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
‘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.
Business
Q&A: Anastasia Zhuk, Ukraine Agency Owner

March 13, 2022 • Kerry Murdock

The Whidegroup is an ecommerce agency in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, near Crimea. Its co-owner, Anastasia Zhuk, describes in this interview the war's impact on her business, family, and life.
Business
Fox Rocks on LinkedIn

March 11, 2022 • Eric Bandholz

Judi Fox began networking on LinkedIn in 2009. She now, in 2022, has 39,000 followers and advises companies and professionals on marketing strategies for that platform.
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.
Shipping & Fulfillment
Charts: Global Parcel Shipping Volume, Transit Times

March 9, 2022 • Adel Boukarroum

Parcel shipping volume worldwide will grow dramatically. Statista estimates the volume to double by 2026. We chart that growth, transit times, and more in this piece.
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.
Cross-border Selling
Indonesia, an Overlooked Ecommerce Market

March 6, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan

Indonesia has the fourth largest global population and a sizeable ecommerce economy. Yet Western merchants often overlook the opportunity to sell there.
Business
Stryx, a DTC Brand, Prepares Rollout in Target Stores

March 4, 2022 • Eric Bandholz

Stryx is a pioneering direct-to-consumer seller of men's cosmetics. The company is soon to launch its products in 950 Target stores. The decision comes with risks.
Business
February 2022 Top 10: Our Most Popular Posts

February 28, 2022 • PEC Staff

Of the roughly 40 articles we published in February, readers preferred topics related to content marketing, SEO, influencer marketing, and B2B ecommerce — to name a few.
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
Consumers in a Pandemic Need Murphy Beds

February 25, 2022 • Eric Bandholz

Lori Wall Beds launched 10 years ago in a garage. Annual revenue now exceeds $10 million. Owner Brenden Marquardt describes going from a side hustle to a thriving direct-to-consumer company.
Finance
Charts: Global Retail Tech Funding 2021

February 23, 2022 • Adel Boukarroum

2021 was a record year for global funding of retail technology. In this installment of our weekly charts, analyst Adel Boukarroum breaks down the numbers.
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.
Business
17 Podcasts for Online Merchants in 2022

February 21, 2022 • Sig Ueland

Since 2011 we've published a periodic rundown of helpful podcasts for ecommerce merchants. Our 2022 update includes shows for new entrepreneurs, seasoned owners, executives, and more.
Business
Apparel Brands Face Environmental Scrutiny

February 20, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan

The global apparel industry is among the most environmentally damaging. Eighty percent of clothing fiber ends up in landfills. Consumers are taking notice.
Business
BK Beauty, Avoiding Facebook, Thrives with Affiliate Marketing

February 18, 2022 • Eric Bandholz

Paul Jauregui launched BK Beauty, a direct-to-consumer cosmetics brand, with Lisa, his wife, in 2019. Unlike many DTC brands, BK Beauty does not rely on Facebook advertising.
Business
Solo Brands Founder, Now Wealthy, Reflects

February 11, 2022 • Eric Bandholz

Having sold Solo Stove, a company he co-launched in 2010, Spencer Jan reflects on finding meaning amid financial freedom, among other topics.
B2B
Charts: B2B Buyers Prefer Ecommerce

February 9, 2022 • Adel Boukarroum

Observers sometimes claim B2B buyers prefer in-person purchases to online. Recent surveys, however, dispel that notion resoundingly. We explain in four charts.
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.
Business
LiveRecover Founder Sells Company, Buys OrderBump

February 4, 2022 • Eric Bandholz

Dennis Hegstad co-founded LiveRecover, an SMS app, in 2018. He sold the company in 2021. "I became bored," he said. So he purchased OrderBump, a Shopify app for product upsells.
Business
Charts: Most Valuable Global Brands 2021

February 2, 2022 • Adel Boukarroum

Since 2006 U.K.-based Kantar Group has assigned a monetary value to the world's top brands. Here's our recap of the 2021 list.
Shipping & Fulfillment
Returns Take a Toll on Online Retailers

January 31, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan

Many merchants that have softened return policies during the pandemic are starting to feel the financial pain. Some have pulled back entirely.
Business
Former Ecommerce CEO Asks, ‘What’s Next?’

January 28, 2022 • Eric Bandholz

Entrepreneurs can find themselves looking for work rather than hiring it. That's the case of Andrew Faris, a successful digital marketer and ecommerce aggregator.
Business
Are Big Changes Coming to Digital Ads in 2022?

January 24, 2022 • Armando Roggio

Could aggressive ad targeting go away? A confluence of proposed U.S. privacy legislation, federal rule changes, and a decentralized web suggest a coming digital ad transformation.