
Inertia is as much a law of organizational dynamics as it is a law of physics. So what do you do about it?
On this episode of the podcast, Taylor and Richard discuss Taylor’s recent week working directly with client accounts and his observations on the absolute importance of motivating your team to swift, decisive action.
Show Notes:
Get started with CTC’s Prophit System here.
Welcome to a new episode of the Ecommerce Playbook Podcast! In this interview, we delve into the success story of Carnivore Snax, one of the fastest-growing brands in e-commerce, breaking barriers by selling food online with an insane GQ score of 226.8. Mark Ritz, the founder and CEO, shares insights into the unique challenges of selling meat snacks on the internet and the brand's journey.
Discover the origins of Carnivore Snax, born out of the founder's commitment to the carnivore diet. Mark explains the significance of their focus on providing a simple, high-protein snack that aligns with the trending prioritization of protein in diets.
Show Notes:
- Get 30 free days of Toki’s cutting-edge customer loyalty platform (including cashback and paid membership programs) at buildwithtoki.com/ctc.
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
Join Taylor and Richard as they dive into the T-shaped marketer concept by Brian Balfour, exploring key skills at the base, marketing foundation, and channel expertise layers. Taylor emphasizes specialization and taking bets on emerging channels for career success. Tune in for actionable insights and expert advice on excelling in e-commerce marketing. Subscribe now for more valuable discussions!
Show Notes:
- Get started with CTC’s Prophit System here.
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
Travis and Taylor, a new album announcement from Beyoncé, a Martin Scorsese-directed ad — the Super Bowl was a night of massive cultural moments.
On this episode, Taylor (Holiday) and Richard sit down to discuss the biggest night in advertising, the necessity of creating outsized cultural moments for any brand, and whether those Temu ads made any sense.
Show Notes:
- See how Oddit can help, or get a free design from them right here.
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
🚀 Exciting News in Ecommerce! 🚀
Get ready for a wild ride as we dive deep into the chaotic world of ecommerce with the masterminds behind the scenes. In this video, we are thrilled to introduce our powerhouse team, each bringing their unique expertise and data to the table.
Meet Yarden, the Co-founder and CEO of Varos, a massive data co-op sitting on a treasure trove of information from 6,000 e-commerce-related stores. Discover how Varos aggregates, anonymizes, and analyzes data from various platforms, giving unparalleled insights into the industry's dynamics.
Next up is Jeremiah, Founder and CEO at KnoCommerce, the survey platform with a qualitative edge. Learn how Jeremiah's team works with 3,300+ brands, delving into billions of dollars in online revenue to provide exclusive and meaningful insights not found anywhere else.
Enter Wyatt Mayhem, the Founder of CastMetrics, bringing a whole new dimension to our data consortium. Wyatt gives us a peek into his world of consumer transaction-level credit card data, offering a panoramic view of how people are spending trillions of dollars across the United States.
Last but certainly not least is Steve, the Senior Data Analyst at Common Thread Collective. Watch as Steve weaves the threads of data together, crafting compelling narratives from the information provided by our data nerds.
But that's not all! Join us on this thrilling journey as we launch the DTC Data Consortium, where these industry leaders will unravel the mysteries of January's ecommerce landscape. From platform insights to ad spend trends and customer acquisition dynamics, get ready to be in the know.
Don't miss out on this ecommerce rollercoaster! Head to DTCindex.com to sign up for our monthly newsletter and podcast, where we'll dissect the state of the industry and provide you with the latest and greatest insights. Stay ahead of the curve with the DTC Data Consortium – your ticket to understanding the chaos of ecommerce!
Tune in to the latest episode of the E-commerce Playbook Podcast! In this episode, Taylor dissects the success of Jones Road Beauty with Cody Plofker, CRO of Jones Road Beauty. Discover their outstanding GQ score of 177.39 and unparalleled spending power, making them a true outlier in the beauty industry.
Learn about the collaboration between Common Thread Collective and Jones Road Beauty in building a spend model and achieving a remarkable 1% accuracy in revenue prediction.
Show Notes:
- Want an easier way to source UGC? Streamline your process with SARAL’s chrome extension: http://getsaral.com/champions/ctc
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
The most crucial role on any ecommerce creative team isn’t the strategist, it’s the Creative Operations Manager. So why do so few ecommerce brands and agencies have this role?
On this episode, Taylor and Richard discuss the importance of this role, how we deploy creative ops at CTC, and what characteristics to look for in a Creative Ops Manager.
Show Notes:
- Get started with CTC’s Prophit System here.
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
After relaunching the email marketing service at Common Thread Collective, Taylor and Richard sit down to discuss how our service has changed since the last time we’ve offered it, how we plan email campaigns to maximize revenue, and how the scope of email marketing can — and should — expand beyond retention.
Show Notes:
- Get started with CTC’s Prophit System here.
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
Welcome back to another insightful episode of the Ecommerce Playbook Podcast! In this interview episode, we sit down with Cherene Aubert, the VP of Digital and Ecommerce at ILIA Beauty, a powerhouse beauty brand with a GQ score of 221.
Cherene shares her expertise in decoding growth strategies, dissecting the DNA of successful ecommerce giants, and navigating the nuanced world of cosmetics and skincare.
Join us as Cherene delves into ILIA Beauty's journey, from its roots in skincare to its focus on clean and performance-driven cosmetics. Learn how Cherene applies her extensive experience in growth strategy to elevate brands, drawing from her impactful roles at CTC and Bobbie.
Show Notes:
- Grapevine’s partnering with Common Thread Collective to offer listeners a discount on their first campaign. Click here to book a demo with Grapevine today!
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
ADmission members-only episode preview. Unlock full episodes at youradmission.co
In this episode, CTC Director of Growth Strategy Luke Austin takes a turn on the mic, demonstrating how to forecast revenue for the most important, predictable source of revenue: Email.
aylor recently set off a firestorm on DTC Twitter/X by claiming that “top-of-funnel” platforms — those that claim to raise brand awareness without any clear path to conversion lift — is essentially a scam.
On this episode, Taylor and Richard dig into the thinking behind that clickbait headline, breaking down exactly why channels like TV are a dangerous temptation to ecommerce operators.
Show Notes:
- Get started with CTC’s Prophit System here.
- View Taylor’s tweet here.
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
In today's episode, we interview Dave Huffman, CMO of Ancestral Supplements, a unique and rapidly growing brand with a GQ score of over 397. Discover their market positioning, the power of community, and their innovative approach to product development. Join us for insights into health trends, effective marketing, and the success story of Ancestral Supplements.
Show Notes:
- Want an easier way to source UGC? Streamline your process with SARAL’s chrome extension: http://getsaral.com/champions/ctc
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
ADmission members-only episode preview. Unlock full episodes at youradmission.co
It’s a common question: Where is the biggest opportunity for me to spend my advertising dollars?
In this episode, Taylor lays out exactly where the vast majority of smaller businesses should be allocating their marketing budget.
On this episode of the podcast, CTC Director of Growth Strategy Luke Austin sits down with Richard to identify the key characteristics of the brands that are best set up to thrive in 2024’s profit-first environment.
Show Notes:
- Get started with CTC’s Prophit System here.
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm
Welcome to the first episode of a new series on the Ecommerce Playbook Podcast! In this series, we step aside from the usual interviews and dive into the world of brand operators, exploring successful brands through the lens of their GQ score (Growth Quotient).To kick off the series, we interview Dave Rekuc, President of Bambu Earth, our own brand with a GQ score of 119.7. Explore the strengths and weaknesses of this middle-market bootstrap ecommerce brand that's expected to hit $12 million in 2023. From high LTV to low carrying costs, discover the key attributes that make Bambu Earth a successful skincare brand.Show Notes:Grapevine’s partnering with Common Thread Collective to offer listeners a discount on their first campaign. Click here to book a demo with Grapevine today! https://qc0fgbadvc8.typeform.com/to/qwVSYUqV?utm_campaign=CTC&typeform-source=emailThe Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
ADmission members-only episode preview. Unlock full episodes at youradmission.co
As the post-holiday slump hits, many brands are facing a dreaded “revenue valley” — a down moment where people just aren’t buying. In this episode, Taylor unpacks the tactics you need to survive any post-peak revenue hangover.
On this episode of the podcast, Taylor and Richard shift focus from long-term 2024 predictions to the most important trends happening right now — the decline of the “Head of Growth” role, the shift toward fixed fees for vendors, the rise of the Chief Operating Officer, and more.
Show Notes:
- Get 30 free days of Toki’s cutting-edge customer loyalty platform (including cashback and paid membership programs) at buildwithtoki.com/ctc.
- See Taylor’s Ecommerce Ins and Outs tweet here.
The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
As we enter a new year, Taylor and Richard walk through 5 critical ecommerce trends that we expect to take off in 2024.
- The rise of the product influencer brands
- Less, better stuff trend
- The * grift comes to an end
- Contribution margin shows up in Shopify Dash
- ** bubble pops
Gotta listen to fill in the blanks...
Show Notes:
The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
ADmission members-only episode preview. Unlock full episodes at youradmission.co
In this episode, Taylor breaks down one of the most crucial metrics in ecommerce: LTV. Watch to learn more about how to measure it, how it impacts different industries, and how to grow it into an elite level.
In this final episode of our 5-part series on the Prophit system, Taylor and Richard get on the mic to wrap things up, explaining how all the elements of the system work together to deliver on a daily plan for predictable, profitable growth.
Show Notes:
- Elevar is offering 50% off Expert Installation ($1000 value) with the purchase of a subscription (Essentials Plan or above) by January 19, 2024. Please complete this short form to take advantage of the offer. Offer available for new Elevar clients only
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
What do you do when your Meta ads account is on fire? How about when you need more creative? And what do you do when the account is performing too well?
In this episode, Richard chats with Max Rosewater, Senior Paid Social Buyer at CTC, about the key parts of his decision-making process — and, how to translate your forecast into a day-to-day, channel-specific media plan.
Show Notes:
- Elevar is offering 50% off Expert Installation ($1000 value) with the purchase of a subscription (Essentials Plan or above) by January 19, 2024. Please complete this short form to take advantage of the offer. Offer available for new Elevar clients only
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
ADmission members-only episode preview. Unlock full episodes at youradmission.co
In this episode, Taylor breaks down one of the most crucial metrics in ecommerce: LTV. Watch to learn more about how to measure it, how it impacts different industries, and how to grow it into an elite level.
On this episode, Richard chats with Aileen McKenna, Director of Creative Strategy & Performance at CTC, about the creative aspect of our growth methodology: How to use your topline financial goals to operationalize your creative production, and how to come up with good creative ideas — quickly.
Show Notes:
The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
On this episode of the podcast, Taylor and Richard discuss Black Friday/Cyber Monday 2023 — the good, the bad, and what this year’s business-as-usual BFCM means for the ecommerce landscape in 2024.
Show Notes:
The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
ADmission members-only episode preview. Unlock full episodes at youradmission.co
In this episode, Taylor and Richard talk creative — but from an unexpected angle. Listen in as Taylor breaks down how to calculate creative needs by determining month-by-month Spend/aMER requirements.
We're taking a break this week from our regular episodes for Black Friday. In the meantime, we're dropping a preview of Taylor's 2023 BFCM Q&A with ADmission members. To watch the entire episode, head over to youradmission.co to get started on an ADmission
On this episode of the podcast, Richard chats with Luke Austin, Directory of Growth Strategy at CTC about part 2 of our growth methodology: how to build a forecasting model that ladders up to your business goals and provides clear marching orders for your creative and paid media efforts.
Show Notes:
The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
ADmission members-only episode preview. Unlock full episodes at youradmission.co
In this first episode of our brand-new bonus series, Taylor and Richard sit down to talk everything Cost Caps — why you should be using them, when to use cost caps vs min ROAS bidding, and how to set up your cost cap campaigns in Meta Ads manager. Then, they discuss the biggest barrier to Cost Caps success — creative volume — and how to make sure you have the creative you need to support your desired spend.
On this episode of the podcast, Taylor and Richard embark on part 1 of a 5-part series on CTC’s new growth methodology: the Prophit System.
They kick the series off by discussing the crucial beginning of the journey: defining a business objective that will lead to the outcome that you want.
Show Notes:
- Want access to our new bonus episodes? Join ADmission today: youradmission.co
- Want an easier way to source UGC? Streamline your process with SARAL’s chrome extension: http://getsaral.com/champions/ctc
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
On this episode of the podcast, Taylor is joined by Connor Rolain, Head of Growth at Hexclad, and Connor MacDonald, CMO at Ridge.com, to talk their BFCM strategy — from pacing your sale strategy to the tradeoff between offer simplicity and inventory constraints.
Show Notes:
- Want an easier way to source UGC? Streamline your process with SARAL’s chrome extension: http://getsaral.com/champions/ctc
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
The past few episodes of the Ecommerce Playbook focused on the profitability struggles that will define 2024. But this week, Taylor and Richard demonstrate how you reach profitability: a clear forecast that sets daily expectations across dozens of key metrics.
Show Notes:
- Get V2 of the Ecommerce Diagnostic Toolkit before the price goes up here: https://bit.ly/46WU14Q
- Want us to put this system in place for you? We’d love to talk. Just get in touch with us at https://commonthreadco.com/pages/ecommerce-strategy to get started.
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
New customer revenue is plummeting as brands run earlier, more frequent discounts, and returning customer revenue may not be far behind.
Looking at the state of ecommerce this month, CTC Director of Growth Strategy Luke Austin sits down with Richard to discuss why he’s worried about Q4 2023, and the one thing that clearly distinguishes winning brands from the field as we move into 2024.
Show Notes:
- Want an easier way to source UGC? Streamline your process with SARAL’s chrome extension: http://getsaral.com/champions/ctc
- Purchase the full BFCM Offer Database here: https://commonthreadco.com/products/black-friday-offer-database
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
The feeling among ecommerce brand leaders right now is pretty uniform: September was a bad month. And we have the data to substantiate that feeling.
In this episode, Taylor and Richard dive into this week’s DTC Index newsletter and break down why last month’s “sponge squeeze” could have a major impact on performance moving forward.
Show Notes:
- Sign up for the DTC Index here to get up-to-date information on key ecommerce trends: https://commonthreadco.com/products/dtc-index
- Purchase the full BFCM Offer Database here: https://commonthreadco.com/products/black-friday-offer-database
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
On this episode, Taylor and Richard dive into the 2023 BFCM Offer Database, a massive spreadsheet that documents Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers from 700+ ecommerce brands.
Discussion includes why you definitely should run an offer on Black Friday, a surprising truth about Buy One, Get One offers, and the role of novelty in “breaking the noise” on the biggest weekend of the year.
Show Notes:
- Purchase the full BFCM Offer Database here: https://commonthreadco.com/products/black-friday-offer-database
- If you’re a $10M - $100M ecommerce brand with a Growth Quotient (GQ) of 130 or greater, we’ll cover $25k of ad spend when you become a CTC client. Apply here: https://commonthreadco.com/pages/contact-holiday-ad-spend
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
On this episode, Taylor and Richard break down the most important trends in ecommerce, and discuss what the future holds for margin innovation, AI, and the connection between marketing and finance.
Show Notes:
- For a limited time, join our membership program, ADmission, plus get access to all of our flagship ecommerce products for no additional cost.
- Get started at Stamps.com today for a four-week trial, free postage, and a digital scale!
- If you’re a $10M - $100M ecommerce brand with a Growth Quotient (GQ) of 130 or greater, we’ll cover $25k of ad spend when you become a CTC client. Apply here: https://commonthreadco.com/pages/contact-holiday-ad-spend
The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
On this episode, CTC’s Director of Creative Strategy & Performance Aileen McKenna joins Taylor & Richard to discuss the urgency of building great evergreen ad creative in September and October, how to systemically brainstorm new ad ideas, and the right place to expend effort and resources when Black Friday comes.
Show Notes:
- If you’re a $10M - $100M ecommerce brand with a Growth Quotient (GQ) of 130 or greater, we’ll cover $25k of ad spend when you become a CTC client. Apply here: https://commonthreadco.com/pages/contact-holiday-ad-spend
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm
On this episode of the podcast, Taylor and Richard talk to Common Thread Collective COO Orchid Bertelsen about breaking through the pre-Holiday doldrums, how to build a revenue peak that works for your brand unique needs, and why even us aging millennials should be on TikTok.
Show Notes:
- Want an easier way to source UGC? Streamline your process with SARAL’s chrome extension: http://getsaral.com/champions/ctc
- If you’re a $10M - $100M ecommerce brand with a Growth Quotient (GQ) of 130 or greater, we’ll cover $25k of ad spend when you become a CTC client. Apply here: https://commonthreadco.com/pages/contact-holiday-ad-spend
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm
On this episode of the podcast, Taylor is joined by his brother, QALO co-founder KC Holiday, and producer Cory Hamilton, the OG CTC employee, to reflect on the early days of CTC, how ecommerce has changed over the years, and how to grow an ecommerce business from the ground up.
Show Notes:
- Go to ShipStation.com/thread today and sign up for your FREE 60-day extended trial.
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm
The theme of our 2023 Holiday strategy: Your Black Friday/Cyber Monday outcome depends on the foundation you set in August.
In this episode, Taylor and Richard break down the decisions you need to make right now to set yourself up for holiday success, from inventory planning to creative volume to revenue forecasting.
Show Notes:
- If you’re a 130+ GQ brand between $10-$100M, we’re so confident that we can win for you that we’re willing to give you a free month. Just click here to start the application process.
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.co
Q4 success starts in Q3. And the most successful brands on Black Friday have one thing in common: They plan their entire marketing effort around four distinct revenue “mini-peaks” within the holiday season.
On this episode, Richard talks with CTC Director of Growth Strategy Luke Austin and Senior Ecommerce Data Analyst Steve Rekuc, breaking down our comprehensive four-part plan to tackle BFCM for our clients in 2023.
Show Notes:
- The Edge Summit, hosted by Bloomreach, is a one-of-a-kind collective conversation on the future of marketing and AI. Learn more at theedgesummit.com.
- If you’re a 130+ GQ brand between $10-$100M, we’re so confident that we can win for you that we’re willing to give you a free month. Just click here to start the application process.
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm
Leadership is a combination of two major skills: Knowing when the organization is heading in the wrong direction, and knowing which direction to go instead.
On this episode, Taylor reflects on a recent 180 we’ve made as a business and why he thinks it’s the right time to make that change. Then, Taylor and Richard discuss the incredible power of saying “no” and how it forms the basis of strategic decision making.
Show Notes:
- If you’re a 130+ GQ brand between $10-$100M, we’re so confident that we can win for you that we’re willing to give you a free month. Just click here to start the application process.
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm
For ecommerce entrepreneurs and agency owners alike, creative continues to be the most important variable — and the trickiest to operationalize.
On this episode, Taylor and Richard talk about a recent breakthrough at CTC: A new framework, courtesy of CTC Director of Creative Strategy Aileen McKenna, that reliably generates good creative ideas — quickly.
Show Notes:
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm
- Want an easier way to source UGC? Streamline your process with SARAL’s chrome extension: http://getsaral.com/champions/ctc
What makes a great brand? What businesses are most likely to grow quickly? Why not ask the leader of the brand with the highest Growth Quotient score we’ve ever seen?
In this episode, Taylor and Richard chat with Heart & Soil CEO Dean Brennan about the brand strategy that’s led to massive first-order profitability, dirt-cheap CAC, and 200%+ 1-year LTV growth.
Show Notes:
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm
- If you’re a 130+ GQ brand between $10-$100M, we’re so confident that we can win for you that we’re willing to give you a free month
Once you have your ecommerce tactics down and you’re successfully turning a profit, you’re confronted with a deceptively complicated question: what do I do with all this money?
In this episode, Taylor talks to Dave Rekuc, president of Bambu Earth, and Mike Beckham, co-founder and CEO of Simple Modern, about the smart way to put money back into your business.
Show Notes:
The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm
In many ways, $1M to $20M is the most exciting growth stage for any ecommerce business — you know you have a business that works, but you’re small enough that you have the freedom to innovate without being held back by bureaucracy.
On this episode, Richard talks with ecommerce growth expert (and former Ecommerce Playbook host!) Andrew Faris about the keys to success for brands at this crucial growth stage.
Show Notes:
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm
- Want an easier way to source UGC? Streamline your process with SARAL’s chrome extension: http://getsaral.com/champions/ctc
- Get in touch with Andrew at ajfgrowth.com, and check out his podcast here.
Over the past several weeks, CTC Growth Strategist Luke Austin’s been conducting an experiment across a number of our clients to answer a simple question: are third-party attribution tools like Rockerbox and Triple Whale actually more accurate than native platforms like Facebook and Google?
On this episode, Taylor and Richard talk with Luke about the results of the experiment, why CTC is skeptical about third party attribution tools, and the steps you should take to test your own attribution tools.
Show Notes:
- The ADmission All-Access Sale is on until the end of the month — go to commonthreadco.com/allaccess to get all of our products free with an ADmission membership.
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm
Every brand has a mission statement. Every brand should have a clear business philosophy. But how do you take those ideas and create a framework for your people to actually put them into action?
On this episode of the podcast, Taylor and Richard discuss how CTC is taking our core philosophies and turning them into repeatable behaviors across the entire agency.
Show Notes:
- The ADmission All-Access Sale is on until the end of the month — go to commonthreadco.com/allaccess to get all of our products free with an ADmission membership.
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm
On this episode, Taylor talks to CTC’s Senior Ecommerce Data Analyst Steve Rekuc and Kno Commerce CEO Jeremiah Prummer about the launch of the Direct-to-Consumer Confidence Index (DTCCI) — a real-time view of the macroeconomic sentiment of your customers.
Learn about the origins of the DTCCI and how to use it to help grow your ecommerce business.
Show Notes:
-
- Want Custom Insights On Your Customers? Sign up for the Direct to Consumer Confidence Index - DTCCI.co
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- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm
- Early bird pricing is still available on the Ecommerce Diagnostic Toolkit for podcast listeners only — just use code POD197 at https://bit.ly/3VstFmI to get the lower price.
On this episode, Taylor reports back from his trip to the Second Annual Meta Performance Marketing Summit, revealing new insights on Advantage +, Measurement360, and just how good Meta is at telling a brand narrative. Plus, he shares his thoughts with Richard on the steps you should take to anticipate upcoming changes to Meta ad products.
Show Notes:
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm
In The Art of War, Sun Tzu says: “Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.”
It’s crucial to focus on the big picture first. But what about the day-to-day? What tactics can you use to accelerate victory? In this episode, Taylor and Richard introduce the 3 P’s — Plot, Pivot and Profit — and break down how this system transforms the way you execute on a daily basis.
Show Notes:
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm
In this episode, Taylor and Richard dive deep into Bambu Earth’s Growth Quotient score — what stories do the numbers tell? How do you interpret your Growth Quotient score? How do you transform the knowledge gained from the Diagnostic tool into action?
Join us for the first episode in a three-part series on the Growth Quotient — what it means, how to affect it, and how to use it to form a strategic basis for growth.
Show Notes:
- Get the Ecommerce Diagnostic Toolkit for free when you join Admission: https://bit.ly/3WfyP5T
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm
With returning customer revenue plateauing, the ecomm world is in for a rough ride — in Taylor’s words, “I thought ecommerce was through its worst period but I was wrong. There are some REALLY hard days upcoming and brands have not made the hard decisions to prepare.”
In this episode, Taylor and Richard discuss the upcoming ecommerce drought, the importance of cost management, and the key indicators of success in the next three months.
Show Notes:
- Get the Ecommerce Diagnostic Toolkit for free when you join Admission: https://bit.ly/3WfyP5T
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm
The 2020-21 COVID boom set unrealistic expectations for year-over-year growth. So, when brands saw 2022 YoY revenue figures start to drop, they started “squeezing the sponge” — wringing every last bit of revenue out of their existing customer base without acquiring new customers.
Now, that’s coming around to bite most brands: returning customer revenue growth is almost nil, and efficiency is about to take a nosedive.
On this episode, Richard talks with CTC Growth Strategy Manager Luke Austin about what the future holds, and the tactics he’s using to manage the upcoming dip for his clients.
Show Notes:
- Early bird pricing is still available on the Ecommerce Diagnostic Toolkit for podcast listeners only — just use code POD197 at https://bit.ly/3VstFmI to get the lower price.
- Check out Luke Austin’s tweet on the state of returning customer revenue: https://twitter.com/itslukeaustin/status/1654622951206166529?s=20
The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
Ever find yourself scrambling to make up a deficit in the last couple weeks of each month? We’ve all been there. Fortunately, there’s a solution — it just requires a major mindset shift.
On this episode of the Ecommerce Playbook Podcast, Taylor and Richard discuss the true value of forecasting and the key behavior that can get you to your revenue goals: spending your time, effort, and money at the very beginning of the month, not at the end.
Show Notes:
- Early bird pricing is still available on the Ecommerce Diagnostic Toolkit for podcast listeners only — just use code POD197 at https://bit.ly/3VstFmI to get the lower price.
- Check out Luke Austin’s tweet on CTC’s performance relative to goal here: https://twitter.com/l_ukeAustin/status/1653163136642613249?s=20
- Taylor’s tweet on why you should frontload monthly spend: https://twitter.com/TaylorHoliday/status/1653058505476112384?s=20
The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
Early Bird Pricing (one week only) (30% off regular price)
Get the Toolkit: https://commonthreadco.com/products/ecommerce-diagnostic
“We see too many business owners, marketing managers, and CMOs make the same mistake over and over:
Solving problems they don’t actually have.
Most often, this looks like attempting to solve poor Facebook ROAS by pumping the account full of new creative or using the latest media buying “hack”.
But what if the COGS on your product mix is so high, you’ll never turn a profit on your paid media spend?
What if the people you do get to purchase … never return to your store?
Or, on the flip side — what if your customer value grows so significantly over 60-180 days that first-order profitability actually doesn’t matter?
In each of these cases, poor Facebook ROAS is a small part of a much larger problem, or it isn’t a problem at all.
How would it change the way you run your business if you could precisely identify your weak points and expend all your energy running after your biggest opportunities?
That’s what this tool aims to help you do.”
Ecommerce Diagnostic Toolkit contains:
✔️ A 15-page guide to the principles behind rapid growth✔️A breakdown of the 10 metrics that go into Growth Quotient✔️ A 26-question interactive Growth Quotient assessment✔️ A custom downloadable report breaking down your Growth Quotient score✔️ Recommendations on next steps based on your results
Buy Now: https://commonthreadco.com/products/ecommerce-diagnostic
Want an easier way to source the good kind of UGC? Streamline your process with SARAL’s chrome extension: http://getsaral.com/champions/ctc
It’s an age-old dilemma — do I focus on what’s right in front of me, or do I step back and look at the larger picture? On this episode, Taylor and Richard make the argument that establishing the “why” is much more important than the “how” — especially in a world where AI is making operational excellence less and less of an important differentiator.
Show Notes:
- Explore how SegMetrics can help you tackle ecommerce marketing challenges at https://bit.ly/3AdTrl2.
- Effortlessly connect all your marketing tools with our library of over 90 integrations at https://bit.ly/3AiayC0.
- Check out “On Strategy” from the Harvard Business Review here: https://bit.ly/40jEE2J.
The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
How do two guys who have never worked together before come together to build a successful influencer agency? On this episode, Taylor sits down with Kynship co-founder Taylor Lagace to discuss building a business around your values, how to find authenticity in your influencer content, and key tactics to build an ROI-focused micro-influencer network.
Show Notes:
- Explore how SegMetrics can help you tackle ecommerce marketing challenges at https://segmetrics.io/solutions/ecommerce
- Effortlessly connect all your marketing tools with our library of over 90 integrations at https://segmetrics.io/integration/.
- Schedule your personalized demo, ask questions, and discover how SegMetrics can help your e-commerce business grow at https://segmetrics.io/book-a-demo/.
The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
Inventory management is the bane of many ecommerce brands’ existence — balancing lead times and cash outlay with demand can feel like an unsolvable issue. But with the right data, it can become much easier.
In this episode, Taylor sits down with Braden Larsen, Head of Marketing at CTC client Sparkle in Pink, to discuss the tool he uses to keep ahead of per-SKU sales velocity, how he manages Sparkle in Pink’s massive number of SKUs, and how to use data to streamline your inventory management.
Show Notes:
- Check out Sparkle in Pink here: https://sparkleinpink.com/
- Download the Inventory Planner app here: https://apps.shopify.com/inventory-planner
The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
“Brand is the bridge between how much your product costs and how much your customer is willing to pay.”
But what if you could measure that “bridge” objectively? In this episode, Richard and Taylor talk about Taylor’s controversial new formula for quantifying the value of your brand.
Then, Richard has a conversation with Jules Vertrees, CTC client and founder of Verve Culture, a brand that sources beautiful home goods & gourmet foods from artisans around the world.
Show Notes:
- Taylor’s tweet on quantifying brand: https://bit.ly/3nBGQVu
21 Antifragile Tactics Podcast: https://bit.ly/3zht5Om * Check out Verve Culture here: https://verveculture.com/ * The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
For most of us, ecommerce is still a new phenomenon. For Smart Marketer founder Ezra Firestone, driving sales online has been his main pursuit since the days when you had to fax customer orders to the manufacturer. In this episode, Taylor and Ezra discuss his life in ecommerce, how it’s developed in the 15 years since, and how that experience gives him a unique perspective on what you need to do to thrive in the current environment.
Show Notes:
- For more content from Ezra, check out his LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter.
- Checkout Ezra’s haircare brand, oVertone, here.
- Need help building your marketing calendar? Our strategy team is putting together 12-month audit packages here: https://bit.ly/3ZLKfjw
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
Here at CTC we talk a lot about how ROAS is a poor guiding metric for ad account decisionmaking. That’s because it doesn’t take into account your ad spend’s impact on your entire business. So what should you use instead? In this episode, Richard and Taylor break down a new way to think about profit in an environment where capital isn’t cheap.
Show Notes:
- Get a $200 credit to Insense’s all-in-one creator platform here: insense.pro/lp/ctc
- Watch Taylor’s video: How to Media Buy Like an Investor
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
Influencers, staged unboxing videos, paid posts — at this point, even people outside of the ecomm business know that most UGC isn’t actually user-generated. On this episode, Richard and Taylor go deep on the history of bullsh*t in advertising, the ethics of “fake UGC,” and Taylor’s barometer for determining how much BS is too much.
Show Notes:
- Want an easier way to source the good kind of UGC? Streamline your process with SARAL’s chrome extension: http://getsaral.com/champions/ctc
- Need help building your marketing calendar? Our strategy team is putting together 12-month audit packages here: https://bit.ly/3ZLKfjw
The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
In this episode of the Ecommerce Playbook Podcast, Taylor chats with Connor Rolain, Head of Growth at HexClad, and Richie Mashikov, Head of Growth at Birdie. They discuss forecasting, unit economics, and the rules for growth amidst uncertainty.
Show Notes:
- Need help building your marketing calendar? Our strategy team is putting together 12-month audit packages here: https://bit.ly/3ZLKfjw
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
- Connect with Richie: https://www.shesbirdie.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardmashiko/ https://twitter.com/richiemashiko
- Connect with Connor: https://hexclad.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/connor-rolain-b190ab148/ https://twitter.com/connorrolain
How do I make paid search work for my business? In this episode, we go straight to the source as Taylor sits down with Ben Kruger, Senior Ecommerce Growth Consultant at Google, to discuss how to scale your online store profitably using Google Ads.
Show Notes:
- Need help building your marketing calendar? Our strategy team is putting together 12-month audit packages here: https://bit.ly/3ZLKfjw
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
Though AI (via media buying algorithms) has always played a role in ecommerce, tools like ChatGPT and Dall-E have brought the conversation about AI and work into the mainstream. In this episode, Richard and Taylor dive into the relationship between AI and margin efficiency, the unique ways we’ve used AI to speed productivity, and the role humans play in a world where computers can do everything better than we can.
Show Notes:
- Need help building your marketing calendar? Our strategy team is putting together 12-month audit packages here: https://bit.ly/3ZLKfjw
The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
his episode features Jordan West, an entrepreneur and owner of Canada-based ecommerce agency Upgrowth Commerce. Richard, Taylor, and Jordan discuss his transition from paramedic to full-time business builder, as well as Jordan’s ideal business model, doing business in Canada v. the States, and where they think ecommerce is headed in 2023.
Show Notes:
- Check out Jordan’s podcast, Secrets to Scaling Your Ecommerce Business: https://bit.ly/3JMYC1k
- Need help building your marketing calendar? Our strategy team is putting together 12-month audit packages here: https://bit.ly/3ZLKfjw
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
Success on Facebook is as much about what you sell as it is about how you sell it. In this episode, Richard and Taylor talk about an overlooked aspect of paid social success: merchandising your ad account. Then, they dip into the podcast mailbag and give some advice to a listener who runs a high-SKU online retail business.
Show Notes:
- Taylor’s video on ad account merchandising: https://bit.ly/3DxveIC
- Richard’s article on creative, featuring the product Venn diagram: https://bit.ly/3HNNQ9t
- CTC Articles on Performance Max: https://bit.ly/3HtTfBg
- Need help building your marketing calendar? Our strategy team is putting together 12-month audit packages here: https://bit.ly/3ZLKfjw
The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
In part 2 of our two-part series on investing, Taylor talks with Jason Bornstein, Principal at Forerunner, the San Francisco-based venture capital firm behind DTC juggernauts like Away, Warby Parker, and Glossier. Listen as Jason breaks down current industry trends, the kinds of businesses he’s still excited about in 2023, and how to impress him on a pitch call.
Show Notes:
- Have a business you want to pitch to Forerunner? As Jason mentioned on the pod, Forerunner responds to every inquiry email. Reach out to them here: https://bit.ly/3HhW4GM
- Need help building your marketing calendar? Our strategy team is putting together 12-month gameplan and audit packages here: https://bit.ly/3ZLKfjw
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
Most ecommerce brands have two big “moments” on their marketing calendar. Most ecommerce brands are getting it wrong. On this episode, Taylor & Richard break down what it looks like to create big revenue peaks in “offseason” moments.
Show Notes:
- Need help building your marketing calendar? Our strategy team is putting together 12-month audit packages here: https://bit.ly/3ZLKfjw
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
New year, new ecommerce landscape: In this episode, Taylor and Richard make 6 resolutions for the ecommerce industry, breaking down the strategies your business will need to thrive in the coming year.
Show Notes:
- Need help making your New Year’s resolutions happen? Sign up for our online membership, Admission, right here: https://bit.ly/3Qx29C8
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
In this special two part series Taylor and Richard explore the current state of the ecommerce fundraising environment from two distinct points of view. In this first episode we talk with a founder, Dave Charne of Fyrn, who’s currently working on raising a bridge round for his DTC furniture brand Fyrn. Dave provides a view into what the experience has been like at this moment versus his previous round a year ago. Next week we’ll speak with Jason Bornstein of Forerunner Ventures on the view from the other side.
Show Notes:
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
- Forecast your cash flow with Wayflyer: https://bit.ly/3v8d7nP
- Check out Fyrn here: https://fyrn.com/
As 2022 comes to a close, those of us in the ecommerce industry have more questions than answers: Where can you find hope in the midst of failure? What are the constants in a deeply unpredictable world? And is there really such a thing as being a failure? This week, Richard, Taylor, and former Ecommerce Playbook Podcast host Andrew Faris look back on a difficult year and reflect on what they’ve learned from it.
Show Notes:
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
- Forecast your cash flow with Wayflyer: https://bit.ly/3v8d7nP
- Get a $200 credit with Insense: https://bit.ly/3THck7S
There’s three layers of revenue for any business: New customers, owned audiences, and existing customers. Maintaining the correct balance between these three tiers is crucial to sustainable growth. This week, Taylor and Richard explain how the “layer cake” metaphor helps ecommerce businesses focus on building a foundation of predictable revenue first.
Show Notes:
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
- Get a $200 credit with Insense: https://bit.ly/3THck7S
- Forecast your cash flow with Wayflyer: https://bit.ly/3v8d7nP
- Get the Enterprise Scaling Guide: https://bit.ly/3hK8lKc
With consumer confidence at record-low levels, only one thing’s for sure: you’ll have to pay more to acquire new customers. But how do you forecast this all-important metric heading into the uncertainty of 2023? This week, Richard and (mostly) Taylor talk with CTC Ecommerce Data Analyst Steve Rekuc about building — and outperforming — your 2023 CAC forecast.
Show Notes:
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
- Want more data? Subscribe to the DTC Index for weekly updates on 27+ metrics across 5 industry verticals: https://bit.ly/3FwiSBA
- Grab your tickets to the Ecommerce Marketing Summit from Agorapulse: https://bit.ly/3UGWU3p
- Get a $200 credit with Insense: https://bit.ly/3THck7S
Black Friday/Cyber Monday was bigger than ever this year. Inflation is also at its highest level in four decades. So what does this seeming paradox mean for your ecommerce business moving forward? In this episode, Taylor and Richard break down what went well, what didn’t, and the why you should still be vigilant even after the biggest shopping weekend in history.
Show notes:
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
- Want more data? Subscribe to the DTC Index for weekly updates on 27+ metrics across 5 industry verticals: https://bit.ly/3FwiSBA
It’s tempting to try to get more out of your existing customers when CAC is rising. But is it worth it? In this episode, Richard and Taylor discuss the second principle of the Enterprise Scaling Guide: the concept of the shrinking sponge. “You need to keep your active customer file growing as you grow the business.”
Show notes:
-
Visit getparker.com to learn more about the card designed specifically for ecommerce brands.
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Get the Enterprise Scaling Guide: http://bit.ly/3UjemdZ
To win this Black Friday, you need to understand what went well last year, and what needs to improve. In this episode, we take a break from our regular content and revisit our post-Black Friday recap from 2021. “We’ll tell you how it went for each of our brands, and the lessons we learned.”
What kind of business wins despite the volatility that surrounds them? In this episode, Taylor and Richard discuss Taylor and 4x400’s decision to sell skincare brand Bambu Earth, and the macroeconomic factors that caused the deal to fall through. “There are deeper business-level things that you need to be focusing on as an ecommerce business in order to weather the storm — it's not all about marketing.”
Show Notes:
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Unlock growth for your business with Wayflyer: http://bit.ly/3tzufSF
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Find out what makes a business antifragile: http://bit.ly/3EgqPZM
With just 3 weeks until Black Friday, now is not the time to pull back. In this episode, Taylor and Richard debunk common arguments for pulling back spend ahead of Black Friday. “We are here to affirm your commitment of making the most out of this moment, because it’s necessary.”
Show Notes:
Get a $200 credit with Insense when you book by Nov. 18, 2022: https://bit.ly/CTCxInsenseNovember
The solution to $50M+ growth might not be what you think it is. In this episode, Richard and Taylor talk about Part 1 of the Ecommerce Enterprise Scaling Guide, which focuses on building a hierarchy of metrics to provide context around your business targets. “Once you hit the $50M mark, the things you’ve been doing stop working, and yet, there’s still going to be pressure on you to run the business at a profitable margin. So what do you do?”
Show Notes:
- Get the Enterprise Scaling Guide: https://bit.ly/3FGL7hz
- Try the card made exclusively for ecommerce. Visit https://getparker.com/
- Want guided support to implement these learnings in your brand? Try ADmission: https://bit.ly/3WrvsIX
How customer-centric are you? In this episode, Richard and Taylor propose an interesting solution to the acquisition problem, and it has almost nothing to do with the quality of your Facebook ads. “If we accept that the cost to acquire the next customer has a certain gravitational element to it — meaning the cost to acquire a customer always will rise — then how do we win this game?”
Show Notes:
Get a $200 credit from Insense, the UGC creator marketplace: https://bit.ly/3THck7S
Choice is sometimes an illusion. In this episode, Richard and Taylor talk about Facebook’s move toward the Advantage+ model, which shifts away from human decision making and toward artificial intelligence. “They will say Advantage+ is a way to build campaigns with fewer inputs. But the secondary implication is Facebook has a performance problem. In order to solve for that, they’re attempting to reduce the variables and take control of the situation.”
Show Notes:
Get a $200 credit with Insense, the creator content & ads platform trusted by 700+ DTC brands: https://bit.ly/3eHyDLt
What if you could see future results in the now? In this episode, Richard and Taylor talk about Common Thread’s unique relationship with Retina.ai, an AI platform that allows you to predict the future value of your customers. “You’re getting an instant view into the value of your customer within 96% accuracy.”
Show Notes: Learn why Retina.ai is ecommerce’s magic 8-ball: https://bit.ly/3CzXGZ4
The latest Consumer Confidence Index paints a bleak picture of the economy at large. How does that affect DTC, ROAS, and forecasting for Q4? “It’s going to take more marketing resources to sell products. The practical output of that is less efficient advertising. You have to do more to get less action.”
Show Notes: - Try Freshmarketer: https://bit.ly/3S5wXcH - Taylor’s tweet on CCI vs. MER: https://bit.ly/3fEosaB - Taylor’s Black Friday strategy article: https://bit.ly/3RDwspU
In Andrew’s farewell episode, he passes the torch over to CTC’s Taylor Holiday and Richard Gaffin. Andrew reflects on his time hosting the podcast, and what’s next for the show. “Moving forward, what you can expect from us is a conversation about frameworks, about large-scale thinking, and interesting things happening in the DTC space and what they mean for you.”
Show Notes: - Try Freshmarketer: https://bit.ly/3S5wXcH - Keep listening to Andrew at “The Andrew Faris Podcast,” head to his new website at www.ajfgrowth.com, or follow him on Twitter @andrewjfaris.
Using your resources as effectively as possible is essential for growing your business at any pace. In this episode, Andrew talks about two ways to manage people well. “It’s not easy to be a great manager — and it’s not in the realm of tactics for growth — but it is an important part of building a great company.”
Show notes:
- Follow Andrew on Twitter: https://twitter.com/andrewjfaris
- Try Freshmarketer: https://bit.ly/3S5wXcH
Brands that are trying to grow really fast often try the next most tempting “shiny object” to get there. In this episode, Andrew talks about the importance of taking time to align your behaviors to your goals. “Where are you trying to go, how clear can you get on that goal as quickly as possible, and how much can you put your focus toward it?”
Show notes:
Try Freshmarketer: https://bit.ly/3S5wXcH
The right tools don’t change the fundamentals of running your business — they allow you to think about your business in a new way. In this episode, Andrew talks with Obvi Founder & CEO Ron Shah about their plans for upcoming growth, and how they plan to finance that growth. “Because we’re bootstrapped, it’s hard to make that fuel last long. When you have opportunities to scale, it actually costs more to do that. When you realize the cost is higher, you need to come up with more solutions to make that happen.”
Show Notes:
- Parker, the ecommerce financial soultion: https://getparker.com/
- Follow Ron on Twitter: https://twitter.com/obviceo
- Ron's thread on how he built Obvi: https://bit.ly/3LdGVH3
- Ron's thread on his BFCM plans: https://bit.ly/3QsvtYX
- Ron on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronak06/
- Follow Andrew on Twitter: https://twitter.com/andrewjfaris
Not all customers are alike. In this episode, Andrew talks about the importance of meeting customers at different points in their customer journey. “It’s really what your whole business comes down to, in terms of your marketing, customer acquisition, and reacquistion.”
Show Notes: - Get net 60 terms on every transaction. Visit getparker.com to learn more about the credit card built exclusively for ecommerce.
It’s a foundational question for any business: What exactly are you selling, and how is your marketing approach optimized for it? In this episode, Andrew cautions against using one-size-fits-all business advice, particularly for how you market your product. “How your product is sold may be fundamentally different than the way other products are sold.”
Is your business set up to withstand hardship? In this episode, we revisit a conversation with Common Thread Collective CEO Taylor Holiday about how businesses can remain resilient amid uncertainty. “Who are the businesses that will thrive even if the current situation does become a net negative?”
Show Notes:
- Visit getparker.com to learn more about the credit card built exclusively for ecommerce.
There's a lot of information on the internet about how to grow an ecommerce business, but none exists at this caliber of high-level strategy and detailed execution. In this episode, Andrew is joined by Common Thread Collective VP of Marketing Aaron Orendorff where he unveils the most significant piece of public-facing content CTC has ever produced: The Enterprise Scaling Guide. “It's without hyperbole the most I've bled, sweat, poured, shook-my-fists-at-the-heavens-in-certain-moments-thing that I've ever had the great privilege of putting together.”
Show Notes:
- Visit getparker.com to learn more about the credit card built exclusively for ecommerce.
- Get the Enterprise Scaling Guide: https://bit.ly/3zNTALh
Email is an 80/20 game: 80% of the value comes from 20% of what you put into it. In this episode, Andrew shares his thoughts on the current state of email marketing. “The number one thing that generates more value out of email is to send more email. It’s almost annoying how simple that advice is, but it’s true.”
Show Notes: - Subscribe to the Data Newsletter: https://bit.ly/3btYXqM - Get a free email marketing audit: https://bit.ly/3zttqxe
Funding growth is incredibly hard, especially for brands that are just starting to scale. In this episode, Andrew is joined by Stephen Duke, head of marketing and growth at Wayflyer. “The thing that determines the health of so many ecommerce businesses is their financial engine: how well they are using the right finance tools and thinking about finance.”
Show Notes:
Get started with Wayflyer: www.wayflyer.com
What’s the secret behind massive wins on Facebook? In this episode, Andrew goes back to Facebook ad basics: what works, and what doesn’t. “There are times when the thing that really moves the needle is the product. Or, put more simply, the offer.”
First it was supply chain disruptions, and now it’s … warehouse disruptions? In this episode, Andrew talks about brands currently experiencing an abundance of inventory, the problems this is causing, and how businesses should respond. “Our warehouses are now so backfilled that there’s all these containers and nowhere to put the stuff. Even Target has said publicly they’re going to cut prices in order to move product.”
Show notes:
Fund your ecommerce business with Wayflyer: https://bit.ly/3arbACq
How do you determine the percentage of revenue that goes toward your ad spend? In this episode, Andrew answers this question he received recently on Twitter. “This is a crucial question for any business. For ecommerce in particular, advertising is the key way you’re driving traffic to your site.”
Show Notes: - Get started with Wayflyer ecommerce financing: https://bit.ly/3arbACq - Use the Unit Economics calculator: https://bit.ly/3P2DPWI
Retention is king right now, so what’s your strategy? In this episode, Andrew is joined by Yotpo Product Marketing Manager Judith Zhu where they discuss how to generate revenue with subscriptions for any type of business. “One of the most powerful levers you can pull is having subscriptions as a meaningful part of your business.”
Show Notes: - Connect with Judith: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judithkayzhu/ - Try Yotpo subscriptions: https://apps.shopify.com/yotpo-subscription https://www.yotpo.com/platform/subscriptions/
What’s your greatest challenge right now? In this episode, Andrew talks through a problem he’s having trouble solving, and what he’s doing about it. (Spoiler: the key is breaking the problem down into smaller problems). “Despite the current macroeconomic moment, I still have to figure out how to help this client grow.”
The market decline is real — but is there hope? In this episode, Andrew casts a positive outlook for the future, and suggests this is the time to invest in growth. “There is a moment right now to capitalize amid all the doom and gloom in the ecommerce space.”
Show notes:
- Get started with YotPo subscriptions: https://bit.ly/YotpoSubscriptionsEcommPlaybook
- Statlas: https://bit.ly/3MV23AP
- Andrew’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/andrewjfaris
- Mehtab From Karta: https://twitter.com/MehtabKarta
- Fan Bi: https://twitter.com/lifeofbi
At the center of what you’re selling, what’s the most important? In this episode, Andrew talks about getting as clear as possible on the marketing messaging for your product. “You have to know what you are selling with total clarity, and in order to sell it well, you have to communicate that one thing more and better than everything else.”
Show Notes: - Bambu Earth’s success: https://bit.ly/3xHG8ch
- Get started with YotPo subscriptions: https://bit.ly/YotpoSubscriptionsEcommPlaybook
What’s on your mind as an ecommerce owner or operator? This episode, Andrew and special guest Common Thread Collective CEO Taylor Holiday cover 10 trending and top-of-mind ecommerce topics. “We’ll go big, we’ll go broad, we’ll go bitter and angry Twitter wars.”
Show Notes: Subscribe to the Data Newsletter: https://content.commonthreadco.com/ecommerce-data-newsletter Mehtab's Twitter Account: https://twitter.com/MehtabKarta
It is a fact that brands are pulling back on Facebook spend. They shouldn’t be. In this episode, Andrew explains why the return on Facebook ads is better than you think, where your money is going, and how your growth is happening. “When you start buying traffic of any kind, it affects all your channels. A steady decline in Facebook spend produces a steady decline in organic and paid. And, ultimately, creates significant revenue decline.”
Show Notes: - https://bit.ly/3LHNobF - Statlas, CTC's data tool Andrew referenced on the show. - https://bit.ly/38eHjWr - CTC Weekly Data Newsletter from ~220 stores comprising $5B in GMV. - https://bit.ly/3lDBtB6 - Explore CTC's "Expert Strategy" program for your brand. - https://bit.ly/39QCh2K - View the graphs and charts Andrew mentions.
“Get really good” might seem like unhelpful advice, but there’s a principle behind it. In this episode, Andrew emphasizes the need to be great at some aspects of your business, and why doing so will set your brand apart from the rest. “The brands that are winning have some feature or element of their business that make them uniquely good. They’re great at something.”
Looking to scale your business in this unique climate? Get personalized ecommerce training from a team of experts, free for a limited time. Visit http://www.youradmission.co/
If you aren't happy with your business, it’s probably time to make some changes. In this episode, Andrew draws from his experience as a consultant coming in with a fresh perspective on a brand and its problems. “When I look at businesses, my only goal is to win for them. So I ask, ‘Why not do the thing that’s going to make you more money?’”
Quantity alone isn’t always better than quality. In this episode, Andrew does a deep dive into Facebook ad creative strategy. “It’s not just about the volume of ads, but the quality of ads. I believe you need both to be successful.”
Ever made it to the end of your promotion and realize you forgot something? In this episode, Andrew zooms into the mechanics of effective product launch and promotion strategies. “I’m going to give you five elements of executing a great promotional moment from start to finish.”
Show notes:
- Overview of the Four-Peaks Theory: https://commonthreadco.com/blogs/coachs-corner/ecommerce-marketing-calendar
- SMS capture page example: https://bambuearth.com/pages/text-offers
- Landing page example: https://bit.ly/3khoynC
If you’re a naturally productive person, skip this episode. For the rest of us, Andrew shares how he’s managing context switching and productivity. “I know I’m not alone in the challenge of working between multiple things at once.”
The world of DTC as we know it is behind us … or is it? In this episode, Andrew throws it back to the first few episodes of the show with a brief reflection on a broad question. “Is pure-play DTC over?”
What makes a good manager? In this episode, Andrew follows up on a comment he made in a previous conversation with Common Thread CEO Taylor Holiday about his biggest leadership mistakes. “As your organization grows, think about how you are scaling the team’s ability to function effectively and efficiently.”
More creative, greater efficiency. In this episode, Andrew explores the best creative strategy to get the most out of Facebook ads. “The basic idea is: How much creative can you put into your Facebook account and manage it as efficiently as possible?”
Where do you create value in your business? In this episode, Andrew demonstrates how to answer that question and why it is so important for your business’ success. “Where is the profit going to come from and what is going to make this worth my time? Get as clear as you can on that, and build everything possible in the business towards that.”
Why argue on Twitter when you can do it on a podcast instead? In this special episode, Common Thread Collective CEO Taylor Holiday and ecommerce heavy-hitter Nate Poulin (@DigitallyNative on Twitter) take over to settle years of Twitter debates in one podcast. “We both value the identity of being not just a public thinker, but an operator.”
What’s the right financial structure for your business? In this episode, Andrew applies Common Thread Collective’s Four-Quarter Accounting Principle across a range of different kinds of businesses. “One-size-fits-all heuristics are just a way to begin thinking and press into your business.“
Show Notes:
Sign up for the Ecommerce Data Newsletter here: https://content.commonthreadco.com/ecommerce-data-newsletter
More on four-quarter accounting: https://commonthreadco.com/blogs/coachs-corner/unit-economics-for-ecommerce
What does a former CEO do after leaving the position? In this episode, Andrew gives some insights and learnings on being a CEO, and shares about the next step in his career (he’s not going far). “That means, for the sake of this show, it’s going to keep going!”
What would your boss say about your mistakes? In this episode, Andrew brings in Common Thread Collective CEO Taylor Holiday to “evaluate” his performance as CEO of 4x400. “It was such a gift to me, to get put into a position that I wasn’t ready for, and then to go and make a bunch of mistakes.”
What’s in it for the candidate? In this episode, Andrew shares his feedback on what he is seeing from recruiters during his job search. “My hope is to help you attract great talent, as well as to attract the right kind of people to your organization.”
Do you really know what you want in a job? In this episode, Andrew shares candid thoughts about his next steps in the current job market. “If you’re at a stopping point and you’re not sure what the next step in your career is, the best thing you can do is slow down and take a step away.”
What’s the best use of your investment? In this episode of the Ecommerce Playbook Podcast, Andrew dives into the specifics of 4x400’s decision to go all-in on Bambu Earth. “If you’re like me and you love solving problems, it’s really hard to cut bait on stuff that has a lot to like about it.”
Resilience is often the key to success. In this episode, Andrew is joined by Common Thread Collective executives Orchid Bertelsen, Taylor Holiday, and Aaron Orendorff to discuss the seven characteristics of an “antifragile” ecommerce brand + 21 tactics.
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Read the full article on developing an antifragile ecommerce brand: https://commonthreadco.com/blogs/coachs-corner/antifragile-ecommerce
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Watch this podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/6BkM1vbTYSM
Transitions are on the horizon. In this episode, Andrew provides his assessment of the aggregator model, the landscape for aggregators as a whole, and how that assessment informs incoming changes at 4x400. “We are now about four years into this journey of running an aggregator, and we have learned a lot.”
Lose, win, and draw. Three brands with three different outcomes. In this episode, Andrew follows up on Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the lessons he’s bringing into 2022. “I’ve done Black Friday a lot of times now, and every year there’s more to learn.”
The supply chain, inflation, product volume — a multitude of factors went into ecommerce planning for the holiday season. In this episode, recorded prior to the big weekend, Andrew shares his expectations, offers, and reasoning behind each of his brands’ Black Friday, Cyber Monday strategies. “Like everything related to the time that we live in, it is so hard to forecast.”
In this bonus (dare we say, “emergency”) episode of the Ecommerce Playbook Podcast, Andrew is joined by CTC’s VP of Marketing, Aaron Orendorff, and CEO, Taylor Holiday. Go behind-the-scenes as they share, benchmark, and examine the DTC metrics that matter most.
“What we’re hopeful to do with this information is to help add another layer of context to your questions and struggles in a way that provides a richer narrative than an individual anecdote or response.”
📊 Full article with all the data https://bit.ly/3quFFXF
🎥 YouTube video to watch https://bit.ly/3qz1SUj
📩 Ecommerce data newsletter https://bit.ly/3qvhGrd
How do you create products that generate value over time? In this episode, Andrew shares the what, why, and how of a recent Modern Fuel launch. “When you launch a product, you need to keep the fundamentals in front of you and keep moving forward.”
Link to Legends Collection: https://modernfuel.com/pages/legends
It’s not too late! In this week’s episode, Andrew shares his best strategy for a successful ecommerce holiday. “The way you maximize the moment with past customers, new customers, and everyone in between is strategizing for AOV.”
Customer acquisition deep dive — with all the numbers! Andrew explores how to nudge subscribers into becoming customers. “People on my list who have never purchased before are very unlikely to purchase after a certain point without some kind of offer or discount.”
We’re getting tactical. This week, Andrew shares strategies for using email and SMS subscription lists to acquire customers. “How do I turn those lists into dollars?”
In this special episode, Andrew Faris and Taylor Holiday, CEO of Common Thread Collective, talk with Orchid Bertelsen — CTC’s new Chief Operating Officer. With six years of experience at Nestle USA, Orchid explains why operational leadership is no longer a luxury for DTC ecommerce brands. “The problem isn’t that people aren’t willing to take hills. They’re willing to take hills, but sometimes they take the wrong ones.”
Nobody has the Midas Touch. In this episode, Andrew shares four things he would have done differently with the Genuine Canine brand before ultimately selling it. “When you’re losing, you don’t want to keep doing that thing over and over again.”
As mentioned in the show ... Kynship Influencer Marketing: https://kynship.co/
Do you feel like you’re running your business based on what others have told you to do? In this episode, Andrew shares how his team at 4x400 is working to develop real points of view, core beliefs, and values. “What I am experiencing right now as a CEO is the things I believed were true before are just starting to be internalized. I wish I would have done that sooner.”
Now through Sept. 23, visit youradmission.co and get free access to our exclusive online community with trainings, tools, and support for your ecommerce brand.
The number one way to build your brand is to put products in peoples’ hands. In this episode, Andrew shares how 4x400 thinks about product development. “I’m betting a lot of the future of 4x400 on our ability to develop awesome products for our customers.”
BONUS: Visit youradmission.co and get free access to our exclusive online community with trainings, tools, and support for your ecommerce brand. Limited time only, Sept. 14–23
The best influencer marketing starts palms down — giving without asking for anything back. In this week’s episode, Andrew is joined by Cody Wittick, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Kynship, to discuss the ups and downs of 4x400's influencer marketing strategy with 31 Bits. “If you are serious about building influencer relationships that work, it’s going to have to be authentic, and it’s going to have to be real.”
Show Notes: The episode where we discussed the original plan: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1cnFSBEukHdaRP4QtRvP1P?si=bddb82ce727d4710 Cody's Twitter Thread (And Account– DM Him!) https://twitter.com/cody_wittick/status/1420046506841710594?s=21 Kynship's Website: http://www.kynship.co/ Andrew's Twitter Account: http://www.twitter.com/andrewjfaris
If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be? In this episode, Andrew shares the number one thing 4x400 is doing to improve as a team. “The most important thing you can do when things are challenging is to solve the next most important problem next.”
Over $100k in one day?! In this week's podcast, Andrew and special guest Dave Rekuc — VP of New Brands at 4x400 — share the secrets to the highest revenue day in 4x400's history. “The 100% locked-in promise from this show: Guaranteed highest revenue day ever.”
Ready to jump in and get some wins? In this episode, Andrew shares five things you can do right now in your business to generate more revenue. “Last week, I talked to you about losing streaks. So today, let’s go from ‘therapy’ to super practical!”
If you’ve ever played sports, you know what it feels like to be on a losing streak. In this episode, Andrew shares his personal experience of pushing through periods of loss with 4x400’s brands. “One thing that I’m doing with losing streaks is reminding myself: This too shall pass.”
Measure what matters! Now more than ever, the 4x400 team is wrapping its heads around every number. In this episode, Andrew shares how they’re attacking KPIs in the ever-changing ecommerce landscape. “At the end of the day, we are trying to create brands that people love and operate efficiently”
Simplistic advice? It’s not. Even the most analytically minded operator can easily make costly mistakes. We did. In this episode, Andrew shares his biggest mistake of 2021: “Even if we’d been ‘successful,’ it would have been far too long for those dollars to turn into more dollars and not more costs.”
https://www.youradmission.co/podcast
ROAS is plummeting. Reporting is a mess. And the sky is falling across paid media. As a guide through the storm, Taylor Holiday joins the pod to answer one question: “How in the world are we possibly analyzing Facebook ad data right now?”
Tune in for a candid conversation with special guest Kelcey Lehrich, the CEO of 365 Holdings, an ecommerce holding company with six brands in its portfolio plus a fulfillment service. Together, we tackle one of the most difficult challenges ecommerce brands face: product development.
Week-over-week, join Andrew Faris — CEO of 4x400 — where he shares the real-life numbers, struggles, and everything in between when running multiple ecommerce businesses.
4x400 is an ecommerce holding company that acquires, launches, and grows DTC brands (owned by Common Thread Collective). That means you’ll get to go behind the scenes into the raw truths. Even if it sounds crazy, this is the unpolished story: from failures to successes, from “the high highs to the low lows.” Let’s take this journey together.
Andrew Faris — CEO of 4x400 — shares the real-life numbers, struggles, and everything in between when running multiple ecommerce businesses.
On today's episode, Andrew shares the upside and downsides of approaching business decision-making from a tactical and data-driven lens, rather than via brand marketing efforts.
4x400 is an ecommerce holding company that acquires, launches, and grows DTC brands (owned by Common Thread Collective). That means you’ll get to go behind the scenes into the raw truths. Even if it sounds crazy, this is the unpolished story: from failures to successes, from “the high highs to the low lows.”
Should you run a sale to earn some cash in the short-term or work on a longer-term plan instead?
Today's episode will answer that question and bring you in on the thinking behind how we weigh strategic decision-making for our businesses.
Today's episode focuses on the importance of traffic channel diversity. More specifically, we share an easy-to-implement email segmentation strategy that our team is seeing great results with and how you can replicate that for your own brand.
On today's episode, we cover a topic that we've never talked about on the podcast before ... Search Engine Marketing.
In host, Andrew Faris's words: "Is there anything less sexy in marketing?"
It might not be sexy, but we will get tactical. Here's how we're approaching SEM strategy, why we're doing it, and how to get it right.
What kind of businesses aren't afraid? What kind of businesses actually get better under pressure? What kind of businesses will thrive in the aftermath of iOS 14.5?
We answer these questions and share how to build an anti-fragile ecommerce brand in our monthly installment of the "One Topic with Taylor" series featuring Taylor Holiday, CEO of Common Thread Collective.
The immediate rollout of Apple's iOS 14.5 is finally here. These are our first major impressions and how it's preliminarily affected our Facebook ad accounts.
Weakness is reality. Especially in business. We acknowledge that in this episode and share how to solve for weaknesses as a leader and within areas of your own business.
Show Notes: "Accounting for Ecommerce Businesses: 61 Resources that Could Save You +$1.3M" via https://bit.ly/3niHaV5
On this week’s episode we answer a question submitted by one of our listeners: how to build your resources against the best possible outcomes.
In this episode, we share one of our most crucial digital marketing lessons — the relationship between demand generation and demand capture.
Show Notes: We originally put together this video for Black Friday, but we explain the delayed attribution concept brought up in today's episode further here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saQk-67X73w
We launched a new product on Kickstarter (which we've never done before) and it went well! Following the launch, we’re sharing how to set up a successful campaign along with the steps we took to do so.
Featuring guest, David Rekuc, VP of New Brands at 4x400
Show Notes:
• The Modern Fuel Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/andrewsanderson/adjustable-bolt-action-pen
• Dave's Pricing Sheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16hSDSJKMi8UWmw4WG5cHHTpzYzvXicPAC6kj1atHBpg/edit?usp=sharing
• Successful Ad #1: https://fb.me/2SNaw1L3JjSS46W
• Successful Ad #2: https://fb.me/1ERbtXYQ7MMwMU9
• Dave's Twitter Feed: https://twitter.com/DaveRekuc
On this episode, we unveil what makes someone "great" as a digital marketer.
Beyond the "what", we also share the "how" — with actionable steps on how to pursue marketing greatness for you and your team.
Show Notes: https://twitter.com/AaronOrendorff/status/1368326610525425665
We changed a customer's life.
That’s a bold statement, but this past week, we received an email from a customer that demonstrates just how much a brand can produce real value for their customers.
In this episode, we’ll unpack its implications for other brands and share (1) how to produce meaning for your brand along with (2) the methods to achieve that impact.
Our brand, 31 Bits, still isn’t working. True to the original mission of our podcast, we’re updating you on the real numbers and vulnerable struggles we’re experiencing trying to grow the brand.
Host Andrew Faris, let’s you in on the despair that all boils down to one question: “Why aren’t people buying the product?”
How do you make a click on your website more valuable to you? Here's 17 actionable tactics to increase your Revenue-Per-Click.
Show Notes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14Hzw8spE1SJGXx49-cMf3thjY7NTG4gX7ENrNeO5Ew0/edit?usp=sharing
This week's episode centers on how an "agency guy" hires agencies. In that process, host Andrew Faris shares the one thing he looks for (above everything else) when hiring.
This week’s episode comes to you from on the ground at our shipping fulfillment center in North Carolina. And after being around the actual products that we are using, packing, and shipping — host, Andrew Faris reflects on the realities of gross margin in business and how he’s thinking about that differently.
Last week you learned about our side of the story: the sale of FC Goods.
This week: we're bringing on the buyers, featuring Eric Weisser(CEO, Weisser Distributing)and Mike Childers(President, Weisser Distributing).
Pop the champagne and drop the beat …
We just sold our first brand. And, yes, the math in that outlandish headline is right: a 15,500% increase from our initial investment.
In early 2018, 4x400 — Common Thread Collective’s ecommerce holding company — acquired 80% of FC Goods. The price? $5,000. In Oct. of 2020, we sold it for $1.2M. Minus the founder’s 20% and less broker’s fees, that nets out to $780k. From $5k to $780k: 15,500% ROI.
Of course, that clickbaity calculation is far from the whole story.
That’s why this is a special episode of the Ecommerce Playbook Podcast with guests Taylor Holiday and Aaron Orendoff … to reveal everything. All the numbers. The entire journey. Every struggle. Every loss. Every win.
At the end of the episode, Taylor and I share 10 takeaways — the biggest and most-tactical lessons we learned.
Best of all, I’ve summarized them all with examples and illustrations in this article to make the takeaways easier to take away: https://bit.ly/36HjDGf
One of the hardest things about running an ecommerce business is that the future is unpredictable. Or in the words of host, Andrew Faris: "the only certainty is uncertainty". Here's what to do about that.
We did not see this coming… but we stumbled into a giant Facebook ads win for one of our 4x400 brands. It was our biggest win in months, and it was pure luck.
On today’s episode, we’ll give you the exact numbers and the exact process put in place that unlocked this high-performing creative campaign, so that you can get lucky too.
Show notes:
Full Length UGC Ad: https://www.facebook.com/115977923900/posts/10159209765208901
1x1 Cutdown Version: https://www.facebook.com/115977923900/posts/10159278228173901
Influencer Marketing that actually works? We've never done anything like it, but as we take the next steps to grow our brand 31 Bits, influencer marketing will play a key role.
Cody Wittick, the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Kynship, joins us on this episode as we lay out the influencer strategy.
You can reach out to Kynship by emailing info@kynship.co or reaching out to Cody on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Cody_Wittick
This week, we're talking about the biggest problem we have to solve right now in our business and the steps we're taking to fix the top of the funnel.
We've had this problem before, and this time around, we'll need some more magic.
We won't delay, Black Friday & Cyber Monday went below average for the six brands we operate this year...
Here's why, plus five takeaways we learned.
As we head into Black Friday again, the same sentiment holds true: "this strategy has to work".
Andrew Faris gets transparent on the impact of what a win and (more importantly) what a loss would mean for business during BFCM. Here's how we are preparing for both options.
We're gearing up for Black Friday, Cyber Monday and it's natural for the business anxieties to sink in. To face the uncertainties, root yourselves in the certainty that comes with building a data-backed strategy.
Host Andrew Faris, talks us through the holiday strategy for each of the six brands under the 4x400 umbrella and how they're planning for success.
We're back with the monthly installment of "One Topic with Taylor".
This week on the show, we're going to do a thought-exercise about how to extend brand success beyond Facebook advertising & build an organic marketing flywheel.
Shownotes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-F2yzttpbgE
You don’t have time to read this episode description, because Black Friday is right around the corner!
So, we'll be quick – today's episode will teach you five holiday marketing tactics it’s not too late to try.
We’re diving back into the story of 31 Bits, one of our newly acquired ethical jewelry brands.
From its acquisition to proving viability, the growth journey has been a struggle.
This week, we’re taking a whole new approach – making changes that center in part on talking less about the brand’s impact in the world, and more on how great the product is.
Here’s how we’re approaching this new strategy.
This episode, we have an exciting announcement to make… 🎉 We’ve acquired our 6th brand: Modern Fuel 🎉
From its founder story to early-stage strategy, we cover all things brand acquisition on today’s episode.
Shownotes: - Sadie’s Design Tweets: https://twitter.com/sadielewski/status/1314744909237309440
- Dave’s Modern Fuel Growth Plan: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZxDKtAdB5ysKNvftEYNKyUiONekwvs8lgD8LgjUGqVU/edit?usp=sharing
Back by popular demand, is the second monthly installment of “One Topic with Taylor” series on the Ecommerce Playbook Podcast.
CEO of Common Thread Collective, Taylor Holiday and host, Andrew Faris get together (*socially distant) to talk about a highly debated subject: whether or not your brand should discount.
Shownotes: - DigitallyNative’s Tweet: https://twitter.com/digitallynativ/status/1315290781679325185?ck_subscriber_id=942738930
- CTC's Analysis Of Great Brands’ Discounting: https://commonthreadco.com/blogs/coachs-corner/holiday-campaigns-successful?utm_source=ecommerceplaybook&utm_medium=podcast
The ongoing narrative of what it’s like to run a new ecommerce business goes something like this: 1. Trying to prove brand viability in the early stages 2. Failing and learning post-launch 3. Then finally, growth
If you’ve been following along on the Ecommerce Playbook Podcast, then you’ll know that our brand 31 Bits has been hovering around “step 2” on that list. And if there’s any indication on how it’s going, host Andrew Faris’s quote from this week’s episode says it all –
“I was hoping I wasn’t going to have to do an episode like this.”
If you can relate, then ... listen now.
You read that title correctly – we have signs of life in the ad account of our newly acquired brand 31 Bits.
We've had some bumps in the road getting the brand off the ground, but this week we may have finally solved it's problems. Here's how.
From acquisition, to relaunch, to this episode.
Every weekly episode of the Ecommerce Playbook Podcast up until this point has been leadup to this moment. Our newly acquired brand, 31 Bits, is a fully-built player in the ecommerce space.
But, even though this is one of our favorite growth phases – brand redesign, supply chain locked down, etc – that doesn’t mean scaling it through ads going well.
Actually, it’s going badly. Here’s why.
The first in a new monthly episode – CEO of Common Thread Collective, Taylor Holiday and host, Andrew Faris each bring one topic they've been wrestling with over the last month and talk it through.
Shownote Resources:
-
QALO "Mark Of A Maker" Quality Campaign: https://bit.ly/2ZodSJZ
-
QALO "Mark Of A Maker" Quality Campaign Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5f7-ObdsvQ
-
Western Rise "Wear From Anywhere" Campaign: https://bit.ly/2Zk1dHN
-
"Mud Bogging" Facebook Group: https://business.facebook.com/theMudBog/?business_id=1514355852207761
The episode title pretty much says it all …
But, when we started this podcast, we committed to sharing it all – the raw numbers, struggles, and growth.
And after our brand relaunch for 31 Bits did not go as planned, there’s an emphasis on the “struggle” piece of our podcast title.
Here’s what happened.
We finally relaunched our newly acquired brand, 31 Bits.
After months of planning and research, we share how it went.
Plus, get the exact strategies we used, so you can replicate what worked for your own business.
Our brand, Slick Products, just had it’s biggest. win. ever.
That’s because we (finally) solved the problem of customer retention.
How? This Richard Thaler quote — a Nobel Prize winning economist — from our new episode of the Ecommerce Playbook Podcast sums it up:
“If you want someone to do something, then make it easy.”
Seriously though, this realization may have unlocked the account for us. And we’re still grasping what just happened.
P.S. These are the exact assets we used in the campaign discussed in the episode. Feel free to check them out and follow along as you listen:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/3z5ylequ3hhl5ag/Ecommerce%20Playbook%20Podcast%20-%20We%20Solved%20Our%20Brand%E2%80%99s%20%231%20Problem.zip?dl=0
On this week’s episode of the Ecommerce Playbook Podcast, we talk about the challenge of sorting out profit vs. growth.
Truthfully, it’s something we battle with for our own brand (Bambu Earth), but we know we’re not alone. It's a live issue for many operators.
Knowing that, we get really transparent and talk a lot about the numbers – so that you can take these learnings and apply them to your own brand.
We are right on the cusp of rolling out all the work we’ve put in to get our newly acquired brand, 31 Bits, firing on all cylinders.
That’s because we've just finished building out 31 Bit’s new homepage.
For this week’s update, we’re taking a break from the numbers and focusing on the marketing substructure of our homepage – telling you the “why” behind strategic design and copywriting decisions onsite.
The challenge and beauty of our newly acquired brand, 31 Bits, centers on its mission of ethical manufacturing.
While we’re always striving for ethical business decisions, it doesn’t mean business ethics are easy.
When applied to the supply chain, a list of challenges can ensue, but the rewards are worth it.
On today’s episode of the Ecommerce Playbook Podcast – Andrew Faris interviews Rob Clemons, Director of Supply Chain at 4x400 – about setting up a supply chain that is “ruthlessly focused on caring for people well.”
C.S. Lewis said it first, and we’re seconding it today on the Ecommerce Playbook Podcast.
Regardless of what the gurus say, jumpstarting revenue isn’t necessarily easy – especially coming off the back of a new brand acquisition. And, to be frank, revenue for our brand 31 Bits is getting destroyed right now.
But, here’s why we’re not too worried about it ...
[ BONUS: If you’re interested in diving into this story even more, here’s a link to what 31 Bit’s gameplan calendar looks like: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1024/1659/files/31_Bits_Calendar_-_Uganda_Close_Bali_Focus_Campaign.pdf?v=1595437790 ]
We acquired our fifth brand into the 4x400 ecosystem! Listen now to find out...
Featuring: Taylor Holiday, CEO of Common Thread Collective
On today’s episode of the Ecommerce Playbook Podcast we’re talking about the product development approach for 31 Bits.
It’s built not just on what we think looks good – but, on what fits the unit economic approach we’re going after.
We’ve analyzed the problem, now it’s time to fix it. But, before we get to any solutions, we have one last question about conversion rate to answer…
From website session to add-to-cart to initiate checkout to purchase – where did visitors drop off in the funnel?
Once we determined the answer, we came up with a 4-step plan to fix conversion rate.
As an added bonus, here's the Strategy Deck for 31 Bits: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1unKoo-tmjOC9BIx0YuFix4EAPdNGLqj8/view?usp=sharing
On today’s episode of the Ecommerce Playbook Podcast, we’re defining success, putting a number on it, and pointing to metrics that indicate it. As we walk you through the journey of both acquiring and growing a business in real-time for this new season, one thing is still clear – you’re learning it, while we’re learning it.
Welcome to Season 2 of the Ecommerce Playbook Podcast! Coming off the back of acquiring a new brand, this season will focus on pulling back the veil of how we approach growing a business from the ground up. First up, how we solve the problem of customer acquisition.
There’s big business opportunities in front of you if you stop with the small stuff.
How big? Well, let’s just put it this way: our brand Slick Products had one of it’s highest revenue days ever this past weekend…
… and on today’s episode we’ll tell you exactly how we did it.
Fresh off of the new acquisition of ethical fashion brand, 31 Bits, into the 4x400 portfolio – we talk about the ONE metric that will determine our destiny with the brand. We could either get this right, or get it really wrong. Listen now.
Bonus Episode! Host, Andrew Faris interviews the founders of newly acquired brand, 31 Bits.
From founder story to the future, we cover all things brand acquisition today as we add a new business to the 4x400 ecosystem.
- Special guest, Taylor Holiday, CEO of Common Thread Collective.
Today on the Ecommerce Playbook Podcast, we talk about one of our brands that’s finding remarkable success in the age of coronavirus, the exact tactics we used to double it’s ad performance, the implications of it on our cash system…
… And why that is absolutely terrifying. Seriously, the implications of it on the rest of our business are straight-up scary.
So (as always), here’s the real numbers, struggles and growth behind our business.
Today we're talking about the challenge of success. In particular, the challenge of figuring out inventory buying vetted against performance.
At 4x400 our brands are winning big. And for many brands in the ecommerce space, it’s like Black Friday all over again. This week on the Ecommerce Playbook, Andrew Faris talks about the insanity of the moment we are in right now and has a very simple piece of advice for you: don’t wait, maximize it.
For most of our brands, Sunday’s are drastically outperforming any other day of the week for sales revenue. But, before I make any sweeping generalizations about consumer behavior to come up with my answer as to why – it begins with looking at the numbers and the data.
The first step to solving a problem is understanding the problem.
So on today’s episode of the Ecommerce Playbook, I share the strategies our team is using to break down the question, in search of the answer.
This one's for all the data nerds. On today's episode, we're getting a little more tactical – sharing the process we use for customer acquisition and how we improved our Facebook ads by 250%.
Plus, we're even sharing the assets we use to do it –
IG ads: 1. https://www.instagram.com/p/B-p0bXojvY_ 2. https://www.instagram.com/p/B-QLGWtjxhf
FB ads: 1. https://www.facebook.com/115977923900/posts/10158450367973901 2. https://www.facebook.com/115977923900/posts/10158450368268901
Landing page: https://bambuearth.com/pages/skin-detox-1
... And, last but not least, a discount code for listening: https://bambuearth.com/discount/EcommercePlaybook20
We went from getting destroyed last week, to flipping the table and having the most profitable week in 4x400 history. On today’s new episode of the Ecommerce Playbook podcast, Andrew Faris is singing a new tune – sharing how his businesses went from getting crushed to crushing it.
We don’t always get it right, and things are not always going well for our business.
Now is one of those times for us…
When we started this podcast, we promised a level of transparency around numbers, struggles, and growth.
So, we’re holding ourselves accountable to sharing the struggles – because the truth is, the Coronavirus is crushing us…
E-commerce playbook podcast coming back at you again in the midst of all things Coronavirus. I'm trying to figure out what the heck the right thing to do is in the midst of all of this, with sorting out all kinds of new workflows, and all it's a real challenge. So, one of the things I want to say right away is that: it is a fact that constraints generate creativity.
I explore more about what that means for us during this unprecedented time in today's episode.
COVID-19 is officially a global pandemic. And we all have questions. Here’s how we’re responding and preparing our DTC brands at 4x400.
Returning to work after 6 weeks of paternity leave, I'm reacquainting myself on what the heck is happening in my business in the aftermath of Black Friday, Cyber Monday.
I’m back giving you the second update in this content series about what is going on with 4x400, the holding company for the brands that we at Common Thread Collective own ourselves.
Last time I talked to you, I told you about how we were in a cash crunch. We basically had $300k in liabilities against $120k in the bank, plus a $70k payroll — and it was a huge challenge in front of us. That was going into the Black Friday,Cyber Monday weekend.
Now that it's over, the results are in. Here’s a big takeaway for me from Black Friday this year that I saw across the board: our brands, CTCs, and everybody else ...
Welcome to the inaugural edition of Ecommerce Playbook. Each week we’ll be releasing a podcast from the frontlines — the numbers, struggles, and growth. Week-over-week, join Andrew Faris — CEO of 4x400 — where he shares the real-life numbers, struggles, and everything in between when running multiple ecommerce businesses.
4x400 is an ecommerce holding company that acquires, launches, and grows DTC brands (owned by Common Thread Collective). That means you’ll get to go behind the scenes into the raw truths. Even if it sounds crazy, this is the unpolished story: from failures to successes, from “the high highs to the low lows.” Let’s take this journey together.
First up, "We Need Black Friday to Work" (recorded on Nov. 19, 2019)