The Asian Seller

Sammy Akhtar from Regro Media joins us on this episode of The Asian Seller podcast. Sammy shares recent Amazon updates he is excited about. He also talks about using PPC for product launches, ad reports, and gives some tips for increasing sales.  Sammy is Co-Founder of Regro Media. He has been in the ecommerce space since 2017 when he started selling on Amazon. After a few years, he created Regro Media, a full service Amazon agency helping Amazon brands scale. Episode highlights: • Amazon Marketing Cloud, and other updates Sammy is excited about  • Importance of PPC • How to launch products PPC • Most important ad report that sellers don't check • Mobile-optimized listings • Tips to increase sales for a brand 

On this episode of The Asian Seller podcast, we welcome Karthick and Kamalavel from KwickMetrics to talk about the importance of analysing and tracking data for Amazon sellers. An Amazon business strategy without data analytics is like shooting in the dark. Assumptions and preferences can easily bias sellers and result in wrong decisions. We also briefly talk about some of the important data points Amazon sellers should focus on.  Kamalavel and Karthic are speakers at the upcoming Ecom India Summit to be held in Delhi in October. J   oin the Summit to meet with them and many other brands, ecom sellers, and global experts traveling to India for this first-of-its-kind conference and expo. Learn more and reserve your seat here: www.ecomindiasummit.com  Episode highlights:  • Introductions  • Ways that Amazon sellers can use data to increase sales and improve profitability • Tips on managing inventory • Advice for sellers as they prepare for Q4 sales • About KwickMetrics and how it it different from other tools available for Amazon sellers? • Who is it for & pricing  About:  Kamalavel is a successful entrepreneur with 12+ years of expertise in solving business problems using technology. He has hands-on experience in providing strategic solutions for business platforms that handle customers online. He is the founder of KwickMetrics, a business analytics and intelligence tool for Amazon sellers. Karthick is Product Manager of KwickMetrics, and a receptive team lead with 6+ years of experience in interacting with entrepreneurs and stakeholders. Equipping them with proper strategical solutions for their business problems, he always finds way towards ensuring data driven decision making for business processes. His keen interest always drives towards bringing software as a solution for day-to-day business and sales handling problems. KwickMetrics is a business Intelligence and analytics tool that offers powerful and innovative solutions for Amazon sellers. Their user-friendly business dashboard and profit calculator enables retailers, manufacturers, and private-label sellers to automatically generate reports from their sales data. With KwickMetrics, sellers can explore sales forecasting, multiple seller account access, reimbursement reports, and inventory management, and more.  Learn more: www.kwickmetrics.com  

From 0 to 7 Figures: The Story of an Ecommerce Seller from Ludhiana   On this episode of The Asian Seller podcast, we speak with Kulbahar Singh Tiwana, a 7-figure (USD) ecommerce seller from India who began his selling journey with limited investment.    He started selling online in 2015 and on Amazon, in 2018. He currently sells on the US, UK, Europe and Australia marketplaces and sources all his products from India. Kulbahar is an expert in commercial exports and CSB-V (ecommerce exports).    Kulbahar is testament to the fact that cross-border ecommerce is an extremely viable business opportunity for anyone that is willing to put in the time and effort to learn the ropes. There are, however, no short cuts in this business - it requires investment, patience, time and just like any other business, risk tolerance.    Kulbahar is a panelist at the upcoming Ecom India Summit to be held in Delhi in October. Join the Summit to meet with him and many other brands, ecom sellers, and global experts traveling to India for this first-of-its-kind conference and expo.    Learn more and reserve your seat here: www.ecomindiasummit.com 

On this episode of The Asian Seller, Jason Tay, Meghla Bhardwaj and Margaret Jolly answer sellers questions about Amazon FBA, Ecommerce, Private Label, Sourcing, QC, Logistics and more. Jason is the first ever Singapore seller to be featured on Amazon's Seller Success Story series, and is regularly invited by Amazon and other institutions to talk about eCommerce. Episode highlights Does the PAC replens model work for amazon.sg? Keepa doesn't work on Amazon.sg, what's the alternative? I have some of my listings with search suppressed. I had tried file upload and edit but nothing helps. Any advise? Can you give an example of how you make your product page the more attractive to consumers? Is it possible to do the replens model in amazon.com from Singapore? What are the potential challenges? I have an Amazon AU account. I have two lots of products that I bought from AliExpress that I want to get rid of. Can I deliver them to the Amazon warehouse in Melbourne myself to sell on amazon.com.au FBA? Is bath bomb fallen under prohibited category ? if yes, how do we find out what type of licences we need? How to reach Jason Jason Tay Online: https://www.jasontayonline.com/ Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/jasontayonline/ Jason's Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/MySilentTeamSG/  Jason's course Amazon Seller - Singapore Training: https://www.jasontayonline.com/singapore-training.html  Mention “The Asian Seller” when registering for the course to receive a bonus one-on-one session with Jason 

On this episode of The Asian Seller, Jason Tay and Meghla Bhardwaj answer sellers questions about Amazon FBA, Ecommerce, Private Label, Sourcing, QC, Logistics and more. Jason is the first ever Singapore seller to be featured on Amazon's Seller Success Story series, and is regularly invited by Amazon and other institutions to talk about eCommerce. Episode highlights: The best way to approach businesses to work with? What is your view on price moving up and down $3+- during testing? 3 months changes 3-4x? How to rank on top of the fold on first page, and how do you maintain that position? How we can scale our business further especially if our budget is not so much? By looking for more products or focus more on existing selling products? With rising shipping costs and perhaps PPC costs, it means that we potentially have to price our products higher than existing sellers. DO we still try to maintain the same margin ? Do you recommend we try to price the same level with other sellers or spend more on PPC (esp if this is the 1st time you are selling this product)? When sourcing wood products, is it the supplier or freight forwarder who should provide the lacey act + fumigation cert + FDA inspection cert? Do you recommend launch new product during prime Day? How to reach Jason Jason Tay Online: https://www.jasontayonline.com/ Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/jasontayonline/ Jason's Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/MySilentTeamSG/  Jason's course Amazon Seller - Singapore Training: https://www.jasontayonline.com/singapore-training.html  Mention “The Asian Seller” when registering for the course to receive a bonus one-on-one session with Jason  Join The Asian Seller community Facebook Group YouTube Meetup Telegram

On this episode of The Asian Seller podcast, Ashley Kinkead from Private Label Masters shares her "3 x 2 Method" of launching products on Amazon.    She also shares her journey of selling online - from Retail Arbitrage to Online Arbitrage and finally Private Label.    Ashley has helped thousands of sellers launch products on Amazon.com. She's inspired and equipped thousands of online entrepreneurs around the world with the skills and strategies they need to build thriving empires, from the ground up.    In 2015, Ashley desired to leave her dead-end career as a manager in corporate America. She started out selling used books on Amazon FBA. She then launched into her own Private Label products, eventually listing over 15,000 products on Amazon.com.   She quickly scaled her Amazon business to over $30,000/month in income. She eventually exceeded her goal of $100,000/month in her Amazon business. In under 3 years, she exceeded $2 million sold on Amazon FBA. Today, she is just as enthusiastic and passionate about teaching new business owners how to grow with e-commerce using her innovative "3 x 2" Method and TSA Approach that is scalable, simple and fast.   Many of her students are in the top 1% of global Amazon sellers. Today she serves as the Founder of Private Label Mastery. Her primary business is training women and men like herself to launch winning businesses on Amazon FBA using her innovative training system and approach to product launching, scaling and automation.   Website link - plmastery.com/masterclass Join The Asian Seller community Facebook Group YouTube Meetup Telegram

On this episode of The Asian Seller podcast, we chat with Pierre Poignant, Co-Founder of Lazada, and currently Co-Founder & CEO of Branded. In 2012, Pierre co-founded Lazada, one of the largest e-commerce marketplaces in Asia building out the largest logistics network in South East Asia. Under his leadership, Lazada scaled to over 80 million customers and processed millions of transactions every day. Pierre joined Lazada originally as its COO where he oversaw tens of thousands of employees and contractors, before taking over the reins as CEO after Alibaba's acquisition from 2018-2020. Previously, Pierre spent over 8 years at McKinsey in Singapore and Paris focusing on operations and digital transformation.   Episode highlights:  - How did you come about founding Lazada?  - What were some initial challenges you faced when establishing Lazada?  - Why did you decide to sell to Alibaba? - What advice do you have for entrepreneurs who are looking to start an ecommerce / Amazon FBA business?  - In today's competitive environment, what does it take for an ecommerce business to be successful?  - Where do you see ecommerce headed in the next few years in SE Asia? - What are the key trends and predictions you have for the aggregation space in 2022? - What makes Branded different? - What kind of e-commerce businesses is Branded interested in?    Join The Asian Seller community Facebook Group YouTube Meetup Telegram

On this episode of The Asian Seller Jason Tay and Meghla Bhardwaj answer sellers questions about Amazon FBA, Ecommerce, Private Label, Sourcing, QC, Logistics and more. Jason is the first ever Singapore seller to be featured on Amazon's Seller Success Story series, and is regularly invited by Amazon and other institutions to talk about eCommerce. Episode Highlights: Is it advisable to order large quantity and send to 3PL or smaller quantity and ship direct to Amazon? What should be the percentage set aside for the first 6 months and subsequent months for PPC Ads? For Prime Exclusive discount, is FBA fees based on original price or discounted price? How should I handle (1) Voice of Customer, (2) Cancelled order, (3) Returns? When we first start out, do you think we should try on our own or use a VA from the start? How to cope with increasing logistics costs? What's the appropriate way to identify product competition and demand in Amazon.sg ,since we're not using Helium10 in Singapore? How to reach Jason Jason Tay Online: https://www.jasontayonline.com/ Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/jasontayonline/ Jason's Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/MySilentTeamSG/  Jason's course Amazon Seller - Singapore Training: https://www.jasontayonline.com/singapore-training.html  Mention “The Asian Seller” when registering for the course to receive a bonus one-on-one session with Jason  Join The Asian Seller community  Facebook Group YouTube Meetup Telegram

On this episode of The Asian Seller podcast, Melissa Simonson and Hai Mag from Eva join us to chat about a range of topics including dynamic pricing, Amazon India, Q4 trends and more.      About Melissa: Down to her last $30 and with her power turned off, Melissa started her entrepreneurial journey out of necessity.    She later shifted into eCommerce private label and is now proud to represent Eva.Guru as Head of Marketing.    Melissa is honored to be on the Board of Directors for the nonprofit, member-owned Empowery eCommerce Cooperative to help other eCommerce entrepreneurs on their journey and has a special place in her heart for empowering women in eCommerce.    Event host, international speaker, podcaster, community builder and people connector, she was the host of the first ever event in eCommerce with an all women speaker lineup and is the current host of the Amaze on Stream Podcast.

On this episode of The Asian Seller podcast, Gianmarco Meli from The Seller Process talks about creating SOPs for an Amazon business.   Gianmarco is an Amazon seller who started his ecommerce journey in Shanghai where he launched an online platform backed by venture capital fund SOSV. He is the host of The Seller Process, a weekly podcast that aims to empower Amazon sellers and ecommerce entrepreneurs with the right systems and SOPs to accomplish more in their business with less time and effort.   Download this free eBook about capturing systems and creating SOPs.    Episode highlights  What SOPs are and what are the benefits of implementing them in your business How to create SOPs Different types of SOPs In depth structure of an SOP What are the tools to generate and collect SOPs Running SOPs best practices Common mistakes with SOPs   Contact: The Seller Process: www.thesellerprocess.com LinkedIn  https://www.linkedin.com/in/gianmarco-meli/  

On this episode of The Asian Seller podcast, we're talking to McClain Warren of Movley about inspections and quality control when sourcing from China.  McClain Warren is a Colorado-native w/ a Communications and Marketing degree from American University, DC. She started in the Amazon space as a copywriter for listing optimizations and worked her way up the corporate ladder until she was the director of the keyword research and copywriting department of one of the larger Amazon-focused marketing companies. She now owns her own marketing and copywriting firm called The Write Buzz and is the Marketing and Content Manager at Movley – a US-based inspections company that provides clients with an entire quality control team for the price of an inspection. Episode highlights Introduction  Who can do inspections and what are the pros and cons of each What kind of tests should you have your inspection team perform What is the difference between a mid-production inspection and a pre-ship inspection How do you choose the right sample sizes Why is it recommended for online sellers to get a level III inspection done on your sample How do bad inspections affect your Amazon listing How do bad inspections impact the valuation of your company Contact McClain: https://bit.ly/3hA7I1N Join The Asian Seller community Facebook Group YouTube Meetup Telegram

On this week's Webinar Wednesday, we talk to Ivegen Ivanko, VP of Acquisitions at Rainforest, an aggregator of Amazon businesses.   He will talk about structuring your business, and best practices to follow to maximise your company's valuation.   About Yev: Yev moved to England when he was 16 without parents to take an opportunity to study A-Levels. Initially, things were "bumpy", but he managed to grow and learn quickly, graduating at the top of his year.   Perseverance got him fully paid place at the London School of Economics where Yev majored in Mathematics. He worked hard and won a place on a graduate scheme at Citigroup Investment Bank before moving to Deutsche Bank with a two-grade promotion.   After attempting to start a business in spare time, in 2012 Yev took a leap into the world of entrepreneurship full-time, e-commerce business model was a focus for him. Yev was an early investor into a unicorn D2C brand – Dollar Shave Club. Launched and scaled a number of profitable ecommerce businesses from $0 to seven figures and co-founded Nimble Seller, a borderless working capital solution for global Amazon Sellers.   Currently Yev is spearheading acquisition efforts at Rainforest – Asia-based Amazon brand acquirer. About Rainforest:   Rainforest is an aggregator of Amazon FBA and DTC brands, and they were incorporated in Singapore in Oct 2020. Till date, they have acquired a handful of brands and are actively looking into more brands to acquire in 2021.   They specialize in developing microbrands globally through their inhouse domain capabilities and tech expertise. Through the payout, brand owners can fund their other business expansion or pursue their personal endeavors.   They are open to brands globally.

On this week's podcast, we welcome Chris Shipferling, Managing Partner at Global Wired Advisors.   Chris believes preparing your business for an exit is more in depth than what you may have been told. In this webinar, Chris will discuss the top three things to focus on today to help you begin to mold your company into a more sellable business and optimize your potential exit:   1. Financial organization 2. Know your data 3. Product road map   About Chris:   Chris offers invaluable insight to help sellers and buyers reach their full potential before, during and after the sale of their business. Chris is especially adept at finding client companies that are poised for sale, guiding them through the initial steps, and preparing them to make the best possible first impression.   About Global Wired Advisors:   Global Wired Advisors is a leading Digital Investment Bank focused on optimizing the business sale process. Their approach combines decades of merger and acquisition experience with online and e-commerce expertise to increase the transactional value of your greatest asset.   Join The Asian Seller community Facebook Group YouTube Meetup Telegram

The Asian Seller Founder Meghla Bhardwaj was interviewed by Payman Lorenzo. Meghla shared a bit about her journey from who she is and her transition from being a journalist to the business woman she is now. She also talks about her experience of Sourcing From India VS China, advantages & for what type of products it is best for. Meghla shared about her soon to be launched brand. Episode Highlights: Transition From Being A Journalist To The Business Woman She Is Now Sourcing From India VS China, Advantages and For What Type Of Products It Is Best For Personal Tragedy As The Root For The Inspiration To A More Fulfilling and Meaningful Life The Importance Of Legacy & The Power Of Impact Sponsoring Kids' Education In New Delhi For A Year In Her First India Sourcing Trip ​ The Unforgettable Experience Of Visiting These Kids At Their School ​ Education, The Key To Arising Above Poverty ​ Doing Good With Your Business Is Not Only The Right   Thing To Do As A Human Being But Also Very Good For     Business!  Most Impactful Lesson Learned Over The Past 12 Months  What Kept You Going In That Very Challenging Time? ​ Involving Her Son Into The Business At An Early Age ​ Best Way To Reach Meghla. ​ Tip For Someone Looking To Feel More Fulfilment In Their Business and Life By Adding A Cause To Their Business. Contact Meghla Join The Asian Seller community Facebook Group YouTube Meetup Telegram

This week's The Asian Seller podcast is about procrastination and mindset.  Do you put things off and keep yourself busy with meaningless tasks? Do you find it hard to commit to decisions and just go for it? Well, there are deeper patterns within our mindset that play a role in why we move forward in life, and why we don't. In under an hour, Cameron will show you exactly why procrastination is not really about putting things off, it is actually about something much deeper within you that is unresolved  On this podcast transformation coach Cameron Allen gives you 3 key takeaways that will allow you to identify and see where this pain point is coming from everytime, and move through it.  About Cameron Allen: Life CAN be how you want it. But you need to want it enough. When you experience coaching with me, we will delve into the root causes of patterns holding you back. We clear out the limitations and re-wire your mind to inspire new ways of living. I work with the subconscious mind to empower you to design the life you desire.  Send me a message if you would like more information. I offer 1:1 VIP coaching, workshops, retreats, and the powerful Aligned Mastermind. Contact Cameron:  www.cameronallen.com.au  Join The Asian Seller community Facebook Group YouTube Meetup Telegram

On this week's The Asian Seller podcast, we talk to Jelena Nuhanovic, founder of AmazoniaPPC about everything you need to know about Amazon Posts.  Jelena shares the basics of Posts, and gives best practices in 2021 to maximize Posts so you can get your brand and product in front of more shoppers on Amazon.  Apart from listening to / watching the podcast interview with Jelena, you can also read the article written by Jelena below to get an overview of Amazon Posts. What are Amazon Posts With the most recent pandemic event that has definitely acted as a catalyst for the development of ecommerce, Amazon has moved more in the direction of creating a more branded shopping experience for customers on the platform.  This new way of communicating with audiences has opened a door for brands to expand their brand discoverability in front of Amazon's shoppers and build a following in a similar way that they do on social networks.  Amazon Posts are an innovative new tool for sellers to expand their organic reach free of charge. In this article, we're going to give you full insights on what this tool is, and how to leverage all the advantages it's currently giving us. What is interesting about this new format is that it is a shoppable format. Each post links to a product detail page, which is a valuable feature if you're looking to expand your brand presence on Amazon.  Why should I use Amazon Posts? There are many reasons why you should start building your following on Amazon through Posts, and some of them are:  You already have that content on your social media, just probably haven't reached Amazon's audiences with it yet. Since you already have the content it is very easy to repurpose it for Amazon This is a great way to generate additional organic clicks to your product detail pages and promote any special offers you might have This is currently free to join, but you will need to be Brand registered first One of the most interesting things about Amazon posts is that their main format looks a lot like regular social media posts (very similar to Instagram posts and stories, or Facebook posts), but at the same time there is no option to interact with the brand other than signing up to follow their feed on Amazon. Other than that, you can click on the post to lead you either to the featured product's detail page, to brand feed, and to expand the caption on mobile devices.  How to get started with Amazon Posts? This program is completely free (it is good to harvest its potential while it's still free) to join, but you will need to be brand registered before signing up for the program. If you need to get brand registered fast, you can speed up this process by signing up for the IP accelerator program. This program is a network of Amazon-vetted IP law firms that can help you speed up the process of trademark registration and they usually offer better pricing than independent law firms. If you're already brand registered, then you can use the following steps to sign up: Go to: https://posts.amazon.com/welcome  Create a new profile by using your regular Seller Central login credentials Verify your brand name and add your brand logo This simple, 3-step process will then enable you to start creating posts once you're approved.  How does it work? Once you are signed up, you can use the interface to create interesting and engaging posts. It is important to stick to the creative guidelines given by Amazon, and respect the rules of posting. Similar to social media, there is no limit to how many Posts you can create, which is great for building a consistent brand presence on the platform.  Another great thing is that you can schedule posts in advance, similar to Scheduled Posts on Facebook.  Once it's approved to be published, Amazon will automatically start showing it in customer's feeds where applicable. After you create a post, you can either publish it right away, or schedule for later. After a while, you will have a good overview of each post's performance and easily understand what works and what doesn't. Where will my Amazon Post appear? Currently there is no option to choose where the post will display. Amazon chooses post placements automatically. They use feeds and product detail pages as placements for the posts, using relevancy as one of the ways to determine where it will place your post. So far, we've seen higher-than-average CTRs coming from Amazon Posts in our client's accounts, so our opinion is that they are making a good estimate where to place the posts. In order to get your posts approved, there is an extensive list of creative policies you'll need to respect.  What does an Amazon Post look like? The most interesting thing about this new format is that it looks like Instagram posts and sponsored products ads had a baby

On this week's The Asian Seller podcast, Habib Rkha Founder and Managing Director of QCADVISOR talks about his company's unique new service of virtual factory tours in China. Habib shares why and how his company offers 360 views of factories in China, and how these can be beneficial to importers when they cannot visit factories in person.  Habib is a QC and manufacturing veteran, based in China. He founded QCADVISOR in Shenzhen in 2018, and they currently serve over 150 clients. They specialize in offering customized QC solutions instead of offering QC services as a commodity. Episode highlights:  Introduction - About Habib and QCADVISOR  Virtual factory tours What are they  How and why did Habib start doing these  Are they used for factory audits or inspections as well How many have they done so far What has been buyers' feedback about these  How do they create these 360 videos QC-related advice for someone just starting to source products from China Ways in which suppliers cut corners and compromise quality Habib's services and how to contact him  Contact Habib:  Website: QCADVISOR   Email: habib@qcadvisor.com Schedule a 15-minute call: https://calendly.com/habib-qcadvisor/15min  Join The Asian Seller community Facebook Group YouTube Meetup Telegram

On this week's The Asian Seller podcast, Margaret Jolly and Meghla Bhardwaj share notes about the ups and downs of being an Amazon seller.  It's not always a smooth ride, and don't believe gurus who say you can make 7 figures by working only 4 hours a week!! This is a real business and takes time to start and grow. There are a lot of challenges and pitfalls to avoid along the way.  It is nonetheless a business that you can set up with the least amount of investment especially compared to other businesses such as retail.  Margaret is a business and Amazon coach, and has been selling on Amazon for about 4 years. She is a coach on India Sourcing Trip and sources all her products exclusively from India.  Contact Margaret on Messenger for coaching Join The Asian Seller community Facebook Group YouTube Meetup Telegram

On this week's The Asian Seller podcast, we talk to a few inspiring women entrepreneurs from the Amazon and ecommerce world.  They share what drives them, what inspires them, the challenges they have faced, and lots more.  They also talk about their presentations at the Branded by Women conference.  The Asian Seller founder, Meghla Bhardwaj is also a speaker at the conference, and will be sharing some of the lessons learnt in 2020.  Episode highlights:  Introductions When did the entrepreneur bug bite them? The biggest challenge they face as woman entrepreneurs What they do for encouragement or to stay motivated Tips for other women who would like to start their own businesses Rapidfire - Answer in one  sentence:  Favorite thing to do in their free time What mantra do they live by Biggest regret if any  Biggest achievement What's the dream Advice to their younger self Their topic at Branded by Women. Sign up for Branded by Women Join The Asian Seller community Facebook Group YouTube Meetup Telegram

When she was in school, she painted stones and drew cartoons to sell to her classmates. She sold keychains from her father's store and her pre-loved toys.  It was evident she had an entrepreneurial spark in her from the time she was in school.  When she started working, she started feeling restless in her 9-to-5 and wanted to do something more challenging that would give her freedom of time and creativity.  She discovered the business of ecommerce and Amazon, and knew this is what she wanted to do. Despite the limited ecommerce opportunities in her country, she is determined to build an Ecommerce Empire.  On this week's The Asian Seller podcast, winner of Spark Ecom Scholarship, Farah Zaidi from Brunei shares her story and her lofty plans for her Amazon business.  Hear her story, be inspired.  Watch Farah's video that she sent as an entry for Spark Ecom Scholarship. 

On this week's The Asian Seller podcast, Nate Ginsberg from Seller Plex and Dream Team Machine shares a blueprint for an Amazon FBA dream team.  Nate stresses that entrepreneurs should strive to be the best they can be, have the biggest impact, receive the biggest impact and focus on being the visionaries for their business. And if they continue to “donkey work” or repetitive, low-value tasks, they are limiting themselves and their business.  Nate also talks about a “hiring funnel” that he has developed to help him make the hiring process more efficient.  Nate is an entrepreneur, investor, writer and world traveling yogi. After selling his FBA business in 2017 Nate dedicated himself to helping other entrepreneurs unplug from and scale their business.  He now supports other FBA entrepreneurs through his agency SellerPlex, his Podcast Ecom Exits, and his Dream Team Machine Training.  Nate believes in pursuing win/win collaborations with good people. So connect with Nate on Facebook or IG @nateginsburg and say Hi to explore any ways to collaborate or work together. Episode highlights:  Introduction  Why is it important for founders to unplug from “donkey work”  Why have an org. structure  What does the team look like - there are four buckets to focus on in an FBA business:   Amazon bucket  Supply chain: Supplier relationship management / inventory management / logistics  Finance  New product development Why it is important to get the right people in place earlier - even when you're a small business  What is a hiring funnel Relaunch of Nate's course  Nate's services:  Seller Plex Dream Team Machine Contact Nate:  Facebook Instagram  Join The Asian Seller community Facebook Group YouTube Meetup Telegram

On this week's The Asian Seller podcast, Davide Nicolucci from Growth Hack Consulting talks about key trends in the Amazon space in 2021 based on a comprehensive article he has published recently.  We also talk about crypto currency, and why he thinks digital currencies and blockchain are going to be increasingly important with potential e-commerce applications.  Here are some of the trends he talks about:  Amazon is upping their game with advertising. There will increasingly be more opportunities for showcasing your products via video and other pay-to-play means  Being brand registered is extremely important  Amazon Live is picking up  Look into influencer marketing on TikTok and other platforms  Buyer and supplier messaging may become stricter  Amazon exits will be a huge opportunity as more investors look to buy profitable businesses  Amazon Singapore is expected to pick up Amazon India is a growing opportunity  Facebook Shops is gaining traction E-commerce with Facebook Live  Read Davide's article: Amazon Trends and Predictions for 2021 by Industry Experts Contact Davide: info@wearegrowthhack.com Join The Asian Seller community Facebook Group YouTube Meetup Telegram  

On this week's The Asian Seller podcast, I talk to Felix Law, a Singapore-based e-commerce seller who quit his full-time engineering career and is now focused 100 percent on e-commerce.  Just three years ago in early 2018, Felix quit his job because he was unhappy working a 9 to 5, and started exploring entrepreneurship. He started working as a delivery boy for Ninja Van and Amazon Prime Now, which is how he was exposed to e-commerce. The high volume of parcels he was delivering made him realize the potential of selling online.  His first product was coffee cups, which didn't really sell well. Even though the product was a failure, it was a learning experience for Felix and helped familiarize him with the process. He also learnt valuable lessons about product research and PPC.  The second product was a glass-based item, which had many breakages and he dropped it altogether.  The third product he launched on Amazon was more consistent and it's still selling. As of now, Felix is selling on Amazon US and also has three Shopify stores for his various brands.  Recently he has been appointed as an Ambassador by the Amazon team in Singapore, and he has been hosting meetups trying to help other local sellers. Felix is currently a 6-figure seller, and aiming for 7 figures this year.  Episode Highlights  How and why Felix quit his R and D and engineering job to focus on e-commerce How Jason Tay's course helped Felix get started  His first few products, why they failed, how much he invested and lessons learnt  About Felix's brands and which marketplaces he sells on The process of launching new products  Mistakes he made when starting out Which aspect of the business does he find most challenging and which is his favorite  How Felix does influencer marketing on social media  How does he deal with cash flow Being an entrepreneur can get lonely. How he keeps himself motivated Advice for new sellers Contact Felix on Telegram: felixlaww   Learn more about Jason Tay's live Amazon Training  Join The Asian Seller community Facebook Group YouTube Meetup Telegram

On this week's The Asian Seller podcast, I share the story of my life on Seller Sessions with Danny McMillan. Life hasn't been easy for me, but the experiences have shaped me into who I am today. I had a not-so-fun childhood, but that's what instilled in me a strong desire to be independent, financially stable and strong. I've had a successful corporate career working for an amazing company, Global Sources for over 19 years in 4 countries. I moved up the corporate ladder quickly with my dedication and hard work. But then life gave me a big blow when my husband suddenly and unexpectedly passed away from a heart attack in 2017 leaving me to raise my then 6-year-old son. A year later, I was made redundant from my cushy corporate job, and had to search for a new path. I decided to venture into entrepreneurship in 2019, and I'm so glad I did!  I'm extremely lucky and thankful that I found my tribe in ecommerce and Amazon FBA. The Asian Seller, and India Sourcing communities are what drive me today.  My mission in life now is to build my own ecommerce business, and help others achieve their dreams of creating profitable, sustainable businesses.  Wishing you best of luck in your ecommerce endeavours, and hope our paths will cross someday. Contact:  Reach out to me if you want to connect: https://www.facebook.com/meghla.bhardwaj  Join The Asian Seller community Facebook Group YouTube Meetup Telegram

On this week's The Asian Seller podcast, Jason Tay, Margaret Jolly, Kevin Oldham, Meghla Bhardwaj and Baptiste Porzier get together in a virtual meetup and share what they believe are the top e-commerce / Amazon FBA trends for 2021.  Some of the trends discussed are more like strategies you need to continue emphasizing as we head into the new year, while others are specific shifts we're seeing on Amazon and in e-commerce.  Here are 10 Amazon FBA and E-commerce Trends for 2021: Continued E-commerce Growth: Online shopping is becoming more mainstream and e-commerce sales will continue to grow globally. More Competition - The growth in ecommerce means more sales but also more competition. Be ready for more competition as more entrepreneurs jump on the bandwagon, and big brands invest more in e-commerce. Focus on Product Selection: Increasingly more important to focus on product selection to ensure you have the right keywords, and profitable products.  Diversification: Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Diversify for products, keywords, sourcing, sales channels, and traffic funnels. Continued Logistics Disruptions: Expect continued disruption in supply chain and logistics when shipping from Asia. Also anticipate issues with FBA including inventory restrictions. It is critical to have a 3PL warehouse in place in the US.  Video Content: Video PPC ads on Amazon are doing really well currently, and will continue to be popular in 2021. In addition, product videos on listings will  Social E-commerce: Amazon Live is gaining traction, and will continue to be enhanced and given more exposure on the website. Plus, livestream shopping on social media such as Facebook, Instagram, and services such as Talk Shop Live will be more popular. Influencer Marketing: We're seeing the rise of micro influencers on social media, and they can provide an incredible platform for product promotions and launches.  Exit and Acquisitions: A huge opportunity for entrepreneurial sellers is cashing out on their business. In 2021, companies such as Thrasio and Alpha Rock Capital will continue to buy more businesses. Make your business profitable and investor-friendly.  New Ways to Network: Networking and learning from each other will continue to be super important for Amazon sellers. New apps such as Clubhouse, and Voice Chat in Telegram will give us new ways to collaborate and learn. Join a mastermind, find your tribe and grow together.  Contact: Jason Tay: www.facebook.com/jasontayonline  Margaret Jolly / Kevin Oldham: www.facebook.com/margaretjollybrightdezigns  Meghla Bhardwaj: www.facebook.com/meghla.bhardwaj  Join The Asian Seller community Facebook Group YouTube Meetup Telegram

On this week's The Asian Seller podcast, Raja Hamza Rasheed, CEO of eCom Managers talks about how to find, vet and work with Virtual Assistants (VAs) in Pakistan.  He shares how these digital marketers are being trained on Amazon-related tasks, what types of tasks they are good at, and ways to test and judge their skills.  Raja is a marketer and consumer behavior analyst. He holds a degree in consumer behavior & marketing from the University of Punjab in Pakistan. Along with his own Amazon selling business, he is also a consultant and trainer.  His main area of expertise includes product research, launching, ranking, branding, marketing, advertising and merchandising. Raja has worked on various Amazon marketplaces including USA, UK, Canada, Germany and India. Episode Highlights  Background and intro We've been seeing a lot of VAs from Pakistan specializing in Amazon FBA. What is driving this? Are there also many FBA agencies emerging?  Are sellers from Pakistan also selling on Amazon globally themselves, or mostly focused on providing services? What are the types of ecommerce tasks they are good at? How are they different from VAs in other countries, such as the Philippines?  What is the best way of finding VAs, and how much does it cost? What is the best way to test / judge their skills before hiring them?  Are they good with other digital marketing tasks as well such as SEO, social media, website development, etc?  What are some ways that you do product research at your agency?  What are some of your launch strategies that are working right now?  Are women in Pakistan working in ecommerce too? Contact Raja Hamza:  Email: hamzaraja596@gmail.com WhatsApp: +923328547961 Website: eCom Managers Join The Asian Seller community Facebook Group YouTube Meetup Telegram

What a year 2020 has been! While there have been tons of challenges, ecommerce sellers have also been presented with many opportunities. We are in fact lucky to be in one of the few industries that are growing during the pandemic. On this podcast episode, India Sourcing Trip coaches, Tim Jordan, Chris Thomas, Gary Huang, Margaret Jolly, Kevin Oldham and Meghla Bhardwaj reflect on 2020, and gaze into their 2021 crystal balls. They share: the biggest lesson they learnt in 2020 what are they most looking forward to in 2021 their one piece of advice for 2021

On this episode of The Asian Seller podcast, Michael Michelini, founder of Global from Asia, and ecommerce SEO agency, Shadstone, talks about ways to build a community around your brand.  Michael shares best practices to start, develop, engage, maintain and grow a community. He gives tips on leveraging various mediums such as social media, emails, bloggers, and the like.  Michael is an American social media, e-commerce, and SEO specialist who has lived in China since late 2007. He is a passionate business connector who helps companies do business in China as well as Chinese companies to work in overseas markets. Episode highlights:  Why invest in off Amazon content and community  When is the right time to start building a community  Starting a community - and the strategy behind a Facebook group for your community Email collection - ways to build an email list with inserts  Email promotions - what to do with the emails you do collect (hint - use it or lose it!) Maintaining the community - similar to email lists, you need to engage or it will lose effectiveness Growing the community - segmenting - make a VIP list, VIP group, brand vs industry naming Making a blog - put content on your brand site, or make a separate blog site Making an influencer gift bag / onboarding - what to do with  your VIP  Launching a new product with this community - how to leverage this to grow your sales Contact Michael: Email: michelini@shadstone.com   Websites: www.globalfromasia.com www.getfrenzi.com  www.shadstone.com  Join The Asian Seller community Facebook Group YouTube Meetup Telegram

CJ Rosenbaum from Amazon Sellers' Lawyer talks about listing and account suspensions, and other issues sellers face.  He also shares best practices when preparing and submitting plans of action to Amazon, and the strengths sellers have that they may not know.  CJ is the Founding Partner of Rosenbaum Famularo, PC, the law firm behind Amazon Sellers Lawyer. He and his team help sellers with IP protection and writing plans of action for listing suspension. Episode highlights:  Common reasons for account / listing suspension What can sellers do to prevent account suspensions Preparing a plan of action - best practices What kind of documentation should sellers have ready in case of a suspension Dealing with Error 5665 when trying to list a product  Ramifications from Amazon revealing sellers' IDs in the US Increase risk of IP complaints hitting home Increase in related accounts suspensions What strengths do sellers have that they might know about? Trademark or counterfeit complaint - claims against brands that make baseless complaints Copyright complaint - Digital Millennium Copyright Act Counter Notices Contact CJ: Email: cj@amazonsellerslawyer.com   Website: www.amazonsellerslawyer.com  Join The Asian Seller community Facebook Group YouTube Meetup Telegram

Steven Selikoff from The Product Development Academy returns to The Asian Seller podcast to talk about trends in retail.  We also talk about the upcoming Global Sources Virtual Summit, and Steven's exclusive 6-hour China Sourcing Workshop at the Summit.  2020 has been an exciting and challenging year for eCommerce sellers around the world - while some of us saw steep sales increases, others experienced declines. While no one can tell what exactly the new year has in store for us, we can learn from the past and be ready for the future.   The agenda of Global Sources Virtual Summit is designed to help you be better prepared for the coming year. Take a look at the agenda and speakers here, and reserve your seat: www.globalsources.com/summit Use the code WIN2021 for a 10% discount on the ticket.  Episode highlights:  Trends in retail Omnichannel eCommerce is here to stay  Selling beyond Amazon  Topics at the Global Sources Virtual Summit to help sellers develop an omnichannel strategy How is sourcing changing  Emerging alternative sourcing markets  Steven's China Sourcing Workshop at the Summit  Contact Steven: Email: steven@productdevelopmentacademy.com   Website: www.productdevelopmentacademy.com  Join The Asian Seller community Facebook Group YouTube Meetup Telegram

On this episode of The Asian Seller podcast, Steven Selikoff from The Product Development Academy shares best practices when working with Virtual Assistants for your Amazon / eCommerce business,  Margaret Jolly and Kevin Oldham also join the conversation.  While VAs can help make your business more efficient, their services should be utilized to assist you with specific tasks. Many sellers make the mistake of depending on VAs for product research and business strategy. Episode highlights:  Introduction Why a VA?    What tasks do you think are suitable to outsource to a VA?  What tasks would you never give to a VA?  At what stage of your Amazon business should people look at using a VA  Can my business sustain their services without giving away too much profit?  Before you outsource do you feel that you need to know how to do it yourself to delegate correctly  How do you track their hours and check out their work quickly (otherwise you may as well do it all yourself)? Contact Steven: Email: steven@productdevelopmentacademy.com   Website: www.productdevelopmentacademy.com  Join The Asian Seller community Facebook Group YouTube Meetup Telegram  

On this episode of The Asian Seller podcast, writer & editor extraordinaire Ana Warren Gonzalez talks about the importance of crafting a compelling story in your Amazon listing.  Ana is the founder of AWGCopy, an emerging copywriting firm that also specializes in Amazon copywriting. The agency prides itself on elegant copy that employs marketing principles to further client goals. As an individual, Ana's been writing professionally since 2008. She pretty much learned on the job; she was enmeshed in traditional marketing, local store marketing and retail, public relations, and events management, and she figured out copywriting on the fly. She has contributed as well to many publications in Manila, Philippines, as well as all over Asia, as a contributing features writer. She believes she's a good teacher because she's inherently bossy - a trait that comes in handy in her day-to-day profession (the most important one) of Single Mom! (So, yes, oftentimes the Mom Voice comes out in her training - so be sure to sit up straight and keep your elbows off the table!)  Episode highlights:  Introduction Why you can't ignore your organic SEO How to write a balanced title that is meaningful and also good for SEO  The importance of storytelling How much text do people actually read on a listing  KISS - easier said than done Engage, convert, tease - AKA be memorable, be persuasive, develop a relationship How to highlight core emotional benefit for customer  Search volume vs. relevancy >> Department stores vs. boutiques  Why buyer psychology is so crucial Contact Ana: Email: awarrengonzalez@gmail.com  Website: https://awarrengonzalez.wixsite.com/awgcopy  Join The Asian Seller community Facebook Group YouTube Meetup Telegram

On this episode of The Asian Seller podcast, US attorney Yael Cabilly from Cabilly & Co talks about brand registry, trademarks, patents, hijacking and more.  She shares insights on how to choose a relevant brand name, how to search if the brand name is already in use, and the correct way to apply for a trademark.  Yael  is the founder of Cabilly & Co., and one of the leading attorneys in the field of eCommerce law. With over 13 years of experience in Intellectual Property, Yael uses her IP background to solve problems on eCommerce platforms, and protect her clients' interests.  Episode highlights:  Introduction Trademarks Do you really need a trademark on Amazon?  How do you know if your trademark is available How to search for brand names Choosing your brand name  What do you need to prepare before applying for a trademark  How much does it cost  Copyrights What does it include? How do you avoid infringements? Patents How do you protect a new product? How do you know if your product is already patented? Contact Yael: Email: yael@e-cabilly.com  Website: www.e-cabilly.com  Join The Asian Seller community Facebook Group YouTube Meetup Telegram

On this episode of The Asian Seller podcast, Amazon consultant Laura Buhl talks about selling on Amazon's European marketplaces. Most sellers prefer to sell on Amazon US, and are often daunted by selling on Amazon Europe because of many barriers including language, VAT, stricter product compliance, and the like. However, Laura says these obstacles are easily overcome if you have the right information and access to specialists.  Laura used to work at Amazon where she coached top 100 sellers in the EU.  She has recently started a 12-week course specially for women where she walks them through the process of finding and launching a product on Amazon.   Episode highlights:  Introduction Main marketplaces in Europe, and key differences Which is easiest to sell on Is it advisable to sell on all European marketplaces or is it better to focus on one / a few?  Differences between the various options for FBA: European Fulfillment Network (EFN), Multi-country Inventory (MCI) and Pan-European FBA? And what are the pros and cons? Are there specific product categories that sell more than others on the key marketplaces?  Is VAT registration required for all our only UK? How to apply for VAT number? Ways to manage product quality and compliance Other marketplaces in European countries  How to localise listings for various countries About Laura's services and course  Contact Laura: Email: hello@laurabuhl.com  Website: www.laurabuhl.com/home40108993  Join The Asian Seller community Facebook Group YouTube Meetup Telegram  

Norman Farrar aka The Beard Guy joins us on The Asian Seller podcast to talk about working with influencers for eCommerce and Amazon.  Norm is an Amazon, ecommerce and online marketing expert. He has 20 years of branding experience, and is an international public speaker and a podcaster. Episode highlights:  Introduction  What is influencer marketing?  Are you seeing an increase in influencer marketing among online sellers? Why? What is the difference between an influencer and a brand ambassador? What are the different types of influencers? What is the objective of influencer marketing - increase reach, branding, sales..? All three? Where and how do they find influencers? What are some ways to approach influencers and pitch products to them? How can Amazon sellers leverage influencer marketing to increase sales / conversions? What are some dont's or mistakes to avoid? Are there any influencer marketing tools that can be used? About Norm's new chat agency  Learn more: The Chat Agency  Join The Asian Seller community Facebook Group YouTube Meetup Telegram

Given that Amazon is a customer-centric marketplace, it is essential for sellers to manage customer relationships on the platform really well. On this episode of The Asian Seller podcast, Lisett Lees and Augustas Kligys from Orange Kilk talk about how you can improve your customer relationship, and keep them returning to your store. About Lisett: Lisett started out in 2016 as an Amazon FBA store assistant and since then has been working daily with different Amazon FBA sellers. Years of experience as a store manager along with the mission of helping businesses run daily operations cost- and time efficiently has shaped her into a strategic partner for Amazon sellers. She helps to manage stores, product-related tasks, customer relations and the team while advising company owners to set their goals and strategy. She is the head of international e-commerce at the Estonian Export agency and a video host on the Orange Klik Youtube channel. About Augustas: Known in the business simply as the “Amazon Summits Guy”, Augustas is committed to providing others with the opportunity to achieve success by offering powerfully informative expert sessions and guides to becoming a top Amazon seller. Since 2016 he has recorded over 400 sessions with Amazon industry leaders, experts and speakers. Augustas is also the founder of Orange Klik Company and the following in-person events for Amazon sellers: European Seller Conference, Seller Fest and PPC Congress. Episode highlights:  Introduction  Lisett talks about improving customer relations  How to get more positive reviews about the product and service if sellers can't directly ask for reviews in messages If the customer is thanking the seller or just sending a short message with not a lot of information how can sellers start a conversation How often should sellers check their messages 
The biggest no-no when answering to buyer-seller messages How to work with negative reviews About Seller Fest  Sign up for their upcoming virtual Seller Fest Join The Asian Seller community Facebook Group YouTube Meetup Telegram

In this episode of The Asian Seller podcast, Suzanne Smith, Director of Customer Success at eComEngine talks to us about Amazon's updated communication guidelines for buyer-seller messages Suzanne explains what you should know about these guidelines for both direct communication and indirect communication. Amazon defines two types of Buyer-Seller Messages. Both are considered direct communication with buyers: Permitted Messages: Communications necessary to complete an order or respond to a customer service inquiry. You can only send Permitted Messages to customers who contact you about purchasing a product or who have already purchased an item from you on Amazon. These messages are specific to an order and must be sent from your seller account. Proactive Permitted Messages: Communications initiated by sellers that are not responses to a buyer's question. These can be sent via email and must be sent within 30 days of order completion.  Episode highlights:  Introduction - Suzanne's background  What are the changes announced by Amazon, and when do they go into effect How can sellers send messages? Are third-party tools allowed? What should sellers be aware to ensure they don't get restricted What is the safest or best way to send feedback and review requests About eComEngine More information:  eComEngine breaks down the changes in a blog post Here are the updated guidelines  Automate your requests through Amazon Buyer-Selling Messaging with Feedback Five  Contact eComEngine  Join The Asian Seller community Facebook Group YouTube Meetup Telegram

In this episode of The Asian Seller podcast, Francois Jaffres, Director of Business Development at Noviland Technologies, Inc. talks about how Chinese New Year (CNY) holidays impact supply chains in China. For those who may not be familiar with CNY, this is a month-long holiday in China that usually falls in January or February. All factories and businesses are closed as millions of workers travel back to their hometowns to be with their families.  CNY falls on Feb 12 in 2021, and according to Francois, the time to start planning your Q1 inventory is now. Episode highlights:  Introduction - Francois's background and experience with sourcing  Is manufacturing back to normal in China now About CNY, and how the supply chain is impacted before and during CNY holidays  How delivery lead times are affected Impact on product quality  Production issues before, during, and after CNY holidays: worker turnover, delivery lead times, quality  How logistics is affected  When should importers start planning for CNY holidays, and what are some steps to take to avoid supply chain disruption and impact on the quality More information:  Learn more about Noviland  Join The Asian Seller community Facebook Group YouTube Meetup Telegram

This is the 50th episode of The Asian Seller podcast! Wow - it's been quite a journey and I've learned so much myself and been inspired by many of the guests. I started this podcast and The Asian Seller community to bring Amazon and eCommerce sellers together, so we can share information, resources and help each other grow. Hope you have found the content useful and inspiring. Please do subscribe to Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or YouTube. Here's to the next 50 episodes! Episode highlights:  Introductions  Preparing for Prime Day  Managing logistics when selling on multiple marketplaces  Top marketplaces to start selling on  Managing hijackers in Mexico and Canada Amazon marketplaces  Documents needed for toys and other similar categories  Setting up a company to sell on Amazon India  Is insurance required when selling on Amazon  When to convert from an individual account to a company account on Amazon  How to launch products on Amazon  Videos on listings  How many units to launch with Do we need to use an accounting service or software  How to source products in India for Amazon India  Should you source from IndiaMart  Will Q4 be chaotic? Challenges with FBM  3PL options  Last day to send shipments to Amazon.com for Christmas deliveries  We need a mastermind group for The Asian Seller!  Jason's training - highlight recommended Quick advice from all speakers  Follow sellers in this episode: Jason Tay Rishiraj K Viral Jain Margaret & Kevin  Debbi Cai  Join The Asian Seller community Facebook Group YouTube Meetup Telegram

With Amazon's new inventory limitations until the end of 2020, it has become essential for Amazon sellers to send in their shipments to a 3PL warehouse and drip feed to Amazon FBA. This is especially important for new SKUs as they are mostly limited to 200 units. In this replay of the Virtual India Sourcing Show, we talk to two 3PL service providers, both of whom are currently being used by the webinar hosts. Margaret and Kevin send their products to DSP, while Meghla utilizes Oregon BPS.  DSP Warehouse:  This company was established in 2007, and is located in the Raritan Center Business Park in Edison, New Jersey, in the heart of the New York/New Jersey Metro region. They ship to Amazon FBA and can do FBM orders as well. They manage all logistics information including receiving, storing, and the shipping of your products to your customers; they also provide information related to inventory, sales, returns, and other management data to enhance your profitability and business planning. Most processes are automated at this large-scale 3PL. Download their presentation here Contact: Simon Wei, Eric Lai Email: dspwarehouseinc@gmail.com, eric@dspwarehouseinc.com  Website: www.dspwarehouseinc.com Oregon BPS: Oregon BPS is situated in Oregon on the west coast. This is a smaller family-run business that specializes in Amazon FBA. The founder, Heather used to sell on Amazon previously and understand the pain points of sellers.   Services they offer include receiving, storage, quality control, staggered fulfillment to Amazon FBA, prep services for bundling or multi-packs, shipment creation in Seller Central, labeling with FNSKU (if required), fulfillment through eBay, Shopify, FBM, among others.  Download their presentation here Contact: Heather Jackson  Email: oregonbps@gmail.com   Website: www.oregonbps.com  Mention “Virtual India Sourcing Show” or “The Asian Seller” when reaching out to them.  Join The Asian Seller community Facebook Group YouTube Meetup Telegram

In this episode of The Asian Seller podcast, Dr. Neale O'Connor talks about importing electronics products from China.  Most Amazon sellers shy away from selling electronics as a lot can go wrong with a product that has many moving parts. However, if you find the right factory, do your due diligence, and conduct ongoing quality control, these categories can be quite profitable.  Dr. Neale is a Professor of Accounting at Monash University, Malaysia. He is an expert on technology and innovation in manufacturing in China. He has spent 18 years in Hong Kong where he researched the modernization processes of Chinese firms, examining issues such as performance measurement, order qualification, and trust.  His China 1000 project is the largest ever survey of operational risk issues for foreign buyers and Chinese suppliers.  Most recently he has been undertaking factory quality audits for multinational clients and advising on operational and marketing improvements as Director of Ricebox.com. He is founder and editor of Tech Asia Youtube channel with over 14,000 subscribers.  Key topics discussed:  Dr. Neale's background and work  Overview of electronics manufacturing in China - products made, production hubs Different types of electronics factories in China Trading companies, buying agents, wholesalers SME factory workshops Established factories – OEM factories EMS providers What differentiates a factory producing good quality products from one producing products that don't last long? They should choose the right components, especially battery They should have systems in place – material receiving, assembly to final QC  Proper packaging and separation from the environment Anti static – especially during soldering process Finger gloves avoid moisture during the assembly process  They should have dust free zones Do they OEM for established brands Do they have in-house design teams Advice for new importers sourcing electronics   Begin with off the shelf product Delay setting up and ordering a tweaked product Use a trading company – if you cannot travel to visit the factory now Work with an OEM factory that has established relationship with brand names Redouble QC efforts beyond what is needed for a certain level of AQL Know your quality specs so you can have a good engagement/relationship with the 3rd party inspector Look for a factory that already has FCC, UL, CE certifications You do not want to be the first customer asking for such certifications  Ask for reference from other customers Don't pay any money unless you have verified the business license, have reference, conducted a factory audit, had facetime communications with the factory How suppliers cut corners and compromise quality Use substandard materials Outsourcing without telling you (have a clear conversation with them about this – i.e. our auditor is allowed to visit the outsourced factory) Process shortcuts Poor set up of assembly line for workers to do a consistent job Separation of electronics components Burn in room tests – takes time – they can cut corners on this process Replace lower quality components, like batteries inside your product Dr. Neale's services and contact information  Contact:  Rice Box China sourcing course in Udemy - Use the code CHINA39 for a discount  Email Dr. Neale: Neale@Ricebox.com Tech Asia YouTube Channel Join The Asian Seller community Facebook Group YouTube Meetup Telegram  

  Whether you're sourcing from India or China, you will need inspections to ensure products conform to your specifications. In this webinar hosted by Meghla Bhardwaj, Margaret Jolly and Kevin Oldham, Grace Wong and Tatiana Trukhina from V-Trust give an overview of product inspections and explain how they are done. They also answer a number of audience questions.  V-Trust is a one-stop-service of product inspections, factory audits and laboratory testing. They are one of the biggest local inspection companies in China. They have 310+ full-time QC inspectors.  They offer free consultancy for your quality control plan in Asia, and have served over 3,200 buyers all over the world.  Episode highlights: About Grace and Tatiana  V-Trust's network in India, China and Vietnam What are product inspections? Why are product inspections needed? What is inspected and how is it done? Are all products inspected? How to understand whether my products Pass or Fail? How do I confirm my sample? 3 main instruments to confirm quality of your sample Do's and Don'ts when it comes to quality Contact:  Book an inspection with V-Trust here and get 5% off your first inspection: www.v-trust.com/ecommerce-ist.aspx Contact Tatiana at tatiana@v-trust.com if you have any questions Join The Asian Seller community Facebook Group YouTube Meetup Telegram

Eddie Levine from Hub Dub Ltd joins Meghla Bhardwaj, Margaret Jolly and Kevin Oldham to talk about Amazon's new inventory quantity limits, and who they affect the most.  Eddie shares advice on dealing with the new guidelines. He also breaks down IPI or Inventory Performance Index, and gives some tips on how to improve it.  Episode highlights About Eddie and his background  Overview of the new storage guidelines by Amazon  How are new sellers affected, especially considering new sellers also have space limitations What is IPI and how to improve it Should you switch to FBM If you're a new seller, should you hold off starting to sell until the dust settles  Contact Eddie:  Email: sales@hubdubltd.com  Join The Asian Seller community Facebook Group YouTube Meetup Telegram

Sylv Stefanowicz from Poland runs a wholesale and retail lingerie business. She started 3 years ago after a successful corporate career in banking. In this podcast episode, she talks about how she built her business from scratch, sourcing from various countries including China, Sri Lanka and Poland, and the challenges she has faced along the way. She also shares advice for new sellers who want to start a fashion brand. Episode highlights Sylv's background  Challenges she faced building a fashion brand Why fashion is known as a high risk industry How to find suppliers in various markets  Advice for people wanting to go into fashion Should people start with their own brand or selling other brands Comparing manufacturing China vs Sri Lanka/India vs Poland Sylv's plan for the future Follow Sylvia:  Facebook: www.facebook.com/sylviastefanowicz Instagram: www.instagram.com/sylv_lingerie  Join The Asian Seller community Facebook Group YouTube Meetup Telegram

PPC is perhaps one of the most daunting aspects of selling on Amazon for most new sellers. In this podcast episode, Ritu Java, CEO of PPC NInja gives a tried and tested blueprint you can follow when launching a new product. Ritu also talks about her free 6-week PPC Mastermind, where she does weekly live calls with a small group of sellers. You get free access to PPC Ninja during the mastermind period, and a special offer for The Asian Seller community if you want to continue using PPC Ninja (see details of the offer below). Ritu's recommended campaign structure when launching a product 2 Auto 4 Manual - Keyword targeting 1 Manual - Category targeting 2 Manual - Product targeting 1 Sponsored Display - Product targeting Episode highlights Ritu's background and how she helps Amazon sellers  Importance of Amazon PPC Types of ads on Amazon  10 campaigns you should start with when launching a product  Impact of PPC sales on organic sales  How to determine your PPC budget  PPC Ninja's free PPC Mastermind  About PPC Ninja software and account management services  Free 6-week mastermind Click here to join the mastermind Special offer for The Asian Seller community Apart from the free mastermind, you get access to your own trial account for PPC Ninja for the whole duration of the Mastermind.  If you go on to become a paying subscriber, you will get an additional 50% off your first month. Just message support@ppcninj.com with Asian50 in the subject line. Join The Asian Seller community Facebook Group YouTube Meetup Telegram

Margaret Jolly and Kevin Oldham started their Amazon business as a hobby after retiring from running multiple businesses. They traveled to Canton Fair in China, sourced their first few products from there, and have now been importing private label products from India for a couple of years. Selling on Amazon has become a full-time business now, and they even coach other new sellers, and manage a few Amazon accounts.  In this episode, they talk about their own journey, and also offer advice for people thinking about venturing into eCommerce.  Episode highlights: How Margaret and Kevin started their eCommerce business   Do you need a course to start selling on Amazon What is Private Label How to source products  Advantages of sourcing from India  Outlook for global ecommerce  What's next for them  How Marg and Kevin help new Amazon sellers  Contact:  Reach out to Margaret on Messenger Join The Asian Seller community Facebook Group YouTube Meetup Telegram

Amazon sellers, Riley and Payman have developed a unique way of guiding other people to start their eCommerce business. Instead of only offering recorded videos like most other experts do, they take their students through a 90-day program where they give guidance on how to find, source, and launch products.  With weekly group coaching calls, brainstorming sessions, product research cheat sheets and more, Riley and Payman will guide you through the entire process from start to finish.  In this podcast episode, they talk about the 90-day challenge as well as their Multiple Layers of Differentiation (MLD) approach of selecting products.  Episode highlights: How Riley and Payman started their eCommerce businesses  Is product research for Amazon an art or a science?  What is their MLD approach to product research, and how is it different What is the 90-Day FBA Challenge What it takes to succeed in eCommerce  Payman talks about why he is excited about sourcing from India  Learn more: Join the 90 Day FBA Challenge here  Join The Asian Seller community Facebook Group YouTube Meetup Telegram

A software engineer by profession, Priya Sivaraj started her eCommerce business after her son was born and she wanted to spend more time with him. Today, she runs a successful online store selling products in India and the US. She also sells on Amazon and other marketplaces in both countries. Priya has been able to leverage social media and content marketing to build a community of loyal and raving fans.   In this podcast, she gives insights into how she has grown the community, and the strategies she uses to keep them engaged and coming back to buy more.  Episode highlights: About Priya and how she ventured into eCommerce Why she decided to focus on crafts Where she sources her products from How she does market research for her brand  How she has built a community of raving fans How she keeps her audiences engaged Which social media channels does she use and how How does she recommend people start building a community for their eCommerce brand Advice for sellers outside of India who want to sell in India Advice for sellers just starting their eCommerce business Join The Asian Seller community Facebook Group YouTube Meetup Telegram

Singapore-based Amazon seller, Debbie Chai has built a profitable Amazon business around a product category not many new sellers would consider selling - cuticle nippers. Her brand, Rui Smiths is sold on multiple Amazon marketplaces, and she is now expanding to other nail care products.  But Debbie's success did not happen overnight. It was a slow journey of careful planning, executing, hits and misses. In fact, she did not take any profits out of the business for the first few years.  Debbie is an inspiration to aspiring eCommerce sellers, and her success is proof that eCommerce is a viable and sustainable business - if you treat it like a real business. Episode highlights: Introduction and how Debbie ventured into eCommerce How Debbie started her brand Is product selection for Amazon an art of a science What is the “gasp” factor How to determine if there is demand for products How Debbie does keyword research Which countries does she mainly source from Her experience selling on Amazon Singapore One piece of advice for people just starting their eCommerce business Join The Asian Seller community Facebook Group YouTube Meetup Telegram

This is a replay of a live webinar with Regina Peterburgsky, Anna Davidson, Anna Warren and Anjali Agarwal  They say "It takes a village to raise a child." And our guests on this week's podcast are doing it alone. These are single women who are running their businesses and raising their children. Find out how they manage everything including school, tantrums from teenagers, curricular activities, sports, house work, chores, errands...all while creating successful businesses. At the end of the podcast, Danny McMillan joins us to talk about his Branded by Women summit.  Episode highlights: Introductions Challenges single mum entrepreneurs face  Finances - it's hard to manage on a single income  Business travel – how they have to compromise  Holidays – it's tough without a partner, how they manage Do they get any me-time – and do they feel selfish when taking time for themselves  What are some nosy questions they've been asked as a single mum Advice for single mums (and dads) Special guest: Danny McMillan talking about Branded by Women Summit  Reach out to the panelists: Regina Peterburgsky  Anna Davidson Anna Warren Gonzalez Anjali Frank Agarwal    Join The Asian Seller community Facebook Group YouTube Meetup Telegram

This is a replay of a live webinar with Michele Venton, Cara Sayer, Sylv Stefanowicz, Sharon Evan and Amy Wees. We talk about what self-confidence means to the panelists, and how confidence can be developed if you don't have it to begin with.  The panelists share their own experiences dealing with imposter syndrome, lack of confidence and how they overcame such issues.  Episode highlights: What does self-confidence mean to women  Were you always a confident person, or did you have to build it? Have you experienced “imposter syndrome?” Studies have proven there is a confidence gap in men and women, that women are often less self-confident than men. Have you found yourself in situations where you may have underestimated your abilities? Tips and strategies to instil self-belief and self-confidence. Reach out to the panelists: Michele Venton Cara Sayer  Sylv Stefanowicz Sharon Evan Amy Wees Join The Asian Seller community Facebook Group YouTube Meetup Telegram