Armando Roggio

Articles by: Armando Roggio

Armando Roggio

Armando Roggio is the longtime senior contributor to Practical Ecommerce. He's 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.

Email Armando. Follow his ecommerce tweets at @ecommerceboy.

Amazon & Marketplaces
Will Amazon Convert Shipping Expense into Profit?

May 26, 2022 • Armando Roggio

Amazon is on the brink of becoming the second-largest parcel delivery service in the U.S. Its shipping cost may become a profit center.
Influencer Marketing
Advertising Trends from Top DTC Brands in 2022

May 23, 2022 • Armando Roggio

Learn from leading direct-to-consumer brands how to engage shoppers at various stages of the buyer's journey in 2022.
Influencer Marketing
Podcast Advertising Basics for Ecommerce Brands

May 19, 2022 • Armando Roggio

Contextual podcast ads read by the host are a form of influencer marketing. They can drive demand for ecommerce products and even the brand itself.
Google Ads
Google Topics Resembles Contextual Advertising

May 12, 2022 • Armando Roggio

Google is testing a new privacy-defending ad-targeting feature called "Topics," which sounds like contextual advertising at scale.
Business
Employee Compensation Options, Near and Long-term

May 10, 2022 • Armando Roggio

A good employee compensation plan will provide near and long-term value to workers. The plan could have components that are guaranteed and performance-based.
Content Marketing
5 Content Marketing Ideas for June 2022

May 5, 2022 • Armando Roggio

Since 2014, we've published a monthly list of content ideas for ecommerce merchants. This June 2022 installment includes six-point list articles, 50th anniversaries, Flag Day, and more.
Content Marketing
Use Revue for Twitter Content Marketing

May 3, 2022 • Armando Roggio

Twitter's editorial newsletter service, Revue, is an opportunity for content marketers and creators to build email lists directly from their Twitter profiles.
Analytics & Data
Unsure about a New Project? Try a Pilot Program

April 26, 2022 • Armando Roggio

Launching a new product or feature is exciting but risky, especially if it requires capital. A well-structured pilot program can provide answers.
Analytics & Data
Do You Need a Business Intelligence Tool?

April 24, 2022 • Armando Roggio

In an age of massive data, a business intelligence tool can be a necessity for ecommerce merchants. Here's an example using QuickSight, Amazon's tool, with hypothetical Meta Ads data.
Design & Dev Tools
Ecommerce and Creator Tools Will Merge

April 21, 2022 • Armando Roggio

If engagement is central to broad economic growth, creators are a key financial driver. And that could give rise to a new generation of tools and services.
Marketing & Advertising
5-point Advertising Plan to Drive Performance

April 19, 2022 • Armando Roggio

Advertising is too expensive without first understanding a campaign's goals, channels, budget, and more. Here's our 5-point plan to get the most from your next campaign.
Business
Decision Frameworks Help (Fast-growing) Companies

April 13, 2022 • Armando Roggio

Unilateral decisions by a company founder or manager carry risks. A transparent process involving staff can lead to better outcomes. We explain.
Customer Retention
Text Commerce Is Upfront Permission to Sell

April 10, 2022 • Armando Roggio

Text commerce is the process of obtaining payment and shipping info from shoppers upfront as well as permission to send offers. The model can solve multiple hurdles for merchants.
Business
Inflation Could Harm DTC and Premium Brands

April 5, 2022 • Armando Roggio

Inflation typically helps brands with lower-priced and essential goods and hurts premium items. Amid a heightened inflation outlook, merchants should scrutinize their product mix and adjust as necessary.
Content Marketing
5 Content Marketing Ideas for May 2022

April 4, 2022 • Armando Roggio

The May 2022 installment of our long-running content ideas series suggests focusing on competitors, specialized reports, local content, product profiles, and "National Brother's Day."
Business
How to Use SUMIF, SUMIFS in Google Sheets

March 30, 2022 • Armando Roggio

Analyzing total site traffic by channel for a specific period can seem daunting. But Google Sheets SUMIF and SUMIFS functions make the process straightforward.
Google Ads
Are Google Ads SKAGs Effective in 2022?

March 28, 2022 • Armando Roggio

Single keyword ad groups were once popular in Google Ads campaigns. But has Google's pivot to ad automation made SKAGs less effective?
Marketing & Advertising
The Creator Economy Draws Entrepreneurs

March 24, 2022 • Armando Roggio

Is attracting an audience via content a better way to start and build an ecommerce business? The creator economy appeals to many would-be entrepreneurs.
Content Marketing
How to Spell Check a Website at Scale

March 22, 2022 • Armando Roggio

Checking the spelling and grammar for a single document is straightforward. But imagine having to check an entire website of 17,000 articles. Here's how.
Business
How Merchants Combat Inflation without Raising Prices

March 20, 2022 • Armando Roggio

Inflation could be an opportunity for merchants to improve their businesses. Subscriptions, updated products, new markets, heightened productivity — all are potential alternatives to raising consumer prices.
Business
How the Ukraine War Impacts Ecommerce

March 10, 2022 • Armando Roggio

Human suffering from the Ukraine war is far more important than economic impacts. Nonetheless, business leaders should contemplate the potential effects on their companies.
Business
Fortnite Maker Pivots to the Creator Economy

March 7, 2022 • Armando Roggio

In acquiring Bandcamp, Epic Games hopes to capitalize on the so-called creator economy, wherein writers, coaches, and others sell their services directly to consumers.
Content Marketing
5 Content Marketing Ideas for April 2022

March 3, 2022 • Armando Roggio

Since 2014 Senior Contributor Armando Roggio has published a monthly content marketing idea generator for ecommerce merchants. His April 2022 installment includes listicles, music, and more.
Business
The Fallacy of Data-driven Decisions

February 27, 2022 • Armando Roggio

The notion of data-driven decisions implies the data is perfect and the decision is unaffected by external influences. Neither is true.
Business
A Model for Choosing Products to Sell

February 22, 2022 • Armando Roggio

Commodities typically have lower profit margins than manufactured goods or transformational products. For merchants, understanding the difference could determine success or failure.
Google Ads
Outbound Marketing In an Inbound World

February 16, 2022 • Armando Roggio

Search engine optimization, content marketing, and the whole of inbound marketing are important for promoting a business. But let’s not forget about advertising. I recently attended a marketing event where an ...
Shipping & Fulfillment
Materials behind Sustainable Mailers, Boxes

February 8, 2022 • Armando Roggio

Consumers increasingly seek merchants who use sustainable packing and shipping materials. But recyclable or biodegradable products are not equally helpful. We explain.
Marketing & Advertising
How to Make an Instagram Link-in-bio Page

February 7, 2022 • Armando Roggio

Instagram allows no links in posts. Followers who want to learn more are stuck, unless the merchant provides a link in its bio to a page with post links, to learn more. We explain.
Content Marketing
5 Content Marketing Ideas for March 2022

February 6, 2022 • Armando Roggio

Since 2014 Senior Contributor Armando Roggio has published a monthly idea generator for content marketing. This March 2022 installment includes workshops, how-to, and more.
Marketing & Advertising
When Retailers Are Ad Platforms

February 1, 2022 • Armando Roggio

Amazon pioneered the concept of a retailer-driven ad network. Now other retailer marketplaces are selling ads, too. The trend has far-reaching implications.