Nowadays, it's impossible to launch an online business without at least some kind of strategy.
Really.
Between fierce competition, consumer expectations, and multiple sales channels, improvisation is no longer an option.
That's where eCommerce strategy comes in.
It allows you to lay the right foundations, make the right choices and, above all, build sustainable growth.
Ready to see things more clearly?
We'll show you how to structure an approach that makes sense.
eCommerce has never been so competitive.
What worked five years ago is now running out of steam.
Why? Because the market has changed.
Consumers have changed too.
And acquisition levers are becoming less and less profitable.
In short, 2025 requires a thorough rethink of your eCommerce strategy
👉 Become an expert by watching our dedicated video on the subject
This is the topic that stings.
In just a few years, the cost per acquisition has literally exploded.
Audiences are saturated, algorithms favor organic content, and campaign ROI is falling.
Investing more no longer guarantees better results.
Paid advertising alone is no longer enough to drive growth for an eCommerce site.
You need to diversify and rebalance your efforts between acquisition, retention, and engagement.
Commerce is no longer limited to a single channel.
Consumers move from the web to the store, from email to text messaging, from mobile apps to online chat.
And they expect a seamless, frictionless experience.
Do you have a physical store? That's great.
It's one more touchpoint, provided you unify your data and customer journeys.
This is where CRM and post-purchase loyalty come into their own.
And this is also where many miss the mark: a successful eCommerce strategy in 2025 is a strategy that connects all channels.
That aligns messages.
And that turns loyalty into a real business lever.
👉 We have developed this concept of omnichannel in a dedicated article: understanding and deploying omnichannel.
There is no longer a magic formula.
To perform well, you need a clear, adaptable strategy that is, above all, aligned with your resources and your customers.
Here are the pillars on which to build a solid foundation.
Buying traffic is no longer enough.
The most successful brands don't put all their eggs in the advertising basket.
They spread their efforts across paid media, SEO, affiliate marketing, micro-influencers, word of mouth, and more. And that changes everything.
Why? Because diversifying your channels reduces your dependence on any one of them.
It also means capturing different audiences at different points in the journey.
In short, an effective eCommerce strategy is not single-channel when it comes to acquisition.
It is agile, smart, and measured.
Too many brands underestimate the power of their existing customers.
Yet, retaining customers costs much less than acquiring them.
It is also more profitable in the long run.
Think about repurchase rates, customer lifetime value, and NPS.
These are key eCommerce indicators for boosting your profitability.
But that's not all: by activating your customers with post-purchase missions, requests for feedback, UGC content or referrals, you create a virtuous circle.
The more they interact, the more attached they become to your brand.
And the more they buy.
In a saturated market, you have two options: fight on price... or stand out in other ways.
The second option is often the most rewarding and, of course, not the easiest (otherwise it would be too easy).
Some brands focus on a truly unique product.
Others rely on identifiable marketing.
Take Merci Handy with its quirky pop culture universe, or Respire with its ethical storytelling.
It's not the product alone that sells, it's how you present it, how you tell its story, how you share it.
A good eCommerce strategy also relies on good management.
And there's no secret to that: you need reliable data that is used effectively.
Create a clear dashboard.
Track your first-party data, your loyalty KPIs, your activation rate, and the attribution between your channels.
Don't leave your decisions to intuition. Analyze, test, and iterate.
It's the only way to keep your strategy alive and effective.
You don't need a master's degree in digital strategy to succeed.
But you do need the right method.
Here's a clear plan for laying the right foundations and building an effective eCommerce strategy, step by step.
Before talking about campaigns, SEO, or social media, you need to get back to basics.
At this stage, you need to set out your business model in black and white.
What is your margin target?
What role does your website play in your overall strategy?
Is it your only sales channel or a complement to your physical stores?
You also need to identify your typical conversion funnel.
This will help you design consistent customer journeys, from the first visit to the purchase.
This is where it all begins.
Why should people buy from you rather than elsewhere?
Is it for your prices?
For your quality?
Your environmental commitment?
Your design or your ultra-responsive customer service?
Your product positioning must be simple, clear, and distinctive.
This will guide all your choices going forward.
Direct sales on your website?
Dropshipping?
Sales via marketplaces such as Amazon?
Or a DNVB model with in-house production?
Each model involves different margins, specific logistics, and marketing levers that need to be adapted.
There is no right or wrong choice, but it is a strategic decision that needs to be made from the outset.
Without real customer knowledge, you're flying blind.
And in a highly competitive market, that's unforgivable.
Here, the goal is clear: know who you're talking to, how, and when.
You're laying the foundations for your relationship strategy.
A persona is not a bogus archetype straight out of your imagination.
It is a realistic profile built from your data.
Age, purchasing behavior, objections, obstacles, preferred communication channels, triggers, etc.
Use your first orders, customer feedback, or questionnaires.
And above all, forget the clichés.
Awareness. Consideration. Conversion. Loyalty.
Each stage has its own levers.
There's no point in investing heavily in advertising if you neglect conversion or retention.
The idea is to map out each point of contact: advertising, product pages, order funnel, post-purchase emails, etc.
You can then activate the right levers at the right time.
The classic mistake? Launching everything at once, blindly.
And often, failing miserably.
Start with what you can really control.
What matches your resources.
And above all, your customers.
Paid advertising works quickly, but is expensive.
SEO takes time, but gives lasting results.
Micro-influence allows you to create social proof, while affiliation can drive traffic and performance.
It's up to you to choose according to your time-to-market, average order value, and customer type.
Too often, we wait until we have volume to “think about loyalty.”
This is a mistake.
A well-designed loyalty program from the outset can turn every customer into a repeat customer.
It's a profitable growth lever from the very first sale.
And with a solution like Loyoly, you can integrate it into your eCommerce strategy early on, without any technical hassle.
Some actions are easy to automate.
A welcome email, a shopping cart reminder, a post-purchase follow-up...
These are quick wins that improve your conversion rate.
But be careful not to go too fast.
Only automate after you have mastered your manual processes.
Otherwise, you will automate... your mistakes.
What makes the difference is the experience the customer has during and after their visit.
Every step of their journey should be smooth, reassuring, and designed to make them want to come back.
The product page is often the decisive moment.
It's where the customer says, “I'll buy it”... or not.
Clear, jargon-free text.
High-quality visuals, not blurry images taken in a hurry.
Credible customer reviews.
And above all, visible social proof: ratings, “best-selling product” mentions, content generated by customers.
Doubts about delivery?
Missing information about returns?
That's enough to scare them away.
Think about every point of friction: shipping costs, return policy, availability of customer service, payment methods.
Add security badges and clear, accessible FAQs.
The more you anticipate questions, the easier it will be to convert.
The ultimate asset is social proof. Find out all about it in this article explaining how social proof boosts sales.
Once the order has been placed, it's not over.
On the contrary, this is where the customer relationship begins.
A thoughtful thank-you email, a request for product feedback, or even a community mission to complete.
For example, with Loyoly, you can invite your customers to refer a friend or post a product photo to earn points.
Simple, engaging, effective, and above all, it creates a bond.
Pssst... You might find this interesting!
Post-purchase engagement is strategic for your brand, and we can probably help. Check out our platform!
A good eCommerce strategy is not a static document.
It is a living system that evolves with your data, your customers, and your market.
There's no point in tracking 50 indicators.
It's better to track the right ones: conversion rate, average order value, acquisition cost, repeat purchase rate, customer lifetime value.
Tools such as GA4 allow you to centralize this information.
And if you activate customer loyalty with Loyoly, you can also track KPIs such as post-purchase engagement, customer reactivation, or average value per customer/product segment.
Everything doesn't have to be perfect the first time around.
In fact, the opposite is true.
Test your email subject lines.
Your ad formats.
Your product page visuals.
And see what works.
AB testing remains one of the easiest ways to improve. Slowly but surely.
Start with the basics.
And that's fine.
But as your business grows, you can ramp up your efforts with dynamic retargeting, UGC content, CRM segmentation, advanced automation, and more.
The idea is to always be one or two steps ahead.
Without rushing things.
And without losing sight of the essential: creating value for you and your customers.
To structure your strategy effectively, you need the right tools.
You don't need 15 of them.
Just the right ones, well integrated with each other.
The CMS is the technical foundation of your store.
It must be tailored to your objectives, your resources, and your growth.
👉 Our comprehensive comparison and find out which CMS to choose for your eCommerce.
CRM allows you to centralize customer data, personalize the relationship, and automate certain processes.
👉 For us, this is a key issue, so we help you choose your eCommerce CRM.
A good loyalty tool helps you turn your buyers into repeat customers. Loyoly also allows you to activate customer referrals from the very first orders.
👉 We have detailed the best eCommerce loyalty solutions
No need to overhaul everything.
Sometimes all it takes is a few tweaks to get your results off the ground.
^Here are 4 high-value actions that are simple to implement and powerful in the long term.
Not all your customers are the same.
So why send them the same messages at the same time?
The more you personalize the experience, the more you increase your chances of converting, retaining, and getting people to talk about you.
To implement immediately:
It's tailor-made marketing, and your customers can feel it.
Instagram, TikTok, Facebook... your customers spend a lot of time there.
And they discover new brands every day.
Your role? Allow them to buy without leaving their news feed.
In concrete terms:
The icing on the cake is offering community missions on these networks via Loyoly.
For example, posting a photo with your product = loyalty points. Engagement + social proof = a winning combination.
Your very first customers are your best assets for convincing the next ones.
They took the plunge despite your fledgling reputation.
Their feedback is worth its weight in gold.
Our advice is to try it out now:
A good testimonial can convert where a marketing argument fails or is not enough.
People don't always buy right away.
But they like to keep their favorites close at hand.
Give them that option, and you'll see your conversion rate go up.
To integrate into your store:
What's more, these favorites give you valuable data on purchase intentions.
These are signals that you can leverage intelligently in your CRM.
A good example? Respire.
The brand laid the right foundations very early on.
A clear positioning (natural, transparent products made in France), a simple but effective online store, and above all... a well-thought-out eCommerce strategy.
From the outset, it has focused on UGC, customer reviews and truly personalized messages.
Each customer receives a tailored email, and each product is backed up by authentic reviews.
On social media, Respire has connected its store to Instagram and TikTok, while engaging its community with regular, useful, shared content.
The result? A brand that inspires trust, builds loyalty, and turns its first customers... into true ambassadors.
Simple. But incredibly effective.
Their limitation may also be that they are quite dependent on the image of their founder.
Detaching the founder from the brand could be a strategic move for their brand in the long term.
Every year, new uses transform the way we sell online.
And to stay competitive, you have to stay tuned.
Don't panic, we're keeping a close eye on things for you.
Among the eCommerce trends for 2025:
Discover other eCommerce trends for 2025 based on our expertise as a major player in this field.
Want to align your strategy with new customer expectations?
👉 Let's talk and request your Loyoly demo → I want to build customer loyalty
By focusing on a clear and unique positioning.
This can be achieved through your product (quality, origin, innovation) or your marketing (brand tone, storytelling, customer experience).
The important thing is to be clear and memorable.
Omnichannel is the key.
You need to connect your online and offline channels to offer a seamless experience: unified customer data, a common loyalty program, personalized campaigns based on the customer journey (web-to-store, store-to-web, etc.).
It all depends on your product and your target audience.
But in general: paid (Meta, Google), SEO, micro-influencers, and affiliate marketing work well. The ideal is to combine several channels to balance performance and cost.
It is a strategy aligned with your objectives, your budget, and your audience.
It combines acquisition, retention, and continuous optimization.
Above all, it puts the customer at the center.
Shopify for the store, Klaviyo for emailing, Loyoly for loyalty and referrals.
For example, this trio allows you to automate the essentials without complexity: reminders, emails, rewards, customer journey, etc.
👉 We have many other integrations listed on this dedicated page.
Loyoly is a post-purchase engagement platform that orchestrates journeys via +40 mechanics to boost LTV and social proof, while reducing CAC.
