Ecommerce Playbook: Numbers, Struggles & Growth

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.

Episodes

May 30, 2024 25 mins

On this episode of the podcast, Taylor and Richard talk about our recent expansion of the Prophit system into organic and owned channels, how it gets us closer to our goal of building a complete system for Ecommerce growth, and Taylor’s reflections on turning 40.


Show Notes:

  • Get 50% off your first month of Motion when you mention Common Thread Collective to the Motion team. https://bit.ly/3VkuQ9n
  • The Ecommerce Playbook ...
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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 mana...

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May 21, 2024 37 mins

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 advertisin...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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May 7, 2024 27 mins

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 — e...
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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:

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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 pric...

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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...

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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 im...

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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 sig...

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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 cr...

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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 strategi...

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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 pod...
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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...

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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...

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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 te...

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March 19, 2024 23 mins

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:

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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 R...

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