23 APR 2024 · 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 Conference Related Post: https://www.smartscout.com/blog/vendor-central-database-of-amazon-brands

16 APR 2024 · 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 Introduction 01:23 - 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 Exits LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pirawna/ Website: https://www.pirawna.com/ Related Post: https://www.smartscout.com/blog/the-amazon-appeals-dilemma-diy-or-delegate

9 APR 2024 · 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 Introduction 03:44 - Starting an Agency 06:18 - Amazon Account Suspension Policy 12:50 - White Hat vs. Black Hat 13:55 - Brand Registry Process 15:40 - Scaling and Prep 16:37 - Mixing Retail Arbitrage and Wholesale 19:34 - Succeeding Using SmartScout 19:48 - Finding your Zone of Genius 21:51 - Mistakes and Regrets 25:23 - Inventory Manager for Amazon 27:53 - https://app.smartscout.com/sessions/signup 29:14 - Reselling Compliance Risk 30:30 - Hijackers, Black Hat Tactics, Stolen Goods 31:50 - Improving Click-Through Rate “Images are for people and copy is for robots” - Steven LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/steven-pope Website: http://myamazonguy.com | http://myrefundguy.com YouTube: https://youtube.com/myamazonguy Related Post: https://www.smartscout.com/blog/amazon-ppc-optimization-tips

2 APR 2024 · 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 Assets 03:00 - AdGrantsGenie 04:00 - Deltologic 04:40 - Connected Commerce Council 05:25 - Junglytics 06:10 - Scott’s Best Amazon Story Related Post: https://www.smartscout.com/blog/advertising-solutions-by-amazon-a-closer-look-into-amazon-ads

26 MAR 2024 · 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: http://linkedin.com/in/sabirsemerkant Websites: http://growthbysabir.com/workshop/ https://growthbysabir.com/(GROWTH by Sabir) https://growthbysabir.com/liveshow(#ThisWeekWithSabir Live) https://medium.com/worklifebalancebysabir(#WorkLifeBalanceBySab) Related Post: Pricing Strategies for Wholesale Sellers on Amazon

19 MAR 2024 · 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: https://www.linkedin.com/in/berradatarik Related Post: https://www.smartscout.com/blog/advertising-solutions-by-amazon-a-closer-look-into-amazon-ads

12 MAR 2024 · 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 2023 03:56 -  Launching and Succeeding on Walmart 04:03 - Understanding Walmart’s Style Guides and Listing Optimization 06:14 - Brand Success Stories and Strategies on Walmart 07:40 - The Journey from Online Marketplace to In-Store Presence 15:38 - Future Prospects for Walmart as an Online Marketplace 18:09 - Key Tactics for Optimizing Walmart Listings 19:50 - Walmart Tools and Data Utilization Strategies 20:38 - Understanding and Leveraging Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS)   Website: https://www.sellcord.co/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-lebhar/

5 MAR 2024 · 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 Coverage 01:15 - Prosper Update and Scott’s Favorite Audience 02:50 - https://www.smartscout.com/the-17-people-you-will-meet-at-prosper 03:15 - The Event Season 04:30 - https://www.expowest.com/en/home.html 05:45 - https://www.smartscout.com/expo-west 07:05 - Thrasio Bankruptcy 09:55 - https://twitter.com/ariozick/status/1763949833771970575 10:15 - Optimizing FBA Fees Email: mailto:scott@smartscout.com Related Post: https://www.smartscout.com/amazon-seller-key-terms/fulfillment-fee-fba-fulfillment-fee

27 FEB 2024 · 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/courses Related Post: https://www.smartscout.com/amazon-selling-guides/best-smartscout-tools-for-amazon-wholesale-sellers

20 FEB 2024 · 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 Selling 01:35 - The Elf on the Shelf 03:05 - Halloween 04:25 - Barbie Princess 06:20 - Why Stocking Out Can Be a Good Thing 07:05 - Stocking Out vs Overstocking 09:20 - Greed vs Caution Related Post: https://www.smartscout.com/amazon-selling-guides/how-to-sell-on-amazon-without-inventory