eCommerce Strategy Takeaways:
- Double down on content that reflects real customer journeys. Prioritize testimonials, installation videos, and storytelling over generic product shots.
- Avoid tactics that attract the wrong audience. Skip urgency-based promotions or broad influencer campaigns that don’t align with your buyer’s decision cycle.
- Choose agency partners who prioritize strategic alignment. Look for collaborators who understand your brand deeply and challenge you when needed.
B2B buyers spend just 17% of their time engaging directly with suppliers, as reported by Gartner.
The rest of the time? They're making decisions independently: comparing options, reading reviews, watching videos, and forming opinions based on the content they encounter.
That reality extends to B2C eCommerce as well.
When shoppers experience generic messaging, scattered content, or poorly aligned promotions, they disengage — often permanently.
I spoke with leaders at four eCommerce brands — Janet Malin of King Swings, Cristina Gad of Slate & Tell, Githa Duckner of Aquari, and Shilpi Dokania Shah of Durian Industries — to understand the strategic pivots that made the biggest impact on growth.
Some tactics failed. Some turned things around completely.
And in each case, it took stepping back, reevaluating strategy, and refocusing on what actually resonates with their audiences to turn things around.
About the Experts
Janet Malin is the CMO of King Swings, a premium backyard playset brand rooted in 35+ years of Amish craftsmanship. She leads brand and growth strategy, helping transform King Swings into a national name through customer-focused marketing, high-touch service, and partnerships with the Philadelphia Phillies and HGTV.
Cristina Gad is the founder of Slate & Tell, a fine jewelry brand offering personalized, sustainably crafted pieces. With 20+ years in the jewelry and marketing space, she launched the brand to give customers meaningful, customizable designs—crafted by artisans using recycled metals and responsibly sourced stones.
Githa Duncker is the co-founder and creative director of Aquari, a fashion label known for sustainable swimwear and ready-to-wear. Her design-led approach blends modern femininity with ethical U.S. production, creating versatile pieces that reflect both style and purpose.
Shilpi Dokania Shah is the director of Durian Industries, one of India’s leading premium furniture brands. With decades of retail experience and a growing digital presence, Durian has focused on long-term trust, design-forward storytelling, and after-sales excellence to drive retention and growth in a high-value, high-touch category.
Each of these founders faced moments when their growth stalled or backfired entirely.
But by cutting through the noise and aligning their tactics with how today’s consumers actually browse, buy, and build loyalty, they uncovered strategies that worked.
Here are five real-world pivots that helped their brands grow smarter, not louder.
- Create content that reflects the real customer journey
- Focus on relevance, not just reach
- Make loyalty feel like a continuation, not a campaign
- Build value through story, not just sales
- Work with agencies who think beyond deliverables
1. Lead With Content That Mirrors How Your Audience Shops
Your audience doesn’t want to be sold to. They want to see your product in action, on people they trust, and in formats they’re already engaging with.
King Swings saw measurable growth after leaning into original, organic-style content over traditional campaigns.
“We doubled down on original content for social, especially customer installations, testimonials, and our own editorial-style shoots,” Janet says.
“It’s helped us stay visible, build trust, and convert interest into sales.”
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Slate & Tell took a different approach: doubling down on personalization in their best-performing product lines.
“We expanded our assortment and personalization options in top-performing styles… which helped boost our average order value significantly,” Cristina says.
For Aquari, anchoring the brand in sustainability and thoughtful design from day one helped them build loyalty early, even before scaling paid efforts.
Durian took a similar path, shifting from a transactional, SKU-first site toward a more editorial, story-led experience that reflected how customers browse inspiration online. Shilpi shares:
“One of the most impactful shifts was treating our website less like a catalogue and more like a destination. We revamped product storytelling, improved visual cues around quality and customisation, and leaned into visual platforms like Pinterest and Instagram — not just for reach but to inspire.”
2. Stop Chasing Reach, Focus on Resonance
High follower counts and viral potential may look impressive on paper, but they don’t always translate to sales.
Several brands learned that chasing visibility alone often leads to attracting the wrong audience.
Aquari, a newly launched sustainable fashion brand, initially leaned into influencer gifting to build traction. But the return didn’t justify the effort.
“While it brought some visibility, we learned that engagement and authenticity matter far more than follower count,” Githa says.
For Aquari, pivoting meant working with smaller creators who aligned with their values and building direct trust with their own community.
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This shift not only attracted more aligned customers, but also strengthened brand integrity.
King Swings experienced a similar misalignment when they experimented with promotions to drive leads. Despite some engagement, it backfired.
“It didn’t attract the right customers — our product is a high-consideration item and not an impulse buy,” Janet explains.
What both brands highlight is that shallow metrics can be a distraction.
Resonance drives qualified traffic and long-term growth.
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Meanwhile, Durian tested a volume-growth tactic that ended up weakening its premium positioning. This is a common risk for legacy brands trying to scale online.
“We tried launching a lower-priced sub-brand to drive conversions, but it ended up diluting the core perception of Durian. You can’t out-price your way into loyalty — especially in a category like furniture, where trust is everything.”
3. Make Retention a Natural Extension of the Experience
For growing eCommerce brands, retention is a continuation of the customer journey.
King Swings builds long-term loyalty by creating a high-touch experience that extends well beyond installation.
From personalized communication to post-purchase content and seasonal tips, they’ve embedded retention into every step.
“We focus on the experience before, during, and after the sale,” Janet says.
“Many families refer friends or come back for add-ons as their children grow.”
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Meanwhile, Aquari invests in retention through product quality, sustainability, and transparency — values that resonate with its mission-driven audience.
Their customer experience is designed to reinforce trust, not push repeat purchases through urgency or discounts.
“When people connect with the quality, fit, and values behind the brand, they come back not just for the product, but for the experience and story behind it,” Githa says.
And for Slate & Tell, retention is powered by consistency and excitement, especially around ongoing promotions and product discovery.
“We’ve gotten our customers used to expecting value whenever they visit,” Cristina explains.
“They know they’ll always find something beautiful and meaningful at a price that feels good.”
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Durian doesn’t rely on automated retention tactics. Instead, they embed retention into the ownership experience itself, from quality materials to extended warranties and post-purchase support.
“We focus on three pillars: design-forward products with long-term appeal, reliable after-sales service with up to 25-year warranties, and content that nurtures customers even after purchase,” Shilpi says.
It’s an approach built for longevity, turning each product into a multi-year relationship.
Retention is an outcome of experiences that align with what customers value most. When done well, it becomes your most reliable engine for compounding growth.
4. Prioritize Branding and Storytelling Over Discounts
Deepening emotional connections with customers often outperforms chasing quick wins with promotions.
King Swings has found that their audience values quality and customization far more than discounts.
Their marketing reflects this focus on brand trust and storytelling rather than price cuts.
“Our customers are looking for long-term value, not the lowest price. Quality, not coupons, drives our sales,” Janet says.
Aquari takes a similarly measured approach, using discounts sparingly to protect brand value and nurture loyalty.
“Regular discounts and promotions are used sparingly to preserve brand value and prioritize long-term loyalty over short-term gains,” Githa explains.
By contrast, Slate & Tell uses promotions strategically but as part of a broader storytelling and value-driven experience.
“Regular discounts & promotions drive traffic, consistency, and conversions,” says Cristina.
But she’s careful to integrate them into a larger brand story, anchored by personalized experiences, high-quality design, and strong post-purchase support, so the brand remains focused on meaning, not markdowns.
But she balances this with strong marketing and customer experience.
Durian sells big-ticket furniture, where trust trumps tactics and where short-term discounts can easily erode brand equity.
“Our customers aren’t just looking for the lowest price — they’re looking for dependability, after-sales support, and product longevity. We treat promotions as a tool — not a strategy,” Shilpi explains.
The lesson is clear: while discounts can boost short-term traffic, sustainable growth comes from building a brand story that resonates and cultivates trust.
5. Choose Strategic Agency Partners, Not Just Service Providers
As eCommerce brands scale, choosing the right agency can make or break key growth initiatives.
But a common misstep? Partnering with teams that offer tactics without true strategic alignment.
For King Swings, red flags include cookie-cutter strategies, poor transparency, and an overemphasis on vanity metrics.
“We look for agencies that take the time to understand our business and our customers,” Janet says.
“Strong communication, proactive reporting, and a track record with high-end consumer goods are key.”
Aquari emphasizes brand alignment and values-driven execution. Their ideal partners act as an extension of the internal team, not a disconnected vendor.
“We look for agencies that understand and respect our brand voice,” Githa says.
“Red flags for us include overly templated approaches, aggressive sales tactics, or strategies that prioritize volume over meaningful engagement.”
Slate & Tell also values empowerment over dependence. Agencies that refuse to share knowledge or maintain rigid pricing models don’t make the cut.
“We want partners who help us grow with them, not keep us reliant,” Cristina explains.
Durian’s growth team works closely with creative and media partners, but their bar is high: collaborators must think beyond briefs and understand the nuances of a long-consideration product.
“We’re not looking for vendors. We’re looking for collaborators. The right agency doesn’t just follow the brief — they help us shape it. We value creative chemistry, operational clarity, and partners who push us while respecting our voice,” Shilpi adds.
Red flags for Durian include surface-level metrics, high agency churn, and templated approaches that ignore brand tone or customer nuance.
The most effective agency relationships are collaborative, strategic, and tailored to the brand’s unique vision, not simply built on deliverables.
What Today’s eCommerce Growth Leaders Get Right
Growth in eCommerce doesn’t come from chasing every trend or throwing more money at ads.
The most resilient brands today are succeeding by doing something simpler, but harder. They’re:
- Listening closely to their customers
- Creating content that aligns with real behavior
- Avoiding quick wins that dilute long-term value
- Surrounding themselves with agency partners who act like team members, not vendors
Whether selling backyard playsets, fine jewelry, fashion, or premium furniture, these brands agree: what works isn’t louder marketing. It’s deeper alignment.
