Developing A Multi-Channel Ecommerce Strategy

In retail, many chase the next big thing—a new style, a new way to reach consumers—triggering a frantic race to adopt. But most trends fade as fast as they appear. The real game-changers are curated habits that prove they can stand the test of time. I’ve championed social commerce as the future of retail for over a decade. In hindsight, that barely scratches the surface. It’s now a deeply ingrained consumer behavior. The imperative isn’t just to adopt it, but to evolve with it—constantly and intentionally. At HSN, social commerce was core to our strategy. We pioneered the blend of shopping and entertainment. That’s the essence: finding the sweet spot where entertainment, connection, and commerce converge. Soon after, platforms like Twitch began enabling users to both game and shop in real time, blending entertainment with commerce. Fanatics has successfully leaned into this model as well, immersing fans in live experiences while showcasing gear in action, often worn by their favorite athletes and community, turning fandom into a powerful trust signal. More recently, TikTok Shop collapsed the purchase funnel into a single scroll. It's no longer discover, then buy. Now, it’s see it, want it, buy it—seamlessly, in-platform. So, as we look ahead, how do I see this "social commerce habit" evolving? Here's what I expect: 🔹 Creator Integration is Non-Negotiable. For Gen Z, in particular, TikTok Shop has become a primary discovery engine. They trust their favorite creators to genuinely try products and offer honest feedback. The more brands lean into authentic partnerships with creators, the more trust they build in this integrated shopping experience. It’s about relationship-driven commerce. 🔹 Embrace a Zero-Click World. Speed and simplicity are paramount. Consumers need to be able to see, buy, and receive as fast as humanly possible. This means minimal clicks, minimal friction, and no moments for reconsideration. It's about instant gratification and removing all barriers between desire and ownership. 🔹 Elevate Live Shopping. This is a powerful return to the personal connection and real-time interaction that defined the best of traditional retail. Shoppable videos and live sessions transform social media into a personalized shopping aisle. Imagine experts demonstrating products, showing how they fit or can be styled, all in real-time, tailored to your interests. It brings humanity back to digital retail. 🔹 Unlock the Power of Virtual Try-Ons. A longstanding hurdle in e-commerce is "try before you buy." AI-enabled virtual try-on features solves that, making online shopping more immersive and convenient. This translates directly into higher conversion rates, deeper engagement, and customers spending more valuable time interacting with your brand digitally. It’s time to stop treating social commerce like a trend. This is commerce, full stop. It’s a fundamental consumer behavior that belongs at the center of every modern retail strategy.

Wondering why your marketing efforts aren’t delivering as expected? Here are 3 key areas to evaluate when it comes to brand consistency: → Is your visual identity cohesive across all platforms? → Does your messaging align with your core values? → Are you communicating consistently with your audience? A few months ago, I had a conversation with our marketing team about the importance of consistency. Is every touchpoint with our audience reinforcing the brand image we want? Here’s what we realized: → Some brands fail to create any consistency (yes, it's as bad as it sounds) → Many brands are consistent on one or two platforms but not across the board → Only a few brands truly master consistent branding across all channels and touchpoints Inconsistent branding can undo all the hard work you've put into your marketing strategy over time. Don’t let it happen to you. So ask yourself these questions to ensure you’re keeping your brand consistent: 1) Is my visual branding uniform across all platforms? → Review your logos, colors, fonts, and imagery across websites, social media, and print materials. Are they aligned? 2) Is my messaging consistent with my brand's voice? → Does your brand voice match the tone and message across every platform, from emails to social posts? 3) Am I engaging consistently with my audience? → Evaluate how often and in what ways you’re interacting with your audience. Keep these questions in mind and take action where needed to ensure your brand consistency stays on track!

You probably track result metrics. But do you track the levers behind them? Everyone wants to grow key metrics: AOV, LTV, etc. However, most dashboards stop there. They show what happened, not what to fix. Here’s what you should be managing: → AOV ↳ Average Discount ↳ Cross-sell Success Rate → Gross Profit ↳ COGS ↳ Net Return Impact → Conversion Rate ↳ Add-to-Cart Rate ↳ Checkout Completion Rate → CAC ↳ Product Page View Rate ↳ Ads CTR → Repeat Purchase Rate ↳ Time Between Purchases ↳ Email Click Rate → CSAT ↳ On-Time Delivery Rate ↳ Ticket Resolution Time → Organic Traffic ↳ Coverage Issues ↳ Keyword Rankings No one grows AOV by watching AOV. And growth comes from managing what’s underneath. This cheat sheet is a reminder: If you want to grow this… manage that. 📌 Save this. Share it with your team. Which of these levers do you track today?

Every ecommerce leader I know is running on the same hamster wheel: growth targets keep rising, but the rules of the game are being rewritten under their feet. When you place a leader and later sit down with them to swap insights, you’re reminded why the right talent shapes entire industries. I had a great conversation with Julian Exposito-Bader (ex-Amazon, TAG Heuer) about what’s really shaping the future of ecommerce, and he boiled it down to four pillars every executive should have on their radar: 1. Tariffs & Supply Chain Disruption Tariffs are no longer background noise. They’ve reshaped global commerce. Chinese manufacturers are redirecting from the US into Europe, flooding marketplaces with B-brands and copycats. Leaders who win will be the ones who diversify sourcing, master customs optimization, and use bonded warehouses strategically. 2. Sustainability as a Competitive Advantage It’s no longer acceptable to send a small product in three layers of plastic. Lastmile innovation (bike couriers, drones, reusable packaging) is moving from “PR play” to “bottom-line differentiator.” Zalando is pushing hard here. Consumers are watching, and they notice who’s lagging behind. 3. AI-Powered Commerce Revolution Gen Z isn’t Googling “best running shoes”, they’re asking ChatGPT or Alexa. LLMs are the new storefront. The question is: do brands have a strategy to influence those models? Add in 10-minute delivery in Southeast Asia (coming soon to Europe) and AI-driven fraud vs. fraud detection… the entire purchase journey is being re-engineered. 4. Channel Strategy & ROI Focus Social commerce is expensive and messy, but TikTok Shop is where the next generation buys. DTC remains the highest margin, but demands world-class storytelling. Amazon gives you traffic, but only if you’re willing to pour money into ads. And let’s not forget the “lipstick effect”, beauty keeps outperforming even when wallets tighten. The takeaway? Ecommerce leaders aren’t just choosing a channel anymore, they’re orchestrating these four forces simultaneously. For me, it was also a reminder of why the right hire matters: leaders like Julian don’t just react to market shifts, they anticipate and shape them. I’m curious, in your markets, which of these four pillars is hitting hardest right now? #ecommerce #fmcg #trending

Most eCommerce brands obsess over revenue and ROAS. But the real game is in the metrics no one talks about. Here are 10 overlooked KPIs that actually drive growth (and how to optimize them): ~~ 1. LTV:CAC Ratio (The Ultimate Health Check) LTV:CAC = Customer Lifetime Value ÷ Customer Acquisition Cost 1:1 = You’re bleeding money 3:1 = Healthy 5:1+ = Printing cash If you’re below 3:1, either: ✅ Lower CAC (better targeting, UGC ads, referrals) ✅ Increase LTV (subscriptions, upsells, memberships) == 2. 90-Day Repurchase Rate If a customer doesn’t buy again within 90 days, they probably won’t. Fix it by: • Winback campaigns with targeted incentives • Selling bundles that create habits • Building a loyalty program that rewards repeat buyers == 3. Contribution Margin (What’s Actually Left?) CM = Revenue – (COGS + Shipping + Discounts + Ad Spend) If your CM is under 30%, you’re scaling a business that won’t survive. Get margins up by: • Cutting discount dependency • Negotiating lower fulfillment costs • Adding Onward shipping protection == 4. Subscription Churn Rate (The Silent Killer) High churn = your brand is a leaky bucket Fix it by: • Adding pause & skip options via SMS (Skio for example) • Add more delivery options and product variety • Sending an email 7 days before renewal reminding them potential lost perks == 5. Time to Second Purchase (T2P) Track how long it takes for a customer to place their second order—then cut that time in half. Tactics to speed it up: • AI-based Email/SMS flows with hyper-targeted recommendations • Exclusive discounts for second-time buyers • Reorder reminders based on average usage time == 6. Gross Margin per Order (The Scaling Checkpoint) At scale, 40%+ gross margins keep you profitable. If you're below that: • Increase prices (test 10% bumps) • Reduce discounting, do Cashback instead (@ Onward) • Negotiate better supplier terms (carrier rates, 3pl, etc) == 7. Refund & Return Rate A high return rate = a CAC multiplier. Fix it by: • Charging for returns (but offering free exchanges) • Clearer product descriptions & sizing charts • Post-purchase emails on how to use the product == 8. Organic vs. Paid Revenue Ratio If 60%+ of your sales come from paid ads, you’re in trouble. Brands with real staying power win on organic channels. The fix? • SEO & content marketing • Affiliate & referral programs • Retention tactics (VIP, loyalty, subscriptions) == 8. SKU Concentration Risk If 80%+ of your revenue comes from one product, you’re vulnerable. Great brands expand without overextending. Turn one-time buyers into multi-SKU customers with: • Bundles • Exclusive add-ons • Subscription perks == 9. % of Revenue from Returning Customers A healthy DTC brand makes 40%+ of revenue from repeat buyers. If you’re below that, focus on LTV levers: • VIP memberships • Personalized email/SMS offers • Post-purchase nurture flows Follow Josh Payne for deep dives on DTC, SaaS, and investing.

The biggest marketing arbitrage for brands right now? Building a cross-channel creator community. If you're on TikTok Shop, this means launching a DTC creator affiliate community and pushing those affiliates to repurpose their content across all channels. Here's how to do it, even if you're not planning to scale big from the start: Base level - Protect your investment + boost performance: 1. Set up with Superfiliate or Social Snowball if you're a Shopify brand on TikTok Shop. 2. Create a Discord channel for all creators to protect against platform disruptions. 3. Give affiliates unique discount codes or links. 4. Coach them to share TikTok content on IG Reels, YouTube Shorts, and Meta Reels. This multiplies impressions, engagement, and sales without additional product seeding. But that's just the beginning... Advanced - Scaling your cross-channel community: 1. Build monthly influencer lists of 4k+ creators on Instagram and YouTube. 2. Use tools like Saral and Onsocial for sourcing. 3. Filter for followers (2k-100k) and engagement rate (2%+). 4. Use cold email software for outreach at scale. 5. Set up a 3-step email sequence with an auto-reply for interested influencers. 6. Seed product to new influencers. 7. Create an onboarding flow with Klaviyo, including a welcome challenge. 8. Invite active creators to your Discord. 9. Push Instagram and YouTube affiliates to create TikTok Shop content / and vise versa 10. Use your community as a content engine for UGC and partnership ads. This strategy onboards 100+ new opt-ins monthly to your DTC affiliate program with minimal friction. It's the direction we're pushing our clients to increase affiliate performance while protecting against potential platform disruptions. Remember, it's all about maximizing your reach and minimizing risk. Cross-channel is the future.

As a DTC brand, have you considered the risks of relying solely on Amazon as your growth engine, especially as its dominance in the e-commerce landscape continues to surge? Amazon’s share of US e-commerce sales is projected reach an impressive 40.9% by 2025, a clear signal of Amazon’s tightening grip on the retail market. I see this trend as a wake-up call. While Amazon offers unparalleled reach, its growing dominance amplifies the risks of over-dependence. Policy shifts, escalating fees, and fierce competition can destabilize your profitability and erode your control over your brand. The solution? Diversify your sales channels to build a more resilient business. Here are 2 actionable strategies for diversification every Amazon brand should pursue today: 1. Embrace Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Sales: Invest in your DTC infrastructure. This is the time to focus on building a real brand that stands independently to the vast search intent that Amazon offers. Use Shopify, Klaviyo, Meta, and Google as your "core four" to begin generating and converting demand to your DTC business. Selling directly to your customers lets you bypass Amazon’s fees and regain control over your brand's narrative. By forging stronger relationships with your audience, you not only mitigate the impact of Amazon’s rule changes but also unlock opportunities for higher margins and customer loyalty. 2. Tap into TikTok Shops: With now over a million creators thriving on TikTok Shops and search volumes surpassing Google in certain product categories, it’s a vibrant marketplace waiting to be explored. Partner with influencers and leverage TikTok’s powerful discovery tools to connect with new audiences and drive sustainable growth. You'll also find the discovery on TikTok drives new customers to both your Amazon and DTC business as a bonus. Why act now? Relying solely on Amazon leaves you vulnerable to unexpected disruptions, whether it’s a policy change or intensified competition. But by branching out to platforms like TikTok Shops, building a DTC presence, and exploring multiple revenue streams, you can safeguard your business and seize untapped opportunities. The data is undeniable: Amazon’s meteoric rise is both an opportunity and a risk. Don’t wait for the next policy shift to catch you off guard. Take action today—diversify your strategy, harness innovative platforms, and position your e-commerce brand for long-term success.

For years, companies have been leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to provide personalized customer experiences. One widespread use case is showing product recommendations based on previous data. But there's so much more potential in AI that we're just scratching the surface. One of the most important things for any company is anticipating each customer's needs and delivering predictive personalization. Understanding customer intent is critical to shaping predictive personalization strategies. This involves interpreting signals from customers’ current and past behaviors to infer what they are likely to need or do next, and then dynamically surfacing that through a platform of their choice. Here’s how: 1. Customer Journey Mapping: Understanding the various stages a customer goes through, from awareness to purchase and beyond. This helps in identifying key moments where personalization can have the most impact. This doesn't have to be an exercise on a whiteboard; in fact, I would counsel against that. Journey analytics software can get you there quickly and keep journeys "alive" in real time, changing dynamically as customer needs evolve. 2. Behavioral Analysis: Examining how customers interact with your brand, including what they click on, how long they spend on certain pages, and what they search for. You will need analytical resources here, and hopefully you have them on your team. If not, find them in your organization; my experience has been that they find this type of exercise interesting and will want to help. 3. Sentiment Analysis: Using natural language processing to understand customer sentiment expressed in feedback, reviews, social media, or even case notes. This provides insights into how customers feel about your brand or products. As in journey analytics, technology and analytical resources will be important here. 4. Predictive Analytics: Employing advanced analytics to forecast future customer behavior based on current data. This can involve machine learning models that evolve and improve over time. 5. Feedback Loops: Continuously incorporate customer signals (not just survey feedback) to refine and enhance personalization strategies. Set these up through your analytics team. Predictive personalization is not just about selling more; it’s about enhancing the customer experience by making interactions more relevant, timely, and personalized. This customer-led approach leads to increased revenue and reduced cost-to-serve. How is your organization thinking about personalization in 2024? DM me if you want to talk it through. #customerexperience #artificialintelligence #ai #personalization #technology #ceo

“Direct to Consumer” (DTC) is a misnomer. Fundamentally, it is not “direct” to consumer. It does not, as claimed by DTC maxis (my prior self included) “remove the middle man”. The middle man has just changed from the retailer to Facebook and Google. That’s not good or bad, it just is. DTC is a channel with its own economics and pros / cons… just like any other channel. DTC is no better than any other. A mistake I made was not realizing this early enough. I thought DTC was the only way to “own the transaction”, or “own the customer relationship”, and therefore, should be the only focus area for investment. I was wrong. Once you have product that resonates, what matters is having a brand that transcends channel and a constant stream of great content that supports and builds that brand. While a clear benefit of DTC will continue to be the ability to test new products, many of the perceived benefits of DTC are fading away. Over the next five years, we’re going to be losing most of our ability to track web visitors and customers the way we have historically. We’ve already seen this happening and it’s clear where things are trending. Attribution is only going to get harder. The diminishing returns of hammering Meta DR as the only lever to drive growth are real. Therefore, if you viewed your DTC business as the most important channel, it seems clear the relative value of your DTC web presence vs other channels is necessarily going to go down…especially in a macro where sustainable economics come before topline growth. There are outliers, of course. The numbers don’t lie. 80% of retail sales are still offline, and Amazon owns roughly half of online. So why push a boulder up hill and fight for 10% of a pie? Why not run downhill and open yourself to all the ways consumers shop? Some may say “you have to focus. Going multichannel too soon is a distraction.” Maybe, but the act of actually selling multichannel is going to continue to get commoditized away. Totally need to focus, but once you have a product people love, the focus is on brand. Coupled with a multichannel presence, a strong brand acts as a massive multiplier to the effectiveness of any media dollar spent. We are about to enter a new era of brand first company building. It’s gonna be awesome.

Personalization at scale is the holy grail of ecommerce. Many brands try this, but their attempts end up feeling artificial or breaking under load. Then I saw what UnionBrands accomplished with FERMÀT. What makes their case particularly interesting is the inherent tension in their business model. With brands like Gladly Family (baby gear) and BravoMonster (luxury RC cars), they're essentially running multiple distinct businesses under one roof. Each brand serves completely different customer personas - imagine the complexity of speaking authentically to both RC car collectors and parents shopping for family-friendly gear. Here's how they approached this challenge using FERMÀT: 1. Persona-Driven Experience Architecture → Each audience segment gets its own tailored journey → The messaging adapts naturally across collector, racer, and gift-giver segments → Brand integrity remains strong while speaking to specific buyers 2. Seamless Ad-to-Cart Alignment → Seasonal offers feel authentic and contextual → Their beach-themed funnels mirror specific UGC content → The narrative flows naturally from first impression to purchase 3. PR-Driven Funnel Optimization → Press coverage leads to custom-built experiences → Publication audiences see perfectly aligned messaging → Direct attribution captures real PR impact Their results validate this approach in remarkable ways: • First week of launch: FERMÀT funnels drove 3X the revenue of their website • PR placement performance: Their collector-specific funnel hit a 14.29% conversion rate when UnCrate featured Bravomonster • Seasonal campaigns: Their beach-themed funnel achieved a 4.56 ROAS What I find most compelling is how they've reframed the personalization challenge. Instead of rebuilding their core site for every audience segment, they’re creating AI-powered FERMÀT funnels to create targeted experiences that preserve brand integrity while delivering true personalization. As Jen Johnson Latulippe, UnionBrands founder, puts it: "FERMÀT allows a smaller team to get bigger results, faster. We can create a whole shopping experience in a few hours without having to touch the website."