Better Call Paul

You just paid your best customers 30% to do what they were already going to do. And that’s not even the worst Black Friday trap.Every year I watch ecommerce founders have their best Black Friday ever, and their worst February. In this episode I break down the 5 Black Friday traps that look like wins, the real maths behind a 30% off sale, and the fix for each one, so you set this year’s offer properly instead of copying last year’s.In this episode:Why a $100 product that makes you $32 at full price can lose you $7 at 30% offHow to plan your discount before you pick it (with a live Axeman demo; watch it on YouTube)The pull-forward trap: why a month-long sale kills December and JanuaryThe LTV ÷ AOV check: are your Black Friday customers ever coming back?Why your VIPs don’t need another discountGrade A vs Grade C: what to discount, and what to protectThe February cash trap and China New YearThe 5-question Black Friday checklistChapters:0:00 You paid your best customers 30%1:34 Trap 1: Record revenue, no profit (the maths)4:35 How to plan your discount (Axeman demo)8:19 Trap 2: The pull-forward trap11:00 The new customer myth (LTV ÷ AOV)13:14 Trap 3: Discounting your best customers15:37 Trap 4: Site-wide discounts and your best sellers19:13 Trap 5: The February cash trap (China New Year)23:21 The Black Friday checklist26:00 What to do nextApply for my next ecommerce coaching cohort - HEREWatch on YouTube (with the demo and charts)Axeman profit simulatorMy websiteInstagram and TikTok: @paulwaddyecommerceAbout Paul: I’m Paul Waddy, author of Shopify For Dummies and Selling Online For Dummies. Forbes Australia: “This boss is making Shopify easy for every ecommerce business.” Voted #2 in Inside Retail’s Top 50 People in E-Commerce. Last year I coached 10 of the Top 50, including 4 of the top 10 and the winner, plus 4 AFR Young Rich Listers. I founded an award-winning digital marketing agency and Learn Ecommerce, where I’ve coached thousands of brands from start-up to nine figures, including Muscle Republic, Babyboo, Maison de Sabré, Budgy Smuggler and Coastal Grl.

Work with me: https://bit.ly/4xTmZRIThink the mistakes stop once you scale? They don't - they just get more expensive.In this episode, Paul Waddy breaks down the 10 biggest mistakes he sees 7, 8, and even 9-figure ecommerce brands still making - from bloated operations and misaligned teams to strategic blind spots that quietly cap growth long after the early-stage hustle is behind you. Whether you're pushing past 7 figures or already well beyond it, this episode will help you spot the expensive mistakes before they cost you more.🎧 Tune in and make sure you're not one of the brands making these mistakes at scale.Connect With Me:Website: https://www.learnecommerce.com.auInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulwaddyecommerceTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@paulwaddyecomFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/paulwaddyecommerceLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulwaddyecommerceWatch my video on the 3 keys you need to unlock growth in an ecom business: http://bit.ly/4al7UhrAn ecommerce beginner? Watch my free masterclass: https://bit.ly/4xQB2r6

Work with me: https://bit.ly/4xTmZRIStuck under $10k a month and can't figure out why? Chances are it's not bad luck - it's one (or several) of these mistakes quietly capping your growth.In this episode, Paul Waddy breaks down the 10 most common mistakes keeping ecommerce brands stuck below that $10k/month ceiling - from pricing missteps and weak offers to marketing spend going to the wrong places and operational habits that quietly bleed profit. If you're grinding hard but the revenue isn't moving, this episode will show you exactly what's holding you back and how to fix it.🎧 Tune in and skip the mistakes everyone else has to learn the hard way.Connect With Me:Website: https://www.learnecommerce.com.auInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulwaddyecommerceTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@paulwaddyecomFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/paulwaddyecommerceLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulwaddyecommerceWatch my video on the 3 keys you need to unlock growth in an ecom business: http://bit.ly/4al7UhrAn ecommerce beginner? Watch my free masterclass: https://bit.ly/4xQB2r6

Work with me: https://bit.ly/4xTmZRIStarting an ecom brand? You're probably making at least a few of these mistakes right now - and they could be quietly capping your growth before you even get going.In this episode, Paul Waddy breaks down the 10 most common (and costly) mistakes new ecommerce founders make - from pricing and product selection to marketing spend and mindset traps - and exactly what to do instead. If you're early in your ecommerce journey, this is the episode to save you months of trial and error.🎧 Tune in and skip the mistakes everyone else has to learn the hard way.Connect With Me:Website: https://www.learnecommerce.com.auInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulwaddyecommerceTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@paulwaddyecomFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/paulwaddyecommerceLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulwaddyecommerceWatch my video on the 3 keys you need to unlock growth in an ecom business: http://bit.ly/4al7UhrAn ecommerce beginner? Watch my free masterclass: https://bit.ly/4xQB2r6

Work with me: https://bit.ly/4xTmZRIAmazon quietly killed free returns — and it's the best thing that could happen to ecommerce. In this episode I break down exactly why they did it, what it means for your margins, and why the smartest operators are already following their lead.If you're still offering free returns and wondering why your profit is shrinking, this one's for you.Connect With Me:Website: https://www.learnecommerce.com.auInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulwaddyecommerceTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@paulwaddyecomFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/paulwaddyecommerceLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulwaddyecommerceWatch my video on the 3 keys you need to unlock growth in an ecom business: http://bit.ly/4al7UhrAn ecommerce beginner? Watch my free masterclass: https://bit.ly/4xQB2r6