The E-Commerce Book

This book is designed for people who want to understand e-commerce – and by "understanding", we mean first and foremost Why and What, not How. Why is Amazon dominating the market? What happened between 1995 and 2015? Why were the incumbents like Walmart not able to fight back? What will become of the herd of new unicorn e-commerce companies? And what will happen to the traditional value chain on which retail companies operate? This is not a book about How, though, so don't read this hoping to learn "how to master online marketing". From our point of view, the Why and What is much more challenging and important, whether you are running a company in this market or are a student wanting to break into it. In this book, we'll share what we've learned.

Look forward to 150 pages of valuable material about changes in the value chain, a lively review of how e-commerce has developed over the last 20 years, 50 case studies of digital business models large and small, three extensive interviews with leading e-commerce entrepreneurs, and strategic mind-games galore for a range of industries.



This book offers a unique review of the e-commerce industry and the major changes it has seen, notably what key players have done to keep up with evolving technology and heightened consumer expectations. The authors give a solid look at what any retail or brand decision maker should know about the industry's history and future.



Stephan Schambach, Founder of Founder of Intershop, Demandware, and Newstore



More than ever, understanding the issues impacting the digital retail market as a whole will be critical to success in the years ahead. Alexander Graf and Holger Schneider deliver exactly the information to help you refine your perspective across markets and retail industries.



Hans-Otto Schrader, CEO Otto Group



Alexander Graf is a serial entrepreneur with 10+ years experience in the digital sector and the CEO of Spryker Systems, a commerce-technology company which he founded together with Nils Seebach in cooperation with the early-stage investor Project A Ventures in 2014.

In 2011, Alexander started the management consulting firm eTribes, which supports companies in building and executing digital strategies. Within this practice, he has formed a prestigious expert, entrepreneur and client network, including publishing houses such as Gruner + Jahr, manufacturers like Vitra, as well as corporations like the Otto Group. From 2011, he was also managing director of the agency group NetImpact Framework, which he founded together with Nils Seebach and Tarek Müller. It was acquired by the Otto Group in 2013 as the starting point of the much acclaimed venture Collins. Prior to that, Alexander was senior advisor Alexander Graf for the Otto Group and in charge of the conception, evaluation and M&A of digital business models.

Alexander publishes the e-commerce specialist blog "Kassenzone" as well as numerous industry studies and books. His latest work "Das E-Commerce Buch" ("The E-Commerce Book") is now published in English. Alexander Graf, born 1980, has studied economics and computer sciences with a focus on innovation and marketing at Kiel University in Germany and the Autónoma in Madrid, Spain.





Holger Schneider runs the bachelor's and master's degree courses at the Wedel University of Applied Sciences (near Hamburg, Germany), teaching both the strategic and operative issues of e-commerce. He is also a member of the board of the Digital Analytics Association Germany with the remit for supporting and developing young data scientists. As a partner in the eTribes consultancy company, he advises manufacturers, retailers, and media organisations on digital business issues; working with Alexander Graf, he curates the annual Digital Commerce Day.

Previously, Holger Schneider worked as head of business development in new media for the Otto Group, where the focus of his activities was on analysing e-commerce business models and their relevancy to the Otto Group. Building on this, he contributed to the development of the Otto Group's e-commerce strategy and made recommendations with regard to setting up or buying in e-commerce business models both on the domestic and international markets.

Holger Schneider read business studies and management at the WHU Otto Beisheim School of Management (Vallendar), where he came into contact with e-commerce and digital business at an early stage. He then completed a doctorate in pricing models in digital businesses at the Christian Albrecht University of Kiel; Holger Schneider has experience of international markets gathered during a range of hands-on projects and research stays abroad, including at HEC Montréal (Canada), KEIO Business School (Japan), and the Center for Digital Business at MIT Sloan School of Management (USA).