Industries / E-commerce
Customer acquisition for e-commerce brands.
Revenue is easy to buy. We build acquisition around contribution, repeat purchase and the customers worth keeping.
An e-commerce brand can increase revenue quickly by spending more on ads. The harder question is whether that revenue leaves anything behind. Rising acquisition costs, discount dependence and unclear attribution make it easy to grow the top line while weakening the business underneath.
We start with the unit economics and the customer journey, then build paid media, conversion and retention around the numbers that decide profitability. That means separating new-customer acquisition from returning-customer revenue, measuring contribution rather than revenue alone, and fixing the site experience before scaling spend into a leaky funnel.
What gets in the way
- 01Adults reported on revenue or return on ad spend without contribution or new-customer context
- 02Discount-led acquisition that trains customers to wait for the next sale
- 03Product and collection pages that do not answer the questions that block a purchase
- 04Paid media, email and organic social measured in separate silos
- 05No clear view of repeat purchase, lifetime value or which products deserve investment
The approach
One system, built around e-commerce.
The same four-stage discipline we apply across the agency, with the detail changed for this sector's buying process.
Establish the unit economics
Margin, fulfilment, returns and repeat behaviour set the ceiling for acquisition. We agree the numbers before scaling any channel.
Fix the conversion path
Product pages, collection pages, cart and checkout are reviewed for clarity, speed and friction. Small improvements compound when traffic increases.
Build paid acquisition around new customers
Campaigns are structured to distinguish new-customer acquisition from retargeting and returning demand, with creative and offers that match each stage.
Connect content, retention and measurement
Organic social, email and lifecycle activity support the same customer rather than competing for credit. Reporting connects channel spend to contribution and repeat purchase.
Services that apply
The components we usually use.
Not every engagement uses every component. The mix is chosen from the business model, the available data, the budget and the commercial goal.
Social media in this sector. Organic social gives an e-commerce brand a place to explain products, show them in use and build a recognisable voice between campaigns. Paid social extends that creative to new audiences. Both work better when the product pages and offers they point to are ready to convert. See social media management, paid social or a strategy and audit.
What we measure
Success is a business number.
- New-customer acquisition cost and contribution
- Conversion rate by traffic source and device
- Repeat purchase and customer lifetime value
- Organic and paid social contribution to first purchase
Where we are based
We are headquartered in Seattle and work with e-commerce brands across the United States and Puerto Rico. Fulfilment and market coverage are part of the acquisition plan, not an afterthought.
Common questions
E-commerce, answered.
- Do you manage both paid search and paid social?
- Yes. The mix depends on the category, margin and buying behaviour. We recommend a starting set and expand only when the data supports it.
- Can you work with our existing e-commerce platform?
- Yes. We work within the platform and stack the brand already uses. If a change is needed, we explain why and scope it separately.
- How do you measure success?
- Against the measures agreed at the start, usually new-customer acquisition cost, contribution, conversion rate and repeat purchase. Revenue alone is not a sufficient measure.
- Do you produce creative?
- We direct creative and can work with your existing team or production partners. Large production budgets are scoped separately from management fees.
- Can you help with organic social?
- Yes, through social media management. For e-commerce, that usually means product storytelling, community response and a consistent publishing rhythm.
- What happens if we already have an in-house team?
- We can work alongside it, take a defined channel or provide strategy and measurement support. The scope is agreed in writing so responsibilities are clear.
Next step
Tell us about your e-commerce business.
We will tell you honestly whether our system fits, and what a sensible starting point looks like.