Over the past few years, I’ve had the privilege of working closely with brand teams across categories—from scrappy startups to global icons—as they try to navigate the twists and turns of digital commerce. And while every company is different, I’ve noticed something interesting: the brands that are really thriving in this space share a handful of common traits.

They don’t always have the biggest budgets or work with the most expensive tech vendors. But, they are focused, they have clarity around the role they want digital to serve in their channel strategy.

They’ve figured out how align their teams, tools, and strategies around what today’s digital shopper actually wants—and they keep evolving as that shopper changes.

Below are several traits that successful brands tend to have in common. These insights come from years of client work and are backed by recent research, including Skai’s Q1 2025 Trends Report and Profitero’s 2024 Organizational Benchmark Study. If you’re leading a brand or supporting one, and trying to move the needle in eCommerce, I hope this gives you a practical framework to work from!

1. They Take Smart Risks and Embrace Failure

This might be my favorite one. The most successful brands don’t wait for perfect information—they test, learn, and iterate. They LOVE failure and consider it an opportunity to elarn. They budget for experimentation.

They’re willing to try new platforms or tools, but they’re also thoughtful about what’s worth pursuing.

One of my clients ran a TikTok shops pilot with a small budget just to see what would happen. It didn’t blow the doors off, but they learned a ton—and it helped them shape future strategic moves.

The trick is to make bite sized investments and treat even the failures like successes – because you’re learning something. Think about the last time someone failed in your organization – how did people talk about it? What did people say about that person, that project?

Treating failure and experimentation positively creates space for your team to try new things, fail fast, and apply those learnings broadly.

2. They Focus on Input Metrics—and Use Data to Hold People Accountable

One of the biggest unlocks I’ve seen? Focusing on input metrics vs. output metrics…and tying those metrics to people’s performance.

The smartest brands don’t just look at outcomes like revenue—they focus on the inputs that drive those outcomes: things like share of search, content health scores, on-time item setup, and availability. These are the levers teams can actually pull.

They also use data to make decisions—not just to justify ones they’ve already made. They look beyond “what happened” and try to understand “what’s next.” According to Profitero, leaders are 84% more likely to use advanced analytics like predictive models or attribution tools.

It sounds simple, but it’s rare. According to the research, 87% of brands say eComm is a strategic priority, but only about half have digital KPIs in place for their teams. Many teams I work with say digital is important but aren’t holding teams accountable to the right inputs.

The brands that do have those KPIs move faster, prioritize better, and get results. 

You don’t have to boil the ocean here. Start by making sure you’ve got clear understanding of what input metrics are tied to your success – and start tracking them. Then build from there.

3. They Invest in their People—and Keep Developing Them

It’s tough out there. eCommerce roles are getting more specialized, and the skill sets are changing fast. But the brands that are ahead? They’ve stopped waiting for the perfect unicorn hire and instead focus on two things: building the team they need with a mix of internal and external talent, and constantly upskilling.

Hiring a digital category manager or a retail media lead might sound like a luxury—and it is. Meanwhile, figuring out how to drive change in your organization? That takes tenure. Training might be the bettter option, creating leverage across your whole org.

Pro tip: don’t just train your eComm team. Educate your cross-functional partners. The biggest source of friction I see isn’t within the eComm team—it’s when everyone else doesn’t fully get it.

Interestingly, Profitero found that executives are almost twice as likely as managers to believe their teams understand eComm. That tells me we’ve got a communication gap—and maybe a humility gap, too. We’ve all got more to learn.

4. They’ve Set Up Their Teams for Success

One thing I see all the time: brands saying eCommerce is a priority, but still keeping the team buried three levels down in the org chart. That sends a message—whether intended or not—that digital isn’t really strategic.

By contrast, the most effective brands have brought eCommerce out of its silo. And it reports to the top of the top. Otherwise, you can’t mobilize the broader org for change.

They’ve either fully embedded digital folks into their core teams or set up a Center of Excellence that supports and coordinates across the org. In fact, according to Profitero, leading brands are 48% more likely to use a fully integrated (a.k.a. democratized) model.

If you’re still running a sidecar team that’s constantly chasing alignment, it might be time to rethink things. Embedding digital talent where decisions get made—and giving them a real seat at the table—can make a huge difference.

5. They Execute Like Pros

You’d be amazed how many brands still treat eCommerce like a quarterly check-in. But the digital shelf moves fast. Execution needs to be tight, proactive, and constant.

The best brands I work with have mechanisms in place to execute well. They do business reviews regularly, have dashboards that alert them to things, and have clear processes in place. Boring basics but very important…Digital commerce is an always-on business!

Doing it all consistently is where the magic is.

Final Thoughts

You don’t need to overhaul everything to get better at digital commerce. Most of the brands I work with start by identifying just one or two of these traits and taking small, focused steps to improve.

And when they do, things start to click, teams align, and processes get smoother…driving results.

If you’re trying to figure out where to start, pick one area—maybe KPIs, org structure, cross-functional education—and commit to improving it over the next 90 days. Then pick another. You’ll be surprised how quickly the momentum builds.

Digital commerce isn’t going to slow down. But with the right focus, structure, and mindset, your brand can catch up—and even get ahead!

Andrea Leigh is the founder and CEO of Allume Group, where she helps consumer brands grow through better digital strategy and execution.