Clear the Shelf with Chris & Chris

Chris Grant & Chris Racic
  • 4.7 (15)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

The show that meets at the intersection of education and entertainment to discuss online arbitrage, retail arbitrage, wholesale, and all facets of selling on Amazon. We'll bring you news, tactics, strategies, insights, stories, and interviews to help you grow your Amazon business. Welcome to the show!

  1. 1D AGO

    Amazon Suspended Him. He Made $350K on Whatnot Instead

    He was doing $1.7M a year on Amazon wholesale. Then a counterfeit complaint got his account suspended for 180 days. Instead of folding, he pivoted to live selling on Whatnot and did $350K in under 10 months.Kip Roland (https://x.com/kip_roland) is one of the early movers in live selling on Whatnot and TikTok live auctions. He built nearly 37,000 followers, runs 3-5 hour live shows 6 days a week selling liquidation clothing at $1 starting bids, and is already top 15 in live generated revenue on TikTok after just two weeks on the platform. Today we're breaking down what live selling actually looks like as a business, how the economics compare to Amazon FBA, and whether this is something Amazon sellers should be paying attention to. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Meet Kip Roland: From Amazon Wholesale to Live Selling 02:14 - The Origin Story: Flipping Sneakers to Product Manager to Full-Time Seller 09:45 - The Amazon Suspension That Changed Everything 14:11 - "It Was Like Being Fired" (With a Newborn at Home) 19:11 - What Is Whatnot and Why Should Amazon Sellers Care?24:16 - First Shows Were Brutal: Building an Audience From Zero 27:07 - Selling 60 Items Per Hour: The Proof of Concept Moment 29:01 - The Psychology of Live Auctions (Sacrificial Lambs and FOMO) 33:01 - Why He Switched From Kitchen Appliances to Women's Clothing 40:29 - How the First 10 Minutes of a Live Show Actually Works 44:49 - Dollar Auctions: How Often Do You Sell at a Loss? 53:34 - Closing in on 40K Followers: How Whatnot Helps Sellers Grow 59:01 - TikTok Live Auctions: "This Is Whatnot Circa 2023" 01:06:00 - Why Live Selling Projections Are in the Trillions 01:11:38 - The Business Behind the Camera: Organization and Hiring 01:16:42 - "Liquidation Ruins Retail Forever" (Sourcing for Whatnot) 01:26:06 - Whatnot Academy: Sourcing, Selling, and Scaling Live 01:30:56 - Lightning Round: Would You Still Be on Whatnot Without the Suspension? GO DEEPER WITH OAC+ Want the full Keepa Academy training used by 7 and 8-figure sellers? It's included with OAC+, our private community of 200+ Amazon sellers. OAC+ includes: - Full Keepa Academy course - Sourcing courses and SOPs - Amazon to Amazon flip leads - Live coaching and Q&A - Suspension support Join OAC+: https://www.oachallenge.com/plus OA CHALLENGE LIVE - MARCH 2026 Join us for our next live cohort where we build your Amazon business together over 14 days. Learn more: https://www.oachallenge.com CONNECT WITH US Twitter: https://www.x.com/cleartheshelf Website: https://www.cleartheshelf.com Twitter: https://www.x.com/ChrisRacic Website: https://www.oaleads247.com

    1h 37m

  2. 3D AGO

    He Raised $1M on Friends' Credit Cards to Scale Amazon

    He crossed $10M in Amazon sales in 2025. Almost entirely online arbitrage. Just sourcing, scaling, and staying in stock.Stephen Reinhard (https://www.instagram.com/stephendoesbusiness/) started flipping Nike cleats at Ross in middle school for $20. By college, he was running a $75K/month retail arbitrage operation and flying home once a month just to shop. Today, he runs a lean OA business doing $3M+ in a single month with 12-15% net margins and a team of 7-8 VAs.In this episode, we break down how he treats online arbitrage like wholesale, why he thinks most Amazon AI tools are a waste of time, the $150K gift card mistake that almost slipped through, and the Q4 story where he raised $1M on friends' credit cards to keep scaling.TIMESTAMPS:00:00 - Intro00:35 - Meet Stephen Reinhard: $10M Amazon Seller02:33 - From $20 Cleats at Ross to $10M on Amazon06:06 - Why He Treats Online Arbitrage Like Wholesale09:20 - The Numbers: $3M+ in a Single Month11:46 - $464K in Sales from $6,700 in Ads (PPC Breakdown)13:42 - "OA Is a Video Game. I Just Get Dollars."15:48 - Buying Out Entire Websites to Block Competition18:26 - Do You Always Stay in Stock on Winners?21:36 - How He Lost $150K in Unreconciled Gift Cards24:44 - Building a VA Team That Runs Without You27:15 - The VA Who Begged to Learn and Became His Right Hand31:23 - How Many People Does It Take to Run $10M?35:46 - Why Most Amazon AI Tools Are a Waste of Time37:56 - Protecting Margins at Scale Behind Hard-Gated Brands40:46 - He Raised $1M on Friends' Credit Cards in Q444:35 - Lightning Round: Real Estate, Mentors, and What's NextGO DEEPER WITH OAC+Want the full Keepa Academy training used by 7 and 8-figure sellers? It's included with OAC+, our private community of 200+ Amazon sellers.OAC+ includes:- Full Keepa Academy course- Sourcing courses and SOPs- Amazon to Amazon flip leads- Live coaching and Q&A- Suspension supportJoin OAC+: https://www.oachallenge.com/plusOA CHALLENGE LIVE - MARCH 2026Join us for our next live cohort where we build your Amazon business together over 14 days.Learn more: https://www.oachallenge.comCONNECT WITH USTwitter: https://www.x.com/cleartheshelfWebsite: https://www.cleartheshelf.comTwitter: https://www.x.com/ChrisRacicWebsite: https://www.oaleads247.com

    51 min

  3. FEB 17

    He Used Amazon Profits to Buy a Bulldozer (Then Quit His Job)

    He closed 2025 at $844K in Amazon sales on roughly 10 hours a week. Then used those profits to buy a bulldozer, start a land clearing business, and quit his 20-year tech career. This is the full story.Justin Zsimovan (@flippin4gold) joins Clear the Shelf to break down exactly how he built a high-margin Amazon FBA business while working full-time, why he believes retail arbitrage is underrated, and what 20 years in enterprise AI taught him about where this industry is really headed.⏱️ TIMESTAMPS00:00 — Intro: From IT Security to Amazon FBA02:52 — Why Amazon? The Exit Plan from Tech06:37 — Failed Side Hustles Before Amazon Clicked08:10 — How His Wife Runs Most of the Amazon Business11:32 — $844K Revenue Breakdown: RA vs. OA Split13:53 — Zero RA Competition: The Small Town Advantage16:33 — "RA Isn't Scalable" — Why That's Wrong19:00 — The Lead Delay Strategy: Let Stores Hold Your Inventory20:02 — Hiring a VA Too Early (And Why She's Now Irreplaceable)22:53 — Manufacturing Margin: Gift Cards, Credit Cards, and Stacking Points28:29 — Using Grok to Model $10K → $100K/Month Growth31:19 — Amazon as a Launchpad, Not the End Goal34:48 — What's Actually Hard About Starting a "Real" Business39:33 — The Land Clearing Business: From LLC to $90K Bids44:12 — How to Pick a Business AI Can't Disrupt49:15 — The Scott Adams Ideation Framework53:29 — AI Doomer Perspective: Why He Left Tech55:37 — 99.9% of AI Tools on Amazon Twitter Are Junk58:00 — Data: What Sellers Should Record Starting Today01:01:09 — Use Case Engineering: Don't Boil the Ocean01:07:00 — How to Evaluate AI Tools (Open Claw, Claude Desktop)01:10:10 — AI Threatens OA More Than RA01:19:06 — Balancing a W2, Amazon, and a New Business01:21:44 — Managing Risk: The "Worst Case Is Bankruptcy" Mindset01:24:47 — The Escape Sequence: X → Amazon → Land Clearing → Freedom01:28:08 — Lightning Round: Start With Less Money Than More01:29:29 — Book Rec: "Cold Calling Sucks (And That's Why It Works)"01:32:55 — Quote of the Week: Walt Disney on Action Over Analysis🔗 FOLLOW JZ- X/Twitter: @flippin4goldGO DEEPER WITH OAC+Want the full Keepa Academy training used by 7 and 8-figure sellers? It's included with OAC+, our private community of 200+ Amazon sellers.OAC+ includes:- Full Keepa Academy course- Sourcing courses and SOPs- Amazon to Amazon flip leads- Live coaching and Q&A- Suspension supportJoin OAC+: https://www.oachallenge.com/plusOA CHALLENGE LIVE - MARCH 2026Join us for our next live cohort where we build your Amazon business together over 14 days.Learn more: https://www.oachallenge.comCONNECT WITH USTwitter: https://www.x.com/cleartheshelfWebsite: https://www.cleartheshelf.comTwitter: https://www.x.com/ChrisRacicWebsite: https://www.oaleads247.com

    1h 34m

  4. FEB 11

    Why 2026 Is the BEST Time to Sell on Amazon (Most Sellers Won't Like This)

    Is 2026 the best time to sell on Amazon? Is AI repricing the future of selling on Amazon? In this episode of the Clear the Shelf Podcast, we sit down with Dillon Carter, co-founder of the Aura Repricer to break down exactly how AI repricing works in 2026 — including the game theory engine behind Maven, Aura's AI-powered repricing tool.Grab an Aura Free Trial here: https://www.cleartheshelf.com/repricerDillon explains how Maven profiles competitor behavior in real time, calculates optimal pricing above the buy box, and helps Amazon FBA sellers improve margins without sacrificing sales velocity. We also cover why 2025 was a turning point for operational efficiency on Amazon, how sellers should think about cash flow cycles instead of profit-per-unit, and why the best Amazon sellers in 2026 are running companies instead of side hustles.If you're an Amazon FBA seller doing online arbitrage, retail arbitrage, or wholesale, this episode is packed with actionable strategies to improve your repricing, sourcing, and overall business operations. We also dive deep into how AI tools like Claude, Poke, and browser-based agents are already changing how sellers source products, analyze data, and make decisions.🔗 LINKS & RESOURCES:—————————————————🔁 Try Aura Repricer: https://www.cleartheshelf.com/repricer🎙️ Clear the Shelf Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4O00RWj2hg&list=PLPJ1CITeRS1F1w-T7ZZT7QnKQ027nHVht📩 Join the OAC+ Community: https://www.oachallenge.com/plus🐦 Follow Dillon on X/Twitter: https://x.com/Dillon_Carter📰 Subscribe to the CTS Newsletter: https://www.cleartheshelf.com/newsletter⏰ TIMESTAMPS:—————————————————0:00 — Intro & Dillon Carter's Background14:20 — How Maven's AI Repricing Actually Works (Game Theory Explained)28:40 — Regional Buy Boxes & Average Profit vs. Profit-Per-Sale45:30 — Operational Efficiency: Amazon's New Standard for Sellers56:40 — Aura's Starter Plan & Cash Flow Cycles for New Sellers70:00 — AI Tools Sellers Can Use RIGHT NOW (Claude, Co-Work, Agents)85:30 — The Future of AI Sourcing & Will VAs Be Replaced?101:30 — Cutting Through AI Hype & Power Consolidation110:45 — Worst Amazon Strategy: Switching Business Models118:20 — First Principles Thinking & SP-API Developer Fees128:45 — Rapid Fire: Best Tools, Habits, Books & Advice

    1h 44m

  5. FEB 3

    Kim & Perry's $9.75M Retail Arbitrage Amazon System Exposed

    Retail arbitrage on Amazon has allowed Kim and Perry Coghlan to sell over 8 figures in a single year selling shoes and clothing They manage a team of about 20 people across two cities while raising 13 kids. In this deep-dive interview, they reveal the exact systems, processes, and management philosophies that make it all work.CONNECT WITH KIM AND PERRY – Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@EcomToolbox – Free Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ecomtoolbox – Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ecomtoolbox1 – Skool: https://www.skool.com/ecomtoolbox/about?ref=4adcf73740e949279874c4793504807c – Twitter: https://x.com/Pcoghlan, https://x.com/kimcoghlan4, https://x.com/ecom_toolbox RECOMMENDED TOOLS – SellerAmp SAS (14-day free trial): https://www.selleramp.com/oachallenge Use code OAC50 to save 50% off your first month. – Keepa Academy: https://www.oachallenge.com/keepa-academy – Boxem (14-day free trial): https://www.oachallenge.com/boxemTIMESTAMPS 0:00 - Introduction and episode overview 2:15 - Kim and Perry's business overview (10 years, 8 figures, 20 employees) 4:30 - Shifting focus from top line revenue to bottom line profit 6:00 - Why employees wanted data and metrics 8:00 - Ecom Toolbox community and podcast launch 11:00 - Helping intermediate sellers scale sustainably 12:00 - The retail arbitrage renaissance 14:30 - Know your numbers: why financial foundations matter first 16:30 - Top metrics every Amazon seller should track 17:30 - Velocity and cash flow management 20:00 - Tracking stale inventory and learning from bad buys 23:00 - The business scorecard explained (EOS framework) 26:00 - Scorecard metrics: sales, spend, inventory value, margin 28:00 - Returns tracking and seasonal variations 31:00 - Finding the right tempo for tracking your numbers 33:00 - Using AI in their Amazon business 36:00 - Lean operations and spaghetti mapping explained 39:00 - Real examples of process improvement 41:00 - Bringing in a lean consultant for company-wide training 43:00 - The eight wastes and eliminating extra processing 44:00 - Mindset shift: accepting your process is wrong 47:00 - Being the boss you never had 49:00 - Elon Musk, staying in the weeds, and the Gemba 51:00 - Book recommendations (Walter Isaacson, Ron Chernow) 52:00 - Building systems through crisis response, not planning 55:00 - Complete hiring process and personality testing 59:00 - Phone screening, core values introduction, and filtering 1:01:00 - Shopper training program overview 1:04:00 - Warehouse training before field work 1:07:00 - What makes a shopper field-ready 1:09:00 - Compensation structure: item count vs percentage of spend 1:11:00 - Bonus structure and incentivizing profitable behavior 1:12:30 - Buying criteria for shoes and clothing (minimums, ROI) 1:15:00 - Subcategories to avoid (dress shoes, small sizes) 1:16:00 - Repricing strategy: buy box anchoring, not ROI-based 1:18:00 - The rodeo jeans revelation: market doesn't care what you paid 1:19:00 - Aging inventory repricing (30-day and 90-day rules) 1:22:00 - Using ScanPower Mobile for pricing decisions 1:23:30 - Holding inventory strategy and merchant fulfilled hack 1:26:00 - Supplier profitability report as backbone of shopper metrics 1:28:00 - Cross-collaboration and company averages 1:30:00 - Honey holes and competitive bonuses 1:31:00 - The four core values (TACO framework) 1:34:00 - Quarterly conversations and the people analyzer 1:36:00 - Embedding core values through repetition 1:37:00 - Importance of outside perspectives and continuous learning 1:39:00 - How lean and EOS clicked for them 1:40:00 - EOS as the administrative equivalent of lean 1:43:00 - Ecom Toolbox elevator pitch and who it's for 1:44:00 - Where to find Kim and Perry 1:45:30 - Time travel question: advice to their younger selves 1:48:00 - Setting boundaries and not letting the business consume you 1:48:30 - Recent impactful learning (Musk biography, learning to play)

    1h 54m

  6. 11/19/2025

    Avoid These Amazon FBA Account Health Mistakes

    Amazon FBA Account Health: What Sellers Get Wrong (IP Complaints, CSM Reviews, Inauthentic)➕ Join OAC+ - The premier community for Amazon sellers looking to grow their business and become better business owners: https://www.oachallenge.com/plus🔥 Grab a 14-day FREE Trial to SellerAmp (Profit calculator, sales estimator, and sourcing tool): https://www.selleramp.com/oachallenge📦 Want to speed up listing, shipping, and analytics? Check out Boxem free for 14 days: https://www.oachallenge.com/boxem💳 See our most recommended Credit Cards: https://cleartheshelf.com/creditcardYour Amazon account is ONE violation away from permanent deactivation. Joy Williams from Seller Basics reveals the account health mistakes costing sellers their businesses and exactly how to protect yourself.🔗 Seller Basics: https://sellerbasics.com📱 Join the Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/sellerbasics2.0 (free for all sellers)FOLLOW US: 🐦 Twitter (Chris Grant): https://twitter.com/cleartheshelf 🐦 Twitter (Chris Racic): https://twitter.com/ChrisRacic00:00 - Introduction: Why Account Health Matters More Than Sales08:15 - The #1 Mistake: Ignoring Your Account Health Dashboard15:42 - Section 3 Reviews: Required Documents & Video Call Prep24:30 - Supplier Red Flags (Avoid Scams)35:18 - Gray Market Goods42:50 - IP Complaints & Counterfeit Claims: Fight or Let It Drop?53:25 - Brand Registry Abuse: When Brands Weaponize Violations1:02:40 - Documentation Framework: Invoices, Receipts & Proof1:14:35 - Q4 Survival Guide: ODR & Merchant Fulfilled Disasters1:23:10 - Close vs. Delete Listings: The Critical Difference1:31:45 - Appeal Strategies: What Works (And What Gets You Banned)1:42:20 - Voice of Customer: The Most Underutilized Tool1:48:55 - Final Advice: Prevention Over Emergency Room Visits

    2h 14m

  7. 11/11/2025

    Amazon FBA Gift Card Strategy: Add 5-7% Profit Instantly

    How Amazon FBA sellers are adding 5-7% to their margins instantly using discount gift cards. Plus the credit card strategies that unlock $100K+ in 0% APR capital.➕ Join OAC+ - The premier community for Amazon sellers looking to grow their business and become better business owners: https://www.oachallenge.com/plus🔥 Grab a 14-day FREE Trial to SellerAmp (Profit calculator, sales estimator, and sourcing tool): https://www.selleramp.com/oachallenge📦 Want to speed up listing, shipping, and analytics? Check out Boxem free for 14 days: https://www.oachallenge.com/boxem💳 See our most recommended Credit Cards: https://cleartheshelf.com/creditcardTaylor Thomas from Arbitrage Card shares the exact systems top sellers use to maximize profits through gift card arbitrage, avoid the $3,000+ balance mistakes most sellers make, and leverage business credit cards for massive travel rewards and cash flow advantages.Check out Arbitrage Card here: https://arbitragecard.com/FOLLOW US: 🐦 Twitter (Chris Grant): https://twitter.com/cleartheshelf 🐦 Twitter (Chris Racic): https://twitter.com/ChrisRacic--------------------TIMESTAMPS0:00 - Introduction: Gift Cards & Credit Card Strategies for Amazon FBA8:45 - How Discount Gift Cards Add 5-7% to Your Margins Instantly15:32 - Gift Card 101: Overcoming Complexity and Managing Balances23:12 - The $3,000 Mistake: Hidden Gift Card Balances Hurt Your Profit31:45 - Advanced Gift Card Strategy: Custom Amounts & Chrome Extension47:30 - Credit Card Hacking: How I Got $142K in 0% APR Capital1:02:15 - The Incognito Method: 200K Point Bonuses on Amex Cards1:18:45 - Credit Limit Reallocation Strategy Explained1:28:30 - Travel Hacking for Amazon Sellers: Maximizing Point Redemptions1:42:18 - Stacking Discounts: The 5-Layer Profit System1:48:50 - Common Credit Card Mistakes That Destroy Your Score1:54:35 - Best Zero Percent APR Cards for Amazon Sellers2:03:40 - Final Recommendations & Where to Learn More

    1h 53m

  8. 09/07/2025

    How Ryan Makes $166K/mo with Amazon Online Arbitrage in 20 Hours Per Week

    Learn how Ryan makes $2M a year with online arbitrage on Amazon in just 20 hours per week. ➕ Join OAC+ - The premier community for Amazon sellers looking to grow their business and become better business owners: https://www.oachallenge.com/plus 🔥 Grab a 14-day FREE Trial to SellerAmp (Profit calculator, sales estimator, and sourcing tool): https://www.selleramp.com/oachallenge 📦 Want to speed up listing, shipping, and analytics? Check out Boxem free for 14 days: https://www.oachallenge.com/boxem Ryan shares his complete transition from retail arbitrage to online arbitrage, revealing his replenishment-heavy strategy (85% of business), prep center setup, and the systems that gave him his life back. Learn how he manages $150K in inventory, uses lead lists effectively, and maintains 20% minimum ROI while prioritizing velocity over margins. Perfect for intermediate to advanced Amazon FBA sellers ready to scale their online arbitrage business systematically. CONNECT WITH RYAN: X: @ArbitrageLife | Instagram: @RyanKimuraFBA -------------------- RESOURCES FOR YOU: 🧰 https://www.ClearTheShelf.com (The Blog) 🧰 Keepa Academy - https://www.oachallenge.com/keepa-academy 🧰 OA Challenge - https://www.OAChallenge.com 🧰 Repricer Challenge (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/repricer-challenge 🧰 RabbitTrailChallenge (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/rabbit-trail-challenge 🧰 revROI Chrome Extension (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/revroi-extension 🧰 Goal Tracking Spreadsheet (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/goal-tracking SOFTWARE & SERVICES I USE & RECOMMEND: ✅ IP Alert (Code YT30 to Save $30) - https://entreresource.com/ip-alert-2/ ✅ AURA Repricer (Code CTS to Save 20% Off Your First 3 Months) - https://goaura.com/cts ✅ OA Buddy (Code CLEARTHESHELF Saves $20): https://cleartheshelf.com/OA-Buddy FOLLOW US: 🐦 Twitter (Chris Grant): https://twitter.com/cleartheshelf 🐦 Twitter (Chris Racic): https://twitter.com/ChrisRacic -------------------- [00:00] Introduction: Meet Ryan Kimura [02:37] From Restaurant Owner to Amazon FBA Seller [06:44] The Transition: Retail Arbitrage to Online Arbitrage [14:28] Lead Lists Strategy [24:26] Building a Replenishment-Heavy Business [42:48] Credit Card Rotation Strategy for Cash Flow [49:08] Cash Flow Management [56:39] Scaling Advice

    1h 4m
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4.7
out of 5
15 Ratings

About

The show that meets at the intersection of education and entertainment to discuss online arbitrage, retail arbitrage, wholesale, and all facets of selling on Amazon. We'll bring you news, tactics, strategies, insights, stories, and interviews to help you grow your Amazon business. Welcome to the show!

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