TAS 158 – Selling on Amazon India. Peter Everett from Australian Brand, Nanoman explains
Jul 1, 2024
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Peter Everett, founder of the eco-friendly brand Nanoman, shares his journey of global expansion through Amazon. He discusses the incredible success of launching in India, describing it as a 'sleeping giant' in e-commerce. Peter highlights the challenges of navigating red tape and taxes in international markets and shares strategies for competing against bigger brands. Their conversation emphasizes the importance of branding, customer engagement, and the power of networking among sellers to thrive in diverse markets.
The brand successfully expanded internationally by strategically entering key markets, overcoming regulatory challenges, and adapting to local consumer preferences.
Amazon India emerged as a lucrative opportunity due to its vast potential and quick revenue generation for products like shoe protection.
Deep dives
Global Expansion of a Brand
A small brand began expanding internationally through Amazon, initially launching in the United States before moving into other markets such as Australia, Singapore, and the UK. The brand's growth strategy involved identifying key markets and gradually rolling out products, which included specialized coatings like anti-graffiti and anti-bacterial options. Each new territory presented unique challenges, including navigation through local regulations and customs duties. Significantly, the entry into India was highlighted as a remarkable opportunity, given the marketplace's vast potential and rapid growth.
Challenges and Triumphs in E-commerce
Transitioning from traditional retail to e-commerce posed significant difficulties for the brand, especially in gaining product visibility and consumer trust online. Despite having a compelling product offering, early sales efforts in brick-and-mortar stores were slow to gain traction, leading the team to focus on online strategies. They faced hurdles like a lack of awareness surrounding nanotechnology products, but refining packaging and marketing while enhancing the online customer experience eventually led to substantial sales growth. Learning the importance of visual appeal in product presentation also contributed to the brand's success.
The Dynamics of Different Markets
Different international markets revealed varied consumer behaviors and pricing strategies, influencing product offerings and marketing tactics. For instance, product sales in Singapore showed a surprising demand for specific coatings that differed from other markets, indicating local preferences. In contrast, the UK presented complexities related to logistics and advertising costs, but sales remained consistent due to strong product demand. Overall, adapting to each market's unique characteristics was crucial for the brand's sustained success.
Navigating India’s E-commerce Landscape
Amazon's growing presence in India presents an appealing opportunity for brands willing to overcome initial challenges, such as complex taxation and regulatory requirements. The brand's experience highlighted the necessity of understanding local consumer preferences, noting that high-quality, desirable products thrive in the Indian market. After launching a shoe protection product, revenue quickly outpaced sales in other regions, demonstrating India's potential as a lucrative marketplace. Establishing local connections and understanding customs processes were instrumental in navigating this vibrant e-commerce environment.
My good friend Peter Everett joined me for a chat about how he’s been gradually expand his small brand around the world using Amazon. Today we chat about how he got started in the USA, before setting up in Australia. From Australia, the next Amazon stop was Singapore and then onto Amazon UK.
In March 2023 he listed some of his products on Amazon India, and the results blew him away.
As a marketplace, Amazon India is a sleeping giant, so if you can through all the red tape and taxes, you may find it to be the most profitable Marketplace you can sell in.
This coming Thursday 4th July, there’s an Amazon meetup down here in Melbourne, from 5pm until 8.00pm at the Emerald Peacock bar in Lonsdale Street. Feel free to come join us there whether you’re an Amazon seller or not!
I’m also speaking in Sydney at a World First event on the 1st of August. There will be an event landing page shortly, so stay tuned for more details on that one…
…and Jamie and Michael from End Game Network are holding the Southern Seller Fest again this year in Singapore on the 19th and 20th of November. Can’t wait for that one!