Mike is joined by Bill D'Alessandro in today's episode where they reflect on their decade-long journey in e-commerce, discussing where ecommerce was, where the industry currently is, and the scary direction that it's moving forward on. They also talk about the big picture, and how to succeed in the next decade if you're choosing to stay in the industry.   

Today's episode is sponsored by Autron. Maximize your ROI with Autron’s real-time algorithmic bidding, optimizing every ad dollar for smarter spending and higher returns. Start optimizing today and get 30% off for 3 months!

This Black Friday, we'll be having the biggest deal of the year on our Develop a Profitable Product course + Advanced Amazon Market course + an amazing discount AND a big bonus for those who signup for the waitlist here. Sign up now!  The Big Takeaway

• Restructuring your business can lead to significant cost savings if Amazon's been eating away at your profit margins. 
• Competition in e-commerce is now global. You're not competing against local businesses when selling items online - you have to stand out against the best of the best. 
• Getting your inventory perfect has always been a big problem for e-commerce businesses.
• Growing e-commerce businesses can be capital intensive. To grow and scale, you need more capital than you have in most cases. 
• To continue to succeed in e-commerce, you'll need a defensible moat like strong branding, regulatory compliances or intellectual property that can help protect against international competition. 
• Last but not least: If you want to succeed, you have to put yourself in a place of discomfort. 

Timestamps

• 00:00 - Navigating Business Restructuring
• 02:54 - Reflecting on E-commerce Evolution
• 06:41 - The Competitive Landscape of E-commerce
• 10:58 - The Power Shift: Platforms vs. Sellers
• 14:39 - Challenges of Inventory Management
• 22:10 - Future Trends in E-commerce
• 27:01 - Building a Sustainable E-commerce Business

As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, reach out to us at [email protected] if you're interested. 

Don’t forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoy our content. If you have any questions, send us an email at [email protected]. We'd love to help you in any way we can. 

Thanks for listening!

Until next time, happy selling!

In this episode, Dave talks about the potential impacts of Donald Trump's presidency on e-commerce, focusing on tariffs, currency fluctuations, and whether big tech companies like Amazon will still be under scrutiny from FTC. 

Today's episode is sponsored by Autron. Maximize your ROI with Autron’s real-time algorithmic bidding, optimizing every ad dollar for smarter spending and higher returns. Start optimizing today and get 30% off for 3 months!

Sign up to get early access a special bonus offer for our BFCM Deal.

We'll be having the biggest deal of the year on our Develop a Profitable Product course + Advanced Amazon Market course + an amazing discount AND a big bonus for those who signup for the waitlist here.

Takeaways

• Trump's presidency will almost 100% signify a tariff on all international imports.
• Companies will have no choice but to either increase their prices, absorb the cost, or to look at sourcing locally.
• Other than that, expect higher freight costs in the near term. Almost everyone will be placing more orders before tariffs are implemented, which will spike up freight costs.
• Big tech will certainly be affected too.
• Trump's stance on TikTok has softened.
• Amazon and Trump have a rough relationship, and its unlikely that Trump will ease their FTC issues.

Chapters

• 00:00 - The Impact of Trump's Presidency on E-Commerce
• 10:10 - Tariffs and Their Implications for E-Commerce
• 14:27 - Currency Fluctuations and Economic Strategies
• 18:15 - Big Tech and E-Commerce Dynamics
• 20:24 - Digital Taxes and Global Trade Relations

As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, reach out to us at [email protected] if you're interested. 

Don’t forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoy our content. If you have any questions, send us an email at [email protected]. We'd love to help you in any way we can. 

Thanks for listening!

Until next time, happy selling!

Dave discusses Amazon's Q3 2024 earnings report, how much their revenue has grown in advertising, third party seller fees, and retail, and what this means for third-party sellers. He delves into Amazon's revenue streams, particularly focusing on the surge in advertising fees, the relatively stable growth of FBA fees, and the overall impact on sellers in the e-commerce space. 

 

Today's episode is sponsored by Autron. Maximize your ROI with Autron’s real-time algorithmic bidding, optimizing every ad dollar for smarter spending and higher returns. Start optimizing today and get 30% off for 3 months!

 

Takeaways

• Amazon's Q3 earnings report shows a 19% increase in advertising revenue.
• FBA fees growth was only 10%, indicating stability for sellers.
• Online store revenue increased by 8%, a positive sign for Amazon's growth.
• The surge in advertising costs is outpacing retail sales growth 2x.
• Placement fees may not be as damaging as initially thought.
• Amazon's stock price rose by 6% following the earnings report.
• The growth rate of advertising revenue is the lowest in four years.

 

Timestamps

• 00:00 Amazon's Q3 Earnings Overview
• 05:03 Advertising Revenue Surge
• 09:52 FBA Fees and Seller Services
• 15:05 Implications for Third-Party Sellers

 

As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, reach out to us at [email protected] if you're interested. 

 

Don’t forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoy our content. If you have any questions, send us an email at [email protected]. We'd love to help you in any way we can. 

 

Thanks for listening!

Until next time, happy selling!

In this Halloween special, Dave delves into the billion-dollar ghost companies on Amazon —businesses that have years of history, millions in revenue while being mysteriously hard to track outside the platform. We take a look at who the billion dollar ghost companies of Amazon are, how they exist, why they exist, and Dave even dives into trying to figure out the true identities of some of these ghost companies of Amazon.

 

Today's episode is sponsored by Autron. Maximize your ROI with Autron’s real-time algorithmic bidding, optimizing every ad dollar for smarter spending and higher returns. Start optimizing today and get 30% off for 3 months!

 

Takeaways

• Some Amazon sellers who are doing millions in yearly revenue are surprisingly very hard to track. We call these "Ghost Companies". 
• A lot of these "ghost companies" operate as resellers with no easily identifiable presence.
• The registered addresses of these companies often lead to notary publics, PO boxes, or shared office spaces.
• These resellers sometimes wish to avoid public contact information to limit customer inquiries and warranty claims.
• The culture of secrecy in e-commerce is likely to persist, with more ghost companies emerging.

 

Timestamps

• 00:00 The Billion Dollar Ghost Companies of Amazon
• 08:18 Understanding the Secrecy of Resellers
• 18:13 The Gray Market and Its Implications
• 23:30 The Culture of Secrecy Among Amazon Sellers

 

As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, reach out to us at [email protected] if you're interested. 

 

Don’t forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoy our content. If you have any questions, send us an email at [email protected]. We'd love to help you in any way we can. 

 

Thanks for listening!

Until next time, happy selling!

Dave is back for a solo podcast episode to discuss the things you can do when your Amazon business is in trouble. He opens up about the challenges that he's personally facing with 2 e-commerce brands, and what he did to bring up profitability despite revenue going down 10%-50%. 

 

Today's episode is sponsored by Autron. Maximize your ROI with Autron’s real-time algorithmic bidding, optimizing every ad dollar for smarter spending and higher returns. Start optimizing today and get 30% off for 3 months!

 

2024 was one of the hardest years of selling on Amazon. Between Google SEO updates and Amazon's fee increases, a lot of sellers have been pushed to their breaking point. 

 

While things may seem bleak, the good will almost always come back around. 

 

But how do you stay afloat while things are in the gutter? 

 

In this episode, Dave talks about the few ways you can save your business that don't include selling your business at a loss. 

 

Takeaways

• Many e-commerce businesses are facing financial difficulties, not just you. 
• Laying off employees can be a necessary but difficult decision to keep your business afloat.
• Solopreneurs can also consider reducing their salaries during tough times.
• Cutting advertising costs can help improve financial health.
• Managing inventory effectively is crucial for cash flow.
• Shopping around for 3PL providers can lead to significant cost savings.
• Reviewing SaaS subscriptions can uncover unnecessary expenses.

Chapters

• 00:00 - Facing Financial Difficulties in E-commerce
• 03:11 - Navigating Declines in Revenue and Traffic
• 06:02 - Making Tough Decisions: Layoffs and Cost-Cutting
• 08:55 - Strategies for Solopreneurs in Financial Trouble
• 11:46 - Trimming the Fat: Advertising and Inventory Management
• 15:04 - Optimizing Cash Flow and Reducing Overhead Costs
• 17:56 - Reevaluating Business Strategies for Recovery
• 20:54 - Embracing Change and Moving Forward

 

As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, reach out to us at [email protected] if you're interested. 

 

Don’t forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoy our content. If you have any questions, send us an email at [email protected]. We'd love to help you in any way we can. 

 

Thanks for listening!

 

Until next time, happy selling!

Julian Timings from Autron.ai discusses if old Amazon PPC strategies still work in 2024, how video advertising is still profitable, and whether off-Amazon advertising is still worth it.

He shares some of the trends that he's seeing in Autron about optimizing campaigns, the average TACOs, and how Autron works to provide PPC management to those without budget, time or expertise.

The Big Takeaways of Today's Episode

• Amazon ad costs have been increasing significantly.
• Video advertising can be a great ROI for sellers, especially if the creative aspect is locked down.
• Off-Amazon advertising isn't very profitable - the general trend is that after some time, it isn't worth it.
• TACoS between 10-15% is more of an exception than a rule.
• PPC influences organic rankings somewhat because Amazon rewards sales velocity.

Episode Timestamps

• 00:00 - Introduction to E-commerce and PPC Strategies
• 01:58 - Julian's Background and How He Transitioned to Amazon
• 03:21 - Emerging Trends in Amazon PPC
• 04:41 - The Importance of Video Advertising
• 06:58 - Off-Amazon Advertising Insights
• 09:47 - Identifying New Sales Opportunities for Growth
• 11:30 - Optimizing Campaign Goals with Autron
• 13:29 - Campaign Structure and Management Strategies
• 16:48 - Long-Tail Keywords and Campaign Optimization
• 18:33 - Targeting Strategies and Keyword Management
• 19:54 - Understanding TACOS and Profitability
• 21:47 - The Influence of Advertising on Organic Rankings
• 23:10 - Autron's Unique Approach to PPC Management
• 25:58 - Future of AI in Advertising
• 27:48 - Pricing Model and Customer Alignment
• 29:11 - Ideal Customer Profile for Autron

As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, reach out to us at [email protected] if you're interested. 

Don’t forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoy our content. If you have any questions, send us an email at [email protected]. We'd love to help you in any way we can. 

Thanks for listening!

Today's episode is part 2 of last week's podcast, where Mike goes into the details of Icewraps' sale, how he built up profitability from being in a loss at the start of the year, and the mindset he had during negotiations. 

Today's episode is sponsored by Autron. Maximize your ROI with Autron’s real-time algorithmic bidding, optimizing every ad dollar for smarter spending and higher returns. Start optimizing today and get 30% off for 3 months!

It's been nearly 10 years since I first bought IceWraps. 

After a long journey of facing Amazon's sudden fee increases, COVID and logistical challenges, I felt that it was time for me to take some chips off the table and finally sell off the last ecommerce business that I'm holding. 

It's time for me to get some breathing room back, and move on to another project. 

Takeaways

• Raising prices and cutting unnecessary costs helped turn the business from a loss to being profitable.
• Transitioning to AWD reduced storage costs significantly.
• When you have the mindset of being done and over a business, you might be willing to do all it takes to sell. However, it's important to maintain a two-way street and make sure you don't accept terms that seem unfair. 

Timestamps

• 00:00 - The Journey of Selling Ice Wraps
• 03:07 - Challenges Faced During the Sale
• 05:56 - Turning the Business Around
• 09:13 - Cost-Cutting Strategies
• 12:08 - The Sale Process and Negotiations
• 15:02 - Finalizing the Sale and Transition
• 17:55 - Reflections on the Sale
• 20:59 - Lessons Learned and Future Outlook

As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, reach out to us at [email protected] if you're interested. 

Don’t forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoy our content. If you have any questions, send us an email at [email protected]. We'd love to help you in any way we can. 

Thanks for listening!

Until next time, happy selling!

Mike is back on the podcast to look back on IceWraps' journey, from facing burnout to regrets from running more than one brand at a time. 

Today's episode is sponsored by Autron. Maximize your ROI with Autron’s real-time algorithmic bidding, optimizing every ad dollar for smarter spending and higher returns. Start optimizing today and get 30% off for 3 months!

Takeaways

• Selling at the peak of your business can mean sacrificing future cash flows.
• Focusing on one business can lead to greater success.
• Running multiple brands at a time can dilute your effectiveness.

Timestamps

• 00:00 - The Journey of Ice Wraps: A Decade in E-Commerce
• 08:02 - Lessons Learned from Selling Ice Wraps
• 15:59 - Defining Success: The "One Thing" Focus
• 21:49 - The Transition: From Acquisition to Sale

As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, reach out to us at [email protected] if you're interested. 

Don’t forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoy our content. If you have any questions, send us an email at [email protected]. We'd love to help you in any way we can. 

Thanks for listening!

Until next time, happy selling!

In this episode, Dave recaps Amazon Accelerate 2024, highlighting some announcements that sellers should know about, and some developments that impact e-commerce sellers. 

Amazon Accelerate 2024 has just wrapped up this year, and there's been a few announcements that Amazon revealed that may or may not pass the smell test.  

In the online event, Amazon announced a range of new programs and services to help brands build relationships with third party sellers and increase their sales and profitability.

Apart from the announcements, Amazon is also making a big push to being a part of the entire supply chain process - from logistics to delivery. 

The Big Takeaways of Today's Episode

• Amazon Accelerate is the biggest event of the year for Amazon with over 4,000 live attendees and 450,000 virtual views.
• Amazon receives over 125 million product reviews annually.
• Same-day or next-day delivery 2x conversion rates.
• A new seller dashboard is available and offers better analytics for sellers.
• Live chat support is now available for all cases.
• One-on-one assistance is also now available for sellers.
• Amazon is starting to focus on owning the entire supply chain process - from logistics to delivery. 
• Buy with Prime aims to capture off-Amazon sales.

Amazon Accelerate Episode Timestamps

• 00:00 - Overview of Amazon Accelerate
• 01:17 - Key Statistics and Announcements
• 04:40 - Positive Developments for Sellers
• 11:44 - Skepticism Towards Amazon's Announcements
• 16:27 - Amazon's Supply Chain Strategy

As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, reach out to us at [email protected] if you're interested. 

Don’t forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoy our content. If you have any questions, send us an email at [email protected]. We'd love to help you in any way we can. 

Thanks for listening!

Until next time, happy selling!

In this episode, Dave talks about how Temu is pressuring Amazon with its low prices, fast shipping and surge in popularity.

Ever since Temu's viral marketing ad in the Superbowl, they've grown to become one of the biggest competitors to Amazon. 

But how is Temu able to offer lower prices compared to sites like Amazon and even eBay?

It has something to do with its business model and the fact that it lacks a few key features of other e-commerce sites. But is there more to it?

In this episode, we'll talk about how Temu has disrupted the e-commerce space, how Temu keeps its products cheap, and how they cut costs. 

The Big Takeaways of Today's Episode

• Temu has disrupted Amazon's dominance in the North American e-commerce market.
• Temu is able to offer fast shipping times because of their logistics model that mirrors Amazon's FBA.
• The Chinese government may be indirectly supporting Temu's growth by heavily supporting exports.

Temu Prices Episode Timestamps

• 00:00 - Introduction to E-commerce and Temu
• 02:54 - Temu's Disruption of Amazon
• 05:45 - Logistics and Shipping Innovations
• 09:03 - Pricing Strategies and Market Competition
• 11:50 - Government Subsidies and Economic Implications
• 15:08 - Amazon's Response to Competition
• 18:02 - Conclusion and Future Outlook

As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, reach out to us at [email protected] if you're interested. 

Don’t forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoy our content. If you have any questions, send us an email at [email protected]. We'd love to help you in any way we can. 

Thanks for listening!

Until next time, happy selling!

In this episode, Mike Jackness interviews Michael Kaufman – the CEO of ProTuff Products. We talk about Kaufman's journey in the e-commerce industry, how he differentiates his products by offering an extended warranty and how lifetime warranties guarantees 5 star reviews.

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How Do You Use Lifetime Warranties To Guarantee 5 Star Reviews?

As a shopper on Amazon, you've probably bought something that have warranty cards as a part of the products' insert. 

But most companies don't stand behind their warranty policy, or they just straight up have flimsy policies. 

Having a lifetime warranty means that you'll have to approve every warranty that comes in, no matter what. However, the bright side to this is that this almost always guarantees a 5-star review since you will actually be standing behind your own warranty policy. 

The Big Takeaways of Today's Episode

• Offering a lifetime warranty can help differentiate your products and build a solid review profile.
• Automating the warranty registration and claim process can save time and money, since you don't have to hire someone to approve warranties.
• Selling seasonal products can be challenging, but offering incentives for early registration and extending the product's use for other purposes can help mitigate the seasonality.
• Building a list through warranty registration is a TOS-compliant way to communicate with customers on Amazon.
• Choosing the right warranty duration and offering additional benefits can encourage customers to register and leave positive reviews.

Lifetime Warranties Episode Timestamps: 

• 00:00 - Introduction and Small Talk
• 03:14 - ProTuff Products and the Pool Tools Niche
• 11:29 - Differentiating Products with a Lifetime Warranty
• 18:10 - Building a List through Lifetime Warranty Registration
• 21:03 - Incentivizing Lifetime Warranty Registration and Positive Reviews
• 26:57 - Streamlining Warranty Management

As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, reach out to us at [email protected] if you're interested. 

Don’t forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoy our content. If you have any questions, send us an email at [email protected]. We'd love to help you in any way we can. 

Thanks for listening!

Until next time, happy selling!