Podcast
Ecommerce Playbook: Numbers, Struggles & Growth
Hosted by Common Thread Collective · EN
2020 transformed the world of ecommerce forever.
For the modern DTC brand, the rewards have never been greater. But the waters have also never been choppier, and the way forward has never been more uncertain.
So how do you navigate this dangerous new reality?
No matter how you do it, you’d better not do it alone.
That’s where the Ecommerce Playbook Podcast comes in — join Common Thread Collective’s Taylor Holiday & Richard Gaffin as they bring you guiding insights from across CTC’s portfolio of growing DTC businesses.
Whether you need a clear view on the macro issues affecting the world of ecommerce, or want to reorient your business around groundbreaking new big-picture strategies, Taylor & Richard are here to help answer the tough questions about what it takes to scale — and sustain — an ecommerce business.
80episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
The $1M → $10M Ecom Growth Map
Feb 1200:40:38Tap to summarizeScaling a DTC brand from $1M → $10M isn’t about finding more “hacks,” it’s about focusing on the right growth lever at the right revenue stage.In this episode, Richard and Joy, break down a practical “one move per stage” roadmap for scaling through seven figures into eight.What you’ll learn in this video$1M → $2M: Why creative volume is the unlock (and why the benchmark is ~100 ads/month)$2M → $3M: Build a marketing calendar (one marketing moment per month) to create “reasons to buy” beyond evergreen$3M → $4M: The stage where brands stagnate most: offer market fit + offer testing (and why it’s so industry-dependent)$4M → $5M: Creative again—but at a different level (think 100 ads/week)$5M → $6M: Product development for LTV (front-end vs back-end products, subscription angles, upsell paths)$6M → $7M: When “tactics” finally matter—international expansion, audience expansion, email, CS, and other incremental edges$7M → $8M: Why media buying becomes bespoke (your account structure should reflect what’s working: promos, whitelisting, LP testing, subscription, etc.)$10M+: The real unlock becomes people—why one A-player operator can outperform 10 average hiresThe big takeawayMost brands don’t need more noise—they need ruthless prioritization. The fastest path to $10M is doing the right thing for your stage, deeply, before moving on.Show Notes:See how Attentive helps connect people and the brands they love.: https://bit.ly/4ag8oEJExplore the PROPHIT System: http://prophitsystem.comThe Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have
Transcribe →Stop Guessing Your Ecommerce Budget
Feb 1000:41:39Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Richard and Luke break down the system we use to help 8-figure ecommerce brands stop guessing and start making confident decisions about budget, creative, and channel investment.They walk through the three core models that answer the questions every operator wrestles with:How much should we actually spend right now?How much creative do we need to support that spend?Which channels should we test next — and why?You’ll learn how to spot when additional ad spend becomes a bad trade, how to plan creative volume around real marketing moments (not vibes), and how to prioritize incrementality testing based on potential revenue impact — not opinion or politics.If your team would answer these questions differently depending on who you ask, this episode is for you.What we cover:How to identify when ad spend stops being efficientThe Spending Power Model and how it sets real budget capsHow creative volume directly affects performance and efficiencyA practical framework for planning moment-based vs evergreen creativeHow to prioritize channel tests using incrementality rangesWhy “waiting for perfect data” is often more dangerous than actingIf you’re running or advising an 8-figure ecommerce brand and want a clearer way to allocate budget, plan creative, and make smarter growth decisions — this episode lays out the playbook.Show Notes:Get Dataships' free A/B test: https://www.dataships.io/demoExplore the PROPHIT System: http://prophitsystem.comThe Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have
Transcribe →When AI Knows Everything, How Do You Decide Anything?
Feb 501:23:48Tap to summarizeAI promised clarity. Instead, it delivered information overload.In this episode, we unpack what happens when AI gives ecommerce teams more data than they can reasonably act on, dashboards multiplying, forecasts diverging, tests contradicting each other, and decisions getting harder instead of easier.Taylor and Andrew talk through:Why AI surfaces problems faster than it solves themHow “more insight” can actually paralyze operatorsThe limits of forecasting, incrementality, and optimization at scaleWhere human judgment still matters, and always willWhat ecommerce leaders should focus on when the data stops agreeingThis isn’t an anti-AI conversation. It’s a reality check.Because the competitive advantage isn’t knowing more, it’s knowing what to ignore, what to trust, and when to act.Show Notes:See how Attentive helps connect people and the brands they love.: https://bit.ly/4ag8oEJExplore the PROPHIT System: http://prophitsystem.comThe Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have
Transcribe →Agentic Commerce Is Here and It Changes Everything
Feb 300:29:35Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Richard and Tony break down what agentic commerce actually is, why Shopify and Google’s Universal Commerce Protocol matters, and how AI-driven shopping is quietly replacing traditional websites, checkout flows, and even ads.Instead of customers clicking through pages, filtering products, and checking out manually, AI agents are beginning to discover products, compare options, negotiate price, and complete purchases on behalf of users. That shift has massive implications for marketers, founders, and operators.You’ll Learn:What agentic commerce really means (beyond the buzzwords)Why product data feeds are becoming the foundation of modern commerceHow Shopify’s agentic checkout connects AI directly to your catalogWhat this means for SEO, paid media, and brand discoveryWhy reviews, social proof, and product structure matter more than everHow platforms like Meta are making everything shoppableWhat marketers should be paying attention to right now to stay aheadThis episode isn’t about hype—it’s about understanding the infrastructure changes shaping the next era of e-commerce and how to prepare before it becomes the default.Show Notes:See how Attentive helps connect people and the brands they love.: https://bit.ly/4ag8oEJExplore the PROPHIT System: http://prophitsystem.comThe Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have
Transcribe →Why Ecommerce Is About to Get Even Harder (Here’s How to Survive)
Feb 4, 2025Tap to summarizeEcommerce is facing major challenges in 2025—rising ad costs, AI disruptions, and now, new tariffs. If you’re running a brand, you need to know what’s coming and how to adapt before it’s too late. In this episode of the Ecommerce Playbook Podcast, we break down: The biggest threats to e-commerce right now How AI is reshaping the workforce and business costs Why traditional marketing strategies are failing The key moves you need to make to stay profitable Don’t get left behind—watch now to future-proof your business! Show Notes: Check out Motion’s Creative Trends 2025: motionapp.com/creative-trends Antifragile Scorecard: https://commonthreadco.com/blogs/coachs-corner/antifragile-ecommerce Get our Prophit System: prophitsystem.com The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.co
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State of the Industry - First Half of 2024 Recap
Jul 16, 2024Tap to summarizeWelcome back to the eCommerce Playbook Podcast, State of the Industry edition! This special biannual mega episode dives deep into the first half of 2024, comparing it against the first half of 2023 to answer the burning question: How is the ecommerce industry doing? Key Topics Covered: -Year-over-year e-commerce trends for H1 2024 vs. H1 2023 -Insights into ad performance on Meta and Google -The impact of Advantage Plus and Performance Max campaigns -Consumer confidence and economic indicators -Trends in gifting and average order value (AOV) -Incrementality of ad spend and challenges with attribution Join us as we explore the data and trends shaping the ecommerce landscape in 2024. Don’t miss out on this comprehensive analysis and expert commentary! Get 50% off our latest issue with code: SUMMER50 Show Notes: Richpanel will save you money without sacrificing any quality of experience for your customer. Check them out at https://www.richpanel.com/. The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
Transcribe →Everyone’s Struggling With Profitability
May 2, 2024Tap to summarizeIn this special edition of the Ecommerce Playbook Podcast, Richard sits down with CTC Sales Directors Matthew Axline and Peter Hassan to discuss the most common mistakes brands make, the organizational error that destroys profitability, and the one thing they’d rather not have to say on sales calls anymore. Show Notes: Get your free ticket to Make Ads That Convert: https://bit.ly/4bkY5Ox The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
Transcribe →SaaS Pricing Breakdown: A No-Holds-Barred Debate with Industry Leaders
Apr 29, 2024Tap to summarizeIn this episode of the eCommerce Playbook Podcast, we've convened a panel of experts from the ecommerce industry to dive into one of the most debated topics today: SaaS pricing. Today's discussion features insights from Sean Frank of Ridge, and Tomer Tagrin of Yotpo, with moderation by Eric Dyck from DTC. This episode promises to offer an in-depth exploration of the strategies, challenges, and innovations shaping SaaS pricing in ecommerce. Tune in for a riveting conversation filled with expert analyses and real-world perspectives. Join us for an episode packed with valuable takeaways and straight talk from some of the top minds in the business. Show Notes: Get your free ticket to Make Ads That Convert: https://bit.ly/3Wg5kDe The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
Transcribe →Growing Profitability ft. Dimitri O of Loop Earplugs
Apr 11, 2024Tap to summarizeWelcome back to another episode of the eCommerce Playbook Podcast! In today's episode, we're diving deep into the fascinating journey of Loop Earplugs (GQ score of 148), a brand that has not only disrupted the earplug industry but has also redefined how we perceive hearing protection. Join us as we sit down with Dimitri O, one of the co-founders of Loop Earplugs, for a conversation on their remarkable evolution and strategic pivots. Show Notes: The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
Transcribe →Growing Profitability ft. Chris Lutz of Duke Cannon
Mar 7, 2024Tap to summarizeDive into the fascinating journey of Duke Cannon Supply Co. on the Ecommerce Playbook Podcast! Join Chris Lutz, Director of Digital and Ecommerce, as we explore the brand's unconventional path to success—from specialty retail to major chains like Target and Walmart. Discover how Duke Cannon's unique packaging and merchandising strategy sets them apart on every shelf. Chris shares insights into their digital marketing challenges on platforms like Meta and TikTok, emphasizing humor and authenticity to engage their audience. Show Notes: -The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm.
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