Ecommerce marketing technology stack: what earns a place

A stack is a list of tools. This index asks a different question about each one: does it change a budget decision? A dashboard that looks good and changes nothing is a cost.

Analytics & measurement

41Technologies

20Core

18Selective

5Watching

How are the tools rated?

Each tool carries one of three labels. They are our view, not a market fact, and we change them when our view changes.

Core
In our view, worth having in place for most brands.
Selective
Worth it under specific conditions. The entry says which.
Watching
Not recommended yet. We follow it.

A label is not a verdict on the vendor. It is a view on whether the tool is worth the effort for a brand of this size.

How is the index organised?

Measurement tools are rated like any other. A holdout test is one method for finding lift. Useful when it changes a decision. Wasteful when it cannot be read. Server-side tracking gets the same treatment: the rating depends on the problem it solves for you.

If your question is about the foundations, start with the ecommerce tracking audit. It is about the checks that change a budget decision.

Our rating

How do we choose a tool?

Every tool on this index gets the same four tests. The rating is what is left when they are done.

Changes a decision

Does it change a budget decision? A dashboard that looks good and changes nothing is a cost.

Can be read

Can someone on your team open the output, understand it and say what to do next? If only the person who set it up can read it, it will stop being used.

Worth the effort

Count the build, the upkeep and the person who owns it, not only the licence. Then ask whether that effort is worth it for a brand of your size.

Fits your problem

The rating depends on the problem it solves for you. Each entry says when to skip it, and your account may be the exception.

Learn the words before someone uses them on you

Marketing has a lot of vocabulary. Some of it exists to win arguments. Start with the Glossary index (A–Z). Read incrementality for mid-size ecommerce brands if measurement is the worry. Comparing partners? See how to choose an ecommerce marketing agency.

FAQ

What do Core, Selective and Watching mean?

They are our labels, not an industry scale. Core: in our view, most brands in our segment need it. Selective: it depends on your situation. Watching: we are not recommending it yet.

Does a Core rating mean I need the tool?

No. It is our view for the typical brand. The entry for each tool lists when not to use it, and your account may be the exception.

Will the ratings change?

Yes. They are our view, and views move. A rating that never changes is not a view.

Let’s find what’s actually working.

Next step. A stack question is really a question about one account. Talk through your stack and budget decision with us.

Talk through your stack and budget decision with us

Ecommerce marketing technology stack: what earns a place

How are the tools rated?

Core

Selective

Watching