Beyond the Cart
28 episodes - English - Latest episode: 4 months ago - ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsJoin us as our digital agency launches an ecommerce company and the challenges we — and you — are going to face along the way. This series will focus on solving the complicated minutia involved in starting a direct-to-consumer business.
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Episodes
Lessons Learned: Investing in CX without rebuilding your storefront
February 22, 2024 18:40 - 27 minutes - 24.8 MBChanges to your digital strategy can domino across your business. While that ultimately is how real change happens, it can be daunting. Today, we’re discussing the biggest mistakes ecommerce companies make when re-aligning and re-investing in their customer experience (CX) strategies — and how to avoid them. Join host Nora as she shares lessons learned with Lightburn's director of client strategy, Colleen Campbell, and the co-owner and cofounder of the UX research company, Lyssna Method, o...
[Interview] Paper to digital transformation, with Camie Grabowski
November 15, 2023 14:34 - 21 minutes - 20.1 MBToday's interview will discuss the challenges and opportunities of rebuilding paper processes in a digital environment. Joining us is Camie Grabowski, the Sales & Design Manager at Digital Pix & Composites (DPC). She's spent nearly 20 years strategizing ways to modernize and simplify operations for a business with several moving parts and plenty of room for human error. We asked: What did the manual process used to look like? What were some of your initial reservations? What was the lag...
"Stuckage" & Accountability: DIY ecommerce is unrealistic (even for us)
September 12, 2022 19:00 - 21 minutes - 22.5 MBWe're ending season two talking about "stuckage." It's totally real. We see it all the time. You're stuck making decisions. You can't get any traction on your project. It happens a lot in ecommerce. And we're gonna talk about how to solve that. We're also gonna apply some of the solutions that we often give our clients to our D2C brand, Bilberry West. Today’s Topics: DIY ecommerce is unrealistic — even for us Don’t create problems that don’t exist yet – part one The answers are normally ...
Selling Swag Online: A F&B Merch Story
August 18, 2022 14:35 - 20 minutes - 20.2 MBToday, we're talking to one of our food and beverage clients about selling swag online. From t-shirts to gift cards, restaurants have evolved from local eateries to brand-name business groups. To tell their story. I've invited Sam Schulte, the marketing specialist for the Lowlands Group, to discuss how their migration from WooCommerce to Shopify helped increase sales by 9% in just 2-months (and it's not even their busy season). Today’s Topics: A little about Lowlands Re-platforming their...
When to consider a subscription model
July 20, 2022 18:27 - 23 minutes - 21.4 MBToday we're talking about subscription models. They're all the rage right now, from meal planning kits to makeup. It might seem simple to just add a subscription button to your product page, but there's a lot more to consider. For some expertise on this topic, we're excited to have our friend and former colleague, Kristine Howell, joining us today. Today’s Topics: Why ecommerce subscription models are so popular When to consider offering a subscription service Simplifying the buy-in and...
Abandoned Carts: How to Avoid Leaving Money on the Table
June 29, 2022 15:21 - 20 minutes - 21.1 MBToday, we're talking about abandoned carts. Learn how to avoid leaving money on the table by streamlining the checkout process, reducing distractions, and offering genuine value that connects with your customers. Reducing distractions Identifying the barriers Investments versus commodities Curating the brand experience Filling in the gaps
The effects of seasonality on your PPC plan
June 07, 2022 19:39 - 26 minutes - 24.5 MBIn today's episode, we're talking about the effects of seasonality on your PPC plan, how we approach seasonality as it relates to paid advertising, and the unique challenges of running campaigns for clients with extreme seasonality. Today's Topics: Advertising highly seasonal products Customer engagement Following your audience (1-800-FLOWERS) Weather-driven seasonality Your first year of digital ads Revving up digital ad spend Communicating with operations
How to Write Engaging, Informative, and Persuasive Product Descriptions
May 19, 2022 16:24 - 26 minutes - 27 MBToday we welcome a new guest, Lightburn SEO Analyst Taylor Belmer. During today's chat, we will be exploring how to write engaging, informative, and persuasive product descriptions. We'll break down shopping algorithms and how they're weighted, and we've got some practical advice for increasing product visibility across channels. Today's Topics Generic and brand-driven keywords The problem with duplicate content Minimize iterations with thoughtful UX design Focus on features and benefi...
Do You Know Your Customer Journey? (What It Is & Why It Matters)
May 03, 2022 16:52 - 21 minutes - 20 MBToday we're talking about the customer journey. Do you know yours? If you are not sure, then you need to put pen to paper. It is vital that you understand the different types of customers that are purchasing your product, how they interact with your sales process, and what type of support they need. Today's Topics Understanding customer types Leveraging your sales process The problem with being unreachable Documentation and iterations The number of products versus customer types The i...
How to Increase Your Website's Average Order Value
April 14, 2022 18:30 - 20 minutes - 21 MBToday we're talking about your website's average order value (AOV). Why it's important, how to increase it, and why it must factor into your ecommerce plan. We'll share some of the ways to simplify the checkout process and advice on how to nudge customers towards adding more to their carts. Today's Topics Your average order value (AOV) and other metrics Increasing AOV with free shipping Considering a loyalty and other spend level rewards Showcasing add on accessories or related produ...
How to increase your website's average order value
April 14, 2022 18:30 - 20 minutes - 21 MBToday we're talking about your website's average order value (AOV). Why it's important, how to increase it, and why it must factor into your ecommerce plan. We'll share some of the ways to simplify the checkout process and advice on how to nudge customers towards adding more to their carts. Today's Topics Your average order value (AOV) and other metrics Increasing AOV with free shipping Considering a loyalty and other spend level rewards Showcasing add on accessories or related produ...
Launching an Ecommerce Company: Where are we now?
March 28, 2022 05:00 - 13 minutes - 12.6 MBToday's episode is titled "Where Are We Now." If you were listening in season one, you know that we had some delays in getting our product launched. We're going to talk about where we're at with that, user testing, and we're also going to share a little bit more about what season two has in store. Today's Episode Includes: We have a warehouse! Product prototypes User testing Next steps
Building Your Brand through Customer Service
August 31, 2021 22:18 - 46 minutes - 42.8 MBToday in the final episode of season one, Nora and Andy are talking all things customer service, and how small choices you make can have a big impact on your brand and customer loyalty. From product returns to nurturing campaigns, we touch on many topics that will be sure to get your own ideas flowing. Plus, we'll share a progress update on Bilberry West and what you can expect from season two of Beyond the Cart. Today's Episode Includes: Customer service as a company-wide responsibility ...
Simplifying Ecommerce Tax Compliance featuring Avalara
August 17, 2021 05:00 - 36 minutes - 33.8 MBToday, in episode nine, we're talking tax collection with Meg Higgins, VP and GM, ecommerce and marketplaces for Avalara. Come discover how a tax technology like Avalara is a critical tool for businesses large and small. Today's Episode Includes: The current landscape of ecommerce taxes in 2021 What to look for in an ecommerce sales tax solution How tax collection impacts customer experience Getting started with a tax technology partner What the heck "economic nexus" means Planning f...
Brick & Mortar: Bringing Retail Online with Callisters Christmas
August 03, 2021 19:15 - 40 minutes - 36.7 MBToday, in episode eight, we're talking to one of our largest ecommerce success stories. Come discover how we brought this traditionally brick and mortar business online with special guests, Callisters Christmas. Today's Episode Includes: Failing (Twice) Types of Products Customization & Personalization In-Store versus Online Customers Finding Success
New Ecommerce Tool: "Mailchimp's doing what?"
July 28, 2021 12:23 - 25 minutes - 23.4 MBBONUS EPISODE: Did you hear? Mailchimp has entered the ecommerce game. We can't help but think... "Um...what?" Today we're taking a break from our previously scheduled programming to discuss this new tool, the evolution of ecommerce platforms, and the abundance of integration options for small businesses. Today's Episode Includes: Mailchimp's Market Share "Easy-to-use" Tools Options for Retailers Taking on Shopify Incomplete "Integrations"
User Experience Design: Does User Experience Really Matter?
July 20, 2021 15:56 - 55 minutes - 51 MBToday, in episode seven, we're digging deep into the transactional experiences related to user design. We'll share some of our pet peeves and quick wins you can take action on today. Join hosts Andy and Nora as they welcome our first guest, Lightburn's lead UX/UI designer, Caitlin Mackay to discuss user design and online experiences for your ecommerce website or application. Today's Episode Includes: Qualitative & Quantitative Metrics Identifying User Experience (UX) Issues The Mobile V...
Markets, Markets, Everywhere: Omnichannel and You
July 06, 2021 15:26 - 26 minutes - 24.2 MBToday, in episode six, we're shifting over to marketplaces. How they are a key part of our plan for Bilberry West and why you may want to consider omnichannel marketplaces for your business. Today's Episode Includes: Amazon, Target & Etsy Margins & Commissions Market Sharing Integrations & Fees Drop Shipping Other Markets & Retailers
Marketing Strategy: How to Beat the Competition
June 22, 2021 13:30 - 42 minutes - 39.4 MBWhen you think of marketing strategy, does do your eyes light up, or do they glaze over? Today, in episode five, we'll help you understand how to get the ball rolling with your own marketing strategy. It's a big, beefy topic and we cover a lot of ground and offer real-world advice on how to move forward without getting in your own way. Today's Episode Includes: Episode Two Update: Ecommerce Platforms Goals & Objectives Competitor & Marketplace Research Creating Space for Your Brand U...
Product Branding: What Should We Call This Thing?
June 08, 2021 14:09 - 38 minutes - 35.2 MBToday, in episode four, we'll explore the process of selecting a name for our fledgling company. That's right, it's time to drop the name, project X. We'll miss you project X. You served us well and had us feeling like mysterious super villains, but it's time to move on. We'll give you a sneak peek into how we did this with a startup mindset — that is — quickly and cost-effectively. Today's Episode Includes: Creating a production process Managing feedback overload Sourcing product mater...
What Should We Call This Thing?
June 08, 2021 14:09 - 38 minutes - 35.2 MBThe Beyond the Cart series focuses on solving the complicated minutia involved in starting a direct-to-consumer ecommerce business. Ongoing topics will include; Getting Started, Selecting an Ecommerce Platform, Product Development, Branding, Market Research, Customer Challenges, Overhead, Operations, Marketing, Inventory, and Customer Service. Today's Episode Includes: Creating a production process Managing feedback overload Sourcing product materials Creating physical prototypes
Product Design: OMG, Making a Consumer Product Is Soo Hard!
May 25, 2021 15:03 - 36 minutes - 33.3 MBToday, in episode three, we've started to skim the surface of product design from folks who have exactly zero experience designing a product. Fun times. We're not even inventing a new product and it's still challenging — the details and all the things that are going into designing our product line and figuring out how we're going to make it work... Today's Episode Includes: Creating a production process Managing feedback overload Sourcing product materials Creating physical prototypes
OMG, Making a Consumer Product Is Soo Hard!
May 25, 2021 15:03 - 36 minutes - 33.3 MBThe Beyond the Cart series focuses on solving the complicated minutia involved in starting a direct-to-consumer ecommerce business. Ongoing topics will include; Getting Started, Selecting an Ecommerce Platform, Product Development, Branding, Market Research, Customer Challenges, Overhead, Operations, Marketing, Inventory, and Customer Service. Today's Episode Includes: Creating a production process Managing feedback overload Sourcing product materials Creating physical prototypes
Selecting the right ecommerce platform for your SMB
May 11, 2021 18:34 - 44 minutes - 40.6 MBToday we're talking about picking the right ecommerce platform for a small or medium sized business. There's really three different categories here. There's custom, there's hosted platforms, and there's software as a service platforms... Today's Topics The history of ecommerce platforms Common assumptions and real-world experiences Varients and product personalization Back-end management and fee considerations
Ecommerce Platforms: Selecting an Ecommerce Platform
May 11, 2021 18:34 - 44 minutes - 40.6 MBToday we're talking about picking the right ecommerce platform for a small or medium sized business. There's really three different categories here. There's custom, there's hosted platforms, and there's software as a service platforms... Today's Topics The history of ecommerce platforms Common assumptions and real-world experiences Varients and product personalization Back-end management and fee considerations
Selecting an Ecommerce Platform
May 11, 2021 18:34 - 44 minutes - 40.6 MBThis series will focus on solving the complicated minutia involved in starting a direct-to-consumer business. Ongoing topics will include; Getting Started, Selecting an Ecommerce Platform, Product Development, Branding, Market Research, Customer Challenges, Overhead, Operations, Marketing, Inventory, and Customer Service. Today's Topics The history of ecommerce platforms Common assumptions and real-world experiences Varients and product personalization Back-end mangement and fee consid...
Launching an Ecommerce Company: You're Doing What?
April 22, 2021 21:44 - 18 minutes - 16.8 MB"Dude, how do you start a company when you can't even pronounce the product?" Join us as our digital agency launches an e-commerce company and the challenges we — and you — are going to face along the way... Today's Topics So, we're starting an ecommerce company (again) Passion products and market demand Building an outdoor furniture business from the ground up
You're Doing What?
April 22, 2021 21:44 - 18 minutes - 16.8 MBThis series will focus on solving the complicated minutia involved in starting a direct-to-consumer business. Ongoing topics will include; Getting Started, Selecting an Ecommerce Platform, Product Development, Branding, Market Research, Customer Challenges, Overhead, Operations, Marketing, Inventory, and Customer Service. Today's Topics So, we're starting an ecommerce company (again) Passion products and market demand Building an outdoor furniture business from the ground up