
Ecommerce Playbook: Numbers, Struggles & Growth
2020 transformed the world of ecommerce forever.
For the modern DTC brand, the rewards have never been greater. But the waters have also never been choppier, and the way forward has never been more uncertain.
So how do you navigate this dangerous new reality?
No matter how you do it, you’d better not do it alone.
That’s where the Ecommerce Playbook Podcast comes in — join Common Thread Collective’s Taylor Holiday & Richard Gaffin as they bring you guiding insights from across CTC’s portfolio of growing DTC businesses.
Whether you need a clear view on the macro issues affecting the world of ecommerce, or want to reorient your business around groundbreaking new big-picture strategies, Taylor & Richard are here to help answer the tough questions about what it takes to scale — and sustain — an ecommerce business.
Latest episodes

Nov 24, 2023 • 6min
Black Friday Q&A w/Taylor (PREVIEW)
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

Nov 16, 2023 • 46min
The Prophit System, Part 2: Model The Possibilities And Choose Your Path
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.

Nov 14, 2023 • 5min
Tactics with Taylor #1: Cost Caps 101 [PREVIEW]
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.

Nov 8, 2023 • 36min
The Prophit System, Pt. 1: Setting a Business Objective
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.

Oct 26, 2023 • 55min
Crucial Black Friday Tactics w/Connor and Connor
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.

Oct 19, 2023 • 33min
How to Build a Map to Profitable Growth
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.

Oct 11, 2023 • 30min
The One Key to Winning in 2024 w/Luke Austin
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.

Oct 4, 2023 • 18min
September Was Rough. What Does That Mean for Q4?
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.

Sep 27, 2023 • 34min
Digging Into The BFCM Offer Database
The podcast discusses the 2023 BFCM Offer Database, highlighting the importance of running offers on Black Friday and surprising truths about Buy One, Get One offers. The role of novelty in breaking through the noise during the biggest weekend of the year is also explored.

8 snips
Sep 21, 2023 • 40min
What Will 2024 Look Like For Ecomm?
The podcast discusses the future of e-commerce, including margin innovation, AI's role, and the connection between marketing and finance. They emphasize predictable, profitable growth and the importance of understanding the financial aspects of a business. They also explore the benefits and drawbacks of AI in the industry and tackle the topic of margin innovation. Overall, the podcast provides insights into the trends and challenges of e-commerce.