Top eCommerce books to read this summer

It’s officially summer! As of June 21st, we’ve finally arrived at the time of year so many of us look forward to. With it, come a few weeks of calm, some new routines and even changes and improvements - both personally and professionally.

For many, these are great months for catching up on some reading. And while some of us may be year-round readers, others only usually find the peace and quiet to enjoy a good book during the summer months.

If this is your case, and you’re already thinking about what books you’ll put on your summer reading list 2023, get your pen and paper out, because we have some great recommendations.

The Motive team has hand picked some of the best eCommerce books you need to read this summer if you run or own an online business.

Summer reading challenge 2023: eCommerce books

It can be hard to find a good book. Add to that how quickly the summer passes, and this is probably the best time for you to put together your must-read list.

Below, you’ll find eCommerce books across a range of different topics, from marketing and brand image to usability, finance or sales. Happy reading!

• Shoe Dog, Phil Knight. Don’t be put off by the word ‘memoir’. This is not the kind of story you're imagining. In this book you’ll find clear similarities between your business and what is already one of the most powerful and influential sports brands in the world. Phil Knight opens up about everything you don't see behind a big brand in an engaging and straightforward way. A source of knowledge for entrepreneurs and business owners.
• DotCom Secrets, by Russel Brunson. The self proclaimed underground playbook for growing your company online with sales funnels. And that’s exactly what it’s about. But you need to know a little more about the author to really understand what you can expect from this eCommerce book. Russel Brunson is known as a funnel and conversion expert. He’s been helping entrepreneurs and SMEs achieve sales success for years. In this book, he shares his experience in digital marketing and explains clearly and simply how to generate traffic and sell more.
• Don’t Make Me Think, by Steve Krug. Although not one of the fresher additions to this eCommerce recommended reading lists, this book lays the foundations of the user experience for any web developer. Steve Krug reveals his usability hacks in an easy-to-understand and entertaining way and turns them into perfectly actionable standards for when you’ve finished the book and returned to work.
• Delivering Happiness, by Tony Hsieh. Have you ever heard the motto "happy people work better"? Whatever your answer, you'll find the explanation in this book by the CEO of Zappos. Throughout its pages, Tony Hsieh argues that happiness is the best tool for increasing productivity and sales and a good bet for long-term business success. Worth the read.
• The 1-page marketing plan, by Allan Dib. We could summarise this eCommerce book in just a few words: The perfect marketing guide for SMEs. Allan Dib -maintaining his reputation for being rebellious and daring- reveals the plan any business needs to get new customers, to stop price being your only competitive edge and to avoid looking desperate with every sale. One of the summer reads that can give you more with less (pages, not knowledge).

EXTRA READING. You Should Test That, by Chris Goward. If conversion rates are a constant concern for your online shop, this is one of the most recommended books for entrepreneurs, managers and business owners. Jump into the pool (figuratively speaking, even though it's summer) and get your hands on it.

Additional eCommerce summer reading

We hope this list gives you a great selection of books that will help you get the most out of your business. And don’t forget to visit the Motive.co blog, where we’ll still be publishing tips, tricks and eCommerce news to keep your online shop in tip top shape.

If you want to increase sales this summer, improve the shopping experience in your online store or keep up to date with the latest privacy news, we'll be here.