

eCommerce MasterPlan
Chloë Thomas
Trying to work out how to acquire more customers? Need to improve customer retention? Or just looking for some reassurance you’re on the right track? That’s what the eCommerce MasterPlan is here for. Every week we interview an e-Commerce business person (owner, manager or marketer) with a fascinating insight into successful online retailing. Their business might be a UK mail order retailer, an online-only store from Australia, or a brick and clicks business from the USA – but every one of them is doing something we can all learn from. Many of our guests are using Shopify & Klaviyo, but we also have guests using Wix, Bigcommerce, Woocommerce, Omnisend and Magento. So you're sure to find an episode that directly helps YOU.Listen for advice on what to do next, the reassurance you’re heading in the right direction and all the inspiration you need to grow your eCommerce business without losing your life in the process!
Episodes
Mentioned books

Dec 25, 2023 • 28min
From Etsy Startup to 7-Figure Shopify Success with Michele Ferron, Once Upon a Tuesday
Michele Ferron is the founder of fully bootstrapped Once Upon A Tuesday–selling calendars and planners for design lovers.Founded in 2020, Once Upon A Tuesday now sells via their Shopify store, Etsy, and Wholesale. They’re on track to hit £1,000,000 in annual sales this year, and have a growth rate of 100% year on year.Hit PLAY to hear:Michele’s accidental eCommerce journey from Etsy to Shopify to wholesaleTheir motivation to venture into wholesaleHow they handle the ever-changing stationery marketWhy selling dated and seasonal products works for Once Upon a TuesdayHow collaborations, affiliates, and partnerships fit into their eCommerce strategiesThe importance of getting both negative and positive customer reviewsWhy becoming a B Corp certified brand is a goal that goes beyond sustainabilityKey timestamps to dive straight in:[03:37] Successful calendar design led to a successful Etsy business.[08:12] Challenging process, but created reusable acrylic wall decor.[09:20] How they create products that stay on-brand.[13:30] Selling seasonal products and dealing with inventory concerns.[15:47] The importance of both negative and positive reviews.[17:00] Doing things right in the business, and not just on the sustainability side.[18:39] Listen to Michele’s top eCommerce tips....This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Spotify Ad Analytics - https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/ad-analytics-privacy-policy/---
Download our ebook... https://ecmp.info/ebook 500 Tips to Increase Your Profits
Get all the links and resources we mention and join our email list at https://ecmp.info
Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://ecmp.info/review or reply to the episode QandA on Spotify.
Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://ecmp.info/sponsorAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Dec 18, 2023 • 32min
How G2A Became the World's Largest Digital Entertainment Marketplace with Bartosz Skwarczek
Bartosz Skwarczek is the founder and CEO at G2A, the world’s largest marketplace for digital entertainment enabling the trading of games and other digital items.Founded in 2010, they now have over 25 million users who have purchased over 100 million items.Listen to discover:Bartosz’s eCommerce journeyWhat a product eCommerce business can learn from a digital eCommerce businessHow G2A became the world’s largest digital entertainment marketplaceThe importance of security and the strict verification process sellers go throughWhy communicating your business values is crucial for building trust and growing your brandThe significance of community in G2A’s growthKey timestamps to dive straight in:[05:14] Starting a business by grabbing the opportunities given to you.[09:31] Ensuring the quality of sellers on the G2A marketplace.[11:17] Strict verification process for sellers, but fast sell-through rate.[16:20] To build your business, clearly communicate what you stand for.[18:33] Community is essential for growth and success.[21:46] Working with influencers to scale G2A.[23:31] Bartosz shares his top tips....This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Spotify Ad Analytics - https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/ad-analytics-privacy-policy/---
Download our ebook... https://ecmp.info/ebook 500 Tips to Increase Your Profits
Get all the links and resources we mention and join our email list at https://ecmp.info
Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://ecmp.info/review or reply to the episode QandA on Spotify.
Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://ecmp.info/sponsorAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Dec 11, 2023 • 28min
It's time to embrace Pre-Orders with Daniel Parekh-Hill, Flare
Daniel Parekh-Hill is the Co-Founder & CEO of Flare, where they’re on a mission to create more profit and less waste for eCommerce businesses.In this episode, we discuss:The motivation behind FlareCurrent strategies for overstock problemsThe case of preordersThe benefits of FlareAlps & Meters case study[00:59] Merchandising, overstocks, and surprising customer behavior.[04:00] Building a better future by connecting businesses and customers.[07:57] Customer data: better than what they say. Solution: customer preorders.[10:12] Scaling SKUs drives sales, cash flow, cost.[14:28] Alps and Meters: Managing seasonal stock effectively.[16:57] Flexible ordering: capture demand, sell current stock.[21:06] Teams use Notion and Slack software....This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Spotify Ad Analytics - https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/ad-analytics-privacy-policy/---
Download our ebook... https://ecmp.info/ebook 500 Tips to Increase Your Profits
Get all the links and resources we mention and join our email list at https://ecmp.info
Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://ecmp.info/review or reply to the episode QandA on Spotify.
Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://ecmp.info/sponsorAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Dec 4, 2023 • 28min
How to grow a Shopify Yoga brand including Wholesale with Valka Yoga’s Danny Garg
Danny Garg is the CEO & founder of Valka Yoga. Founded in New Zealand in 2017, Valka Yoga now also sells to the US, UK, and Australia and is growing 30% year on year. They now sell via their Shopify site and wholesale offering via their own site and Faire and do about $500,000 per year.Listen to discover:Danny’s eCommerce journey to consistent 30% annual growthValka Yoga’s international team structureHow Valka Yoga keep costs and carbon down with their global fulfillment methodsHow Danny decided to expand the range from purely Cork to Copper!The huge marketing channel shift from Ads to Affiliates and Influencers that's driving growthHow Danny's put Social Proof at the heart of their growth strategyWhy listing on wholesale marketplace Faire has been a great step to B2B eCommerce sales growthKey timestamps to dive straight in:[04:28] India and New Zealand influenced sustainable mindset. Researched yoga mat materials, discovered cork.[08:03] Mix of factors: Carbon footprint, shipping costs. Locally-made products reduce carbon footprint.[12:57] Help studios customize products, gain customers' confidence.[13:47] Prominent social proof boosts wholesale sales growth.[17:22] Overseas shipping profitable, favorable payment terms.[23:07] Seeking eco-friendly materials and local production....This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Spotify Ad Analytics - https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/ad-analytics-privacy-policy/---
Download our ebook... https://ecmp.info/ebook 500 Tips to Increase Your Profits
Get all the links and resources we mention and join our email list at https://ecmp.info
Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://ecmp.info/review or reply to the episode QandA on Spotify.
Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://ecmp.info/sponsorAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Nov 27, 2023 • 29min
The 4 Best Marketing Strategies in 2023 with the brilliant Ian Leslie, Industry West
Ian Leslie is the CMO at US homewares brand Industry West. It all started with Industry West in 2010… now they have a Shopify store and B2B sales reps, with sales of over $20m a year.He's back on the show AGAIN to share his latest insights on the eCommerce market with host Chloe Thomas and all of you listening.Always insightful, in this episode we discuss:The main decision to move from Magento to ShopifyHow do you enhance interaction with B2B customers on Shopify?Why they're redesigning their Shopify store alreadyThe four best marketing strategies used by Industry WestWhat is the significance of customer research in decision-making?The surprising role of SMS marketingTime stamps:[08:19] Hoping for the best iteration of the site. [11:52] Encourage the team to understand customers and trade.[13:55] Direct mail with unique promo codes drives results.[18:31] Catalogs are costly, but direct mail is more manageable.[20:50] The Book explores free will and decision-making process.[23:21] Essential analytics and audience targeting....This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Spotify Ad Analytics - https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/ad-analytics-privacy-policy/---
Download our ebook... https://ecmp.info/ebook 500 Tips to Increase Your Profits
Get all the links and resources we mention and join our email list at https://ecmp.info
Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://ecmp.info/review or reply to the episode QandA on Spotify.
Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://ecmp.info/sponsorAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Nov 20, 2023 • 28min
Masterclass: Merchandising with ex John Lewis Alison Metcalfe. Sales, Stock and Profit
Alison Metcalfe is a Merchandiser. She ‘does stock’ to create efficiencies in the supply chain and maximise profit for retailers. She’s worked at many high street brands including BHS, Woolworths, and M&Co, and most recently spent 13 years as Merchandise Co-ordinator for fashion at John Lewis.In this episode we discuss:How to effectively promote and mark down stock that is not sellingWhy is June a time for deeper discounting?Merging sales data and stock informationWhy do you need to analyse sales in units rather than just cash turnover?Key signs or indicators of a stock problemTime stamps:[04:24] Ideal plan: offer customers what they want.[08:37] Clear roles for buyer, merchandiser and marketer.[11:07] Sales first, stock units indicate problems.[15:25] Get rid of unnecessary stock through promotions.[17:54] Retailers not effectively using paid systems.[25:18] Merchandising: key to managing stock for profit.[26:10] Exit strategy, key sales periods, and stock management....This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Spotify Ad Analytics - https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/ad-analytics-privacy-policy/---
Download our ebook... https://ecmp.info/ebook 500 Tips to Increase Your Profits
Get all the links and resources we mention and join our email list at https://ecmp.info
Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://ecmp.info/review or reply to the episode QandA on Spotify.
Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://ecmp.info/sponsorAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Nov 13, 2023 • 29min
Balancing Wholesale and D2C eCommerce Growth with Stroodles' Maxim Gelmann
Maxim Gelmann is the founder and Chief Stroodle at Stroodles, DTC sellers of eco-tableware. Founded in 2018 they now sell via a B2B trade site, a B2B sales team and a D2C site, both built on Shopify. With sales to over 250 businesses in the hospitality industry.In this episode we discuss:How can a business effectively balance B2B and D2C operations?Portraying sustainability positivelySuccessful brand partnerships in the eCommerce spaceThe importance of giveaways and joint marketing effortsHandling logistics in-house versus outsourcing to a third-party fulfillment centerTime stamps:[00:56] Importance of brand, outsourcing logistics, building partnerships.[03:38] Changing negative stereotypes, promoting fun sustainability.[09:02] Transition into growth after overcoming obstacles. [10:40] 2 warehouses for distributors and direct consumers.[16:03] Benefit from partnerships to maximise resources and audience.[19:09] Social media marketing.[20:08] Partnerships and benefits.[23:30] Giveaways open you to large audiences at minimal cost.[27:07] The brand expanded into kids' activity packs and explored partnerships for selling on Instagram. ...This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Spotify Ad Analytics - https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/ad-analytics-privacy-policy/---
Download our ebook... https://ecmp.info/ebook 500 Tips to Increase Your Profits
Get all the links and resources we mention and join our email list at https://ecmp.info
Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://ecmp.info/review or reply to the episode QandA on Spotify.
Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://ecmp.info/sponsorAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Nov 6, 2023 • 27min
How do you do a great Re-platform? Our 6 Expert guests share their best tips
We’re in a fascinating time in the world of eCommerce websites. We’ve left the era of “just use Shopify”, and getting back into the world where which platform you choose to be the basis of your tech stack can have a fundamental impact on your success over the next 5-10 years.A replatforming project isn’t one to be taken lightly. It can have a huge impact on your future success – screwing it up, or enabling it It can have a huge impact on your team and their effectiveness. And during the project, it can have a huge impact on day-to-day workloads. A little (well, a lot) of thinking and planning can go a long way.We've asked our 6 experts to answer this question "What does a merchant planning a replatform need to know about right now?"Our experts:Lee Frankland, DWSJames Gurd, Re:platform Podcast / Digital JugglerMontserrat Cano, International ConsultantSimon Wharton, PushONSandra Markey, LoqateGabe Macaluso, OmnisendTime stamps:[01:40] Thinking and planning saves time, money, and sanity.[05:41] Clear destination crucial for efficient replatforming journey.[08:35] Communicate platform change, integrate apps, and inform customers.[10:22] Optimise website with planning and collaboration[13:58] Change management: mapping operational impact and training needs.[17:55] Content migration[23:36] Ignoring buzzwords...This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Spotify Ad Analytics - https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/ad-analytics-privacy-policy/---
Download our ebook... https://ecmp.info/ebook 500 Tips to Increase Your Profits
Get all the links and resources we mention and join our email list at https://ecmp.info
Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://ecmp.info/review or reply to the episode QandA on Spotify.
Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://ecmp.info/sponsorAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Oct 30, 2023 • 32min
Fashion, PR, and Circularity with The R Collective's Christina Dean
Christina Dean is the founder and CEO of The R Collective, an upcycled fashion brand and social impact business that rescues luxury brands’ excess materials and collaborates with award-winning sustainable designers to create circular fashion. Founded in 2017 they are selling via their Shopify store and wholesale. They have rescued 238,000 yards of fabric and 8,100 square feet of leather.In this episode we discuss:Why excessive textile materials pose a challenge for charities and businessesThe issue of excess and waste materials in the fashion industryRepurposing and reusing fabric and clothing protected by intellectual propertyHow do partnerships with luxury brands help in creating circular fashion?Why is getting control of inventory crucial in becoming more sustainable?Time stamps:[03:57] From dentist to journalist to sustainable fashion.[06:31] Businesses donate excess materials to nonprofits.[11:19] Complexity of using luxury brands' excess stock.[14:55] Recycling luxury brand materials into new products.[17:16] Supply chain analysis proves recycling is environmentally beneficial.[21:48] Inventory control is crucial for sustainable businesses.[24:04] Press involvement is crucial for business success.[28:07] Fashion waste creates opportunities for sustainability.Free 1 Hour Consultation with Connected Sourcing >> https://ecmp.info/sourcing Save 15% with Zitec >> https://ecmp.info/zitec ..This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Spotify Ad Analytics - https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/ad-analytics-privacy-policy/---
Download our ebook... https://ecmp.info/ebook 500 Tips to Increase Your Profits
Get all the links and resources we mention and join our email list at https://ecmp.info
Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://ecmp.info/review or reply to the episode QandA on Spotify.
Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://ecmp.info/sponsorAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Oct 23, 2023 • 26min
Generating €5 Million in Online Sales selling Sustainable Fashion with Dedicated's Kalle Sjöholm
Kalle Sjöholm is the eCommerce manager at Swedish fashion brand Dedicated. Founded as an environmental retail chain in 2006, Dedicated is now selling from 3 stores in Sweden, various retailers around the world, and globally via its Centra eCommerce store. In total they did sales of just under 10 million euros in 2022 about half via the eCommerce store.In this episode we discuss:How does Dedicated communicate their sustainability efforts?What is the significance of their "Plant Friday" initiative?What role does the wholesale aspect of business play in the overall sales strategy?New areas of sustainability… and how to not sound like your greenwashingTime stamps:[04:27] Selling clothes with sustainability focus.[06:44] Action over talk, prioritise sustainability in practice.[09:36] Office team with production, design, eCommerce, and sustainability.[13:34] Understanding the team and questioning the choice of platform.[16:59] Season is important despite world instability.[19:47] Collaboration key.[23:08] Insights on brand structure and collaborations.Free 1 Hour Consultation with Connected Sourcing >> https://ecmp.info/sourcing Save 15% with Zitec >> https://ecmp.info/zitec ..This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Spotify Ad Analytics - https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/ad-analytics-privacy-policy/---
Download our ebook... https://ecmp.info/ebook 500 Tips to Increase Your Profits
Get all the links and resources we mention and join our email list at https://ecmp.info
Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://ecmp.info/review or reply to the episode QandA on Spotify.
Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://ecmp.info/sponsorAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy


