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Let’s be real here. Amazon is dangerous to 3rd-party sellers. We are not dealing with a cuddly, friendly colleague. We are dealing with a shark-like, dangerous entity.  On the other hand, as one of our guests today said, “If you’re not on Amazon, you’re not on the internet.” On top of that, it doesn’t take a business genius to see that eCommerce growth in 2020 has simply exploded. Huge opportunity - and also big threats.  So if we need to be on Amazon to be visible in eCommerce but Amazon is dangerous to sellers, what do we do? How do we square that circle? Fortunately, there are some clear answers. To guide Amazon sellers through the rapids, we have a direct-to-consumer dream team: Jason  Boyce is the founder of Avenue 7 Media, an Amazon agency,  and a former top 200 amazon seller for 17 years, with many 8-figure sales years.  Rick Cesari was direct to consumer marketing legend behind the Go-Pro camera and the George Foreman Grill, each of which became a Billion-dollar brand on the back of his groundbreaking TV work.  Together, we not only highlight the dangers of Amazon selling; we give an overarching solution that is not just a hack; it’s a strategy and set of principles that should enable us as Amazon sellers to stay ahead of the shark and take advantage of the amazing current eCommerce opportunities.     You'll Learn: The dangers in Amazon and how you need a strategy How to pick a product The importance of storytelling in branding How Puria made it on Amazon How to beat Amazon in their own PL game    

Amazon sellers and Amazon data have not always had an easy relationship. On the one hand, as Amazon makes it somewhat hard work to find data on Seller Central, many Amazon sellers ignore almost all the data. On the other hand, with the spread of Amazon seller software, it’s easy to swim in a sea of data and get overwhelmed.  In this episode, Sara Golla of Seller Spike and I explore if metrics do matter for Amazon sellers. We ask what metrics matter most. And we look at the difference between Amazon sellers who are informed by Amazon data versus those who are overwhelmed by the data.        You'll Learn: What metrics do we need to track Why do we need to track keyword info What keyword data to track The difference between “Data-driven” vs “data-informed” and why does that matter How do we handle data overload from all the software What KPIs are important for an Amazon seller How do you identify the one KPI that matters above all The importance of using analytics to define how “expert” you are  

Creating Standard operating procedures helps businesses to run effectively and organized by making sure their workers know how to do their job properly. SOP's will help you minimize mistakes and time taken to train your new employee. Today, Nathan Hirsch of Outsource School will help us understand more about SOP.   You'll Learn: The different parts of the SOP The importance of identifying success Steps in creating SOP The things to be avoided The classic errors in making SOP How to make sure your VAs understand the SOP Why video SOP is important  

Jeff Bezos’s letter to shareholders had hidden in plain sight the principles they had used to grow. Steve is even more convinced than when published that the principles can apply. Steve Anderson is  The author of “The Bezos Letters”, 14 principles to grow your business like Amazon and he will share his thoughts about Dynamic Invention   You'll Learn: Amazon process that helps you decide to move forward The Structure Narrative Jeff Bezos' mindset The power of intuition and wandering How to implement Amazon's customer obsession  

Jeff Bezos’s letter to shareholders had hidden in plain sight the principles they had used to grow. Steve is even more convinced than when published that the principles can apply. Steve Anderson is  The author of “The Bezos Letters”, 14 principles to grow your business like Amazon and he will share his thoughts about Dynamic Invention   You'll Learn: Invention VS Innovation The process of Invention The tools for Invention Why you need to Experiment  

3PL fulfillment for Amazon (using a 3rd party logistics warehouse to store products and send them to end consumers) has never been the preferred method for Amazon sellers. With some odd exceptions in the USA in Q4, Amazon’s FBA system has been fast, reliable, and affordable.  Until 2020 and the hit of COVID.   The huge increases in demand for eCommerce products in 2020 have been a boost for Amazon sellers.  Equally, it has caused major issues for the fulfillment of orders. Even Amazon’s mighty FBA infrastructure has, quite simply, been overwhelmed by the sheer demands on it.  Many Amazon/eCommerce business owners have taken 3PL fulfillment seriously for the first time this year. And rightly so. Done right, it makes sure you get the goods into the hands of your customers quickly and avoid losing out on sales by going out of stock. But done wrong, it can be a threat to your very ability to sell on Amazon. That’s a situation where expert advice is called for. Lifelong freight expert, Amit Rosenthal, talks us through the options and the downfalls in FBM.   You'll Learn: Reasons for doing FBM Risks of FBM How to handle order management and linking FBM warehouse to Amazon How to keep an accurate inventory in 3PL When should you use Long and short-term storage  

So we know that Amazon sellers want to get off Amazon. The scale, fast growth, and convenience don’t quite outweigh the fear of their best-selling product, or even their entire account, being suspended overnight. But what about international selling? What are the options, and the best practices in finding off Amazon channels in a global marketplace? Chris Scrimgour of Payoneer is heading up (for the UK and Western Europe)  an exciting new programme of partnership with multiple new marketplaces. We address some of the challenges and get some common sense around international e-commerce sites as part of diversifying your business off Amazon.   You'll Learn: How to know where to sell How to reach out to marketplaces Why are marketplaces so strict Things that marketplaces are looking for How to plan a rollout How does Payoneer Green Channels work Do's and dont's for international e-commerce   With Green Channel acting as the matchmaker between sellers and marketplaces, Payoneer ensures sellers are onboarded efficiently as well as receive special attention from the marketplaces they’re introduced to. This can include special discounts on commission rates, free ads packages, a global ecosystem of support for logistics, warehouse, ERP, local influence, and traffic. Of course, having received Payoneer’s stamp of approval, marketplaces are keen to work with those sellers who come highly recommended. This whole process makes the transition to selling on a new marketplace much quicker and smoother.   Click below to find out more https://amazingfba.com/payoneer

Let’s be honest here. Most Amazon sellers at some point want to get off Amazon. In short, they have a love-hate relationship with Amazon. They love the scale, fast growth and convenience of selling on Amazon. But above all, they are afraid. Afraid of the risk of their best-selling product, or even their entire account, being suspended overnight. For those using FBA,  they are now either worried that they will not be allowed to ship enough units into Fulfilment Centres; or they are worried that once there, their products might languish for weeks under the twin pressures of Q4 and COVID.  So how to derisk? And more positively, how to build an off-Amazon brand that creates a real feel of a legitimate brand? And can lead to higher multiples for your business sale?  One major answer is to expand to off Amazon sales channels.  Chris Scrimgour of Payoneer is heading up (for the UK and Western Europe)  an exciting new programme of partnership with multiple new marketplaces. We get a few tantalizing glimpses of what’s out there and address some of the practical challenges involved in genuinely diversifying your business off Amazon.   You'll Learn: What marketplaces are out there Where you can start based on aspirations and capabilities How to decide what marketplace is fit for you The minimum you need to have in place for stock management across multiple marketplaces The things you need to have in place to be able to do this at a bigger scale   With Green Channel acting as the matchmaker between sellers and marketplaces, Payoneer ensures sellers are onboarded efficiently as well as receive special attention from the marketplaces they’re introduced to. This can include special discounts on commission rates, free ads packages, a global ecosystem of support for logistics, warehouse, ERP, local influence and traffic. Of course, having received Payoneer’s stamp of approval, marketplaces are keen to work with those sellers who come highly recommended. This whole process makes the transition to selling on a new marketplace much quicker and smoother.   Click below to find out more https://amazingfba.com/payoneer

Importing for Amazon FBA has always had its challenges. That’s particularly always been true coming into Q4 when volumes have traditionally increased.  However 2020, while the sales side in e-commerce has been amazing, has brought considerable challenges to the game of Amazon importing. Since 90% of importing for Amazon USA or European Amazon marketplaces is from China, that’s the main issue to solve.  Let’s face it, importing, while necessary, is rarely the latest exciting topic among Amazon podcasts. But given the sheer loss of profit that results from going out of stock, managing supply chains is critical to that rather more exciting thing - making (and keeping) money in your e-commerce business.  Get a handle on your importing woes, and you massively improve your business. That’s especially so if you can speed up inventory while keeping a lid on costs.  So what are the main freight options? And how does using a Freight Forwarder help to solve all the issues that come up? Amit Rosenthal is literally a born and bred freight forwarder. From his international perspective in Israel, he guides us through the options and the pitfalls in this critical area.    You'll Learn: The differences between freight options China to the USA The ups and downs of Air and Sea express How you can save shipping costs How to monitor stocks Different holidays to look out for in China

CJ Rosenbaum of AmazonSellersLawyer.com talks about Amazon highjackers and how to handle them. You'll Learn: What is a Hijacker How to apply The First Sale Doctrine Different Post Sale benefits How to deal with Hijackers Basics of Lawsuits How to put the defense ring around our brands on Amazon The importance of getting your infrastructure in place How to protect ourselves from our own factories Hot to contract factories in China

One of the biggest fears you’ll face as an Amazon seller is account suspension. CJ Rosenbaum of AmazonSellersLawyer.com talks about Amazon suspension risks and how to avoid them. You'll Learn: How to monitor listings The fallout from Amazon releasing information Solutions for multiple accounts "Used Sold as New" Suspensions The risks of Order Defect Rate Suspension Period

Jana Krekic is an E-commerce business consulting expert and founder of YLT Translations. Jana helps sellers scale their businesses internationally and help with cross border selling. She also provides services to 7 figure sellers become 8 figure sellers through translations and keyword research inc flat-file creations Today, she will share her thoughts on the new Amazon marketplaces outside Europe.   You'll Learn: E-Commerce in the Czech Republic Amazon issues on the Czech Republic Why Amazon in Singapore is important Amazon in Brazil

Jana Krekic is an E-commerce business consulting expert and founder of YLT Translations. Jana helps sellers scale their businesses internationally and help with cross border selling. She also provides services to 7 figure sellers become 8 figure sellers through translations and keyword research inc flat-file creations Today, she will share her thoughts on the new Amazon marketplaces in Europe.   You'll Learn: What most clients selling in the Netherlands are not doing How Bol.com worked in Germany The E-Commerce culture in Sweden Amazon cultural mismatch How Poland excels in E-Commerce  

Jana Krekic is an E-commerce business consulting expert and founder of YLT Translations. Jana helps sellers scale their businesses internationally and help with cross border selling. She also provides services to 7 figure sellers become 8 figure sellers through translations and keyword research inc flat-file creations Today, she will share her thoughts about Amazon listing errors.   You'll Learn: Problems in using machine translations for listings Google translate on Google Sheets The ups and downs in using Keyword translations The disadvantages of changing your listings and PPC last minute Why understanding your local market is important Why you should never be out of stock How not to lose your ranking from the last 2 months The importance of timing and waiting for results Tips in making bullet points for your listings

Has Amazonsellerslawyer, for the last several years, we have been able to be delightfully lazy and not have to think about fulfilling orders.  Sure we have had to get products into the FBA Centres. But once they’re there, Amazon has done an incredible job of making sure they get to the customer on time and with high accuracy of orders.  Sadly, those easy days are coming to an end. With a giant increase in demand in 2020,  Amazon’s fulfillment system is simply getting overloaded. Many sellers have found that they have been restricted by  Amazon to a low Humber of units per product. Others have found that Amazon at times simply didn’t have the capacity to fulfill the goods at all quickly. All of which points to one solution: Fulfilled By Merchant. But was is that, and how does it work?  Waleed of Shiphype talks is through the does and don’ts of FBM   You'll Learn: Why FBA new restrictions matter? The difference between FC and warehouse vs “3PL” The benefits of a FC as opposed to a warehouse Questions to ask on FC The cost components of a Fulfilment Centre Do’s and Don’ts of Fulfillment Centre  

Many Amazon Sellers I’ll be taking huge risks with their ability to sell on Amazon at all without even realizing it. If you are sending products directly from your manufacturer into an Amazon fulfillment centre without preparing them properly, you risk Amazon rejecting the shipment. Even worse, if the goods get into the warehouse and then they get completely snarled up, it’s a real mess. Often a listing will be suspended. Worst case scenario, you have to ship them back out to a prep warehouse, fix the issue then ship them back in. Not fun!  or… you could make sure they are prepared properly yourself. Which takes considerable time and effort...but will teach you no useful skills for the future.  This is where a 3PL comes in. Waleed of Shiphype talks is through the does and don’ts of working with a 3PL and amazon prep.   You'll Learn: Reasons why you need a 3PL Why you need a prep centre How to prepare a certain way for FBA Why location matters most Avoiding Sales Tax states for OA

Finances and especially accounting never seem to be a high priority for entrepreneurs. As one myself, I can totally understand why. We tend to be geared to creating something new, rather than managing what exists; to the bigger picture rather than the detail; to the sale rather than what follows the sale.  However, when e-commerce businesses hit the $10-20,000 a month sales mark, I’ve noticed a pattern. They’ve got launched and found 1,2 or even several products that make sales...and profits...probably. The embarrassing truth is: they don’t really know quite whether they have in fact made a profit. In short, their businesses are running if not blind then at best, partially sighted. They’re in a fog, a messy situation.  Hence this 10K Tuneup mini-series.  The truth is that, once your business is off the starting blocks and has achieved some kind of market adoption for products,  finance is a function that needs to become as front and center to your mind as the CEO as marketing and sales were, to begin with. But how do you approach the business of accounting? What matters? And how do you get what you need from the numbers?  In this episode, we explore the big picture answer to some of these questions  

There is no question: e-commerce demand has grown unbelievably in 2020. Many platforms or sellers have hit their 5-year targets in 5 months! But every opportunity comes with its challenges and increased e-commerce sales volume is the same. The amount of demand on the entire global supply chain has caused capacity to be reached and - for the moment (in late 2020) prices to hit unusual heights.  While we wouldn’t wish it, though, this situation actually forces us to put better supply chain management in place. The smart Amazon sellers are educating themselves about the details of international importing, guided by their expert Freight Forwarders.  Neil Curran of Regional express, a highly experienced Freight Forwarder based in the UK, is here to give his insights from years of helping eCommerce businesses (many based outside Europe) imports into the UK and Europe   You'll Learn: Current freight issues Alternatives to Freight Freight timings and costs Basic principles in importing from the EU to the UK Advantages of using 3PL warehousing in the UK Take advantage of the CoVid situation Neil's best practices in logistics

Whatever other emotions the word “Brexit” is associated with, “Fun” is probably not among them. Particularly not among eCommerce sellers! But the reality is that, with under a month to go to the end of the Transition Period, all eCommerce sellers need to prepare for likely import and export complications and costs.  Fortunately, help is at hand in the form of  Neil Curran, a highly experienced Freight Forwarder based in the UK. While the prep may not be fun, it does at least ensure that you can continue to trade. Done well, it can also minimize the costs you’ll incur. And the silver lining to the cloud is that if your business deals with it, and your competitors don’t - you get to sell while they are out of stock or losing money! We discuss sorting the infamous EORI numbers, avoiding the dreaded “Double Duty”, and how to use split shipments to work around the problem and keep yourself in stock.   You'll Learn: Logistics during Brexit from the UK to Europe The importance of Split Stock to Origin Full Container Load VS Less than Container Load How to prepare for Brexit next year Application for EORI (Economic Operators Registration and Identification number)    

There are a lot of ways to make a product stand out and look awesome but on Amazon it's a different world. Sellers have to follow certain restrictions and standards to accomplish this. In this episode, Daisi will share her best practices and tips or tricks in creating videos for Amazon. Daisi is a “Modelpreneur” - former Miss Jamaica, Founder of MyProductModel.com which is an agency for eCommerce entrepreneurs to get incredible photography; also the founder of “Brazen Influencers”, an agency that links e-commerce sellers and influencers    You’ll Learn: Brand vs Product vs Demo Videos The essentials of Product Demo videos The importance of a Spokesperson for videos Best practices for those who are just starting Details in creating Amazon videos The importance of innovating your products and content