Get your dose of eCommerce insight that you won’t find elsewhere, direct from our retail experts.

Blog

About Us

Latest

Leeds

London

Manchester

Harrogate

The subscription era is well and truly upon us. Originally starting as an effective business model for those that offer a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) – think Netflix, Amazon Prime and Spotify – subscription services have since broadened to other industries including food, fashion, beauty and fitness.

You might be wondering what this business model could do for you. To help you decide, we’ve taken a deep dive into eCommerce subscription services.

What is a subscription-based eCommerce business model?

A subscription-based eCommerce business model is one that charges customers a recurring fee, usually on a monthly or annual basis, to receive a product or service in return.

Popular examples include food subscription box 

 which allows customers to select recipes on a rolling subscription basis for weekly delivery. In the beauty world, 

 has made a lasting subscription impression with their monthly beauty box guaranteed to feature six products worth a minimum of £50. While 

 offer a flower subscription allowing shoppers to enjoy fresh flowers on a regular basis.

These eCommerce subscription services offer a convenient, often personal and sometimes cost-saving way for shoppers to buy what they want. Common subscription delivery frequencies include weekly, fortnightly, monthly or quarterly, while many brands also offer a ‘skip’ functionality to give customers more control with the chance to miss a delivery if they so wish.

However, this is just scraping the surface of an eCommerce subscription service. At a deeper level, these services support strong, lasting and loyal customer relationships. Subscriptions provide the ability to turn shoppers into reliable sources of consistent revenue and since you don’t have to win the custom every time, these repeat purchases are high value to a business.

Typically, to encourage sign up to a subscription service you may have seen specific call to actions such as:

There’s no denying the eCommerce subscription market has grown enormously. Over the last few years, it was found that nearly 

15 percent of online shoppers have subscribed

 to some form of eCommerce subscription service. In line with this, the market is forecasted to grow at an annual rate of 

As consumer buying behaviour leans towards increasingly hassle-free shopping experiences, a subscription-based eCommerce business model can provide this with minimal effort. Throwing COVID into the mix has only caused subscription services to surge in an attempt to secure goods while panic buying has been rife and shops have been closed. The predictable revenue of an eCommerce subscription service can act as a lifeline for businesses through the peaks and troughs of retail while also allowing brands to manage inventory more effectively.

To understand the opportunities brands face in the subscription space, we have to consider both sides of the coin with some notable downsides including:

A high turnover of customers due to cancellations

Being aware of and realistic about demand fluctuations

Savvy shoppers misusing offers by signing up with multiple email addresses

As a luxury brand, a subscription service could cheapen your products and reduce the exclusive feel

The strain of coping with logistic and inventory challenges

To help you weigh up whether this is the right option for you, we’re taking a look at the different types of subscription models available.

A curation subscription model involves receiving a curated collection of items. For example, this could be in the form of a food and drink hamper, beauty box or clothing. Curation subscription models come in two forms – surprise products and select products.

Most people who subscribe to a surprise subscription love the fact they can try something new each month. Surprise product subscriptions evoke a sense of product discovery.

Unfortunately, the novelty can wear off if the customer doesn’t love a product they receive which means this subscription model has higher cancellation risks and can cause lower customer retention rates.

Surprise product subscriptions also run the risk of causing an influx in complaints even though shoppers agree to receive any product within the subscription category. If they receive a product they don’t like or something they perceive to be of lower value, it’s not uncommon to 

receive complaints both directly and on social

To overcome these challenges, it’s important to ask for feedback on the products you send. Make this service more of a community by bringing your customers into the conversation. This allows you to learn from the products people don’t like, improve your offering and hopefully lessen future complaints.

A select product subscription service allows recipients to pick the product they want to receive each month based on the options provided. If they forget to select their product choice, the brand will revert to the surprise product model instead.

The select product model works particularly well for food and drink brands who offer recipe boxes such as 

. Simply Cook’s strategy involves shoppers choosing four recipes per week, per fortnight or month with the option to order a one-off box too. Latest in Beauty also offers a select product subscription service where customers log in to their account to choose six products per month for a set price.

A huge customer benefit of this model is that they’re able to order the product(s) they love over and over again while avoiding the options they’re not so keen on. Ideally suited for a business that has a large quantity of products available, customers can discover the products they love without being put in a negative situation of not liking a particular product that could come from a surprise subscription. As a result, this model is likely to create long-term customers in comparison to the surprise model.

However, a drawback to the select product model is that the logistics are complex and it can be more expensive and time-consuming for businesses to implement. It places the responsibility on the brand to predict what will be the most popular options and requires careful inventory management. Failure to plan accordingly could lead to a negative experience between brand and customer.

The value of a replenishment subscription model comes down to convenience. This approach allows customers to choose a product and select the frequency they receive it – a great time saver for those with a busy lifestyle. With the added benefit of a lower cost and/or free shipping, this approach removes the hassle of running out of products - a huge benefit to shoppers, especially during rolling lockdowns and ongoing restrictions.

This model is ideal for essential and repeat purchases such as pet food, ink cartridges or vitamins with the likes of 

 and Amazon offering this service. While there is no product discovery involved, it is effective for attracting long-term subscribers, increasing customer loyalty and retention.

An access subscription model is a member-only programme that offers members access to exclusive perks, products and services.

Many businesses who operate at scale already offer some form of a loyalty programme. Combining this with a subscription service can help to drive more predictable revenue while offering your customers a unique and exclusive shopping experience.

It’s very common for people to subscribe and then cancel within the first month before even receiving their first delivery due to a change of heart on their investment.

If a customer chooses to cancel after their billing date, the acceptable thing to do is send their final box and then cancel the subscription from the following month. However, many customers expect an immediate refund and cancellation which can cause more complaints and should be handled delicately.

In line with the subscription service boom, Shopify has stepped up their game to support subscription functionality across their merchant’s eCommerce stores. Previously, Shopify’s checkout didn’t support subscription purchases and customers were forced off-site to checkout which meant apps were required for subscription management.

However, to support the rise in shoppers wanting subscription services, Shopify has recently released new APIs which now allow customers to purchase a subscription within the native Shopify checkout. While 

, such as ReCharge, are still required to manage this process, Shopify’s API is now used to trigger the repeat payments.

, has been designed to help businesses seamlessly scale their subscription offering in many ways:

 For brands who want to offer monthly subscription boxes, ReCharge functionality can be used to set delivery dates, cut-off dates, inventory forecasting and order management.

 The app also offers merchants the ability to add subscribe and save functionality to product pages to offer discounts for products that are purchased regularly.

 ReCharge also allows one-time purchases to be easily turned into a subscription with their recurring products feature.

When your store is powered by Shopify, you can build your own custom subscription solution using Shopify’s subscription APIs and product subscription extension. Shopify’s range of APIs enables you to make Shopify operate the way you need it to.

If you need help creating a custom subscription solution unique to your brand, an 

Is an eCommerce subscription service right for you?

Customers are increasingly subscribing to products and services that would historically not have been offered as a subscription. Given the rapid growth of the eCommerce subscription market, this is one area we don’t see slowing down any time soon.

The market is rife with opportunities for eCommerce merchants to start a subscription service as part of their growth strategy. However, it’s down to brands to develop a great subscription experience in order to avoid high turnover rates, accelerate sales and increase profitability.

Combining the powerful features of Shopify Plus with a dedicated and accredited Shopify Plus partner, you can reap the rewards of an effective subscription strategy. As a premier Shopify agency, you’d expect us to know the platform inside and out. But it’s our background as a retailer that really sets us apart – we understand your challenges and know how to navigate the tricky eCommerce market to help you acquire customers and grow repeat custom.

If you think a subscription-based eCommerce business model could be right for your business, 

get in touch to chat with our retail experts

The Surge of eCommerce Subscriptions.

You may have already spotted the signs that your eCommerce store needs updating. It could be slow site speed, limiting functionality, out-of-date branding, unresponsive pages or it may simply not support your objectives anymore. Alternatively, you could just be getting started in eCommerce or 

looking for a profitable route to market with a DTC website

But for many brands, these issues don’t automatically lead to budget being released to make the necessary changes. This is when a solid business case is needed.

How do you convince stakeholders that investing in your online presence is worth the cost? In this blog, we explain why a strong business case is a must-have to get your web project started and how you can go about building a business case you can be confident in.

A business case is thefirst step in getting your web project underway. Building an accurate business case will get you thinking about those all-important project considerations such as:

The insight gathered from these areas can also uncover answers to important questions which will help you gather the support and budget you need. A considered business case can demonstrate the value of the project, present solid evidence to justify costs such as an increase in conversions and highlight the benefits the improvements will deliver to internal and external users.

Being able to confidently and succinctly explain why the project is needed is the first step in creating your business case. To get to this point you need to understand exactly what it is you need your website to do for your business.

Consider questions like these to get you on the right track:

who are your internal and external users?

These are important questions that can be tricky to answer – particularly with multiple stakeholders to consider. In this case, an external agency can often be well positioned to 

 to figure out exactly what your needs are.

Our discovery process is split into four themes covering your strategy, customer journey, design and UX and technical considerations. This research is followed by an in-depth discovery workshop on your brand, your existing website and where you ideally want it to be, and your industry to fully understand the size of the project, and determine budgets and timescales.

Between this extensive research, user behaviour analysis, Google Analytics data and competitor research, we can get the foundations for your web project in place.

Starting with the research allows you to build a more convincing business case which will help you manage expectations across the board.

For example, the discovery process may have uncovered that you actually need a rebuild instead of a redesign. The insight generated from the research will give you a much clearer idea of the budget and resource needed to do this. You could even put together a must-have and a nice-to-have version to present to management.

If the decision is made to go with the minimal viable product (MVP), this provides an opportunity for future phases that can be worked through with a proactive 

Your platform choice is a big part of success and should underpin your business case. Your business case will be stronger if you can propose a platform choice, costings and timescales in advance of questions being asked. 

It’s important that your choice is right for your business today and in the future, offering the features and ability to scale with your growth plans. When 

choosing the right platform for your eCommerce store

, there are a few areas we would recommend considering so you can approach this part of your business case with ease:

With room to grow, you won’t be limited by your platform so be sure to consider what you need now and what you could need in the future.

What support does the platform offer? Some choose to outsource their support which can make it hard to get the help you need when you need it. Many businesses find peace knowing there’s a person at the end of the phone, email or live chat when you need them.

Can your platform cope with high traffic demands? Or the ability to cater to different currencies and regions? Your platform should be capable of handling traffic influxes without your site crashing.

Most platforms today offer comprehensive security standards. But it’s important to be aware if you’re responsible for maintaining these security processes or whether they’re looked after by the provider.

 A payment gateway acts as the bridge between the customer and your business. The aim is to make it as easy as possible for your customers to pay for your products or services in a secure, fast manner. Use trustworthy, reputable providers such as Klarna, PayPal or Apple Pay to help with this.

Who will be using the platform and what will they be using it for? It’s important to think about this from your external and internal users’ points of view as your website needs to be capable of supporting both.

If you have no idea where to begin with your platform choice, you might want to 

how an agency can support you in building a business case

Forming a business case that’s convincing, accurate and realistic can be too much for one person to handle. Taking on the opinions and expectations of multiple stakeholders alongside budget and timescale considerations can make the whole task feel overwhelming. But this is where an agency could help.

Many businesses fall into the trap of thinking they already need to have internal sign-off before engaging with an agency to get a project underway. However, engaging with an agency in the early stages can be a great help to how your project plays out.

An experienced agency will have the insight and knowledge to support you in crafting your business case as well as guide you through a process that helps you understand exactly what you need from your site. Drawing upon our retail background, we get to the bottom of what you need and what your customers want. As a committed agency, we invest, really getting to grips with your brand and what you want to achieve.

Whether you want to replatform to Shopify, undertake a complete redesign or performance improvements are needed, we can help. 

 of eCommerce experts to find out how we can help you create an online store designed for your business and your customers. Or 

 to see who has trusted us in delivering their eCommerce website on the Shopify platform.

building a business case for your website.

Live shopping marks the start of a new chapter in eCommerce. Combining technology with social media and the former days of at-home shopping, this is a powerful channel for brands. Linking an online livestream with your eCommerce store, live shopping allows viewers to watch and shop at the same time. 

How exactly this channel will develop remains to be seen. But as keen eCommerce specialists, we wanted to explore the topic further.

how live shopping has made a modern-day comeback.

seven tips to help you get started with live shopping. 


In the late 70s and early to mid-80s, live shopping networks like QVC and Home Shopping Channel made their first appearance on TVs around the world. These free-to-air channels often sold home goods, fashion and beauty products. 

It’s not uncommon for past trends to make a comeback and live shopping is no different. Fast forward a few decades and a modern twist to this way to shop has emerged. 

Today, live shopping - or livestream shopping - has digitized the home shopping experience through apps, websites and social media channels. Brought into the modern age, businesses can now promote, sell and provide real-time communication, reviews and recommendations on products all in one place. 

Dan Conboy, Managing Director at Statement, shared his thoughts: “Any innovation always needs to be carefully considered as to how it can be incorporated into a brand. But with the right approach, live shopping has the potential to add value in terms of brand awareness, customer service and, ultimately, growth in orders.”

 Live commerce is an immersive shopping experience that aims to keep viewers engaged for longer and encourage them to buy. In some cases, it can also fast track the full shopping journey from awareness all the way through to purchase in a matter of minutes. Designed to create a connection with your audience, live shopping can greatly reduce cart abandonment rates while increasing the number of returning customers. 


 As an emerging sales channel, when done well, live shopping can increase your brand’s competitive edge by distinguishing you from competitors. It’s capable of strengthening engagement with your existing customers and attracting new shoppers through different channels.


 Live shopping gives you chance to engage with your shoppers in a different environment. Tuning into a livestream from a favourite brand is a great way to offer viewers product tutorials such as showing clothing on a live model or answering common questions as well as providing exclusive discounts, product recommendations and reviews. 


 Much like celebrity endorsements in the early days of live shopping, a publicly known figure is a great way to develop trust with viewers. Today, those figures are influencers. If your live shopping stream is hosted or advertised by an online influencer or celebrity your audience already trust, you’re more likely to see increased engagement and conversion rates. Influencers also help to build that 

 that has become so important in today’s eCommerce world.


In a society that has experienced rolling restrictions, live shopping is an experience that closely resembles in-person shopping but with the added comfort of your own surroundings. Live shopping removes the barrier between customers and brands that can occur in typical online purchasing. Viewers can watch on as people try on products and share insight in real-time with the forum to comment, ask questions or share their interests. These interactions can help build trust with your audience, helping them feel valued, heard, and part of a bigger experience. 

You’ll need to carefully consider how you approach live shopping to get the most out of this tactic. It’s best to try low-risk options first before evolving your capabilities as you learn what works for you and your audience.

To support you in getting started, we share insight into seven important elements to consider:

The host can make or break your live shopping experience. Businesses usually use one or two people to host the event, introduce the products and interact with the audience to trigger sales. Questions like the below will help you make the right choice for your brand:

who is the ideal person to host your brand publicly?

do you have an inspirational founder you could use?

could you partner with a presenter or influencer?

who is capable of representing your brand in a live forum?



The right host can make a notable difference to the success of your livestream. If you choose to partner with a known influencer who will appeal to your fan base, advertising this before the live shopping stream will encourage your audience to sign up and get involved.

Think about when the best time would be to host your event. Make sure this fits in with the lifestyles of your audience by considering who they are and where they are based.

Look at your data to help you make a more informed decision, analyse the peak shopping times of your users and when they’re on social media engaging with your other content.

Live shopping can be centred around many formats. It’s worth trying a few different ones to figure out what works well for your brand and your products as well as what your audience engages best with. Examples include but aren’t limited to:  

tutorials: These work well for makeup demonstrations, to show a product in action or inform the viewer how to get the most out of the product. Tutorials are also effective at showing the audience a specific product while also suggesting how it can be combined with other products to open up cross-sell opportunities. 

interviews: Interview formats with an influencer or relevant person can feel more personal, authentic and genuine. While they may not suit every brand or product, they can be effective for product launches, building awareness and driving traffic. 

behind the scenes: Live shopping experiences that offer an inside story into a product or business can help build trust with your audience. For example, 

a fashion retailer with a strong sustainability mission

 may be able to better showcase their supply chain and environmental awareness through a live event. 


Why will people want to tune into your event? As with all areas of eCommerce, rarely can you simply launch a product or event and expect shoppers to come running. There should be an evident benefit to the viewer for tuning into the livestream such as a VIP or limited time offer or insight into a new product. Call to actions like these help to create urgency, encouraging people to buy now. 

Consider how you are going to host your live shopping stream. Will it be linked to your eCommerce store? Are you running it on a social channel – if so, have you considered which one? Can it be run through your platform or a supporting app? 

Social networks such as Instagram, Facebook and TikTok now offer ways to run live shopping events via their platforms. Through integration with eCommerce platforms such as 

, you can directly link to your eCommerce and generate new revenue opportunities.

For example, several apps link to Shopify including 

. It’s always worth reading the reviews, speaking with the platforms themselves or your web agency to find out more as each offers different features – some that may be more useful to your business than others. 

We recommend leaving time to run a test event before the real thing. This could be done with your team or an external group to see how the event runs and ensure everything works as expected such as filming, sound, apps and technology. 

Although you don’t want anything major to go wrong during a live shopping event and it’s important to be prepared, this channel is an authentic one and as such, audiences naturally expect and often favour genuine interaction. 

We would advise testing the waters by focusing your first livestream on no more than five products or one range. Additionally, rely on the technology of just one social media channel or marketplace as not to increase the risk of something going wrong. 

Don’t let all the effort of putting your live shopping event in place go to waste. Use the data you have collated for those who have registered and/or attended to request feedback and follow up with relevant offers or future event promotions.

It’s also worth tracking livestream performance to gather insights into who tuned in, content, products, formats, hosts and timing so impactful changes can be made for the next event. Speak to your customers, ask them what they liked and disliked, what they want to see next time, review comments on social and, of course, review sales data. 

From what we’ve observed so far, we’re expecting to see live shopping become a prominent sales channel that will continue to develop:

 Big-name influencers and celebrities are expensive to hire and might not always make good hosts. Using influencers with a smaller but dedicated following can create better engagement and connection with your audiences at a lower cost. 

 As live commerce increases its reach, more traditional industries such as healthcare, engineering, finance, and maybe even B2B sectors are likely to test the waters.

As technology continues to evolve such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), new formats are likely to emerge to make the shopping experience even more immersive. Eventually, shoppers might even be able to have virtual face-to-face conversations with a brand just as if they were in a store.

eCommerce shopping is fast and convenient, but the lack of human interaction is often missed. Live shopping provides a needed dose of human connection to a digital buying experience that can sometimes feel robotic. What’s clear is that live shopping holds enormous potential for brands and eCommerce platforms alike. Like many other new customer behaviours and technologies, live shopping is likely to become a crucial part of the buying experience for many brands. 

As an eCommerce agency founded by an eCommerce business, we always keep one finger on the pulse of the digital world and how it’s developing. If live shopping is something you want to know more about or whether it could be a worthwhile tactic for your business, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team of 

transforming ecommerce with live shopping. 

Consumers and businesses alike are becoming more interested in making environmentally friendly choices. But how to become a sustainable eCommerce brand isn’t always clear. What do consumers genuinely care about? Are they truly paying more attention to sustainability? What can you do as a business to ensure you’re both sustainable and profitable? 

Momentum has been building for some time for brands to exist with a purpose greater than making money. An expectation has grown to bring value to consumers in ways beyond simply offering the product or service they want. 

So, what has caused these changes and how can businesses meet the growing demand for sustainable eCommerce? 

what exactly we mean when we talk about sustainability

the ins and outs of sustainable ecommerce

how some brands have made their ecommerce offering more sustainable 

There’s a worldwide concern for the future of our planet and the responsibility falls with every one of us to do our bit. 

Retail is undergoing a transition. eCommerce has opened new sales channels and new opportunities to engage shoppers, a trend that COVID has only accelerated. While the fast uptake in eCommerce has led to some huge conveniences, it’s also responsible for huge environmental impact. We’ve soon recognised that modern-day factors such as single-use plastic packaging and speedy shipping times are simply not sustainable. 

This has led to greater demand for sustainability, particularly in eCommerce, with growing consumer desire for sustainable eCommerce is putting pressure on brands. In an episode of the 

, McKinsey partner, Sebastian Gatze said: 

“One out of four consumers say they are planning to focus more on environmental issues and will pay more attention to social aspects in their shopping behaviour.”

Sustainability means doing something in a way that doesn’t deplete natural resources and supports long-term, global balance. It’s about balancing the needs of the present without compromising the needs of the future.

Another buzz word or so much more than that? Sustainability has been openly discussed by shoppers and brands over recent years. But it’s about more than just being environmentally friendly. It’s also about how a business can be sustained. 

When it comes to eCommerce, the main concerns are how online purchases are packaged, delivered and returned to the retailer. Each of these add to cost, time, materials and greenhouse gas emissions. 

Alongside these, there are also other areas to consider:

 Our disposable nature has made it easy for us to disregard products as fast as we buy them. A commonly discussed sustainability challenge is the fast fashion culture that this mindset has created. 

Cheap clothing produced quickly and sold in large quantities – there’s no wonder this business model is having profound environmental impacts. The pull to fast-fashion shopping? 

21 percent of UK respondents say that lower prices are their top reason for purchasing

 While there is of course a moral importance for brands to start considering sustainability, there are also financial gains to be had. Sustainability and profitability can co-exist. Even as far back as the 1990s, 

John Elkington had already coined the idea of the triple bottom line

 with business profitability centring around “people, planet and profit.”

Sustainable business practices help brands connect with consumers. By genuinely caring about people and the planet, brands can differentiate themselves and stand out in a competitive space. When a brand can resonate and connect with the public, it usually leads to more sales and higher profitability. Essentially, being sustainable can act as a selling point to attract new customers. 


There’s a lot of industry chatter about brands wanting to look like they’re making an effort to be more sustainable but they’re not living up to their promises. For example, 

Amazon claim to be dedicated to sustainability

 yet are regularly criticised for their excessive packaging. 

When actions and words don’t match up, customers will see through their claimed efforts of becoming more sustainable yet without making real change. Measure the difference you make so this can be shared with your audience. 


 it’s equally important to know your audience. Not everyone is as interested in sustainability – some demographics and consumer bases will put less of a premium on sustainability than others. There’s no denying that adopting more sustainable business practices will benefit the environment and future generations, but you might not see the same ROI if your audience is not as sustainability focused.

the steps sustainable ecommerce brands are taking

Being authentic makes all the difference with today’s shoppers. In fact, 91 percent of consumers worldwide ranked “communicating honestly about products and services” as the main influence on whether they buy from a brand. 

If you communicate your passion for sustainability as part of your brand, show evidence of how you live up to these claims. For example, the source of the materials, who created the product and the journey it took to get it to their door. This transparency will not only allow you to gain trust with your audience, but it will also help you attract those with aligned values. 

Lightning-fast shipping has a lot to answer for when it comes to sustainable eCommerce. It’s worthwhile considering how you could make your shipping methods more sustainable. 

 Perhaps you could offer a click and collect service if you don’t already. This will allow local customers to visit a store or pick-up point for their product rather than opting for delivery. 

 The size and weight of your packaging and products could also be considered. The lighter, the better!

Have you considered how your products reach your customers? Are they delivered in the most travel efficient way? The transportation method should also be thought about. Whether it’s by road, air freight, sea or rail, are you using the most sustainable method for your products? Maybe you could aim to source a closer supplier where travel can be lessened. 

Consumers today are quick to pick up on the level of packaging a brand uses. Many have even taken to social media to shame those with excessive amounts of packaging. Proving that packaging has truly become part of the shopping experience, #Unboxing even has 2.6million tags on Instagram.

Alongside how much packaging is used, it’s crucial to consider the materials you opt for. From non-recyclable materials to single use plastic, the impact on landfills and harm to the environment – the list goes on. However, 

packaging plays a crucial role in eCommerce

Look for packaging options that reduce the environmental impact and ecological footprint. This could include biodegradable plastics, bio-based plastics, cardboard or paper-based packaging to name just a few. 

Sustainability needs to be considered across the whole business. Finding efficiencies in how your business operates is one way of placing sustainability at the forefront.

Whether it’s reducing energy waste across offices, finding renewable energy sources to use, minimising travel where possible or sourcing more. The use of reusable energy sources in warehouses is also an effective method of reducing energy waste. Using solar panels and other reusable energy sources can automatically lower your carbon footprint while accessing a more cost-effective form of energy. 

5) choose products that support sustainability

This may not be viable for every brand, but have you considered mixing up your products for something more sustainable? Today, there are all sorts of sustainable alternatives on the market. For example, let’s imagine your brand sells sunglasses. Why not look at offering a range of eyewear made from recycled ocean plastic? Or bring refillable items into your product mix. This lends itself to the likes of skincare items, make-up, cleaning products and toiletries. 

These alternatives allow you to offer products your audience are already interested in but with a valuable sustainable edge. 

Carbon offset schemes are being used more regularly, allowing shoppers and companies to neutralise their carbon footprints. One way this can be encouraged and supported is through an optional checkout service charge. By making it a quick and easy add-on to your customers’ shopping journey, shoppers are more likely to want to invest. 

In Shopify’s sustainability quest, they even offer their own app, 

, which looks after this process for you. Allowing you to offset the carbon dioxide emissions from your shipments, Offset uses industry models to determine the level of CO2 released into the atmosphere for each shipment before charging you an amount per shipment to offset those emissions. 

Have you considered reselling your used merchandise on an eCommerce marketplace? Getting a second life out of your resources is one way of increasing efficiency and reducing waste to increase your sustainability efforts.

Platforms could include Amazon, eBay, Facebook Marketplace or Etsy, with some being more suited than others based on your industry and offering.  

becoming sustainable: the difficulties large ecommerce businesses face

With less stock, fewer stakeholders and simpler operational considerations, it’s much easier for a smaller eCommerce business to adapt their business model to become more sustainable. 

In addition, the very nature of your offering can also impact how sustainable you can be. For example, globally renowned brands like 

 have worked hard to improve their sustainability initiatives with conscious clothing lines. However, the fast fashion industry that they’re built upon goes against the grain of sustainability. 

On the other hand, smaller and midmarket 

DTC brands are better poised to make sustainability a core part of their business model

. This can go a long way in helping them differentiate from big stores and eCommerce giants. 

ecommerce brands doing sustainability proud

The Stella McCartney brand is committed to being responsible, honest and accountable. As part of their sustainable efforts, they strive to create desirable garments with the least impact by creating cutting edge materials and animal alternatives. In fact, the brand boasts having never used leather, fur, skin or feathers since their conception in 2001.

Growth.css-vykmad{color:var(--chakra-colors-brand-500);}.

Growth.