One Man Band: is in-house e-commerce a yes or a no?

The new wave of insourcing shouldn’t be seen as a return to the old “I’ll do everything myself” mindset.
It calls for a new mentality, agile processes and a clear vision of the role e-commerce plays within the broader business ecosystem.

As a commerce provider, we’ve been working alongside companies for years as they navigate this transition. One thing is clear: insourcing can be a powerful accelerator - but it can also slow you down if approached with the wrong mindset.

Here are the most common mistakes we see and some advice we share with our clients to help them avoid them!

1. Digitizing the existing instead of rethinking the process

One of the most common mistakes? Taking processes designed for physical retail and simply “digitizing” them—hoping that’s enough to make them work online.
Spoiler: it’s not.

E-commerce can’t rely on retrofitted processes. It needs to be natively digital - built on lean, automated, and scalable logic.
A checkout flow isn’t just a digital version of a phone order. And managing an online warehouse is far more than an extension of traditional retail logistics.

The same goes for AI adoption. Those who delay integration risk investing in workflows that are already becoming obsolete. The real value of AI lies not in speeding up the old ways, but in radically rethinking how things are done: cutting out unnecessary steps, automating repetitive tasks, and reshaping entire operations through a data-driven lens.

Digital innovation isn’t about replicating the past. It’s about building systems designed to thrive in the future.

2. Treating e-commerce as a standalone channel

Too often, e-commerce is still treated as a world of its own - governed by separate KPIs, workflows, and logic. But when e-commerce doesn't connect with CRM, retail, wholesale, or customer care, you're not just missing synergies - you're missing the point.

Online should be a central hub in an omnichannel ecosystem, not a satellite spinning in isolation.
True digital commerce thrives when it's fully integrated, cross-functional and strategically aligned with the rest of the business.

3. Overlooking change management

E-commerce touches every department - operations, IT, marketing, logistics, finance.
When shifting from an outsourced model to an in-house setup, managing the transition properly is essential.

Teams need to be trained, roles redefined, processes realigned.
It takes time, structure, and active listening. But often, that’s not enough: meaningful change also requires specific expertise and a mindset shift.
In the world of e-commerce - where everything moves fast - it’s easy to lack clear benchmarks. This leads to delays, misunderstandings, and internal resistance.

That’s why at Drop, we don’t just “do the work” - we walk alongside brands, step by step.
We help close skill gaps, build a shared language, and foster the courage to experiment - often the real game-changer in digital transformation.

Throughout the internalization process, a dedicated Drop team is involved. It’s a strategic choice: to give structure to the new setup and ensure a smooth, sustainable transfer of knowledge.

4. Putting technology before strategy

Stacks, tools, platforms - everyone talks about technology.
But without a clear strategy (and aligned KPIs), even the best systems risk delivering little value.

We help companies design tailored tech architectures, but always starting from one simple question:
“What outcome are we aiming for and how do we get there?”

5. Not updating KPIs to reflect the new model

If you change your operating model, your success metrics need to change too. You can’t just measure performance through traffic or online sales alone.
E-commerce insourcing only creates real value when it improves margin, customer loyalty, and operational efficiency.

What’s needed is an integrated view of the data and a measurement culture that engages the entire organization.
Understand what works and double down on it (together with Drop). But also have the courage to challenge what doesn’t work—or doesn’t work well.

The real impact happens when strategy, execution, and metrics speak the same language.
Because bringing e-commerce in-house doesn’t mean doing everything internally. It means leading the project with the right levers in place.

We often support our clients precisely in this: building a strong internal governance structure, supported by specialized partners at the right moments—so they can scale faster, and avoid costly missteps.

going in-house? Make sure you're ready!

— 8 May 2025