Leading FMCG companies are doubling down on e-commerce. But despite growing investments, a critical gap persists between those who treat e-commerce as a channel for distribution and those who embed e-commerce into the core of their brand building, innovation and overall growth strategy.
The core reason why some FMCG companies are ahead of the curve while others fall behind lies in the insight gap.
The data-rich, decision-poor paradox
While investment in e-commerce analytics keeps growing, many FMCG companies still fail to translate data into actionable insights.
This paradox stems from several factors: siloed systems, misaligned KPIs across functions, dashboards that overwhelm rather than clarify and a lack of mechanisms to translate raw data into actionable insights.
Why does the insight gap exist?
- Misalignment between operational analytics and strategic decision-making
- Tracking metrics that are easy to measure instead of those that matter most to drive e-commerce growth
- Fragmented tech stack where data lives in multiple systems (e.g., retail media, DTC, marketplaces)
- Centralised ownership of analytics
- Lack of standardised datasets
- Lack of data storytelling for senior stakeholders
Turning e-commerce data into strategic foresight
Brands must evolve beyond reporting and start accurately interpreting their data. Metrics are only as valuable as the strategic signals extracted from those numbers.
Here are key e-commerce metrics that brands should analyse and guidance on how to translate this data to bridge the insight gap.
Closing this insight gap requires more than analytics tools.
For example, SKU-level performance might exist but isn’t mapped to brand goals or profit and loss (P&L) impact. A brand could measure traffic to their e-commerce site but can’t identify why its competitor is doing well.
Ask the right questions, connect insights across teams and embed data into strategic goals.
How this insight gap effects strategic decision-making
- Sub-optimal portfolio management (wrong products being prioritised)
- Missed opportunities due to lack of visibility on right retail partners
- Sub-optimal channel strategy (DTC vs. marketplace trade-offs)
- Underutilised e-commerce leverage for growth
- Same problem, different market, same solution
- Slow reaction to pricing, claims and channel shifts
Reframe standard e-commerce metrics as strategic levers. Then, FMCG leaders can turn fragmented data into foresight, diagnose performance gaps and make informed decisions that align with both market realities and brand ambitions.
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