About Us
Our mission is to help merchants improve their online businesses. We do this with expert articles, commentary, guides, webinars, and podcasts. We are an independent publishing company, unaffiliated with any ecommerce platform, service, or provider.
» Editorial Policy
Editorial integrity is paramount to us. We are members of the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing (SABEW) and adhere to its Codes of Ethics. We publish only original content from vetted experts who receive stipends for each piece.
We carefully edit and fact-check all pieces for accuracy, brevity, and readability — all to meet our mission of helping online merchants. We never publish guest posts, one-time posts, promotional pieces, and similar. Most of our writers have contributed for years, some since our inception in 2005. More >
» Our Story
Practical Ecommerce launched in 2005 as a monthly, printed magazine. Founders Kerry and Joy Murdock formerly owned two small newspapers and a small book publishing firm. Having attempted to sell their books online, the Murdocks experienced a lack of trustworthy, reliable ecommerce resources. They launched Practical Ecommerce to fulfill that need.
Now entirely digital, Practical Ecommerce has published roughly 7,000 articles and hundreds of webinars and podcast episodes, serving millions of readers in over 200 countries.
» Leadership
Kerry Murdock
Publisher, Editor
Since 2005 Kerry Murdock has managed all aspects of Practical Ecommerce’s journalism, from selecting writers and topics to editing and fact-checking thousands of professional articles addressing all facets of worldwide ecommerce. Before Practical Ecommerce, he was the publisher of two community newspapers and a small book publishing company. He holds a B.S. in Accounting from Oklahoma State University and an M.A. in Government from The University of Texas at Austin. More >
Joy Murdock
Treasurer, Controller
Joy Murdock is a longtime accountant and tax practitioner. She oversees Practical Ecommerce’s accounting, reporting, and tax matters. She holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Michigan Technological University and an M.S. in Accounting and Taxation from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
» Key Writers
Armando Roggio, Sr.
Senior Contributor
Armando Roggio is a global ecommerce authority and a practicing merchant, developer, and journalist. Since 2008 he’s written over 1,300 articles for Practical Ecommerce addressing all matters of ecommerce and presented dozens of webinars. His previous positions include director of ecommerce for a regional retail chain and marketing publications manager at Micron Technology, a publicly-traded computer-chip manufacturer. He holds a B.A. in English Writing and Journalism from The University of Pittsburgh. More >
Pamela Hazelton
Senior Contributor
Pamela Hazelton is a pioneering online business consultant, marketer, and speaker. She’s an original contributor to Practical Ecommerce, providing actionable articles and webinars since 2005. Pamela has advised hundreds of online stores throughout her career, including Van Halen Store, Retro Planet, AHAVA, and TRX. She has also authored books on the Miva ecommerce platform, online shopability, and security. More >
Sig Ueland
Contributor
Sig Ueland is a seasoned freelance journalist and screenwriter. He has written weekly ecommerce resource lists for Practical Ecommerce since 2011, addressing tools, products, and services to help merchants. He’s also authored articles for magazines such as In These Times and Third Word. Sig holds an M.F.A. in Screenwriting from UCLA’s School of Theater, Film, and Television and a B.A. in English from the University of Colorado at Boulder. More >
Eric Bandholz
Host of “Ecommerce Conversations” Podcast
Eric Bandholz is the founder of Beardbrand, a leading men’s direct-to-consumer online grooming company. He is the host of “Ecommerce Conversations,” Practical Ecommerce’s weekly podcast, where he interviews merchants and entrepreneurs on the realities of running an online business. Eric is an ecommerce authority, having spoken at dozens of industry conferences and meetups. He holds a B.S. in Marketing, Management, and Retail from the University of South Carolina. More >
Marcia Kaplan
Contributor
Marcia Kaplan is a longtime business writer and technology market research analyst. She has written for Practical Ecommerce since 2011, addressing capital markets, global online trends, and more. She has also written for trade magazines and newspapers, including CRN, Silicon Valley Business Journal, and Ziff Davis. Her consulting clients include Fortune 500 companies as well as startups. Marcia has an M.B.A. from San Jose State University in California and a B.A. in sociology from Binghamton University in New York. More >
Carolyn Nye
Contributor
Carolyn Nye is an international email marketing authority and senior sales support manager for Acxiom, a provider of consulting, data, and technology solutions. She has written for Practical Ecommerce since 2010 and has been in the email marketing industry since 2006, advising large and small companies on the execution of successful campaigns. Carolyn holds a B.S. in Marketing from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and an M.B.A. from the University of New Haven. More >
Matthew Umbro
Contributor
Matthew Umbro is a pay-per-click advertising expert and key account director at Brainlabs, a leading digital marketing agency. He first contributed to Practical Ecommerce in 2013 and has been in the pay-per-click industry since 2007. He works and collaborates with clients worldwide across multiple industries to drive leads and brand awareness. Matthew is also the founder of #PPCChat, a weekly Twitter chat for industry specialists. He holds a B.A. in Communication from the University of New Hampshire. More >
Lori McDonald
Contributor
Lori McDonald is a B2B ecommerce authority and founder and CEO of Brilliance Business Solutions, a developer of digital commerce solutions for manufacturers and distributors. She has contributed to Practical Ecommerce since 2015. With a background in computer and electrical engineering, Lori is passionate about helping companies succeed on the web. Before Brilliance, Lori was a Space Shuttle Flight Controller for NASA. She holds a B.S. in Computer and Electrical Engineering from Purdue University. More >
» Advertising Team
Todd Jennings
Advertising Sales Consultant
Todd Jennings is a longtime media sales pro, having joined Practical Ecommerce shortly after its launch in 2005. Todd has managed thousands of successful ad campaigns — lead generation, branding, awareness — from the largest companies to the smallest. He held previous sales management positions in the printing industry and for a nationwide producer of schoolbook planners. He has a B.B.A. in Marketing and Management from Colorado Mesa University.
Kara English
Community Editor
Kara English coordinates Practical Ecommerce’s advertising, email newsletter, and audio podcast, among other duties. She was formerly an ecommerce entrepreneur, having owned an online store for over 10 years. She was also social media specialist for a brick-and-click retailer and an ecommerce product specialist for a leading digital marketing agency.
