

The Smartest Amazon Seller
SmartScout
Scott Needham is the Founder of SmartScout. An Amazon software developer for 10 years his company BuyBoxer has done over $300m in sales on Amazon. Scott has accumulated a deep knowledge about selling product online, and in the podcast he shares his knowledge with you to help you become a better Amazon seller.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Apr 26, 2023 • 18min
Episode 204 - The Keepa Episode with Christoper Grant
Getting insights on the best products to sell can provide an Amazon seller a huge advantage over competition. Seeing a clear sales log with historic graphs not only helps pursue but also avoid certain products.
That’s just one of the many things that you can get from Keepa — a simple chrome extension that packs a lot of data-gathering power that is shockingly up to date.
Take it from the experts and listen to Scott and Christoper Grant on how to efficiently use this tool to your advantage.
00:10 - Christoper Grant Introduction
01:45 - What is Keepa
02:35 - How Keepa Keeps its Data Up to Date
03:35 - The Best Things About Keepa For New and Experienced Amazon Sellers
04:45 - Insights on Price Stability
06:10 - Go Granular with Keepa Product Finder
08:15 - Where SmartScout Shines
09:35 - What Can 8-Figure Sellers Get From Keepa
11:00 - What To Do After Finding a Good Product
12:20 - Christopher’s Best Find
13:35 - Faster Ways To Find Keyword Trends
14:55 - The Power of TikTok Marketing
Website: https://cleartheshelf.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cleartheshelf
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cleartheshelf
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cleartheshelf
Related Post: The Best Software Tools for an Amazon FBA Wholesale Seller

Apr 18, 2023 • 30min
Episode 203 - Getting Down to the Nitty-Gritty of Variation Listings With Elizabeth Greene
When it comes to finding product styles or variations, Amazon's search results may not always be accurate. So how do Amazon sellers effectively structure ad listings for multiple or specific product options and ultimately help buyers find exactly what they want?
Elizabeth Greene, co-founder of Junglr, breaks down her top Amazon advertising strategies and uncovers the challenges of dealing with variation listings with Scott.
Episode Notes:
00:15 - Elizabeth Greene Introduction
03:20 - How To Approach Advertising With Large Variation Listings
06:00 - Forcing a New Variation to Show
06:45 - Testing Variants To Determine Which One Converts
08:10 - How To Deal With Low Conversion Rates
14:40 - What Gets Good Conversion Rates
15:30 - Return Rates of Apparel
18:10 - Unique Issues of Specific Ad Variations
20:15 - The Best of Both Worlds Ad Strategy
22:50 - Understanding the Nuances of Every Category
24:20 - Going for the Cheap Click
Website: junglr.com/
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-greene-junglr
Email: elizabeth@junglr.com
Related Post: 12 Best Amazon Listing Tools in 2023

Apr 11, 2023 • 20min
Episode 202 - Fun Times with Josh Andrus Running Through Amazon Current Events
Stay informed about current events with Scott and Josh as they focus on small and big changes in the Amazon industry.
Learn how these updates can affect sales, open new opportunities, expose bad vendor practices, improve customer satisfaction, and more.
Episode Notes:
00:35 - Josh Andrus Introduction
02:35 - Paying Attention to the Software World
03:05 - Helium 10 New Product Pricing
04:05 - Scott’s Full Analysis of Market Research Tools
05:05 - Josh’s Perspective on Helium 10’s Update
06:20 - Entry-Level Tools That Make Sense To Have
07:20 - SmartScout’s Newsletter
07:40 - Chinese Sellers Back on Amazon
09:20 - FTC Cracks Down on Review Manipulation
10:35 - Downloading Search Query Report from Amazon
13:10 - Other News Items
16:55 - Josh’s Favorite Tool
Website: smartscout.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/joshuajandrus
Related Post: Amazon Analytics Software Comparison

Apr 4, 2023 • 25min
Episode 201 - Putting Your Amazon Business on Steroids and the Need for Expert Consulting With Chris Shipferling
What if you have a partner who shares your passion for your business? A team that helps you strategize, mitigate risks, and bring your business to the next level.
Enter South Col, an eCommerce accelerator that does not only infuse working capital into your business but also brings in 15 years of combined experience in investment banking, finance, operations, and sales and marketing.
If you want to rapidly scale with a strong team behind you, join Scott and Chris Shipferling, South Col’s founding partner, as they tell you the answers to the test on this juicy podcast.
Episode Notes:
00:40 - Chris Shipferling Introduction
01:30 - How Companies Pivot and Evolve
04:20 - Venture Run-Up and Run-Down
06:00 - Amazon Sellers Reverting to the Mean
07:35 - How E-Commerce Benefited From the Pandemic
08:10 - Help With Capital and Strategy
“Product is king, period. There’s no other way to slice it or dice it.” - Chris Shipferling
10:35 - How To Succeed on Amazon Without Being Lucky
“I don’t think you’ll win unless you specialize” - Scott
13:30 - What is South Col
15:55 - The Ultimate Exit
18:50 - Why Surround Yourself With Smart People
Website: https://www.southcol.co/
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/chrisshipferling
Related Post: What’s Up With Subcategories

Mar 28, 2023 • 9min
Episode 200: How Amazon Sellers Are Using AI To Grow
Work is Play. That’s how Scott feels about running his business. And with the advent of Artificial Intelligence, he found a new toy to play with. Incorporating SmartScout’s Amazon Data with the power of AI.
Join Scott as he shares his excitement about what he has been working on for the last 3 months, and learn how Amazon sellers can use AI technology to grow their businesses.
Episode Notes:
00:15 - Scott’s Childhood Story
02:00 - The AI Sensation
03:10 - Combining AI with SmartScout’s Amazon Data
03:40 - Running SmartScout’s AI Listing Architect on Liquid Death
04:45 - Try SmartScout’s AI Architect for Free!
05:10 - AI-Generated Blog Post Ranks and Converts
“If your writing skills are just mediocre but your hustle and entrepreneurship skills are a little bit higher, there’s an opportunity here.” -Scott
Email: scott@smartscout.com
Website: www.smartscout.com
Related Post: Building Amazon Listings With AI

Mar 21, 2023 • 19min
Episode 199 - High Quality Amazon Images in a Fraction of Time With AI-Powered DoMyShoot
High-quality images are one of the most critical elements of a successful Amazon product listing. However, producing Amazon-ready photos can also drain your time and resources.
Imagine the time and money saved when you don’t have to rely on expensive equipment and manpower just to create a product image.
Stick around with Scott and Madison Wynsma, Head of Sales for Dresma, as they dissect the process of creating Amazon-compliant images using the AI-Powered DoMyShoot App, which offers impressive lead time and competitive pricing.
Episode Notes:
00:35 - Madison Wynsma Introduction
01:35 - Scott’s DoMyShoot Experience
04:00 - Challenges Of Making Product Images
05:00 - How DoMyShoot Can Help New and Existing Amazon Sellers
06:50 - DoMyShoot App Features
08:00 - What Goes On After Shooting An Image
08:40 - DoMyShoot Human Intervention
09:15 - DoMyShoot Pricing
10:00 - DoMyShoot Users and Partners
11:00 - Creating a Simple Photography Setup
12:25 - DoMyShoot Web Version
14:00 - DoMyShoot History
14:55 - DoMyShoot Background Templates
17:10 - DoMyShoot Free Credits
17:45 - Upcoming Tradeshows
Book a Demo
Website: https://www.domyshoot.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madisonwynsma/
Related Post: Building Amazon Listings With AI

Mar 15, 2023 • 26min
Episode 198 – Why ACoS Is Old News and TACoS Is for Real With Ryan Flannagan
How much money are you spending on your Amazon ads? What’s the ideal minimum budget?
Should you shift focus from ACoS to TACoS? How could this shift affect your Amazon ad spending?
Why is having a Multichannel perspective vital to your Amazon success?
Where can you get your Amazon advertising checked?
Join Scott in this insightful episode with Ryan Flannagan, the CEO of Nuanced Media, a full-service e-commerce marketing agency, as they tackle these critical questions about growing an Amazon business.
Learn from the experts the key areas you should prioritize to enhance brand recognition and boost your sales
Episode Notes:
00:20 - Ryan Flannagan Introduction
00:50 - How a Phenomena Can Affect Amazon Sales
03:15 - Nuanced Media Pivot
03:50 - Conversion Rates
“Amazon generally rewards sales with more sales.” - Scott
04:40 - Amazon Listing Optimization
06:25 - Does Keyword Frequency Matter?
07:25 - Biggest Amazon Marketing Opportunity
08:30 - Hardest Part About E-Commerce
09:30 - Split Testing Amazon Listing
12:10 - Amazon Brand Referral Program
12:30 - Why ACoS Is Old News
14:30 - Transitioning From ACoS to TACoS
15:45 - Were Is Nuanced Media Headed in 2023
17:00 - The Shopify Strategy
18:20 - Getting on Google Shopping
21:10 - Nuanced Media Services
Website: https://nuancedmedia.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanflannagan/
Twitter: RyanFlannagan | NuancedMedia
Related Post: SmartScout’s AI Listing Architect Tool

Mar 7, 2023 • 18min
Episode 197: How To Do Reimbursements Right With Justin Coberly of Sifted
Are you being charged incorrect fees by Amazon? Do you have information on the specific SKUs affected, the amount charged, and the reasons for the fees?
Amazon reimbursements can be a complex, time-consuming process. Let Scott Needham and Justin Coberly tell you how to do reimbursements right with Sifted. Justin also delved into the details of how Sifted not only allows companies to easily keep track of amazon reimbursements but also offers comprehensive data analytics that help spot trends and make informed decisions about purchases in the future.
00:50 - Sifted History
02:05 - Justin Coberly introduction
02:20 - Why It’s Worth Looking Into Sifted
03:10 - Sifted’s Growth
04:00 - How to Propel Revenue with Sales Heat Map
08:10 - Sifted’s FBA Fee Analyzer
09:10 - What Affects FBA Fulfillment Fees
11:15 - Peace of Mind with Sifted App
13:40 - Sifted’s Free Audit Analysis
14:30 - How Sifted Charge Users
16:05 - New Updates and Features of Sifted
Sifted Coupon Code: Welcome100
Sifted Monthly Product Demo
Website: https://sifted.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-coberly-086236123/
Related Post:
What are FBA Fulfillment Fees?

Feb 28, 2023 • 27min
Episode 196: Helping Amazon Sellers Systematize Their Businesses With Michal Specian
Scott sat down with Michal Specian, a specialist in helping Amazon sellers maximize their businesses. Together they discussed the benefits that Amazon sellers can gain from systematizing their operations, including enhanced efficiency for repetitive tasks, improved accuracy, and cost savings.
Michal also shared simple strategies that allowed their business to grow from 6 to 8 figures in just 4 years with the help of his business partner, Myles Dunphy.
Learn the secrets of developing a product, what to immediately do in the early business stages, and much more in this latest podcast.
Episode notes:
0:25 - Michal Specian Introduction and Background
1:15 - Finding Michal’s Business Partner
2:20 - Growing the Business From 6 to 8 Figures
2:55 - The Most Time-Consuming Task for Michal
3:15 - Michal’s First Hire
5:20 - Overseas Business Launching in the US
6:00 - 3-Step Strategy That Helped Business Growth
“Most good businesses are simple. Not easy, but simple.” - Scott
8:20 - Michal’s Successful SKUs
8:45 - Product Development and Unique Positioning
10:10 - Adding Product Variation
10:35 - Frequency of New Product Launches and Unifying the Brand
15:25 - What Michal Should Have Done Sooner
16:45 - Opportunities in the Amazon Space
“Do not start an Amazon business, start a brand and use Amazon as a Sales channel.” - Michal
17:45 - How Does Knowing the Customer Affect Business Decisions
19:55 - Michal’s Future Plans
24:00 - Using AI to Write Amazon Listings
Website: https://www.michalspecian.com/
Twitter: @michalspecian
Free Facebook Group: Advanced Amazon FBA Sellers | Systemize · Hire · Delegate · Scale
TikTok: michalspecian
Instagram: michalspecian.fba
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@michalspecian/videos
Related Post:
Everything You Need To Create Listings That Customers and Amazon Algorithms Love

Feb 21, 2023 • 36min
Episode 195: Talking With Joseph Hansen, Top 3 Amazon Seller, Co-Founder of BuyBox Experts and Prosper
Scott chats with Joseph Hansen, CMO @ Spreetail & CEO @ Buy Box Experts. Joseph is also one of the Top 3 sellers on Amazon in the world and he's determined to break obstacles that many beginners encounter on their journey to amazon success.
As a veteran amazon seller, Joseph has plenty of tips to share with anyone looking to up their amazon game.
Episode Notes:
0:25 - Joseph Hansen Introduction and Background
4:15 - Performance Marketing
6:10 - Bold Ideas Beat Experience
8:30 - Agency Expertise
11:45 - What Makes Spreetail Unique?
16:00 - Spreetail’s Specialization
17:45 - Oversized Products
19:00 - Spreetail’s Acquisition BBE (Buy Box Experts)
19:55 - What Performance Marketing Is About
20:35 - Buy Box Experts’ Focus
25:00 - Spreetail’s Future
28:10 - Lessons From Spreetail and BBE
“As a brand owner, a reseller, an aggregator, you have to get in the mind of your customer, … get the honest truth … to create success.” - Joseph
32:05 - Business Wisdom
Website: www.spreetail.com/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/spreetail/
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/josephhansen/ | www.linkedin.com/company/spreetail/life/wearespreetail/
Related Post:
How Do the Top 10 Amazon Sellers Operate?