The Ecomcrew Ecommerce Podcast

Dave interviews Allyse Slocum, the VP of Product @ Trustpilot, to talk about how fake reviews and review manipulation affect independent review platforms like Trustpilot. They explore how Trustpilot works, the difference between store and product reviews, and how Trustpilot handles fake reviews. Today's episode is sponsored by Sellerboard. Sellerboard helps users track sales, refunds and fees in real time, and even counts your indirect expenses in final profit. Beyond analytics, Sellerboard also streamlines operations with smart portfolios for PPC, inventory forecasting & management and more! Try Sellerboard free for 2 months — no credit card required. Just go to sellerboard.com/ecomcrew and get clarity on your margins today. Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction to Trustpilot 02:59 - Understanding Independent Review Platforms 05:57 - The Importance of Reviews Beyond Marketplaces 08:59 - Differentiating Store Reviews and Product Reviews 11:53 - The Value of Review Volume vs. Rating 15:04 - Navigating One-Star Reviews 18:06 - Addressing the Challenge of Fake Reviews 20:59 - Getting Started with Trustpilot If you'd like to connect with Allyse, you can check her out on LinkedIn! As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, leave a comment down below if you're interested. Don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoy our content. Thanks for listening! Until next time, happy selling!

Dave discusses the recent IPO and earnings of Pattern Group, the biggest Amazon seller in the world. He highlights their significant losses and unique business model as exclusive brand partners for big brands like Pandora. He delves into their financial reports to see if they'll be profitable in the future, using their growth projections. Today's episode is sponsored by Sellerboard. Sellerboard helps users track sales, refunds and fees in real time, and even counts your indirect expenses in final profit. Beyond analytics, Sellerboard also streamlines operations with smart portfolios for PPC, inventory forecasting & management and more! Try Sellerboard free for 2 months — no credit card required. Just go to sellerboard.com/ecomcrew and get clarity on your margins today. Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction to Pattern Group's IPO and Earnings 02:26 - Understanding Pattern Group's Business Model 05:07 - Financial Overview and Profitability Concerns 07:26 - Skepticism Around Pattern's Earnings and Future 09:52 - Revenue Growth and Market Diversification 11:41 - The Role of AI in Pattern's Strategy As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, leave a comment down below if you're interested. Don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoy our content. Thanks for listening! Until next time, happy selling!

Amazon's return policy has become a huge factor to consider especially when developing products for the new year. Dave shares 5 tips for e-commerce sellers to reduce returns and to restore some bottom line back into their business. Today's episode is sponsored by Sellerboard. Sellerboard helps users track sales, refunds and fees in real time, and even counts your indirect expenses in final profit. Beyond analytics, Sellerboard also streamlines operations with smart portfolios for PPC, inventory forecasting & management and more! Try Sellerboard free for 2 months — no credit card required. Just go to sellerboard.com/ecomcrew and get clarity on your margins today. Ever wonder how Chinese Sellers dominate Amazon? We'll spill all their secrets in our webinar that's happening on November 25th, 2025 at 10am PST. We'll show you how to find products that can actually be profitable, how to land them cheaply, and how to rank them easily no Amazon.  Timestamps 00:00 - Understanding Amazon's Return Policy 02:51 - The Hidden Costs of Returns 06:01 - Strategies to Reduce Returns 08:49 - Managing Return Merchandise Effectively 12:05 - Improving Product Presentation to Minimize Returns 14:56 - Customer Engagement to Reduce Returns 17:50 - Evaluating Product Viability and Return Rates As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, leave a comment down below if you're interested. Don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoy our content. Thanks for listening! Until next time, happy selling!

Dave reveals what its like working in an Amazon Business based in China, sourced from a Chinese forum. He talks about the differences of the Chinese vs. American e-commerce businesses, and how they structure their businesses by expanding to multiple marketplaces almost immediately.  Today's episode is sponsored by Sellerboard. Sellerboard helps users track sales, refunds and fees in real time, and even counts your indirect expenses in final profit. Beyond analytics, Sellerboard also streamlines operations with smart portfolios for PPC, inventory forecasting & management and more! Try Sellerboard free for 2 months — no credit card required. Just go to sellerboard.com/ecomcrew and get clarity on your margins today. There was a recent post on a Chinese discussion board looking for advice.  The author recounted all of his previous experiences working at various e-commerce companies that have an Amazon focus and he realized that the Amazon landscape was changing at a pace he couldn't keep up with.  This is particularly helpful for us western e-commerce sellers, because it helps us figure out what the Chinese are doing on Amazon that gets their sales high and prices low.  Timestamps  00:00 - Introduction to Chinese Amazon Sellers' Insights 03:08 - The Journey of a Chinese Amazon Employee 06:03 - Daily Operations and Responsibilities 08:58 - Promotions and Performance Metrics 11:58 - Challenges and Strategies in Product Management 15:00 - Expansion into Domestic Markets 15:18 - Challenges of Management and Promotion 16:09 - Cultural Differences in Work Ethic 17:33 - Advertising Frameworks and Product Launches 19:37 - Developing a Unique Marketing Strategy 21:29 - Sales Performance and Product Viability 23:05 - Mental Health and Career Stagnation 24:09 - Product Development Challenges 25:44 - Profitability and Product Selection 27:10 - Lessons from the Chinese Market As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, leave a comment down below if you're interested. Don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoy our content. Thanks for listening! Until next time, happy selling!

Dave reveals Amazon's Q3 2025 earnings report, and what it means for e-commerce sellers while focusing on their e-commerce growth, advertising revenue, and third-party seller services. Dave talks about the implications of these numbers for sellers and the overall market.  Today's episode is sponsored by Sellerboard. Sellerboard helps users track sales, refunds and fees in real time, and even counts your indirect expenses in final profit. Beyond analytics, Sellerboard also streamlines operations with smart portfolios for PPC, inventory forecasting & management and more! Try Sellerboard free for 2 months — no credit card required. Just go to sellerboard.com/ecomcrew and get clarity on your margins today. Timestamps 00:00 - Amazon's Q3 2025 Earnings Overview 04:26 - Advertising Growth Insights 07:55 - Third-Party Seller Services and Fees 10:39 - Amazon's Workforce and Delivery Service Challenges 14:56 - Generative AI Tools for Sellers 16:28 - Conclusion and Key Takeaways As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, leave a comment down below if you're interested. Don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoy our content. Thanks for listening! Until next time, happy selling!  

Dave talks about how the tariffs have impacted his business personally and how he plans to address these challenges. He talks about how you can save your profit margins by manufacturing locally or manufacturing in house (at least by experimenting), and expanding to other marketplaces or countries to save some of that profit margin. Today's episode is sponsored by Sellerboard. Sellerboard helps users track sales, refunds and fees in real time, and even counts your indirect expenses in final profit. Beyond analytics, Sellerboard also streamlines operations with smart portfolios for PPC, inventory forecasting & management and more! Try Sellerboard free for 2 months — no credit card required. Just go to sellerboard.com/ecomcrew and get clarity on your margins today. Tariffs have been a significant cost for Amazon businesses, which have ultimately eaten away at profit margins.  Timestamps 00:00 - Navigating Tariffs: An Overview 02:50 - Five-Step Strategy for Local Manufacturing 05:52 - Identifying Products for Local Production 08:54 - Leveraging Technology for Efficient Manufacturing 11:47 - Exploring Chemical Products and Local Manufacturing 14:46 - Advantages of Local Manufacturing in E-commerce 16:52 - Diversifying Markets Beyond the US 21:11 - Strategies for Higher Margins and Payment Terms 24:48 - Navigating Tariffs and Legal Considerations As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, leave a comment down below if you're interested. Don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoy our content. Thanks for listening! Until next time, happy selling!  

Amazon's new FBA fees have been announced for 2026 and Amazon themselves claim that their new fees only add 8 cents per unit sold of the average item selling price. Is that really the case though? In today's episode, Dave breaks down how the new fees ACTUALLY work, which products came out unscathed, and Amazon's bigger picture goals.  Today's episode is sponsored by Sellerboard. Sellerboard helps users track sales, refunds and fees in real time, and even counts your indirect expenses in final profit. Beyond analytics, Sellerboard also streamlines operations with smart portfolios for PPC, inventory forecasting & management and more! Try Sellerboard free for 2 months — no credit card required. Just go to sellerboard.com/ecomcrew and get clarity on your margins today. Amazon released their new FBA fees for 2026.  Keeping up with tradition, Amazon released it in the most confusing way possible. They also claim that their new fees only add 8 cents per unit sold of the average item selling price. This leaves sellers scrambling to calculate how their products and profit margins will be affected.  Luckily, Dave is breaking down these fees on a per size category level and how these will affect you as a seller, whether you sell small or oversized items.  Dave also breaks down the pricing increases for their different programs, namely Amazon's bulk storage program AWD and Multi Channel Fulfillment.  Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction to Amazon's FBA Fee Increases 02:53 - The Impact of FBA Fee Changes 05:49 - Analyzing Fee Increases by Product Category 08:54 - The Effect on Bulky Items and Packaging 11:49 - Placement Fees and Their Implications 14:50 - Additional Fee Categories and Inbound Defects 17:50 - Conclusion and Future Considerations As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, leave a comment down below if you're interested. Don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoy our content. Thanks for listening! Until next time, happy selling!    

There have been reports of a significant decline in the number of Chinese sellers on Amazon, according to SellerSnooper and Marketplace Pulse, but their disappearance is not that simple. Dave dives into why Chinese sellers are disappearing from Amazon and where they went. Today's episode is sponsored by Sellerboard. Sellerboard helps users track sales, refunds and fees in real time, and even counts your indirect expenses in final profit. Beyond analytics, Sellerboard also streamlines operations with smart portfolios for PPC, inventory forecasting & management and more! Try Sellerboard free for 2 months — no credit card required. Just go to sellerboard.com/ecomcrew and get clarity on your margins today. Back in 2022, we did a report on how many Chinese sellers there are on Amazon. The number was up  to 55%.  Granted that this was back in 2022, you'd expect the number of Chinese Sellers to increase.  As of October 2025, the number has drastically lowered to ~30%.  This would normally be cause for celebration but the answer isn't that simple.  A lot of Chinese sellers have been opening up US LLCs to dodge paying taxes in China, where they aren't as lenient with counting expenses against your business.  Timestamps 00:00 - The Decline of Chinese Sellers on Amazon 02:42 - Tax Regulations and Their Impact 05:54 - The Golden Tax System in China 09:03 - Panic Among Chinese Sellers 11:53 - The Shift to US LLCs 14:54 - The Reality of Seller Statistics As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, leave a comment down below if you're interested. Don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoy our content. Thanks for listening! Until next time, happy selling!

Dave discusses whether importing from China is still viable in the wake of rising tariffs and changing global dynamics. He explores the impact of tariffs on costs, advantages of Chinese manufacturing, and the quality of products sourced from China. Today's episode is sponsored by Sellerboard. Sellerboard helps users track sales, refunds and fees in real time, and even counts your indirect expenses in final profit. Beyond analytics, Sellerboard also streamlines operations with smart portfolios for PPC, inventory forecasting & management and more! Try Sellerboard free for 2 months — no credit card required. Just go to sellerboard.com/ecomcrew and get clarity on your margins today. Importing from China, even with Trump Tariffs 2.0, may still be viable today and in the near future.  Today, it still is the best option compared to the other rising manufacturing companies like Vietnam, India, and Thailand.  Compared to America, manufacturing in China is still the best option even factoring in the transit costs and 3PL costs.  However, in the far future, China might not be the country to manufacture from.  We're holding a special Importing from China webinar on October 8th where we'll be talking about how you can find products that still make sense to source only in China (and skip the ones that don't) while getting the lowest tariff rates and more! Register today! Timestamps 00:00 - Is Importing from China Dead? 02:17 - The Impact of Tariffs on Importing 06:46 - Cost Comparisons: China vs. Other Countries 09:59 -Benefits of Working with Chinese Factories 14:16 - Quality of Products from China 14:45 - Future of Importing from China 20:02 - The Rising Power Theory and Its Implications As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, leave a comment down below if you're interested. Don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoy our content. Thanks for listening! Until next time, happy selling!

Dave discusses the recent SEC allegations against Tai Lopez, who is accused of running a Ponzi scheme through his acquisition of legacy retail brands. He dives into the details of the accusations, the flaws in Lopez's business model, and comparisons to other entrepreneurs like Alex Hormozi. What happens to Tai Lopez now? Will he go to jail?    Today's episode is sponsored by Sellerboard. Sellerboard helps users track sales, refunds and fees in real time, and even counts your indirect expenses in final profit. Beyond analytics, Sellerboard also streamlines operations with smart portfolios for PPC, inventory forecasting & management and more! Try Sellerboard free for 2 months — no credit card required. Just go to sellerboard.com/ecomcrew and get clarity on your margins today.   Tai Lopez is one of the biggest "entrepreneur turned influencers" in the industry, with 2.5 million subscribers on Youtube, 3 million on Instagram, and 1.1 million on Tiktok.    The SEC has come forward with allegations against Tai Lopez and his business partner, Alex Mehr, for running a $112 Million Ponzi Scheme and defrauding their investors.    A Ponzi Scheme, by definition, is a "form of fraud that lures investors and pays profits to earlier investors with funds from more recent investors."    That means that Tai Lopez and Alex Mehr are allegedly misallocating funds to provide an illusion of great profit margins, leading to more investors buying in on their alleged "success" when they were just using that money to pay their first few investors.    Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction to Tai Lopez's Controversy 03:01 - Allegations of a Ponzi Scheme 05:47 - Business Model Flaws and Comparisons 08:56 - Public Perception and Future Implications As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, leave a comment down below if you're interested. Don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoy our content. Thanks for listening! Until next time, happy selling!

Dave dives into the world of fake Amazon reviews by purchasing a fake review for himself. He shares where he found a review broker, what the requirements were to purchase reviews, and the shocking surprise he found after.  We get a lot of spam in our Facebook groups about "review groups".  Its become so prevalent that we decided to actually dig in and see how their whole operation works.  And we did exactly just that.  In this episode, Dave goes through the experience of buying a fake review and exposes what the full capabilities of review brokers are, where they are from, and how they manage to dodge Amazon. If you're a seller on Amazon or if you're tired seeing odd reviews for products that aren't really that exciting, this episode is for you.  Timestamps 00:00 - Diving into the World of Fake Amazon Reviews 12:12 - The Mechanics of Review Brokerages 17:32 - The Scale of the Problem and Amazon's Response As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, leave a comment down below if you're interested. Don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoy our content. Thanks for listening! Until next time, happy selling!

Meenu Seda from IMGadgets joins us on the podcast to talk about her experience selling Temu. She explains how products are sent to Temu customers, what the commission fees are on Temu, and how their sales compare against Amazon.    Get mystery shopped for your brand and 2 competitors of your choice FOR FREE! Stord will provide a detailed report that outlines the specific areas you are out performing your competitors and where your competitors are outperforming you. Learn how your consumers truly experience your brand today!   In today's episode, we have a special guest who does things a little different compared to the rest of us.    Meenu Seda is the CEO of IMGadgets, and sells on Temu as an additional revenue stream alongside Amazon. She's here today to talk about Temu and how different it is compared to Amazon, particularly in regards to their commission fees, their pricing system, and their delivery system.    If you're a seller looking to expand your audience, this episode is just for you!    Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction to Temu and E-commerce Opportunities 02:54 - The Journey of a Canadian Seller on Temu 05:57 - Understanding the Product Landscape and Market Dynamics 09:00 - Sales Performance and Comparison to Other Channels 11:47 - Marketing Strategies and Advertising Tools on Temu 14:54 - Pricing Models and Commission Structure 17:57 - Creating High-Converting Listings on Temu 21:04 - How Reviews Work on Temu 24:00 - Returns and Customer Service on Temu 26:55 - Final Thoughts and Tips for Success on Temu   Meenu, thanks for coming on the podcast! We really appreciate your candor and informing us (and the audience) about what its like to be selling on Temu.    As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, leave a comment down below if you're interested.   Don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoy our content.   Thanks for listening! Until next time, happy selling!

Dave pitches 3 ecommerce trend predictions that he thinks is going to happen within the next 3 years, why he thinks its going to happen, and the opportunity that lies ahead for you.  Get mystery shopped for your brand and 2 competitors of your choice FOR FREE! Stord will provide a detailed report that outlines the specific areas you are out performing your competitors and where your competitors are outperforming you. Learn how your consumers truly experience your brand today! There are some massive opportunities in e-commerce within the next few years.  Amazon has been investing a lot into a specific category, which means that customers will be getting a lot of targeted ads for this category within and outside of Amazon. This is just one of the predictions we have in store for you today.  Another prediction that we think is going to see massive popularity on Amazon is based on its popularity in Asia. While not as prevalent in the North American markets, this certain strategy has been seeing massive numbers in customer acquisition and average order value specifically.  Here's some timestamps down below to get into the predictions!  Timestamps 00:00 - E-Commerce Predictions for the Next Three Years 01:57 - How This Strategy Saw Massive Success in E-Commerce 07:29 - The Gambling Trend 11:49 - The Next Big Category in Amazon As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, leave a comment down below if you're interested. Don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoy our content. Thanks for listening! Until next time, happy selling!

In this episode, Dave delves into the business model and financial performance of Pattern.com, a previous guest on the podcast and the biggest seller on Amazon, as they prepare to go public. He talks about why Pattern's business model is a little odd, and their business statistics like revenue and profit margins. Will Pattern be able to go public? Here's what Dave thinks.  Get mystery shopped for your brand and 2 competitors of your choice FOR FREE! Stord will provide a detailed report that outlines the specific areas you are out performing your competitors and where your competitors are outperforming you. Learn how your consumers truly experience your brand today! Pattern.com is one of the biggest sellers on Amazon, among Anker and Sports Research.  They are one of the few sellers on Amazon to make it to the top while also filing to go public, but will Pattern succeed?  Personally, I'm not so sure.  They have a little bit of an odd business model while also marketing themselves a little oddly.  The Big Takeaway Pattern is one the largest sellers on Amazon, who shifted from selling their own products to becoming exclusive distributors. As an exclusive distributor, Pattern buys inventory instead of taking it on consignment. Their revenue growth is significant, but profit margins are low. Comparing against traditional straightforward business accelerators, analysis shows competitors have better profit margins. The company markets itself as a SaaS provider, but operates more of a brand accelerator.  The market for brand accelerators is becoming crowded which will make it hard for Pattern to receive new clients consistently. Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction to Pattern's IPO and Business Model 05:04 - Financial Performance and Profit Margins 09:49 - Comparative Analysis with Other Companies 14:59 - Do we think Pattern can go public?  As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, leave a comment down below if you're interested. Don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoy our content. Thanks for listening! Until next time, happy selling!

Dave dives into Anker Electronics' success, the #1 largest Amazon FBA seller in the world. Dave talks about the controversial tactics they employed to reach the top and their innovative marketing strategies. This includes using KickStarter for product launches which admittedly is a very uncommon thing to see from a billion dollar company and the top talent they hired so early on. Even if you don't have ambitions to be at the top of the top, there are some things to learn from Anker.    Get mystery shopped for your brand and 2 competitors of your choice FOR FREE! Stord will provide a detailed report that outlines the specific areas you are out performing your competitors and where your competitors are outperforming you. Learn how your consumers truly experience your brand today!   Anker electronics is literally the biggest third-party seller on Amazon.   But what did they do to get to the top?    Apart from selling great products, hiring the best they could, and marketing their products well, it doesn't seem like anything special.    In this episode, Dave dives into Anker's success and the 5 controversial tactics they employed into their business that propelled them to the top.    The Big Takeaway Anker Electronics is one of the largest Amazon sellers in the world. The company was founded by an ex-Google engineer, Stephen Yang. Anker's success is attributed to some innovative marketing strategies, including using Kickstarter campaigns to pre-launch their products. They've also hired top-level talent quite early on for their business growth. Anker has avoided black hat tactics that plague the top of the top especially.  Anchor has diversified into a completely different direction while also still being somewhat related. Timestamps 00:00 - The Rise of Anchor Electronics 10:03 - Innovative Marketing Strategies 19:05 - Controversies and Challenges 23:46 - Lessons from Anchor's Success   As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, leave a comment down below if you're interested.   Don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoy our content.   Thanks for listening!   Until next time, happy selling!  

Dave dives into the huge business of FilterBuy, one of the largest e-commerce companies on Amazon that actually does NOT use FBA. FilterBuy specializes in selling HVAC filters and is founded by David Heacock, a good friend of mine from way back in the day. We explore the company's impressive growth, why David chose to manufacture from the US and why logistics are the main business that David is in. With that being said, what business are we all in?  Get mystery shopped for your brand and 2 competitors of your choice FOR FREE! Stord will provide a detailed report that outlines the specific areas you are out performing your competitors and where your competitors are outperforming you. Learn how your consumers truly experience your brand today! Amazon makes it really hard for sellers to avoid using FBA.  FBA sellers get faster shipping times, better customer service and a nice badge that says "Prime Delivery" on your listing.  With all of these things stacked against FBM Sellers, how do you succeed?  To answer that question, we tell you about how Filterbuy became the biggest FBM seller on Amazon based on my interview with CEO and founder, David Heacock. The Big Takeaway  FilterBuy is the largest seller on Amazon that does not use FBA. David Heacock kind of foresaw how important American manufacturing would be and was one of the first to adopt the strategy. The company's success is more than just product cost. David credits it mostly to efficient logistics.   Manufacturing in America allows for reduced freight costs and just-in-time inventory unlike manufacturing in China.  Pre-orders or Kickstarter launches are actually a viable strategy that most sellers sleep on. There's significant cash flow opportunities on Kickstarter and you also get to order the exact amount of opportunity for those pre-orders, which is a great strategy for the pre-launch period of new products. Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction to FilterBuy and Its Success 05:52 - David Heacock's Vision and Strategy 12:27 - The Importance of Logistics and Manufacturing in America 20:16 - Long-Term Thinking in Business 24:08 - Conclusion and Key Takeaways David, I apologize that we weren't able to get your actual interview up but we were really grateful for the opportunity to interview you nonetheless.  If you're interested and want to follow David Heacock on social media, you can find him at his LinkedIn. As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, leave a comment down below if you're interested. Don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoy our content. Thanks for listening! Until next time, happy selling!

Today, Dave summarizes the most important points sellers should know about from Amazon's Q2 earnings — highlighting an impressive 10% growth, breaking out of the 6% streak they've been seeing for years. However, there's a slight caveat to these good news. This doesn't mean that people are buying more from Amazon. Listen in to find out.  Get mystery shopped for your brand and 2 competitors of your choice FOR FREE! Stord will provide a detailed report that outlines the specific areas you are out performing your competitors and where your competitors are outperforming you. Learn how your consumers truly experience your brand today! The Big Takeaways E-commerce sales grew 10% year over year, a significant increase. FBA fees also grew at a rate of 11%, matching e-commerce sales growth. Advertising costs for sellers are rising significantly, up 23% year over year. To avoid getting bled out slowly, sellers need to make sure their options are properly set. Amazon's growth may not be as positive as it appears on the surface. Sellers should consider raising prices in response to increased costs. Timestamps 00:00 - Amazon's Q2 Earnings Overview 01:56 - E-commerce Growth Analysis 06:45 - FBA Fees and Advertising Costs 12:18 - Conclusion and Key Takeaways As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, leave a comment down below if you're interested. Don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoy our content. Thanks for listening! Until next time, happy selling!

Nate Littlewood, fractional CFO and mentor, is on today's episode to shed some light on the 3 most common financial challenges that affects most e-commerce entrepreneurs and talks about how to fix them. He talks about the ways you can optimize inventory, cash flow, and reduce overhead costs.  Get mystery shopped for your brand and 2 competitors of your choice FOR FREE! Stord will provide a detailed report that outlines the specific areas you are out performing your competitors and where your competitors are outperforming you. Learn how your consumers truly experience your brand today! Cash flow is king when it comes to e-commerce businesses.  More often than not business owners need to use debt to order more inventory, while keeping the price the same.  Does that really make sense if all your profit ends up going to your SBA loan leaving you with nothing?  It doesn't.  That's why in today's episode we have Nate Littlewood on the podcast. He's a fractional CFO with a background in finance, and he helps e-commerce entrepreneurs figure out how they can improve their finance literacy. He's on the podcast today to talk about the 3 ways e-commerce businesses can improve their profit margins so they  can start feeling their bank accounts grow.    The Big Takeaways Many entrepreneurs have most of their cash flow tied up in inventory, making business cash flow a huge struggle.  Fixing inventory can be an easy way to gain back some cash flow which makes your business more nimble and adaptable. Every now and then, you should assume that your SaaS budget is zero and make a case for why certain tools need to be purchased again. The 80-20 rule or The Pareto principle should help you with deciding which products to axe and which to keep. Offering more product variations does not lead to linear increased sales. Having low cash flow stops your business from growing faster than it could. Investing in supply chain optimization can also free up cash flow for your business. Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction to Financial Challenges in E-commerce 03:02 - Understanding Inventory Management and Cash Flow 18:48 - Optimizing Indirect and Overhead Costs 25:02 - Negotiating Discounts and Customer Retention 26:29 - Identifying Overspending in SaaS and Marketing 28:23 - The Importance of Inventory Management 30:40 - The Unsexy Side of Business Operations 32:00 - Applying the Pareto Principle to Product Portfolios 39:00 - The Dangers of Overcomplicating Product Offerings 41:03 - Focusing on Strengths and Delegating Tasks 44:28 - Helping Founders Achieve Financial Clarity Guest Resources Nate Littlewood's Website Nate's Free Cash Flow Improvement Course Nate LinkedIn Page As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, leave a comment down below if you're interested. Don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoy our content. Thanks for listening! Until next time, happy selling!

Dave reveals his brands' revenue numbers from Prime Day and talks about what the overall experience was for sellers on Prime Day, from large aggregators to smaller sellers. Did the transition from a two-day to a four-day format make more money than last year? Did it cause a dip? We examine whether Amazon's claims were BS in today's episode. Get mystery shopped for your brand and 2 competitors of your choice FOR FREE! Stord will provide a detailed report that outlines the specific areas you are out performing your competitors and where your competitors are outperforming you. Learn how your consumers truly experience your brand today! Last year, Amazon's Prime Day results were lukewarm across the board with sellers seeing a 1.5x - 2x increase in sales except for a select few.  How was this year's Prime Day?  Well, Amazon claims that Prime Day 2025 was the biggest prime day ever compared to previous years. But is it really?  With Prime Day done and dusted, Dave reveals his brands' revenue numbers during the big shopping holiday to share how his experience was.  Dave also shares how 10 anonymous brands from various revenue numbers did during Prime Day, with data taken from SellerSnooper. Are Amazon's claims BS? Or are they technically correct? We find out in today's episode.  The Big Takeaway Initial reports indicated a 40% dip in Day 1 sales. Amazon claims that Prime Day 2025 was the biggest Prime Day ever.  8 out of 10 tracked companies saw sales gains during Prime Day, but how big were they?  Sellers reported varied performance, with some seeing modest gains. Many sellers felt Prime Day performance was average this year. Sellers should definitely be cautious about discounting heavily during Prime Day. Timestamps 00:00 - Prime Day Overview and Initial Impressions 02:17 - Amazon's Shift to a Four-Day Event 04:41 - Analyzing Amazon's Sales Claims 07:03 - Performance Insights from Various Brands 09:01 - Seller Strategies and Experiences 11:17 - Overall Reflections on Prime Day Performance As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, leave a comment down below if you're interested. Don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoy our content. Thanks for listening! Until next time, happy selling!

Dave talks about five trending products - going into the rise of Labubu dolls, the potential of cosmetic tape, and the overall growth of sexual health products, especially on Amazon.   Get mystery shopped for your brand and 2 competitors of your choice FOR FREE! Stord will provide a detailed report that outlines the specific areas you are out performing your competitors and where your competitors are outperforming you. Learn how your consumers truly experience your brand today!   Looking for a new product to launch on Amazon? Or maybe its time to expand the product catalogue and have no idea where to begin? You're in luck!    In today's episode, Dave breaks down 5 trending product categories that might be the next step for you and your brand.  The Big Takeaway:  Understanding consumer behavior is key to successful product launches. Piggybacking on popular search terms in your niche can be a good idea for your next product. Identifying trends early can lead to capturing and dominating market share before competition sets in.   Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction to Amazon Product Trends 02:27 - The Rise of Labubu Dolls 06:07 - Exploring Cosmetic Tape Trends 09:17 - The Growing Market of Sexual Wellness Products 11:28 - Conclusion and Final Thoughts   As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, leave a comment down below if you're interested. Don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoy our content. Thanks for listening! Until next time, happy selling!