# 022: Ecommerce Strategy & Customer Persuasion, Chloë Thomas of eCommerce MasterPlan

- Show: [Product Startup](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup)
- Published: 2016-10-11
- Length: 55m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-10-11-022-ecommerce-strategy-customer-persuasion-chloe-thomas-of-ecommerce-masterplan
- Listen: https://theproductstartup.com/tps022-chloe-thomas-ecommerce-master-plan/

## Summary

Chloë Thomas, founder of eCommerce MasterPlan, advises product founders on building an ecommerce strategy, emphasizing the choice between marketplaces like Amazon and Etsy versus building a direct-to-consumer website. She explains that products with a 'wow' factor or strong narrative should build their own site and drive social traffic, while commoditized goods like standard jewelry fare better on established platforms. Thomas details how to capture emails without discounts, use welcome sequences to build trust, and leverage tools like Mailchimp and Boomerang to manage customer relationships and influencer outreach efficiently.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-10-11-022-ecommerce-strategy-customer-persuasion-chloe-thomas-of-ecommerce-masterplan#t=0) Introduction: Chloë Thomas and eCommerce MasterPlan
- [3:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-10-11-022-ecommerce-strategy-customer-persuasion-chloe-thomas-of-ecommerce-masterplan#t=187) Choosing Sales Channels: Marketplaces vs. Direct Website
- [13:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-10-11-022-ecommerce-strategy-customer-persuasion-chloe-thomas-of-ecommerce-masterplan#t=788) Email Capture Strategies and Avoiding Discount Dependency
- [18:17](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-10-11-022-ecommerce-strategy-customer-persuasion-chloe-thomas-of-ecommerce-masterplan#t=1097) Building Trust Through Storytelling and Transparency
- [26:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-10-11-022-ecommerce-strategy-customer-persuasion-chloe-thomas-of-ecommerce-masterplan#t=1560) Email Welcome Sequences and Content Strategy
- [34:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-10-11-022-ecommerce-strategy-customer-persuasion-chloe-thomas-of-ecommerce-masterplan#t=2065) Pre-Launch Validation: Market Stalls and Community Feedback
- [37:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-10-11-022-ecommerce-strategy-customer-persuasion-chloe-thomas-of-ecommerce-masterplan#t=2263) Social Media Strategy: Facebook, Instagram, and Influencers
- [46:17](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-10-11-022-ecommerce-strategy-customer-persuasion-chloe-thomas-of-ecommerce-masterplan#t=2777) Tools for Efficiency: Upwork, Gmail, and Boomerang

## Topics

- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Crowdfunding & preorders](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/crowdfunding)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- eCommerce MasterPlan (company)
- Amazon (company)
- Etsy (company)
- Mailchimp (tool)
- Boomerang (tool)
- Upwork (company)
- Customer Manipulation (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Ep. 9: E-Commerce Strategies from Amazon to Shopify with Rachel Barge of Leap Grow and Kate Lin of Right Side Up](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2020-08-29-ep-9-e-commerce-strategies-from-amazon-to-shopify-with-rachel-barge-of-leap-grow) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [#225 -  Amazon vs. Your Own Website: The Great eCommerce Debate with Daybreak Agency and Gawronski Media](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-12-02-225-amazon-vs-your-own-website-the-great-ecommerce-debate-with-daybreak-agency-a) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Advice Line with Miguel McKelvey of WeWork](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-03-05-advice-line-with-miguel-mckelvey-of-wework) (How I Built This)
- [#69 How to Design a High Converting Ecommerce Website](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2022-11-15-69-how-to-design-a-high-converting-ecommerce-website) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Advice Line with Julia Hartz of Eventbrite](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-02-12-advice-line-with-julia-hartz-of-eventbrite) (How I Built This)

## Citing this page

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