The Smartest Amazon Seller

Episode 255: The Hadley Designs Story - A Journey Through Amazon Selling

In this episode, Josh Hadley takes us on a journey through his entrepreneurial path, sharing the story behind Hadley Designs and how they've carved out a niche in the competitive world of stationery products. Discover how Josh's childhood hustle selling lemonade paved the way for his successful e-commerce venture, and learn about the pivotal moments that led to Hadley Designs' evolution from custom wedding invitations to educational posters. With candid insights into navigating market challenges such as COVID-19 and the importance of constant innovation, this episode offers invaluable lessons for aspiring Amazon sellers. We also delve into the intricacies of protecting designs from IP infringement, strategies for effective product launches, and the critical role of community building in e-commerce success. Whether you're a seasoned seller looking for new strategies or a newcomer eager to learn, this episode is packed with actionable advice and inspiring stories to help you thrive in the dynamic world of Amazon selling. Episode Notes: 00:17 - Josh Hadley Introduction 01:17 - Josh’s Background 01:56 - Childhood Business Ventures to Amazon 06:00 - Pivoting Categories and Selling Recipe Cards 10:10 - Scaling the Amazon Business and Impact of Covid 12:50 - The Current State of Selling Design-Based Products on Amazon 15:00 - Protecting Intellectual Property and Legal Strategies 20:25 - Barriers to Entry and Success Factors in Design-Based Categories 25:20 - Merch by Amazon and Product DifferentiationLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/joshhadleyWebsite: ues.utah.edu Related Post: Winning the Bogus IP Claim War on Amazon

Episode 254: Insights About the New FBA Fees, Listing Hacks, SmartScout’s Brand Reports, and the 2024 Accelerate Conference

Scott gives us 4 key updates in a quick but compact episode.The topics include an analysis of Amazon's FBA placement fee program, SEO strategies for product listings, insights on SmartScout's brand reports, and details about Pattern's Accelerate conference for large brands.Whether you're an experienced seller or new to Amazon's marketplace dynamics, this episode offers valuable insights and tips for enhancing your business reach and efficiency. Episode Notes: 00:40 - Amazon's New FBA Placement Fee 04:07 - SEO Hacks for Product Listings 07:30 - SmartScout’s Brand Reports 09:50 - Pattern’s Accelerate ConferenceRelated Post: The Vendor Central Database of Amazon Brands

Episode 253: Is the Mafia Selling on Amazon? Answers With Jed Rawson

Scott is joined by Jed Rawson, CEO of Pirawna, who shares a gripping tale of intrigue and perseverance in the face of adversity. Jed recounts a recent incident where his team encountered stolen goods being sold on Amazon, totaling a staggering $4 million in inventory. Through meticulous investigation and collaboration with law enforcement, they uncovered an organized crime operation responsible for potentially $50-100 million in stolen goods.Amazon's swift response led to the shutdown of several accounts linked to the illegal activity, marking one of their largest takedowns of fraudulent sellers to date.Jed discusses supply chain security measures, emphasizing the importance of GPS tracking containers and verifying driver identities. He also highlights Pi Agency's success in assisting brands to exit for significant sums, driven by strategies informed by past failures and focused on long-term trends. Episode Notes:00:13 - Jed Rawson Introduction01:23 - Mafia on Amazon 04:00 - BuyBox Hijacked 06:25 - Genesis of SmartScout 07:00 - Stolen Inventory Investigation 11:50 - Law Enforcement and Takedown Operations 14:40 - Learning from Amazon Escalations 16:10 - Organized Criminal Operation and Impact on Brands 21:15 - Precautions and Preventive Measures 27:40 - Brand ExitsLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/pirawna/ Website: https://www.pirawna.com/Related Post: The Amazon Appeals Dilemma: DIY or Delegate

Episode 252: Insider Strategies for Profitable Amazon Selling with Steven Pope

Steven Pope from My Amazon Guy discusses strategies for profiting on Amazon. With over a decade of experience, Steven shares insights on navigating challenges and evolving business models.He covers topics such as brand registry loss, retail arbitrage, and mitigating compliance risks. Emphasizing the importance of learning from setbacks, Steven provides actionable advice for sellers to enhance their success on Amazon.Episode Notes:00:23 - Steven Pope Introduction03:44 - Starting an Agency06:18 - Amazon Account Suspension Policy12:50 - White Hat vs. Black Hat13:55 - Brand Registry Process15:40 - Scaling and Prep16:37 - Mixing Retail Arbitrage and Wholesale19:34 - Succeeding Using SmartScout19:48 - Finding your Zone of Genius21:51 - Mistakes and Regrets25:23 - Inventory Manager for Amazon27:53 - SmartScout Trial29:14 - Reselling Compliance Risk30:30 - Hijackers, Black Hat Tactics, Stolen Goods31:50 - Improving Click-Through Rate“Images are for people and copy is for robots” - Steven LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/steven-popeWebsite: myamazonguy.com | myrefundguy.comYouTube: youtube.com/myamazonguyRelated Post: Amazon PPC Optimization: Tips for More Clicks and Conversions

Episode 251: Insights, Stories, and Standout Companies with Scott

Scott shares his insights on recent happenings in the Amazon space, including standout companies such as AdGrantsGenie, AIA Assets, Deltologic, and a personal story highlighting the challenges sellers face. Episode notes: 01:10 - AIA Assets03:00 - AdGrantsGenie04:00 - Deltologic04:40 - Connected Commerce Council05:25 - Junglytics06:10 - Scott’s Best Amazon StoryRelated Post: Advertising Solutions by Amazon: A Closer Look into Amazon Ads

Episode 250: Discovering Growth Strategies and Branding Tips with Sabir Semerkant

Scott Needham, accompanied by e-commerce expert Sabir Semerkant, dives deep into the ever-evolving world of online commerce.With over 25 years of experience, Sabir shares invaluable insights, including his unique “8-D Method" for business growth, honed through ventures such as revitalizing Vitamin Shoppe's website from bankruptcy to success.The discussion covers crucial aspects such as optimizing website performance, strategic pricing, and the importance of cohesive team dynamics, emphasizing the significance of adapting to AI advancements and focusing on revenue per session rather than traditional conversion rates.Episode notes:00:15 - Sabir Semerkant Introduction 02:05 - Sabir’s Background 03:55 - Good and Bad Information 04:40 - Vitamin Shoppe 05:15 - Test, Learn, and Optimize 07:05 - Ecommerce is a Mix of Different Practices 08:00 - Co-founding VaynerCommerce 10:20 - How Sabir Met Gary V. 13:50 - 8-D Method 14:55 - Performance Optimzation 18:40 - Consumer Attention Span 23:20 - Premium Pricing 25:25 - Product Positioning and Brand Building 29:40 - Story Telling 32:50 - Customer UX 35:20 - Retargetting and Remarketing 40:20 - Logistics LinkedIn:linkedin.com/in/sabirsemerkantWebsites:growthbysabir.com/workshop/growthbysabir.com (GROWTH by Sabir) growthbysabir.com/liveshow (#ThisWeekWithSabir Live) medium.com/worklifebalancebysabir (#WorkLifeBalanceBySab)Related Post: Pricing Strategies for Wholesale Sellers on Amazon

Episode 249: Insights from M19 Founder Tarik on Unlocking Amazon Advertising Secrets

Scott interviews Tarik, the founder of M19, an advertising technology tool for Amazon sellers. They discuss various topics related to advertising on Amazon, including organic rank awareness, retail data awareness, inventory awareness, and variation advertising. Tarik shares insights into how M19 helps sellers optimize their advertising campaigns and make data-driven decisions. He also discusses the importance of conversion rate and how it can impact advertising costs. Overall, the conversation provides valuable information for Amazon sellers looking to improve their advertising strategies. Episode Notes: 00:35 - Introduction and Background 02:00 - Building M19 and Getting Customers 05:30 - Organic Rank Awareness 08:47  - Checking rankings 12:18  - Inventory Awareness 14:45 - Advertising Awareness 19:15 - Conversion Data 22:54 - Marketplace Preferences 24:17 - How to Reach M19 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/berradatarik Related Post: Advertising Solutions by Amazon: A Closer Look into Amazon Ads

Episode 248: Inside Walmart’s Rise with SellCord CEO Michael Lebhar

Scott Needham interviews Michael, the CEO and founder of SellCord, a Walmart agency. They discuss the growth and success of Walmart as an e-commerce platform, the reasons for brands to work with Walmart, and the opportunities for success in different categories. Michael shares insights on achieving category success on Walmart, optimizing listings, and using Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS). He also discusses Walmart's future and its competition with Amazon. Episode Notes: 00:30 -  Introduction and Evolution of Walmart E-commerce 02:23 - Michael's Insights on Walmart in 202303:56 -  Launching and Succeeding on Walmart04:03 - Understanding Walmart’s Style Guides and Listing Optimization06:14 - Brand Success Stories and Strategies on Walmart07:40 - The Journey from Online Marketplace to In-Store Presence15:38 - Future Prospects for Walmart as an Online Marketplace18:09 - Key Tactics for Optimizing Walmart Listings19:50 - Walmart Tools and Data Utilization Strategies20:38 - Understanding and Leveraging Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) Website: https://www.sellcord.co/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-lebhar/

Episode 247: Catching Up With the Latest Amazon Updates

Scott breaks down the latest news in the Amazon space.Learn his reactions to new FBA Fees and the details of Thrasio’s Bankruptcy Filing. Plus, some funny takes on the 17 people you will meet at the Prosper event.Episode Notes:00:35 - Podcast Coverage01:15 - Prosper Update and Scott’s Favorite Audience02:50 - The 17 People you will meet @ Prosper03:15 - The Event Season04:30 - Natural Products Expo West 202405:45 - SmartScout Expo West Brand Report07:05 - Thrasio Bankruptcy09:55 - Tweets about Thrasio’s Bankrupt10:15 - Optimizing FBA FeesEmail: scott@smartscout.comRelated Post: Fulfillment Fee (FBA Fulfillment Fee)

Episode 246: Evaluating Amazon Seller Tools With David Zimmermann

In this podcast episode, Scott Needham interviews David Zimmermann from the Amazon Tools League channel.They discuss the process of analyzing Amazon tools and how David evaluates different categories of tools, such as PPC automation and profitability trackers. They also talk about the challenges of comparing AI features in different tools and the importance of considering cost in tool evaluation.David shares his experience with tracking the tool landscape and how some tools have faded away over time. They also touch on the topic of newsletters and the importance of building an email list for e-commerce brands.Episode notes:00:15 - David Zimmermann Introduction 01:40 - David Zimmermann Tools Comparison 04:45 - Comparing AI 5:45 - Automation Features 07:02 - Scoring Tool Features 09:00 - David’s Favorite Category 10:15 - Finding the Tools 11:00 - How Returns Affect Profitability 13:25 - Picking Worth It Demos 14:14 - Tools That Faded Away 15:20 - Analyzing Newsletters 19:35 - Conclusion LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ddzim/Website: https://courses.ddzim.me/coursesRelated Post: The 5 Best SmartScout Tools for Amazon Wholesale Sellers