The Smartest Amazon Seller
Scott Needham is the Founder of SmartScout. An Amazon software developer for 10 years his company BuyBoxer has done over $300m in sales on Amazon. Scott has accumulated a deep knowledge about selling product online, and in the podcast he shares his knowledge with you to help you become a better Amazon seller.
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Episodes
4 days ago
4 days ago
Discover why simplicity might be the ultimate Amazon strategy. This is straight from an industry veteran who’s seen it all.In this episode, Scott sits down with Scotty O. of Quickfire and Always Off Brand podcast to unpack decades of experience navigating Amazon’s third-party marketplace.From working with iconic brands like Columbia Sportswear and North Face to building agencies and embracing straightforward solutions over flashy tech, Scotty O. shares practical wisdom for sellers at every stage. They dive into the realities of ad management, finding your ideal client fit, surviving category competition, and why Amazon Business is suddenly a hot topic.
Episode Notes:
00:11 - Scotty O Introduction
03:08 - Scott Ohsman's Retail Journey
05:15 - Entering the Agency World06:22 - Life at Quickfire
09:51 - Tech, Tools, and Agency Value
10:40 - Audience Awareness and Communication Styles13:43 - Niche Services and Transparent Relationships
15:49 - The Realities of the Amazon Marketplace
17:39 - The Seller's Dilemma: Guarantees and Incremental Wins
21:15 - Pricing and Competition: Can Small Brands Win?
26:00 - Chinese Sellers, External Traffic, and Ad Tech
27:54 - Amazon Business: The Sleeping Giant
Related Post: How to Know Amazon Market Share by Category: What Brands Are Winning on Amazon and Why
How to Reach Scotty O:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/scott-ohsman-861196a6
Website: quickfirenow.com
Always Off Brand Podcast: Spotify | Apple Podcast
Scott’s Links:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/scott-needham-a8b39813
X: @itsScottNeedham
Instagram: @smartestseller
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@smartestamazonseller2371
Newsletter: https://www.smartscout.com/newsletter-sign-up
Blog: https://www.smartscout.com/blog
Tuesday Oct 21, 2025
Tuesday Oct 21, 2025
Nick from Aiometrix explains how agentic AI can automate busywork and boost results for Amazon brands.
He began in a California garage with retail arbitrage, then expanded into wholesale and manufacturing during the COVID surge. Today, his team builds AI agents that connect to WMS and ad APIs to make real-time decisions on bids, budgets, and inventory so operators can focus on strategy.
Scott and Nick cover Amazon’s AI roadmap for sellers and shoppers, why large companies move slowly, then fast, and how to use copilots without losing human judgment. The conversation also touches on advances in image generation, including Google’s Nano Banana update, and what these developments could mean for PDP creative.
Episode Notes:
00:15 - Nick Bahr Introduction
01:35 - Nick’s Personal Background and Journey
03:04 - The Shift During Covid and Evolution in E-Commerce
05:15 - Amazon's Announcements and AI Adoption
07:24 - The Changing Landscape of AI in E-Commerce
09:20 - The Role and Potential of AI Agents
11:30 - Enhancing Workflow and Decision-Making with AI
13:40 - Specific Use Cases and Technology Developments
16:32 - The Complexity and Regionality in AI Applications
17:45 - Aiometrix: A ChatGPT for Amazon Sellers
18:45 - Education and Mastery in AI Interaction
20:10 - AI for Image Generation
22:15 - Aiometrix Special offer: FREEAGENTS30
Related Post: Top 10 Amazon Quotes From the Operators Podcast
How to Reach Nick:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nick-bahr-47346b9a/
Website: https://aiometrix.com/
Scott’s Links:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/scott-needham-a8b39813
X: @itsScottNeedham
Instagram: @smartestseller
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@smartestamazonseller2371
Newsletter: https://www.smartscout.com/newsletter-sign-up
Blog: https://www.smartscout.com/blog
Wednesday Oct 15, 2025
Wednesday Oct 15, 2025
Scott and Noah unpacks agency growth that actually moves the needle for Amazon sellers.
They tackle conference takeaways, real playbooks for managing hundreds of brands, and how “unreasonable hospitality” builds sticky B2B relationships. You will hear how top teams stay resilient, communicate proactively, and keep speed and flexibility at the center of every client touchpoint.
Also learn how AI is reshaping product discovery on Amazon, from ChatGPT workflows to Rufus and what that means for ranking, conversion, and revenue.
Instead of chasing vanity metrics, Scott and Noah show how to optimize for sales and profitability first, with SEO as a supporting lever.
If you run an Amazon agency or lead an in-house marketplace team, this episode is your roadmap to faster growth, smarter tools, and happier clients.
Episode Notes:
00:50 - Noah Wickham Introduction02:25 - E-commerce Beginnings and Favorites04:20 - Joining My Amazon Guy05:24 - Leadership Journey with Steven Pope09:55 - What Amazon Sellers Value11:00 - The Four Pillars of Amazon Success11:59 - Amazon Accelerate13:35 - Amazon’s AI Strategy and New Tools15:45 - Building an AI Tool for Amazon Sellers19:17 - Adapting to AI Search Behavior20:25 - The Rise and Adoption of Rufus21:55 - Golden Seller Awards24:06 - Managing Hundreds of Seller Accounts27:10 - The Importance of Speed and Execution28:20 - Unreasonable Hospitality in B2B Contexts29:10 - Fast Onboarding and Proactive Communication31:04 - Business Growth, Innovation, and Culture
Sellers United 2025
Related Post: Top 10 Creator Brands on Amazon in 2025
How to Reach Noah:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/noahwickham/
Scott’s Links:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/scott-needham-a8b39813X: @itsScottNeedhamInstagram: @smartestsellerYouTube: www.youtube.com/@smartestamazonseller2371Newsletter: https://www.smartscout.com/newsletter-sign-upBlog: https://www.smartscout.com/blog
Tuesday Aug 26, 2025
Tuesday Aug 26, 2025
Scott welcomes Dan Buford, known online as @1000Asins, to share the journey of scaling a wholesale Amazon business from the ground up.Dan explains how he left a demanding real estate career in New York to pursue e-commerce, starting with retail arbitrage before shifting to wholesale during the pandemic. He highlights the breakthrough moment of selling yeast during COVID, which fueled his full-time transition, and discusses how his team now spans the US, Philippines, and Serbia with in-house prep operations to navigate changing FBA rules.The conversation covers the realities of running a wholesale business today, from the challenges of account suspensions and rising fees to building profitable brand-direct relationships. Dan also shares insights into the future of wholesale, where resellers add value with SEO, content, and advertising support.
Episode Notes:
00:09 - Daniel Boufford Introduction
01:52 - Transition from Real Estate to Amazon Selling
03:15 - Retail & Online Arbitrage
04:05 - Pivot to Wholesale & Pandemic Opportunities
06:02 - Building and Scaling the Business
07:35 - Strategies for Wholesale Growth
08:40 - Market Trends & Seller Suspensions
12:15 - Evolution of the Wholesale Model
16:12 - Entry Barrier and Advice to New Sellers
20:14 - Wholesale Exit Opportunities & Business Valuation
23:00 - Insights from Seller Events & Community
25:10 - Content Creation and Personal Brand Building
Sellers United 2025
Related Post: The Best Carriers for Different Shipping Needs: A Data-Driven Guide
How to Reach Jeremy:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/danielboufford
Instagram: @1000asins
Scott’s Links:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/scott-needham-a8b39813
X: @itsScottNeedham
Instagram: @smartestseller
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@smartestamazonseller2371
Newsletter: https://www.smartscout.com/newsletter-sign-up
Blog: https://www.smartscout.com/blog
Tuesday Aug 19, 2025
Tuesday Aug 19, 2025
Scott invites Jeremy, founder and CEO of Euka.ai, to tell us how TikTok Shop is transforming e-commerce growth.Jeremy shares how brands are leveraging micro-creators and affiliates to generate viral content, scale sales, and even create a halo effect that boosts demand on Amazon. Together, they unpack why TikTok has become a key driver for brands looking to go from zero to $100M in record time.
Scott and Jeremy also discuss how Euka’s AI-powered platform helps brands automate creator outreach, re-engagement, and incentive programs to keep affiliates producing high-performing content.
Episode Notes:
00:18 - Jeremy Yaoxin Ding Introduction
02:35 - The TikTok Affiliate Model Explained
05:40 - Yuka’s Tools for Brand Success
06:47 - Activating and Incentivizing Creators
09:38 - Category Suitability and Limitations
11:15 - The Evolving TikTok Shop Landscape
12:49 - Managing Creator Saturation
15:58 - TikTok Shop’s Halo Effect on Amazon Sales
18:05 - LTV-to-CAC Metric
19:44 - Performance Marketing and Incrementality
20:51 - Where Social Commerce Is Going
23:07 - Practical Steps for TikTok Shop Newcomers
Related Post: How Amazon Sellers Can Use Content Marketing to Increase Sales and Build Brand Authority
How to Reach Jeremy:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jeremy-yaoxin-ding-6bb60554
Website: https://www.euka.ai/about
Email: jeremy@euka.ai
Scott’s Links:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/scott-needham-a8b39813
X: @itsScottNeedham
Instagram: @smartestseller
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@smartestamazonseller2371
Newsletter: https://www.smartscout.com/newsletter-sign-up
Blog: https://www.smartscout.com/blog
Tuesday Aug 12, 2025
Tuesday Aug 12, 2025
Scott welcomes Belal El-Harazin, founder of Automato AI, to discuss how AI is transforming Amazon content creation, keyword strategy, and catalog management.
Belal shares Automato AI’s mission to help sellers scale with automated content refreshes, brand voice integration, and powerful keyword discovery. Also highlighting fun.com’s AI-generated listings outperforming human copy.
The conversation covers the shift from manual listing updates to autonomous optimization, Amazon’s evolving search from keyword-driven to intent-based, and best practices for updating listings without losing relevance.
Belal also explains how Automato AI serves as an “operating system” for large catalogs, complete with analytics, segmentation, and price monitoring.
Episode Notes:
00:38 - Belal El-Harazin Introduction01:55 - Automato AI’s mission03:06 - The Evolution of Amazon Content Creation04:59 - Founding Story and Company Background06:26 - Agency vs SaaS08:50 - Analysis of Amazon Search Today10:53 - The Power of Brand Voice in Amazon Content12:24 - Intent vs Keyword Search13:58 - Best Practices for Updating Amazon Listings16:50 - Keyword Rotation and Relevance19:17 - Discovering the Right Keywords21:57 - Catalog Management for Scale24:50 - Adoption and Getting Started with Automato AI
Related Post: The Ultimate Amazon Repricing Strategies: AI-Powered Price Optimization
How to Reach Belal:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/belharazinWebsite: maverickdigital.com | automatoai.com
Scott’s Links:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/scott-needham-a8b39813X: @itsScottNeedhamInstagram: @smartestsellerYouTube: www.youtube.com/@smartestamazonseller2371Newsletter: https://www.smartscout.com/newsletter-sign-upBlog: https://www.smartscout.com/blog
Tuesday Aug 05, 2025
Tuesday Aug 05, 2025
Scott is joined by CPG expert Nik Hall to discuss what truly drives success for consumer packaged goods brands on Amazon.Drawing from his experience building and exiting a gummy vitamin company, Nik shares hard-earned insights on category trends, why most failures come from chasing hype too late, and how overlooked niches often present the best opportunities.Get real-world lessons from both failed launches and breakout brands, highlighting the importance of strategy, timing, and execution.Scott and Nik also explore how to validate product-market fit through blind taste tests, review mining, and competitor analysis. Nik emphasizes that in the world of consumables, taste still reigns supreme. No amount of marketing can save a mediocre product.They discuss how tools like SmartScout can guide smarter decisions around product development and launch timing, offering a clear roadmap for new sellers aiming to succeed in today’s competitive CPG landscape.
Episode Notes:
00:15 - Nik Hall Introduction
01:20 - Nik’s Background
01:57 - Success vs. Failure in CPG on Amazon
03:31 - Chasing Trends: Opportunities and Pitfalls
05: 10 - Multi-Trend Positioning
08:30 - Taste and Longevity: What Really Drives LTV
08:52 - Product Development: Testing and Sensory Analysis
11:07 - Navigating Manufacturing and Co-Packing Challenges
14:50 - Real-World Failure
18:17 - Product-Market Fit in CPG
19:03- Customer Conversations and Amazon Research
20:53 - Choosing a Launch Path
21:24 - The Realities of Retail
22:14 - The Permissionless Nature of Amazon and D2C
23:10 - Startup Resource Requirements
23:40 - Founders’ Stories
25:05 - Best Resources for New CPG Entrepreneurs
27:25 - Networking, Mentorship, and Building Real Relationships
29:08 - Content Marketing and Honest Advice
29:30 - Helping Select Brands and Giving Back
Related Post: The Top CPG Brands That Launched on Amazon Since 2018
How to Reach Nik:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nikhall
Website: vitafive.com
Scott’s Links:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/scott-needham-a8b39813
X: @itsScottNeedham
Instagram: @smartestseller
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@smartestamazonseller2371
Newsletter: https://www.smartscout.com/newsletter-sign-up
Blog: https://www.smartscout.com/blog
Wednesday Jul 30, 2025
Wednesday Jul 30, 2025
Scott and Alan Weiss, CEO of AVX Returns and a former 8-figure reseller, unpack the real cost and hidden opportunity behind Amazon returns. They explore why return management is often overlooked, how AVX turns chaos into cash, and what resellers can do to stop leaving money on the table.
Episode Notes:
01:22 - Alan Weiss Introduction
02:23 - Alan’s Background and the start of AVX Returns
03:40 - The Reseller Landscape and the Sellers United Conference
04:33 - The Real Costs and Challenges of Handling Returns
07:35 - AVX Returns’ Unique Approach to Reseller Returns
10:30 - Return Categories and Recovery Realities
11:37 - Reimbursement Opportunities
13:06 - The Psychology and Business Wisdom of Returns Management
15:16 - Operational Best Practices for Sellers
Related Post: Why U.S. Amazon Shoppers Deliver Near-Double Value Compared to International Buyers
How to Reach Alan:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alan-weiss-1b6a4431
Website: avxreturns.com
Email: info@avxreturns.com
Scott’s Links:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/scott-needham-a8b39813
X: @itsScottNeedham
Instagram: @smartestseller
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@smartestamazonseller2371
Newsletter: https://www.smartscout.com/newsletter-sign-up
Blog: https://www.smartscout.com/blog
Tuesday Jul 01, 2025
Tuesday Jul 01, 2025
Scott gets into the real-world financial decisions Amazon sellers face, especially when it comes to leveraging debt. He shares firsthand experience navigating inventory demands, Q4 cash crunches, and the lure of fast growth, while also examining the dangers of borrowing, from overvaluing inventory to the addictive cycle of continual loans.
Hear case studies, cautionary tales, and reflections on what separates sellers who survive from those who flame out. Whether you’re debating your first credit line or considering a private label acquisition, this episode offers grounded insight—and a compelling argument for building debt-free, sustainable Amazon businesses.
Episode Notes:
00:09 - Iconic Companies That Haven’t Taken Loans
01:12 - The Need for Cash in Amazon Selling
02:04 - Navigating Financial Leverage
02:26 - Types of Financial Leverage Used
06:32 - The Downside of Leverage
12:10 - A Case Study: Private Label Acquisition During Leverage
13:52 - Survival and Demise of Major Amazon Sellers
16:12 - The Case for Debt-Free Growth
18:21 - Amazon Accelerate
Related Post: Nike and Amazon's Renewed Partnership
Scott’s Links:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/scott-needham-a8b39813
X: @itsScottNeedham
Instagram: @smartestseller
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@smartestamazonseller2371
Newsletter: https://www.smartscout.com/newsletter-sign-up
Blog: https://www.smartscout.com/blog
Tuesday Jun 24, 2025
Tuesday Jun 24, 2025
Scott returns from Prosper to share some personal updates and Amazon insights.Prime Day is expanding to four days this year — a move that makes sense as Amazon tries to give shoppers and sellers more time to take advantage of the buzz.Scott also talks about the return of Sellers United this October near New York City, a conference built for resellers of all sizes.Plus, he gives a casual rundown of what’s new at SmartScout. From tools that help track where your products get mentioned online to ways of better understanding pricing trends. It’s a laid-back, behind-the-scenes update with a bit of everything for Amazon sellers.
Episode Notes:
00:15 - New developments and Upcoming Announcements
01:14 - Amazon Prime Day – Strategy and Insights
02:30 - Sellers United Conference Announcement
05:57 - New Tools: Traffic Links
09:43 - Pricing Intelligence
14:40 - Content Marketing and Brand Awareness
Related Post: Who Competes with Circana? The Top Alternatives for Retail and CPG Data Intelligence
Scott’s Links:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/scott-needham-a8b39813
X: @itsScottNeedham
Instagram: @smartestseller
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@smartestamazonseller2371
Newsletter: https://www.smartscout.com/newsletter-sign-up
Blog: https://www.smartscout.com/blog