The B2C capped-retainer playbook.

The five-layer capped retainer

Five integrated service lines under a single fixed monthly cap. The Charleston's /mo example covers:

1. WooCommerce storefront, Australian-hosted WordPress + WooCommerce, performance-engineered, hardened, monitored.
2. Google Ads + Display, brand defence, competitor terms, Performance Max for catalogue, GDN remarketing. Monthly management, ad spend at cost.
3. Meta paid social, disciplined creative testing, custom audience iteration, conversion-event optimisation, CAPI server-side. Monthly management, ad spend at cost.
4. Klaviyo programme, welcome → win-back flows, predictive segments, dynamic content blocks, send-time optimisation, deliverability discipline.
5. SEO programme, monthly SEO programme, keyword research, technical audit, content recommendations, link strategy. The compounding line.

Why the cap is firm

The cap is firm. Block Hours commissioned outside the cap (creative variants, video edits, ad-hoc Shopify tweaks) appear as separate, transparent line items on the Xero invoice. The cap doesn't quietly creep upward.

Senior-strategist discipline at the engagement-edge, flag-or-absorb on borderline scope, is what protects the firm-cap commitment. Without the discipline, capped retainers degrade into uncapped retainers.

Where this fits

Founder-led B2C brands at $50K- monthly revenue. WooCommerce or Shopify, single-brand or hybrid B2C+wholesale. Founder takes the call directly with Adam. Senior strategist scopes + delivers the engagement.

Doesn't fit: enterprise PE-portfolio multi-brand engagements (different shape, multi-brand retainer with per-brand transparent line items). Doesn't fit: high-AOV brands at monthly revenue (different shape, Growth or Scale tier with weekly creative cadence + larger Block Hours pool).

Read more:

• Charleston's case study →
• Capped retainer as incentive system →
• Pricing →