Whoever can spend the most to acquire a customer wins.

Hey, it’s Alex.

In today’s issue:

• Whoever can spend the most to acquire a customer wins.

• The Resale Ready Scorecard.

• and more…
  

BEST LINKS

My favourite finds this week

🛒 Ecommerce

• The rise of ‘recommerce’: NZ fashion brands are buying back their own clothes to resell (The Spinoff).

• The Richest Man in Baby = The best ecommerce strategy playbook (LinkedIn).

🤖 AI

• Your CEO just approved another $100K for Google Ads (LinkedIn)

• Advanced AI suffers ‘complete accuracy collapse’ in face of complex problems, study finds (The Guardian)

📘 Book of the week

• The Starfish and the Spider: The Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations - Ori Brafman and Rod Beckstrom (link)

DEEP DIVE

Whoever can spend the most to acquire a customer wins.

Dan Kennedy, one of the most formidable marketers of our time, once said:

This line is often interpreted as a blunt call to outspend the competition. But for ecommerce brands, its true power lies in something more strategic and more sustainable.

It's not about having the deepest pockets. It’s about building the kind of business that earns the right to spend more per customer - confidently, repeatedly, and profitably.

Understanding the Quote’s Core Idea

In competitive markets, the business that can afford to invest the most in acquiring each customer (without collapsing its margins) typically gains market share, dissuades competition, and builds enduring growth.

That affordability is only possible when the unit economics are right - specifically, when customer lifetime value (LTV) meaningfully exceeds customer acquisition cost (CAC).

If your LTV is significantly higher than your CAC, you don’t just survive - you accelerate. You can buy better media, grow faster, and take bigger swings. That becomes your moat.

5 Quick Wins to Increase LTV Today

These aren’t theoretical shifts. They’re practical, actionable moves any brand can make - today - to create more customer value, and earn the right to invest more in growth.

Introduce a Post-Purchase Flow

Automate a simple post-purchase email or SMS sequence. Start with a thank you, follow up with value (how to use, what to pair it with), and end with an offer. One thoughtful flow can double the chance of a second purchase.

Bundle Strategically

Offer themed product bundles that solve a problem or support a habit. This lifts average order value and deepens the customer’s emotional investment in your brand.

Identify and Reward High-Value Customers

Use segmentation to spot your top 10%. Give them early access, loyalty exclusives, or simple gestures of thanks. These people are your future - treat them accordingly.

Add a Replenishment Reminder

For repeat-use products, timing is everything. Create a replenishment campaign that feels helpful, not pushy. One SMS reminder, sent at the right time, can drive a 15-30% increase in repeat orders.

Refactor Your Thank You Page

Most brands go silent after the sale. Use your thank-you page to cross-sell, share your story, or invite customers into your community. It’s a rare moment of attention - don’t waste it.

Beyond Tactics: Building the Value Ladder

LTV growth doesn’t stop at the first few weeks post-purchase. You need a clear ladder - a series of thoughtful, deliberate steps that turn one-time customers into brand advocates.

• Lead Magnets and Front-End Offers
  Attract with something small, irresistible, and low-risk. Then guide them up.
  

• Backend Offers
  Introduce higher-value products only after trust has been earned. This is where most of your margin lives.
  

• Email & Content Marketing
  Use automation to stay present, not pushy. Build a rhythm of value that keeps customers coming back for reasons beyond price.
  

  
  

Optimising Your Acquisition Engine

More LTV means more freedom. But that freedom still requires control.

• Track and Optimise CAC: Know what you’re spending - and why. Great growth is deliberate, not accidental.
  

• Scale Winning Channels:  Don’t diversify too early. First, prove. Then pour.
  

• Use Data to Personalise: Personalisation increases conversion and retention. But only when it’s rooted in genuine insight, not just clever tech.
  

  
  

The Moat is in the Model

Dan Kennedy’s philosophy isn’t a dare - it’s a challenge. Can you build a model so valuable, so resilient, that you can afford to outspend without blinking?

The brands that do this don’t win by brute force. They win with clarity, confidence, and a quiet conviction that they’re building something bigger than a sale.

Key Takeaway

For ecommerce brands, this is the game:
Earn the right to spend more per customer - not by cutting corners, but by building deeper value.

Focus on increasing LTV. Build a ladder of offers. Be relentless about retention. And then, when the numbers say yes, lean in - knowing your business model will support the weight.

🌱 RECOMMERCE x ALMOND LABS

Is Your Brand Ready to Own Its Resale Channel?

In NZ and Australia, customers are already buying your products second-hand. The question is - are you benefiting from it?

Globally, the resale market is quickly growing. It’s expected to hit a value of $47 billion by 2025 (The Spinoff).

At Almond Labs we have created the first application for Shopify brands to own this channel independent of 3rd party platforms - complete your scorecard today to get started.

📣 HAVE YOUR SAY

How did we do?

Thanks for reading!

See you next week.

Alex Murton
Shopify for Lifestyle Brands
Co-Founder @ Studio Almond & Almond Labs.