The Ecomcrew Ecommerce Podcast

Mike and Dave discuss the thought processes and nuances of their business goals for 2023 and beyond. Setting a trajectory and an overarching vision for your ecommerce business is not as simple as it sounds. There are myriad factors that can influence how and why you set your goals and, more importantly, whether they are realistic and achievable for your company. In this episode, Dave and I will not only be talking about what our goals are, but we'll be talking in-depth about the thought process behind those goals and the various nuances of effective goal-setting for an ecommerce brand—from the quality of your employees, to your team structure, to which aspects of your finances play key roles in your company's growth prospects. Timestamps: Intro - 0:00 The driving force behind Mike's diligence when it comes to 2023 planning - 1:56 How involved should you be when it comes to setting goals? - 2:56 Goal #1 – Dave's first goal of the year and the dilemma about goal-setting - 4:08 Mike's accomplishments in 2022 - 5:32 Our goal for EcomCrew in 2023 - 6:37 Why goals-setting depends on what type of team you have - 7:35 Dave's big mistake when setting goals - 8:18 How to draw the line between leading and doing - 10:42 Should you have a CEO/COO? - 12:52 Goal #2 - Focusing on defensible products - 17:58 The strategy of launching products monthly - 19:32 Big ecommerce opportunities in 2023 - 23:12 What qualifies as a 'moat' around your products? - 26:16 How long can that moat around your products last? - 32:12 Goal #3 - Being more hawkish on costs - 38:11 Should you turn off all auto-campaigns on Amazon? - 39:56 Is the Peel, Stick and Block method still as relevant as before? - 42:00 Dave's thinking of a brand sale - 46:11 Are FBA Aggregators looking to go public this year? - 50:00 Is investing in Amazon Businesses better than Treasury Bills? - 51:19 I hope you took away some valuable insights from this episode that you can use to sort out your business goals for this year. Don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoy our content. Happy selling and I'll see you on the next one!

Mike and Kevin talk about the value of your time and setting priorities as an ecommerce influencer, the reward of being able to help other people out, and what the endgame is for recognized personalities in this space. Being a recognized personality in ecommerce takes a toll, whether it be on your time, your energy, or even just struggling to manage your relationships with people. In this episode, we'll talk all about the value of amplifying your time as an ecommerce influencer, why we do what we do, and where this niche industry is heading—joining me for this one is a legend in the space, Kevin King. Kevin is a highly regarded figure in the ecommerce ecosystem who's built a solid following for things like the Freedom Ticket Course and the Billion Dollar Seller Summit. He is also now the host of the AM/PM Podcast, which is among the best listens I can recommend to ecommerce sellers of all stripes. Timestamps: The value of multiplying your time as an ecommerce influencer – 0:55 How I handle ecommerce consulting requests and other gigs – 5:30 Some perks and struggles of being recognized by people – 6:49 The rewards of helping ecommerce sellers and making a difference – 10:44 Kevin's experiences as a well-known figure in ecommerce – 13:05 What's the ideal endgame for ecommerce influencers? – 15:10 How Amazon and the ecommerce industry in general is shifting – 20:24 Why government intervention is good for Amazon sellers – 24:55 What made Mike decide to move to Vegas – 28:06 What the Billion Dollar Seller Summit is all about – 30:15 How to get a hold of a replay package from the Summit – 39:44 Growing a podcast in the ecommerce space – 42:18 I want to thank Kevin for taking the time to do this episode with me and giving some invaluable insights all of us can reflect on. Check out some of the awesome stuff he's doing below: The Freedom Ticket Billion Dollar Seller Summit AM/PM Podcast That's it for this episode. Happy selling and we'll talk to you soon!

Mike and Dave reflect on 2022 as ecommerce entrepreneurs, including their biggest wins, failures, and general outlook moving forward. 2022 was a year of successes and challenges for ecommerce sellers—the industry is literally shifting right beneath our feet! In this episode, Dave and I will take a closer look at how 2022 has been for us as ecommerce sellers, what with all that's going on between the market coming out of the pandemic, changing administrations, and Amazon's constantly changing policies. We'll be breaking down some of our biggest wins, including raising our traffic on all properties, as well as our biggest challenges, such as nightmares on the logistics front. We'll also touch on the biggest complexities that we faced as entrepreneurs to give you an idea how to sort them out for your own business. Timestamps: Why we think our annual review episodes do so well – 0:55 What grade would we give our 2022? – 3:15 Why 2022 was the year of margin compression for Amazon and third-party sellers – 9:00 The biggest complexities in business that we dealt with last year – 15:12 Should you rent or buy your own warehouse? – 17:31 How we raised SEO traffic for all properties – 23:22 The value of a healthy work-life balance for entrepreneurs – 34:35 Why 2022 has been a real hiring nightmare for ecommerce sellers – 39:36 It's been a rollercoaster of a year indeed, but we're always grateful to you guys for sharing your time with us and supporting this podcast. Here's to a lot more reasons to celebrate this 2023. Don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoyed this episode. Happy selling and we'll talk to you soon!

Mike and Ben do a rundown of EcomCrew's top podcast episodes of 2022, which includes a couple of pleasantly surprising entries this time around. Last year was another one filled with insightful conversations with people from within (and some outside of) the ecommerce ecosystem. In this episode, our podcast editor Ben will join me for a rundown of EcomCrew's Best Podcast Episodes of 2022 where we'll explore which episodes really resonated with our listeners this past year. Timestamps: How we find out our top podcast episodes every year – 2:50 #10 E438: Trekking Through Product Development with Hasan Hasmani – 5:10 #9 E440: Our First (and Only) Episode on Cryptocurrency – 8:05 #8 E427: The Top 10 EcomCrew Podcast Episodes of 2021 – 10:58 #7 E431: Struggles of Running an E-Commerce Business Amid A Pandemic – 11:49 #6 E437: Making Sure Your Price is Right with Drew Marconi – 13:52 #5 E432: Mike and Dave's Business Review 2021 – 15:35 #4 E445: Everything You Need to Scale Your FBA Business [Under the Hood] – 17:42 #3 E425: The 5 Best Amazon Seller Software in 2021 – 21:15 #2 E424: How to Sell Your Brand for 8 Figures with Josh Dittrich – 23:29 #1 E426: Applying the 4-Burner Theory for Ecommerce Sellers with Greg Howlett – 26:38 I want to thank everyone for supporting the EcomCrew Podcast. Whether you've been with us from the start or are just tuning in, I appreciate your time and feedback. I'm sure 2023 will be another year of insightful podcast episodes, and I can't wait to unpack which ones top the charts next time around. As always, don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoy our content. Happy selling, and we'll talk to you soon!

Mike and Ben go over EcomCrew's Amazon ToS Handbook to answer some burning questions you might have as an ecommerce seller. Being an Amazon seller is tough, and the fact that Amazon rarely ever gives categorical answers to sellers' questions does not make it easier. Matter of fact, Amazon's selling terms of service are almost always either vague, elusive, or downright contradictory. This is why we crafted EcomCrew's Unofficial Guide to Amazon ToS, where you can find the answers to all your burning questions as a seller all in one place. In this Back to Basics session, Ben and I will go through the handbook to give you a clear idea of what you can and cannot do on Amazon.. Timestamps: Intro – 00:00 EcomCrew's Unofficial Amazon ToS Handbook – 1:50 The big problem with Amazon's terms of service – 3:10 Can I put my URL on the product packaging? – 5:35 Can I add HTML links to my Amazon product description? – 12:40 Why is my product tagged as an adult item when it's not? – 14:04 Is there a limit to how expensive I can sell my product? – 19:03 Can my friends and family write customer reviews for my products? – 21:40 Can I pay for product reviews? – 25:45 Is encouraging customers to leave positive reviews allowed? – 32:59 Can I give away my products? – 35:30 Are using two-step URLs still a thing? – 37:00 I wanna thank Ben for coming on and doing this very insightful episode with me. Check out some of our other Back to Basics episodes below: E456: Back to Basics – Costs and Profitability Q&A E465: Increasing Profitability Q&A Please don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoyed this episode. Happy selling and we'll talk to you soon!

Mike and longtime China-based seller Cameron talk about the reality of the pandemic situation in China and how ecommerce sellers can plan their trips back to the factory of the world this year. Whether you're only just starting out or are running an established ecommerce brand, there's a good chance that your business is tied to China one way or another. I myself visit Hong Kong and China to attend trade shows, speak at seller conferences, and get some facetime with my factories every year—at least before the pandemic hit. Fast-forward a couple of years and ecommerce sellers are now itching to go back to China to optimize their supply chains and scale their businesses. That's why in this episode, we'll be talking all about the current COVID situation in Hong Kong and China and everything sellers need to know before visiting in 2023. Joining me for this episode is Cameron. He is a returning guest on the podcast and a longtime ecommerce seller who is currently based in China. If you're planning a trip down south this year, you'll definitely get a lot out of this episode. Timestamps: Cameron's life in China – 2:03 The reality of the COVID situation in China – 6:11 How safe is it to travel to and from China today? – 20:13 What the current protocols are for visiting China in 2023 – 23:45 Are old business Visas to China still valid? – 28:27 Which big trade shows will be returning this year? – 31:50 The ideal time of year to visit China – 38:23 Do you see foreigners in China right now? – 40:01 I wanna thank Cameron for taking the time to do this episode with me. I'm excited to have him back on the podcast down the road and hopefully talk about something other than the pandemic. As always, don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoyed this episode. Happy selling and I'll see you on the next one!

Mike and Dave reveal the winners of EcomCrew's annual software poll, along with some juicy insights, trends analysis, and predictions for the future of SaaS. It's that time of the year again! In this episode, Dave and I will be revealing the winners (a couple of which you might not have expected) of last year's survey to find out the Best Amazon Seller Software across five categories: Product and Keyword Research PPC Management Reimbursement Services Repricing Tool Product Launches and Giveaways On top of that, we'll be talking about the value of creating original content in light of recent industry trends, the significant shifts in software usage among sellers, and the future of the SaaS ecosystem. Let's get right into it: Timestamps: How the EcomCrew Software Poll got started – 1:54 AI and other trends in content generation – 4:45 The best product and keyword research tool – 9:15 Why more sellers don't use product and keyword research tools anymore – 12:53 The best PPC software – 15:56 The best reimbursement service for sellers – 25:01 The best repricing tool – 31:54 The best tool for product launches and giveaways – 36:46 Why it's important to create a long-term business model – 37:34 To check out the full breakdown of our results, head over to our blog post of the Best Amazon Software of 2022. Don't forget to leave us a review over on iTunes if you enjoy content like this. Happy selling and we'll talk to you soon!

Mike and AccrueMe founder Don Henig take a walk down memory lane to talk about the biggest struggles that all entrepreneurs face and how to overcome them. Entrepreneurship is a challenging endeavor. Getting your business off the ground, growing your company, and building relationships takes a lot of time and effort—not to mention the plethora of uncertainties you will face along the way. In this episode, Don Henig joins me in dissecting the biggest struggles of entrepreneurs based on our own personal experiences. We'll be sharing some valuable lessons we learned throughout the years about business, people, and money, as well as how we faced our biggest setbacks head on. If you're stuck in a rut or are in need of a little bit of inspiration, there's a lot of value in this episode for you. Timestamps: Don's entrepreneurial journey – 2:18 How to handle serious business losses – 13:52 The hardest part of being an entrepreneur – 20:52 Moving on from business partnerships and valuable employees leaving – 24:00 Why AccrueMe is the only financing that's accretive for sellers – 38:47 I wanna thank Don for coming back to the podcast and making this episode very insightful. If you're interested in what AccrueMe has to offer, check out Episode 384 where Don talks about why AccrueMe is a fresh way to get some funding for online sellers. Also be sure to check out our In-depth Review of AccrueMe so you can make an informed decision before diving in. If you're ready to get some funding, head over to AccrueMe website using this link to get a sweet deal as an EcomCrew listener! Happy selling and I'll talk to you soon!

Mike and Omnisend Co-Founder Rytis Lauris discuss the most popular marketing channels for ecommerce businesses and how you can optimize your marketing campaigns. Marketing is part and parcel of running an ecommerce business, but the industry is constantly changing and sellers who are constantly looking out for the most effective marketing methods are often the ones who are ahead of the curve. Joining me for this episode is Rytis Lauris, Co-Founder and CEO of Omnisend, which is a very useful all-in-one suite for running marketing campaigns, from email, SMS, to Push notifications. Some of the good stuff we talk about in this episode include the most effective marketing methods right now, what people get wrong about online marketing, and how you can give customers that great first purchase experience. Since we've had Rytis on the podcast before, we'll also do a bit of catching up about the latest developments in marketing to help you optimize your own marketing campaigns. Timestamps: Intro – 00:35 Email is not dead – 1:02 Where people go wrong with email marketing – 8:15 Why SMS marketing has taken off – 18:50 What happened to Push Notifications? – 26:07 Connect your marketing efforts with your support structure – 32:55 I'm definitely excited to have Rytis back on the podcast down the road to talk about all the big changes in the marketing landscape in a couple of years. If you're interested to know more about Omnisend and all its cool features, head over to their website or hit Rytis up on LinkedIn. Also, don't forget to leave us a review over on iTunes if you haven't already. Happy selling and I'll catch you on the next one!

Happy New Year! We've been a little bit late with publishing this episode due to the holidays but we're back with the weekly releases. Today, we're back with our monthly report for the month of November - we're going to stop with the monthly report blog posts but we do plan on keeping this tradition alive for the podcast, so stay tuned for more Brand Report episodes. Do let us know how you feel by sending an email over to support@ecomcrew.com. Since it's the beginning of winter, we've reached an all time low in terms of revenue across all our brands, mainly because most of them reach their seasonal peak in the summer months. We've seen this trend before with all of our previous years of data, so we're not too worried about it. We're actually a little more excited than usual because WildBaby was able to survive a lot of the Black Friday rush, and we didn't run out of inventory like we usually did in our previous years. But how much inventory is too much? With interest rates also going back up, our bottom line is starting to look a little dicey for 2023. However, despite these challenges, we've had a lot of wins in many of our brands. We've recently been in talks with our suppliers to get better payment terms, and been working with an agency to up our branding. 1:13 – An update to our Brand Report Segment 4:05 – November Revenue numbers 5:11 – Predictions for December numbers 6:06 – Sneak Peek: Not running out of inventory for December 6:32 – How much inventory will Mike be left with? 8:00 – Loss: Having too much inventory 9:06 – Loss: Interest Rates going up 16:37 – Is the risk of supply chain disruptions going down? 18:59 – Supply Chain Uncertainties: Predictions for 2023 20:11 – COVID and Chinese New Year 23:19 – Wins for November 23:25 – Better Payment Terms for Suppliers 27:20 – Will Inflation go down the same way everything has? 34:30 – Win: Incorporating UGC into our Brands Check out the Brand Report that complements this episode for more additional details on our wins, challenges and action plans. Secret Sauce and EcomCrew Premium subscribers also get access to our monthly Income Report, which contains a more detailed breakdown of our numbers and strategies. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on iTunes. We'd love to hear about what topics you want us to discuss next.