Scaling smart: How John Arquette rebuilt ecommerce at Galls
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Get the full episode here
TL;DR - What you'll learn:
- How John consolidated two ecommerce brands into one high-performing site
- How Galls revived a dormant email channel to drive $125K/month in revenue
- Why marketplaces aren’t always the right answer for distributors
- How a nationwide Jeep tour unlocked goldmine customer data
- Why building your own ecommerce platform is no longer worth it
“If you know your customer, you know what to ask. That’s how you get first-party data that actually drives revenue.”
— John Arquette, Head of Ecommerce at Galls
In this episode of Ecommerce Toolbox: Expert Perspectives, host Kailin Noivo speaks with John Arquette, Head of Ecommerce at Galls, about how he turned around a complex tech stack, reconnected with a niche customer base, and delivered explosive growth using smart segmentation and authentic messaging.
With two decades of ecommerce leadership—and a Marine Corps background—John blends tactical execution with strategic clarity, especially in high-trust, high-specialization markets like military gear.
🎧 Listen to the full conversation on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube
A turnaround ecommerce playbook—military-grade edition
When John joined Galls, its ecommerce business had just absorbed a major acquisition: U.S. Patriot Tactical. But instead of thriving, the site had lost relevance, tone, and momentum with its military audience.
His first move?
- Rebuild authenticity
- Reconnect with the core customer
- Re-energize the channels that were quietly dying
“The site had been replatformed. The team had been downsized. And the military language? It was missing entirely.”
— John Arquette, Head of Ecommerce at Galls
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Consolidating the stack without breaking the brand
Galls had two military-facing brands—each with dozens of retail locations and separate ad budgets.
John led a brand consolidation and chose to sunset Patriot Outfitters in favor of the stronger U.S. Patriot brand.
“We hired a firm to help us listen to the market. There was one clear winner—U.S. Patriot.”
— John Arquette, Head of Ecommerce at Galls
Because both sites were already on the same platform, consolidation focused on:
- Combining marketing lists
- Optimizing ad spend
- Preserving SEO
- Reintroducing legacy customers to a unified, authentic brand
The result: A smoother migration with minimal sales loss and maximum efficiency.
From $4k to $125k: The email comeback story
When John took over, the email channel was nearly inactive. Within a quarter, it was generating over $125K/month.
How?
- Increased cadence gradually
- Reintroduced relevance through military-specific language
- Rebuilt trust with segmentation and tone
- Trained the team to write for the actual audience
“We brought back military language—even phrases that felt strange to the marketing team. The customers loved it.”
— John Arquette, Head of Ecommerce at Galls
Jeep tour meets first-party data goldmine
To re-engage the market, John helped launch a nationwide Jeep giveaway campaign across 25+ military bases—The U.S. Patriot Bravery Tour.
But it wasn’t just a flashy campaign. It was also a first-party data engine.
Each entry collected unique insights:
- Branch, location, MOS (military role)
- Gear preferences and boot brands
- Shopping frequency and replacement timelines
“We used that data to create ultra-specific segments. One campaign had a 97% click-through rate.”
— John Arquette, Head of Ecommerce at Galls
Why Galls stepped back from marketplaces
Despite his success growing marketplace revenue at other companies, John made a deliberate decision to step away from Amazon at Galls.
Why?
- Galls is a reseller, not a brand
- Competing with the brands they buy from on marketplaces drove thin margins
- The complexity and cost outweighed the short-term gains
“Being a reseller on Amazon is nearly a non-starter now—unless you have serious leverage.”
— John Arquette, Head of Ecommerce at Galls
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Stop building ecommerce platforms from scratch
John’s firm take on in-house ecommerce platforms?
“It’s over.”
With the rise of intuitive, fast-moving SaaS platforms like Shopify—and the pace of AI innovation—it no longer makes sense for brands to pour time and resources into custom platforms.
“When Shopify’s innovating every quarter and integrating AI, why spend millions maintaining your own?”
— John Arquette, Head of Ecommerce at Galls
Key takeaways for ecommerce leaders
- Authenticity matters more than ever—especially in high-trust verticals
- Segmentation isn’t about quantity—it’s about relevance
- Listen to your customers before you rebrand or consolidate
- Don't romanticize custom stacks: modern SaaS is faster and more cost-effective
- Sometimes the best “innovation” is reactivating channels you’ve ignored
Listen to the full episode now
Tune in to hear how John Arquette helped Galls consolidate two brands, rebuild trust with a military audience, and turn a stagnant ecommerce channel into a personalized growth engine.
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