About Us
The mission of Practical Ecommerce 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.
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 >
Ann Smarty
Contributor
Ann Smarty is the founder of Smarty Marketing, a boutique SEO agency based in New York, and Viral Content Bee, a social media promotion tool. Ann’s search engine optimization career began in 2010. She is the former editor-in-chief of Search Engine Journal and contributor to prominent search and social blogs, including Small Business Trends and Mashable. Ann is also a frequent speaker at Pubcon and many other digital marketing events. More >
Matthew Umbro
Contributor
Matthew Umbro is a pay-per-click advertising expert and vice president, advertising, at Closed Loop, 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 >
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.
Caytie Maurer
Copy Editor
Caytie Maurer is a copy editor with Practical Ecommerce, assisting with articles, podcasts, social media posts, and more. She is also an English instructor, primarily to non-native learners, and a freelance writer and editor. Before Practical Ecommerce, Caytie was a digital marketing assistant for Unintech Consulting Engineers, a civil engineering firm. She holds a B.A. in English and an M.A. in English Literature from Northern Michigan University.