You’re considering a career in E-Commerce. What should you focus on to be successful?

- Fundamentals of PLAN : BUY : MOVE : SELL : MARKET remain the same like any other retail business - and hence important to get it alligned. - Platform : Product : marketing : Last mile : Services become the frontiers for managing the ecosystem. - Choose the nature of commerce - b2B - b2c- C2C- ? - U either need to be a tech leader - or a retail leader to drive a tech enabled business. - The asset class - moves from inventory and real estate to Consumers - move from aggregate pnl to unit matrices. - Get ready to allign with the idea that customers - if they dont like something - would return. - make the online experience - similar or better then the physical store experience

Ecommerce is mainly about: 1. Following the core marketing principles. Product (portfolio, combos, bundles, content - creatives and copywriting) , Price, Promotion (deals, discounts, ad campaigns), Place ( distribution channels) and People (target audience). 2. Managing logistics. 3. Customer - Feedback (testimonials, review and ratings) and customer delight (for a great customer lifetime value and repeats). 4. Technology - To understand the algorithm better, tools for simplification of operations.

Here are some tips to follow: Focus on understanding your target audience and their needs. Master the art of product research and selection. Develop strong branding and marketing strategies. Stay updated on e-commerce trends and technologies.

Start with the basics of understanding the e-Commerce landscape. 1. List down the leading e-Comm companies in B2B, B2C, C2C space. 2. Understand their business model: a. Value Proposition + USP b. Revenue Streams c. Key Partners d. TG e. Org. Structure 3. List down your competencies and see which domain/function your skillsets fit the most. 4. Learn the key metrics for the domain

Understanding this landscape is the first and foremost thing you want to do before starting anything practically. You get to study and understand the different categories of E-Commerce that are either B2B, B2C, C2C or C2B followed by various business models in E-Commerce that are Private Labeling, White Labeling, Wholesale, Dropshiping, Online or Retail Arbitrage etc. You need to study in-depth which model is the most suitable for you before you start anything.

I think it's incredibly important when choosing a career to try to work in an industry you genuinely enjoy learning about. I believe people do their best work when they love what they do. To be most successful in e-commerce, it would be extremely helpful if you genuinely enjoy the commerce & brand space. The second thing you need to enjoy learning about is technology. To be successful in e-commerce, you'll need to learn a variety of software tools from the e-commerce platform, to email marketing & social media. Building on the variety of tools, you should be the type of person that "like to wear many hats". When working in e-commerce, you'll need to a wide breadth of systems, so enjoying that multi-dimensional learning is important.

The most important thing in my eyes is to understand platforms like make.com, zapier, postman, etc. nailing down automation software in a low code environment will make your ecom journey so much smoother. There’s millions of great tools out there but not every one of them communicates with each other and that’s where automation software comes in. I’d start there and then learn the ins and outs of Shopify. That’s where the big brands are going and that’s where you can be successful right away.

e-Commerce companies use wide variety of tools for almost every domain. A skill that is required across domains would be to look at data and be able to generate a meaningful insight from it. So learn right from excel sheets to Power BI to Google Analytics. This serves as a basic. Other than these for marketing folks tools such as Clevertap, Webengage helps a lot to be able to segment and target users.

E-commerce today is largely about 2 things - marketing and website development. Focusing on learning the basics of marketing and growth channels as well as understand the various technologies there are like Shopify, Klaviyo, Gorgias, Recharge, Monk etc can go a long way in making you a strong asset to any team you join.

Many people get lost or overthink when it comes time for strategy. Start simple and build from a foundation. A great way to kick off your strategy mapping is by filling in the blanks on this string of questions: "We do____, for whom____, so that___". When you can answer that string, you can focus on what is most important lens, which is your customer/consumer. KPIs, success metrics, and experience will flow from the above statement.

In Indian context there are guidelines issued by Ministry of Consumer Affairs, IT for all e-Commerce companies to abide by. Few top laws/regulations are: 1. Consumer Protection Act (2019): Protects consumers with clear info, complaint handling, and fair contracts. 2. IT Act & Guidelines (2000 & 2021): Governs online transactions, data privacy, and content takedown. 3. FDI Policy: Regulates foreign investment levels in Indian e-commerce. 4. Legal Metrology Acts (2009 & 2011): Ensures accurate labelling and packaging of online products. 5. IPC & Sale of Goods Act: Existing laws applied to e-commerce for product liability, advertising, and fair trade.

This is perhaps the most important of it all. Adopting a mindset that thrives with change is super critical. Why? Because not just the technology but regulations around Ecommerce change more often than not. Keeping abreast, understanding the changes and quickly upgrading and adopting determine success to a great extent.

In an e-Commerce company there is data available for every step of user interaction and thus every decision is data backed. But it also important to find the right balance between qualitative and quantitative insights. For this the best way is to spend time with users, take their feedbacks, pain points, suggestions and also analyze data and generate insights from there to improve every touch point for users.

Networking with people from the same industry helps add more perspective and adds to learnings which is true not only for e-Commerce industry but for all industries. If you are trying to make a career in e-Commerce industry hanging out with people from the industry will give you clarity on how these companies work, the revenue streams, organization structure, etc.

If you are new and considering a career in e-commerce the best place to start is by networking with the community. This will help one understand what kind of professions exist, how are they valued and what skills one would need to develop to be amongst the top voices. LinkedIn, events, conferences and even 1-on-1 meetings with industry experts would be helpful. Read up about the latest trends and the change makers in your sector. Be a part of the next wave to taste success.

The e-commerce communities on Twitter and LinkedIn are very engaged and have tons to offer. Founders of successful brands share their perspective, learnings and shortcomings. This could be a great way to stay upto date and focus on building skills that are high in demand.

My top 3 tips: 1. Understand as many aspects of ecommerce and digital marketing as possible, this will allow you to gain exposure in many areas without limiting your career prospects as well as providing you with a much more hollistic understanding of ecommerce within a business. 2. Attend as many industry and partner webinars, workshops as possible, you will meet peers and mentors. All valuable in your career growth journey 3. Understand the financials-don't underestimate the value this will bring to the business you are working with and your own development.

Networking in e-commerce is key. Connecting with peers, sharing insights, and learning from each other's wins and fails boosts growth. It's about building relationships that help navigate the ever-changing online marketplace. Stay engaged, stay ahead.

In my experience understanding marketplaces, its algorithms is critical for Ecommerce On the other hand how best you drive people to your D2C and get a good LTV @low CAC. Rest is all execution

E-commerce is today a localised skill. What works in Asia might not work in Europe etc. In my observation, there are two ways to look at a career in e-commerce, one can be Marketplace/Aggregator space which is rapidly evolving with quick commerce platforms & super apps constantly innovating. The other option could be to understand what organisations on D2C side look for in a commerce professional. Within e-commerce one could specialise in growth, media/branding, partnerships, commercial teams. I have realised people appreciate the niche you bring to the table, be it an in-depth understanding of growth levers or being a commerce & retail media expert. One can’t possibly do everything, so doing one thing right & developing expertise is good

Keep track of these principles: 1. Analyze Your Market: Understand your audience and what they want. 2. Choose the Right Platform: Use user-friendly platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce are good to start. You can scale further on Amazon & Walmart as well. 3. Master Digital Marketing: Learn SEO, social media, and content marketing. 4. Optimize Logistics: Efficient sourcing, storage, and shipping are crucial. 5. Harness Data Analytics: Use data to understand customer behavior and improve strategies. 6. Embrace Mobile Commerce: Optimize for mobile users and focus more on the mobile shoppers. By following these principles, you'll be on your way to a successful career in E-commerce!