Growth Playbooks

Insights from the studio

Field notes and playbooks from our work across Lebanon, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and France, e-commerce, LinkedIn, CRO, and AI marketing.

Shopify Partner · Beirut and Paris

E-Commerce Growth and Operations
Lebanon US Direct Flights: What They Mean for E-Commerce
The US lifted its Lebanon flight restrictions in October 2026. Flights may not start until 2027 or 2028. What that means for cargo and Lebanese e-commerce.
Oct 10, 2026 · 14 min
MENA Market Insights
February 2027 Could Be an E-Commerce Fiasco: Ramadan, Valentine's Day, and Chinese New Year Are Colliding.
Three major events within eight days. One vulnerable supply chain. Why MENA retailers need to prepare now for inventory, advertising, logistics and cash flow pressure.
Oct 9, 2026 · 17 min
Paid Media
Paid Media Is Getting Easier to Run. That Should Make Advertisers More Careful, Not Less.
Jad Al Masri examines why automated advertising makes business judgment, measurement and strategy more important for GCC and MENA advertisers.
Oct 5, 2026 · 5 min
E-Commerce & Shopify
Shopify’s Arabic Update Matters Beyond Translation
Shopify’s announced Arabic and RTL improvements put localization in focus, but merchants still need to check the complete mobile buying journey.
Oct 5, 2026 · 3 min
E-Commerce & Shopify
Before Offering a Bigger Discount, Test Whether It Pays
Shopify’s discount testing announcement raises a practical question: does a promotion improve contribution, not just orders or conversion rate?
Oct 5, 2026 · 3 min
E-Commerce Growth and Operations
Dubai’s New Cargo Capacity: What Merchants Should Check
Flydubai’s announced freighter capacity offers another option to investigate. Merchants still need confirmed routes, transit times and full shipment costs.
Oct 5, 2026 · 3 min
MENA Market Insights
Saudi E-commerce Demand Is Large. Your Store Still Has to Convert.
August Mada spending figures show scale, not a store’s sales forecast. Saudi expansion still depends on payment performance, delivery and margins.
Oct 5, 2026 · 3 min
E-Commerce & Shopify
Shopify Canvas Raises a Question About the Value of Building a Store
Shopify Canvas could change design and revision work. Availability, compatibility and the time needed for a checked store still require evaluation.
Oct 5, 2026 · 3 min
E-Commerce & Shopify
Would I Open a Branded Clothing Shop in Lebanon? My Investment Case, and Its Failure Points
A North Face hoodie at $19.99 in the US, around $90 in Beirut. My honest case for a liquidation-sourced branded clothing shop in Lebanon, the conditions it needs and the ways it fails.
Oct 4, 2026 · 7 min
E-Commerce Growth and Operations
The Airport Is Part of the Store: What America’s Travel Network Teaches Us About E-Commerce
Moving from one U.S. state to another can sometimes feel easier than driving between Lebanese cities. Here’s what America’s airports, cargo hubs and transport networks reveal about e-commerce logistics, scale and delivery economics.
Oct 3, 2026 · 9 min
MENA Market Insights
Could Luckin Coffee Succeed in Lebanon? A Founder’s Analysis
Could Luckin Coffee work in Lebanon? Mohamad Haidar examines franchise costs, coffee competitors, app payments, infrastructure and store economics.
Sep 29, 2026 · 21 min
E-Commerce & Shopify
What September 2026's E-Commerce Releases Actually Mean for MENA Merchants
ChatGPT ads with Shopify, agentic payments, AI-driven CRO and creator commerce: the September 2026 releases that matter for Lebanon and GCC merchants, and what to do about each.
Sep 25, 2026 · 10 min
E-Commerce Growth and Operations
The Hidden Logistics Tax: What Lebanon and MENA Really Pay to Move Goods
Congestion and weak freight infrastructure quietly raise the cost of every product sold in Lebanon. What it costs, and how e-commerce operators cut it.
Sep 21, 2026 · 33 min
MENA Market Insights
When a Latte in Beirut Costs More Than Manhattan
A $5.99 latte in Manhattan can cost $7.99 in Beirut. The real issue is not coffee, but the growing mismatch between global prices, Lebanese wages, unreliable infrastructure and the additional income people need to survive.
Sep 18, 2026 · 8 min
E-Commerce & Shopify
How to Start an iPhone Case Business in Lebanon
The real costs, profit margin, sourcing and marketing behind a 2,000-unit iPhone case launch in the Lebanese market.
Sep 11, 2026 · 15 min
E-Commerce & Shopify
Why Google Shows Your USD Prices in Lebanese Pounds
Your store charges in USD, but Google displays prices in Lebanese pounds. Learn why Merchant Center does this, what can go wrong, and the practical workarounds.
Sep 7, 2026 · 18 min
E-Commerce & Shopify
Why Shopify Is the Best E-Commerce Platform for Most Ambitious Brands
Shopify is not the best because it builds attractive websites. It is the best overall commerce foundation for most ambitious brands because it combines conversion, reliability, scalability, international selling, automation and ecosystem depth, without hiding the operational realities of e-commerce.
Sep 6, 2026 · 15 min
E-Commerce & Shopify
The $100,000 China Order Has Changed: E-Commerce Economics in 2026
FX, freight, CAC and working capital have rewritten e-commerce unit economics. Why the next advantage is infrastructure, not products or ads.
Sep 2, 2026 · 22 min
MENA Market Insights
The Shelf Is the Billboard: Why FMCG Brands Keep Marketing the Wrong Thing
FMCG brands often buy awareness before fixing packaging, distribution and shelf conversion. How MENA retail is rewriting the correct sequence.
Aug 28, 2026 · 9 min
E-Commerce & Shopify
10 Best Shopify Stores in MENA in 2026: What They Get Right
We analyzed 10 standout Shopify and Shopify Plus stores across MENA, from Huda Beauty to SQUATWOLF, and the e-commerce lessons behind their success.
Aug 25, 2026 · 14 min
MENA Market Insights
The Distribution Trap: Why More Retailers Do Not Always Mean Growth
A practical distribution strategy for evaluating retailers, margins, sell-through, payment collection and brand fit before chasing volume.
Aug 18, 2026 · 5 min
MENA Market Insights
Virality Doesn't Sell. Relevance Does.
Why viral views often fail to convert, and how to build marketing that creates commercially relevant attention instead of empty reach.
Aug 14, 2026 · 7 min
E-Commerce & Shopify
The Arabic-First Shopify Guide for MENA Brands
Everything Arabic-first on Shopify: RTL, typography, product content, checkout, ads and CRM.
Jun 18, 2026 · 7 min
AI Marketing
The AI Marketing Stack for Lean Teams
The AI stack a marketing team of 2 to 5 people can actually run, with tools, workflows and guardrails.
Jun 2, 2026 · 7 min
MENA Market Insights
COD vs Prepaid in MENA: The Real Trade-Off
When to accept COD, when to refuse it, and how to nudge prepaid share up.
May 18, 2026 · 7 min
MENA Market Insights
The Ramadan E-Commerce Playbook for MENA Brands
Creative, offers, logistics and channel timing for Ramadan and Eid across KSA, the UAE and the GCC.
May 5, 2026 · 7 min
MENA Market Insights
Why Lebanese Consumers Buy What Their Parents Bought
Global brands keep failing on Lebanese supermarket shelves. The consumer psychology behind inherited buying habits and how to market around it.
Apr 28, 2026 · 8 min
E-Commerce & Shopify
The Klaviyo Email Flows Every E-Commerce Store Should Run
Seven Klaviyo flows that drive most owned-channel revenue, with MENA timing.
Apr 24, 2026 · 7 min
AI Marketing
The ROI of WhatsApp Automation for E-Commerce
What abandoned-cart, order updates and re-engagement flows actually contribute in MENA.
Apr 16, 2026 · 7 min
MENA Market Insights
Why Restaurants Fail in Lebanon: A Marketing Post-Mortem
Every few weeks another restaurant in Lebanon closes. A marketing post-mortem on why F&B ventures fail.
Apr 15, 2026 · 8 min
CRO & Websites
CRO Checklist for MENA E-Commerce Stores
The 30-point CRO checklist we use on every MENA e-commerce audit.
Apr 5, 2026 · 7 min
E-Commerce & Shopify
The Real Cost of Running E-Commerce in Lebanon (2026)
A founder's breakdown of e-commerce unit economics in Lebanon and how to protect your margin.
Apr 3, 2026 · 8 min
E-Commerce & Shopify
What an E-Commerce Agency Actually Costs in Lebanon
The real cost of a senior e-commerce agency in Lebanon and what you should refuse to pay for.
Mar 27, 2026 · 7 min
CRO & Websites
Why 99% of Lebanese E-Commerce Sites Don't Convert
What's missing and how to fix your store's conversion rate.
Mar 22, 2026 · 8 min
E-Commerce & Shopify
The Real Cost of Running a Shopify Store in Saudi Arabia
Payments, VAT, ZATCA, logistics, ad spend and Arabic content, the real numbers.
Mar 14, 2026 · 7 min
AI Marketing
WhatsApp Automation in Lebanon: Why Most Brands Get It Wrong
The missing piece isn't infrastructure, it's intelligence.
Mar 10, 2026 · 8 min
E-Commerce & Shopify
The Real Cost of Running a Shopify Store in the UAE
Beyond the Shopify licence: what UAE brands actually spend to run a real store.
Mar 4, 2026 · 7 min
E-Commerce & Shopify
Shopify vs Salla vs Zid: The Honest Comparison for Saudi Brands
Which platform should your Saudi brand run and when should you migrate.
Feb 18, 2026 · 7 min
E-Commerce & Shopify
Shopify vs WooCommerce for MENA Brands
Which platform actually wins in Lebanon, the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Feb 5, 2026 · 7 min
AI Marketing
Beyond Prompts: Building AI Marketing Systems That Generate Revenue
How production AI systems actually generate revenue.
Jan 28, 2026 · 8 min
MENA Market Insights
The Influencer Credibility Crisis in Lebanon
What brands should do instead of paid praise and mom-influencer formulas.
Jan 14, 2026 · 8 min
MENA Market Insights
Speed Is the New Budget: Trend Marketing Lessons for Lebanese Brands
How Lebanese brands can win with 24-48 hour trend response.
Jan 7, 2026 · 8 min
E-Commerce & Shopify
Scaling Shopify Stores Internationally: A Founder's Playbook
A practical guide for founders scaling Shopify stores across the Middle East and Europe.
Jan 5, 2026 · 8 min

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Insights from the studio

Browse posts by topic

Lebanon US Direct Flights: What They Mean for E-Commerce

February 2027 Could Be an E-Commerce Fiasco: Ramadan, Valentine's Day, and Chinese New Year Are Colliding.

Paid Media Is Getting Easier to Run. That Should Make Advertisers More Careful, Not Less.

Shopify’s Arabic Update Matters Beyond Translation

Before Offering a Bigger Discount, Test Whether It Pays

Dubai’s New Cargo Capacity: What Merchants Should Check

Saudi E-commerce Demand Is Large. Your Store Still Has to Convert.

Shopify Canvas Raises a Question About the Value of Building a Store

Would I Open a Branded Clothing Shop in Lebanon? My Investment Case, and Its Failure Points

The Airport Is Part of the Store: What America’s Travel Network Teaches Us About E-Commerce

Could Luckin Coffee Succeed in Lebanon? A Founder’s Analysis

What September 2026's E-Commerce Releases Actually Mean for MENA Merchants

The Hidden Logistics Tax: What Lebanon and MENA Really Pay to Move Goods

When a Latte in Beirut Costs More Than Manhattan

How to Start an iPhone Case Business in Lebanon

Why Google Shows Your USD Prices in Lebanese Pounds

Why Shopify Is the Best E-Commerce Platform for Most Ambitious Brands

The $100,000 China Order Has Changed: E-Commerce Economics in 2026

The Shelf Is the Billboard: Why FMCG Brands Keep Marketing the Wrong Thing

10 Best Shopify Stores in MENA in 2026: What They Get Right

The Distribution Trap: Why More Retailers Do Not Always Mean Growth

Virality Doesn't Sell. Relevance Does.

The Arabic-First Shopify Guide for MENA Brands

The AI Marketing Stack for Lean Teams

COD vs Prepaid in MENA: The Real Trade-Off

The Ramadan E-Commerce Playbook for MENA Brands

Why Lebanese Consumers Buy What Their Parents Bought

The Klaviyo Email Flows Every E-Commerce Store Should Run

The ROI of WhatsApp Automation for E-Commerce

Why Restaurants Fail in Lebanon: A Marketing Post-Mortem

CRO Checklist for MENA E-Commerce Stores

The Real Cost of Running E-Commerce in Lebanon (2026)

What an E-Commerce Agency Actually Costs in Lebanon

Why 99% of Lebanese E-Commerce Sites Don't Convert

The Real Cost of Running a Shopify Store in Saudi Arabia

WhatsApp Automation in Lebanon: Why Most Brands Get It Wrong

The Real Cost of Running a Shopify Store in the UAE

Shopify vs Salla vs Zid: The Honest Comparison for Saudi Brands

Shopify vs WooCommerce for MENA Brands

Beyond Prompts: Building AI Marketing Systems That Generate Revenue

The Influencer Credibility Crisis in Lebanon

Speed Is the New Budget: Trend Marketing Lessons for Lebanese Brands

Scaling Shopify Stores Internationally: A Founder's Playbook

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