The Smartest Amazon Seller

Latest Episodes:

Episode 236 - Accounting for Amazon Sellers with Ryan Hurley Dec 18, 2023

Show notes

Tax Compliance, Business Performance Analysis, Budgeting and Planning, Estimated Sales Velocity, and Risk Management are just some of the reasons why Accounting is crucial for any Amazon seller.
Ryan Hurley, the founder and lead developer of SellAnalytics, a software that helps Amazon sellers manage their accounting and inventory, teaches us the importance of accurate accounting, the limitations of existing tools such as A2X and QuickBooks, and how Sell Analytics offers a comprehensive solution for Amazon sellers.
Episode Notes:
00:39 - Ryan Hurley Introduction
03:56 - First Product Sold
04:11 - Solving Accounting Problems
05:14 - Tying Inventory into Cashflow
06:47 - Inventory value on QuickBooks
07:18 - What Do You Need To Know Before Filing
07:56 - Trial Balance
09:31 - QuickBooks vs Spreadsheets
10:01 - Why Bypass QuickBooks
14:01 - Learning How to Operate an Accounting Firm
15:21 - Building Other Sales Channels
15:59 - Learning How Much to Reinvest in the Business
Website: https://sellanalytix.com/
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ryan-d-hurley
Related Post: 5 Ways To Turn Your Finances Into a Business Strength

Episode 235 - Delegation and Hiring Virtual Employees for Amazon Wholesale Dec 11, 2023

Show notes

In this episode, host Scott Needham welcomes Corey Ganim, an expert in Amazon wholesale, to discuss the power of delegation and hiring virtual employees.
Corey shares his experience of leveraging overseas talents to delegate tasks that don't move the needle in his business. He emphasizes the importance of hiring employees who are willing to challenge and provide valuable input, rather than just being yes-men.
From managing Seller Central to handling administrative work, Corey provides practical tips on finding and training the right virtual assistants.
Episode Notes:
00:29 - Corey Ganim Introduction
01:00 - Creating Content for Wholesale Sellers on LinkedIn
02:25 - The Power of Delegation
02:50 - Screening and Finding Talents
06:40 - Common Hiring Mistakes
09:00 - Managing Seller Central
09:40 - AMZ United as a Participant
12:40 - Percentage of Brand New Amazon Sellers
14:10 - Opening Up New Accounts
16:50 - Navigating Distributor Relationships
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/corey-ganim
Website: gobrandrocket.com
X: @GanimCorey

Episode 234 - How To Get Leverage on Amazon Vendor Negotiations with Martin Heubel Dec 05, 2023

Show notes

Amazon Vendor Negotiations are critical for vendors aiming to establish a successful and mutually beneficial relationship with the platform. A well-negotiated agreement can contribute to increased sales, improved visibility, and a stronger position within the competitive Amazon marketplace.
Join Scott and Martin Heubel as they discuss various aspects of Amazon's Vendor Central and how brands can navigate the platform.
Touching on topics such as the approach to Prime Day and other shopping holidays, the types of deals offered by vendors, the advantages of first-party brands in terms of visibility and placement, the shift in Amazon's relationships with distributors in Europe, and the reasons behind Amazon's reduced support for mid-tail and long-tail brands.
Plus, learn about Amazon's focus on automation and cost reduction, including the offshoring of support functions.
Episode Notes:
00:45 - Martin Heubel Introduction
02:15 - Vendor Central Experience and the Role of Vendor Managers
04:39 - Deal Exclusive to Vendor Brands
07:08 - 1P Relationships with Distributors in the United States
10:46 - Why Isn’t Amazon Not Meeting Expectations of 1P Brands?
15:15 - Amazon Reducing Cost
16:15 - What Does Amazon’s Hardball Look Like?
18:20 - Negotiating with Amazon
22:35 - Annual Vendor Negotiations
26:30 - The Future of Vendors
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/martinheubel
Website: consulterce.com
X: consulterce
Related post: The Vendor Central Database of Amazon Brands

Episode 233 - The New Seller Fulfilled Prime Is Back and Open for Business Nov 28, 2023

Show notes

Seller Fulfilled Prime is crucial for sellers looking to optimize their fulfillment operations, reduce costs, and enhance their competitiveness in the Amazon marketplace.
It provides a strategic alternative to FBA, offering greater control, flexibility, and the ability to meet the high expectations of Amazon Prime customers.
Whether you're a seasoned seller or just starting, this episode featuring Manish Chowdhary, Founder & CEO at Cahoot -the World's first P2P Fulfillment Network for Brands and retailers- provides actionable information to navigate the ever-evolving dynamics of e-commerce fulfillment.
Episode notes:
00:15 - Manish Chowdhary Introduction
00:40 - Amazon FBA Programs
01:45 - Seller Fulfilled Prime Program Requirements
05:10 - Delivery Speed Metric
08:15 - Who is Seller Fulfilled Prime Best For?
“It’s a myth that FBA is cheaper across the board.” -Manish
10:50 - Multi-Channel Fulfillment
11:55 - Lawsuits and Latest News About Amazon SFP
15:40 - Seller Fulfilled Prime For Specific Shipping Regions
19:10 - Adoption of Seller Fulfilled Prime
20:25 - Seller Fulfilled Prime Application
21:05 - Seller Fulfilled Prime Trial
23:35 - Amazon Fees
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/manish-chowdhary
Website: Cahoot.ai
X: PulseCommerce
Related Post: FBA Doesn’t Always Beat FBM: When to Pick One for New Sellers

Episode 232 - How To Build an Amazon Brand That Avoids the Chinese Sellers Nov 21, 2023

Show notes

Chinese Amazon sellers are growing and getting better at listings - adopting AI to make better photos, videos, and A+ content.
How can you, a U.S. brand, differentiate your business from this kind of saturation?
Listen and learn from Andy Isom, a YouTuber, a Podcaster, and a Business Coach, as he teaches how to build an Amazon brand that distinguishes itself from Chinese sellers.
Episode Notes:
00:30 - Andy Isom Introduction
03:15 - Selling on Amazon with Andy Isom
05:30 - Transparency to Audience
08:40 - Analyzing Brands
10:25 - Chinese Third-Party Sellers
10:55 - Advantages of U.S.-based Sellers
12:10 - Chinese Brands Utilizing AI
12:40 - The Need to Separate Your Brand from Chinese Sellers
13:35 - Conversation-piece Products
17:20 - Building a Brand Community
18:40 - Unrealistic Expectations When Starting Out
20:55 - Kickstart Models
22:30 - Using AI for Generating Product Concepts
23:35 - Difference Between New Sellers of Then and Now
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/andyisom
Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/52L8k1GbdWb4mngZNp92b7
Related Post: Yes, E-Commerce in Latin America Is Worth It

Episode 231 - How a One-Man Machine Is the Best Growth Strategy for Amazon With Aaron Moore Nov 14, 2023

Show notes

Need a full-service, one-stop-shop for your Amazon business?
Store Creation, Inventory, Listing Optimization, CPC Advertising, and more, Aaron Moore, your remote director of Amazon, will deliver results.
Learn the advantages of choosing a solo-operated agency over larger teams, plus other strategies that will take your Amazon business to the next level.
Episode Notes:
00:30 - Aaron Moore Introduction
03:10 - Advantages of single operator agency
05:30 - Aaron’s Multiple Skillset Sources
“Get in there, get your hands dirty, and up. Do the work” -Aaron
09:30 - Finding Clients as a Single Operator Agency
11:25 - Going Up Against Other Agencies
13:30 - How Does Aaron Feel About Outsourcing Tasks?
15:00 - Biggest Sales Contributor
18:10 - Setting Up Financing
18:55 - Aaron’s Preferred Brands
20:50 - The Patent Wars
25:20 - Pulling Data From SmartScout
28:05 - SmartScout Subcategories
29:05 - Targeting Products
31:40 - Amazon in 5-10 Years
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/theamzaaron
Website: www.mooreamazon.com
Related Post: Amazon Growth Agency Becomes Adept With SmartScout

Episode 230 - Aged Inventory Is Working Against Your Amazon Business Nov 08, 2023

Show notes

Aged inventory can be a silent, but substantial, hindrance to the growth and profitability of your Amazon business.
Non-moving products, especially in Q4, can lead to long-term storage fees.
In this short but information-packed episode, Scott reveals the challenges posed by aged inventory and offers effective strategies to address this issue and optimize your Amazon business.
Episode Notes:
00:15 - Amazon FBA Fees and Stale Inventory
02:10 - Monthly Storage Fee
02:45 - Long-term Storage Fee
03:45 - Removal Fees
05:15 - Storage Utilization Surcharge
05:45 - Capital and Opportunity Cost
06:00 - Cost-effective Ways to Sell Aging Inventory
06:35 - Proper Way of Discounting
08:10 - How to Sell When You Don’t Have Traffic
09:15 - Use Tools to Manage Inventory
Related Post: How To Sell Through Amazon Aged and Stale Inventory

Episode 229 - When Does Maximizing Amazon Profits Start To Hurt You With Jason Henan Oct 31, 2023

Show notes

When selling on Amazon, maximizing your profits is crucial for the success of your e-commerce business.
But what happens when it starts to backfire and hurt your bottom line?
We got Jason Hanan, co-founder of AZsellerkit, to give us the fine details of what could potentially destroy your whole Amazon listing and the steps to take to aggressively reverse the effects.
Episode Notes:
00:30 - Jason Hanan Introduction
04:25 - How to Optimize Variation Listing
07:40 - Pulling Out a Variation That Hurts Your Whole Listing
09:55 - The Power of Coupons
11:30 - Engagement from Price Variation
12:05 - SmartScout Rank Tracker
12:50 - Which Variants Are on Which Keywords
13:55 - The Influence of Amazon Pricing Structure
17:10 - Pricing Pain Points and Profit Maximization
19:30 - Raising Prices Without Hurting Velocity
24:15 - Test Pricing on Items
27:00 - Ad Spends and Returns
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-hanan-3a448013/
Website: AZsellerkit.com
Related Post: Amazon Variation Listing: An Ultimate Guide [2023]

Episode 228 - Turn Amazon Seller Support From a Frustration to a Solved Problem With Seller Candy Oct 24, 2023

Show notes

While Amazon Seller Support plays a vital role in assisting sellers, some may find it annoying or frustrating due to various reasons.
When support is broken, It disrupts the user experience and also hurts the end consumers.
Learn the weirdest pain point of selling on Amazon and how Seller Candy solved the problem of Amazon Seller Support with the Seller Candy Founder Josh Cavendish and the Smartest Amazon Seller Scott Needham.
Episode Notes:
00:15 - John Cavendish Introduction
01:55 - Amazon Seller Support Going Downhill
02:45 - Biggest Problem on Seller Support
03:45 - Why is Amazon Seller Support Bad at Helping?
08:10 - Is Seller Candy’s Solution for All Types of Sellers?
10:35 - Seller Candy’s Service Model
12:00 - Will Amazon Ever Solve Seller Support Issues
12:30 - Weaponzing Seller Support
13:00 - Seller Candy’s Ask Portal
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/thejohncavendish
Website: sellercandy. com
Related Post: What To Do When Amazon Seller Support Does Not Answer Your Question?

Episode 227 - Top Amazon Seller Pattern. Strength and Weakness Analysis With Jason Landro of Nectar Oct 17, 2023

Show notes

From Amazon selling to running a premier e-commerce services agency that helps brands grow on Amazon, Walmart, and Shopify, Nectar Co-founder Jason Landro sparked a controversial topic about Pattern, the largest reseller of products on Amazon.
In this episode, learn why Jason thinks pure wholesalers/resellers will go extinct as well as the strengths and weaknesses of Pattern’s business model.
Episode Notes:
00:15 - Jason Landro Introduction
01:00 - Jason’s Background
01:40 - Pattern’s Business Model
03:10 - Pattern’s Weaknesses
08:55 - Risk of Taking on Inventory
11:00 - Pattern’s Strengths
12:35 - Selling Direct
16:00 - 1p Dynamic Change
18:50 - What Adding Value Means
20:10 - Pattern’s Valuation
22:25 - Rising Fulfillment Costs
25:30 - Final Thoughts
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jasonlandro Website: thinknectar.com
Related Post: When Our Amazon Sales Shrunk, Our Profits Grew $2M+

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

The Smartest Amazon Seller

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected