Ecommerce Conversations

Selling apparel online is notoriously competitive. The margins are thin, typically. Inventory management can be complicated with hundreds of SKUs for size and color and styles. This is episode 10 in my series on building an ecommerce business from the ground up. For this installment, I spoke with Mike Schwarz, founder of RibbedTee, a Los Angeles-based manufacturer and retailer of men's undershirts and underwear.

Many ecommerce businesses spend large amounts of money generating video content that few consumers watch. But with the right mindset and strategy, viewers will engage with your videos. YouTube could become a successful channel for your business. This is episode nine in my series on building an ecommerce business from the ground up.

Startups and seasoned merchants alike can run into hiccups with managing customer service. Is it better to do it in-house or to outsource? Should you hire someone from the start? Cody McLain is CEO of SupportNinja, a customer service provider. He addresses the realities of operating a company in the Philippines, tips for business owners looking to expand customer service functions, and more.

A merchant who sells physical products has to figure out how to efficiently get those items into the hands of customers. It can become complicated as the business scales and receives international orders. This is episode seven in my series on building an ecommerce business from the ground up.

Without the right people, a new ecommerce business would almost certainly fail. Refining the hiring process can help find the perfect candidate. For this interview, we spoke with Ayman Al-Abdullah, president of AppSumo, a daily deals site for digital goods, about his hiring process and how it has evolved.

Knowing where to advertise can be daunting to new and experienced ecommerce entrepreneurs alike. There are many options, and it's often unclear which will fit your business. Digital marketing agencies can provide some answers. For this interview, I visited with Alex Hart, founder of Good Joo Joo, an Austin, Texas-based digital marketing agency.

Good copy sells. Generic imagery and descriptions might cause shoppers to move on without giving your product a second thought. Spicing up your copy, whether it be emails, social media, or product descriptions will give your online store a personality to stand above competitors.In this fourth installment in my series of conversations about building an ecommerce business, I'm visiting with Neville Medhora, founder of Kopywriting Kourse.

The early days of an ecommerce business are among the most important. Growing a business from infancy is complicated and unforgiving. There are many factors to consider, including platforms, inventory, social media, and more.This is the third installment in my series of conversations about building an ecommerce business. The previous installments were "Part 1: Choosing Partners" and "Part 2: Selecting Platforms."This time I visited with Andrea Nucete-Elliott, co-founder of TIY Life, a new ecommerce business offering premium hair ties for active women.

Selecting an ecommerce platform is among the most critical decisions of a new entrepreneur. There are hundreds of choices. This is the second installment in my series on launching, growing, and selling an ecommerce business. For this installment on selecting an ecommerce platform, I spoke with Carson McComas. He is the founder and CEO of Fuel Made, a Spokane, Wash.-based ecommerce agency.

This is the first episode of an extended series on launching, growing, and selling an ecommerce business.  The topic of this initial episode is choosing business partners.  My two partners at Beardbrand are supportive and knowledgeable. Our relationship has been critical to the company's growth. I asked one of them, Lindsey Reinders, to offer suggestions and tips for selecting partners.