The Smartest Amazon Seller

Latest Episodes:

Episode 59: Scott To Be REAL | An Honest Talk About This Podcast and Wholesale vs. Private Label Jul 14, 2020

Show notes

Today, Scott breaks the fourth wall and is completely transparent as he talks about his podcast. He tells us his reasons for starting the podcast, which includes greater visibility for his company and its investments. He shares how he realized its potential as a valuable marketing tool after he saw the attention he got from a Reddit post he made. He explains the value and insights he tries to share, and what his strategy is with his show, trying to cover topics and disclose secrets that will be impossible to ignore for any seller trying to get ahead with their business. Scott then answers the question, ‘Wholesale or Private Label?’ He explains the advantages, advanced strategies, and challenges involved in both. He shares how if you’re able to distill what happens on Amazon into the discoverability of a product, the click-through of a product, and your ability to convert them, then you will be prepared to dissect any tool out there, and it will change how you organize your business. He explains the value of coupons in increasing your click-through rate. He shares the news that NARF (Amazon’s North American Remote Fulfilment Program) is live and operating again. He finishes the episode by announcing that he is beefing up his Youtube content, and promises that the best is yet to come in valuable content designed to help increase your profits.
Why This Podcast? 0:36
The Value We Offer With This Podcast 5:31
Wholesale or Private Label? 7:31
Breaking News: NARF is Live Again 14:28
“My company has gone in a lot of different directions -- I have a lot of insights. We have wholesale business. We have private label. We’re actually in the process of launching a new brand (I was looking at logos this morning). We have an agency with a marketing team and an account management team, we have a dev team, and now, we are pushing out content.” 4:15
Social
https://www.instagram.com/smartestseller/
https://www.buyboxer.com/
Send Scott an Email: scottneedham@buyboxer.com

Episode 58: How To Maximize Your Market Multiples When Selling Your Business | Go to Thrasio Jul 07, 2020

Show notes

In today’s episode, we talk with Ken Kubec from Thrasio (https://www.thras.io/), a fast-growing acquirer of Amazon FBA businesses. He explains the growth and development of Thrasio, as well as its structure and operation. We talk about the advantages of acquiring businesses as opposed to starting them. We discuss the red flags when doing due diligence with suppliers. We explain how Thrasio will turn away brands employing black hat tactics such as review manipulation. We talk about hero skews as an ideal quality for businesses that Thrasio acquires, as well as acquiring brands working with brokers. We break down market multiples and earn-outs for the listeners, explaining how you can maximize these when you sell your business. We clarify that Thrasio works exclusively with private label products. Ken shares the strengths and expertise of his company’s team, and how that gives them confidence to be bold and decisive with growing businesses and dealing with risk.
Origin and Future of Thrasio; How Thrasio Operates 1:47
Due Diligence With Suppliers; Which Brands Does Thrasio Look For? 5:57
Maximizing Your Market Multiples; Sellers, Post-acquisition 16:51
Dealing With Risk; Growing Businesses 22:13
“So that’s a normal market multiple, depending on your size, growth trajectory, recent trends, etc.” 17:52
Email Ken: ken@thras.io
Social
https://www.instagram.com/smartestseller/
https://www.buyboxer.com/
Send Scott an Email: scottneedham@buyboxer.com

Episode 57: Scott’s Thoughts | How To Increase the Value of Your Business Through Intellectual Property Jun 30, 2020

Show notes

Today, we discuss Intellectual Property in the context of increasing the value of your Amazon business . We talk about copyright protection, design patents, and utility patents, clarifying that while copyright technically exists immediately after creation, it is worth the effort to officially attach intellectual property to your products to make them defendable. We talk about how this applies to the increase of sales in puzzles we’ve seen since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. We also discuss how to create successful content referencing million dollar industries without infringing on copyright.
Protect and Benefit From Your Design, Creation or Product 0:46
The Example of Our Puzzles 7:21
Riding The Wave of Million Dollar Industries 11:41
“I really like the idea -- we are launching some of our own products -- to always attach and add some intellectual property that makes it defendable, because we’ll be able to remove counterfeit or inauthentic products much easier.” 6:58
Social
https://www.instagram.com/smartestseller/
https://www.buyboxer.com/
Send Scott an Email: scottneedham@buyboxer.com

Episode 56: How To Attract New Customers and Increase Sales | Amazon DSP with George Meressa Jun 23, 2020

Show notes

Today’s episode covers all things Amazon DSP (demand-side platform) with George Meressa from Clear Ads, an AdWords agency that helps businesses attract new customers and increase sales. We discuss what Amazon DSP is, how it is different from Sponsored Products, and the advantageous data and re-marketing features it provides for creating custom audiences. We talk about how you can start using Amazon DSP through 3rd party agencies like Clear Ads. We speak about some of the bugs that Amazon is working on with DSP (such as attribution issues), and invite you to find out more about advertising by going to https://www.clearads.co.uk/.
What is Amazon DSP? 2:55
How Can I Start Using Amazon DSP? 12:39
Data, Metrics, and Advantages of Amazon DSP 15:50
Get Inside Info at https://www.clearads.co.uk/ 20:39
“It allows you to capture every other ASIN that sells similar items to you and allows you to re-engage with that audience.” 6:45
Social
https://www.instagram.com/smartestseller/
https://www.buyboxer.com/

Episode 55: What Is the Onsite Associates Program? | How To Increase Sales and Search Volume Jun 16, 2020

Show notes

In today’s episode, we talk with Benjamin Faw, co-founder of BestReviews, a very successful product review company. We talk about how review sites work and the process of getting into Amazon’s Onsite Associates program to bring outside editorial into an Amazon search result. We discuss how this program can increase search volume and sales on a successful product, as well as help take the value of your brand to the next level. We give pointers on how to place your product on a review site, as well as how to determine which site will be most advantageous to you.
Growth of Review Sites; Onsite Associates Program 3:01
How Onsite Associates Can Multiply Your Search Volume and Sales 14:15
Getting Your Product on a Review Site 18:02
“Amazon wants people to search for products within their search engine. They don’t want people leaving and going to Google to look at review sites and generating traffic outside of Amazon, when they can capture most of that inside Amazon.” 7:18
https://www.linkedin.com/in/benfaw
Social
https://www.instagram.com/smartestseller/
https://www.buyboxer.com/

Episode 54: Online Merchants Guild | What You Can Do To Support Small Businesses with Paul Rafelson Jun 09, 2020

Show notes

Today, we talk with Paul Rafelson, founder of the Online Merchants Guild, a trade association that gives online merchants a voice. We talk about the achievements of this group, including their instrumental role in the launching of the AB-147 bill and fighting for marketplace facilitator’s laws in 39 states. We talk about Amazon’s “scapegoat” approach to price gouging enforcement. We talk about OMG’s unique and valuable services to the seller community, as well as the affordable and important resources offered at https://sellerbasics.com/. We discuss the need for giving small businesses and sellers a voice in legislation, and share how you can join OMG’s cause.
What is the Online Merchants Guild? 1:27
Extraterritoriality in Price Gouging Enforcement 10:32
What The OMG Can Do For You 20:52
Importance of Giving Sellers a Voice 27:17
“It’s a huge benefit for me, as a seller. If I were to, say, start another business, I don’t have to figure out the sales tax issue again, and register in other states. I really did worry -- we’ve done a few million dollars in sales in Pennsylvania over the years -- that they would try to collect on that retroactively.” 7:09
Reach Out To OMG: https://onlinemerchantsguild.org/
Email Paul: paul@onlinemerchantsguild.org
https://sellerbasics.com/
Social
https://www.instagram.com/smartestseller/
https://www.buyboxer.com/

Episode 53: Secrets Spilled! | How To Price Products and Build Business Relationships, With Larry Lubarsky Jun 02, 2020

Show notes

In today’s episode, we talk with Larry Lubarsky, AKA “Watch Me Amazon,” who has launched the influential Wholesale Academy program. We start by discussing how the coronavirus has affected Amazon sellers. We talk about best practices with pricing and how to work with account health reps to prevent suspension. We talk about best tactics with negotiating discounts with vendors. We then discuss the benefits and opportunities overseas with Amazon in Europe, as well as the best way to start selling in foreign marketplaces. We wrap up by talking about Wholesale Academy and why Larry considers it to be one of his proudest achievements.
What A Time To Be A Seller! Effects of COVID-19 On Amazon 1:13
Repricing; Negotiating Discounts With Vendors 6:30
Success In The FBA Model Overseas; When To Hire a Pro 27:22
About Wholesale Academy 43:59
“Every time we set a maximum price on a skew, we actually go on the listing, we look at the Keepa chart, we look at the product’s history, and...we look back at the last year and set a maximum price that’s realistic for that particular product.” 8:35
Social
https://www.instagram.com/smartestseller/
https://www.buyboxer.com/

Episode 52: You’ve Got A Friend In Helium 10 | Tools To Increase Amazon Sales With Bradley Sutton May 26, 2020

Show notes

Today we talk with Bradley Sun From Helium 10, a software provider, about launching products on Amazon. We discuss how the Coronavirus has affected launching products, pointing out that to launch a product, you need to be looking at historical data of its past performance. We talk about Helium 10’s Project X on Youtube, as well as how Helium 10 is supporting categories whose sales are significantly down due to the effects of the pandemic. We talk about the unique tools of Helium 10 in helping you market on Amazon, such as keyword tracking and the reverse ASIN tool, among many others. We finish by discussing the Freedom Ticket program for new sellers and how Helium 10 covers the cost for that program as part of its package. We finish by offering the listeners of this podcast one of 2 coupon codes: Use BUYBOXER 50 for 50% of the first month, and BUYBOXER 10 for 10% off the first year subscription.
How Has COVID-19 Affected Launching Products? 1:06
Helium 10 Has The Tools To Help You Nail Your Marketing 10:58
How Helium 10 Helps New Sellers Get Their Start 23:546
Special Offer For Smartest Seller Listeners 26:33
“If I’m going to put some capital and some risk into something, I’ve gotta look at its evergreen status. Was this a good product pre-coronavirus? Is this a good product throughout the year, or is it seasonal? And without that historical data, you will get stuck.” 3:11
Reach Out To Bradley: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Helium10Users/
Social
https://www.instagram.com/smartestseller/
https://www.buyboxer.com/

Episode 51: How To Save Money For Your Business With Veriship | Shipping Is Part of Your Brand May 19, 2020

Show notes

In today’s episode, we talk with Jeremy and Andy from Veriship, a UPS and FedEx audit company that bought Scott’s company, Valence. We discuss how the coronavirus pandemic has affected shipping. We explain what kinds of audits Veriship performs and why their services are of value for your Amazon business. We discuss the One Rate Program and Seller-Fulfilled Prime. We end with a discussion about how shipping is a major part of your company’s brand, and offer the listeners to this podcast a special rate with Veriship at this link: https://info.veriship.com/smartestseller
How COVID 19 Has Affected Veriship and Shipping 2:20
What Veriship Can Do For Your Business 5:53
Breaking Down Carrier Pricing Agreements; FedEx One Rate 11:26
Shippers Represent Your Brand -- Hold Them Accountable 20:41
“In the world that we live in nowadays -- even before the coronavirus pandemic started to break out -- controlling your cost is the number 1 key. The cost of shipping has the tendency to go up, year over year -- the carriers are raising their rates. And E-commerce shippers are popping up. It’s never been easier to start an online company than it is right now.” 9:35
Social
https://www.instagram.com/smartestseller/
https://www.buyboxer.com/

Episode 50: What To Do When Suspended On Amazon | Riverbend Can Be Your Hail Mary May 12, 2020

Show notes

Today, we talk all things seller performance with Lesley Hensell, co-founder and co-owner of Riverbend Consulting (http://riverbendconsulting.com/). We discuss account suspensions and how to react if this happens to you. We give insights into some of Amazon’s procedures and processes with price gouging and suspensions. We talk about the many measures Riverbend takes to help sellers in a variety of situations. We discuss suspensions of single ASIN’s, and also give important advice for writing appeals. We invite you to learn more about Riverbend’s services.
"Go here to contact Riverbend now"
https://www.riverbendconsulting.com/what-we-do/amazon-account-suspension-bb-refer/
How Amazon Works With Suspensions 1:52
How Riverbend Helps You Deal With Account Suspensions 9:56
ASIN Suspensions; Admit When You’re Wrong 20:29
Learn More About RIverbend Consulting 30:04
“We’ve talked to them about changing the way that they do their pricing structure, because some do everything based on a percentage above cost of goods sold, and that’s how they decide what their price point is.” 14:23
Talk With A Consultant! 877-289-1017
Social
https://www.instagram.com/smartestseller/
https://www.buyboxer.com/

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