5 High-Impact E-Commerce Strategies Your Brand Isn’t Using (Yet!)

E-commerce brands often chase surface-level metrics like sales volume and return on ad spend (ROAS), believing these numbers define growth. While important, they don't tell the full story. Brands that focus only on these metrics risk leaving money on the table.

The real key to sustainable growth lies in a deeper, more strategic approach — one that prioritizes profitability by driving customer lifetime value (LTV). In fact, for most brands, 60 percent to 80 percent of their revenue comes from their top 10 percent of customers.

So, what should brands focus on instead? While every business is different, here are five key strategies to build customer loyalty and drive long-term success by capturing more high-LTV customers:

1. Know your true hero products.

Not all best-selling products are created equal. Many brands make the mistake of pushing their highest-selling items without analyzing profitability.

Instead of focusing only on sales volume, brands should examine profit margins and how products affect downstream behaviors, like repurchase rates and customer lifetime value.

True hero products generate the most profit, attract high-value customers, and encourage repeat purchases. These products should be the cornerstone of marketing efforts. Brands should consider:

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• running paid ads featuring hero products;
• highlighting them in emails, SMS campaigns and on websites; and
• using them as entry points for first-time buyers.

Focusing on hero products, not just sales leaders, helps increase profitability and build a sustainable business model.

2. Optimize your discount strategy.

Many brands default to sitewide discounts, but this can cut into profits and devalue products. Instead of blanket promotions, shift to a more strategic discounting approach that targets price-sensitive customers without eroding margins.

Smarter discount strategies include:

• Segment-Based Discounts: Offer discounts only to price-sensitive customers through targeted email or SMS campaigns. Understand customer lifecycles and shopping habits to time offers effectively.
• Threshold-Based Incentives: Avoid discounting purchases that customers would make anyway. Instead, discount complementary products unlikely to be purchased at full price.

By fine-tuning discounting strategies, brands can appeal to deal-seekers without leaving revenue behind.

3. Utilize customer lifecycles.

A one-size-fits-all marketing strategy misses revenue opportunities. Instead, brands should segment customers based on where they are in their purchasing journey.

• Separate Customers Into Lifecycle Groups: Categories like newly purchased, active, at-risk and lapsed allow marketing teams to target the right messages.
• Tailor Marketing Messages: Use personalized promotions, discounts and creative tailored to each stage. Offer loyalty rewards to repeat buyers, and send win-back emails with personalized offers to re-engage lapsed customers.

Understanding and acting on customer lifecycles significantly improves retention and repeat purchases.

4. Personalize the customer journey.

Today’s customers expect personalized experiences, yet many brands still rely on generic marketing tactics. Using artificial intelligence and data-driven insights, brands can deliver highly targeted recommendations, messaging and product selections at scale.

Ways to personalize include:

• Persona-Based Ad Strategies: Tailor ad creative, messaging and channels to match top customer personas. AI tools can identify personas using first-party purchase data and behavioral insights.
• Customized Email/SMS Campaigns: Use behavior-triggered messaging such as abandoned cart reminders or birthday offers. Predict what customers are likely to buy next and target those products.
• Adaptive Landing Pages: Show homepage content tailored to user behavior, location or interests. Feature hero products aligned with top personas and high-LTV audiences.

Relevant content improves conversion rates and customer retention.

5. Explore bundling options.

Product bundling encourages customers to buy more, raising average order values while delivering added value. Brands should carefully pair products that naturally complement each other — not substitutes.

High-performing bundling strategies include:

• Complementary Bundles: Suggest related products, like a serum with a moisturizer or a matching top with leggings.
• Curated Sets: Bundle complete solutions, such as a full skincare regimen or coordinated workout gear, offering a slight discount.

Bundling can also serve as a natural entry point into subscription models, enhancing the customer experience and building loyalty.

Maximize Profitability With Higher LTV

E-commerce success isn't just about generating more sales; it's about maximizing profitability by focusing on attracting and retaining high-LTV customers.

Brands that take a strategic approach — identifying hero products, refining discounting tactics, leveraging customer lifecycles, personalizing journeys, and optimizing product bundling — are the ones best positioned for sustainable, long-term growth.

Cary Lawrence is the CEO of Decile, a customer data and analytics platform whose mission is to help e-commerce brands grow profitably.