“Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It’s cheaper,” – John C. Bogle
Starting an eCommerce business may seem fascinating at first but once you start, you may notice that it’s not all roses. Building a successful business is not a sprint, but a long marathon, if I may say so. Every day is a new day and if you commit yourself to learn, success will follow.
To make the process of learning and understanding the nitty gritty’s of running a business easier for you, we have curated a list of 15 resources that will help deliver value for your business.
Ecommerce fuel is the world’s largest community of 7-8-figure store owners. Ther offer a thriving discussion forum where you can literally find the answers to all your questions. It is a community of doers, experienced eCommerce entrepreneurs, and all the members are vetted to ensure top quality of membership. The EcommerceFuel podcast offers detailed information from top experts on researching, launching, growing your online business, or ramping up to 6 figures. It is an incredible resource for more effectively growing your eCommerce businesses and is on top of our list.
Business of Fashion is a leading publication for professionals in the fashion industry. It is recognised around the world for its authoritative, analytical point of view on the trillion-dollar global fashion industry. BOF offers not just content, but many other tools like workshops, online courses, masterclasses with industry leaders, reports, podcasts, etc to understand the ever-changing world of fashion as an entrepreneur. All the articles have excerpts from an interview with a person relevant to the topic which we find offers great insight and better understanding. This one is a must for all fashion retailers.
The Shopify blog/podcast is centered around inspiring and educating their audience. Shopify’s veteran eCommerce merchants offer a lot of valuable content around business ideas, growth, product updates, and founder stories. Their topics are relevant and give a great insight into the world of Shopify of course. With Shopify being the game-changing platform for eCommerce websites, it is a great resource for not just learning more about the platform but an overall understanding of running a business.
Glossy is an online publication exploring the intersection of fashion, luxury, and technology that offers in-depth and high-quality coverage, and an honest approach to providing fashion and luxury brands a trusted source. From trends to launches and technology, Glossy is a reliable resource for getting started in the fashion and luxury industry. The glossy podcast is where they predominantly talk about technology’s impact on the industry, in conversation with some of the biggest names in the business.
Baymard is an Independent Web UX Research Institute that is dedicated to conducting large-scale research studies on all aspects of the online user experience. The Baymard blog offers actionable research on UX, UX benchmarks, page designs with case studies, and performance scores. It is a top-notch resource for information and insights on usability and conversion rate optimization. A must-read for eCommerce retailers.
Similar to the Baymard blog, the Conversation Rate Experts Blog is a global company in the field offering actionable insights from consultants who are active from all over the world. They’ve applied their methodology to some of the best companies like Apple, Google & Facebook, therefore it is a reliable source when it comes to optimizing your website.
Formerly DTC Daily, now known as Fast Growth Brands, is a go-to blog for all things DTC. FBG’s blog is keeping tabs on the trends and innovations that are shaping the media, marketing, and commerce industries. This is a great resource to keep yourself updated through their insightful newsletters, podcasts, and articles.
The BigCommerce blog is a combination of eComm strategies, insights, and inspirational case studies all in one. The blog offers a slice of fresh perspective and practical advice whether you’re revamping your website, looking for inspiration, or want to know about the latest technology trends. Highly, highly recommended.
Vogue business is a leading publication designed to make better business decisions in fashion. Vogue offers detailed insights from technologists, trend forecasters, futurists, and innovators, making it a reliable source for information on new technologies and marketing.
If you have a fashion business, Vogue business is definitely worth the investment.
The Fizzle Show is a podcast for the new-age entrepreneur. Hosted by Corbett Barr, Chase Reeves, and Caleb Wojcik, this podcast is full of practical business advice, sprinkled with humor. It is a community of entrepreneurs “who want to earn a living doing something they care about”. This one is worth listening to.
One of the biggest challenges for retailers is how to have a clear brand message. It is crucial to have a clear message for any eCommerce store. “Building a StoryBrand” is a must-read for building a compelling brand message that connects with your customer. The book focuses on how to avoid common pitfalls and stay on message no matter who you’re talking to. This book will also teach you the power of words and how to encourage customers to become loyalists of your brand.
Made Well – the Lumi podcast is another amazing podcast to add to your list. Hosted by Stephan Ango, co-founder of Lumi.com, the Made Well podcast features conversations about design, packaging, typography, and practical advice on starting a business. Stephan has interviewed multiped D2C retailers on the podcast who have shared great insights into the world of retail.
Retail Insider provides great insights into some of the key industry trends and issues and is focused on looking beyond the obvious. It offers opinions and insights on the retail industry with regular features such as Q&As with industry experts based on real-life experiences. Definitely give it a try!
If fashion is your niche, Dazed fashion online magazine is a must-read for you. It is a radical fashion platform defining the times with a vanguard of next-generation writers, stylists, and image-makers. Even though it might not offer direct insight into the retail industry, it does a great job of showcasing content from opinion formers and culture creators which is inspirational.
Entrepreneur is the premier source for everything small business. As the name suggests, it is full of inspirational stories while providing entrepreneurs with crucial insight, analysis, tips, and advice. The how-to articles focus on ways to fix the most challenging (and mundane) business conundrums. We’ll give one an A++.
All these resources will serve as a roadmap for your professional growth and will help in nurturing your success. We recommend always saving an article or podcast that you think is relevant to your business. These go-to resources may come into play when you least expect them!
