The Ecomcrew Ecommerce Podcast

This Halloween special dives into the intriguing world of billion-dollar ghost companies on Amazon. These elusive businesses generate millions but remain shrouded in secrecy. Their registered addresses often lead to notary publics or PO boxes, making them hard to trace. The podcast also explores the complexities of gray market sales and how unauthorized reselling affects brand pricing. With the culture of anonymity among Amazon sellers thriving, the rise of ghost companies seems inevitable.

In this engaging discussion, the host reveals personal challenges faced while running two e-commerce brands. Facing a tough landscape with revenue plunges, he shares valuable strategies for survival. Key points include managing workforce transitions, the importance of reviewing expenses, and effective inventory management to aid cash flow. Despite hardships, hope remains, emphasizing the cyclical nature of business and encouraging strategic adaptations to navigate through turbulent times.

Julian Timings, CEO of Autron.ai and a Cambridge PhD, dives into the evolving landscape of Amazon PPC. He discusses the rising costs of Amazon ads and the proven profitability of video advertising with the right creative approach. Julian warns that off-Amazon advertising is becoming less beneficial over time and reveals that TACoS of 10-15% is often unrealistic. He highlights the influence of PPC on organic rankings and shares insights on leveraging Autron's technology for efficient campaign management.

Today's episode is part 2 of last week's podcast, where Mike goes into the details of Icewraps' sale, how he built up profitability from being in a loss at the start of the year, and the mindset he had during negotiations.  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! It's been nearly 10 years since I first bought IceWraps.  After a long journey of facing Amazon's sudden fee increases, COVID and logistical challenges, I felt that it was time for me to take some chips off the table and finally sell off the last ecommerce business that I'm holding.  It's time for me to get some breathing room back, and move on to another project.  Takeaways Raising prices and cutting unnecessary costs helped turn the business from a loss to being profitable. Transitioning to AWD reduced storage costs significantly. When you have the mindset of being done and over a business, you might be willing to do all it takes to sell. However, it's important to maintain a two-way street and make sure you don't accept terms that seem unfair.  Timestamps 00:00 - The Journey of Selling Ice Wraps 03:07 - Challenges Faced During the Sale 05:56 - Turning the Business Around 09:13 - Cost-Cutting Strategies 12:08 - The Sale Process and Negotiations 15:02 - Finalizing the Sale and Transition 17:55 - Reflections on the Sale 20:59 - Lessons Learned and Future Outlook 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!

Mike is back on the podcast to look back on IceWraps' journey, from facing burnout to regrets from running more than one brand at a time.  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! Takeaways Selling at the peak of your business can mean sacrificing future cash flows. Focusing on one business can lead to greater success. Running multiple brands at a time can dilute your effectiveness. Timestamps 00:00 - The Journey of Ice Wraps: A Decade in E-Commerce 08:02 - Lessons Learned from Selling Ice Wraps 15:59 - Defining Success: The "One Thing" Focus 21:49 - The Transition: From Acquisition to Sale 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!

In this episode, Dave recaps Amazon Accelerate 2024, highlighting some announcements that sellers should know about, and some developments that impact e-commerce sellers.  Amazon Accelerate 2024 has just wrapped up this year, and there's been a few announcements that Amazon revealed that may or may not pass the smell test.   In the online event, Amazon announced a range of new programs and services to help brands build relationships with third party sellers and increase their sales and profitability. Apart from the announcements, Amazon is also making a big push to being a part of the entire supply chain process - from logistics to delivery.  The Big Takeaways of Today's Episode Amazon Accelerate is the biggest event of the year for Amazon with over 4,000 live attendees and 450,000 virtual views. Amazon receives over 125 million product reviews annually. Same-day or next-day delivery 2x conversion rates. A new seller dashboard is available and offers better analytics for sellers. Live chat support is now available for all cases. One-on-one assistance is also now available for sellers. Amazon is starting to focus on owning the entire supply chain process - from logistics to delivery.  Buy with Prime aims to capture off-Amazon sales. Amazon Accelerate Episode Timestamps 00:00 - Overview of Amazon Accelerate 01:17 - Key Statistics and Announcements 04:40 - Positive Developments for Sellers 11:44 - Skepticism Towards Amazon's Announcements 16:27 - Amazon's Supply Chain Strategy 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!

In this episode, Dave talks about how Temu is pressuring Amazon with its low prices, fast shipping and surge in popularity. Ever since Temu's viral marketing ad in the Superbowl, they've grown to become one of the biggest competitors to Amazon.  But how is Temu able to offer lower prices compared to sites like Amazon and even eBay? It has something to do with its business model and the fact that it lacks a few key features of other e-commerce sites. But is there more to it? In this episode, we'll talk about how Temu has disrupted the e-commerce space, how Temu keeps its products cheap, and how they cut costs.  The Big Takeaways of Today's Episode Temu has disrupted Amazon's dominance in the North American e-commerce market. Temu is able to offer fast shipping times because of their logistics model that mirrors Amazon's FBA. The Chinese government may be indirectly supporting Temu's growth by heavily supporting exports. Temu Prices Episode Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction to E-commerce and Temu 02:54 - Temu's Disruption of Amazon 05:45 - Logistics and Shipping Innovations 09:03 - Pricing Strategies and Market Competition 11:50 - Government Subsidies and Economic Implications 15:08 - Amazon's Response to Competition 18:02 - Conclusion and Future Outlook 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!

Michael Kaufman, CEO of ProTuff Products and an expert in e-commerce, shares his journey in product differentiation through lifetime warranties. He reveals how these warranties not only boost customer loyalty but also lead to a flood of 5-star reviews. Kaufman discusses the challenges of selling seasonal products and the benefits of automating warranty processes. Listeners will learn about a new app that streamlines warranty registrations, enhancing customer engagement and marketing strategies. It's a treasure trove of insights for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Elizabeth Corbett, an expert in packaging strategies for e-commerce brands, joins to shed light on crucial packaging mistakes many businesses make. She emphasizes the power of packaging in enhancing the customer unboxing experience and how it can directly impact costs. From the importance of sustainable options to creative strategies for saving on shipping, she covers essential tips for navigating challenges like returns and porch piracy. Corbett also highlights the growing significance of eco-friendly solutions in a competitive landscape.

Explore how Google's September 2023 update has drastically impacted affiliate sites, with traffic drops between 20% to 80%. Discover the rising influence of Reddit in search rankings and the challenges e-commerce brands face when marketing on this platform. The hosts dive into the future of content sites, stressing the need for genuine engagement over self-promotion. They also discuss the evolving dynamics of online reviews and the potential implications of AI-generated content in shaping user preferences. Tune in for insights on adapting to this shifting digital landscape.