The Ecomcrew Ecommerce Podcast

In this episode, Dave recaps Amazon Accelerate 2024, highlighting some announcements that sellers should know about, and some developments that impact e-commerce sellers. Amazon Accelerate 2024 has just wrapped up this year, and there's been a few announcements that Amazon revealed that may or may not pass the smell test. In the online event, Amazon announced a range of new programs and services to help brands build relationships with third party sellers and increase their sales and profitability. Apart from the announcements, Amazon is also making a big push to being a part of the entire supply chain process - from logistics to delivery. The Big Takeaways of Today's Episode Amazon Accelerate is the biggest event of the year for Amazon with over 4,000 live attendees and 450,000 virtual views. Amazon receives over 125 million product reviews annually. Same-day or next-day delivery 2x conversion rates. A new seller dashboard is available and offers better analytics for sellers. Live chat support is now available for all cases. One-on-one assistance is also now available for sellers. Amazon is starting to focus on owning the entire supply chain process - from logistics to delivery. Buy with Prime aims to capture off-Amazon sales. Amazon Accelerate Episode Timestamps 00:00 - Overview of Amazon Accelerate 01:17 - Key Statistics and Announcements 04:40 - Positive Developments for Sellers 11:44 - Skepticism Towards Amazon's Announcements 16:27 - Amazon's Supply Chain Strategy As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, reach out to us at support@ecomcrew.com if you're interested. Don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoy our content. If you have any questions, send us an email at support@ecomcrew.com. We'd love to help you in any way we can. Thanks for listening! Until next time, happy selling!

In this episode, Dave talks about how Temu is pressuring Amazon with its low prices, fast shipping and surge in popularity. Ever since Temu's viral marketing ad in the Superbowl, they've grown to become one of the biggest competitors to Amazon. But how is Temu able to offer lower prices compared to sites like Amazon and even eBay? It has something to do with its business model and the fact that it lacks a few key features of other e-commerce sites. But is there more to it? In this episode, we'll talk about how Temu has disrupted the e-commerce space, how Temu keeps its products cheap, and how they cut costs. The Big Takeaways of Today's Episode Temu has disrupted Amazon's dominance in the North American e-commerce market. Temu is able to offer fast shipping times because of their logistics model that mirrors Amazon's FBA. The Chinese government may be indirectly supporting Temu's growth by heavily supporting exports. Temu Prices Episode Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction to E-commerce and Temu 02:54 - Temu's Disruption of Amazon 05:45 - Logistics and Shipping Innovations 09:03 - Pricing Strategies and Market Competition 11:50 - Government Subsidies and Economic Implications 15:08 - Amazon's Response to Competition 18:02 - Conclusion and Future Outlook As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, reach out to us at support@ecomcrew.com if you're interested. Don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoy our content. If you have any questions, send us an email at support@ecomcrew.com. We'd love to help you in any way we can. Thanks for listening! Until next time, happy selling!

Michael Kaufman, CEO of ProTuff Products and an expert in e-commerce, shares his journey in product differentiation through lifetime warranties. He reveals how these warranties not only boost customer loyalty but also lead to a flood of 5-star reviews. Kaufman discusses the challenges of selling seasonal products and the benefits of automating warranty processes. Listeners will learn about a new app that streamlines warranty registrations, enhancing customer engagement and marketing strategies. It's a treasure trove of insights for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Elizabeth Corbett, an expert in packaging strategies for e-commerce brands, joins to shed light on crucial packaging mistakes many businesses make. She emphasizes the power of packaging in enhancing the customer unboxing experience and how it can directly impact costs. From the importance of sustainable options to creative strategies for saving on shipping, she covers essential tips for navigating challenges like returns and porch piracy. Corbett also highlights the growing significance of eco-friendly solutions in a competitive landscape.

Explore how Google's September 2023 update has drastically impacted affiliate sites, with traffic drops between 20% to 80%. Discover the rising influence of Reddit in search rankings and the challenges e-commerce brands face when marketing on this platform. The hosts dive into the future of content sites, stressing the need for genuine engagement over self-promotion. They also discuss the evolving dynamics of online reviews and the potential implications of AI-generated content in shaping user preferences. Tune in for insights on adapting to this shifting digital landscape.

In this episode, Dave discusses how to reduce inbound placement fees with Amazon, how placement fees are calculated and who the winners and losers are since these fees were implemented. Today's episode is sponsored by Clearco, a company that provides ecommerce businesses with working capital to fund inventory, marketing, shipping and logistics, and more! Check them out today! It's been a few months since Amazon implemented their new Inbound Placement Fees. The amount of increase varies, depending on the product, warehouse location, and other factors. But the good news is that you don't always have to pay the fees. In this episode, we'll explore the 3 ways you can use to avoid or reduce your Inventory Placement Fee when sending products to Amazon. The Big Takeaways Shipping to four or more locations can help avoid placement fees. Shipping to Amazon Warehousing and Distribution (AWD) can also help avoid placement fees, although it may come with other fees such as receiving and warehousing fees. Choosing a more centralized 3PL can help minimize placement fees and partner carrier fees. Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction to Placement Fees 02:20 - Amazon Warehousing and Distribution (AWD) as a Solution 10:53 - Ship into AWD to Avoid Placement Fees 13:48 - Consider the Location of Your 3PL 17:09 - Impact of Placement Fees on Profitability As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, reach out to us at support@ecomcrew.com if you're interested. Don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoy our content. If you have any questions, send us an email at support@ecomcrew.com. We'd love to help you in any way we can. Thanks for listening! Until next time, happy selling!

Ajoy Krishnamoorthy, the CEO of Cin7, specializes in inventory management solutions for e-commerce. He discusses the complexities of managing inventory across multiple platforms and how software can streamline this process. Ajoy emphasizes the crucial role of AI in improving forecasting accuracy, enabling better inventory decisions. He also highlights the financial implications of excess stock and advocates for integrating accounting systems to enhance financial clarity. Learn how informed strategies can elevate your e-commerce performance!

With Prime Day over and Amazon's Q2 earnings report revealed, Dave recaps how his Prime Day went and what does means for the future of third party sellers on Amazon. Today's episode is sponsored by Clearco, a company that provides ecommerce businesses with working capital to fund inventory, marketing, shipping and logistics, and more! Check them out today! Prime Day 2024 was touted as the biggest shopping event ever, with record sales and more items sold than any previous Prime Day. But who were the real winners of Prime Day? Today, Dave talks about his personal Prime Day experience, how Amazon missed their estimates for Q2, and what that means for third party sellers. The Big Takeaway Amazon's Q2 earnings showed sluggish growth in online store revenue and missed estimates for the "third-party seller services and advertising revenue" section. This might mean more fees in Q3. Prime Day 2024 was the biggest shopping event ever, but its impact on overall sales is questionable as consumers may be delaying their purchases. Buy Now, Pay Later options are gaining popularity, accounting for 7.6% of all orders during Prime Day. Amazon Basics was the most searched for brand during Prime Day, indicating consumers' demand for low priced products. Apparel is emerging as a strong category on Amazon, potentially due to Amazon's response to Temu and Shein. Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction: Amazon's Q2 Earnings and Prime Day 2024 03:06 - Sluggish Growth and Missed Estimates 09:47 - Prime Day 2024: The Biggest Shopping Event Ever? 13:02 - The Rise of Buy Now, Pay Later 17:42 - Amazon Basics: The Most Searched for Brand on Prime Day 21:24 - Apparel: A Strong Category on Amazon As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, reach out to us at support@ecomcrew.com if you're interested. Don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoy our content. If you have any questions, send us an email at support@ecomcrew.com. We'd love to help you in any way we can. Thanks for listening! Until next time, happy selling!

To find out what exactly happens to these returns and where they go, Dave stuck an Apple Airtag in it and tracked it over the next 3 months. Today's episode is sponsored by Clearco, a company that provides ecommerce businesses with working capital to fund inventory, marketing, shipping and logistics, and more! Check them out today! Have you ever wondered what happens to your Amazon returns? Earlier in the year, Dave bought an Amazon Basics gym bag that he needed to return. To find out what exactly happens to these returns and where they go, he stuck an Apple Airtag in it and tracked it over the next 3 months. Here's exactly where it went and how I found it. The Big Takeaway Amazon inspects returns for their condition and might resell them to liquidators if they're not "like new". 80% of customers mark items as "wrong item sent" to avoid return shipping charges. There is a huge reseller market for Amazon returns. Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction: Tracking an Amazon Return 08:05 - The Reseller Market for Amazon Returns 13:17 - Buying Back the Returned Item 17:05 - The Environmental Consequences of Returns As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, reach out to us at support@ecomcrew.com if you're interested. Don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoy our content. If you have any questions, send us an email at support@ecomcrew.com. We'd love to help you in any way we can. Thanks for listening! Until next time, happy selling!

Dave joins the podcast today to talk about Prime Day 2024; what their early sales look like, whether Chinese Marketplaces are going to start more shopping holidays, and why this might be the worst Prime Day so far. Today's episode is sponsored by Clearco, a company that provides ecommerce businesses with working capital to fund inventory, marketing, shipping and logistics, and more! Check them out today! Prime Day 2024 has been nowhere close to what we've seen in sales the year before. Now these might be niche and brand specific, but it's worth pointing out that maybe this year hasn't been as great as last year, where we saw 2.5x to 3x the number of sales. From a mixture of the early results and an overall negative perception of the shopping holiday, here's why Dave and I think this might be one of the worst Prime Days since its inception. Big Takeaways Prime Day sales boosts might not be felt by everyone - it could vary depending on brand and niche. If you aren't trying to spread brand awareness, it might not be worth it to sell your products at a loss. Chinese competitors like Temu and Shein might start to challenge Amazon's dominance on Prime Day and create their own shopping holidays in the US. Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction and Sponsor 02:17 - Early Results of Prime Day 02:39 - Feelings about Prime Day 04:17 - Why this might be the worst Prime Day 06:32 - Pent-up demand and scouting orders the day before 09:57 - The Negative Perception Around Prime Day 12:41 - Will chinese competitors hop on the same trend? 14:17 - Predictions: More shopping holidays are coming 18:10 - Casual stories with Mike and Dave As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, reach out to us at support@ecomcrew.com if you're interested. Don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoy our content. If you have any questions, send us an email at support@ecomcrew.com. We'd love to help you in any way we can. Thanks for listening! Until next time, happy selling!