Developing Digital Commerce Strategies

eCommerce Certificate

Build the strategic, analytical, and practical skills needed to grow and optimize ecommerce businesses.

The eCommerce Certificate is designed for working professionals, managers, entrepreneurs, and others seeking to strengthen their understanding of ecommerce strategy and execution. Through a series of applied courses, participants learn how to improve the digital shopping experience, attract and retain customers, evaluate business performance, and develop strategies that support sustainable ecommerce growth.

The program takes an integrated view of ecommerce, connecting merchandising, customer acquisition and retention, analytics, technology, and business strategy. Participants will learn how to optimize product discovery and conversion, develop customer growth and lifecycle strategies, use data to guide decision-making, evaluate emerging technologies, build business cases, and prioritize investments based on customer impact and financial value.

Courses emphasize hands-on application and real-world business challenges.

Participants will explore topics such as digital merchandising, site taxonomy and navigation, search and product discovery, conversion optimization, customer segmentation, lifecycle marketing, customer lifetime value, experimentation, ecommerce metrics, strategic planning, forecasting, technology and vendor evaluation, and digital innovation.

The program also examines how artificial intelligence, automation, personalization, and changing customer expectations are reshaping ecommerce. Rather than focusing on individual platforms or tools, participants develop frameworks and decision-making skills they can apply as technologies, channels, and ecommerce practices continue to evolve.

By completing the certificate, participants will be prepared to evaluate ecommerce opportunities, make data-informed recommendations, develop integrated growth strategies, and create actionable roadmaps that connect customer experience, technology, operations, and financial performance.

Participants may take individual courses based on their professional development needs or complete the full series to earn the eCommerce Certificate. No technical or programming background is required.

This Course: FASH926 – Developing Digital Commerce Strategies

This course teaches students how to develop and evaluate strategies for sustainable digital commerce growth. Students will learn how industry professionals assess business performance, identify growth opportunities, prioritize investments, and build strategic plans that connect customer needs, technology capabilities, operational requirements, and financial outcomes.

Through hands-on activities and applied projects, students will use data, market insights, and financial analysis to develop business cases, forecasts, and strategic recommendations. Students will research emerging digital commerce trends, technologies, platforms, and vendors; evaluate potential investments and partnerships; and consider the organizational capabilities required to successfully execute digital transformation.

The course will also explore how artificial intelligence, automation, personalization, evolving commerce models, and changing customer expectations are influencing digital commerce strategy. Students will learn how to evaluate emerging technologies based on business value, feasibility, customer impact, organizational readiness, and expected financial return.

By the end of the course, students will develop a multi-year digital commerce strategy

and innovation roadmap that identifies strategic priorities, investment opportunities, required capabilities, key performance indicators, and recommended initiatives to support long-term ecommerce growth.

For any questions about course content, please contact the course instructor, Chelsey Potter, at chpotter@lasell.edu.

This section of Developing Digital Commerce Strategies runs November 16–December 14 during the Fall 2026 term. Students may enroll in the course through November 20.

For any questions about enrollment or Lasell Professional Studies, please contact profstudies@lasell.edu.