Paul Hancox, SVP of eCommerce at Parts Town, a leading distributor of OEM foodservice, HVAC, and residential appliance parts. A predominantly B2B eCommerce business, selling via their custom website, and mobile app.

Parts Town are based in the USA, distribute spare parts to over 140 counties, and the parent company Parts Town Unlimited had annual revenue of $2.5billion in 2024, with 55% growth in HVAC alone!

We've lots to learn from Parts Town's Paul Hancox, including how they've been leveraging AI chatbots to improve customer experience, sales, and the team's efficiency.

Hit PLAY to hear:

• Why treating your website like a product could unlock massive growth
• The one change that boosted Parts Town’s chat agent efficiency by 60%+ ⚡
• How Paul’s team ships 400,000+ orders per quarter — and what powers it
• The secret link between site speed and conversion most brands ignore 🧠
• What it’s really like to manage eCommerce for a $2.5B B2B giant
• The smart way to use AI chatbots without losing the human touch 🤖❤️

Key timestamps to dive straight in:

[05:35] "Journey from East to West Coast"

[07:11] Career Journey: Home Depot to Lennar

[10:14] eCommerce Product Manager Focus Areas

[15:12] Website's Chat Functionality Needs Improvement

[16:18] Enhancing Order Inquiries with AI

[21:13] Managing Complex Serial Number Data

[23:58] Curated Personalization and Experience

[25:26] Listen to Paul’s Top Tips!

Full episode notes here: https://ecmp.info/551

Download our ebook >> https://ecmp.info/ebook "500 Top Tips to Make Your eCommerce Business More Profitable"

Download our new ebook... https://ecmp.info/ebook 500 Tips to Increase Your Profits

Get all the links and resources we mention & join our email list at https://ecmp.info

Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://ecmp.info/review or reply to the episode Q&A on Spotify.

Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://ecmp.info/sponsor

Vicky Pasche is the founder and CEO at Dapper Boi, a gender-less body-inclusive apparel line. Selling via their Shopify store. Founded in 2015 in 2024 they hit $1.36million.

Hit PLAY to hear:

• How one viral video turned a year of no sales into $30K in 3 weeks 📈
• The bold preorder strategy that helped Dapper Boi scale without outside funding
• Why “fun and scrappy” content beats polished ads every time 🎬
• What it’s really like to build a fashion brand with your partner ❤️
• The question that made them sell their house instead of giving up 🏡
• How they're expanding globally — and running lean with just 2 full-timers 🌍

Key timestamps to dive straight in:

[05:19] Starting Fashion Line Without Experience

[07:24] Entrepreneur's Fashion Journey

[12:43] Dapper Boy: Our Entrepreneurial Journey

[14:24] Innovative Marketing Boosts Shirt Sales

[17:31] "Why Dapper Boy Must Persist"

[20:56] Optimizing Intro Pricing Strategy

[23:41] Exclusive Membership Tiers

[24:48] Listen to Vicky’s Top Tips!

Full episode notes here: https://ecmp.info/550

Download our ebook >> https://ecmp.info/ebook "500 Top Tips to Make Your eCommerce Business More Profitable"

Download our new ebook... https://ecmp.info/ebook 500 Tips to Increase Your Profits

Get all the links and resources we mention & join our email list at https://ecmp.info

Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://ecmp.info/review or reply to the episode Q&A on Spotify.

Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://ecmp.info/sponsor

Frederica Watson is the Head of eCommerce at UK beauty brand Nip + Fab. Founded over 10 years ago, they sell via their Shopify store and wholesale, and the DTC eCommerce site has a 7-figure turnover.

Hit PLAY to hear:

• 💸 How Nip + Fab profits from the very first order (yes, really)
• 🗣️ The customer interview that sparked a winning ad campaign
• 👥 Why targeting by values beats targeting by age every time
• 🔍 The simple survey trick that reveals why customers almost didn’t buy
• 💬 How to turn real feedback into high-converting marketing copy
• 🤝 The cross-team collaboration secret behind smarter customer personas

Key timestamps to dive straight in:

[04:53] Rodial Group's Dual Skincare Brands

[07:07] Collaborative Business Approach

[10:37] Effective Customer Acquisition Strategies

[13:27] Interests Over Age in Marketing

[18:07] Competitor Insight through Consumer Feedback

[21:13] "Optimise Sales with Confirmation Surveys"

[23:58] Listen to Frederica’s Top Tips!

Full episode notes here: https://ecmp.info/549

Download our ebook >> https://ecmp.info/ebook "500 Top Tips to Make Your eCommerce Business More Profitable"

Download our new ebook... https://ecmp.info/ebook 500 Tips to Increase Your Profits

Get all the links and resources we mention & join our email list at https://ecmp.info

Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://ecmp.info/review or reply to the episode Q&A on Spotify.

Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://ecmp.info/sponsor

Brian Walmsley is the founder and CEO at ReBorn, the world’s first homewares brand made entirely from local waste. Founded in 2022 they now sell via wholesale, Amazon, and their Shopify store, and are doing £500,000 a year.

Hit PLAY to hear:

• ♻️ How Brian turned local plastic waste into a £500K/year homewares brand
• 🚫 The prototype that bombed—and what it revealed about real customer tastes
• 🛍️ Why relationships (not cold emails) get you into retailers like John Lewis
• 🌱 The #1 mistake brands make when trying to “go sustainable”
• 🤝 How to grow your team with sweat equity (and avoid legal headaches)
• 🔄 The genius supply chain move that became a brand story goldmine

Key timestamps to dive straight in:

[04:04] "Sustainable Housewares Market Opportunity"

[09:19] Recycled Materials Procurement Overview

[12:55] "Combining Qualitative and Quantitative Insights"

[15:15] Hybrid Teamwork Approach

[17:30] Key Partnerships: Legal & Human Focus

[20:55] "Category Building for Profitability"

[21:50] Listen to Brian’s Top Tips!

Full episode notes here: https://ecmp.info/548

Be part of Episode 500 >>> https://ecmp.info/500

Download our new ebook... https://ecmp.info/ebook 500 Tips to Increase Your Profits

Get all the links and resources we mention & join our email list at https://ecmp.info

Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://ecmp.info/review or reply to the episode Q&A on Spotify.

Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://ecmp.info/sponsor

What 10 Years of Hosting the eCommerce MasterPlan Podcast Taught Me with Chloë Thomas

Ten years. 100s of episodes. Thousands of insights.

As host of the eCommerce MasterPlan Podcast, Chloë Thomas has spent a decade uncovering what really works in eCommerce — and what’s just hype. In this special 10-year anniversary AMA, Chloë fields listener questions covering the past, present, and future of the industry.

If you’re a founder, marketer, or eCommerce professional trying to cut through the noise, this episode is your shortcut to the lessons that actually last.

Huge thanks to all the listeners who submitted questions –

• Janis Thomas, Look Fabulous Forever
• Edward Scott-Finnigan, Webinar Connoisseur
• Jamie Huskisson, JH (The Breakthrough Agency)
• Tony Sousan, Fractional CTO
• Tamsin Burford, Winternational Ski Wear for Women
• Kelly A. Mahoney, KleerMail
• Olivia Staub, Yotpo

Hit PLAY to hear:

• What hasn’t changed in eCommerce (and still drives sales)
• The tech that rewired the industry (hint: not AI)
• Why retention starts before the first purchase
• The weirdest podcast moments from 900 episodes
• Chloë’s advice to future eCommerce leaders

Key timestamps to dive straight in:

05:59 Editing Challenges in Podcasting

09:18 eCommerce's Unchanging Goals

13:03 "Enduring Presence of Magento One"

14:55 Challenges of Online Fashion Boutiques

20:16 "Buy Buttons: Website's End?"

21:18 Websites Will Survive AI Shift

27:08 Seasonal Marketing Strategy Planning

30:19 Recommerce Strategy for Customer Retention

33:41 Targeted Advertising and Social Proof

36:32 Seasonal Customer Value Analysis

38:49 eCommerce Strategy & Legacy Advice

Full episode notes here: https://ecmp.info/547

Download our ebook >> https://ecmp.info/ebook "500 Top Tips to Make Your eCommerce Business More Profitable"

Download our new ebook... https://ecmp.info/ebook 500 Tips to Increase Your Profits

Get all the links and resources we mention & join our email list at https://ecmp.info

Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://ecmp.info/review or reply to the episode Q&A on Spotify.

Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://ecmp.info/sponsor

Mike Turner is the founder and MD of Bird & Blend Tea Co. Developing, producing and selling the UK’s largest range of unique and exciting tea blends. Founded in 2012 Bird & Blend are on track to drive sales of £20million in the next year. They are selling internationally via their Shopify store, and via their 25 high street stores in the UK.

Hit PLAY to hear:

• 🤯 How a market stall became a near £20M empire!
• 🤫 The surprising reason Bird & Blend still handles their own fulfillment.
• 🛍️ Unlock the secret to blending online & physical stores for ultimate customer love.
• 🚀 Mike's no-nonsense tips for scaling your eCommerce without losing your soul.
• 🤔 Ever wondered how to truly nail the customer experience? This episode has answers!
• 👂 Discover the management style that empowers a winning team (and what not to do!).

Key timestamps to dive straight in:

[05:59] Bird & Blend's Journey to Success

[08:19] Adapting Through Business Growth Stages

[12:45] Management Self-Reflection Journey

[13:42] "Connecting Business Dots from Experience"

[18:10] Aligning Retail and eCommerce Experiences

[19:49] Email List Building Strategy

[22:02] Listen to Mike’s Top Tips!

Full episode notes here: https://ecmp.info/546

Download our ebook >> https://ecmp.info/ebook "500 Top Tips to Make Your eCommerce Business More Profitable"

Download our new ebook... https://ecmp.info/ebook 500 Tips to Increase Your Profits

Get all the links and resources we mention & join our email list at https://ecmp.info

Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://ecmp.info/review or reply to the episode Q&A on Spotify.

Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://ecmp.info/sponsor

Renee Cizel & Giorgia Rossi from Possum Play, sellers of the play sofa that transforms into 100s of different configurations! Founded in 2021 they now sell internationally via their 3 country specific Shopify stores, with 40,000 happy families loving the product already.

Hit PLAY to hear:

• 🎯 How Possum Play hit 40,000 customers with just a 3-person team
• 🚀 The smart, low-budget strategy behind their global expansion
• 📦 Why they fulfilled their first containers by hand—and what it taught them
• 🧠 The "do it yourself until you can’t" rule that protects their profits
• 🛋️ How they built a hero product and resisted the urge to over-expand
• 💡 The hiring mindset shift that helped them scale without burnout

Key timestamps to dive straight in:

[05:07] "Appreciation for 3PL Partners"

[10:02] Founders' Struggle: Control vs. Growth

[13:44] Hiring for Potential, Not Experience

[14:31] "Impact of Past Experience on Success"

[18:08] Word-of-Mouth Growth Strategy

[19:51] Listen to Renee and Giorgia’s Top Tips!

Full episode notes here: https://ecmp.info/545

Download our ebook >> https://ecmp.info/ebook "500 Top Tips to Make Your eCommerce Business More Profitable"

Download our new ebook... https://ecmp.info/ebook 500 Tips to Increase Your Profits

Get all the links and resources we mention & join our email list at https://ecmp.info

Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://ecmp.info/review or reply to the episode Q&A on Spotify.

Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://ecmp.info/sponsor

Ira Guha is the founder at Asan Cup who are on a mission to eradicate period poverty and tampon waste with their innovative reusable menstrual cup. Designed and patented whilst Ira was a graduate student at Harvard, the business launched in 2021 and now serve around 10,000 customers a month via their Shopify site, Amazon and Wholesale.

Hit PLAY to hear:

• 🩸 How one accidental discovery led to a booming eCommerce biz!
• ♻️ Ditch the guilt! Learn how sustainability can actually boost sales.
• 💰 Product expansion secrets: What to sell when you only sell ONE thing...
• 📣 The real deal on purpose-driven marketing (it's NOT what you think).
• 🌍 From India to the UK: Mastering eCommerce in totally different markets.
• 🚀 The future of fem-tech is here! Get a sneak peek at Ira's vision.

Key timestamps to dive straight in:

[06:28] UK-India eCommerce and Wholesale Business

[09:22] "Sustainability & Period Poverty Solutions"

[13:19] Cycle & Carbon Footprint App

[14:45] "Balancing Purpose and Product in Marketing"

[19:19] Listen to Ira’s Top Tips!

Full episode notes here: https://ecmp.info/544

Download our ebook >> https://ecmp.info/ebook "500 Top Tips to Make Your eCommerce Business More Profitable"

Download our new ebook... https://ecmp.info/ebook 500 Tips to Increase Your Profits

Get all the links and resources we mention & join our email list at https://ecmp.info

Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://ecmp.info/review or reply to the episode Q&A on Spotify.

Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://ecmp.info/sponsor