Business

An ecommerce site is a business. Our Management & Finance category addresses online payments, funding needs, employee issues, merchant profiles, key metrics, multichannel and omnichannel strategies, cross-border analyses, inventory management, accounting topics, sales taxes, and much more.

Inventory
Alcohol Selling Online Is Complicated

October 11, 2022 • Jeff Siegel

Selling alcohol online has potential. However, U.S. laws and regulations are stringent around the subject. We explain.
Finance
Financing Options for SMB Ecommerce Merchants

October 10, 2022 • Armando Roggio

Amazon's Community Lending is one of many loan options for small and mid-sized sellers. Here's a rundown, with pointers to consider.
Finance
Supply.co Founder on Selling the Business

October 7, 2022 • Eric Bandholz

Supply.co is a direct-to-consumer seller of razors and shaving supplies. Co-founder Patrick Coddou has just sold the company, having survived the iOS 14.5 debacle. Here's his story.
Local Business
Retail Apocalypse Reversal?

October 5, 2022 • Armando Roggio

Physical retail stores face challenges amid ecommerce, supply chain issues, and labor shortages. A Shopify-like approach for brick-and-mortar businesses could be the answer.
Local Business
Charts: Online Grocery Delivery Trends

October 5, 2022 • Adel Boukarroum

The pandemic-driven shift to online grocery pickup is not declining. That's according to two recent surveys. We explain in four charts.
Business
What Motivates Consumers to Shop Sustainably?

October 3, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan

Concerns about sustainability vary depending on age, gender, and location. Research shows merchants have different perceptions than consumers on the topic.
Local Business
Should Ecommerce Brands Sell via Dealers?

October 2, 2022 • Armando Roggio

A brick-and-mortar dealer network could help online businesses. We explain the pros and cons, and how to get started.
Business
Business Is Art to Fringe Sport Owner

September 30, 2022 • Eric Bandholz

Fringe Sport is a leading online seller of barbells and exercise equipment. Founder Peter Keller addresses his priorities — business and life — in this week's "Ecommerce Conversations" episode.
Shipping & Fulfillment
5 Ways to Upgrade to Eco-friendly Ecommerce

September 27, 2022 • Pete Bruckshaw

In 2022, sustainable selling is not just good for the environment. It also drives sales. Here are five steps to go green.
Payments
Charts: Global Payments Trends and Outlook

September 21, 2022 • Adel Boukarroum

Funding decreased in Q2 2022 for payment technology companies. Nonetheless, much innovation is afoot. We tell the story in this week's charts.
Cross-border Selling
Southeast Asia Tops Worldwide Ecommerce Growth

September 15, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan

There are 10 countries in Southeast Asia. Five of them have the fastest ecommerce growth rates on the planet. Here are the numbers — sales, growth %, and leading providers.
Business
Charts: Trends in Technology, AI for 2022

September 12, 2022 • Adel Boukarroum

The adoption of artificial intelligence and other technologies is accelerating global productivity. We look at the latest trends, using four charts.
Amazon & Marketplaces
Ecommerce Briefs: FBA Increases Fees; Walmart Expands Healthcare

September 9, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan

Amazon Prime and Walmart+ compete for subscribers; FBA imposes holiday fees; Walmart extends healthcare initiatives.
Finance
Charts: Global Fintech Trends Q2 2022

September 7, 2022 • Adel Boukarroum

Global investments in privately held financial technology firms slowed in Q2 2022. We tell the story in four charts.
Business
The Ultimate Brand in Tattoo Skincare

September 2, 2022 • Eric Bandholz

What began as a side hustle for a group of graduates became a multi-million dollar DTC company. Mad Rabbit's Drew Fallon explains the journey in this week's Ecommerce Conversation.
Inventory
Stagnant Sales Are Creating an Inventory Glut

September 1, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan

Recession fears combined with supply-chain excesses have created a dramatic increase in unsold inventory. We explain.
Business
Live Events Lift Chisos Boots, a DTC Brand

August 26, 2022 • Eric Bandholz

Ninety percent of Chisos Boots' revenue is online. But the company still runs a physical store and hosts in-person events. Both are essential for building the brand and community.
Business
Inflation May Lead to Early Christmas Shopping

August 25, 2022 • Armando Roggio

With prices on the rise, many consumers are tightening their budgets. Some may start holiday shopping earlier while costs are lower.
Staffing
Charts: CEO Pay for Top Ecommerce, Public Companies

August 24, 2022 • Adel Boukarroum

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy collected total compensation in 2021 of roughly $212 million. Shopify's Tobias Lutke earned $20 million. Here's a rundown of CEO compensation at select U.S. public companies.
Business
New U.S. Law to Spur Electric Vehicles, Clean Energy

August 16, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan

The new Inflation Reduction Act impacts U.S. taxation, healthcare, and climate change. The bill's clean-energy incentives will likely produce more electric delivery vehicles and charging stations.
Shipping & Fulfillment
3 Ways to Offset Shipping Rate Increases

August 15, 2022 • Armando Roggio

The U.S. Postal Service has announced a temporary increase in holiday shipping rates. Such increases from all carriers are inevitable. Merchants should adopt a shipping strategy to manage costs over the long term.
Finance
AWS Boosts Amazon’s Q2 2022 Results

August 7, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan

Amazon reported mixed results for Q2 2022. Product sales fell, but revenue from Amazon Web Services and subscriptions grew (a lot). We dive into the details.
Business
Charts: Ecommerce in U.S. Grocery Industry

August 3, 2022 • Adel Boukarroum

A survey from McKinsey found that many U.S. consumers prefer online grocery shopping, but grocers feel unprepared for the transition. We tell the story in this week's charts.
Business
Ecommerce Product Releases: August 2, 2022

August 2, 2022 • Sig Ueland

This installment of "Ecommerce Product Releases," our twice-monthly rundown of new services that could help merchants, includes updates on social commerce, live stream video, fulfillment, and more.
Finance
The Details of Shopify’s Massive Q2 2022 Loss

July 31, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan

Having posted a massive $1.2 billion loss in Q2 2022, Shopify effectively reset its financial outlook. Longtime contributor and analyst Marcia Kaplan looks at the details.
Business
Spiceology Founder Pivots to CPG Startups

July 29, 2022 • Eric Bandholz

Having successfully launched Spiceology, Pete Taylor semi-retired in 2019, contemplating his next venture. Fast forward to 2022, and that company is Midas Brands, a DTC seller of consumer packaged goods.
Business
No Ecommerce Company Is an Island

July 28, 2022 • Christopher Dobroth

Trusted partnerships with affiliates, vendors, and more make or break an ecommerce business. That's according to Chris Dobroth, a longtime merchant.
Payments
Charts: Cryptocurrency Trends in Ecommerce

July 27, 2022 • Adel Boukarroum

Less than 20% of U.S. consumers have used cryptocurrencies for retail purchases. Most of those shoppers are younger and plan on increasing the use. We tell the story in this week's charts.
Amazon & Marketplaces
FBA Seller, Tired of Storage Fees, Launches 3PL

July 22, 2022 • Eric Bandholz

Mark Taylor is a former Fulfillment-by-Amazon seller weary of paying expensive long-term storage fees. His solution is Warehouse Republic, a 3PL serving mainly Amazon sellers, which he launched in 2018.
Shipping & Fulfillment
How to Price Shipping and Handling Fees

July 18, 2022 • Armando Roggio

Today's consumers expect free shipping for most items. But it's not always obvious for merchants to know when and how to offer it. Here's our all-new update for analyzing shipping costs and free delivery.