Mark Liddington, COO of Needle & Thread (an 8-figure fashion brand), discusses how the brand not only survived but thrived during the pandemic by doubling down on brand value, customer accessibility, and operational efficiencies. This episode offers valuable lessons on adapting to market shifts, scaling operations through strategic outsourcing, and reinforcing brand identity in challenging times. It's a must-listen for ecommerce leaders navigating growth and operational complexities.
Key takeaways
Seriously examine and be willing to dismantle your business's core assumptions during periods of market disruption to adapt effectively.
Reinforce your brand's emotional connection with customers; Needle & Thread thrived during the pandemic because customers viewed their dresses as aspirational, not just functional.
Outsource non-core operations like pick and pack (3PL) to specialists to gain scalability and allow your internal team to focus on core competencies like product and customer service.
Integrate margin discussions across all departments, not just finance, to ensure product value and pricing align with brand accessibility and fair supplier practices.
Leverage e-commerce data to identify and act on opportunities for increased customer inclusivity, such as expanding product sizing.
We’re revisiting the story of a past guest. Yes I’ve been looking back through our past episodes to find a few guests I’d just LOVE to find out what’s been going on with.Mark Liddington is the Chief Operating Officer at Needle & Thread, a fashion retailer selling via their own ShopifyPlus website from the UK to the world. They also sell through outlets such as Selfridges, Harrods, Zalando and others. Needle and Thread launched in 2013, eCommerce sales doubled during the pandemic, and they are on track for over £20 million in sales through all channels this year.We first chatted to Mark from Needle and Thread Just before the pandemic hit in March 2020 (episode 262).Listen for updates on:how they survived the pandemic, and lessons learnttheir increased focus on sustainabilityteam, marketing, 3PLs and moreGet all the links and resources we mention at eCommerceMasterPlan.comThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Spotify Ad Analytics - https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/ad-analytics-privacy-policy/ ---
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What does this episode say about supply chain & operations?
Seriously examine and be willing to dismantle your business's core assumptions during periods of market disruption to adapt effectively.
What does this episode say about brand & content?
Reinforce your brand's emotional connection with customers; Needle & Thread thrived during the pandemic because customers viewed their dresses as aspirational, not just functional.
What does this episode say about dtc strategy?
Outsource non-core operations like pick and pack (3PL) to specialists to gain scalability and allow your internal team to focus on core competencies like product and customer service.
What does this episode say about finance & fundraising?
Integrate margin discussions across all departments, not just finance, to ensure product value and pricing align with brand accessibility and fair supplier practices.
What does this episode say about supply chain & operations?
Leverage e-commerce data to identify and act on opportunities for increased customer inclusivity, such as expanding product sizing.
