School’s out, summer’s here, and with it, new books for ecommerce pros. Here’s our quarterly rundown — a selection of recent and forthcoming titles that present fresh takes on economics and finance, AI, startups, marketing strategy, Amazon, and more.
Ecommerce Books: Summer 2024
Your AI Survival Guide: Scraped Knees, Bruised Elbows, and Lessons Learned from Real-World AI Deployments by Sol Rashidi
AI Survival Guide
Rashidi, who helped launch AI implementations, including IBM’s Watson, demystifies AI deployment with hype-free, real-world examples and practical advice.
The Everything War: Amazon’s Ruthless Quest to Own the World and Remake Corporate Power by Dana Mattioli
The Everything War
This detailed exposé of Amazon’s no-holds-barred competitive tactics by an award-winning Wall Street Journal reporter is hailed by reviewers as “blistering,” “riveting,” “explosive,” and “masterful.”
Cash Is King: Maintain Liquidity, Build Capital, and Prepare Your Business for Every Opportunity by Peter W. Kingma
Cash Is King
Kingma, a corporate consultant, argues that cash position is just as important as sales, costs, and service, providing case studies and tips on ensuring your company always has cash when needed.
Reignition: Transforming Stuck Startups into Breakout Winners by Dave Hersh
Reignition
Entrepreneur and investor Hersh aims to help entrepreneurs get unstuck — or better yet, avoid getting stuck in the first place.
Think Like a Brand. Act Like a Startup. Drive Growth and Innovation by Balancing Stability and Agility by Lauren Perkins
Think Like a Brand
Drawing on her experience working with companies of all sizes, Lauren Perkins shows entrepreneurs how to combine the best aspects of established brands and innovative startups for growth and stability.
Plastic Capitalism: Banks, Credit Cards, and the End of Financial Control by Sean H. Vanatta
Plastic Capitalism
Ecommerce as we know it wouldn’t be possible without credit cards. Vanatta’s accessible financial history explains how plastic came to dominate the consumer economy.
Simple Marketing for Smart People by Billy Broas, Tiago Forte, and Ali Abdaal
Simple Marketing for Smart People
With so much advice on marketing strategies and tactics, it can be easy to get lost in the weeds. This book aims to cut through the clutter to focus on the basics for maximum effectiveness.
The 10-Second Customer Journey: The CXO’s Playbook for Growing and Retaining Customers in a Digital World by Todd Unger
10-Second Customer Journey
A 30-year digital marketing veteran offers a step-by-step guide to becoming your own “Chief Friction-Reduction Officer.”
Shocks, Crises, and False Alarms: How to Assess True Macroeconomic Risk by Philipp Carlsson-Szlezak and Paul Swartz
Shocks, Crises, False Alarms
How might global events — pandemics, wars, inflation, recession — affect your business? Two seasoned economists show how to get past frightening headlines to assess the potential risks.
Never Enough: From Barista to Billionaire by Andrew Wilkinson
Never Enough
What’s it like to make a lot of money? Wilkinson shares his journey from starting a business in high school to becoming a billionaire — and beyond — with some surprising lessons learned.
The New Rules of Marketing & PR: How to Use Content Marketing,AI, Social Media, Podcasting, Video, and Newsjacking to Reach Buyers Directly, 9th Edition by David Meerman Scott
New Rules of Marketing & PR
And finally, a new version of an international bestseller. The updated ninth edition of this perennially popular classic is set to publish in August.
