The Smartest Amazon Seller

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

Episode 245: Stocking Out is Good for Your Business

In this episode, Scott dives into the art of inventory management, drawing lessons from early encounters with hits like Elf on the Shelf, Halloween products, and Barbie dolls. He explores the fine line between stocking out and overstocking and discusses why stocking out can sometimes be good.Plus, Scott tackles upcoming 2024 FBA fees and shares strategies for thriving in today's ever-evolving market. Tune in for expert tips on mastering inventory and maximizing profitability.Episode Notes:00:30 - Early Lessons from Amazon Selling01:35 - The Elf on the Shelf03:05 - Halloween04:25 - Barbie Princess06:20 - Why Stocking Out Can Be a Good Thing07:05 - Stocking Out vs Overstocking09:20 - Greed vs CautionRelated Post: How To Sell on Amazon Without Inventory

Episode 244: The Rise and Fall of Aggregators with Michal Oron of Fortunet

Scott Needham interviews Michal B. Oron, the CEO and Co-Founder of Fortunet.net, the first investment bank focused on e-commerce businesses.They discuss the rise and fall of aggregators in the Amazon marketplace, the diversification of acquirers, and the importance of benchmarking for Amazon sellers. They also explore key metrics such as ACOS (Average Cost of Sale), repeat customer rate, market share, and the Inventory Performance Index (IPI).Michal shares insights into how these metrics impact the attractiveness and potential of a business. Overall, they are optimistic about the market and see a growing appetite for deals in the e-commerce space. Episode Notes:01:05 - Michal Introduction 01:30 - The Rise and Fall of Aggregators 04:05 - Benchmarking 07:50 - Understanding ACOS 11:20 - Repeat Customer Rate 17:00 - Market Share 19:00 - The Significance of Market Share20:55 - Inventory Performance Index (IPI)Website: https://fortunet.net/LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michal-baumwald-oron-9b604620Related Post: Thrasio vs Perch: Which Amazon Aggregator Is Right for You?

Episode 243: The Power of Lifetime Warranties on Amazon with Michael Kaufman

In this episode, Scott interviews Michael Kaufman, an expert in e-commerce and Amazon selling, about the importance and impact of offering a lifetime warranty as a strategy to build brand identity and customer loyalty.They discuss how this approach can differentiate a brand in a competitive market, foster trust with customers, and contribute to long-term success on Amazon.Additionally, they share tips and advice for sellers interested in implementing a similar warranty strategy in their businesses. Episode Notes:00:25 - Michael Kaufman Introduction 01:10 - How Michael Started 03:45 - Lifetime Warranty 04:55 - Building Credibility from Reviews 06:05 - Fulfilling Claims 08:40 - Organic Product Launch 09:50 - Conversion from Lifetime Warranty 11:15 - Putting the Warranty in the Main Image 12:05 - Tricking the Amazon Algorithm 12:55 - Lifetime Value of Customers 15:25 - Thinking Like a Customer 16:10 - Warranty Registration 17:35 - Utilizing MailersLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/protuffproductsWebsite: https://brandfortresshq.com/Related Post: 8 Strategies To Boost Your Conversion Rates on Amazon

Episode 242: Future-Proof Product Launch Formula with Dylan Lam of Omirank

Scott Needham interviews Dylan Lam of Omirank about building a long-term product that turns into a brand. They discuss the evolution of product launches and the concept of treating Amazon as a channel rather than a business model.Dylan shares his future-proof product launch formula, which involves triple validation through Amazon research, dropshipping research, and Kickstarter. They delve into the preparation and launch stages of Kickstarter, as well as the importance of generating traffic and building a community.Dylan provides examples of successful Kickstarter campaigns and highlights the cash flow advantage and flexibility of launching on Kickstarter. They also discuss fulfillment options and the assistance provided by Omirank in the product launch process.Episode Notes:00:00 - Introduction and Goal of the Podcast01:10 - Guest Introduction01:38 - The Evolution of Product Launches03:10 - Treating Amazon as a Channel06:49 - The Future-Proof Product Launch Formula07:16 - Dropshipping Research08:43 - The Kickstarter Step10:26 - Preparation and Launch Stages of Kickstarter13:33 - Generating Traffic on Kickstarter15:33 - Successful Kickstarter Examples19:18 - Cash Flow Advantage and Launching on Amazon21:56 - Fulfillment of Kickstarter Orders24:08 - Assistance in the Product Launch Process26:41 - Building a Brand and Owning Traffic28:01 - ConclusionLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dylan-kenneth-lam-796778281Related Posts: The Ultimate Checklist for Launching a Product on Amazon

Episode 241: A Deep Dive into Amazon Influencer Tools and Trends with Liz Saunders

In this episode, Scott Needham interviews Liz Saunders, the founder of Fluencer Fruit, a tool for Amazon influencers.Liz shares her background as an Amazon seller and her journey to building Fluencer Fruit.She discusses the need for tools in the Amazon Influencer Program and the challenges of marketing the tool. Liz emphasizes the importance of video in Amazon listings and how it can increase sales and reduce returns.She also discusses Amazon's response to video trends and the future of the Amazon Influencer Program. The episode concludes with Liz sharing how sellers can use Fluencer Fruit for optimization and her contact information for further questions.Episode Notes:00:00 - Introduction and Background01:00 - Building Fluencer Fruit03:02 - The Need for Tools in the Amazon Influencer Program04:11 - Marketing Challenges05:24 - The Importance of Video in Amazon Listings08:19 - The Impact of Video on Sales and Returns09:47 - Amazon's Response to Video Trends13:20 - How Sellers Can Get Videos on Their Listings14:14 - Case Study: Increase in Sales with Influencer Content18:13 - Using Fluencer Fruit for Optimization19:27 - The Future of the Amazon Influencer Program21:24 - Expansion of the Influencer Program Internationally22:35 - Closing RemarksLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/liz-saundersWebsite: www.fluencerfruit.comRelated Post: Leveraging User-Generated Content to Boost Amazon Sales