The Smartest Amazon Seller

SmartScout
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Apr 16, 2024 • 40min

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 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: www.linkedin.com/company/pirawna/  Website: https://www.pirawna.com/ Related Post: The Amazon Appeals Dilemma: DIY or Delegate
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Apr 9, 2024 • 39min

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 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 - SmartScout Trial 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: linkedin.com/in/steven-pope Website: myamazonguy.com | myrefundguy.com YouTube: youtube.com/myamazonguy Related Post: Amazon PPC Optimization: Tips for More Clicks and Conversions
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Apr 2, 2024 • 15min

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 Assets 03:00 - AdGrantsGenie 04:00 - Deltologic 04:40 - Connected Commerce Council 05:25 - Junglytics 06:10 - Scott’s Best Amazon Story Related Post: Advertising Solutions by Amazon: A Closer Look into Amazon Ads
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Mar 26, 2024 • 49min

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

E-commerce expert Sabir Semerkant shares insights on his '8-D Method' for business growth, emphasizing website optimization, strategic pricing, team dynamics, and adapting to AI advancements. He discusses premium pricing, brand building, customer UX, retargeting, and the importance of revenue per session. The conversation covers his background, experience with Vitamin Shoppe, and collaborations with Gary Vaynerchuk.
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Mar 19, 2024 • 26min

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
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Mar 12, 2024 • 25min

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 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/
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Mar 5, 2024 • 13min

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 Coverage 01:15 - Prosper Update and Scott’s Favorite Audience 02:50 - The 17 People you will meet @ Prosper 03:15 - The Event Season 04:30 - Natural Products Expo West 2024 05:45 - SmartScout Expo West Brand Report 07:05 - Thrasio Bankruptcy 09:55 - Tweets about Thrasio’s Bankrupt 10:15 - Optimizing FBA Fees Email: scott@smartscout.com Related Post: Fulfillment Fee (FBA Fulfillment Fee)
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Feb 27, 2024 • 21min

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/courses Related Post: The 5 Best SmartScout Tools for Amazon Wholesale Sellers
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Feb 20, 2024 • 11min

Episode 245: Stocking Out is Good for Your Business

Learn the art of inventory management from early Amazon hits like Elf on the Shelf and Barbie dolls. Discover why stocking out can benefit your business and the fine line between stocking out and overstocking. Get expert tips on thriving in the evolving market and navigating upcoming 2024 FBA fees.
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Feb 13, 2024 • 27min

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 Share 20:55 - Inventory Performance Index (IPI) Website: https://fortunet.net/ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michal-baumwald-oron-9b604620 Related Post: Thrasio vs Perch: Which Amazon Aggregator Is Right for You?

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