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.

Staffing
Efficiency Pro: Happy People Are More Productive

May 13, 2022 • Eric Bandholz

Thanh Pham is the founder of Asian Efficiency, a productivity training company. He believes building in-person connections and nurturing relationships naturally enhances productivity.
Finance
Charts: Global Funding of Non-fungible Tokens

May 11, 2022 • Adel Boukarroum

Non-fungible tokens are digital representations of any asset as verified by blockchain technology. The global market for NFTs is proliferating. We tell the story in four charts.
Staffing
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.
Amazon & Marketplaces
Rivian Write-down Moves Amazon to Q1 2022 Net Loss

May 10, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan

Amazon posted a Q1 2022 net loss, its first since 2015. Contributor and financial guru Marcia Kaplan looks at the numbers.
Business
Needing Deodorant, Curie Founder Made Her Own

May 6, 2022 • Eric Bandholz

In 2018 Sarah Moret, an accountant and athlete, couldn't find a suitable aluminum-free deodorant. So she made her own. Fast forward to 2022 and that deodorant business is now Curie, a thriving direct-to-consumer seller.
Finance
Secondary Markets Offer Pre-IPO Liquidity

May 2, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan

Many startups are refraining from going public amid market uncertainty, putting early-stage stakeholders wanting to cash out in a bind. Here are alternative ways to achieve liquidity.
Business
For Supply.co, EOS Is A-OK

April 29, 2022 • Eric Bandholz

By late 2021, Patrick Coddou, the founder of Supply.co, was exhausted and burned out, having endured a harsh year for the business and himself. He turned to the Entrepreneurial Operating System.
Finance
Charts: Ecommerce Unicorns 2021

April 27, 2022 • Adel Boukarroum

The number of privately-held ecommerce companies valued at over $1 billion increased dramatically in 2021. Asia had the most.
Finance
Q&A: Alyona Mysko of Ukraine-based Fuel Finance

April 25, 2022 • Kerry Murdock

Fuel Finance is a Ukraine-based "financial department in the cloud." Alyona Myskyo launched the company two and a half years ago to provide easy-to-follow info to help merchants with quick decision-making.
Staffing
‘Embrace Growth’ Is Core to Atlas Staffing

April 22, 2022 • Eric Bandholz

Joshua McKee founded Atlas Staffing 11 years ago. The company has grown. He advocates core values and communicates them to employees. "Embrace growth" is his favorite.
Business
Charts: Retail Industry Outlook 2022

April 20, 2022 • Adel Boukarroum

The pandemic reset global retail, hastening the shift to online shopping while exposing supply chain weaknesses. We analyze recent survey results from retail leaders on what to expect in 2022 and beyond.
Shipping & Fulfillment
Daily Drone Deliveries Surpass 2,000 Globally

April 19, 2022 • Sig Ueland

Drone deliveries have taken off. Here is a list of companies leading the advancement, from drone technology and logistics companies to retail brands.
Business
Direct Mail Replaces Facebook for Barbeque Seller

April 15, 2022 • Eric Bandholz

Lea Richards launched Pig of the Month, a direct-to-consumer seller of barbeque, in 2010. The company has thrived, with dozens of meat products and outsourced logistics for other merchants.
Finance
The SEC Reins in SPACs, Cryptocurrencies, More

April 15, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan

Massive investments in SPACs, cryptocurrencies, and private companies have caught the attention of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
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.
Finance
Charts: Global Fintech Investment in 2021

April 12, 2022 • Adel Boukarroum

Global investments in financial technology skyrocketed in 2021. In this week's charts, we analyze the top sectors, deals, and regions.
Business
Ecommerce Copywriter on Tactics, Tools, More

April 8, 2022 • Eric Bandholz

High-converting ecommerce copywriting starts with research. That's according to Christopher Silvestri, the founder of Conversion Alchemy, an agency.
Business
Charts: Grocery Spend by Individual, Generation, More

April 6, 2022 • Adel Boukarroum

Grocery sales surged during the pandemic, as home-bound consumers prepared meals themselves. The trend looks to continue in 2022, albeit not as strong.
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.
Finance
The SEC Asks Public Companies for Climate Info

April 4, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan

A company's climate risk is increasingly a concern of investors. Proposed regulations by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission would require environmental disclosures of publicly-traded firms.
Business
Sutro Pivots from Drinking Water to Swimming Pools

April 1, 2022 • Eric Bandholz

Ravi Kurani is an engineer who launched Sutro, a water sensor manufacturer, in 2012. His initial go-to-market strategy failed. So he pivoted.
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.
Finance
Charts: Financial Stats of 6 Ecommerce Companies

March 29, 2022 • Adel Boukarroum

The pandemic-induced shift to online shopping has been a financial windfall for many ecommerce companies and related vendors. We look at six of them here.
Staffing
‘People Development’ Drives AppSumo to $80 Million in Revenue

March 25, 2022 • Eric Bandholz

Ayman Al-Abdullah was CEO of AppSumo from 2015 to 2021. Annual revenue grew from $3 million to $80 million. How, exactly, did he do it?
Business
Charts: Average Order, Cart Abandons, More

March 23, 2022 • Adel Boukarroum

This week's ecommerce charts excerpts research from leading vendors on average global order values, cart abandonment rates, and industry opportunities for agencies and individuals.
Business
Are Apparel Brands Achieving Sustainability?

March 22, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan

Apparel companies are among the most environmentally damaging worldwide. But many are making efforts to improve. We cite examples in this piece.
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
For Fragrance One, It’s Selling without Smelling

March 18, 2022 • Eric Bandholz

Fragrance One is a direct-to-consumer seller of colognes and perfumes — entirely online. Sales are booming despite buyers never smelling the fragrances.
Business
Lessons from 16 Years in Ecommerce

March 17, 2022 • Christopher Dobroth

Christopher Dobroth has worked in ecommerce since 2006. He's held management and operational positions across many industries. Here are his three lessons for success.
Business
Charts: Future of B2B Events

March 16, 2022 • Adel Boukarroum

The pandemic appears to have reset priorities of B2B event attendees and vendors. Both now value digital experiences as much as in-person, according to a recent survey.