Developing A Multi-Channel Ecommerce Strategy

The branded webshop is DYING ☠️ The last couple of years, we’ve seen an explosion of (luxury) brands going online, investing tons into a digital “flagship” that stands out in a sea of sameness. As a business consultant, I vividly remember recommending brands to make the jump from offline to “multi-channel”. 🗣️: “Go digital or die.” But in 2025, I’m afraid a new reality is approaching. The branded webshop may be on its way out. 📊 Let’s look at some numbers: • In 2025, there are +28mio (!) e-com stores worldwide… • In the USA alone, up to 3.5 million compete for the attention of the consumer • The top destinations for shoppers remain multi-brand. In the US, Amazon alone captures nearly 40% of online retail. • ONLY 15% of (global) online shoppers prefer to buy directly from brand sites ➡️ Online sales are consolidating around mega-platforms. 🇨🇳 And in China it’s even clearer. Nearly ALL online shopping happens on Taobao, Tmall, WeChat, JD (+80% of all online revenue). The branded webshop plays a marginal role (if any) over there. It might become like that here too. 🤔 Why? Shoppers are overwhelmed by choice, on the one hand. They DEMAND convenience, elaborate/trusted product information and (price) transparency on the other hand. And note that, the rise of mobile (& social) commerce is making this trend even more daunting to monobrand e-shops. “Only” 50% of e-commerce happens on phones today, with its share growing exponentially YoY. More mobile sales = less monobrand. 🌎 However, the West may never follow China’s path! Enter AGENTIC COMMERCE.. ..where AI agents shop on our behalf, searching across platforms and brands to find the best deals and experiences. 🤖 Imagine, you tell ChatGPT your skincare concerns and it not only assembles your personal 7/8-step skincare routine but also buys it from the different platforms for you. ShopGPT. Browsing sites, reviews, return policies, prices, promotions, … 100x faster than you. Checking out for you. Delivered to your door. 🤯 In this world (which we are MAX. 18 months away from), what criteria will be the defining factor? How will our products be chosen over the other brand’s items? Access for the LLM’s to checkout on the customer’s behalf? Price? Delivery promise? Reviews? 👀 What I do know is that the branded webshop will be just another data source, not a destination. What does this mean for us, (luxury) brands? 1️⃣ Brands must meet customers where they are: on platforms, in social feeds and soon, via AI agents. 2️⃣ The future will be less about OWNING a digital storefront and more about delivering trusted experiences wherever the customer is. 3️⃣ Data is KING. As AI agents take over, the brands that win will be those with the richest, most accessible product data and the strongest reputations. 🔮 The branded webshop isn’t dead yet.. but I believe its days are numbered. Are you ready to let go?

I’ve seen firsthand how social commerce can be a game-changer. Platforms like TikTok Shop have rapidly become essential tools for any brand serious about scaling up in today’s digital-first world. Even Amazon, the largest digital marketplace, has recently inked deals with TikTok and Pinterest to boost product discovery and purchase. Now, YouTube is expanding its partnership with Shopify, giving brands new opportunities to tap into the power of social commerce. For those of us who help brands grow, this evolution presents an incredible opportunity to leverage these platforms for exponential growth. Here are three core reasons why social commerce should be at the heart of any brand’s growth strategy: - Expansive Reach and Deep Engagement: With billions of users actively engaging on platforms like YouTube and TikTok, social commerce offers unparalleled reach. These platforms allow brands to connect with consumers in a highly interactive and personalized way, leading to stronger customer relationships and higher conversion rates. At REACH, we’ve seen how this engagement translates into sales. - Creator-Driven Growth: The power of influencers and creators can’t be overstated. YouTube’s expanded Shopping affiliate program and TikTok Shop’s integration allow brands to partner with creators who authentically resonate with their target audience. This creates genuine connections that drive brand loyalty and growth. REACH has harnessed this dynamic to elevate clients’ presence and sales. - Real-Time Insights for Strategic Scaling: Social commerce platforms provide a wealth of data, giving brands real-time insights into what’s working and what’s not. This data-driven approach enables brands to pivot quickly, optimize their strategies, and scale more effectively. These insights help our clients stay ahead of the curve, ensuring their growth is both sustainable and scalable. Social commerce offers brands—from local businesses to global players—the tools they need to thrive. With the ability to reach global audiences, digital marketing dominates, wherein traditional marketing simply can’t match. ------ Read more from Aisha Malik for TechCrunch: https://lnkd.in/gTTJXXZ4

I built a process at Morning Brew & storyarb to create a powerful engine for organic growth. - At the Brew, we scaled to 1,000,000 newsletter subscribers within 4 years, the majority of which we acquired organically. - At storyarb, we got to $150k in monthly revenue within 12 months & launched a 1,600-person virtual content conference in 30 days on a shoestring budget. I'm going to give you my entire process & how I'm applying it to storyarb (in the full article below). Fair warning: this post will be lengthy. THE PROCESS: 7 STEP MARKETING MACHINE To develop a thoughtful marketing plan, you need to be clear on a few things: your customer, your channels, your goals, and your metrics. Step 1: Who is our ideal customer (and what proof is there of that)? Create your Market of 1. Get as specific as humanly possible. Write a one-pager describing your avatar. What do they do. What do they need. What are their behaviors. Have a real person? Even better. Pull their Linkedin URL. Write down everything you know about them. Step 2: List out all of the hubs (marketing channels) that give us access to lots of spokes (our ideal customer)? Examples: newsletter, digital conference, ambassador program, SEO, in-person event, channel partnerships, subreddits, producthunt, IRL activation, etc. Step 3: Calculate your marketing math. - What are your 1, 3, and 6 month revenue goals? - What is the average value of your ideal customer? - How many more customers are needed in 1, 3, and 6 months to hit revenue goals? - How do you define a qualified lead? - What is the conversion rate of a qualified lead to a closed won customer? - How many qualified leads are needed in 1, 3, and 6 months to hit your closed won customer number needed to hit revenue goals? Step 4: What are the marketing channels you are going to prioritize & what is your prediction of how many qualified leads they will drive? Prioritizing channels isn’t easy, especially when you have no historical data & resources (time/money) are limited. A helpful way to compare & prioritize channels is by creating a simple matrix that allows you to compare channels across a number of categories: - Cost - Effort - Predicted Effectiveness Step 5: Who will own each channel? A channel owner is responsible for: - Setting the specific channel’s strategy - Tracking performance - Reporting performance to marketing owner - Recommending changes based on performance Step 6: How long will you be testing the channels before looking at performance and making adjustments/prioritizing top performers? Early on, I suggest quarterly. As your business matures, monthly. [X TIME LATER] Step 7: What were the results from the marketing strategy? - Are we on/off track to hit our goals? - What were the highest performing/lowest performing channels? Step 8: Based on results what does the go-forward marketing plan look like? Return to Step 4.. Read on for storyarb marketing machine case study...

I’m halfway through "The Partnership Economy: How Modern Businesses Find New Customers, Grow Revenue, and Deliver Exceptional Experiences", and it’s already changing how I view growth in today’s hyper-competitive landscape. This book is a blueprint for reimagining how businesses connect, collaborate, and create value. From leveraging influencer ecosystems to integrating B2B alliances, David A. Yovanno delivers actionable frameworks that turn partnerships into a superpower for differentiation and revenue growth. What stands out most is the emphasis on strategic alignment — how brands like Target and Walmart use partnerships to blend offline and online experiences seamlessly. ⏬ Examples of Integrating Influencer Partnerships with Traditional Marketing: 1. Amplifying TV Campaigns with Influencer-Driven UGC - Impact: Influencers’ relatable content humanizes the campaign, driving both awareness (TV) and engagement (social media). 2. In-Store Promotions Boosted by Affiliate Links - Impact: Combines physical retail (traditional) with digital tracking (affiliate partnerships), creating a seamless omnichannel experience. 3. Data-Driven Cross-Promotions - Impact: Enhances ROI measurement and tailors messaging to niche audiences. 4. Brand-to-Brand Collaborations for Co-Created Content - Impact: Expands reach by merging two audiences and leverages influencers to add credibility. 5. Loyalty Programs Enhanced by Influencer Advocacy - Impact: Builds trust through influencers’ firsthand experiences while reinforcing loyalty via traditional channels. ---------------------------------- Key Takeaways from "The Partnership Economy: How Modern Businesses Find New Customers, Grow Revenue, and Deliver Exceptional Experiences" ❇️ Unified Messaging: Ensure influencers’ content aligns with the tone/imagery of traditional campaigns to create cohesive storytelling. ❇️ Leverage Data: Use influencer analytics to refine traditional campaigns (e.g., A/B test TV ad concepts via TikTok polls first). ❇️ Cross-Channel Attribution: Track how influencer-driven traffic (e.g., UGC posts) complements offline conversions (e.g., in-store visits). By blending the authenticity of influencers with the broad reach of traditional marketing, brands can maximise impact while maintaining a consistent, customer-centric narrative. ---------------------------------- The partnership economy is alive with opportunity, and this book equips leaders to harness it. Whether you’re a startup founder or a Fortune 500 executive, David A. Yovanno’s insights will challenge you to ask: How can partnerships amplify my business in ways I haven’t yet imagined?  impact.com #bookfie

We’ve generated ~6M impressions for our clients at Creatorbuzz. Our most successful influencer campaigns leverage these 5 tactics 👇 1️⃣ Video-first We’re still seeing great engagement from text and image-based content, however, our clients who are leveraging video content are seeing higher impressions and engagement. Influencers who can make great video content will win in 2025. 2️⃣ Real World Application Lots of B2B Marketers think Influencer Marketing only works if the influencers are customers of their products. While that helps, this is not the case. The Influencers just need to have a real world application for the product. The product needs to be able to solve an actual problem the influencer experiences or has experienced in their day job. The audience can see right through it if not. 3️⃣ High Value Resource If your CTA is a demo page, you might need to re-evaluate your influencer strategy. In B2B, sales cycles can be 3-6 months long (sometimes even longer). And demos are usually only requested AFTER the buyer has already done 80% of their research. So by having your influencers share a demo page, this will lead to a poor conversion rate. Instead, have your influencers share a high value resource to help buyers through the funnel. For example, have them share a resource report, some sort of template, or free certification. Anything that provides immediate value. 4️⃣ Full Funnel Content Some campaigns are strictly for brand awareness, while others are more performance based. Duh. However, I’ve noticed our best campaigns have full-funnel content. I recommend using a mix of different types of influencers to achieve this. Select some influencers who make general content in the “Marketing” space that will guarantee you impressions. Then select a few SMEs within each category that will provide more specific content within a niche of Marketing, like MOPs for example. The SMEs may not have as large of a reach, but it will help you target a specific community with tactical advice. 5️⃣ 3 Month Campaign Minimum All of our clients start on a 3-4 month campaign minimum. Why? A few reasons. (1) For the influencers, they’re not interested in signing one off brand deals anymore. (2) In B2B, given the length of sales cycles, it may take a few months to start seeing an impact- especially, if the company has an awareness problem. (3) This 3 month campaign will be a great testing period to see what’s working and what’s not. After the 3 months are up, companies can now extend longer term agreements to the creators who are the best fit. B2B companies will have “Always On” influencer campaigns just like they would for Advertising. These are just some of the tactics our best clients are leveraging for their Influencer campaigns. What else would you add to the list? Interested in launching a B2B Influencer Campaign for your business? Send me a DM 🤝

Indian influencer marketing is evolving into a full-blown performance engine. In 2024, the industry crossed ₹3,600 crore, and it’s expected to grow another 25% in 2025. But the real story is in the mindset shift. Indian brands are no longer using influencer campaigns for vague brand awareness or chasing viral reels. They’re using them for trackable ROI, conversion, customer acquisition, and brand trust. Most brands have moved on from one-off influencer shoutouts. Today, 72% of them prefer long-term collaborations. It’s about building ongoing relationships that feel authentic to the audience and credible to the customer. What’s even more interesting is the role of micro and nano-influencers. A nano-influencer might only have 5,000 followers, but with engagement rates between 4–6% on Instagram, they often outperform creators 20 times their size. For brands that want depth instead of just breadth, these small creators are ROI gold. And then there’s regional content. Whether it’s Chennai Mobiles running vernacular campaigns or Levista Coffee leveraging local language storytelling, India’s most successful influencer campaigns today aren’t PAN India, they’re hyperlocal. Creators speaking to their communities in their own dialects are driving both emotional resonance and sales lift. But all of this only works because brands are finally treating influencer marketing like performance marketing. They’re tracking CPE, CAC, ROAS, and even sentiment data. They’re using UTM links, affiliate codes, custom landing pages, and creator-specific funnels. They’re building dashboards, running A/B tests, and in some cases, even calculating Earned Media Value to understand the true reach and monetary worth of a campaign. Take Dorco, for example. The brand worked with 105 influencers to launch in India. They didn’t just get views, they got over 3,000 link clicks per influencer, 250K impressions per post, and a massive boost in brand awareness without spending on traditional ads. Flipkart did a winterwear campaign with 32 male creators and saw a 20% spike in category sales. SUGAR Cosmetics went from industry-average engagement to 4–5%, and in just two years, attributed 3X sales growth to creator-led campaigns. Mamaearth spent ₹182 crore on influencers in FY23 and it worked, because their focus wasn’t just on going viral, but on going credible. The biggest shift is that brands now factor in more than just short-term sales. They’re looking at repeat purchases, brand lift, earned media, and overall LTV. The smartest ones know that influencer marketing isn’t just a line item in the marketing budget, it’s a core part of their business engine. Influencers have become distribution. They are brand trust. And they are revenue drivers, if you’re tracking them right.

Every ecommerce leader I know is running on the same hamster wheel: growth targets keep rising, but the rules of the game are being rewritten under their feet. When you place a leader and later sit down with them to swap insights, you’re reminded why the right talent shapes entire industries. I had a great conversation with Julian Exposito-Bader (ex-Amazon, TAG Heuer) about what’s really shaping the future of ecommerce, and he boiled it down to four pillars every executive should have on their radar: 1. Tariffs & Supply Chain Disruption Tariffs are no longer background noise. They’ve reshaped global commerce. Chinese manufacturers are redirecting from the US into Europe, flooding marketplaces with B-brands and copycats. Leaders who win will be the ones who diversify sourcing, master customs optimization, and use bonded warehouses strategically. 2. Sustainability as a Competitive Advantage It’s no longer acceptable to send a small product in three layers of plastic. Lastmile innovation (bike couriers, drones, reusable packaging) is moving from “PR play” to “bottom-line differentiator.” Zalando is pushing hard here. Consumers are watching, and they notice who’s lagging behind. 3. AI-Powered Commerce Revolution Gen Z isn’t Googling “best running shoes”, they’re asking ChatGPT or Alexa. LLMs are the new storefront. The question is: do brands have a strategy to influence those models? Add in 10-minute delivery in Southeast Asia (coming soon to Europe) and AI-driven fraud vs. fraud detection… the entire purchase journey is being re-engineered. 4. Channel Strategy & ROI Focus Social commerce is expensive and messy, but TikTok Shop is where the next generation buys. DTC remains the highest margin, but demands world-class storytelling. Amazon gives you traffic, but only if you’re willing to pour money into ads. And let’s not forget the “lipstick effect”, beauty keeps outperforming even when wallets tighten. The takeaway? Ecommerce leaders aren’t just choosing a channel anymore, they’re orchestrating these four forces simultaneously. For me, it was also a reminder of why the right hire matters: leaders like Julian don’t just react to market shifts, they anticipate and shape them. I’m curious, in your markets, which of these four pillars is hitting hardest right now? #ecommerce #fmcg #trending

I'm delighted to announce our latest research with Microsoft Advertising, which uncovers where customer journeys most often break down, and what that disconnect means for trust, conversion, and loyalty. Today’s shoppers move seamlessly across devices and channels, but the customer journey isn’t always as joined-up as it should be. Shoppers' expectations are higher than ever before, and they are intolerant of poor experiences. Our research found that device preference (e.g mobile, tablet, laptop, gaming etc) differs considerably across different age groups. And even within the same age group, preferences switch as purchase intentions rise. Consumers often want to start the discovery stage on mobile, but as purchase intent grows, they switch to laptops to have a more immersive experience. Brands that deliver a consistent experience across channels, device, platforms and more, inspire confidence, trust and boost conversion rates. The report focuses on four key pressure points: 🔍 Discovery – the complexity of how consumers search across screens and devices 🤝 Trust – the importance of consistency across every channel, device and ads. 🛒 Conversion – when shoppers click, but get disjointed experiences that drive them away 🧠 Personalisation – what ‘relevance’ really means in the AI era Built on insight from 2,000 UK consumers, Microsoft Advertising data and real brand examples, the report helps businesses turn unified commerce from concept into a practical strategy. 🔗 Get the full picture – download the report now https://lnkd.in/e9abZQQW

Customers expect seamless interactions across every channel, whether they’re online, in-store, or on social media. While this is the backbone of customer satisfaction and loyalty, ensuring that every interaction feels seamless and personalized can often be a challenge. It’s not just about solving problems as they arise but also about truly understanding your customers' journeys, addressing their pain points, and creating a unified experience across all platforms. So, how do we make this happen? Here are five steps to delivering a consistent omnichannel experience: 1. Know Your Customer Understanding your customers’ preferences, behaviors, and challenges is the foundation of a great omnichannel strategy. Dive deep into your customer data to truly know who they are and what they need. 2. Integrate Your Systems Seamless integration between your systems ensures smooth communication and data sharing across all channels. This prevents disjointed experiences and empowers your team with the right insights at the right time. 3. Maintain a Consistent Brand Image Whether it’s a social media post, an in-store interaction, or an email campaign, your brand identity should remain consistent. A cohesive message builds trust and reinforces your brand’s promise. 4. Create Seamless Customer Journeys Transitions between channels should feel effortless. Customers shouldn’t feel like they’re jumping between disconnected silos but rather engaging with one cohesive system. 5. Implement Personalization Strategies Customers expect personalization. Tailor your offerings, interactions, and messaging to each customer to make them feel valued and understood. Are these steps easy to implement? Not always. I believe that just as empathy in customer service requires ongoing effort and training, delivering a consistent omnichannel experience demands constant evaluation, refinement, and investment. But the payoff is undeniable nevertheless – you realize that stronger customer loyalty, better brand reputation, and more meaningful connections with your audience. What’s your biggest challenge in creating a seamless omnichannel experience? Share your thoughts or insights in the comments. We’d love to learn from your journey! #CustomerExperience #Omnichannel #CustomerJourney #EmpathyInBusiness #CX #KSA

Packaging architecture: ScaleUp’s challenge. One of your top priorities when scaling rapidly should be establishing a unified, coherent packaging program. Whether expanding into D2C channel or retail and distribution, your packaging and branding must adapt seamlessly to support growth and maintain consistency. >>Why IT MATTERS<< → Brand consistency, cohesive packaging design reinforces brand identity, trust, and loyalty across all channels through consistent colors, typography, and visuals. → Operational efficiency, standardized packaging reduces costs, streamlines supply chains, and enhances scalability without compromising quality. → Customer experience, engaging, user-friendly packaging boosts brand perception and satisfaction with easy-to-open designs, protective materials, and interactive elements. → Regulatory compliance, adapting packaging to diverse regulations ensures legal compliance, preventing costly issues as you expand into new markets. >>Basic STEPS<< 1-OBJECTIVES. Before structuring a packaging system, businesses must align goals with their overall brand and expansion strategy. +Target markets and customer segments +Sales channels (D2C, retail, e-commerce, wholesale) +Sustainability and compliance needs 2-AUDIT. Evaluate competitors against your packaging portfolio to identify inconsistencies, inefficiencies, and gaps. Assess materials, formats, design consistency, and supply chain effectiveness to ensure durability, cost-effectiveness, and strong branding. +Competitors +Materials and formats +Design consistency across products +Supply chain and logistics effectiveness 3-FRAMEWORK. You should structure a scalable system that preserves brand identity. Consistent colors, typography, and imagery enhance recognition, while guidelines ensure uniform materials and dimensions. Integrate sustainability for long-term impact. +Core Design: Consistent colors, typography, and imagery. +Structural Guidelines: Standardized dimensions and materials. +Sustainability: Eco-friendly practices for compliance and appeal. 4-Flexible & STANDART. Build an architecture that balances uniformity and adaptability with modular designs. Category-specific tweaks maintain brand consistency, while tailored retail and D2C approaches optimize shelf presence and delivery. +Modular Designs: Customizable core packaging elements. +Category Adaptations: Variations within a unified brand look. +Retail vs. D2C: Optimized for shelf presence and delivery. Final Thoughts. As you see, a well-executed packaging architecture helps scale-ups grow while maintaining brand identity. A strategic, standardized, yet flexible system streamlines operations, enhances customer experience, and supports market expansion. Explore my curated search of examples and get inspired for success. Featured brands: Curl Current State Dazzly Dr.Jart+ Drunk Elephant Glowie Happily Unmaried Jarskin Lululum Shiseido #beautybusiness #beautypackaging #beautyprofessionals #beautydesig