Key Ideas from Lore That Reshape eCommerce Strategy
1. Customers Buy Into Identity, Not Just Products
In eCommerce, it’s easy to assume that people are making rational decisions: compare features, read reviews, pick a winner.
But the truth is that buying is emotional first, rational second. Whether it’s a water bottle, a sneaker, or a software subscription, people tend to gravitate toward the brand that feels right—the one that aligns with the story they already believe about themselves.
Lore refers to this as a “red thread”—a cultural or personal narrative that gives a purchase more weight than utility.
Practical Application:
- Revisit your product pages. Are you just listing features, or are you reinforcing identity?
- Use images, tone, and structure that reflect your audience’s aspirations and values—not just what the product does.
2. “Best Practices” May Be Undermining Your Brand
Most eCommerce sites follow the same pattern:
Header. Filter bar. Product grid. Add to cart. Checkout.
We’ve internalized these layouts as “best practices,” but Lore challenges us to ask whether these conventions are turning stores into interchangeable experiences.
If everyone uses the same structure and tone, what makes your brand memorable?
Practical Application:
- Audit your site with fresh eyes. Ask: if I covered the logo, would anyone recognize us?
- Experiment with layout, hierarchy, or content formats that reflect your story—not just the default template.
3. Brands That Win Reflect Cultural Archetypes
Lore draws from mythology, religion, and popular culture to explain why some brands resonate more deeply than others. It suggests that the most iconic brands tap into universal archetypes: the hero, the guide, the rebel, the nurturer.
Think of Nike, Harley Davidson, Apple, or even local cult favorites. These brands stand for something beyond themselves, and their imagery, voice, and behavior reflect that consistently.
Practical Application:
- Identify the archetype your brand already leans toward. Are you empowering transformation? Guiding a journey? Protecting something sacred?
- Align your visuals, copy, and even UX elements to that archetype for consistency and depth.
4. Community and Belonging Create Real Customer Loyalty
One of Lore’s most powerful arguments is that commerce is becoming cultural. People want to feel a sense of belonging with the brands they choose.
This is especially true as digital spaces become noisier and more transactional. The brands that rise above are the ones that make people feel like they’re part of something, not just consuming something.
Belonging, nostalgia, and shared values all create signals of safety, identity, and connection.
Practical Application:
- Build real-world or online experiences that foster community. This could be events, group challenges, UGC campaigns, or brand rituals.
- Think less about keeping users on your site, and more about embedding your brand in their life.
5. Story Is a Strategic Foundation, Not a Marketing Add-On
Throughout Lore, story is not treated as a marketing flourish. It’s positioned as the organizing principle of a brand.
This changes how we think about everything from design to customer service to post-purchase retention. When your brand reflects a cohesive narrative, customers know what you stand for, and they feel part of something lasting.
Practical Application:
- Create internal documents outlining your brand’s “story logic”—what’s your origin, who do you serve, what change do you help create?
- Ensure this narrative shows up consistently in your product descriptions, customer emails, social media, and support touchpoints.
