Ecommerce Playbook: Numbers, Struggles & Growth

Common Thread Collective
  • 4.9 (72)
  • BUSINESS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

2020 transformed the world of ecommerce forever. For the modern DTC brand, the rewards have never been greater. But the waters have also never been choppier, and the way forward has never been more uncertain. So how do you navigate this dangerous new reality? No matter how you do it, you’d better not do it alone. That’s where the Ecommerce Playbook Podcast comes in — join Common Thread Collective’s Taylor Holiday & Richard Gaffin as they bring you guiding insights from across CTC’s portfolio of growing DTC businesses. Whether you need a clear view on the macro issues affecting the world of ecommerce, or want to reorient your business around groundbreaking new big-picture strategies, Taylor & Richard are here to help answer the tough questions about what it takes to scale — and sustain — an ecommerce business.

  1. 1D AGO

    How our Prophit System Forecasts Creative Volume

    Creative strategy doesn’t fail because of bad ideas, it fails because it isn’t operationalized. In this episode, we break down how the Prophit System forecasts creative volume and turns creative production into a predictable, accountable growth lever. Using a real client example, we walk through how creative demand is modeled against spend targets, why most brands under-produce creative, and how forecasting creative volume eliminates fire drills, guesswork, and performance decay. We cover: How the Prophit System calculates monthly creative volume Why scaling spend without a creative forecast breaks efficiency The Creative Demand Model and creative scoring framework How evergreen creative stabilizes performance How persona-driven ads and AI accelerate creative execution Operationalizing creative across internal teams and external vendors Using creative forecasts to plan 12 months ahead — not react week to week If your team is stuck in reactive creative cycles or struggling to scale efficiently, this episode shows how forecasting creative output — not just media spend — changes the outcome. Show Notes: Get Dataships' free A/B test: https://www.dataships.io/demo Explore the PROPHIT System: http://prophitsystem.com The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have

    39 min

  2. 3D AGO

    Why Real Growth Comes From Accountability, Not Tools

    Most teams chase growth by adding new tools, dashboards, and AI. But real, durable growth doesn’t come from software, it comes from accountability. In this video, Taylor breaks down why growth stalls when no one owns the outcome, how daily operating rhythms turn forecasts into action, and what it actually takes to build a system that compounds over time. You’ll see why repetition beats reinvention, how strong teams close performance gaps faster, and why confronting friction is a prerequisite for real growth. You’ll learn: Why tools and AI don’t create growth without clear ownership How accountability turns forecasts into daily action The operating rhythm behind predictable, repeatable growth Why most growth systems break in the real world How clarity, capacity, and accountability work together to scale If you’re a founder, operator, or marketing leader tired of chasing the next tool, this is how real growth actually gets built. Show Notes: Get Dataships' free A/B test: https://www.dataships.io/demo Explore the PROPHIT System: http://prophitsystem.com The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have

    13 min

  3. JAN 22

    CFO Summit: How to Get Your Forecast Back on Track

    Forecasts are always wrong — what matters is how fast you respond. In this episode, we break down how top teams diagnose a miss early, tighten the signal-to-action loop, and use daily accountability to get January (and the year) back on track.

    45 min

  4. JAN 20

    Creative Strategy Is Dead (Here’s What Actually Works in 2026)

    In this episode, Taylor explains why the traditional creative loop—analyzing past ads, chasing CTRs, writing briefs, and hoping for better results—isn’t just inefficient, it’s actively hurting growth. Instead, we break down what actually works in 2026: treating creative like a supply chain, not a brainstorming exercise. You’ll learn: Why creative strategy is no longer about ideas or opinions How to tie creative output directly to financial forecasts and media spend What a “creative demand plan” looks like in practice Why volume, velocity, and systems beat “great ads” every time How the role of creative strategist is collapsing into growth and profit engineering This conversation is for founders, CMOs, and operators running Meta ads at scale who are tired of guessing, reacting late, and burning money on creative that doesn’t move the business. If you’re still asking “What should this ad say?” instead of “What does the system need to produce this month?”—this episode will change how you think about creative forever. Show Notes: TaxCloud has you covered: https://taxcloud.com/thread/ Explore the PROPHIT System: http://prophitsystem.com The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have

    34 min

  5. JAN 15

    Is AppLovin Actually Incremental? 8 Tests, Real Data, Real Results

    Is AppLovin actually incremental — or just another platform taking credit for demand that already exists? In this episode, we break down 8 real AppLovin incrementality tests run across live client accounts and share what the data actually shows. No speculation. No theory. Just results. We cover why AppLovin’s measurement is more conservative than most platforms, how its attribution model impacts reported performance, and why every test so far has come back positively incremental. From there, we move beyond the lab and into execution — sharing tactical learnings from running AppLovin at scale across multiple brands. You’ll hear practical insights on: How AppLovin incrementality compares to Meta, Google, and YouTube What we’ve learned from real spend, real revenue, and real tests Campaign structure, bidding strategies, and when to consolidate vs segment Creative formats that are working best inside mobile game environments Why AppLovin is emerging as a legitimate “third platform” in the paid media stack What Black Friday & Cyber Monday revealed about AppLovin’s scaling potential If you’re an e-commerce operator trying to decide whether AppLovin deserves real budget — or just a test — this episode will help you make that call with confidence. Show Notes: TaxCloud has you covered: https://taxcloud.com/thread/ Explore the PROPHIT System: http://prophitsystem.com The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have

    36 min

  6. JAN 13

    Why “Perfect Attribution” Is a Lie (And What Actually Matters)

    Most brands are chasing “perfect attribution.” That’s the wrong goal. In this episode of the Podcast, Tony sits down with Steve to break down what marketing measurement is actually for — and why accuracy with a capital-T isn’t just impossible, it’s counterproductive. Using the “Royal Cubit” metaphor, they explain why the purpose of measurement isn’t to find universal truth, but to create a shared reality that allows teams to make confident decisions at speed. From contribution margin at the business level to ROAS targets inside ad accounts, this episode walks through how CTC connects the entire measurement stack into a single operating system. They cover: Why platform numbers will never match — and why that’s okay How MMM and incrementality work together (not against each other) The hidden cost of chasing attribution precision How to prioritize incrementality tests that actually move revenue Why shared metrics matter more than “correct” ones What better measurement unlocks for upper-funnel and channel expansion in 2026 If you’re responsible for budget allocation, performance efficiency, or explaining results to a CFO, this episode reframes how measurement should work — and what actually matters when the goal is contribution margin, not dashboard perfection. Show Notes: Head to https://www.dash.fi/Or book a call with our Head of Sales here: https://calendly.com/d/ct8f-w59-824/dashfi-x-common-thread-collective-introExplore the PROPHIT System: http://prophitsystem.comThe Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have

    35 min

  7. JAN 8

    The ‘Flow Era’ Is Coming: The End of ‘Easy’ DTC

    The last five years of DTC forced brands through extreme conditions—easy money, explosive growth, brutal pullbacks, rising CAC, tariffs, and shrinking consumer demand. In this presentation from the Commerce Roundtable, Taylor Holiday breaks down why those pressures weren’t the end of DTC—but the catalyst for its next evolution. Taylor introduces the “Flow Era”: a new phase where winning brands stop chasing easy growth and instead master cash flow, product-led expansion, operational discipline, and constraint-driven creativity. Drawing on real data, industry trends, and the Born Primitive case study, he explains how the best operators are shifting from ROAS obsession to free cash flow as the true scoreboard. This talk covers: Why “easy” DTC is over—and why that’s a good thing How capital constraints are reshaping growth strategies The shift from revenue → EBITDA → free cash flow Why better ads won’t save commodity products How storytelling, category expansion, and constraints unlock durable growth Practical lessons for operators navigating rising CAC, tariffs, and inventory risk If you’re an operator, founder, or marketer trying to build a business that actually funds itself, this presentation lays out the mindset and mechanics required to win in the next era of DTC. Show Notes: Head to https://www.dash.fi/ Or book a call with our Head of Sales here: https://calendly.com/d/ct8f-w59-824/dashfi-x-common-thread-collective-introExplore the PROPHIT System: http://prophitsystem.com The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have

    44 min

  8. JAN 6

    The 3 Things Brands Must Get Right to Win in 2026

    In this episode of the Podcast, we break down the three things brands must get right to win in 2026—based on real performance data, post-BFCM learnings, and what top-performing brands are already doing differently. Richard is joined by Luke to unpack the foundational shifts shaping the next era of ecommerce growth. As rising costs, tighter margins, and increased competition redefine the landscape, winning brands aren’t doing more—they’re doing the right things better. We cover: Why system integration is now essential for faster, clearer decision-making How creative consolidation (especially UGC-led formats) is driving scalable performance When and how distribution expansion actually works—across platforms, products, and retail channels The role of predictability, single-source-of-truth measurement, and profit-first thinking in 2026 Why brands that lack operational clarity will struggle to keep up this year This episode is a practical playbook for founders, CMOs, and operators looking to move faster, eliminate guesswork, and build durable growth systems heading into 2026. Show Notes: TaxCloud has you covered: https://taxcloud.com/thread/ Explore the PROPHIT System: http://prophitsystem.com The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have

    31 min
See All (393)

4.9
out of 5
72 Ratings

About

2020 transformed the world of ecommerce forever. For the modern DTC brand, the rewards have never been greater. But the waters have also never been choppier, and the way forward has never been more uncertain. So how do you navigate this dangerous new reality? No matter how you do it, you’d better not do it alone. That’s where the Ecommerce Playbook Podcast comes in — join Common Thread Collective’s Taylor Holiday & Richard Gaffin as they bring you guiding insights from across CTC’s portfolio of growing DTC businesses. Whether you need a clear view on the macro issues affecting the world of ecommerce, or want to reorient your business around groundbreaking new big-picture strategies, Taylor & Richard are here to help answer the tough questions about what it takes to scale — and sustain — an ecommerce business.

Information

You Might Also Like