Conway & Co

The e-commerce tech stack that got you to €10M will kill your chances of reaching €100M. Here's why↴ →Systems that handled 100 orders/day will break at 1000. →Manual processes that worked with 3 people collapse with 30. →The quick fixes that saved money become technical debt accounts for over 10% of total tech budget. →Disconnected systems create data silos that prevent customer insights. →Simple user journeys will become impossible when you need to handle multiple countries and sales channels. In short, business growth is equal to business complexity. And each level of complexity requires smart tech stack development decisions. 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲-𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲, 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗰𝗲𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴. If e-commerce technology decisions are uncharted territory, dive into a quick intro here: https://lnkd.in/eEacpcJB

We're growing our team at Conway & Co! We're currently looking for talented individuals to join us in three roles: → Strategy Consultant → Product Manager → Sales Development Representative If you're passionate about e-commerce, technology, and helping brands win in the digital space, we'd love to hear from you. Interested? Send your CV to tim@conway.expert. Know someone perfect for one of these roles? Tag them below or share this post.

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The technology stack is among the top reasons for slow e-commerce growth. Growth = new countries, sales channels, or product categories.  It all adds unprecedented 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘁𝘆 to your business operating model. Our latest insights piece explains how: https://lnkd.in/eEacpcJB An outdated, disconnected, or poorly managed tech stack: - Cannot handle increased complexity in a systemic way - Will require more costs over time without a clear ROI - Won’t support a good customer experience (low NPS) Here’s what we recommend to e-com leaders: 1. 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗸: 𝗺𝗮𝗽 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀: Marketing, Sales, Operations, Integrations, etc. 2. 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗮𝗽 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆. Tech choices aligned with growth goals—not just today's needs. 3. 𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆. Don’t try to automate chaos.

What beauty & cosmetics brands are winning in the Netherlands? (These insights are part of Conway Brand Radar. Explore it here → https://lnkd.in/eCBzHHrq) Growth leaders with the most stable patterns: - FUGAZZI Fragrances (+141% YoY traffic growth) - SOPHIA MAE (+112%) - Pink Gellac (+65%) - Gisou by Negin Mirsalehi (+50%) 1. 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲-𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺𝘀 Customers are getting immune to marketing copy.  They do more research on ingredients and look for “professional-grade” products (i.e., Keune Haircosmetics | B Corp). Brands take notice too:  - RevitalTrax Cosmetics product pages resemble medical prescriptions. - Gisou by Negin Mirsalehi educates customers on the benefits of honey (and even has launched a course on beekeeping). 2. 𝘾𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙛𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙮 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙨.  Beauty standards shift from mass media to self-expression, driven by microtrends on Tiktok. This shift explains the rise of specialized brands in categories like nail care (i.e., Pink Gellac) and hair care - often the first steps in personal style exploration. 3. 𝘾𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙤𝙧 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙚 Social media also explains the rise of creator commerce, which is visible in the Netherlands. We found 3 brands: Nimya by NikkieTutorials, Gisou by Negin Mirsalehi, SOPHIA MAE. These creators first cultivated passionate communities around their unique perspectives on beauty, then transformed these communities into thriving brands.

→ 82% of executives surveyed said poor tech infrastructure caused them to miss cost-reduction and growth targets. → Companies with modern tech and processes achieve 3.3× higher growth than laggards. Growth is not only product development and marketing. It’s also about how well your infrastructure can support scaling up: - Launching new markets, products, sales channels - Supporting increasing customer traffic - Providing top-level shopping experience When it comes to technology, the key is making good strategic calls and account for business complexity. Explore the guide to technology decisions for e-commerce leaders: https://lnkd.in/eEacpcJB The sources to presented findings: find links in comments.

The typical e-commerce digital executive juggles 15+ tech systems. 𝗜𝗳 𝗲-𝗰𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗹𝘆, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱. → Launches get delayed. → Developers keep saying "that's not possible." → Tech bills rise with zero ROI. → Peak season is full of stress because the system might collapse → No source of truth about customer data. The list could go on and on… The more company grows, the harder it is to manage this chaos (bigger e-com companies have +100 systems in their tech stack!) So better start early. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗡𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 is a comprehensive and free resource for e-com digital leaders that: - Work at growing digital commerce brands generating +10M annually - Sometimes feel lost in the woods (and that’s normal) - Looking for clarity and structure for their tech infrastructure Tech Stack Navigator: - Categorises +200 software tools so you know what components you might be missing. - Presents a blueprint for mapping your tech needs so that your decisions are confident. Explore it here: https://lnkd.in/eEacpcJB

𝗘-𝗰𝗼𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀: 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝘀, 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝘀 When e-com brands fail, it's rarely about products or even revenue. What worked at €10M in e-commerce revenue creates spectacular failures at €100M when your systems don't scale with your business. Three cautionary tales from digital commerce: - 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗲𝗿 built a custom tech platform that collapsed under technical debt. Fix: Simplified tech stack, refocused on core business. Result: 73% YoY growth. - 𝗣𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗻's supply chain assumed endless pandemic demand. Fix: Streamlined operations, outsourced manufacturing. Result: €800M saved annually. - 𝗥𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝘂𝗻𝘄𝗮𝘆's complex fulfillment had a meltdown, forcing them to halt new subscribers for weeks. Fix: Back to core subscription model, simplified logistics. These brands didn't fail because they grew too big—𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘅 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝘀. A solid e-commerce operating model aligns your strategy, team, processes, tech, data, and customer experience. It converts traffic into sustainable revenue. So… don't wait for your peak season meltdown. Instead, ask yourself: - Does our operating model match our current business complexity? - Is our tech stack aligned with long-term business objectives? - Have we defined how strategy, people, processes, technology, and data connect to deliver customer value? Otherwise, it's time to go back to the whiteboard. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽↴ Conway & Co provides independent advice on improving your operating model across processes, technology, and people to get your company fit for growth. Learn more & get in touch for a discovery call: https://lnkd.in/eEacpcJB

Dutch baby & mobility brands: another niche with great performance in 2024-2023. Among analysed brands: • The average YoY traffic growth: +93%. • Avg. share of domestic traffic: 20% 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 (𝗬𝗼𝗬 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵,%): Wildride: +619% YoY (stylish toddler carriers) Naïf Good Care (B Corp): +112% YoY (sustainable baby & children care) Noppies: +83% YoY (baby & maternity clothes) 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗺𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 (𝗝𝗮𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱): Bugaboo: 608K (premium strollers & other mobility solutions) Little Dutch: 317K (premium baby clothes & toys) Joolz: 249K (stylish premium strollers) What accelerates the success of baby & children brands? 1. 𝗥𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱: Millennial parent brands showcase active, stylish parents who maintain their identity. They've made it "cool" to be a mom or dad.     2. 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆: Baby brands face limited purchase frequency (i.e., parents buy strollers once). Smart brands build parent communities that provide insights while extending influence beyond the initial transaction. Explore more: https://lnkd.in/e3Fa7U6Y

Real cost savings from AI in consumer brands ↴ • Huel achieved 10% supply chain cost savings • Modern Animal saved 2 administrative hours daily • Stanley 1913 prevented supply chain disruptions in real-time Read more about how top brands are adopting AI for cost reduction, retention, and revenue generation: https://lnkd.in/eEacpcJB As a digital leader, consider the following: 1. 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀. 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀.    → Target areas where there's a high volume of repetitive tasks and human error is common and costly.     2. 𝗬𝗼𝘂’𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻, 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁.    → Map out critical operations before implementing AI    → Ensure close collaboration between tech & business teams     3. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗢𝗜 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺:    → Freeing up skilled professionals for higher-value work    → Enabling faster decision-making in complex scenarios    → Preventing problems before they become costly (predictive vs reactive) Want to reduce costs with AI? Don't start with tools. Start with strategy. We help consumer & retail brands do exactly that as their on-demand CTO.