Multi-Channel eCommerce Made Simple: Lessons from Charles Bentley’s £30M Strategy with Andrew Steel (episode 565)
Andrew Steel is the eCommerce Director at Charles Bentley. Founded 160 years ago as manufacturer of chimney sweeping brushes, they now balance selling brushes and cleaning products via wholesale and dropshipping to some of the UK’s largest retailers and running their own home and garden eCommerce store. Annual Sales are now at around £30million across the group.
Listen now for free:
Powered by RedCircle
Subscribe on your Favourite Podcast App
Dive in:
[03:57] Optimizing Retail Channels for Growth
[07:44] Stock Management and Channel Optimization
[12:08] Challenges in Retail Price Control
[16:00] Evolving Expertise Through Technology Partnership
[16:57] Longstanding Trusted Business Partnership
[23:16] eCommerce Challenges and Recovery
[24:54] Expanding Charles Bentley’s European Market
[25:35] Listen to Andrew’s Top Tips!
Managing Multiple Sales Channels Is About Systems, Not Chaos
Andrew shares how Charles Bentley sells on 20+ channels, from Amazon to their own site, without losing control. The key is building strong systems and using the right technology partners. Aggregators and custom-built bridges keep product data, stock, and orders synced. Once processes are in place, adding a new channel isn’t as hard as it sounds. This is a must-listen if you’re struggling to keep your channels aligned.
Stock Control Can Make or Break Your Brand
Overselling is one of the biggest risks in multi-channel retail. Andrew explains how they use algorithms to split stock across channels and add buffers to avoid problems. This keeps customers happy and protects the brand’s reputation. He emphasizes that it’s not just about getting products listed—it’s about making sure orders can actually be fulfilled. If you’ve had stock headaches, his approach will give you ideas.
Less Can Be More When It Comes to Product Range
Pre-pandemic, Charles Bentley carried over 1,300 SKUs. Now they’ve cut that number by half to focus on their strongest categories. This shift lets them invest more in the products that really matter and maintain quality. Andrew suggests being laser-focused on what will win in the market, not trying to be everything to everyone. This lesson will resonate with anyone juggling too many SKUs.
Data Is the Secret Weapon for Growth
Gone are the days when listing products was enough to drive sales. Andrew talks about using data to optimize pricing, forecast demand, and decide which products to sell where. He also explains how weather data and search trends feed into their planning. This kind of insight helps them stay ahead of competitors and avoid expensive mistakes. Any eCommerce owner serious about scaling should hear this part.
Outsourcing High-Level Expertise Can Be a Game-Changer
Rather than hiring full-time specialists for every function, Andrew uses fractional directors and external experts. These partners help with forecasting, trading, and marketplace management at a fraction of the cost. This flexible approach gives them access to top-tier insight without bloating headcount. It’s a smart strategy for growing businesses that need expertise but not full-time salaries. If you’re debating when to outsource, this section is gold.
eCommerce Book Top Tip
- How to Make a Million in Business by Gary Beckwith
eCommerce Traffic Top Tip
- Go where the traffic is — don’t just focus on your own website.
Tool Top Tip
- Use Sellerboard for Amazon to track sales, commissions, and rebates with a mini P&L, and pair it with Klaviyo.
Carbon Top Tip
- Work with a specialist to measure your entire business’s carbon footprint — from employee commutes to packaging — then use that data to reduce impact.
Interview links
Related Episodes
- Adapting a complicated business fast with Andrew Steel from Charles Bentley (episode 294)
- The SEO Strategy for High-SKU Stores (and Hear How It 10Xed Sales) with Blink SEO’s Sam Wright (episode 494)
- Acquire & Accelerate: The Best Backyard’s Tom White Shares Tips for 10x Growth in 12 Months (episode 539)
Without the sponsors the podcast wouldn’t be possible – please do check them out:
Have you yet downloaded our ebook?
To celebrate reaching Episode 500 we’ve created an EPIC eCommerce success-focused ebook.
Packed with FIVE HUNDRED Top Tips about how to make your eCommerce store more profitable.
Featuring the advice of many, many past guests, alongside industry experts and many from you – our listeners.
Chloe has checked every single tip, and organised the whole thing into sections for you.
Making is super easy to dip and dip out and take inspiration as and when you need it.
This ebook needs to be sat on your desktop – or (even…) printed and sat on your desk.
Download your free copy right now
Full transcript to read & download:
Like to be a guest? Apply Here