Chris Davey, an e-commerce entrepreneur and founder of FBA4U, drops valuable insights on product sourcing and development. He shares his journey of organizing networking events at the Canton Fair, emphasizing the critical role of relationships in navigating sourcing in China. The conversation navigates challenges like safety concerns, travel logistics, and the importance of factory visits. Chris also discusses strategies for creating accessories that capitalize on popular brands, highlighting the need for differentiation and being a first mover in the competitive market.

In this episode, Dave interviews Steve Chou, who shares his journey of growing his YouTube channel from virtually nothing to over 400,000 subscribers in just a 2 to 3 years. We discuss the biggest ways you can make creating video content for e-commerce easier, the importance of SEO, and the differences between short-form and long-form video content.  In this episode, Steve emphasizes the significance of watch time in video ranking and shares his strategies to engage audiences effectively. Finally, Steve shares what's in store for the upcoming Seller Summit, happening on May 6th. Need funding for your Canadian Amazon business? Not sure if you should use a Canadian corporation or U.S. LLC to form your company? We'll cover these questions and more in our new course, Start and Grow Your FBA Business as a Canadian. Get early access now!  Want to learn more about video from experts, or learn about new strategies for Amazon? Seller Summit covers everything content creation and e-commerce at Fort Lauderdale, Florida this May 6th. Check out Seller Summit here!  The Big Takeaways Starting with reading blog posts out can help ease into video. Joining a YouTube mastermind group was a turning point for Steve. A "hook" in the first 30 seconds are crucial for engagement. Watch time is a key factor in YouTube SEO. Short form videos can attract a wider audience quickly, which could be useful for brand awareness. Your video content should align with audience interests to avoid confusion from the algorithm. "Social selling" is becoming increasingly important for e-commerce. Faceless content creation is possible but requires a personal touch to get a "human" element in your content. Building a subscriber base through contests or giveaways can be effective. Video content takes time to gain traction. Short-form videos can be chopped up from long video content, which contributes to a broader content strategy. Consistency in content creation is key to success. Investing in good audio equipment is the bare minimum for good videos. Thumbnails with very exaggerated facial expressions can increase click-through rates. Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction 05:07 - Steve's Journey to YouTube Success 10:01 - Content Creation Strategies 14:58 - Short Form vs Long Form Video 19:52 - Building a YouTube Channel for E-commerce 20:45 - Creating Stories with AI 24:20 - Faceless Content Creation in E-commerce 28:10 - Launching a YouTube Channel for E-commerce 30:57 - The Power of Video in E-commerce 32:23 - Essential Equipment for Video Creation 35:20 - Thumbnail Tips for Higher Click-Through Rates 37:09 - Overview of Seller Summit 2025 Thanks for listening! Until next time, happy selling!

Tanya Huang, an entrepreneur and founder of a successful silicone ring business featured on Dragon's Den, shares her journey in e-commerce. She discusses the power of customization in standing out among competitors and contrasts Etsy's unique, personalized shopping experience against Amazon’s efficiency-focused model. Tanya highlights Etsy's recent sales trends and the challenges of navigating customization on both platforms. She also reflects on her reality TV experience, offering insights for aspiring entrepreneurs in a competitive e-commerce landscape.

Dave breaks down the huge fee increases for the Amazon Warehousing and Distribution program that takes effect on April 1st, 2025. He talks about the changes in warehousing and distribution fees, specifically on how much the fees have increased from previous iterations.  Need funding for your Canadian Amazon business? Not sure if you should use a Canadian corporation or U.S. LLC to form your company? We'll cover these questions and more in our Start and Grow Your FBA Business as a Canadian Webinar on March 12th, 10am PST! Today's episode is sponsored by Autron. Maximize your ROI with Autron’s real-time algorithmic bidding, optimizing every ad dollar for smarter spending and higher returns. Start optimizing today and get 30% off for 3 months!   Amazon Warehousing and Distribution (AWD) was one of the biggest programs that Amazon introduced in 2022, and pushed a lot of sellers into using AWD by increasing prices on the FBA side of inventory.    Back then, it seemed like an attractive alternative because of the low prices despite the shove to get everyone into the program.    That is until today where Amazon announced a fee increase to the AWD program in the most confusing way possible.    Luckily, Dave is here to break it all down for us and how these fees impact your e-commerce business.  Big Takeaways Amazon is increasing fees starting April 1st, 2025. The fee increase is not like previous fee announcements; they've given sellers only three weeks notice. AWD storage fees will increase by 20%. Amazon has changed the name of their "integrated rate" to "smart storage rate". To qualify for the smart storage rate, 70 days of inventory is required. Processing fees will increase from $2.50 to $2.70 per box. Transportation fees will rise from $1.00 to $1.15 per cubic foot. Overall, expect a 15-20% increase in fees. Amazon's tactics make it hard to plan for these increases. Sellers need to increase prices to maintain margins. Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction to Amazon Fee Increases 03:12 - Understanding the New AWD Fees 05:51 - Impact of Storage Fee Changes 09:10 - Processing and Transportation Fee Adjustments 11:03 - Conclusion and Final Thoughts Thanks for listening! Until next time, happy selling!

In this episode, Dave interviews John LeBaron, the Chief Revenue Officer of Pattern.com, the biggest third party seller on Amazon. They discuss Pattern's unique business model and how they help brands grow their presence on e-commerce platforms. The episode covers the importance of unit economics, advertising strategies, and how you can use AI to analyse your competition.  Today's episode is sponsored by Autron. Maximize your ROI with Autron’s real-time algorithmic bidding, optimizing every ad dollar for smarter spending and higher returns. Start optimizing today and get 30% off for 3 months! The Big Takeaways Pattern operates as an accelerator, not a traditional DTC brand, helping brands manage their inventory and online presence. Unit economics are crucial for brands looking to partner with Pattern. Advertising strategies significantly influence organic ranking on Amazon. Pattern leverages patented AI technology to improve conversion rates and predict organic ranking. The company manages over 300 brands, focusing on their growth. Off-Amazon marketing strategies are essential for brand success. Timestamps 00:00 - Introducing Pattern: The Biggest Amazon Seller 03:02 - Understanding Pattern's Unique Business Model 06:01 - The Role of Accelerators vs. Aggregators 08:59 - Expanding Brand Presence Across Marketplaces 11:50 - Target Demographics: Brands Seeking Help 15:09 - Unit Economics: What Matters for Brands? 18:06 - Advertising Strategies and Organic Ranking 21:01 - Off-Amazon Marketing Strategies 24:04 - Leveraging AI for E-commerce Success 26:59 - Improving Conversion Rates Through Data 29:52 - Future Innovations and Conclusion Thanks for listening! Until next time, happy selling!

Steve Churchill, an airline pilot and entrepreneur behind Urban Worm Company, shares his journey from military service to building a profitable vermicomposting business. He discusses how he manages a full-time job while growing a lifestyle brand, emphasizing the significance of work-life balance over rapid growth. Steve also highlights the value of niche markets and customer education in creating loyalty, alongside the importance of cash flow management for sustainable success. His insights blend passion with practical business strategies.

Jeff Oxford, a seasoned SEO expert, shares invaluable insights for e-commerce sellers looking to harness the power of Google Shopping. He explains how these listings go beyond ads, emphasizing the significant impact of domain authority and backlinks on rankings. Jeff advocates for diversifying away from Amazon and optimizing product listings with effective images and titles. He also discusses the growing influence of genuine product reviews and offers tips on navigating Google's recent algorithm updates, positioning sellers for greater visibility and success.

Dive into the financial implications of Amazon's Q4 2024 earnings report, revealing a 7% growth in online store revenue and a 9% increase in FBA fees. The spotlight shines on advertising, where revenue skyrocketed to $17.2 billion, outpacing the growth of FBA. Sellers are feeling the pinch from rising ad costs, prompting a call to adapt strategies. Discover Amazon Haul's launch aimed at drawing in more Chinese sellers and how holiday season developments hint at competitive pricing shifts.

It’s that time of the year again! In this episode, Dave will be revealing the winners (a couple of which you might not have expected) of last year’s survey to find out the Best Amazon Seller Software across five categories: Product and Keyword Research PPC Management Reimbursement Services Repricing Tool Product Launch and Marketing On top of that, he'll be talking about why some categories have lost market share overall, the significant shifts in software usage among sellers, and what he's surprised to see in the results. Let’s get right into it: Timestamps:  00:00 - Introduction to the 2024 Software Poll Results 02:09 - Repricing Software Insights 05:59 - Reimbursement Software Trends 06:28 - PPC and Advertising Software Overview 09:48 - Product Launch and Marketing Software Changes 12:39 - Keyword Tracking and Research Software Dynamics 17:21 - Conclusion and Future Predictions To check out the full breakdown of our results, head over to our blog post of the Best Amazon Software of 2022.  Don’t forget to leave us a review over on iTunes if you enjoy content like this. Happy selling and we’ll talk to you soon!

Chinese New Year is coming up in a few days and if you're relatively new to the e-commerce game, there's a few things you should know about the big holiday. Dave is back on the podcast to cover the impact Chinese New Year has on e-commerce sellers and manufacturers, the significance of the Zodiacs, and the common equivalent for those who aren't aware.  Let’s be real – email marketing isn’t flashy, but that’s what makes it great. Who needs chaos when you can have steady, reliable results? That’s where Omnisend email and SMS comes in. Check it out today and use code ECOMCREW. Ever wonder why all of China basically closes down every January for Chinese New Year? You're not alone.  Chinese New Year seems like the one time each year that China (and by extension, a lot of the neighbouring asian countries) goes on holiday for a few weeks.  As an e-commerce seller, you probably know by now to place your orders well in advance to prepare for the holiday. But there's a few extra things you should know about that could maintain and keep you in the good graces of your factory.  Luckily, Dave is on the podcast today to break down what exactly you need to know and how the holiday impacts you specifically. The Big Takeaway Chinese New Year is comparable to Christmas in significance. Chinese New Year happens on the second New Moon in the lunar calendar after the Winter's Solstice (December 20th).  Zodiac symbols can influence business decisions in China. Quality control tends to take a dip if orders are shipped before Chinese New Year. Suppliers may have varying deadlines for orders before they close for the holiday. Expect delays in shipping and logistics post-New Year as every company that's importing from China will also be placing orders in advance of the holiday. Be considerate to suppliers during the holiday period. Freight prices tend to dip after the New Year rush, as demand declines. Timestamps 0:00 - Intro 1:43 - Omnisend Ad  2:17 - What is Chinese New Year? How big is the holiday?  3:28 - The traditions around Chinese New Year 4:28 - When exactly is Chinese New Year? 6:07 - Zodiac symbols and how they can affect business 8:40 - Why is it called the Spring Festival?  9:41 - Tip #1: Deadlines for Chinese New Year orders  11:06 - Tip #2: Days off during Chinese New Years  13:19 - Tip #3: Quality control during Chinese New Year 15:08 - Tip #4: Delays  17:05 - Tip #5: Being considerate As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, reach out to us at support@ecomcrew.com if you're interested.  Don’t forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoy our content. If you have any questions, send us an email at support@ecomcrew.com. We'd love to help you in any way we can.  Thanks for listening! Until next time, happy selling!