Podcasts about amazon sellers

Amazon upgrades customer service to better support sellers, new AI-powered sponsored brands collections, and Walmart Q1 sales grow more than 20%. These and more buzzing news on this week's episode! We're back with another episode of the Weekly Buzz with Helium 10's Manager of Education and Strategy, Carrie Miller. Every week, we cover the latest breaking news in the Amazon, TikTok Shop, Walmart, and E-commerce space, talk about Helium 10's newest features, and provide a training tip for the week for serious sellers of any level.   Upgrades to Customer Service by Amazon help sellers save time and reduce refunds https://sell.amazon.com/blog/announcements/upgrades-to-customer-service-by-amazon New Feature Alert! Helium 10's new Category Reviews and Returns feature uses Amazon's official Selling Partner API to display category-level review topics and return reasons, helping sellers understand what customers like and dislike, and why products are being returned. Sellers can use these insights during product research or listing optimization to compare them with top-category products, identify major pain points, and reduce returns before they become a bigger issue. Scale product discovery with AI-powered Sponsored Brands collections https://advertising.amazon.com/en-us/resources/whats-new/sponsored-brands-collections/ Walmart online sales in Q1 grow more than 20% for fifth straight quarter https://www.digitalcommerce360.com/article/walmart-online-sales/ Protect your shipments from U.S. Customs holds with AGL https://sellercentral.amazon.com/seller-news/articles/QVRWUERLSUtYMERFUiNHRFpHSEZNMkRHSEFNUEtC Walmart, Instacart, and others see ecommerce delivery race as a revenue opportunity https://www.emarketer.com/content/walmart-instacart-stord-ecommerce-delivery-race-revenue-opportunity Before we wrap up, one last thing for all of you getting ready for Prime Day. We have a Prime Day Prep Checklist that's packed with ideas, strategies, and action items to help you make this your biggest Prime Day yet.   We'll drop the link below so you can download it, go through the checklist, and start optimizing while there's still time. Whether it's your listings, keywords, promotions, inventory, or advertising strategy, this checklist is designed to help you get prepared and maximize your sales during one of the biggest shopping events of the year. Get the Prime Day Prep Checklist: https://pages.helium10.com/2026-prime-day-checklist    That's all we have for this week's Weekly Buzz. Thanks so much for watching, and we'll see you again next week to see what's buzzin'.   In episode 525 of the AM/PM Podcast and Weekly Buzz, Carrie talks about: 00:00 - Introduction 00:42 - Amazon Upgrades Customer Service 02:59 - See Why Customers are Returning Products Before They Hurt Your Business 11:24 - New AI-Powered Sponsored Brands Collections 13:08 - Walmart Online Sales Continue to Grow 15:14 - TikTok Product Finder & Hot Videos Tool 18:45 - Protect Shipments from US Customs Holds with AGL 21:01 - The Delivery Speed Race is On Enjoy this episode? Want to be able to ask questions to Leo Sgovio live in a small group with other 7 and 8-figure Amazon sellers?  Join the Helium 10 Elite Mastermind and get quarterly workshops, monthly training, and networking calls with Leo at h10.me/elite Make sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you listen to our podcast!

Send us Fan MailAmazon DD+7 payout policy delays seller payments after delivery and affects cash flow, reserves, and deferred transactions. This video explains how delivery date plus 7 works, why a January 1 order may not pay out until January 23, and how Amazon's two-week payout cycle changes the timing. Amazon sellers will learn why account-level reserves, payment reports, biweekly statements, ad spend, fees, and payout schedules now feel harder to track.Stop letting delayed Amazon payouts wreck inventory, ads, and cash flow planning, get an expert review before the next payout cycle hits: https://bit.ly/4jMZtxu#AmazonSeller #AmazonFBA #AmazonPayouts #SellerCentral #AmazonBusinessWant free resources? Dowload our Free Amazon guides here:Amazon Receiving Delay Guide: https://hubs.ly/Q04cdD4c0Amazon Catalog Spring Cleaning: https://hubs.ly/Q046BVfp0Amazon Proft Margin Defense 2026: https://hubs.ly/Q042trRH0Amazon SEO Toolkit 2026: https://bit.ly/4oC2ClTAmazon Seller Strategy Report 2026: https://bit.ly/3YN1RME2026 Ecommerce Website & SEO Readiness Checklist: https://hubs.ly/Q04btghf0Amazon 2026 PPC guide: https://bit.ly/4lF0OYXTimestamps00:00 - What Amazon DD+7 Means00:30 - Why A January 1 Order Pays Later01:15 - How DD+7 Hurts Amazon Seller Cash Flow01:58 - Why DD+7 Is Common But Still Stressful02:33 - Account-Level Reserves And Deferred Transactions03:08 - Why Payment Issues Tie Back To DD+7-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Follow us:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/28605816/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevenpopemag/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/myamazonguys/Twitter: https://twitter.com/myamazonguySubscribe to the My Amazon Guy podcast: https://podcast.myamazonguy.comApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/my-amazon-guy/id1501974229Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4A5ASHGGfr6s4wWNQIqyVwSupport the show

Your shipping bill just went up. Again. USPS cost increases are hitting Amazon sellers hard, and if you're not paying attention, it could eat into your margins. Neil Twa breaks down why setting your shipping cost once and forgetting it is a mistake. Meet two sellers: both on Amazon, both facing rising costs, but with very different outcomes. One is a small operator in home goods, pulling in $18,000 a month. The other? A larger player, but both need to adapt. Neil shares three actionable moves to manage these increases. Start by auditing your actual shipping cost per unit this week. Full transparency: this isn't just for the $10M operators. It's for every seller, from $5K to $1M+ a month. The High Voltage Business Builders Podcast is all about managing your numbers with precision. Ready to audit your AI readiness? Take the free 5-question assessment — voltagedm.com/aiquiz?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep280

Learn how Claude can help Amazon sellers organize workflows, automate tasks, improve keyword research, build smarter systems, and save time in business and life. AI is no longer just a tool for writing quick prompts or brainstorming ideas. In this episode of the AM/PM Podcast, Bradley Sutton sits down with Andrew Bell and Zoe Lu to explore how Amazon sellers can use Claude to organize their business, simplify daily tasks, and create repeatable systems that save serious time. Bradley opens by sharing his own failed attempt at using Claude for a presentation, proving an important point: AI is only as good as the context, instructions, and structure you give it.   Andrew breaks down what makes Claude different from a basic chatbot experience. He explains how Claude Chat, Claude Co-Work, Claude Code, skills, sub-agents, and scheduled tasks can help sellers move from simple conversations to actual workflows. For Amazon sellers, this can mean pulling keyword data, organizing it into Excel, mapping search intent, building product truth cards, judging keyword relevance, and even using Claude to support listing optimization, PPC planning, and product research.   Zoe then brings the conversation back to a beginner-friendly level by explaining how sellers can get started. Her advice is to install the desktop app, use Claude Co-Work, create a “brain” folder with personal and business context, connect the tools you already use, and turn repeated tasks into projects, schedules, dashboards, or skills. From managing calendars and emails to organizing files, creating daily briefs, analyzing customer feedback, or preparing for meetings, Claude becomes more powerful when it understands your goals and connects with your workflow.   The biggest takeaway is that Amazon sellers do not need to become AI experts overnight, but they do need to start building AI into their operations. Claude can help reduce busywork, organize messy information, create smarter processes, and uncover insights faster when used correctly. For sellers who want to stay competitive, the opportunity is not just using AI once in a while, but building repeatable systems that help them work faster, think more clearly, and grow smarter. In episode 524 of the AM/PM Podcast, Bradley, Andrew, and Zoe discuss: 00:00 - Introduction 02:58 - Claude Vs. ChatGPT: What Amazon Sellers Should Know 04:33 - Claude Chat, Co-Work, And Code Explained 08:31 - Using Claude Skills Like Repeatable SOPs 12:49 - Turning Keyword Research Into Excel Workflows 16:18 - Product Truth Cards And Keyword Relevance Checks 19:02 - Helium 10 MCP And Faster AI Workflows 20:12 - Simple Life Automation Ideas With Claude 25:59 - Zoe's Beginner Guide To Getting Started 29:02 - Building A “Brain” Folder For Better Outputs 35:23 - Tasks, Projects, Scheduled Agents, And Dashboards 42:31 - Q&A: Helium 10 Claude Connector, Agents, And Claude Workflows

Here's a number that should grab your attention: $175 billion. That's the estimated amount in tariff refunds the U.S. government may owe American businesses. Neil Twa, your host on The High Voltage Business Builders Podcast, breaks down how Amazon sellers can reclaim their share. With the CBP's Claims and Processing Engine (CAPE) now accepting refund requests, the opportunity is ripe. Whether you're a seller just starting out or managing a $1M+/month operation, understanding the mechanics of this refund process is crucial. Neil paints two pictures: one of a seller doing $10K/month and another at $100K/month. The same opportunity lands differently based on your scale. With 56,000 importers already registered, many Amazon sellers who qualify haven't filed yet. Neil lays out three actionable moves: start by pulling your import records from 2018-2020. Don't leave money on the table. Ready to audit your AI readiness? Take the free 5-question assessment — voltagedm.com/aiquiz?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep276

AI is here and it's changing Amazon reselling fast by making it possible to know which products you should be selling at any given time! You've heard us talking a lot lately about the NEW way to do Amazon reselling that allows you to track not just dozens or hundreds of products for purchase timing and profitability, but hundreds or even tens of thousands or more products (ASINs). Today we meet with the creator of 3PMercury.com software that has revolutionized and injected AI into the strategy of 100s of Amazon resellers, forever changing the way they are approaching Amazon selling.   We talk about the latest automations and excitedly announce the new shipping features that are coming soon! Now is the time to lock in your lifetime rate on this software before the price goes up to all new users later!   Watch this episode on our YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/WQVh3AUwbQs   Show note LINKS:   SilentJim.com/ai - Free training webinar   TheProvenConference.com - Learn more about our upcoming August 2026 event! The longest running annual event for Amazon sellers in the world!   3pmercury.com/friends - The best price on 3PMercury   ProvenAmazonCourse.com - The comprehensive course that contains ALL our Amazon training modules, recorded events and a steady stream of latest cutting edge training including of course the most popular starting point, the REPLENS selling model. The PAC is updated free for life!   SilentJim.com/kickstart - If you want a shortcut to learning all you need to get started, then get the Proven Amazon Course and go through Kickstart.   SilentSalesMachine.com - Text the word "free" to 507-800-0090 to get a free copy of Jim's latest book in audio about building multiple income streams online (US only) or visit SilentJim.com/free11   SilentJim.com/bookacall - Schedule a FREE, customized and insightful consultation with my team or me (Jim) to discuss your e-commerce goals and options.   My Silent Team Facebook group. 100% FREE! Facebook.com/groups/mysilentteam - Join 83,000 + Facebook members from around the world who are using the internet creatively every day to launch and grow multiple income streams through our exciting PROVEN strategies! There's no support community like this one anywhere else in the world!  

In this episode, host Josh interviews entrepreneur Rolando Rosas about his journey from office technology to Amazon selling and founding Circuit Com. Rolando shares his advanced PPC strategy, using a year's worth of sales data and heat maps to optimize Amazon ad scheduling for better ROAS. He offers practical tips for sellers: enhance product images, respond to customer questions with videos, and use data tools like Seller Labs Data Hub to identify peak buying times. Rolando encourages starting small with data-driven ad adjustments to boost efficiency and sales.Chapters:Introduction to Rolando Rosas and His Journey (00:00:00)Josh introduces Rolando, his entrepreneurial background, and the founding of Global Tech Worldwide and Circuit Com.Podcast Sound Effects and Stream Deck Tips (00:01:15)Rolando shares his experience setting up podcast sound effects and encourages using a stream deck.Introduction to Innovative Amazon PPC Strategy (00:01:38)Josh prompts Rolando to share his unique PPC strategy, setting the stage for the main discussion.Data-Driven Ad Scheduling and Heat Maps (00:02:13)Rolando explains using 12 months of order data and Seller Labs Data Hub to create heat maps for ad scheduling.Key Insights from Data: Golden Hours and Days (00:02:59)Discovery of optimal times and days for ads, including patterns like low Friday evening and weekend sales.Challenging Weekend Ad Spend Myths (00:04:12)Rolando debunks the idea that weekends are best for ads, showing most sales occur Monday–Friday.Impact on ROAS and Sales Performance (00:06:03)Discussion of improved ROAS and sales by focusing ad spend on high-performing days and times.Layering Day Parting and Low Bid Strategies (00:07:02)Exploring advanced ad scheduling, including low bid strategies during off-peak hours.Manual vs. Automated Campaign Management (00:08:31)Rolando discusses the manual nature of their current process and the use of portfolio grouping for easier management.Leveraging Seller Labs Data Hub for Insights (00:09:36)How to use Seller Labs Data Hub for actionable business insights, even for non-data experts.The Importance of Data Science and AI for Sellers (00:10:53)Emphasizing the future role of data analytics and AI in Amazon selling success.Three Actionable Takeaways for Amazon Sellers (00:11:56)Josh summarizes three key takeaways: main image optimization, customer Q&A engagement, and data-driven ad scheduling.Encouragement to Start Small and Test Strategies (00:15:20)Advice to implement changes gradually, testing on a few campaigns or SKUs before scaling.Closing Remarks and Appreciation (00:16:18)Josh and Rolando wrap up the episode, express mutual appreciation, and end the conversation.Links and Mentions:Tools and Websites"Global Teck Worldwide": "00:00:00""Seller Labs Data Hub": "00:02:59""Google Sheets": "00:10:08"Strategies and Concepts"Day Parting": "00:02:13""Heat Map": "00:02:59"Actionable Takeaways"Adjust Main Images": "00:11:56""Respond to Customer Questions": "00:12:07"Transcript:Josh 00:00:00  Today I'm super excited to introduce you all to Rolando Rosas. Rolando never could have predicted that a college computer, a printer, and an old school wall phone in his kitchen would lead him down the path of entrepreneurship. But that's exactly how it happened. In 2002, he founded Global Tech Worldwide with the goal of making it easy for businesses to use the right office technologies for better and frictionless customer interactions that help businesses elevate their customer interactions and turn them into rich, meaningful discussions. Fast forward to today, and after spending ten years selling on Amazon, he is on his third startup circuit. Com because he was frustrated with the lack of transparency and outdated methods of buying broadband, wireless and fiber internet for small and medium sized businesses. So with that introduction, welcome to the show, Rolando.Rolando 00:00:53  Woo! Woo woo woo woo. Woo woo. Let me try. Let me try.Josh 00:00:56  Hey, there you go. Hey.Rolando 00:00:57  There we go.Josh 00:00:58  You got the audio work?Rolando 00:00:59  I got it, I got it I got him to work.Josh 00:01:02  Rolando has his own podcast and we recorded an episode last week I was on, I was in the reverse side. I was the guest there. And that I told you, Rolando, I love the sound effects that you have going on in your podcast.Rolando 00:01:15  You know what? I'm here. You know what? Go get a stream deck, go get it and call me, and I'll help you set it up. Because it took me a while. I left it in the box for quite some time before I actually started using it, because I was a little intimidated. I'm not an Avi guy or anything like that, but, you know, I was like, all right, let me add one, two, three. And I was like, ooh. And now I've got a couple of those buttons set up for it.Josh 00:01:38  I love it, I love it. All right, Rolando, there's another really wicked smart strategy that I want you to share with our audience that you shared with me prior to hitting the record button.Josh 00:01:48  And this is your amazing PPC strategy that I have never heard anybody else talk about this other than yourself. everybody's always heard of de parting, right? And that's kind of the new hot PPC term, but this isn't Dave Harding. This is something, I think, even more intelligent than what De parting is. So I've laid out the red carpet for you there, Rolando. Give us the gold nugget.Rolando 00:02:13  Yeah, right. So de parting is just simply ad scheduling. You know, run an ad on a schedule. Nothing new there. But what if. Chad. Chad, I was just talking to Chad. What if Josh. We could map or have ads show up when we have our ideal customers on Amazon? How can we do that? Can we pull it off? And can we save money while we're doing that? That's really what we wanted to find out. Turns out there is a way to do it. Not easy, not clean. But there was. So we went and pulled data from our orders for 12 months, and we used, Seller Labs product that they have or service that's called Data Hub.Rolando 00:02:59  and it pulled in all that data, right? It's our own data. So we didn't have to do all these crazy reports from Amazon. Pulled it all in. Once they pulled that in I said, wait a minute, guys. I'm not a mathematician here. This is just a spreadsheet with a bunch of numbers. Can we do something better? So then we put together something that anybody could easily use in the organization. We put together a heat map so that you can visually see the data. And, you know, dark green means good, red is bad. And guess what? We found golden hours every day of the week. Also golden months also patterns within those months. For example summertime for our products which are mostly office related products. After 4 p.m. on a Friday, we've virtually had no orders on the summer months. So if I'm a betting man, Why would I run PPC after 4 p.m. if we're not getting any orders? Another one was when? on the weekends, you hear people say this all the time.Rolando 00:04:12  And now that I have the data for our stuff, I know it's totally wrong. You got to run ads on Saturday and Sunday because people browse Saturday and Sunday and buy on Monday. The evidence does not hold that up in our case, because in our case, most of our activity, nearly 85 to 90% of the purchases c...

Send us Fan MailStaring at ACOS alone can make Amazon sellers miss the bigger PPC picture fast.Kevin Sanderson explains why Amazon sellers should not focus on only ACOS, TACOS, profit, or market share when making PPC decisions. He shows how each metric tells part of the story and why watching the full picture can help sellers avoid bad ad choices.Get help from My Amazon Guy to grow your Amazon sales. https://bit.ly/4jMZtxu#AmazonPPC #AmazonAds #AmazonSeller #ACOS #TACOSWant free resources? Dowload our Free Amazon guides here:Amazon Receiving Delay Guide: https://hubs.ly/Q04cdD4c0Amazon Catalog Spring Cleaning: https://hubs.ly/Q046BVfp0Amazon Proft Margin Defense 2026: https://hubs.ly/Q042trRH0Amazon SEO Toolkit 2026: https://bit.ly/4oC2ClTAmazon Seller Strategy Report 2026: https://bit.ly/3YN1RME2026 Ecommerce Website & SEO Readiness Checklist: https://hubs.ly/Q04btghf0Amazon 2026 PPC guide: https://bit.ly/4lF0OYXTimestamps00:02 - ACOS, TACOS, Profit, or Market Share00:35 - Why One Metric Can Cause Bad Decisions01:30 - Reading PPC Metrics Like a Dashboard02:14 - How TACOS, Market Share, and Profit Connect02:43 - Tracking the Full Amazon PPC Picture-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Follow us:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/28605816/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevenpopemag/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/myamazonguys/Twitter: https://twitter.com/myamazonguySubscribe to the My Amazon Guy podcast: https://podcast.myamazonguy.comApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/my-amazon-guy/id1501974229Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4A5ASHGGfr6s4wWNQIqyVwSupport the show

On May 13, 2026, Amazon officially ended the Rufus chatbot and introduced Alexa for Shopping, a game-changer for ecommerce sellers. Neil Twa dives into the mechanics of this shift, explaining how Alexa transforms search into a Q&A format, impacting sellers at every level. He shares the story of a mid-level operator with a home organization brand generating $45K a month, and how 60% of their traffic came from voice searches. Neil outlines three actionable moves to adapt: auditing listing copy for conversational queries, leveraging Alexa's new discovery layer, and optimizing for voice search. Sellers from $5K to $1M+ monthly revenue will find these insights crucial as they navigate this new era. Welcome to The High Voltage Business Builders Podcast.

Send us Fan MailAmazon scaling strategy starts with PPC data, AMC audiences, Rufus questions, listing content, conversion rate, and market share. This video explains how sellers can use Amazon Marketing Cloud, PPC metrics, search query reports, pricing, and product variations to grow sales. Learn how Amazon sellers can find broken ad funnels, improve listings, test prices, review product ceilings, and scale without wasting spend.If growth is stuck, ad spend is rising, or Amazon data feels messy, get a real scaling plan before wasted spend becomes the strategy: https://bit.ly/4jMZtxu#AmazonScaling #AmazonPPC #AmazonSellers #AmazonFBA #AmazonMarketingCloudWant free resources? Dowload our Free Amazon guides here:Amazon Receiving Delay Guide: https://hubs.ly/Q04cdD4c0Amazon Catalog Spring Cleaning: https://hubs.ly/Q046BVfp0Amazon Proft Margin Defense 2026: https://hubs.ly/Q042trRH0Amazon SEO Toolkit 2026: https://bit.ly/4oC2ClTAmazon Seller Strategy Report 2026: https://bit.ly/3YN1RME2026 Ecommerce Website & SEO Readiness Checklist: https://hubs.ly/Q04btghf0Amazon 2026 PPC guide: https://bit.ly/4lF0OYXTimestamps:00:00 - Amazon Scaling Roadblocks and Sales Growth00:53 - AMC Audiences for Amazon Scaling02:14 - Building Custom AMC Audiences03:35 - Competitor ASIN Audience Targeting05:00 - Time Frames and Shopper Segments06:25 - Audience Queries and Market Share08:25 - AMC Availability and Playbook Questions09:23 - Why Custom Audiences Help PPC10:30 - Rufus Questions for Listing Content12:06 - Answering Customer Questions on Listings13:37 - Rufus Use and Review Data15:09 - PPC Strategy Gaps and ROI17:18 - Shopper Behavior Chain in Ads18:30 - CPC, ACoS, Ranking, and TACoS20:34 - Finding Strong PPC Traffic Chains22:00 - Sponsored Brand and Sponsored Product Gaps24:46 - Finding the Product Sales Ceiling27:34 - Market Size and Product Limits31:29 - When to Launch the Next Product35:51 - Combining Similar Product Variations39:17 - Product Performance Metrics to Review44:42 - SEO Phase Three and Rufus Strategy49:44 - Shopify, Amazon, and Branded Search54:57 - Pricing, Conversion Rate, and Testing56:20 - Splitting Large Color Variations59:23 - Isolating High Performing PPC Clusters01:01:19 - Testing Campaigns Without Breaking Winners-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Follow us:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/28605816/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevenpopemag/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/myamazonguys/Twitter: https://twitter.com/myamazonguySubscribe to the My Amazon Guy podcast: https://podcast.myamazonguy.comApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/my-amazon-guy/id1501974229Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4A5ASHGGfr6s4wWNQIqyVwSupport the show

Discover smart ways to uncover hidden Amazon product and keyword opportunities, track competitor trends, spot seasonal gaps, and find new Amazon business growth angles using Helium 10's Black Box tool.

Send us Fan MailAmazon seller fees, FBA surcharge, Amazon Ads payment changes, and A+ content alt text updates are adding new pressure on margins. This April update covers fulfillment fee increases, credit card payment changes, retail proceeds billing, and seller account impact. It also explains why alt text indexing changes matter for Amazon SEO, A+ content, brand story modules, FAQs, and product ranking.Amazon fee changes, ad billing shifts, and A+ content updates can drain margin fast. Get a seller account review before the next update hits: https://bit.ly/4jMZtxu#amazonfbanews  #AmazonSellers #AmazonAds #AmazonPPC #ecommercetips Want free resources? Dowload our Free Amazon guides here:Amazon Receiving Delay Guide: https://hubs.ly/Q04cdD4c0Amazon Catalog Spring Cleaning: https://hubs.ly/Q046BVfp0Amazon Proft Margin Defense 2026: https://hubs.ly/Q042trRH0Amazon SEO Toolkit 2026: https://bit.ly/4oC2ClTAmazon Seller Strategy Report 2026: https://bit.ly/3YN1RME2026 Ecommerce Website & SEO Readiness Checklist: https://hubs.ly/Q04btghf0Amazon 2026 PPC guide: https://bit.ly/4lF0OYXTimestamps:00:00 - Amazon FBA Surcharge and Fee Pressure01:12 - Why Seller Margins Are Getting Hit02:04 - Amazon Ads Credit Card Payment Changes03:18 - Retail Proceeds and Ad Billing Risk04:24 - A+ Content Alt Text Indexing Change05:40 - Why Alt Text May No Longer Help Ranking06:52 - Brand Story, FAQs, and A+ Content Updates08:05 - Seller Reaction to Amazon Payment Changes09:18 - What Sellers Should Check in Seller Central10:25 - Amazon Updates That Can Hurt Profit-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Follow us:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/28605816/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevenpopemag/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/myamazonguys/Twitter: https://twitter.com/myamazonguySubscribe to the My Amazon Guy podcast: https://podcast.myamazonguy.comApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/my-amazon-guy/id1501974229Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4A5ASHGGfr6s4wWNQIqyVwSupport the show

Send us Fan MailHaving issues with your amazon product listing, or buybox problems? This video will show you how emailing specific Amazon addresses can resolve account issues like listing suppressions, a trick we've used for years. Learn how to navigate amazon seller central and optimize your amazon seo to get your account back on track, helping you sell on amazon with fewer headaches.If Amazon issues are costing real money daily, get direct expert help before the damage stacks up: https://bit.ly/4jMZtxuWant free resources? Dowload our Free Amazon guides here:Amazon Receiving Delay Guide: https://hubs.ly/Q04cdD4c0Amazon Catalog Spring Cleaning: https://hubs.ly/Q046BVfp0Amazon Proft Margin Defense 2026: https://hubs.ly/Q042trRH0Amazon SEO Toolkit 2026: https://bit.ly/4oC2ClTAmazon Seller Strategy Report 2026: https://bit.ly/3YN1RME2026 Ecommerce Website & SEO Readiness Checklist: https://hubs.ly/Q04btghf0Amazon 2026 PPC guide: https://bit.ly/4lF0OYXTimestamps:00:00 - Amazon listing suppression and buy box issues explained00:32 - Old Amazon escalation email method that worked01:01 - Emailing Amazon CEO for seller support cases01:30 - Real example of buy box suppression resolution02:00 - Why Amazon seller support still fails sellers02:34 - When to use CEO escalation for account issues03:05 - Risks of overusing escalation emails-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Follow us:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/28605816/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevenpopemag/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/myamazonguys/Twitter: https://twitter.com/myamazonguySubscribe to the My Amazon Guy podcast: https://podcast.myamazonguy.comApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/my-amazon-guy/id1501974229Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4A5ASHGGfr6s4wWNQIqyVwSupport the show

Every big seller he's talked to says the same thing: Amazon has actually gotten easier. But you're probably hearing the opposite on social media. So who's right?Watch this next: https://youtu.be/X83l6GFho-4?si=oH8YpD_NH2keX90HJimmy Smith (@AskJimmySmith) has done $10M+ in online sales over 11 years on Amazon. He's run a software company (Replen Dashboard), built a community that's trained thousands of sellers, and just hosted a closed-door event with 75 sellers. Today he breaks down why 2026 might be the best time in a decade for Amazon sellers, the AI tools saving him $30K a year, why he shut down his software after 6 years, and the systems framework behind scaling from $30K to $100K per month.Chapters:00:00 - From Insurance Agent to $10M Amazon Seller02:45 - Networking: The Most Important Skill Nobody Talks About08:49 - Why He Shut Down Replen Dashboard After 6 Years14:50 - Amazon API Changes: What It Means for Seller Tools18:00 - "2026 Is the Best Time in a Decade for Amazon Sellers"21:30 - Why Big Sellers Say It's Getting Easier (While New Sellers Struggle)27:00 - The Rich Get Richer: Mentality of Successful vs. Stuck Sellers30:00 - What's Actually Holding Intermediate Sellers Back34:52 - The New Seller Playbook: Keepa, Net Fishing, and Rabbit Trailing37:51 - The First SOP Every Seller Should Build40:00 - "Being Hands-On Isn't Leadership, It's Being a Bottleneck"42:01 - VA Mistakes: Why Your First Hire Probably Won't Source for You46:42 - Pattern Recognition: What Separates Sellers Who Break Through49:46 - AI for Amazon Sellers: Start Here (Practical, Not Hype)55:02 - Using AI to Audit Your P&L and Restock Reports01:00:08 - AI Agents: Are They Ready for Sourcing?01:05:34 - Goals vs. Standards: Why Revenue Goals Are the Wrong Frame01:08:17 - Three KPIs That Will Change Your Business This Week01:10:34 - Lightning Round: Rolodex Contacts, Underrated Skills, and AI ToolsFollow Jimmy:X/Twitter/YouTube/Instagram: @AskJimmySmithWebsite: askjimmysmith.comFollow Chris Grant:X/Twitter: @cleartheshelfNewsletter: https://cleartheshelf.com/newsletterFollow Chris Racic:X/Twitter: @ChrisRacicNewsletter: https://oaleads247.com

This episode breaks down the most important Amazon seller updates from Q2 2026, focusing only on changes that require action.We cover new fee structures, stricter enforcement on pricing and fulfilment, and operational changes that will directly impact margins and account health. The updates are grouped into clear themes so you can quickly identify what matters for your business.Key topics include:Changes to FBA removal and disposal chargesCrackdown on reference pricing and discount complianceMajor Amazon investment signals and what they imply for sellersUpdates across fees, fulfilment, and account managementThe focus is practical: what's changed, why it matters, and what you should do next.How to grow your eCommerce business is brought to you by the Amazon Growth Agency, VendLab.

A major Amazon Ads payment update has been delayed to August 1st, 2026. Amazon now has a solution for reducing storage fees and how to identify keywords that Amazon's algorithm considers relevant to your products. We're back with another episode of the Weekly Buzz with Helium 10's Senior Brand Evangelist, Shivali Patel. Every week, we cover the latest breaking news in the Amazon, TikTok Shop, Walmart, and E-commerce space, talk about Helium 10's newest features, and provide a training tip for the week for serious sellers of any level.   Update on Amazon advertiser payments https://advertising.amazon.com/library/news/update-on-advertiser-payments/ Identify untapped product opportunities with Discover Unmet Demand https://sellercentral.amazon.com/seller-news/articles/QVRWUERLSUtYMERFUiNHM0FLQzhBUFBTQk40RzhN Introducing Global Warehousing & Distribution — now available in Shenzhen, China https://sellercentral.amazon.com/seller-news/articles/QVRWUERLSUtYMERFUiNHWUQ5WVI1RjRSVkJIUlBX TikTok Shop is expanding in Europe: Poland and the Benelux countries will follow soon https://www.retaildetail.eu/news/general/tiktok-shop-is-expanding-in-europe-poland-and-the-benelux-countries-will-follow-soon/ In episode 513 of the AM/PM Podcast and Weekly Buzz, Shivali covers: 00:00 - Introduction 00:42 - MAJOR advertising payment updates delayed to August 1st, 2026 02:35 - Understand customer preferences with Review Insights on TikTok 06:34 - Identify market opportunities with NEW Discover Unmet Demand feature 08:56 - Identify keywords Amazon's algorithm thinks is relevant for your products 13:40 - Reduce storage costs with Amazon GWD in Shenzhen 16:11 - Is TikTok Shop finally expanding to more European countries?   Enjoy this episode? Want to be able to ask questions to Leo Sgovio live in a small group with other 7 and 8-figure Amazon sellers?  Join the Helium 10 Elite Mastermind and get quarterly workshops, monthly training, and networking calls with Leo at h10.me/elite Make sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you listen to our podcast!  

Lee Assoulin is the Founder and CEO of Stonecutter, a boutique Amazon brand management agency that partners with premium brands to scale profitably on the world's largest marketplace. With over 12 years of Amazon expertise, Lee has guided venture-backed startups, heritage brands, and category leaders through the complexities of the platform, combining strategic depth with operational rigor. He's currently managing over $220M in annual revenue while building AI-powered infrastructure to redefine how agencies operate. His mission is to prove that premium brands can win on Amazon without compromising on quality or brand equity with an agency they can trust.Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Integration of AI in e-commerce, particularly for Amazon sellers and brand management agencies.Challenges and considerations in adopting AI technologies for business operations.Importance of having solid standard operating procedures (SOPs) before automating processes with AI.The distinction between smaller sellers as early adopters of AI and larger sellers focusing on core business functions.The risks of "shiny object syndrome" and the need for a strategic framework when implementing AI tools.The necessity of human oversight in automated processes, especially in nuanced areas like PPC advertising.The role of data-driven frameworks in managing AI outputs and decision-making.Strategies for empowering teams to adopt AI tools effectively and fostering an "AI native" culture.The significance of maintaining brand authenticity and uniqueness in AI-generated content.Recommendations for newcomers on starting with foundational AI tools and focusing on high-impact tasks.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley speaks with Lee Assoulin, founder and CEO of Stonecutter, a boutique Amazon brand management agency. Drawing on 12+ years of experience, Lee discusses how AI is reshaping Amazon brand management. Key topics include avoiding "shiny object syndrome," building solid SOPs before automating, keeping humans in the loop for critical decisions, and developing an "AI native" team culture. Lee also shares practical advice on recording team calls, refining documentation with AI, and empowering team members who genuinely embrace AI tools to drive sustainable business growth.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Fix your SOPs before adding AI Document and refine your workflows first—AI should optimize proven systems, not automate messy processes. Use AI for execution, not strategy Automate repetitive tasks (PPC tweaks, reporting, emails), but keep humans in charge of high-impact decisions like pricing, positioning, and scaling. Adopt AI with a clear ROI filter Don't chase tools—only implement AI if it solves a real bottleneck and delivers measurable time or profit gains.Timestamps:00:00:23 Introduction to AI in E-commerceThe host introduces the topic of AI for top Amazon sellers and teases the actionable advice from the guest.00:01:01 Guest Introduction: Lee AssoulinHost Josh Hadley introduces Lee Assoulin, founder of Stonecutter, highlighting his extensive experience managing major Amazon brands.00:02:46 The Current State of AI in E-commerceLee discusses how AI is being adopted differently by large, established sellers versus smaller, scrappier ones in the mature Amazon marketplace.00:04:31 AI and "Shiny Object Syndrome"The discussion turns to the risk of entrepreneurs getting distracted by new AI tools instead of focusing on core business needs.00:05:57 The "Aladdin's Cave" Analogy for AILee uses an analogy to explain the danger of chasing countless small AI tools without a solid, overarching framework.00:08:33 SOPs: The Foundation for AIThe importance of having proven, repeatable processes (SOPs) in place before attempting to automate them with AI is discussed.00:10:00 The Right Approach to AI AutomationLee explains that the best automation strategy depends on scale; larger brands require a more cautious, human-in-the-loop approach.00:12:15 Can One Person Build a $100M Brand?A discussion on the future of business structures, predicting small, highly-skilled teams enabled by AI will become the norm.00:14:55 The Risk of AI HomogenizationIf everyone uses the same AI strategies, there is no competitive edge. The human element provides the necessary differentiation.00:16:27 Practical AI Use Cases for BeginnersLee suggests starting by using AI to analyze content and rewrite copy based on frameworks like Amazon's COSMO paper.00:19:24 The Dangers of Lazy AI ImplementationWarning against the pitfalls of lazy AI use, such as generic auto-generated emails that can damage brand perception.00:22:23 Automating Your Executive AssistantLee shares a practical example of creating a virtual EA to manage his calendar, pre-meeting briefs, and task reminders.00:24:10 Building a Company "Brain"A complex use case is detailed: creating a central database that ingests all company communications for deep contextual analysis.00:27:11 The Power of Personal Context for AIThe idea of feeding personal journals and thoughts into an AI to give it deeper context for decision-making.00:29:47 How Top Brands Automate OperationsLee shares a real-world example of automating Buy Box monitoring, where an AI agent detects losses and notifies the team.00:32:14 Staying Compliant with Amazon's AI RulesHow to automate safely by using third-party APIs and keeping a human in the loop for actions inside Seller Central.00:33:55 The Cost-Benefit Analysis of AI vs. HumansA discussion on whether AI is always cheaper, concluding that building custom AI solutions can be a waste of time.00:36:01 The Trap of "Sexy Dashboards"Building custom dashboards is often a distraction; focus on the underlying data and analysis, which is what AI actually needs.00:39:09 How to Onboard Your Team to AILee shares his strategy of offering to pay for AI tools and courses for any team member who shows interest.00:41:55 Three Actionable TakeawaysThe host summarizes the episode's key takeaways: document skills, record everything, and enable your team to adopt AI.00:45:26 Most Influential BookLee recommends "The Untethered Soul" by Michael Singer for its profound impact on his mindset and way of thinking.00:45:59 Favorite AI ToolLee names Claude as his primary tool but highlights WhisperFlow for voice dictation as a game-changer for productivity.00:47:01 Admired Person in E-commerceLee recommends following Sean Gill of Triquetra for his methodical, framework-first approach to building a successful brand.00:48:32 How to Connect with LeeLee provides his email address and social media handles for listeners who want to connect with him after the show.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comTools and Websites"Claude": "00:08:38""

In this episode, host Josh interviews Will Russell, CEO of Russell Marketing, about effective strategies for launching e-commerce products. Will shares his five-step framework, emphasizing audience building through paid ads, partnerships, virality, and organic growth. They discuss practical tactics for Amazon sellers, such as using product insert cards with QR codes, leveraging surveys for product validation, and segmenting email lists for launch campaigns. Will highlights the importance of nurturing existing customers and using their feedback for product development. The episode offers actionable insights for entrepreneurs aiming to maximize launch success and scale their businesses efficiently.Chapters:Introduction to Will Russell and Russell Marketing (00:00:00)Will Russell's background, agency achievements, and book introduction.Strategies for Building an Engaged Audience Pre-Launch (00:00:55)Overview of paid acquisition, piggybacking/partnerships, virality, and organic growth for audience building.Piggybacking and Partnerships Explained (00:01:20)How to leverage existing communities and partnerships to access target audiences.Virality and Organic Growth (00:02:47)Discussion of viral marketing, influencer strategies, and the role of organic content.Summary of Audience-Building Approaches (00:03:53)Recap of paid, partnership, viral, and organic methods for audience growth.Leveraging Existing Customer Bases for Product Validation (00:05:07)Using current customers for product validation, feedback, and preorders to reduce launch risk.The Value of Existing Communities in Launches (00:07:11)How established audiences give a head start and lower costs for new product launches.Applying the Five-Step Framework to Amazon Sellers (00:08:14)Host introduces actionable takeaways, adapting Will's framework for Amazon product launches.Step 1: Product Validation Tactics (00:09:26)Using product inserts, QR codes, and Amazon analytics to validate new product ideas.Step 2: Audience Building and Customer Surveys (00:10:37)Reaching out to existing customers, using surveys to identify pain points and refine products.Step 3: Audience Engagement During Product Development (00:11:50)Keeping customers involved in product design and updates to build anticipation and loyalty.Step 4: Conversion Strategies and List Segmentation (00:13:05)Segmenting email lists for staggered launch campaigns to optimize Amazon ranking and conversions.Step 5: Scaling and Ongoing Audience Engagement (00:14:02)Using product inserts and ongoing engagement to prepare for future launches and scale the business.Review Research and Copywriting Insights (00:14:28)Using competitor reviews for product development and marketing language.Segmentation Strategies for Different Launch Models (00:15:19)How to segment audiences for Amazon vs. crowdfunding launches, prioritizing likely converters.Conclusion and Final Thoughts (00:17:01)Recap, book recommendation, and closing remarks.Links and Mentions:Advertising Tools:"Facebook Ads": "00:01:20""Google Ads": "00:01:20""Reddit Ads": "00:01:20""Amazon Brand Analytics": "00:10:37"Books:"Take Your Idea from Light Bulb Moment to Profitable Business in Record Time" by Will Russell: "00:00:52"Marketing Concepts and Strategies:"Piggybacking": "00:01:20""Virality": "00:02:47""Organic Growth": "00:03:53""Customer Surveys": "00:06:02""Product Insert Cards": "00:09:26""Segmentation for Email/Text Lists": "00:13:05"Content and Influencer Strategies:"User-Generated Content": "00:02:47""Influencer Marketing": "00:02:47""Referral Strategies": "00:02:47"Transcript:Josh 00:00:00  Today I'm super excited to introduce you to Will Russell. He is the CEO and founder of Russell Marketing. Russell Marketing is an innovative digital agency specializing in e-commerce launch marketing. To date, they have generated more than 25 million in revenue for over 300 new entrepreneurs. Will has been featured on Forbes, Business Insider, Crain's New York Start-Up nation and many more. Will also has launched the Russell Gibbs Foundation, a family foundation that offers grants and mentorship to 501 C3 partners committed to diversity, equity and inclusion. In November of 2022, Will's first book launch in five. Take your Idea From Light Bulb Moment to Profitable Business in Record Time, was published by Nicholas Brealey. So welcome to the show, Will.Will 00:00:52  Thank you. Thanks for having me, Josh. It's a real pleasure to be here.Josh 00:00:55  When you talk about building an engaged, you know, audience or, you know, building it up a The following. What are what are the channels or strategies to kind of build this following of people before you've even launched a product?Will 00:01:15  By and large, most people are going to lean heavily into paid acquisition.Will 00:01:20  And so, you know, that means paying Facebook or Google or Reddit for ad space and driving traffic using those methods. Now, not everyone has big budgets. They can just plug in. To do that, I always suggest paid acquisition because frankly, is the quickest and easiest way of getting from where you are to where you need to be. But I understand not everyone has the budget. So for those who don't have those budgets, or for those who don't want to rely entirely on those budgets, there's a few other avenues you really look to. One is piggybacking. And so by piggybacking, we're looking for partners or like minded communities that already we have the people we want, and we want to build a connection with the managers or the founders of those communities and essentially piggyback on top of the success they've had to get access to these people. So examples of that might be, maybe you don't want to put $10,000 into a Facebook ad campaign, but maybe you could purchase an advertising spot or in a particular media websites newsletter, or you could write a guest post, or you could do some sort of exchange post promotional exchange with them over a period of six months, where maybe front end of that relationship, they're helping you, but then towards the back end, you're going to balance that out more and start helping them in different ways.Will 00:02:47  So piggybacking and looking at those kind of partnerships is a really good route. Another effort we're going to look to is virality. It's a tough one because it's you know, there are obviously elements to what makes something viral and, and checkboxes that you can go through. But there's always an element of luck there. You don't really know for sure whether a big effort to go viral is going to work. And so it can be a bit of a risk, but virality and that can be things such as word of mouth, marketing strategies, referral strategies and fun content, user generated content, things like ambassadors or affiliate marketing. We might even include some influencer marketing in that. So we've got the virality is certainly a good a good path to go. If you don't want to lean into pushing too much of your budget into paid ads, and then I mean, the fourth and longest one, I suppose is is the organic, you know, people that don't have big budgets and and maybe don't excel. I don't have any partners or I don't have.Will 00:03:53  I can't make things viral. They can't ...

Send us Fan MailWondering how to determine if your brand is ready for market expansion beyond Amazon? This video helps assess if your online business has the necessary cash flow and inventory for growth. Learn key considerations for ecommerce scaling and whether you're prepared to sell on Amazon, Walmart, Shopify, or TikTok Shop. We dive into ecommerce operations to ensure a smooth transition.If scaling to new marketplaces feels risky or unclear, fix the gaps now before expansion turns into lost profit and inventory issues: https://bit.ly/4jMZtxu#EcommerceGrowth #AmazonSellers #TikTokShop #ShopifyTips #AmazonFBAWant free resources? Dowload our Free Amazon guides here:Amazon Catalog Spring Cleaning: https://hubs.ly/Q046BVfp0Growth Email Marketing Strategies: https://hubs.ly/Q04457QF0Amazon Proft Margin Defense 2026: https://hubs.ly/Q042trRH0Amazon SEO Toolkit 2026: https://bit.ly/4oC2ClTAmazon Seller Strategy Report 2026: https://bit.ly/3YN1RME2026 Ecommerce Website & SEO Readiness Checklist: https://hubs.ly/Q040Jg0M0Amazon 2026 PPC guide: https://bit.ly/4lF0OYXTimestamps00:00 - When to Expand Beyond Amazon00:15 - Cash Flow and Inventory Check00:30 - Managing Inventory for New Channels00:52 - Ad Budget for Shopify and TikTok01:16 - Fulfillment Options and 3PL Setup01:44 - Off Amazon Ads Impact on Sales02:12 - Why External Traffic Helps Ranking02:33 - How Offsite Sales Affect SEO03:05 - Common Expansion Mistakes03:18 - Expanding Too Fast Issues03:26 - Treating Platforms the Same03:47 - Spreading Too Thin Across Channels04:16 - Focus Strategy for Growth04:29 - Is TikTok Shop Worth It05:12 - Measuring Traffic Impact05:45 - Tracking Brand Search Growth06:06 - Influencer Programs Explained06:33 - TikTok vs Amazon Influencers--------------------------------------------------------------------------Follow us:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/28605816/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevenpopemag/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/myamazonguys/Twitter: https://twitter.com/myamazonguySubscribe to the My Amazon Guy podcast:My Amazon Guy podcast: https://podcast.myamazonguy.comApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/my-amazon-guy/id1501974229Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4A5ASHGGfr6s4wWNQIqyVwSupport the show

An 8-figure seller in China reveals what US sellers get wrong about Chinese competition, black-hat tactics, global expansion, and the data-driven moves behind his Amazon growth. ► Watch The Podcasts On Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Helium10SeriousSellersPodcast?sub_confirmation=1 ► Instagram: instagram.com/serioussellerspodcast ► Free Amazon Seller Chrome Extension: https://h10.me/extension ► Sign Up For Helium 10: https://h10.me/signup  (Use SSP10 To Save 10% For Life) ► Learn How To Sell on Amazon: https://h10.me/ft What is really happening behind the scenes with top Chinese Amazon sellers? In this episode, Bradley travels to Shenzhen, China, to sit down with Bennett, an eight-figure seller who shares a rare inside look at how serious Amazon sellers in China are building and scaling brands. Helping guide the conversation is Freeman Cui from Helium 10's Shenzhen office, who serves as Bennett's translator throughout the interview. From launching his first cleaning product in 2017 to growing one brand to $15 million in annual sales, Bennett breaks down the mindset, systems, and strategies behind his success. One of the most eye-opening parts of the conversation is Bennett's take on black hat tactics. He confirms that those tactics still exist but says Amazon is making it harder for bad actors to survive in the long term. His belief is that the future belongs to compliant sellers who focus on quality products, strong branding, and long-term stability. That alone makes this episode a must-listen for sellers who assume all Chinese competitors play the same game. Bennett also opens up about how his team uses data to make smarter decisions across product research, market expansion, keyword strategy, and advertising. He shares how Helium 10 tools like Market Tracker 360, Search Query Analyzer, Cerebro, and Helium 10 Ads help his team spot trends, avoid bad opportunities, optimize PPC, and launch products with more precision. He also walks through how they research trends from Amazon, Etsy, customer feedback, and even physical retail stores. This episode is packed with practical insights on global expansion, AI-driven advertising, and product launches, but it also gives listeners something more valuable: perspective. Bennett explains why Brazil could be one of the biggest untapped Amazon opportunities, why patience is one of his company's unfair advantages, and why his team is aiming to grow from $15 million to $50 million in the coming years. If you want to understand how elite Chinese sellers actually think, this episode pulls back the curtain. In episode 742 of the Serious Sellers Podcast, Bradley, Bennett, and Freeman discuss: 00:00 - Why Chinese Sellers Envy US And European Sellers 00:41 - Meeting Bennett In Shenzhen, China 01:04 - Bennett's Background And First Amazon Product 02:17 - Building A $15 Million Cleaning Brand 02:52 - How He Uses Market Tracker 360 To Find Opportunities 04:12 - A Product Win And A Market Shift That Saved Money 05:50 - The Truth About Black Hat Tactics In China 07:48 - How Search Query Analyzer Changed His PPC Strategy 10:07 - Three Unique Strategies Behind His 8-Figure Growth 12:28 - Why Brazil Is His Top Expansion Market 14:02 - How He Uses AI Advertising And Where It Still Falls Short 17:53 - His New Product Launch Strategy And $50 Million Goal

  On today's weekend update episode I'm happy to announce that UNGATING has been solved as a challenge for Amazon sellers - I'll give you the details.   Do you have any spare space in your home or office? Want to turn it into cash? We also have upcoming training for those who would like to use their spare space to launch a prep center serving other sellers.   Besides all of this, in the second portion of today's show our newest listeners will get the facts, data and evidence pointing to the conclusion that RIGHT NOW is the greatest time ever to launch a beautiful Amazon reselling business using the tools and strategies available to us in the ProvenAmazonCourse.com community!   Relevant LINKS:  Ungating is SOLVED! Here's the latest Amazon seller UNGATING training with Khang and 3PMercury: https://www.youtube.com/live/eQhXbZfVTas?si=aL4IZ6Efcnar9bcy   Prep Center Training is coming! Get details here: https://silentjim.com/prepcentertraining   Looking for a prep center? Here's our list: PrepCenterNetwork.com   TheProvenConference.com - Learn more about our upcoming August 2026 event! The longest running annual event for Amazon sellers in the world!   Show note LINKS:    ProvenAmazonCourse.com - The comprehensive course that contains ALL our Amazon training modules, recorded events and a steady stream of latest cutting edge training including of course the most popular starting point, the REPLENS selling model. The PAC is updated free for life!   SilentJim.com/kickstart - If you want a shortcut to learning all you need to get started, then get the Proven Amazon Course and go through Kickstart.   TheProvenConference.com - Learn more about our upcoming August 2026 event! The longest running annual event for Amazon sellers in the world!   SilentSalesMachine.com - Text the word "free" to 507-800-0090 to get a free copy of Jim's latest book in audio about building multiple income streams online (US only) or visit SilentJim.com/free11   SilentJim.com/bookacall - Schedule a FREE, customized and insightful consultation with my team or me (Jim) to discuss your e-commerce goals and options.   My Silent Team Facebook group. 100% FREE! Facebook.com/groups/mysilentteam - Join 83,000 + Facebook members from around the world who are using the internet creatively every day to launch and grow multiple income streams through our exciting PROVEN strategies! There's no support community like this one anywhere else in the world!          

Are you feeling the pressure to be on TikTok, Amazon, Shopify, and social media all at once? It's the "2026 Burnout Trap," and in this episode, Michael and Emma Schermer Tamir break down why trying to be everywhere is actually killing your brand's growth.If you're feeling spread too thin and your profits aren't showing the effort you're putting in, this conversation is exactly what you need to hear. We're moving away from "hacks" and getting back to the business fundamentals that actually scale.We'll see you in The PPC Den!

Is your Amazon payout stuck in account-level reserves? Meta rolls out an Amazon affiliate integration, and how to manage 300 PPC campaigns in 30 minutes. These and more on today's episode of The Weekly Buzz! We're back with another episode of the Weekly Buzz with Helium 10's Senior Brand Evangelist, Shivali. Every week, we cover the latest breaking news in the Amazon, TikTok Shop, Walmart, and E-commerce space, talk about Helium 10's newest features, and provide a training tip for the week for serious sellers of any level. Is Your Amazon Payout STUCK in Account Level Reserves? https://www.facebook.com/groups/777317379057643/?multi_permalinks=26288878197474877&hoisted_section_header_type=recently_seen Meta Rolls Out Amazon Affiliate Integration for Influencer Monetization https://logie.ai/news/meta-amazon-influencer-unlocking-facebook-reels-monetization-with-shoppable-amazon-content/ Amazon Seller Central News: Upcoming Improvements to Reference Pricing https://sellercentral.amazon.com/seller-news/articles/QVRWUERLSUtYMERFUiNHVko2TU1VMlpVREc3VEtO Amazon Seller Central News: MCF and Buy with Prime packaging updates for US start April 1 https://sellercentral.amazon.com/seller-news/articles/QVRWUERLSUtYMERFUiNHNFFRS1o1WjdBU1NVTlE5 Join Carrie, Bradley, and Shivali at the Ecom Mastery AI Event in Nashville, TN https://h10.me/ecommasteryai Webinar: How to Manage 300 Campaigns in 30 Minutes Register here http://h10.me/ppc In episode 509 of the AM/PM Podcast and Weekly Buzz, Shivali covers: 00:42 - Is Your Amazon Payout STUCK in Account Level Reserves? 04:11 - Meta Rolls Out Amazon Affiliate Integration for Influencer Monetization 06:30 - Reviving Competitor's Dead Products for Profit Into Your Brand  11:16 - List Price Criteria Shifts & NEW Typical Price Rules 13:43 - How to See Competitor Sales on Amazon Without SQP  17:42 - MCF and Buy with Prime Packaging Updates for US starting TODAY! 19:41 - See you in Nashville at Ecom Mastery AI! 21:27 - How to Manage 300 Campaigns in 30 Minutes Enjoy this episode? Want to be able to ask questions to Leo Sgovio live in a small group with other 7 and 8-figure Amazon sellers?  Join the Helium 10 Elite Mastermind and get quarterly workshops, monthly training, and networking calls with Leo at h10.me/elite Make sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you listen to our podcast!  

Send us Fan MailAmazon sellers often ask if Amazon Transparency or Project Zero can stop hijackers after getting Amazon Brand Registry.This video details the process for an existing FBA listing to enroll in Amazon's Transparency program after a brand is registered. We guide you through the enrollment for product tracking on the Transparency website, which is essential for every amazon seller. Understanding this process is key for selling on amazon and protecting your products via brand registry on amazon.Need help protecting your listings or growing your Amazon sales?Book a call with My Amazon Guy: https://bit.ly/4jMZtxu--------------------------------------------------------------------------2026 Q1 Repeat Buyer Formula: https://bit.ly/47KJmOdGrowth Email Marketing Strategies: https://hubs.ly/Q04457QF0Amazon Proft Margin Defense 2026: https://hubs.ly/Q042trRH0Amazon SEO Toolkit 2026: https://bit.ly/4oC2ClTAmazon Seller Strategy Report 2026: https://bit.ly/3YN1RME2026 Ecommerce Website & SEO Readiness Checklist: https://hubs.ly/Q040Jg0M0Amazon Crisis Kit: https://bit.ly/4maWHn0TIMESTAMPS00:03 – How to Enroll Products in Amazon Transparency00:36 – What Happens to Existing FBA Inventory Without Codes01:00 – Should Sellers Use Transparency or Project Zero01:21 – Why Most Brands Regret Using Transparency01:33 – When Transparency Actually Makes Sense02:05 – How Brand Registry Protects Most Sellers02:41 – Why Your Trademark Shows as Pending03:16 – Amazon Toys Compliance and ASIN Blocking04:26 – Reporting Competitors Copying A+ Content________________________________Follow us:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/28605816/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevenpopemag/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/myamazonguys/Twitter: https://twitter.com/myamazonguySubscribe to the My Amazon Guy podcast:My Amazon Guy podcast: https://podcast.myamazonguy.comApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/my-amazon-guy/id1501974229Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4A5ASHGGfr6s4wWNQIqyVw Support the show

In this episode, host Josh interviews Tyler Jefcoat, founder of The Seller Roundtable, about financial strategies for Amazon and e-commerce sellers. Tyler explains key metrics like COGS, Amazon fees, and advertising costs, and shares actionable tips on optimizing profit margins, managing inventory, and preparing for business exits. He emphasizes the importance of accurate accounting, SKU-level analysis, and disciplined habits for long-term success. The discussion also covers useful tools and resources, including Merchant Spring and the book "Atomic Habits." Listeners gain practical advice to build more profitable and acquisition-ready e-commerce businesses.Chapters:Introduction to Tyler Jefcoat and Seller Accountant (00:00:00)Tyler's background, experience, and introduction to his work with e-commerce sellers.Key Financial Metrics for Amazon Sellers (00:00:38)Breakdown of revenue, cost of goods sold (COGS), Amazon fees, and advertising expenses.Profit Margins and Targets for Sellers (00:01:44)Discussion of ideal net profit margins, advertising spend, and benchmarks for healthy Amazon businesses.Net Profit Margin Benchmarks and Market Trends (00:03:59)Analysis of average net profit margins, market headwinds, and acquisition readiness.Preparing for Exit: Case Study and Best Practices (00:05:01)Advice and case study on preparing for business exit, including accounting and inventory management.Return on Capital and Product Portfolio Analysis (00:06:54)Explanation of return on capital, product-level profitability, and portfolio optimization.FBA Fees and SKU-Level Analysis (00:10:18)Importance of monitoring Amazon FBA fees, SKU-level analysis, and correcting fulfillment fee errors.Automating FBA Fee Audits (00:11:45)Discussion on automating FBA fee audits and best practices for large catalogs.Three Actionable Takeaways for Sellers (00:12:59)Summary of three key actions: solid accounting, SKU-level profitability, and price testing.Book Recommendation: Atomic Habits (00:15:40)Tyler recommends "Atomic Habits" by James Clear and discusses its impact.Favorite Software Tool: Merchant Spring (00:16:46)Recommendation and overview of Merchant Spring for multi-channel sales integration.Closing Remarks and Contact Info (00:17:28)Final thoughts, recommendation to contact Tyler, and episode wrap-up.Links and Mentions:Tools and Websites  "Merchant Spring": "00:16:46"Books  "Atomic Habits by James Clear": "00:15:49"Transcript:Josh 00:00:00  Today, I'm excited to introduce you to Tyler Jefcoat. Tyler is the founder and CEO of Stellar Accountant, where he exercises his passion for helping sellers maximize their businesses. Tyler provides financial coaching for sellers totaling more than 100 million per year in e-commerce sales. Tyler also leads the Sellers Roundtable, an exclusive mastermind group for seven and eight figure sellers. Before founding Seller Accountant, Tyler was the co-founder and managing partner for Care to Continue, a home health care company that grew from 0 to 100 employees in four years. So, Tyler, welcome to the show.Tyler 00:00:36  All right, Josh, thanks for having me.Josh 00:00:38  So you have your top line revenue. The next thing we have is you're going to have your cost of goods sold, right? So with your cost of goods sold, you said the average is about 30 to 35% is what you're seeing right now.Tyler 00:00:52  And this kind of landed cost. So if you kind of think about what it costs you to satisfy your Chinese Po and then do the duties freight into the states, I think.Tyler 00:01:01  Across the board, we're seeing literally pretty close to a third 33, 34%.Josh 00:01:05  So if you're below 30% or so, that's a good indication then. Right. Okay. Looking good. All right then next you have your Amazon fees that are going to come up. Right. And I think I'm going to split these up with the advertising separate. So what is your Amazon fees that your 15% commission plus the pick and pack. All that goes into the Amazon ecosystem. You're saying 30 to 35% is what you're seeing there. Is that right?Tyler 00:01:34  To keep the numbers easy is probably another third. So you got about a third in your unit cost to Google. You got about a third and normal Amazon fees.Josh 00:01:44  okay. Cool. And then so all right. So at this point we have 66% right of our revenue going to Cogs in Amazon. And so what you're saying is that the last remaining portion for that POG number that you were talking about is your advertising expense specifically on Amazon. So with your advertising expense, you said ideally you want to be between that 20% to 25%, you know, net gross margin, including the advertising costs in there.Josh 00:02:16  So that means you're going to be needing to sit around somewhere between 15 to 20%. Correct.Tyler 00:02:22  So if we if you think about it, we've got it split into thirds, a third in cogs, a third name is on fee. So we've got 33 points left. I can spend between, you know, roughly 10% on tacos in that model. Let's assume that your cost of goods sold model. Then I'm really going to. So so right. Take another 10% away for ads. That leaves me with a 23% P&G or post advertising gross profit. And I would say that's a really good target. Like, again, I would rather aim for 25 and hit 23 than really flirt with 20 constantly. But yes. So that would be that would be a fairly prototypical private label or kind of brand building seller on Amazon is third, Amazon fees. Third product cogs are about a dime, about ten points going to tacos. And then I've got 22, 23, 24% after ads that I can put towards my overhead.Tyler 00:03:08  And mama wants a boat, you know, whatever it is, that's the money I want.Josh 00:03:12  Makes sense. Makes sense. So with that, and then the other thing you mentioned is, hey, if you have really good cost of goods sold, right, you know, you might be 10 to 20%, right? Well, then you could ramp up your advertising spend. Right. So you can kind of offset those things, but the more profitable you are, the better. Like you said, some people were 30 to 35% that were really getting some premiums, with all the acquisitions that were going on. So this is awesome. This gives us a lot to think about and great targets to shoot towards, especially like net profit margin. You said, you know, ten is kind of the average. You said, right. 15 means that you're really good. You know looking good. You're a good candidate to be acquired. Is that correct?Tyler 00:03:59  Yes. And honestly, coming out of like 2022, I would actually say that, you know, 10% was actually probably pretty good because we did see a lot of headwinds.Tyler 00:04:09  So give your give yourself some grace. Like if you're looking at your piano right now, you know, here in the middle of 2020 and you're like, well, boy, I got 5% last year, I must be dead. That actually might be more normal than you think it is. But don't don't think that that's going to be normal forever. I think we are we're, we're we're continuing to want to see the market get better and we want to we work too hard and we risk too much to take a 2% profit margin for too long. And so getting a 10% is really crucial. And then I think if you're going to exit, getting it closer to that 15% net profit. Yeah.Josh 00:04:38  Awesome, awesome super valuable content. Tyler thanks again. All right. So with that, let's talk about maybe some of the levers that people can be pulling, you know, as they prepar...

Send us Fan MailAI search is changing how Amazon agency services rank, get found, and win new clients online.This video explains AI SEO ranking, keyword strategy, website audits, and client acquisition changes. Learn how AI tools impact Amazon marketing, lead generation, client communication, and growth strategy.If AI search is not bringing you clients yet, fix it now before your competitors take every deal: https://bit.ly/4bnpFMZ#AmazonAgency #AISEO #EcommerceGrowth #AmazonMarketing #leadgeneration Want free resources? Dowload our Free Amazon guides here:Amazon Catalog Spring Cleaning: https://hubs.ly/Q046BVfp0Growth Email Marketing Strategies: https://hubs.ly/Q04457QF0Amazon Proft Margin Defense 2026: https://hubs.ly/Q042trRH0Amazon SEO Toolkit 2026: https://bit.ly/4oC2ClTAmazon Seller Strategy Report 2026: https://bit.ly/3YN1RME2026 Ecommerce Website & SEO Readiness Checklist: https://hubs.ly/Q040Jg0M0Amazon 2026 PPC guide: https://bit.ly/4lF0OYXTimestamps00:00 - Why AI search is changing Amazon agency discovery00:12 - Ranking number one for Amazon agency on AI and Google00:29 - How client behavior changed with AI search results00:42 - AI use cases for strategy and keyword research01:04 - AI website audit and SEO issues breakdown01:24 - Missing keyword strategy and weak website content01:42 - Small agencies outranking bigger competitors02:02 - AI lead generation limits and data challenges02:30 - Using AI for cold email campaigns03:13 - AI context advantage in communication and data03:44 - Predicting client churn using AI signals04:24 - Combining data points for smarter AI insights04:37 - Solving bottlenecks with AI tools05:03 - Hiring vs AI for managing client calls05:42 - Using AI to replicate email responses06:05 - AI future and long term growth decisions--------------------------------------------------------------------------Follow us:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/28605816/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevenpopemag/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/myamazonguys/Twitter: https://twitter.com/myamazonguySubscribe to the My Amazon Guy podcast:My Amazon Guy podcast: https://podcast.myamazonguy.comApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/my-amazon-guy/id1501974229Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4A5ASHGGfr6s4wWNQIqyVwSupport the show

Keeping an eye on your account health as a Amazon seller does NOT have to be complex, time consuming or expensive - especially if you're a new sellers!   Today we meet with a long time friend of our podcast who has helped numerous listeners with Amazon policy and seller account health issues. It's Jeff Schick of JeffSchick.com.   He's now offering an incredibly low cost service that actively monitors your account for issues and resolves them - all starting at just $49/month!   Get details at 3pshield.com (use coupon code "Jim" for a great discount!)   Check out our sponsor: SilentJim.com/2d - Try 2D Workflow for free and see how much you could save every time you send in an FBA shipment to Amazon!   Show note LINKS:   3pshield.com - Get full details on this new program. Use coupon code "jim" to save big!   3pmercury.com/friends - The best pricing on 3pMercury software!   ProvenAmazonCourse.com - The comprehensive course that contains ALL our Amazon training modules, recorded events and a steady stream of latest cutting edge training including of course the most popular starting point, the REPLENS selling model. The PAC is updated free for life!   SilentJim.com/kickstart - If you want a shortcut to learning all you need to get started, then get the Proven Amazon Course and go through Kickstart.   TheProvenConference.com - Learn more about our upcoming August 2026 event! The longest running annual event for Amazon sellers in the world!   SilentSalesMachine.com - Text the word "free" to 507-800-0090 to get a free copy of Jim's latest book in audio about building multiple income streams online (US only) or visit SilentJim.com/free11   SilentJim.com/bookacall - Schedule a FREE, customized and insightful consultation with my team or me (Jim) to discuss your e-commerce goals and options.   My Silent Team Facebook group. 100% FREE! Facebook.com/groups/mysilentteam - Join 83,000 + Facebook members from around the world who are using the internet creatively every day to launch and grow multiple income streams through our exciting PROVEN strategies! There's no support community like this one anywhere else in the world!      

Want higher Amazon conversions? Shivali and Carrie break down a real listing to reveal image, copy, keyword, and AI optimization strategies sellers can use fast. What separates an average Amazon listing from one that consistently converts? In this Helium 10 Listing Teardown episode, Shivali Patel and Carrie Miller break down a real product listing and show Amazon sellers how to evaluate every part of it with a sharper eye. From the main image to the A+ Content, they explain how small changes in positioning, clarity, and context can make a big difference in click-through rate and conversions. The lesson is clear: every image should communicate one strong idea, and every part of the listing should help shoppers instantly understand the product and why they should buy it. The episode also highlights how sellers can use customer feedback and copywriting strategies to improve conversions. Shivali and Carrie talk through why vague or repetitive messaging weakens a listing, why lifestyle context matters, and how reviews can reveal both your strongest selling points and your biggest conversion blockers. For Amazon sellers, this is one of the most practical takeaways from the episode: if your listing promises machine washability, your packaging, tags, and product details all need to match. Better listings are not just about better keywords. They are about building trust, reducing confusion, and attracting the right buyer. From there, the episode dives into Helium 10's Listing Analyzer and Listing Builder tools, showing how sellers can compare competitors, find meaningful keyword opportunities, and optimize listings faster using real Amazon data. They cover how to use search query performance, brand analytics, historical keyword data, and AI-assisted writing to create stronger titles and bullets without wasting hours doing manual research. For Amazon sellers looking to improve visibility and conversions in an increasingly AI-driven marketplace, this episode is a useful reminder that better rankings start with better relevance, messaging, and listing strategy. In episode 506 of the AM/PM Podcast, Carrie and Shivali discuss: 00:00 - Introduction 01:33 - How This Listing Audit Mindset Can Improve Any Amazon Listing 02:11 - First Impressions Of The Bat Bath Mat Main Images 06:07 - What Product Images Should Communicate To Shoppers 08:42 - Why Lifestyle Images Can Increase Conversions 10:18 - A+ Content Mistakes, Repetition, And Clearer Messaging 14:14 - Using Reviews To Uncover Selling Points And Conversion Issues 17:23 - Improving Titles, Bullets, And Keyword Relevance 25:37 - Rufus, Backend Descriptions, And Listing Context 27:20 - Using Listing Analyzer To Compare Competitor Images 35:15 - How Listing Builder Finds High-Value Keywords Faster 45:00 - Using AI To Write And Refine Amazon Listing Copy 50:17 - Final Takeaways For Optimizing Listings Faster With Helium 10 Enjoy this episode? Want to be able to ask questions to Leo Sgovio live in a small group with other 7 and 8-figure Amazon sellers?  Join the Helium 10 Elite Mastermind and get quarterly workshops, monthly training, and networking calls with Leo at h10.me/elite Make sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you listen to our podcast!  

If you've ever found yourself stuck in a loop with Amazon seller support, sending messages back and forth and not really getting anywhere, this episode is for you.Because while Amazon is an amazing marketplace, it isn't always straightforward. Things do go wrong, and often they happen when you least expect it, whether that's a listing being taken down, a product being incorrectly restricted, or something just not working the way it should.In this episode, I'm talking you through how to get the best outcome from Amazon seller support, based on real situations I'm dealing with right now for clients. So this is practical, honest, and based on what actually works, not just theory.I'm also sharing the kinds of issues you might run into when selling on Amazon, why they happen, and most importantly, how to deal with them without losing time, energy, or patience.Because the truth is, most issues are fixable. It's just knowing how to approach Amazon seller support in the right way that makes all the difference.I've also created a free guide, How to get the best out of Amazon Seller Support, which walks you through everything step by step. You can download that below, so there's no need to take notes while you're listening.Get my free guide - how to get the best out of Amazon Seller Support: https://checklist.vickiweinberg.com/sellersupportEpisode chapters: 00:00 Why things don't always run smoothly on Amazon01:40 Real examples of Amazon issues and what can go wrong04:30 What happens if problems aren't resolved06:45 How to reduce the chances of issues in the first place08:40 Understanding Amazon seller support10:25 How to write a clear and effective support case12:10 Common mistakes that slow everything down13:40 When to use chat or phone support14:55 How to escalate your case16:25 The mindset that will help you get results17:40 When to get extra support18:30 Final thoughts and reassuranceLET'S CONNECTFollow me on YouTubeFind me on InstagramWork with me Buy My Book: Bring Your Product Idea To LifeIf you enjoy this podcast, and you'd like to leave a tip, you can do so here: https://bring-your-product-idea.captivate.fm/support

Send a textEveryone talks about this Amazon PPC strategy but does it actually work?In this video, Noah reviews a popular approach from Darren  @FBA-Elite   and breaks down the real impact of using only exact match campaigns, small ad budgets, and beginner PPC setups. Some ideas make sense while others can slow down growth.Watch the full video to see the full breakdown and what Amazon sellers should actually do when launching PPC.Need help with Amazon PPC or scaling your product? Book a call with us: https://bit.ly/4jMZtxu#AmazonPPC #AmazonAdvertising #AmazonFBA #AmazonSeller #EcommerceTips--------------------------------------------------------------------------Want free resources? Dowload our Free Amazon guides here:Growth Email Marketing Strategies: https://hubs.ly/Q04457QF0Amazon Proft Margin Defense 2026: https://hubs.ly/Q042trRH0Amazon SEO Toolkit 2026: https://bit.ly/4oC2ClTAmazon Seller Strategy Report 2026: https://bit.ly/3YN1RME2026 Ecommerce Website & SEO Readiness Checklist: https://hubs.ly/Q040Jg0M0Amazon Crisis Kit: https://bit.ly/4maWHn0Timestamps00:00 - Why Sellers Asked for This Amazon PPC Review01:07 - Reviewing Darren FBA Elite's Beginner Strategy02:12 - Exact Match Only Campaigns Explained03:23 - Why Exact Match Can Still Waste Money04:01 - Starting Bids and Budget Problems04:39 - Why £5 Per Sale Is Too Low06:24 - Launch Costs, CPC, and Sales Goals07:07 - When to Pause Keywords After 20 Clicks08:44 - Helium 10 Xray and Competitor Keyword Research10:25 - Cerebro Filters and Search Volume Rules12:15 - Cutting Weak Keywords and Grouping Campaigns13:40 - Average CPC and Conversion Rate Math15:12 - Organic Ranking, Listing Relevance, and Sales Velocity16:43 - Why Broad and Phrase Match Still Matter17:20 - Campaign Setup and Why Auto Campaigns Matter19:12 - Bid Settings, Daily Budgets, and Scaling Limits20:02 - Final Review of the Strategy and Best Lessons22:17 - Negations, Budget Reality, and Closing Thoughts--------------------------------------------------------------------------Follow us:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/28605816/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevenpopemag/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/myamazonguys/Twitter: https://twitter.com/myamazonguySubscribe to the My Amazon Guy podcast:My Amazon Guy podcast: https://podcast.myamazonguy.comApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/my-amazon-guy/id1501974229Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4A5ASHGGfr6s4wWNQIqyVwSupport the show

Why do so many sellers stay stuck even after watching courses, reading books, and buying tools?   In this Coach's Corner episode, Brian and Robin share a powerful story about the Wright Brothers and Samuel Langley. One had funding, prestige, and a perfect plan. The other simply kept testing. Only one of them flew.   That story opens a conversation about a common trap Amazon sellers fall into. Over-planning. Endless research. Waiting for the perfect moment to start. Brian and Robin break down a simple three-question filter that helps you cut through the noise and focus on the next right move in your business.   You'll learn: • Why planning too far ahead keeps sellers stuck • How to tell the difference between real progress and "feeling busy" • The simple Now vs. Later filter that keeps you focused • Why boring systems usually mean your business is working • The one action challenge you should complete this week   If you feel overwhelmed by tools, courses, or endless advice, this episode will help you reset and focus on what actually builds a business. Because the antidote to confusion isn't more information.   It's action.   Special guest at the conclusion of today's show, Jeff Schick of JeffSchick.com answers the question: "If I don't have Jeff's team on retainer, can they still help me? (Answer: YES!)" Use coupon code "MISTAKE" to get your first month of services for only $1 with Jeff and his team!   Watch this episode on our YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/vPGOInhtiL4   Show note LINKS: 3pmercury.com/friends - The best pricing on 3pMercury software!   ProvenAmazonCourse.com - The comprehensive course that contains ALL our Amazon training modules, recorded events and a steady stream of latest cutting edge training including of course the most popular starting point, the REPLENS selling model. The PAC is updated free for life!   SilentJim.com/kickstart - If you want a shortcut to learning all you need to get started, then get the Proven Amazon Course and go through Kickstart.   TheProvenConference.com - Learn more about our upcoming August 2026 event! The longest running annual event for Amazon sellers in the world!   SilentSalesMachine.com - Text the word "free" to 507-800-0090 to get a free copy of Jim's latest book in audio about building multiple income streams online (US only) or visit SilentJim.com/free11   SilentJim.com/bookacall - Schedule a FREE, customized and insightful consultation with my team or me (Jim) to discuss your e-commerce goals and options.   My Silent Team Facebook group. 100% FREE! Facebook.com/groups/mysilentteam - Join 83,000 + Facebook members from around the world who are using the internet creatively every day to launch and grow multiple income streams through our exciting PROVEN strategies! There's no support community like this one anywhere else in the world!          

Scott shares a few 2026 updates shaping the Amazon landscape... plus a key reminder that opportunity is still real, but it's shifting. He challenges the “Amazon is dead for new sellers” narrative. Michael White (a longtime SmartScout teammate) left to launch his own Amazon brand and has already crossed $1M in revenue after launching in August. This was driven by patient sourcing and a clear trend thesis. From there, Scott zooms out to the more sobering macro view behind his YouTube documentary “Death of the Amazon Seller”: fewer new sellers are entering, and incremental marketplace growth is increasingly captured by large brands, large sellers, and Chinese sellers. using creatine as the example, Scott leans into what he's most bullish on: trend-chasing done intelligently. While the overall creatine market is booming, the real edge is spotting sub-trends inside the trend (like gummies, Creapure, and women-focused positioning) that are growing faster than the broader category. He closes with a data point on Chinese sellers shifting their “country of business” (often to Hong Kong or the U.S.) and a new research tool he's excited about: ECDB, a global e-commerce database founded by a former Statista leader, aimed at mapping retail and marketplace performance worldwide. Episode Notes 00:31 - A real-world counterpoint to “Amazon is too hard now”: a SmartScout teammate launches and hits $1M+ revenue fast 01:48 - Why Scott's documentary argues Amazon is consolidating: fewer new sellers, more share captured by big players 03:00 - Why Scott is still bullish on trend-based product selection, especially in fast-moving categories 03:55 - Creatine as the case study: macro growth is strong, but sub-trends are where the outsized opportunity lives 05:00 - Practical takeaway: “find a trend inside the trend” and build positioning around the faster-growing slice 06:45 - New data insight: large Chinese sellers changing business location (often Hong Kong or U.S.) 07:50 - Why: conversion optics and rising pressure around revenue reporting and compliance 09:25 - Tool spotlight: ECDB and what global marketplace data reveals about Amazon vs. China-based giants 11:08 - Scott's outlook: Still optimistic on growth, but the game is changing Related Watch “Death of the Amazon Seller”  Related Post Top 10 Chinese Sellers That Have Changed Countries   Scott's Links: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/scott-needham-a8b39813 X: @itsScottNeedham Instagram: @smartestseller YouTube: www.youtube.com/@smartestamazonseller2371 Newsletter: https://www.smartscout.com/newsletter-sign-up Blog: https://www.smartscout.com/blog

Send a textAI strategy for business is shifting toward business automation built on real data, SOPs, and repeatable systems. This episode breaks down AI automation, AI integration, Amazon AI tools like Rufus, internal company knowledge systems, AI agents, automation for sellers, and how businesses can prepare for the AI singularity. Learn how to use AI services, document processes, build AI-ready systems, automate repetitive work, and create a real AI advantage instead of chasing overhyped tools.If your business is still running on manual processes, get on a strategy call and build an AI system before your competitors cut their costs in half: https://bit.ly/4jMZtxu#AIstrategy #BusinessAutomation #AIforBusiness #AmazonSellers #artificialintelligence --------------------------------------------------------------------------Want free resources? Dowload our Free Amazon guides here:2026 Q1 Repeat Buyer Formula: https://bit.ly/47KJmOdGrowth Email Marketing Strategies: https://hubs.ly/Q04457QF0Amazon Proft Margin Defense 2026: https://hubs.ly/Q042trRH0Amazon SEO Toolkit 2026: https://bit.ly/4oC2ClTAmazon Seller Strategy Report 2026: https://bit.ly/3YN1RME2026 Ecommerce Website & SEO Readiness Checklist: https://hubs.ly/Q040Jg0M0Amazon Crisis Kit: https://bit.ly/4maWHn0TIMESTAMPS00:00 – Launching AI Services for Businesses01:03 – Why AI Is Overhyped Without Data02:34 – How SOPs Create AI Advantage04:00 – Favorite AI Tool and Why Integration Wins06:34 – Switching AI Platforms vs Staying Consistent07:02 – Best AI Automation Inside the Company08:40 – AI for Amazon Sellers and Image Quality10:00 – Predicting the AI Singularity by 202811:27 – Is Amazon Rufus Actually Good?14:11 – How Rufus May Hurt Sellers15:44 – Price Alerts and Hidden Features17:10 – Why Customers Don't Use Rufus18:32 – Wendy's vs Chick-fil-A Business Lesson21:21 – Custom AI Agents for Companies22:10 – How Amazon Sellers Avoid Getting Left Behind23:45 – Why Documenting Processes Is Critical25:16 – AI Efficiency Gains and What Comes Next________________________________Follow us:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/28605816/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevenpopemag/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/myamazonguys/Twitter: https://twitter.com/myamazonguySubscribe to the My Amazon Guy podcast:My Amazon Guy podcast: https://podcast.myamazonguy.comApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/my-amazon-guy/id1501974229Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4A5ASHGGfr6s4wWNQIqyVwSupport the show

We love to see ProvenAmazonCourse.com students succeed and then teach others how they did it! That's the story of today's guest!   Elizabeth has now become a highly valued member of our coaching and 3PMercury team, but she started out as a coaching student a few years ago.   Today we discuss the new way to do reselling using the latest strategies and tools as well as ungating issues and other challenges faced by newer sellers on Amazon.   Check out our sponsor: SilentJim.com/2d - Try 2D Workflow for free and see how much you could save every time you send in an FBA shipment to Amazon!   Watch this episode on  our YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/dGHT_RnDbUw   Show note LINKS: 3pmercury.com/friends - The best pricing on 3pMercury software!   SilentJim.com/va - We can help you FIND and TRAIN a VA that sources great products constantly for you!   TheProvenConference.com - Learn more about our upcoming August 2026 event! The longest running annual event for Amazon sellers in the world!   SilentSalesMachine.com - Text the word "free" to 507-800-0090 to get a free copy of Jim's latest book in audio about building multiple income streams online (US only) or visit SilentJim.com/free11   SilentJim.com/bookacall - Schedule a FREE, customized and insightful consultation with my team or me (Jim) to discuss your e-commerce goals and options.   My Silent Team Facebook group. 100% FREE! Facebook.com/groups/mysilentteam - Join 83,000 + Facebook members from around the world who are using the internet creatively every day to launch and grow multiple income streams through our exciting PROVEN strategies! There's no support community like this one

Amazon may be testing a major review change, with some shoppers seeing only 10 reviews unless they apply for more. Amazon clarifies its multiple account policy. Plus, it's Episode 500 of the AM/PM Podcast! We're back with another episode of the Weekly Buzz with Helium 10's VP of Education and Strategy, Bradley Sutton. Every week, we cover the latest breaking news in the Amazon, TikTok Shop, Walmart, and E-commerce space, talk about Helium 10's newest features, and provide a training tip for the week for serious sellers of any level. In this episode, we're switching things up with a fresh new look, and it's the perfect time because this is Episode 500 of the AM/PM Podcast! Join us for a quick trip down memory lane as we celebrate nearly 10 years of the AM/PM Podcast and keep Manny Coats' classic “How cool is that? Pretty cool, I think.” spirit alive. Amazon reviews might be acting weird again, and it could be more than just the usual “dog page” error some shoppers have seen for months. In this week's first story, Bradley shares a new test showing up on certain customer accounts where you can only view 10 reviews and then have to “apply” to see more, with Amazon promising an email response within five business days. If this expands, it could push more shoppers toward Rufus-style review summaries rather than reading reviews directly, and it could significantly impact how sellers and tools analyze review data. Especially after Amazon's crackdown that removed Helium 10's Review Insights. The good news: the Helium 10 team is working on a new, fully “Amazon-compliant” version that still provides high-quality review insights, and Bradley asks viewers to share in the comments if they're seeing the same review limits and whether they think it could roll out more widely. Amazon Seller Central: Account health tips for multiple selling accounts https://sellercentral.amazon.com/seller-news/articles/QVRWUERLSUtYMERFUiNHVVFVQ1RDRThCSlJXUUhK Helium 10 New Feature Alert! Check out the new upgraded Cerebro with new Sponsored Rank filters, so you can instantly spot keywords where multiple competitors are bidding top of search. It's a fast way to see which terms rivals are fighting for most, and what should be on your ad radar next. Amazon Seller Central: Upload Images now provides faster uploads and more flexibility https://sellercentral.amazon.com/seller-news/articles/QVRWUERLSUtYMERFUiNHTE5HMzJYWTlMRExVUUha Seamlessly reach relevant audiences with enhanced targeting capabilities from Amazon Ads https://advertising.amazon.com/en-us/resources/whats-new/amazon-ads-introduced-enhanced-targeting-capabilities/ Next week brings a free AI monthly workshop with expert Andrew Bell showcasing Helium 10's revamped Listing Builder, now an all-in-one “8-in-1” workflow that combines keyword research with AI optimization, including Rufus question targeting. Register here: http://h10.me/aim3226 If you're in New York City, you can also catch Bradley in person at the ASGTG conference in Brooklyn on Thursday, March 5. It's the 12th ASGTG event and his first time attending in eight years, so it's a rare chance to meet up, network with sellers, and hear from a lineup of strong speakers. And yes, it's famous for the food, apparently “Michelin-starred for an Amazon conference” levels, so come for the content and connections, and stay for the bites. Register here: http://h10.me/asgtg Thanks for tuning in! Check back next week for more buzzing updates and strategies to help you stay ahead in e-commerce. In episode 500 of the AM/PM Podcast and Weekly Buzz, Bradley talks about: 00:00 - Introduction 00:44 - Episode 500 of the AM/PM Podcast! 03:07 - Is Amazon Hiding Reviews From All Amazon Customers? 07:35 - Amazon Multiple Account Policy Clarification 10:45 - How To See What Keywords Competitors Are Advertising Top Of Search 13:06 - Amazon Seller Central Image Upload Update 14:27 - Faster Way to Search Amazon Brand Analytics 18:19 - Amazon Ads Display and Video AI Targeting 20:10 - Upcoming Webinar and New York Event Enjoy this episode? Want to be able to ask questions to Leo Sgovio live in a small group with other 7 and 8-figure Amazon sellers?  Join the Helium 10 Elite Mastermind and get quarterly workshops, monthly training, and networking calls with Leo at h10.me/elite Make sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you listen to our podcast!  

Send a textThis video addresses a common question: can Amazon sellers operate multiple Amazon seller account simultaneously? Noah Wickham from My Amazon Guy explains that the answer is nuanced, detailing Amazon's policy on multiple amazon account types. Learn about the conditions for seller registration amazon and how to navigate selling on amazon with more than one account.If you are unsure whether your second seller account setup could trigger a suspension, get direct strategy guidance before Amazon makes that decision for you: https://bit.ly/4jMZtxu--------------------------------------------------------------------------Want free resources? Dowload our Free Amazon guides here:Growth Email Marketing Strategies: https://hubs.ly/Q04457QF0Amazon Proft Margin Defense 2026: https://hubs.ly/Q042trRH0Amazon SEO Toolkit 2026: https://bit.ly/4oC2ClTAmazon Seller Strategy Report 2026: https://bit.ly/3YN1RME2026 Ecommerce Website & SEO Readiness Checklist: https://hubs.ly/Q040Jg0M0Amazon Crisis Kit: https://bit.ly/4maWHn0TIMESTAMPS00:00 – Can You Have Multiple Amazon Seller Accounts?00:38 – When Amazon Allows Separate Seller Accounts01:55 – Why Separate Accounts Help When Selling a Brand02:11 – Business Information Required for Multiple Accounts03:02 – Legal Entity Rules and EIN Requirements04:12 – What You Cannot Do with Two Seller Accounts05:17 – Selling the Same Product on Two Accounts Risk05:39 – When It Makes Business Sense to Open Another Account________________________________Follow us:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/28605816/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevenpopemag/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/myamazonguys/Twitter: https://twitter.com/myamazonguySubscribe to the My Amazon Guy podcast:My Amazon Guy podcast: https://podcast.myamazonguy.comApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/my-amazon-guy/id1501974229Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4A5ASHGGfr6s4wWNQIqyVwSupport the show

Send a textAre you an Amazon seller feeling like you're just spinning your wheels? This video introduces the 4 Pillars of Amazon Growth Masterclass for Amazon sellers, designed to help you scale your business beyond basic optimization tactics. We'll explore effective strategies for how to sell on amazon, including advanced amazon seo techniques and amazon fba insights, ensuring your amazon listing stands out. Learn how to achieve real sales growth and move past common PPC pitfalls.Learn how AB testing improves click-through rate, conversion rate, and overall Amazon sales performance. This video breaks down how to test main images, A+ content, pricing strategy, and product detail pages using real Amazon data. Understand how SEO, PPC, catalog merchandising, and design work together to increase ranking and drive consistent growth.Amazon Dynamic Pricing Strategy: https://myamazonguy.com/amazon-product-launch/amazon-dynamic-pricing-strategy/Amazon FBA Product Launch Pricing Strategy: myamazonguy.com/price--------------------------------------------------------------------------Want free resources? Dowload our Free Amazon guides here:Amazon Proft Margin Defense 2026: https://hubs.ly/Q042trRH0Amazon PPC Guide 2026 is here!: https://bit.ly/4lF0OYXAmazon SEO Toolkit 2026: https://bit.ly/4oC2ClTAmazon Seller Strategy Report 2026: https://bit.ly/3YN1RME2026 Ecommerce Website & SEO Readiness Checklist: https://hubs.ly/Q040Jg0M0Amazon Crisis Kit: https://bit.ly/4maWHn0Timestamps:00:00 – Why Sellers Feel Stuck on Amazon01:02 – The Four Pillars of Amazon Growth04:00 – Why Click-Through Rate Drives 18% of Sales05:43 – Dynamic Pricing Strategy Explained09:05 – Coupons vs Promotions vs Deals15:55 – Lightning Deals and Seasonal Strategy22:42 – Design Mistakes That Kill Conversion23:01 – Main Image CTR Tactics26:51 – Infographics That Prevent Bad Reviews32:35 – A+ Content That Increases Conversion35:19 – How SEO, PPC, Design, and Pricing Work Together38:18 – Rufus and AI Impact on Amazon Search46:31 – Using Amazon AB Testing for Conversion Data54:27 – Common Seller Mistakes with Growth Strategy56:36 – Next Design Changes After Main Image58:39 – Fundamentals Every Amazon Seller Must Learn________________________________Follow us:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/28605816/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevenpopemag/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/myamazonguys/Twitter: https://twitter.com/myamazonguySubscribe to the My Amazon Guy podcast:My Amazon Guy podcast: https://podcast.myamazonguy.comApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/my-amazon-guy/id1501974229Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4A5ASHGGfr6s4wWNQIqyVwSupport the show

Send a textSupreme Court ruling strikes down major Trump tariffs, changing import costs for Amazon sellers overnight. This update affects China tariffs, reciprocal tariffs, import taxes, and seller inventory planning. With billions collected in tariff fees and refund questions still open, Amazon FBA sellers must review sourcing strategy, inventory orders, landed cost, and cash flow impact before the next policy shift. This tariff decision reshapes product margins, supply chain planning, and ecommerce pricing strategy heading into peak selling seasons.If tariff changes just reopened your margins, now is the time to get a real profit plan in place before the next policy shock hits. Book a free call with experts now! https://bit.ly/4jMZtxu#AmazonSellers #AmazonFBA #TariffNews #EcommerceStrategy #tariffnews2026-------------------------------------------------------------------------Want free resources? Dowload our Free Amazon guides here:Amazon Proft Margin Defense 2026: https://hubs.ly/Q042trRH0Amazon PPC Guide 2026 is here!: https://bit.ly/4lF0OYXAmazon SEO Toolkit 2026: https://bit.ly/4oC2ClTAmazon Seller Strategy Report 2026: https://bit.ly/3YN1RME2026 Ecommerce Website & SEO Readiness Checklist: https://hubs.ly/Q040Jg0M0Amazon Crisis Kit: https://bit.ly/4maWHn0________________________________Timestamps:00:00 - Supreme Court Strikes Down Trump Tariffs00:32 - What Tariffs Are Still Staying in Place01:00 - Refund Questions and $133 Billion Collected01:40 - Costco Moves First on Tariff Refunds02:08 - What Amazon Sellers Should Do Right Now________________________________Follow us:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/28605816/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevenpopemag/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/myamazonguys/Twitter: https://twitter.com/myamazonguySubscribe to the My Amazon Guy podcast:My Amazon Guy podcast: https://podcast.myamazonguy.comApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/my-amazon-guy/id1501974229Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4A5ASHGGfr6s4wWNQIqyVwSupport the show

Walmart (the largest retailer in history) just put an eCommerce and supply chain executive in charge of a $500 billion business with 4,600 physical stores.If more than 70% of your revenue comes from Amazon, listen to this.In this episode of the High Voltage Business Builders Podcast, Neil breaks down Walmart's AI-first transformation, its ChatGPT and Google Gemini integrations, the $2.3B Vizio acquisition, and why Amazon-only strategies are now a massive platform risk.

Most Amazon sellers aren't lazy—they're overwhelmed. They're busy juggling family, work, and life while trying to grow a business in the margins. In this episode, Stephen and Rebecca talk about what actually separates successful Amazon sellers from the rest (and it's not grinding harder or working longer hours). It's about being intentional instead of accidental. If you've ever felt stuck, unsure of your next step, or frustrated that effort isn't translating into momentum, this conversation might feel a little uncomfortable… in the best possible way. Show Notes for this episode - http://www.fulltimefba.com/327 The Full-Time FBA Podcast Page - http://www.fulltimefba.com/podcast Subscribe to the Full-Time FBA Newsletter and get some helpful freebies - http://www.fulltimefba.com/    

In this episode, Janelle Page reveals the brand framework that helped her drive over $475M in ecommerce sales and take clients like Glamnetic from $80K to $3M per month in revenue. She breaks down why getting chosen matters more than getting found, and how to build a brand that makes customers pick you over the competition every time. What You’ll Learn Why getting chosen beats getting found How to make your differentiation crystal clear to buyers How to converting awareness into consistent customer selection Sponsors SellersSummit.com – The Sellers Summit is the ecommerce conference that I’ve run for the past […] The post 625: The $1M/Month Brand Strategy That Most Amazon Sellers Are Missing with Janelle Page appeared first on MyWifeQuitHerJob.com.

7-figures on Amazon…while working full-time and spending 5 hours/week? Our guest breaks down his TikTok-to-Amazon product strategy, Helium 10 moves, and Q4 playbook.

In this episode, e-commerce expert Norm Farrar shares actionable strategies for Amazon sellers to build and engage their own audiences. He discusses using insert cards to collect customer emails through offers like free products, warranties, and cookbooks, and emphasizes the importance of email marketing to boost revenue. Norm explains how to create and repurpose valuable content, such as chef-sourced recipes, across Amazon posts and social media. He also highlights the benefits of hosting live cooking shows on Amazon Live and using video creation services to enhance product listings, offering practical tips for optimizing Amazon sales and brand growth.Chapters:Introduction to Norm Farrar (00:00:00)Host introduces Norm Farrar, his background in e-commerce, and his Amazon podcast.Case Study: Email List Building with Insert Cards (00:00:33)Norm shares a case study about a beauty company collecting 280,000 emails via insert cards but not utilizing them.Insert Card Offers: Free Products and Extended Warranties (00:01:36)Discussion of effective insert card offers, including free products and extended warranties to collect customer emails.Meal Plans, Cookbooks, and Recipe Content Strategy (00:03:20)Norm explains using meal plans and cookbooks to collect emails, and sourcing recipes from chefs and culinary students.Repurposing Content: Newsletters and Amazon Posts (00:04:34)How recipes and user-generated content are repurposed for newsletters and Amazon posts to engage customers.Mindset Shift: Value-Driven Email Marketing (00:05:00)Host reflects on providing value through email, not just sales pitches, and repurposing content across channels.Amazon Live Cooking Show Launch (00:06:52)Norm introduces their new Amazon Live cooking show featuring chefs and culinary students using their products.Live Content Strategy and Product Demonstrations (00:07:45)Details on using live cooking shows to demonstrate products, increase engagement, and gain followers.Video Content Creation and Repurposing (00:09:07)Norm discusses creating videos with influencers, repurposing video content for Amazon, social media, and YouTube.Using Billo for Video Production (00:10:38)Introduction to Billo, a service for affordable, high-quality product videos, and how to use them for marketing.Three Actionable Takeaways for E-commerce Brands (00:12:57)Host summarizes key takeaways: business planning, building an email list, and repurposing content.Amazon Internal Tools for Listing Optimization (00:14:46)Norm recommends using Amazon's internal tools for listing optimization and growth opportunities to increase sales.Closing Remarks (00:16:21)Host thanks Norm for his insights and wraps up the episode.Links and Mentions:Tools and WebsitesAmazon LiveAmazon Seller CentralStrategies and ConceptsEmail List Building: 00:01:08Insert Cards for Email Collection: 00:02:06User-Generated Content: 00:04:34Content Repurposing: "00:09:07Listing Optimization Tools: 00:14:46Transcript:Josh 00:00:00  Today I'm super excited to introduce to you Norm Farrar. Norm specializes in providing e-commerce and online marketing services for brands. He has worked with fortune 500 companies such as Coca-Cola, Mercedes-Benz, and 20th Century Fox since the early 1990s. Norm has focused on helping entrepreneurs optimize their operations and unlock their businesses potential. Presently, he is the host of the popular Amazon podcast lunch with Norm. So welcome to the show, Norm.Norm 00:00:32  Hey, glad to be here.Josh 00:00:33  So, Norm, I wanted to ask, you know, what are some of the best practices that you see with that? And maybe do you have any case studies or maybe some examples that you might be able to share with us, just to kind of spark some ideas in people's mind of the various opportunities that do lie in, you know, building your own audience off of Amazon from those insert cards.Norm 00:00:55  Well, and it's a good and bad story, but I know we were working with a beauty company who had built an email list up to 280,000 emails.Norm 00:01:08  Wow. But he would not. He never. He thought it was inconvenient. It would inconvenience people if he sent them emails.Josh 00:01:18  That doesn't make sense.Norm 00:01:19  280,000 emails. So yeah, that that that wasn't, that wasn't a smart move, but,Josh 00:01:27  Attracting. I mean, how did he attract 280,000 people to give him their email address? Right. Like, do you know what the offer was?Norm 00:01:36  Yeah. Well, different beauty products. So what it would be is you could go. You could go to the insert. It would go to a landing page. The landing page, would offer them one of his other products. So if you had the shampoo conditioner, you could have the, what's called keratin treatment, or you could have, there was, some serums and stuff like that, but you were offered a free product. So in the $10.Josh 00:02:06  In the insert card on the insert card, it says, hey, claim your free product I assume then yeah. Okay.Norm 00:02:13  Yeah. So all it did was send.Norm 00:02:16  He got the email address and the address because he had to send the product. So he had, he had it all and he did not and would not send out a single email.Josh 00:02:29  Fascinating. Yeah. Which is you know, going back you kind of shared that stat that you think that people are missing out on 40% of revenue just by not implementing, you know, additional as. Yeah. Right.Norm 00:02:43  You sell a million bucks, you're missing out a 400,000.Josh 00:02:46  Fascinating. Yeah. Any other stories or examples of, like, insert cards or, you know, ways that work to get people to provide their email address?Norm 00:02:56  Well, there's always the extended warranty. So that is something, again, going back to the knife company, extended warranty. So it's a lifetime warranty. Okay, great. That's a lifetime warranty anyway. Basically. But, you know, it's a lifetime warranty. another one was just like I was talking to you about before. A knife with the honing rod. Okay, great.Norm 00:03:20  another one that worked for that company was the meal plan and cookbook. So you can either download and get a weekly email. So what's in that weekly email with the weekly plan? Well, there's some sort of promotion. It wasn't all the time, but there was either just some recipes. So this is something that we did as well. We went out and we, talked to chefs and we talked to culinary schools, and we gave them, very expensive knife. And so the deal was we'll supply the whole class with these very expensive knives. if they provide us with a recipe and spread it out on their social media, tag us on their social media. So we got a ton of user generated content and we got a ton of Recipes. So what do we do on Amazon posts? We provided recipes. So that started to get a very unique following. And then because of that, we ended up getting all this really cool stuff that we could put onto this other page, fill in to the newsletter, and when people got their newsletter, they got recipes, which ended up being two full, really incredible recipe books.Norm 00:04:34  So now we give away the recipe books. But we could peel off one recipe at a time, which people enjoyed, you know? And we didn't do it, but you could have even segmented it further. If the person was vegan, you could just send them vegan recipes or vegetarian or, you ...

This episode is really about one thing: deciding when “no sales yet” actually means something. Because in real accounts, non-converting spend isn't some small inefficiency. It's often 30 percent of spend. Sometimes it's 50. I've seen it hit 80 percent. Ten thousand dollars in ad spend, eight thousand going to search terms that never convert.What changes the way you look at this is separating converting behavior from non-converting behavior. If you include all the wasted spend in your averages, you end up judging new keywords against a broken baseline. Instead, you want to look at what your converting traffic normally does and use that as your benchmark.Another big takeaway is that not all keywords deserve the same level of patience. Branded terms might convert every couple of clicks. Competitor terms might need fifty clicks before you see a sale. If you use one rule across the board, you'll end up killing keywords that were slow, not bad.We'll see you in The PPC Den!

In this episode, the host interviews Howard Thai, a former top 50 Amazon seller and founder of the Elite Seller Society mastermind. Howard discusses how his mastermind group helps sellers solve problems, access mentorship, and gain valuable resources. He shares insights on black hat tactics in the Amazon marketplace and stresses the importance of understanding these to protect your business. Howard advises sellers to fully optimize their listings, monitor for unauthorized changes, and innovate through unique product bundles to stand out and succeed on Amazon.Chapters:Introduction to Howard Thai and His Amazon Journey (00:00:00)Host introduces Howard Thai, his Amazon success, and his background in educating Chinese sellers.Overview of the Elite Seller Society Mastermind (00:01:19)Howard explains the purpose, benefits, and unique resources of his mastermind group for Amazon sellers.Value of Mastermind Groups and Continuous Learning (00:03:16)Howard discusses attending other masterminds, the investment involved, and the importance of learning from top-tier groups.Black Hat Tactics: Stigma and Seller Concerns (00:04:22)Host and Howard address the stigma around Chinese sellers and black hat tactics on Amazon.Understanding and Defending Against Black Hat Tactics (00:04:52)Howard explains why sellers must understand black hat tactics to protect themselves and their listings.Current Black Hat Tactics and Amazon's Response (00:06:17)Howard lists active black hat tactics, notes their decline, and praises Amazon's efforts to protect sellers.Proactive Listing Protection Strategies (00:08:32)Howard details steps for sellers to proactively secure their listings, including team building and monitoring.Filling Out All Listing Fields for Security and Visibility (00:09:43)Howard explains the importance of completing all Amazon listing fields to prevent manipulation and improve searchability.Leveraging Filters and Searchability on Amazon (00:11:41)Howard highlights how properly filled fields affect product visibility in Amazon's filters and search results.Key Takeaways and Actionable Advice (00:12:52)Host summarizes three main takeaways: innovate with bundles, optimize listings, and understand black hat tactics for defense.Closing Remarks and Resources (00:15:59)Host thanks Howard, shares his website, and encourages listeners to follow his work and mastermind events.Links and Mentions:Elite Seller Society ShopifyFacebookAmazon Seller CentralTranscript:Josh 00:00:00  Without further ado, I am excited to introduce to you Howard Thai. Howard is a former top 50 seller on all of Amazon. And his origin story as a seller is an epic itself. Between selling thousands of units of hoverboards daily and battling with Amazon Incorporated on Amazon, Apple actually on Amazon. The story of his humble beginnings is a story too long to tell. He began his journey as an educator by single handedly spearheading the training of Chinese sellers on Amazon. The insights that Howard provided and the tools he developed led to what many in the United States consider the Chinese takeover of Amazon. He has saved, started, scaled and sold hundreds of businesses via Amazon and other virtual platforms. And he's done it time and time again. So welcome to the podcast, Howard. Howard, I think this is a good time to kind of talk about your mastermind. You do something with the elite seller society and you have a mastermind big, you know, kind of event that you do once a year, I believe.Josh 00:01:05  this is something that I've been very interested and I keep asking you about. I think every time I talk to you, I'm like, hey, do you have the dates? And do you know where you're going yet? So tell us more about that. And what is it all about? What content are you sharing?Howard 00:01:19  So the elite level of society is like, a mastermind that I have created. it's everyone that's been in our event, our mastermind events that gets, gets added into and, we kind of go in and help each other within our group, like how to solve problems, as well as, there's like, something that we can offer our group through, like, other mentorships or through, like, special, like things. I'm working on getting our, all our membership members. Members, that own, their own, account rep So that they don't have to go through the SAS program or SAS program. That really sucks. So they're getting like really good quality. employees and Amazon being able to support them.Howard 00:02:13  So I'm talking to Amazon on that on how we can actually make that work for our employees. So that's just something cool that I'm working with or things that things that are always open when you're in the mastermind. I like like you said, my shift change. Like you never you're in a box all the time. For most of the people that aren't in, in these mastermind I'm talking about, like, if you're even in these podcasts or in Facebook groups, you'll never get the same kind of, like information that you really could get on those different platforms than if it was in Bessemer. You probably know that, Josh. so, like, I'm just sitting there and learning and like, oh, there is this thing that out there to doing this stuff, you know, I'm not ready yet for it, but I know it's out there exists, so I need to do it. Like, for example, like, digital marketing, you know, I need to do some marketing, but I went to, I went to, custom conversion.Howard 00:03:16  I went to, a lot of, Carrie's events, like the weird events, you know, three and and even I'm thinking about getting into those two masterminds, right? One from all inside one site and also from Perry site, you know, so I'm trying to I'm looking into that. They're not cheap. They're like maybe 25,000 a year. but, yes, it's from the world, right?Josh 00:03:39  So yeah, I know that. That's great. And I agree with your statement there, Howard, in terms of, you know, the deeper tactics, if you want to go deep with stuff, you need to start reaching out and joining some of those mastermind groups. So I think it's going to take your learning to the next level. Now, Howard, you've educated a lot of Chinese sellers, right? And I think there's a negative stigma in the marketplace where it's like, oh, the Chinese sellers, they just want to implement black hat tactics, and that's who's always attacking me. you know, prior to this conversation, you and I discussed and you're like, you, you see kind of the black hat, black hat tactics kind of, you know, lessening to some extent or or another.Josh 00:04:22  But from your experience, you are so well versed on Amazon. I know a lot of sellers are fearful when it comes to black hat tactics, but would you mind kind of educating our audience in regards to what are the active black hat tactics that you see being implemented right now, and what are ways that sellers can do to protect themselves in advance, as well as what do you do if you do have a black hat tactic that actually affects you and attacks your listing?Howard 00:04:52  People think that, you know, like this stigma like, hey, you know, black hat and you do black hat, right? But the reality is, if a person has been in this industry for so long, they would need to know how to protect themselves. What kind of backpack techniques? Like what you're asking. Right. so, like, a computer security guy, right? Who does? Computer security? Needs to know how people are coming in and attacking the system. So if you're like a programmer an...

Amazon and Shopify are NOT the whole market.If you're only selling online, you're competing inside roughly 15% of the total retail opportunity while ignoring a market that's several times larger. In this episode, we break down why that blind spot is costing brands serious revenue and how sellers can expand beyond ecommerce without guessing or blowing up their margins.Talor Ofer, a retail strategist with over 25 years of experience helping physical product brands get placed in major retail channels. In this conversation, Talor breaks down how retail really works behind the scenes and why brands that understand the retail language have a major advantage going into 2026.In this Episode:  ✅ Ecommerce Brands Are Competing in the Smallest Part of the MarketOnline sales feel dominant, but they represent a fraction of total retail. Brands that only sell on Amazon or Shopify are fighting harder for a smaller slice of demand while ignoring a much larger offline opportunity.✅ Retail Isn't Complicated.Most sellers avoid retail because they don't understand buyers, pricing, or expectations. Once you know what buyers want to see and how to present your brand, retail becomes simpler than dealing with ecommerce platforms and algorithms.✅ Not All Retail Channels Are EqualOff-price retailers, retailer dot-coms, and subscription boxes each offer different advantages. Some channels are easier entry points, while others deliver massive volume and exposure when used strategically.✅ 2026 Timing Matters More Than Most Sellers RealizeRetailers are buying aggressively due to tariffs, supply chain pressure, and future price uncertainty. Brands prepared now have an advantage while others wait and miss the window.

In this episode Dave Bryant from EcomCrew and I expose how sellers are still flooding Amazon with fake reviews even after the major crackdowns you’ve been hearing about in the news. I’ll show you the exact loopholes they’re exploiting right now and why Amazon’s detection systems keep missing them. What You’ll Learn How Sellers Are Manipulating The Review System Without Penalties How Much Do Reviews Cost? Other Black Hat Strategies Chinese Sellers Are Using Check out EcomCrew for more info Sponsors SellersSummit.com – The Sellers Summit is the ecommerce conference that I’ve run for the past 9 years. It’s small […] The post 621: How Amazon Sellers Are Still Gaming Reviews Without Getting Banned With Dave Bryant appeared first on MyWifeQuitHerJob.com.

What does 2026 hold for indie authors and the publishing industry? I give my thoughts on trends and predictions for the year ahead. In the intro, Quitting the right stuff; how to edit your author business in 2026; Is SubStack Good for Indie Authors?; Business for Authors webinars. If you'd like to join my community and support the show every month, you'll get access to my growing list of Patron videos and audio on all aspects of the author business — for the price of a black coffee (or two) a month. Join us at Patreon.com/thecreativepenn. Joanna Penn writes non-fiction for authors and is an award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling thriller author as J.F. Penn. She's also an award-winning podcaster, creative entrepreneur, and international professional speaker. You can listen above or on your favorite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and the full transcript is below. (1) More indie authors will sell direct through Shopify, Kickstarter, and local in-person events (2) AI-powered search will start to shift elements of book discoverability (3) The start of Agentic Commerce (4) AI-assisted audiobook narration will go mainstream (5) AI-assisted translation will start to take off beyond the early adopters (6) AI video becomes ubiquitous. ‘Live selling' becomes the next trend in social sales. (7) AI will create, run, and optimise ads without the need for human intervention (8) 1000 True Fans becomes more important than ever You can find all my books as J.F. Penn and Joanna Penn on your favourite online store in all the usual formats, or order from your local library or bookstore. You can also buy direct from me at CreativePennBooks.com and JFPennBooks.com. I'm not really active on social media, but you can always see my photos at Instagram @jfpennauthor. 2026 Trends and Predictions for Indie Authors and Book Publishing (1) More indie authors will sell direct through Shopify, Kickstarter, and local in-person events — and more companies like BookVault will offer even more beautiful physical books and products to support this. This trend will not be a surprise to most of you! Selling direct has been a trend for the last few years, but in 2026, it will continue to grow as a way that independent authors become even more independent. The recent Written Word Media survey from Dec 2025 noted that 30% of authors surveyed are selling direct already and 30% say they plan to start in 2026. Among authors earning over $10,000 per month, roughly half sell direct. In my opinion, selling direct is an advanced author strategy, meaning that you have multiple books and you understand book marketing and have an email list already or some guaranteed way to reach readers. In fact, Kindlepreneur reports that 66% of authors selling direct have more than 5 books, and 46% have more than 10 books. Of course, you can start with the something small, like a table at a local event with a limited number of books for sale, but if you want to consistently sell direct for years to come, you need to consider all the business aspects. Selling direct is not a silver bullet. It's much harder work to sell direct than it is to just upload an ebook to Amazon, whether you choose a Kickstarter campaign, or Shopify/Payhip or other online stores, or regular in-person sales at events/conferences/fairs. You need a business mindset and business practices, for example, you need to pay upfront for setup as well as ongoing management, and bulk printing in some cases. You need to manage taxes and cashflow. You need to be a lot more proactive about marketing, as you won't sell anything if you don't bring readers to your books/products. But selling direct also brings advantages. It sets you apart from the bulk of digital only authors who still only upload ebooks to Amazon, or maybe add a print on demand book, and in an era of AI rapid creation, that number is growing all the time. If you sell direct, you get your customer data and you can reach those customers next time, through your email list. If you don't know who bought your books and don't have a guaranteed way to reach them, you will more easily be disrupted when things change — and they always change eventually. Kindlepreneur notes that “45% of the successful direct selling authors had over 1,000 subscribers on their email lists,” with “a clear, positive correlation between email list size and monthly direct sales income — with authors having an email list of over 15,000 subscribers earning 20X more than authors with email lists under 100 subscribers.” Selling direct means faster money, sometimes the same day or the same week in many cases, or a few weeks after a campaign finishes, as with Kickstarter. And remember, you don't have to sell all your formats directly. You can keep your ebooks in KU, do whatever you like with audiobooks, and just have premium print products direct, or start with a very basic Kickstarter campaign, or a table at a local fair. Lots more tips for Shopify and Kickstarter at https://www.thecreativepenn.com/selldirectresources/ I also recommend the Novel Marketing Podcast on The Shopify Trap: Why authors keep losing money as it is a great counterpoint to my positive endorsement of selling direct on Shopify! Among other things, Thomas notes that a fixed monthly fee for a store doesn't match how most authors make money from books which is more in spikes, the complexity and hassle eats time and can cost more money if you pay for help, and it can reduce sales on Amazon and weaken your ranking. Basically, if you haven't figured out marketing direct to your store, it can hurt you.All true for some authors, for some genres, and for some people's lifestyle. But for authors who don't want to be on the hamster wheel of the Amazon algorithm and who want more diversity and control in income, as well as the incredible creative benefits of what you can do selling direct, then I would say, consider your options in 2025, even if that is trying out a low-financial-goal Kickstarter campaign, or selling some print books at a local fair. Interestingly, traditional publishers are also experimenting with direct sales. Kate Elton, the new CEO of Harper Collins notes in The Bookseller's 2026 trend article, “we are seeing global success with responsive, reader-driven publishing, subscription boxes and TikTok Shop and – crucially – developing strategies that are founded on a comprehensive understanding of the reader.” She also notes, “AI enables us to dramatically change the way we interact with and grow audiences. The opportunities are genuinely exciting – finding new ways to help readers discover books they will love, innovating in the ways we market and reach audiences, building new channels and adapting to new methods of consuming content.” (2) AI-powered search will start to shift elements of book discoverability From LinkedIn's 2026 Big Ideas: “Generative engine optimization (GEO) is set to replace search engine optimization (SEO) as the way brands get discovered in the year ahead. As consumers turn to AI chatbots, agentic workflows and answer engines, appearing prominently in generative outputs will matter more than ranking in search engines.” Google has been rolling out AI Mode with its AI Overviews and is beginning to push it within Google.com itself in some countries, which means the start of a fundamental change in how people discover content online. I first posted about GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) and AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation) in 2023, and it's going to change how readers find books. For years, we've talked about the long tail of search. Now, with AI-powered search, that tail is getting even longer and more nuanced. AI can understand complex, conversational queries that traditional search engines struggled with. Someone might ask, “What's a good thriller set in a small town with a female protagonist who's a journalist investigating a cold case?” and get highly specific recommendations. This means your book metadata, your website content, and your online presence need to be more detailed and conversational. AI search engines understand context in ways that go far beyond simple keywords. The authors who win in this new landscape will be those who create rich, authentic content about their books and themselves, not just promotional copy. As economist Tyler Cowen has said, “Consider the AIs as part of your audience. Because they are already reading your words and listening to your voice.” We're in the ‘organic' traffic phase right now, where these AI engines are surfacing content for ‘free,' but paid ads are inevitably on the way, and even rumoured to be coming this year to ChatGPT. By the end of 2026, I expect some authors and publishers to be paying for AI traffic, rather than blocking and protesting them. For now, I recommend checking that your author name/s and your books are surfaced when you search on ChatGPT.com as well as Google.com AI Mode (powered by Gemini). You want to make sure your work comes up in some way. I found that Joanna Penn and J.F. Penn searches brought up my Shopify stores, my website, podcast, Instagram, LinkedIn, and even my Patreon page, but did not bring up links to Amazon. If you only have an author presence on Amazon, does it appear in AI search at all? Do you need to improve anything about what the AI search brings up? Traditional publishers are also looking at this, with PublishersWeekly doing webinars on various aspects of AI in early 2026, including sessions on GEO and how book sales are changing, AI agents, and book marketing. In a 2026 predictions article on The Bookseller, the CEO of Bloomsbury Publishing noted, “The boundaries of artificial intelligence will become clearer, enabling publishers to harness its benefits while seeking to safeguard the intellectual property rights of authors, illustrators and publishers.” “AI will be deeply embedded in our workflows, automating tasks such as metadata tagging, freeing teams to focus on creativity and strategy. Challenges will persist. Generative AI threatens traditional web traffic and ad revenue models, making metadata optimisation and SEO critical for visibility as we adjust to this new reality online.” (3) The start of Agentic Commerce AI researches what you want to buy and may even buy on your behalf. Plus, I predict that Amazon does a commerce deal with OpenAI for shopping within ChatGPT by the end of 2026. In September 2025, ChatGPT launched Instant Checkout and the Agentic Commerce Protocol, which will enable bots to buy on websites in the background if authorised by the human with the credit card. VISA is getting on board with this, so is PayPal, with no doubt more payment options to come. In the USA, ChatGPT Plus, Pro, and Free users can now buy directly from US Etsy sellers inside the chat interface, with over a million Shopify merchants coming soon. Shopify and OpenAI have also announced a partnership to bring commerce to ChatGPT. I am insanely excited about this as it could represent the first time we have been able to more easily find and surface books in a much more nuanced way than the 7 keywords and 3 categories we have relied on for so long! I've been using ChatGPT for at least the last year to find fiction and non-fiction books as I find the Amazon interface is ‘polluted' by ads. I've discovered fascinating books from authors I've never heard of, most in very long tail areas. For example, Slashed Beauties by A. Rushby, recommended by ChatGPT as I am interested in medical anatomy and anatomical Venuses, and The Macabre by Kosoko Jackson, recommended as I like art history and the supernatural. I don't think I would have found either of these within a nuanced discussion with ChatGPT. Even without these direct purchase integrations, ChatGPT now has Shopping Research, which I have found links directly to my Shopify store when I search for my books specifically. Walmart has partnered with OpenAI to create AI-first shopping experiences, and you have to wonder what Amazon might be doing? In Nov 2025, Amazon signed a “strategic partnership” with OpenAI, and even though it's focused on the technical side of AI, those two companies in a room together might also be working on other plans … I'm calling it for 2026. I think Amazon will sign a commerce agreement with OpenAI sometime before the end of the year. This will enable at least recommendation and shopping links into Amazon stores (presumably using an OpenAI affiliate link), or perhaps even Instant Checkout with ChatGPT for Amazon. It will also enable a new marketing angle, especially if paid ads arrive in ChatGPT, perhaps even integrating with Amazon Ads in some way as part of any possible agreement, since ads are such a good revenue stream for Amazon anyway. The line between discovery, engagement, and purchase is collapsing. Someone could be having a conversation with an AI about what to read next, and within that same conversation, purchase a bookwithout ever leaving the chat interface. This already happens within TikTok and social commerce clearly works for many authors. It's possible that the next development for book discoverability and sales might be within AI chats. This will likely stratify the already fragmented book eco-system even more. Some readers will continue to live only within the Amazon ecosystem and (maybe) use their Rufus chatbot to buy, and others will be much wider in their exploration of how to find and discover books (and other products and services). If you haven't tried it yet, try ChatGPT.com Shopping Research for a book. You can do this on the free tier. Use the drop down in the main chat box and select Shopping Research. It doesn't have to be for your book. It can be any book or product, for example, our microwave died just before Christmas so I used it to find a new one. But do a really nuanced search with multiple requirements. Go far beyond what you would search for on Amazon. In the results, notice that (at the time of writing) it does not generally link to Amazon, but to independent sites and stores. As above, I think this will change by the end of 2026, as some kind of commerce deal with Amazon seems inevitable. (4) AI-assisted audiobook narration will go mainstream I've been talking about AI narration of audiobooks since 2019, and over the years, I've tried various different options. In 2025, the technology reached a level of emotional nuance that made it much easier to create satisfying fiction audio as well as non-fiction. It also super-charges accessibility, making audio available in more languages and more accents than ever before. Of course, human narration remains the gold standard, but the cost makes it prohibitive for many authors, and indeed many small traditional publishers, for all books. If it costs $2000 – $10,000 to create an audiobook, you have to sell a lot to make a profit, and the dominance of subscription models have made it harder to recoup the costs. Famous narrators and voice artists who have an audience may still be worth investing in, as well as premium production, but require an even higher upfront cost and therefore higher sales and streams in return. AI voice/audio models are continuing to improve, and even as this goes out, there are rumours on TechCrunch that OpenAI's new device, designed by Jony Ive who designed the iPhone, will be audio first and OpenAI are improving their voice models even more in preparation for that launch. In 2026, I think AI-narrated audio will go mainstream with far-reaching adoption across publishing and the indie author world in many different languages and accents. This will mean a further stratification of audiobooks, with high quality, high production, high cost human narrated audio for a small percentage of books, and then mass market, affordable AI-narrated audio for the rest. AI-narrated audiobooks will make audio ubiquitous, and just as (almost) every print book has an ebook format, in 2026, they will also have an audio format. I straddle both these worlds, as I am still a human audiobook narrator for my own work. I human-narrated Successful Self-Publishing Fourth Edition (free audiobook) and The Buried and the Drowned, my short story collection. I also use AI narration for some books. ElevenLabs remains my preferred service and in 2025, I used my J.F. Penn voice clone for Death Valley and also Blood Vintage, while using a male voice for Catacomb. I clearly label my AI-narration in the sales description and also on the cover, which I think is important, although it is not always required by the various services. You can distribute ElevenLabs narrated audiobooks on Spotify, Kobo Writing Life, YouTube, ElevenReader, and of course your own store if you use Shopify with Bookfunnel. There are many other services springing up all the time, so make sure you check the rights you have over the finished audio, as well as where you can sell and distribute the final files. If they are just using ElevenLabs models in the back-end, then why not just do that directly? (Most services will be using someone's model in the back-end, since most companies do not train their own models.) Of course, you can use Amazon's own narration. While Amazon originally launched Audible audiobooks with Virtual Voice (AVV) in November 2023, it was rolled out to more authors and territories in 2025. If your book is eligible, the option to create an audiobook will appear on your KDP dashboard. With just a few clicks, you can create an audiobook from a range of voices and accents, and publish it on Amazon and Audible. However, the files are not yours. They are exclusive to Amazon and you cannot use them on other platforms or sell them direct yourself. But they are also free, so of course, many authors, especially those in KU, will use this option. I have done some for my mum's sweet romance books as Penny Appleton and I will likely use them for my books in translation when the option becomes available. Traditional publishers are experimenting with AI-assisted audiobook narration as well. MacMillan is selling digital audiobooks read by AI directly on their store. PublishersWeekly reports that PRH Audio “has experimented with artificial voice in specific instances, such as entrepreneur Ely Callaway's posthumous memoir The Unconquerable Game,” when an “authorized voice replica” was created for the audiobook. The article also notes that PRH Audio “embrace artificial intelligence across business operations—my entire department [PRH Audio] is using AI for business applications.” And while indie authors can't use AI voices on ACX right now, Audible have over 100 voices available to selected publishing partnerships, as reported by The Guardian with “two options for publishers wishing to make use of the technology: “Audible-managed” production, or “self-service” whereby publishers produce their own audiobooks with the help of Audible's AI technology.” In 2026, it's likely that more traditional publishers — as well as indie authors — will get their backlist into audio with AI narration. (5) AI-assisted translation will start to take off beyond the early adopters Over the years, I've done translation deals with traditional publishers in different languages (German, French, Spanish, Korean, Italian) for some fiction and non-fiction books. But of course, to get these kinds of deals, you have to be proactive about pitching, or work with an agent for foreign rights only, and those are few and far between! There are also lots of languages and territories worldwide, and most deals are for the bigger markets, leaving a LOT of blue water for books in translation, even if you have licensed some of the bigger markets. I did my first partially AI-translated books in 2019 when I used Deepl.com for the first draft and then worked with a German editor to do 3 non-fiction books in German. While the first draft was cheap, the editing was pretty expensive, so I stopped after only doing a couple. I have made the money back now, but it took years. In 2025, AI Translation began to take off with ScribeShadow, GlobeScribe.ai, and more recently, in November 2025, Kindle Translate boosting the number of translated books available. Kindle Translate is (currently) only available to US authors for English into Spanish and also German into English, but in 2026, this will likely roll out to more languages and more authors, making it easier than ever to produce translations for free. Of course, once again, the gold standard is human translation, or at least human-edited translations, but the cost is prohibitive even just for proof-reading, and if there is a cheap or even free option, like Kindle Translate, then of course, authors are going to try it. If the translation gets bad reviews, they can just un-publish. There are many anecdotal stories of indie success in 2025 with AI-translated genre fiction sales (in series) in under-served markets like Italian, French, and Spanish, as well as more mainstream adoption in German. I was around in the Kindle gold-rush days of 2009-2012 and the AI-translation energy right now feels like that. There are hardly any Kindle ebooks in many of these languages compared to how many there are in English, so inevitably, the rush is on to fill the void, especially in genres that are under-served by traditional publishers in those markets. Yes, some of these AI translated books will be ‘AI-slop,' but readers are not stupid. Those books will get bad reviews and thus will sink to the bottom of the store, never to be seen again. The AI translation models are also improving rapidly, and Amazon's Kindle Translate may improve faster than most, for books specifically, since they will be able to get feedback in terms of page reads. Amazon is also a major investor in Anthropic, which makes Claude.ai, widely considered the best quality for creative writing and translation, so it's likely that is used somewhere in the mix. Some traditional publishers are also experimenting with AI-assisted translation, with Harlequin France reportedly using AI translation and human proofreaders, as reported by the European Council of Literary Translators' Associations in December 2025. Academic publisher Taylor and Francis is also using AI for book translation, noting: “Following a program of rigorous testing, Taylor & Francis has announced plans to use AI translation tools to publish books that would otherwise be unavailable to English-language readers, bringing the latest knowledge to a vastly expanded readership.” “Until now, the time and resources required to translate books has meant that the majority remained accessible only to those who could read them in the original language. Books that were translated often only became available after a significant delay. Today, with the development of sophisticated AI translation tools, it has become possible to make these important texts available to a broad readership at speed, without compromising on accuracy.” (6) AI video becomes ubiquitous. ‘Live selling' becomes the next trend in social sales. In 2025, short form AI-generated video became very high quality. OpenAI released Sora 2, and YouTube announced new Shorts creation tools with Veo 3, which you can also use directly within Gemini. There are tons of different AI video apps now, including those within the social media sites themselves. There is more video than ever and it's much easier to create. I am not a fan of short form video! I don't make it and I don't consume it, but I do love making book trailers for my Kickstarter campaigns and for adding to my book pages and using on social media. I made a trailer for The Buried and the Drowned using Midjourney for images and then animation of those images, and Canva to put them together along with ElevenLabs to generate the music. But despite the AI tools getting so much easier to use, you still have to prompt them with exactly what you want. I can't just upload my book and say, “Make a book trailer,” or “Make a short film.” This may change with generative video ads, which are likely to become more common in 2026, as video turns specifically commercial. Video ads may even be generated specifically for the user, with an audience of one, maybe even holding your book in their hands (using something like Cameos on Sora), in the same way that some AI-powered clothing stores do virtual try-ons. This might also up-end the way we discover and buy things, as the AI for eCommerce and Amazon Sellers newsletter says about OpenAI's Sora app, “OpenAI isn't just trying to build a TikTok competitor. They're building a complete reimagining of how we discover and buy things …” “The combination of ChatGPT's research capabilities and Sora's potential for emotional manipulation—I mean, “engagement”—could create something we've never seen before: an AI ecosystem that might eventually guide you through every type of purchase, from the most considered to the most impulsive.” In 2026, there will be A LOT more AI-generated video, but that also leads to the human trend of more live video. While you can use an AI avatar that looks and sounds like you using tools like HeyGen or Synthesia, live video has all the imperfect human elements that make it stand-out, plus the scarcity element which leads to the purchase decision within a countdown period. Live video is nothing new in terms of brand building and content in general, but it seems that live events primarily for direct sales might be a thing in 2026. Kim Kardashian hosted Kimsmas Live in December 2025 with a 45 minute live shopping event with special guests, described as entertainment but designed to be a sales extravaganza. Indie authors are doing a similar thing on TikTok with their books, so this is a trend to watch in 2026, especially if you feel that live selling might fit with your personality and author business goals. It's certainly not for everyone, but I suspect it will suit a different kind of creator to those who prefer ‘no face' video, or no video at all! On other aspects of the human side of social media, Adam Mosseri the CEO of Instagram put a post on Threads called Authenticity after Abundance. He said, “Everything that made creators matter—the ability to be real, to connect, to have a voice that couldn't be faked—is now suddenly accessible to anyone with the right tools.” “Deepfakes are getting better and better. AI is generating photographs and videos indistinguishable from captured media. The feeds are starting to fill up with synthetic everything. And in that world, here's what I think happens.Creators matter more.” It's a long article so just to pick a few things from it: “We like to talk about “AI slop,” but there is a lot of amazing AI content … we are going to start to see more and more realistic AI content.” I've talked to my Patreon Community about this ‘tsunami of excellence' as these tools are just getting better and better and the word ‘slop' can also be applied to purely human output, too. If you think that AI content is ‘worse' than wholly human content, in 2026, you are wrong. It is now very very good, especially in the hands of people who can drive the AI tools. Back to Adam's post: “Authenticity is fast becoming a scarce resource, …The creators who succeed will be those who figure out how to maintain their authenticity [even when it can be simulated] …” “The bar is going to shift from “can you create?” to “can you make something that only you could create?” He talks about how the personal content on Instagram now is: “unpolished; it's blurry photos and shaky videos of people's daily experiences … flattering imagery is cheap to produce and boring to consume. People want content that feels real… Savvy creators are going to lean into explicitly unproduced and unflattering images of themselves. In a world where everything can be perfected, imperfection becomes a signal. Rawness isn't just aesthetic preference anymore—it's proof. It's defensive. A way of saying: this is real because it's imperfect.” While I partially love this, and I really hope it's true, as in I hope we don't need to look good for the camera anymore I would also challenge Adam on this, because pretty much every woman I know on social media has been sent sexual messages, and/or told they are ugly and/or fat when posting anything unflattering. I've certainly had both even for the same content, but I don't expect Adam has been the target for such posting! But I get his point. He goes on:“Labeling content as authentic or AI-generated is only part of the solution though. We, as an industry, are going to need to surface much more context about not only the media on our platforms, but the accounts that are sharing it in order for people to be able to make informed decisions about what to believe. Where is the account? When was it created? What else have they posted?” This is exactly what I've been saying for a while under my double down on being human focus. I use my Instagram @jfpennauthor as evidence of humanity, not as a sales channel. You can do both of course, but increasingly, you need to make sure your accounts at places have longevity and trust, even by the platforms themselves. Adam finishes: “In a world of infinite abundance and infinite doubt, the creators who can maintain trust and signal authenticity—by being real, transparent, and consistent—will stand out.” For other marketing trends for 2026, I recommend publicist Kathleen Schmidt's SubStack which is mostly focused on traditional publishing but still interesting for indies. In her 2026 article, she notes: “We have reached a social media saturation point where going viral can be meaningless and should not be the goal; authenticity and creativity should. She also says, “In-person events are important again,” and, “Social media marketing takes a nosedive… we have reached a saturation point … What publishers must figure out is how to make their social media campaigns stand out. If they remain somewhat uninspired, the money spent on social ads won't convert into book sales.” I think this is part of the rise of live selling as above, which can stand out above more ‘produced' videos. Kathleen also talks about AI usage. “AI can help lighten the burden of publicity and marketing.” “A lot of AI tools are coming to market to lessen the load: they can write pitches, create media lists for you, send pitches for you, and more. I know the industry is grappling with all things AI, but some of these tools are huge time savers and may help a book more than hurt it.” On that note … (7) AI will create, run, and optimise ads without the need for human intervention Many authors will be very happy about this as marketing is often the bane of our author business lives! As I noted in my 2026 goals, I would love to outsource more marketing tasks to AI. I want an “AI book marketing assistant” where I can upload a book and specify a budget and say, ‘Go market this,' then the AI will action the marketing, without me having to cobble together workflows between systems. Of course, it will present plans for me to approve but it will do the work itself on the various platforms and monitor and optimize things for me. I really hope 2026 is the year this becomes possible, because we are on the edge of it already in some areas. Amazon Ads launched a new agentic AI tool in September 2025 that creates professional-quality ads. I've also been working with Claude in Chrome browser to help me analyse my Amazon Ad data and suggest which keywords/products to turn off and what to put more budget into. I'll do a Patreon video on that soon. Meta announced it will enable AI ad creation by the end of 2026 for Facebook and Instagram. For authors who find ad creation overwhelming or time-consuming, this could be a game-changer. Of course, you will still need a budget! (8) 1000 True Fans becomes more important than ever Lots of authors and publishers are moaning about the difficulty of reaching readers in an era of ‘AI slop' but there is no shortage of excellent content created by humans, or humans using AI tools. As ever, our competition is less about other authors, or even authors using AI-assisted creation, we're competing against everything else that jostles for people's attention, and the volume of that is also growing exponentially. I've never been a fan of rapid release, and have said for years that you can't keep up with the pace of the machines. So play a different game. As Kevin Kelly wrote in 2008, If you have 1000 true fans, (also known as super fans), “you can make a living — if you are content to make a living but not a fortune.” [Kevin Kelly was on this show in 2023 talking about Excellent Advice for Living.] Many authors and the publishing industry are stuck in the old model of aiming to sell huge volumes of books at a low profit margin to a massive number of readers, many of them releasing ever faster to try and keep the algorithms moving. But the maths can work for the smaller audience of more invested readers and fans. If you only make $2 profit on an ebook, you need to sell 500 ebooks to make $1000, and then do it again next month. Or you can have a small community like my patreon.com/thecreativepenn where people pay $2 (or more) a month, so even a small revenue per person results in a better outcome over the year, as it is consistent monthly income with no advertising. But what if you could make $20 profit per book? That is entirely possible if you're producing high quality hardbacks on Kickstarter, or bundle deals of audiobooks, or whole series of ebooks. You would only need to sell to 50 people to make $1000. What about $100 profit per sale, which you can do with a small course or live event? You only need 10 people to make $1000, and this in-person focus also amplifies trust and fosters human connection. I've found the intimacy of my live Patreon Office Hours and also my webinars have been rewarding personally, but also financially, and are far more memorable — and potentially transformative — than a pre-recorded video or even another book. From the LinkedIn 2026 Big Ideas article: “In an AI-optimized world, intentional human connection will become the ultimate luxury.” The 1000 True Fans model is about serving a smaller, more personal audience with higher value products (and maybe services if that's your thing). As ever, its about niche and where you fit in the long long long long long tail. It's also about trust. Because there is definitely a shortage of that in so many areas, and as Adam Mosseri of Instagram has said, trust will be increasingly important. Trust takes time to build, but if you focus on serving your audience consistently, and delivering a high quality, and being authentic, this emerges as part of being human. In an echo of what happened when online commerce first took off, we are back to talking about trust. Back in 2010, I read Trust Agents: by Julien Smith and Chris Brogan, which clearly needs a comeback. There was a 10th anniversary edition published in 2020, so that's worth a read/listen. Chris Brogan was also on this show in 2017 when we talked about finding and serving your niche for the long term. That interview is still relevant, here's a quick excerpt, where I have (lightly edited) his response to my question on this topic back in 2017: Jo: The principle of know, like, and trust, why is that still important or perhaps even more important these days? Chris: There are a few things that at play there, Joanna. One is that the same tools that make it so easy for any of us to start and run a business also allow certain elements to decide whether or not they want to do something dubious. And with all new technologies that come, you know, there's nothing unique about these new technologies. In the 1800s, anyone could put anything in a bottle and sell it to you and say, this is gonna cure everything. Cancer — gone. And the bottle could have nothing in. You know, it could be Kool-Aid. And so, the idea of trying to understand what's behind the business though, one beautiful thing that's come is that we can see in much more dimensions who we're dealing with. We can understand better who's the face behind the brand. I really want people to try their best to be a lot clearer on what they stand for or what they say. And I don't really mean a tagline. I mean, humans don't really talk like that. They don't throw some sentence out as often as they can that you remember them for that phrase. But I would say that, we have so many media available to us — the plural of mediums — where we can be more of ourselves. And I think that there's a great opportunity to share the ‘you' behind the scenes, and some people get immediately terrified about this, ‘Ah, the last thing I want is for people to know more about me,' but I think we have such an opportunity. We have such an opportunity to voice our thoughts on something, to talk about the story that goes behind the product. We were all raised on overly produced material, but I think we don't want that anymore. We really want clarity, brevity, simplicity. We want the ability for what we feel is connection and then access. And so I think it's vital that we connect and show people our accessibility, not so that they can pester us with strange questions, but more so that you can say, this person stands with their product and their service and this person believes these things, and I feel something when I hear them and I wanna be part of that.” That's from Chris Brogan's interview here in 2017, and he is still blogging and speaking at writing at ChrisBrogan.com and I'm going to re-listen to the audiobook of Trust Agents again myself as I think it's more relevant than ever. The original quote comes from Bob Burg in his 1994 book, Endless Referrals, “All things being equal, people will do business with, and refer business to, those people they know, like and trust.” That still applies, and absolutely fits with the 1000 True Fans model of aiming to serve a smaller audience. As Kevin Kelly says in 1000 True Fans, “Instead of trying to reach the narrow and unlikely peaks of platinum bestseller hits, blockbusters, and celebrity status, you can aim for direct connection with a thousand true fans.” “On your way, no matter how many fans you actually succeed in gaining, you'll be surrounded not by faddish infatuation, but by genuine and true appreciation. It's a much saner destiny to hope for. And you are much more likely to actually arrive there.” In 2026, I hope that more authors (including me!) let go of ego goals and vanity metrics like ranking, gross sales (income before you take away costs), subscribers, followers, and likes, and consider important business numbers like profit (which is the money you have after costs like marketing are taken out), as well as number of true fans — and also lifestyle elements like number of weekends off, or days spent enjoying life and not just working! OK, that's my list of trends and predictions for 2026. Let me know what you think in the comments. Do you agree? Am I wrong? What have I missed? The post 2026 Trends And Predictions For Indie Authors And The Book Publishing Industry with Joanna Penn first appeared on The Creative Penn.

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