Bart Mroz, CEO of SUMO Heavy jumped onto The eCom Ops Podcast and shared his journey into eCom, how his agency helps to build an eCommerce business strategy, and his successful business strategy here.
You can learn more about Bart and SUMO Heavy Digital Commerce here:
Selling On:
- Shopify
- Shopify Plus
- BigCommerce
Tools/Resources Mentioned:
Key Takeaways:
The interest and journey into eCommerce
Bart is the co-owner of SUMO Heavy Digital Commerce, an agency that helps eCom businesses succeed. Bart has years of experience in business management and technology and has been creating online retail solutions for different companies. SUMO Heavy has two podcasts: In the Ring and eCommerce Minutes. In the ring combines interviews with eCom entrepreneurs and discusses news updates and strategies to help new businesses grow. While the eCommerce Minute is featured daily with tech and retail news.
The show broadcasts daily and has over 700 episodes at the moment. Initially, Bart started by uploading 5 minutes quick reads stories using Anchor.fm. Now, they broadcast complete sessions where a person is responsible for reading, writing, and researching content about the latest technologies in eCom, and happenings on sites such as Amazon and Walmart.
Bart didn’t have any interest in eCommerce before his business partner Rob introduced him. He has been handling Magento from the beginning and overseen several changes since then. Bart was a co-founder of multiple companies before SUMO Heavy and had been leading the eCommerce industry with numerous initiatives. Currently, Mroz focuses on emerging sellers, which are almost 25 million, and the enterprise space makes about 100 million-plus.
Comparing different eCommerce stacks
Bart explained that Shopify Plus is more user friendly and offers better customer support than Magento. Shopify has powerful APIs which let users have better control of apps; he further explained that in terms of technicality, Magneto is a stable platform, but certain areas need fixing. Shopwareis a real hit in the USA, surprisingly.
However, both platforms offer different advantages, Bart said that you couldn’t rely on one all the time. You have to be prepared for changes, as it’s all about what the client needs. If your client’s preferences change then, you need to change your platform as well.
Automation in SUMO Heavy
Bart thinks that automation is tricky and companies should implement it wisely. He says that one cannot automate everything as there may be consequences. Automation should be done step by step with proper understanding as both business and technology follow a process.
What is eCommerce for Bart Mraz?
Bart presses upon attention to details, about what the client wants. Clientele usually come to SUMO Heavy for rescues and require heavy-duty integration. Bart enjoys a complex task and thinks that complexity generates a better experience for the company. He says that curiosity and research are crucial to determining what users need and why they need it.
Bart shares that knowledge of eCom does not need to be highly technical, but sufficient knowledge is necessary. A lot of people forget about marketing when involved in building eCommerce. When setting a start-up, consider the best system for the business. eCom is like building a physical store that poses many challenges in the beginning.
SUMO Heavy’s business strategy process
Bart has a whole strategy session in place. The process involves aggressive planning and understanding of the client’s needs. He explains that whether it’s a small or large organization, the protocol is the same for each client. SUMO Heavy continuously looks for areas that need improvements.
He emphasizes continuous improvement and planning.
“Managing costs to make a profit is the key”, Bart says that you first get your product out after addressing issues of your shipping method, product lines, and marketing strategy then comes the revenue.
Brat’s biggest influence:
- Robert Brodie – Co-Founder & CTO at SUMO Heavy Digital eCom
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