Top 6 Books of 2022: Ecommerce Inspiration Gems

Sometimes it feels like as an ecommerce professional I eat, sleep and breathe ecommerce. Learn practical tips to optimize your online store and boost sales.

Sometimes it feels like as an ecommerce professional I eat, sleep and breathe ecommerce. Tracking industry news and trends across thousands of websites, newsletters, webinars and streamers means that sometimes when it comes time to read a book, I want to focus on something other than ecommerce.

Even then, though, sometimes a completely unrelated book provides useful insight for ecommerce and I’m convinced that true breakthroughs occur when you can find an unexpected source of insight and inspiration that others in your industry haven’t found.

Along those lines, here’s my favorite books of 2022 that provided unexpected inspiration for my ecommerce career that you may find helpful as well.

The Culture Map by Erin Meyer (opens in new tab)

This book offers insights on cultural differences around the world and how these differences can affect business and communication. As a global ecommerce business, it’s important to understand how to relate to customers and partners from different parts of the world and this book can provide invaluable insight on how to do just that.

Breath by James Nestor (opens in new tab)

This book takes an in-depth look at the power of breathing and how it can drastically impact your life. As it turns out, breathing correctly can make all the difference with how you approach ecommerce—from how you think about sales to how you manage customer relationships.

Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury (opens in new tab)

Despite its title, this book is more about creativity and the power of creativity than it is about writing. In that vein, the book’s insights can be applied to any creative endeavor, such as coming up with a new product idea or marketing strategyand especially to writing marketing or product copy.

The Road to Character by David Brooks (opens in new tab)

In this book, Brooks talks about the importance of character—which is really the core of ecommerce. Without strong character, it’s impossible to run an ethical and successful ecommerce business. By reading this book, you can gain valuable insights and a better understanding of how to build character into the foundation of your business.

Principles by Ray Dalio (opens in new tab)

Ray Dalio is one of the most successful investors in the world and his book offers a unique perspective on life and business. As it turns out, his principles and philosophies are highly applicable to the ecommerce space. Understanding how he approaches decisions and negotiations can help you make better decisions as an ecommerce professional.

The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer (opens in new tab)

This book explains the dangers of living a rushed life and the importance of living with intention. It’s a lesson that’s essential for any ecommerce professional to understand, as running an ecommerce business requires massive amounts of organization, hustle and focus. If you want to build a successful business, it’s important to stay organized and intentional in how you work, and to build in time for rest. You can be intentional and successful without all that hurry.

Explore more in our Ecommerce Operations Hub — resources for ecommerce strategy, team leadership, and building high-performing digital organizations.