Ecommerce Braintrust Julie Spear

🎙️Interview with CEO of Acadia, Jared Belsky
Welcome to another episode of The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast hosted by Acadia’s Head of Retail Marketplaces Services Julie Spear.
Today we’re joined by Acadia’s CEO, Jared Belsky! This episode is all about the concept of "retail island”-  a metaphor for the siloed nature of retail media. Jared sheds light on its implications for funding, organizational structure, and creative strategy. 
Drawing parallels from the eras of search and social media, he explains why the stakes are even higher now and offers actionable insights on how brands can navigate this fragmented landscape. 
 
KEY TAKEAWAYS
In this episode, Julie and Jared discuss: 
What is the Retail Island? Despite the explosive growth of retail media, it remains siloed in funding, organizational structure, and creative efforts. Jared unpacks why this isolation occurs and the dangers it presents to brands.
Brand Impact: Is your Amazon budget dramatically lower than your brand and performance media budgets? Jared explains how organizational silos are holding your potential captive and why it’s crucial to integrate your budgets and strategies.
Historical Context: The cyclical nature of new advertising channels and how retail media is repeating the history of search and social media but with higher stakes.
Organizational Shifts: Practical examples of brands integrating their teams and budgets to drive better ROI and efficiency.
Challenges in Measurement: Why media mix modeling is not the silver bullet we hoped for? Breaking down the complexities and offering simpler, more actionable strategies for cross-channel measurement.
Actionable Steps: Simplifying your performance comparison and being brave with testing. 
Agency Perspective: The impact of retail island transcends beyond brands, influencing how agencies should evolve.

🎙️Interview with Acadia Project Manager, João Couceiro da Costa
Welcome to another episode of The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast hosted by Acadia’s Head of Retail Marketplaces Services Julie Spear.
Today, we're diving into the intricacies of Prime Day 2024 with our expert guest, João Couceiro da Costa, an experienced account manager from Acadia's retail team. 
In this episode, we're unpacking everything from the operational strategies to the creative reporting styles João employs. He’ll share his innovative approach to Prime Day preparations, including extending promotional periods and focusing on profitability over mere revenue gains.
Make sure you tune in to find out how to enhance your e-commerce momentum for one of the biggest online shopping events of the year! 
 
KEY TAKEAWAYS
In this episode, Julie and João discuss: 
Introduction to Prime Day Preparation
João's Reporting Style
Speculations on Prime Day Dates based on inventory deadlines and deal submissions.
Discussion on the historical scheduling of Prime Day.
Changes in Prime Day Strategy for 2024
Shift from focusing on top-line revenue to prioritizing profitability and sustainability.
Impact of Amazon's new fee changes on sellers’ profitability.
Emphasis on operational efficiency due to increased inventory-related fees.
Strategy to extend promotional periods to smooth out demand spikes.
Consumer Response to Expanded Promotional Periods
Consumer fatigue and their adaptation to frequent sales events.
Maintaining traditional Prime Day despite overall promotional dilution.
Strategic Focus for Prime Day 2024
Increased emphasis on subscription-based promotions and retention.
Shifting focus from one-time sales to subscription models during Prime Day.
Preparation for Prime Day
Utilization of tiered cataloging to manage promotions effectively.
Importance of updating product descriptions and brand narratives for Prime Day.
Impact of Promotional Strategies on Organic Ranking**
Boosting organic rankings and brand visibility.
Strategies to optimize listings and storefronts 
Influence of Amazon on Retailers Worldwide During Prime Day

Interview with Dusan Tepavac Amazon Advertising Expert and Retail Media Specialist at Acadia
Welcome to another episode of The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast hosted by Acadia’s Head of Retail Marketplaces Services Julie Spear.
With Prime Day just around the corner, we decided to dive into the intricacies of maximizing success during one of the biggest e-commerce events of the year.
In this discussion, we are joined by guest Dusan Tepavac, a seasoned Amazon Advertising Expert and Retail Media Specialist at Acadia, who shares his expert insights on preparing for Prime Day with paid media strategies, audience targeting, and leveraging Amazon's advertising ecosystem.
Make sure you tune in to find out more!
 
KEY TAKEAWAYS
In this episode, Julie and Dusan discuss: 
Introduction to Prime Day Preparation
Prime Day: Enhanced Capabilities and Strategies
Integration of AMC and DSP for advanced audience targeting
Focus on shoppers’ behaviors and the advantages of new tools in Amazon’s ad ecosystem
Optimizing Budgets with AMC Insights
Strategic use of AMC for competitive advantage
Planning budgets based on insights to gain better ad placements
Brand-Specific Trends and Client Concerns
Discussion on brand trends and expectations during Prime Day
Approaches to handle profitability concerns and promotional investments
Promotional Strategies and Importance of Prime Exclusive Discounts
Discussion on varying strategies of discount percentages and full catalog promotions
Significance of Prime Day badging for visibility and conversion rates
Emphasis on the importance of the traditional summer Prime Day over other sales events
Prime Day Preparation and Key Focus Areas
Detailed strategy on keyword focus, organic ranking, and budget adjustment
Importance of addressing both branded and non-branded spending as Prime Day approaches
Tactical Shifts Closer to Prime Day
Adjustment of strategies focusing more on non-branded spending closer to the event
Recommendations on campaign types and budget distribution for maximum impact
Strategies for Brands Not Participating in Prime Day Promotions
Tactical adjustments for brands not offering discounts during Prime Day
Use of day-parting to manage budget and visibility effectively during peak times
Post-Prime Day Strategy
Managing ad budgets and strategic focus following Prime Day
Using data from Prime Day to inform ongoing strategies and upcoming promotional events

In this episode of the Ecommerce Braintrust, Julie Spear, Head of Retail Marketplaces Services at Acadia, is joined by, Gary Hammerschlag, an account management team lead at Acadia, who shares his expert insights on the framework for evaluating potential markets, the process involved, and strategic considerations for brands looking to broaden their e-commerce horizons globally.
Their discussion is packed with actionable tips and an in-depth analysis of the various aspects of international expansion on Amazon.
Make sure you tune in to find out more!
 
KEY TAKEAWAYS In this episode, Julie and Gary discuss: 
Gary’s Framework for International Expansion
Evaluating when an international market is a suitable fit.
The increasing ease of compliance and streamlined processes post-COVID.
Importance of considering international expansion as a growth lever beside D2C channels.
Key Markets for Expansion:
Insights into prioritizing markets: Germany, the UK, Canada, and Japan.
Specific focus on Japan’s beauty market due to recent Amazon incentives.
The Testing Process:
How to frame and assess the testing period for a market.
Operational, logistical, and budget considerations for entering new markets.
Readiness and Launch:
The readiness phase involving VAT application, label review, and finding a responsible person.
Detailed timeline expectations from decision to launch.
Tools and Resources:
Utilizing tools like Helium 10 or Analytic Index for market analysis.
How agencies specializing in Amazon can aid in smoother launches.
Advice for Brands Considering International Markets:
The importance of patience and setting realistic timelines.
Building a strong initial foundation to facilitate growth.

In this episode of the Ecommerce Braintrust, Julie Spear, Head of Retail Marketplaces Services at Acadia, is joined by Julien Pereira, Account Manager at Acadia and a former Amazon vendor and program manager with extensive experience in direct fulfillment operations. In this episode, they discuss the nuances of direct fulfillment and its fit for brands selling as first-party vendors on Amazon.
Make sure you tune in to find out more!
In this episode, Julie and Julien discuss: 
Understanding Direct Fulfillment (DF): Julien breaks down the concept of DF, contrasts it with traditional PO fulfillment methods on Amazon and explains the benefits of having more control over inventory and order management.
Assessing DF for Your Brand: Criteria for identifying whether DF suits a brand's business model, including logistical capabilities, product categories, and customer-centric operational readiness.
Hybrid Fulfillment Model: Discussion of the potential to run DF alongside traditional PO-based fulfillment to ensure inventory coverage and mitigate stockout risks.
Setup Process for DF: Insight into setting up DF in Amazon Vendor Central, including warehouse setup, EDI and API implementations, and configuring lead times and capacity.
Evaluating DF Performance: Key performance indicators (KPIs) crucial for assessing the health and effectiveness of a DF operation, such as cancellation rate, expected ship date adherence, and delivery estimate accuracy.
Operational Challenges and Efficacy: An exploration of potential drawbacks and efficacy in adopting direct fulfillment, including Amazon's perspective on product categories and its impacts on DF recommendations.
Daily and Weekly DF Management: Julien outlines the daily and weekly responsibilities of managing DF, emphasizing the importance of updating inventory, processing orders, and reviewing performance metrics.
Amazon's Approach: How Amazon assesses and makes suggestions on product suitability for DF based on a variety of factors including category, average selling price, and speed sensitivity.

In this episode of the Ecommerce Brain Trust, Julie Spear, Head of Retail Marketplaces Services at Acadia, and Damiano Ciarrocchi, the Senior Retail Media Manager at Acadia and Head of the Retail Media Network Innovation team. They discuss the ins and outs of Ulta's retail media platform and what brands need to know to succeed in this unique beauty-focused marketplace.
Make sure you tune in to find out more!
In this episode, Julie and Damiano discuss: 
An overview of Ulta as a retail media marketplace dedicated to beauty products with both in-store and e-commerce presences.
The relative youth of Ulta’s platform compared to other marketplaces like Amazon and Walmart.
Challenges faced by brands, such as limited tools provided by Ulta for keyword research and competitive landscape analysis.
How brands can circumvent these limitations using third-party tools like Pacvue and Analytic Index.
Media Buying Strategies on Ulta
Options for buying media on Ulta, including self-service and managed services.
The partnership between Ulta and Criteo, including the campaign types available to advertisers.
Performance and Competition on Ulta
The current landscape shows low competition and promising results for brands advertising on Ulta.
How brands are achieving top-of-search positioning relatively easily compared to more saturated platforms.
Investment and Attribution in Ulta Advertising
Discussing meaningful media investment and attribution assessment on the Ulta channel
How to handle the complexities of advertising for a brand that has both an e-commerce and in-store presence
Ideal Candidates for Advertising on Ulta
Characteristics of brands that may benefit the most from advertising on Ulta.
Advising brands that should hold off on expanding to Ulta and the recommended trial period for testing the platform's effectiveness.
Damiano shares valuable insights on leveraging Ulta as a retail media network and the intricacies involved, offering a comprehensive look at what role this unique channel could play in a brand’s broader e-commerce strategy.