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.

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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
Amazon & Marketplaces
Prime Day 2022 Recap: Sales, Categories, More

July 18, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan

Amazon's Prime Day has evolved into an industry-wide event. Since 2017 we've published an annual analysis and recap. Our 2022 installment looks at U.S. growth, average order values, and more.
Business
Ridge Wallet CEO on Influencer Turmoil, iOS 14.5

July 15, 2022 • Eric Bandholz

The year 2021 produced dramatic escalations in influencer marketing rates and upheaval in Facebook ad performance. Both are critical marketing channels for Ridge Wallet, the maker of metal-clad billfolds.
Shipping & Fulfillment
How to Offer Free Shipping without Going Broke

July 11, 2022 • Armando Roggio

Online consumers expect free shipping. But small and mid-size merchants sometimes struggle with the cost. Here are innovative approaches to meet shopper expectations without losing money.
Business
Guatemalan Entrepreneurs Are Gay, Married, Successful

July 8, 2022 • Eric Bandholz

Hans Schrei launched Wunderkeks, a direct-to-consumer cookie company, from his mom's kitchen in Guatemala in 2012. Amid obstacles, he immigrated to Austin, Texas, with his husband in 2019. Here's their story.
Payments
Does Ecommerce Need a New Payment System?

July 7, 2022 • Armando Roggio

Ecommerce payments in 2022 largely involve a Byzantine setup of intermediaries. Is now the time for a more efficient method of exchanging value?
Business
Ecommerce Product Releases: July 4, 2022

July 4, 2022 • Sig Ueland

Twice monthly we publish a rundown of new products, updates, and services that could help merchants. This installment includes updates on live stream shopping, sales analytics, social commerce, and more.
Business
Custom Teeth Guards Propel Online Dental Lab

July 1, 2022 • Eric Bandholz

Selling custom-fitted teeth guards would seemingly involve in-person visits from customers. But not for Pro Teeth Guard. It sells made-to-order guards online. Co-founder JP Ji explains.
Finance
For Global Unicorns, It’s Growth and Volatility

June 30, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan

The availability of private capital allows companies to delay going public. The result? More than 1,000 private companies worldwide are now valued in excess of $1 billion. But it's not always smooth sailing. We explain.
Business
5 Predictions for the 2022 Holiday Shopping Season

June 27, 2022 • Armando Roggio

Since 2013 senior contributor Armando Roggio has predicted ecommerce sales for the upcoming holiday season. His 2022 predictions consider inflation, which he believes could have multiple impacts.
Business
Lessons from Shopify 2.0 Upgrade, New Theme

June 24, 2022 • Eric Bandholz

Host Eric Bandholz's company, Beardbrand, recently migrated to Shopify 2.0. Jenny Durre, Beardbrand's in-house designer, managed the entire process. She describes it in this conversation.
Amazon & Marketplaces
SEO: Amazon Keyword Research Tools

June 23, 2022 • Ann Smarty

Consumers conduct more product searches on Amazon than on any other site, including Google. Hence understanding those search terms on Amazon informs merchants not just on that platform, but for Google optimization, too.
Shipping & Fulfillment
7 Reasons to Consider USPS Flat Rate Shipping

June 22, 2022 • Armando Roggio

Merchants in North America have many carrier choices for delivering goods to customers. The U.S. Postal Service's flat-rate shipping boxes can save money in certain instances. We compare prices in this post.
Amazon & Marketplaces
Ecommerce Briefs: Google Marketplace; Walmart; Drones

June 19, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan

This installment of "Ecommerce Briefs," an occasional series, includes developments on Google ecommerce, Walmart fulfillment and infrastructure, and drone deliveries.