Ecommerce Playbook: Numbers, Struggles & Growth

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 impact on company culture, we uncover the pivotal moments and reflections of leadership. Learn about the complexities of balancing personal aspirations with professional obligations and the critical role of culture alignment in driving organizational success.

Discover how this CTC navigated the transition from embracing personal dreams to prioritizing client service excellence, and the valuable lessons learned along the way. Join us as we explore the importance of setting clear boundaries, defining company purpose, and aligning culture with core business objectives.

Show Notes:

-Get 50% off your first month of Motion when you mention Common Thread Collective to the Motion team. https://bit.ly/44aWUiw

-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.

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 sign up for immediate access to the full report and past issues in PDF format.

In this episode, we're looking into Mother's Day trends, drawing from data collected in 2023 to anticipate 2024's market dynamics. From purchasing patterns to timing insights, we equip eCommerce businesses with actionable strategies for maximizing sales during this crucial holiday period.

Furthermore, we delve into consumer confidence metrics, highlighting significant milestones reached in March. Despite ongoing economic uncertainties, our survey data reflects a cautiously optimistic outlook among DTC shoppers, offering valuable implications for business strategies.

Additionally, we unveil intriguing revelations about media buying trends on major platforms. From Meta (formerly Facebook) to TikTok, we analyze spending, CPM rates, and ROAS fluctuations, providing a comprehensive snapshot of the e-commerce advertising landscape.

Ultimately, our goal is to empower eCommerce businesses with data-driven insights to navigate the ever-evolving market landscape. Join us as we explore the intricacies of the eCommerce industry and uncover actionable strategies for success.

Don't miss out on the latest industry insights—subscribe now and stay ahead of the curve!

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 creation. We explore real-world examples, including the innovative tactics used by successful businesses like Missouri Quilt Co. and others, who have turned their marketing expenses into profit centers.

Discover how content-first businesses are not only avoiding traditional paid acquisition costs but are actually generating revenue from the content they create. From YouTube channels to subscription-based magazines, we uncover the strategies behind this game-changing approach to marketing.

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.

• "With $10M In Revenue And $0 In Ad Spend, Isaac Medeiros Is In A Class Of His Own" (Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3SgdOZa Apple: https://apple.co/43SQi7m)

• "Growing Profitability ft. Alan Doan of Missouri Quilt Co" Ecommerce Playbook Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nvrtLkJOXM

• NVIDIA CEO Jensen Yang's "I Wish You Suffering" Video: https://twitter.com/petergyang/status/1768645902263369776

• Kevin Espiritu On Negative Cac: https://twitter.com/kevinespiritu/status/1770159574194217368

• Subscribe to Andrew's pod: https://www.youtube.com/@andrewfarispodcast

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 strategic pivots.

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.

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 podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.

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, from its humble beginnings to becoming the world's largest quilt shop, with over a hundred million in revenue annually and a whopping 400 employees! But what sets them apart isn't just their impressive stats; it's their commitment to community, authenticity, and genuine connection with their customers. Discover how Alan and his team built an engaged, loyal audience through their YouTube channel, offering everything from quilting tutorials to product demos, and revolutionizing the quilting industry one stitch at a time. Tune in as Alan dives deep into the philosophy behind their success, the importance of authenticity in ecommerce, and the joy of building meaningful relationships with customers. Whether you're a seasoned marketer or a newbie to the craft, this episode is sure to inspire and delight! Don't miss out—hit play now and join us on this incredible journey with Alan Doan!

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.

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 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.

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 testament to the power of perseverance, seizing opportunities, and cultivating meaningful connections. From his early experiences in the vibrant world of board sports to navigating the complexities of tech startups and ecommerce ventures, BG's diverse background provides invaluable insights for listeners at every stage of their own career journeys.

Show Notes:

• Get 30 free days of Toki’s cutting-edge customer loyalty platform (including cashback and paid membership programs) at buildwithtoki.com/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.

🚀 Exciting News in Ecommerce! 🚀

Get ready for a wild ride as we dive deep into the chaotic world of ecommerce with the masterminds behind the scenes. In this video, we are thrilled to introduce our powerhouse team, each bringing their unique expertise and data to the table.

Meet Yarden, the Co-founder and CEO of Varos, a massive data co-op sitting on a treasure trove of information from 6,000 e-commerce-related stores. Discover how Varos aggregates, anonymizes, and analyzes data from various platforms, giving unparalleled insights into the industry's dynamics.

Next up is Jeremiah, Founder and CEO at KnoCommerce, the survey platform with a qualitative edge. Learn how Jeremiah's team works with 3,300+ brands, delving into billions of dollars in online revenue to provide exclusive and meaningful insights not found anywhere else.

Enter Wyatt Mayhem, the Founder of CastMetrics, bringing a whole new dimension to our data consortium. Wyatt gives us a peek into his world of consumer transaction-level credit card data, offering a panoramic view of how people are spending trillions of dollars across the United States.

Last but certainly not least is Steve, the Senior Data Analyst at Common Thread Collective. Watch as Steve weaves the threads of data together, crafting compelling narratives from the information provided by our data nerds.

But that's not all! Join us on this thrilling journey as we launch the DTC Data Consortium, where these industry leaders will unravel the mysteries of January's ecommerce landscape. From platform insights to ad spend trends and customer acquisition dynamics, get ready to be in the know.

Don't miss out on this ecommerce rollercoaster! Head to DTCindex.com to sign up for our monthly newsletter and podcast, where we'll dissect the state of the industry and provide you with the latest and greatest insights. Stay ahead of the curve with the DTC Data Consortium – your ticket to understanding the chaos of ecommerce!

Welcome to the first episode of a new series on the Ecommerce Playbook Podcast! In this series, we step aside from the usual interviews and dive into the world of brand operators, exploring successful brands through the lens of their GQ score (Growth Quotient). To kick off the series, we interview Dave Rekuc, President of Bambu Earth, our own brand with a GQ score of 119.7. Explore the strengths and weaknesses of this middle-market bootstrap ecommerce brand that's expected to hit $12 million in 2023. From high LTV to low carrying costs, discover the key attributes that make Bambu Earth a successful skincare brand. Show Notes: Grapevine’s partnering with Common Thread Collective to offer listeners a discount on their first campaign. Click here to book a demo with Grapevine today! https://qc0fgbadvc8.typeform.com/to/qwVSYUqV?utm_campaign=CTC&typeform-source=email 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.

On this episode, Richard chats with Aileen McKenna, Director of Creative Strategy & Performance at CTC, about the creative aspect of our growth methodology: How to use your topline financial goals to operationalize your creative production, and how to come up with good creative ideas — quickly.

⁠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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.