Most Amazon sellers brag about revenue. But revenue doesn’t pay the bills… profit does. 

David Schomer, co-host of the Firing the Man podcast, breaks down what it really takes to build a sustainable Amazon business. From managing TACoS and uncovering hidden Amazon fees to choosing the right products and using accrual-based accounting, he shares hard-earned lessons from his own journey. David explains why most sellers misunderstand profit, the overlooked costs that cut into margins, and the product strategies that actually work in 2025.

✅Why profitability (not revenue) is the real measure of success
✅The difference between cash vs accrual accounting for Amazon sellers
✅How to calculate and manage TACoS (Total Advertising Cost of Sale)
✅The hidden Amazon fees (AFCoS) that erode margins and how to track them
✅Product strategies for choosing higher-ticket and oversized items that scale profitably
 

[00:00] Profitability Over Revenue. Why Amazon is getting harder and how to stay profitable.

[02:17] Cash vs. Accrual Explained: How inventory hits P&L versus the balance sheet.

[05:00] Your Financials Are a Report Card. Why treating Amazon like a real business matters.

[06:03] Using 4x landed cost and 30% margins to set yourself up right.

[06:58] TACoS Over ACOS: The ad metric that reveals if your sales are truly profitable.

[10:18] Amazon as a Media Company: Why PPC is now required to compete.

[11:10] Higher-Priced Products Win: How $50–$200 items create faster profitability.

[12:09] Oversized Products Pay Off: Why heavy, difficult-to-ship items are hidden gems.

[17:39] Cut the Duds: How dropping underperforming SKUs can boost account health.

[20:29] Customer expectations have changed.

[26:15] Launch, Then Refine: Use customer feedback to improve on the second order.

[29:18] AFCoS Uncovered: The hidden Amazon fees most sellers overlook.

[33:08] Benchmarks That Matter: What healthy AFCoS percentages look like.

[36:13] Final Advice: Just get started and stay committed to the process.

🚀  Guest: David Schomer 

Website: firingtheman.com

Podcast: Firing the Man (available on all major platforms)
 

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