Ecommerce Braintrust

Welcome to another episode of The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast hosted by Acadia’s Director of Retail Operations, Jordan Ripley.

Today, we are joined by two of Acadia’s resident experts: Julian Galindo, Senior Account Manager, who oversees brand strategy for some of our most prominent client partners, and Laurie Tovo, a key member of our media team with a passion for integrating branding into comprehensive media strategies on Amazon.

We’ll be exploring a topic that, while not new, has become increasingly important over the years: To what extent should Amazon be viewed as a branding channel versus a performance-driven sales channel?

An exciting discussion - tune in to find out more!

KEY TAKEAWAYS

In this episode, Jordan, Julian, and Lauren discuss:

• Why Amazon is transitioning from being purely a sales channel to a significant branding channel.

• Historical perspective on Amazon's evolution and the increasing importance of branding.

• Challenges and insights on balancing lower funnel metrics like ROAS and conversion rates with upper funnel brand-building activities.

• The importance of understanding the full story beyond performance metrics.

• Strategies for ensuring brand cohesion across multiple platforms, particularly Amazon.

• The importance of repurposing assets and developing Amazon-specific creative content.

• The evolving role of visual content in media campaigns on Amazon.

• How existing content can be repurposed effectively for Amazon.

• Leveraging new metrics and brand analytics for improved customer segment targeting.

• Using this data to inform product launches and brand strategies.

• Early experiences and potential of Amazon's new AI-driven creative tools.

• Predictions on the future role of AI in creating branded content on Amazon.

• Specific tactics like brand-tailored promos to engage different customer segments.

• Insights into interactive and personalized content options like premium A+ content.

• Exciting new developments in Amazon's branding tools and metrics.

• Predictions and expectations for the future of branding on Amazon.

Welcome to another episode of The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast hosted by Acadia’s Head of Retail Marketplaces Services Julie Spear.

We’re joined by two of our favorite podcast guests - Chris Perry and Oskar Kaszubski of firstmovr. 

In this episode, we’re sharing some key takeaways from the report they released earlier this year that represents a guide to something they’re calling “Omnicategory Captaincy.” 

Sounds interesting? Tune in to find out more.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

In this episode, Julie, Chris, and Oskar discuss:

• Introduction to Omni-Category Captaincy: Chris and Oskar introduce their innovative report on omni-category captaincy, transforming traditional category management by integrating multiple channels, both online and offline.

• Key Pirate-Themed Criteria for Success: The report's pirate motif brings a creative flair to critical success elements:

• Tight Ship: Day-to-day excellence.

• Pirate Code: Establishing a joint business plan (JBP) and routines.

• Compass: Industry thought leadership.

• Fair Winds: Traffic and demand generation.

• Bounty: Incremental growth.

• Treasure Island: Data sharing and utilization of data cleanrooms.

• Map: Online category navigation.

• Fly the Colors: Enhancing user experience and shopper journey.

• Insights from the Digital Shelf Institute event and upcoming plans for a dedicated captaincy event and podcast.

• The critical need for brands to avoid complacency and continuously innovate to maintain market share.

• Addressing the gap between recognizing individual actions and integrating them holistically for true category captaincy.

• Overcoming resistance in C-suites to the critical role of digital content, especially in light of inflation and shifting consumer preferences.

• Detailed audits and the importance of optimizing the shopper experience—learn from mistakes and improvements seen with major retailers like Walmart and Kroger.

• Leveraging partnerships and thought leadership to demonstrate commitment and drive mutual benefits.

Welcome to another episode of The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast hosted by Acadia’s Head of Retail Marketplaces Services Julie Spear and Director of Retail Operations, Jordan Ripley.

We’re joined by two great guests today: Lauren Livak Gilbert, Executive Director of the Digital Shelf Institute, and Nate Pinkston, Head of Growth at Microsoft’s Retail Media division. 

In this episode, we’re focusing on the key takeaways from the report they released earlier this year, which represents a guide to the evolving landscape of Joint Business Planning.

Tune in to get an insider’s take on who, when, and how the most successful brands approach the JBP process across various retailers.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

In this episode, Julie, Lauren, Nate, and Jordan discuss:

• Explanation of JBP and its critical role in brand-retailer relationships.

• Comparison of JBP processes among different retailers (Amazon, Walmart).

• JBP Lite: Less detailed, often used by smaller brands or those with weaker retailer relations.

• Omnichannel JBP: Integrates all sales channels and stakeholder inputs for holistic collaboration.

• Issues stemming from having separate JBPs for retail media and marketing.

• Importance of integrating retail media into the JBP process.

• Nate Pinkston's emphasis on retail media budgeting and its role in sales.

• Cross-Departmental Collaboration: Need for the involvement of finance and other departments from the start.

• Recommendations for effective stakeholder engagement and process improvements.

• Lauren Livak's advice to start JBP preparations six months in advance.

• Continuous monitoring and revisiting of JBPs throughout the year.

• Recommendations for Brands: Integration of finance for comprehensive planning.

• Clear communication and defined roles among stakeholders.

• Transparency and data sharing between brands and retailers.

• Involvement of sales, marketing, e-commerce, procurement, finance, and supply chain in JBP.

• Importance of sharing growth goals, feedback, and maintaining open communication channels.

• Recap of the importance of coordinated, omnichannel approaches to JBP.

• Final thoughts on avoiding organizational silos and ensuring transparency for mutual success.

Welcome to another episode of The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast hosted by Acadia’s Head of Retail Marketplaces Services Julie Spear and Director of Retail Operations, Jordan Ripley.

Today we’re joined by a friend of the show and a frequent guest: Russ Dieringer of Stratably, a research firm providing unbiased insights on how to do better business with Amazon and its peers. 

We’ll be diving into launching products on Amazon - something many claim to have a secret sauce around, but a topic we haven’t seen holistic industry research on. 

Make sure you tune in to find out more!

KEY TAKEAWAYS

In this episode, Julie, Russ, and Jordan discuss:

• 1P vs. 3P Brands on Amazon: The nimbleness and product innovation advantage of 3P brands.

• 25% of brands use Amazon as a launching pad for new products, adopting a "test and learn" approach.

• Many launches on Amazon are dictated by timing issues rather than strategy.

• Tactical aspects like SEO, PDP development, and inventory planning.

• Emphasis on case studies to demonstrate the impact of well-executed launches.

• Seasonality and Launch Timing: Insight on launching seasonal products 6 months in advance of peak season.

• Using Amazon's event calendar for strategic planning.

• Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC): low adoption of AMC tools.

• Potential benefits like advanced targeting, audience creation, and quicker market entry when AMC is used effectively.

• The complexity of product launches within large organizations and strategies for better coordination.

• Insights into the typical timeline for reaching baseline sales post-launch.

• Media Strategy and Ad Spend: Higher average ad spend for new products and the balance between ad efficiency and speed-to-sales.

• Importance of upper funnel support for product visibility and sales propulsion.

• The critical role of leaders in Amazon initiatives and the necessity of cross-department collaboration for successful launches.

Welcome to another episode of The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast hosted by Acadia’s Head of Retail Marketplaces Services Julie Spear and Director of Retail Operations, Jordan Ripley.

Today we’re joined by Neha Shah, who most recently oversaw the eCommerce Organic Acceleration team at Kenvue and is now a free agent. Before that, Neha spent 17 years at Johnson & Johnson as a Senior Manager overseeing Omnichannel Excellence and Shopper Marketing. 

This episode is all about the role of organic marketing in sustainable brand growth - both on Amazon and across other retail channels. 

Make sure you tune in to find out more!

Disclaimer: Neha's viewpoints in this podcast episode are separate from her work at Kenvue. These represent her personal opinions and beliefs on the industry.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

In this episode, Julie, Neha, and Jordan discuss:

• The Role of Organic Marketing

• Organic marketing's often overlooked potential in driving sustainable brand growth.

• Importance of organic growth in providing cost efficiencies and building brand trust and equity.

• The common oversight of organic efforts due to the immediate results offered by paid advertising.

• Organic growth as a long-term strategy that complements paid efforts.

• Strategies and activities for organic growth, such as keyword and content optimization.

• Measuring organic success through metrics like revenue, share, average order value, traffic conversion, and organic search rank.

• The need for a cross-functional team including paid, organic, and shopper leads.

• Importance of collaboration and adaptability within the team.

• Leveraging both internal and external resources for technology and data insights.

• Future Trends to Watch: Rise of social commerce and new marketplaces.

• Evolution of omnichannel strategies.

• Impact of AI in areas ranging from content to supply chain operations.

• What's Next for Neha Shah

Welcome to another episode of The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast hosted by Acadia’s Head of Retail Marketplaces Services Julie Spear.

Today, we are joined by two special guests: Paul Sonneveld, CEO & Co-Founder of MerchantSpring, and Acadia’s Director of Retail Operations, Jordan Ripley.

We’re diving into the complex decisions behind building vs buying software at an agency and SaaS company, using customer feedback to shape what you deliver to the market, and where we see the industry headed in this multichannel e-commerce world. 

Make sure you tune in to find out more!

KEY TAKEAWAYS

In this episode, Julie, Paul, and Jordan discuss:

• Origins and evolution of MerchantSpring: from an in-house tool for managing multiple e-commerce platforms like Amazon and eBay to a shift towards SaaS for agencies.

• Multi-channel support and feature parity across different platforms.

• Specific focus on agency needs and saving customers' time by providing a unified interface.

• Balancing between roadmap developments and quality of life improvements.

• Core focus areas: feature parity, profitability, and retail media support using agile methodology.

• Importance of customer lifetime value and sourcing share analysis.

• Challenges of overinvesting in features like eBay item specifics, driven by local market demands but limited broader interest.

• The evolution of the company’s approach to idea generation based on client feedback.

• Future developments include enhancing retail media, profitability analysis, and expanding into Southeast Asia and Japan.

• Homogenizing retail data across various channels.

• Advantages and strategies for early considerations of data homogenization.

• Exploration of clean room developments to unify client data.

• Future updates and developments to look forward to from MerchantSpring.

Welcome to another episode of The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast hosted by Acadia’s Head of Retail Marketplaces Services Julie Spear.

In today's episode, we have two special guests that Julie had the privilege of joining for a discussion panel at eTail East in Boston: Ash McMullen, Head of E-commerce at Advantice, and Stephanie Grubert, Director of E-commerce Sales at Torani. 

Together, we'll dive into the topic of “tentpole events” and how brands plan, execute, and build their e-commerce strategies around these major shopping events.

Make sure you tune in to find out more!

KEY TAKEAWAYS

In this episode, Julie, Ash, and Stephanie discuss:

• The necessity of strong client-agency relationships and thorough preparations, including scenario planning, tool implementation, and automated rules.

• Importance of monitoring user experiences, conducting real-time sales checks, and managing unexpected issues with calmness.

• Managing stress and staying calm during the execution phase.

• Real-time analysis and adaptation based on competitor strategies.

• Utilizing limited real-time sales checks to avoid overreactions.

• Understanding the purchase cycle and defining success metrics for different product types.

• Importance of pre-defining success measurements.

• Goals such as new-to-brand growth and repeat purchasers.

• Key metrics like added-to-carts, retargeting consumers, and buy cycles on Amazon.

• Tentpole Event Planning: Months of detailed planning involving finance, supply chain, sales, and marketing teams.

• Execution requires about two days, followed by approximately two weeks of reporting.

• Importance of education, alignment, and early communication to avoid challenges.

• Suggestion to define success with one or two key performance indicators (KPIs), focusing on traffic and glance views.

• Driving down ROAS for a bigger goal.

• Unique promotional event ideas to create consumer urgency and introduce new products.

Welcome to another episode of The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast hosted by Acadia’s Head of Retail Marketplaces Services Julie Spear.

Today, we have two exceptional guests: Scott Ohsman, VP of Digital Commerce at Quickfire, and Ken Beemer, Director of Retail Client Growth at Acadia. 

We’ll be diving into Amazon’s growing investments in live sports and media content, its impact on advertising, and what it means for brands and consumers alike.

Make sure you tune in to find out more!

KEY TAKEAWAYS

In this episode, Julie, Scott, and Ken discuss:

- Sports broadcasts, ads, and watching live games.

- Amazon Prime is a vortex for drawing consumers into its ecosystem.

- Investments in live sports aim to increase audience reach and draw manufacturers and brands to sell on Amazon.

- Amazon's massive first-party data offers unparalleled advertising and sponsorship opportunities.

- Live sports could boost Amazon Prime sign-ups and leverage content for retention.

- Amazon’s scale allows for significant brand advertising with trackable results.

- Amazon's investments, including Thursday Night Football and NBA rights.

- The role of partnerships with entities like Dude Perfect to target younger demographics.

- The need for a new mindset regarding Amazon advertising.

- Full-funnel marketing and evolving metrics over the next three years.

- Testing new opportunities on connected TV.

- Sports broadcasting’s evolution from major networks to tech players like Amazon.

- Legacy deals and the transformative role of tech giants.

Welcome to another episode of The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast hosted by Acadia’s Head of Retail Marketplaces Services Julie Spear.

In this episode, we’re joined by Tyler Dixon, E-commerce Manager at water bottle company Reduce. 

We’re diving into Tyler's background and his leading role at Reduce, the brand's transition from a 2P reseller model to a 3P seller model on Amazon, and the key trends he's observing in the industry.

Make sure you tune in to find out more!

KEY TAKEAWAYS

In this episode, Julie and Tyler discuss:

- Tyler's broad experience across sales, account management, finance, and e-commerce has helped him connect cross-functional teams and bring creative ideas to his current role

- When evaluating 2P vs 3P selling models on Amazon, brands need to carefully consider what will help remove obstacles and achieve goals, and get full leadership buy-in on the transition

- The transition from 2P to 3P should not be rushed - take time to plan it out, get functional support, and find the right agency partner

- Differentiating your brand and building brand equity on Amazon is more important than ever

- Reduce is paying attention to trends like hydration bottles becoming fashion accessories, and developments in Amazon's fulfillment programs and services for brands

Welcome to another episode of The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast hosted by Acadia’s Head of Retail Marketplaces Services Julie Spear.

Today, we're thrilled to have Scott Fulton, Director of Sales and Marketing at Sun Bulb, join us.

In this episode, Scott shares his journey to overseeing Sales and Marketing at an industry-leading gardening company. We delve into how he evaluates and grows newer channels in a long-standing business, along with some valuable gardening tips.

Get ready to uncover insights about Sun Bulb’s impressive product portfolio and their strategic shift into e-commerce.

In this episode, Julie and Scott discuss:

• Gardening tips from Scott, especially caring for orchids.

• Scott’s career transition from a CPA to his current role in Sales and Marketing at Sun Bulb.

• How his accounting background aids his role in understanding costing, profitability, and enhancing sales strategies.

• Overview of Sun Bulb’s major brands: Better-Gro, Dynamite, and Shurich.

• Unique features and market positions of these brands, including endorsements and innovative products like time-release fertilizers and durable indoor pots.

• The Impact of COVID-19: Sun Bulb’s record sales during the pandemic due to increased consumer interest in home improvement and gardening.

• Strategies that led to sustained growth through subsequent years.

• E-commerce Strategy: Approaching B2C sales without conflicting with established brick-and-mortar relationships.

• The role of Amazon in Sun Bulb’s e-commerce growth and strategies for differentiation.

• Future Plans: Launching live plants on Amazon and the benefits of providing more detailed product information.

• Direct-to-consumer fulfillment logistics for live plants.