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
Sep 24, 2020 • 25min
Signs of Life (S2: E14)
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.
Sep 17, 2020 • 16min
We Relaunched Our Ad Campaign. And It’s Going Badly. (S2:E13)
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.
Sep 10, 2020 • 52min
One Topic With Taylor: Where Did The Marketing Campaign Go?
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:
1. QALO "Mark Of A Maker" Quality Campaign: https://bit.ly/2ZodSJZ
2. QALO "Mark Of A Maker" Quality Campaign Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5f7-ObdsvQ
3. Western Rise "Wear From Anywhere" Campaign: https://bit.ly/2Zk1dHN
4. "Mud Bogging" Facebook Group: https://business.facebook.com/theMudBog/?business_id=1514355852207761
Sep 3, 2020 • 15min
Failure To Relaunch (S2: E12)
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.
Aug 27, 2020 • 13min
The 31 Bits Relaunch Is Officially Underway. Here's How It's Going. (S2:E11)
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.
Aug 20, 2020 • 21min
We Solved Slick's #1 Problem (S2:E10)
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
Aug 13, 2020 • 22min
Growth vs. Profit: How the Age Old Debate Is Unfolding (S2:E9)
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.
Aug 6, 2020 • 25min
Building A Brand Homepage: Design & Copywriting Strategies (S2: E8)
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.
Jul 30, 2020 • 38min
The Headaches & Rewards of Building an Ethical Supply Chain (S2: E7)
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.”
Jul 23, 2020 • 20min
Resisting The Tyranny Of The Urgent (S2:E6)
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 ]
