The Ecomcrew Ecommerce Podcast

Mike Jackness and Dave Bryant | eCommerce, Shopify, and Amazon FBA Experts
The Ecomcrew Ecommerce Podcast

An eCommerce podcast for store owners, hosted by 7-figure store owners Mike Jackness and Dave Bryant. We cover everything in eCommerce from Shopify, to Amazon FBA. From email marketing, to Facebook Ads. Never before has there been a podcast with store owners who are so candid. Subscribe to the Ecomcrew podcast today!

  1. NOV 18

    E577: What The Next 10 Years of Amazon FBA Will Look Like

    Mike is joined by Bill D'Alessandro in today's episode where they reflect on their decade-long journey in e-commerce, discussing where ecommerce was, where the industry currently is, and the scary direction that it's moving forward on. They also talk about the big picture, and how to succeed in the next decade if you're choosing to stay in the industry.    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! This Black Friday, we'll be having the biggest deal of the year on our Develop a Profitable Product course + Advanced Amazon Market course + an amazing discount AND a big bonus for those who signup for the waitlist here. Sign up now!  The Big Takeaway Restructuring your business can lead to significant cost savings if Amazon's been eating away at your profit margins.  Competition in e-commerce is now global. You're not competing against local businesses when selling items online - you have to stand out against the best of the best.  Getting your inventory perfect has always been a big problem for e-commerce businesses. Growing e-commerce businesses can be capital intensive. To grow and scale, you need more capital than you have in most cases.  To continue to succeed in e-commerce, you'll need a defensible moat like strong branding, regulatory compliances or intellectual property that can help protect against international competition.  Last but not least: If you want to succeed, you have to put yourself in a place of discomfort.  Timestamps 00:00 - Navigating Business Restructuring 02:54 - Reflecting on E-commerce Evolution 06:41 - The Competitive Landscape of E-commerce 10:58 - The Power Shift: Platforms vs. Sellers 14:39 - Challenges of Inventory Management 22:10 - Future Trends in E-commerce 27:01 - Building a Sustainable E-commerce Business 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!

    33 min
  2. NOV 11

    E576: The Impact of Donald Trump's Administration on E-Commerce

    In this episode, Dave talks about the potential impacts of Donald Trump's presidency on e-commerce, focusing on tariffs, currency fluctuations, and whether big tech companies like Amazon will still be under scrutiny from FTC.  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! Sign up to get early access a special bonus offer for our BFCM Deal. We'll be having the biggest deal of the year on our Develop a Profitable Product course + Advanced Amazon Market course + an amazing discount AND a big bonus for those who signup for the waitlist here. Takeaways Trump's presidency will almost 100% signify a tariff on all international imports. Companies will have no choice but to either increase their prices, absorb the cost, or to look at sourcing locally. Other than that, expect higher freight costs in the near term. Almost everyone will be placing more orders before tariffs are implemented, which will spike up freight costs. Big tech will certainly be affected too. Trump's stance on TikTok has softened. Amazon and Trump have a rough relationship, and its unlikely that Trump will ease their FTC issues. Chapters 00:00 - The Impact of Trump's Presidency on E-Commerce 10:10 - Tariffs and Their Implications for E-Commerce 14:27 - Currency Fluctuations and Economic Strategies 18:15 - Big Tech and E-Commerce Dynamics 20:24 - Digital Taxes and Global Trade Relations 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!

    22 min
  3. NOV 4

    E575: Amazon Collected 19% More In This Fee in Q3

    Dave discusses Amazon's Q3 2024 earnings report, how much their revenue has grown in advertising, third party seller fees, and retail, and what this means for third-party sellers. He delves into Amazon's revenue streams, particularly focusing on the surge in advertising fees, the relatively stable growth of FBA fees, and the overall impact on sellers in the e-commerce space.    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 Amazon's Q3 earnings report shows a 19% increase in advertising revenue. FBA fees growth was only 10%, indicating stability for sellers. Online store revenue increased by 8%, a positive sign for Amazon's growth. The surge in advertising costs is outpacing retail sales growth 2x. Placement fees may not be as damaging as initially thought. Amazon's stock price rose by 6% following the earnings report. The growth rate of advertising revenue is the lowest in four years.   Timestamps 00:00 Amazon's Q3 Earnings Overview 05:03 Advertising Revenue Surge 09:52 FBA Fees and Seller Services 15:05 Implications for Third-Party Sellers   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!

    18 min
  4. OCT 28

    E574: The Billion Dollar Ghost Companies of Amazon

    In this Halloween special, Dave delves into the billion-dollar ghost companies on Amazon —businesses that have years of history, millions in revenue while being mysteriously hard to track outside the platform. We take a look at who the billion dollar ghost companies of Amazon are, how they exist, why they exist, and Dave even dives into trying to figure out the true identities of some of these ghost companies of Amazon.   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 Some Amazon sellers who are doing millions in yearly revenue are surprisingly very hard to track. We call these "Ghost Companies".  A lot of these "ghost companies" operate as resellers with no easily identifiable presence. The registered addresses of these companies often lead to notary publics, PO boxes, or shared office spaces. These resellers sometimes wish to avoid public contact information to limit customer inquiries and warranty claims. The culture of secrecy in e-commerce is likely to persist, with more ghost companies emerging.   Timestamps 00:00 The Billion Dollar Ghost Companies of Amazon 08:18 Understanding the Secrecy of Resellers 18:13 The Gray Market and Its Implications 23:30 The Culture of Secrecy Among Amazon Sellers   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!

    25 min
  5. OCT 21

    E573: What To Do When Your Amazon Biz Is In Trouble

    Dave is back for a solo podcast episode to discuss the things you can do when your Amazon business is in trouble. He opens up about the challenges that he's personally facing with 2 e-commerce brands, and what he did to bring up profitability despite revenue going down 10%-50%.    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!   2024 was one of the hardest years of selling on Amazon. Between Google SEO updates and Amazon's fee increases, a lot of sellers have been pushed to their breaking point.    While things may seem bleak, the good will almost always come back around.    But how do you stay afloat while things are in the gutter?    In this episode, Dave talks about the few ways you can save your business that don't include selling your business at a loss.    Takeaways Many e-commerce businesses are facing financial difficulties, not just you.  Laying off employees can be a necessary but difficult decision to keep your business afloat. Solopreneurs can also consider reducing their salaries during tough times. Cutting advertising costs can help improve financial health. Managing inventory effectively is crucial for cash flow. Shopping around for 3PL providers can lead to significant cost savings. Reviewing SaaS subscriptions can uncover unnecessary expenses. Chapters 00:00 - Facing Financial Difficulties in E-commerce 03:11 - Navigating Declines in Revenue and Traffic 06:02 - Making Tough Decisions: Layoffs and Cost-Cutting 08:55 - Strategies for Solopreneurs in Financial Trouble 11:46 - Trimming the Fat: Advertising and Inventory Management 15:04 - Optimizing Cash Flow and Reducing Overhead Costs 17:56 - Reevaluating Business Strategies for Recovery 20:54 - Embracing Change and Moving Forward   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!

    25 min
  6. OCT 14

    E572: AI vs. Traditional Sellers - How Fast the Gap Is Growing

    Julian Timings from Autron.ai discusses if old Amazon PPC strategies still work in 2024, how video advertising is still profitable, and whether off-Amazon advertising is still worth it. He shares some of the trends that he's seeing in Autron about optimizing campaigns, the average TACOs, and how Autron works to provide PPC management to those without budget, time or expertise. The Big Takeaways of Today's Episode Amazon ad costs have been increasing significantly. Video advertising can be a great ROI for sellers, especially if the creative aspect is locked down. Off-Amazon advertising isn't very profitable - the general trend is that after some time, it isn't worth it. TACoS between 10-15% is more of an exception than a rule. PPC influences organic rankings somewhat because Amazon rewards sales velocity. Episode Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction to E-commerce and PPC Strategies 01:58 - Julian's Background and How He Transitioned to Amazon 03:21 - Emerging Trends in Amazon PPC 04:41 - The Importance of Video Advertising 06:58 - Off-Amazon Advertising Insights 09:47 - Identifying New Sales Opportunities for Growth 11:30 - Optimizing Campaign Goals with Autron 13:29 - Campaign Structure and Management Strategies 16:48 - Long-Tail Keywords and Campaign Optimization 18:33 - Targeting Strategies and Keyword Management 19:54 - Understanding TACOS and Profitability 21:47 - The Influence of Advertising on Organic Rankings 23:10 - Autron's Unique Approach to PPC Management 25:58 - Future of AI in Advertising 27:48 - Pricing Model and Customer Alignment 29:11 - Ideal Customer Profile for Autron 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!

    31 min
  7. OCT 7

    E571: Why I Sold Icewraps - Part 2

    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!

    37 min
4.5
out of 5
297 Ratings

About

An eCommerce podcast for store owners, hosted by 7-figure store owners Mike Jackness and Dave Bryant. We cover everything in eCommerce from Shopify, to Amazon FBA. From email marketing, to Facebook Ads. Never before has there been a podcast with store owners who are so candid. Subscribe to the Ecomcrew podcast today!

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