Human in the Loop

By TeikametricsBusiness

Human in the Loop episodes

March 13, 2024Sud Scrub Sensation: TikTok's Shower Power Product Goes Viral
A large majority of the sellers listening to this podcast are already selling on Amazon and/or Walmart… but what about TikTok?
What does it look like to sell and grow your brand on TikTok today?
What about starting your brand on TikTok, going viral, and then expanding into Amazon and Walmart second?
In this conversation, the founders of Sud Scrub, Steven and Ray, discuss the beginning of the Sud Scrub brand, how they leveraged TikTok to go viral and skyrocket sales, and how it all lead to the incredible growth of a shower scrub.
Overall, the story behind Steven and Ray highlights the power of social media in driving awareness and sales for a business, just how much power and influence TikTok has in a core group of untapped buyers, and what potential sits waiting for sellers and content creators to grow with.
This is one of our best conversations to-date. I highly suggest you take a look at the Sud Scrub TikTok channel for inspiration: https://www.tiktok.com/@sudscrubAs always, thanks so much for joining us on HITL, and follow us on social media to keep up with the latest and greatest clips from the show!
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hitlpodcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hitlpodcast/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCihXYbJckEDqaaLg3l1fuNw

Chapters
00:00 Introduction and the Beginning of Sudscrub
05:26 The Creation of the First Sud Scrub
07:43 Launching Sud Scrub to Crickets
09:59 Discovering TikTok as a Marketing Platform
16:17 The Mentality of Creating Content
19:51 The Shift in Approach After Going Viral
23:09 Sud Scrub and the Role of TikTok Shops
25:51 The Shift from Doing Everything to Building a Team
30:38 The Future of E-commerce and TikTok
31:39 The Future of Sudscrub
41:08 Advice for Starting a Product-based Business on TikTok

Takeaways
Utilizing TikTok as a marketing platform can help drive awareness and sales for a business.

Consistently creating content and engaging with the audience is key to building a community and growing a brand.

Being transparent and authentic in your content can help establish trust with customers.

Building a team and delegating tasks is essential for scaling a business and freeing up time for strategic growth. TikTok and content marketing can be powerful tools for promoting products and driving sales.

Over-communication with customers is essential for building loyalty and addressing any issues or delays.

The future of e-commerce involves the integration of content and commerce, where both are necessary for success.

Expanding product offerings requires careful consideration, and retail may not always be the best option.

When starting a product-based business on TikTok, it is important to have a well-developed idea and consider patent protection.

Dealing with counterfeit products requires educating consumers and protecting your brand.

Persistence and dedication are key to overcoming challenges and achieving success in the e-commerce industry.
55 min
February 28, 2024Benchmark Blitz: Today's Biggest Trends on Amazon and Walmart
The first of our first recurring series, Benchmark Blitz explores the most essential trends and changes happening on two of the world’s largest marketplaces - Amazon and Walmart.
Episodes from this series will help you understand how Amazon and Walmart are changing; How seller strategy is shifting, how buyer behavior is changing, how the economy is altering both marketplaces, and ultimately what trends you need to be aware of as an advertiser and seller.
This is our most data-focused episode and largely speaks to current sellers on either marketplace.

Chapters
00:00 - Introduction to Benchmark Blitz
02:17 - Efficiency Comparison: Amazon vs. Walmart
07:02 - Competition and CPCs: Amazon vs. Walmart
11:26 - Sales Per Click and Conversion Rate: Amazon vs. Walmart
16:21 - Average Order Value: Amazon vs. Walmart
20:28 - Buyer Behavior and The Economy: Amazon vs. Walmart
25:23 - Efficiency and CPCs: Amazon
28:35 - Sales per Click and AOV: Amazon
31:11 - Efficiency and CPCs: Walmart
34:57 - Sales per Click and AOV: Walmart
38:17 - CPCs: Amazon
43:12 - Consumer Behavior: Amazon
46:26 - Conclusion: Predicting the Future of Ecommerce

Key Takeaways:
Amazon vs Walmart:
Efficiency Comparison (ROAS): Walmart exhibited strong efficiency over Amazon in 2022, but the efficiency gains began to decrease in 2023, indicating increased competition and growth on Walmart.
CPC Trends: Amazon and Walmart are both increasing in saturation and competition. Cost-Per-Click (CPC) for both Amazon and Walmart increased each quarter in 2023, with Walmart's CPC steadily rising.
Walmart seems to show great efficiency despite increasing CPCs. Walmart displays better returns on clicks than Amazon in some cases.

Conversion Rate and AOV:** Walmart's conversion rate is higher than Amazon's, while Walmart's Average Order Value (AOV) is notably lower. This suggests that Walmart attracts buyers looking for everyday low prices and lower-value goods.
CPC Increase Impact: The increase in CPCs on both platforms led to tighter profit margins for advertisers, emphasizing the challenges faced in maintaining profitability.
2024 Outlook:** We anticipate this election year's impact, making predictions challenging, but suggest AOVs and conversion rates may return to Q3 levels.
Walmart
Impact on the Economy: Walmart's lower AOV in the first half of 2023 suggests economic softness, but a steady increase in the second half indicates growing consumer confidence.
Preferable Entry Timing: Entering Walmart's marketplace is advantageous due to its strong efficiency and lower CPC compared to Amazon.
Considerations for Advertisers:** Advertisers should pay attention to buyer behavior, conversion rates, and AOV to adapt strategies based on changing market dynamics.
46% Greater Efficiency:** Despite efficiency decline, Walmart's efficiency remained approximately 46% greater than Amazon, emphasizing significant opportunity on Walmart.
Amazon
Cautious Consumer Behavior:** In the first half of 2023, Amazon shoppers were price-conscious, seeking bargains and being conservative with spending.
Efficiency Decline on Amazon:** Amazon experienced a softer efficiency throughout 2023, with a noticeable decline in Q4, indicating increased competition.
ROAS Indicator:** Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) on Amazon showed a decline in efficiency, but the year-over-year difference was 4%, with a 7% decline in Q4.
Sales Volume Increase:** Despite efficiency decline, total ad sales on Amazon increased by 55%, indicating a significant acceleration in sales volume.
CPCs Increase:** Amazon's CPCs increased in 2023, particularly in Q4, showcasing heightened competition among brands for consumer dollars.
Sales Per Click Indicator:** Sales per click on Amazon remained relatively flat, with brands adjusting to changes in consumer behavior and competition.
Note: The summary highlights key points, and for a more detailed understanding, listening to the entire podcast episode is recommended.
52 min
February 14, 2024From Amazon Seller to Software CEO
Summary
This conversation explores the journey of Alasdair McLean Foreman, one of the first third-party sellers on Amazon that became the founder and CEO of a successful, thriving software company, Teikametrics.
The discussion highlights the challenges faced by sellers and the evolution of the e-commerce landscape. Alasdair also explains the role of AI in solving these challenges and the future of AI in e-commerce, business, and daily life.
In this conversation, Alasdair and Cameron explore what the transition and journey of a seller to successful owner and operator of a thriving software company looks like, and what it really takes to succeed in today’s always-on and always-changing market.

Takeaways
The journey from third-party seller to software CEO involves navigating the challenges of selling on Amazon and adapting to the changing e-commerce landscape.

The problems faced by sellers, such as gaining new customers and growing their businesses, have remained consistent over time.

AI is a crucial tool for sellers and software companies, enabling automation and optimization at a scale beyond human capability.

The future of AI in e-commerce holds limitless opportunities for innovation and differentiation. Effective communication is crucial in both personal and professional relationships.

To grow, it is essential to listen to your core customers and adapt quickly when necessary to reflect what your customers desire to grow their own business.

Keep a pulse on the market, adapt quickly, listen to your customers and employees, and always strive to improve.
Chapters
00:00 - From Third-Party Seller to Software CEO
01:34 - Starting as one of the first Third-Party Sellers on Amazon
03:41 - Transitioning to a Software Company
14:46 - The Scale-Up of Teikametrics
25:03 - The Challenges for Sellers and CEOs
31:28 - The Role of AI in Teikametrics
40:40 - The Future of AI in E-commerce
45:50 - Conclusion

We hope you enjoy the very first episode of Human in the Loop, and look forward to many more episodes to come!
51 min
February 08, 2024 Human in the Loop Trailer: The Intersection of Human and Machine
We are at a turning point.
A point of no return.
A point where the challenges of today evolve faster than are humanly possible to keep pace with.
A Human in the Loop is the combination of human and machine to achieve a result far greater than either could achieve on their own.
To be a Human in the Loop is to leverage technology - the machine - to far surpass the complex challenges in the world of ecommerce today.
This new show dives into the dynamic intersection of human intelligence and cutting-edge technology within the ever evolving landscape of ecommerce.
From in-depth discussions on Artificial Intelligence, to brands that have launched and gone viral on TikTok, to the stories behind today’s biggest technology companies, brands, CEOs and sellers…
You’ll learn today’s greatest strategies and insights through the most up-to-date conversations with industry leaders and innovators that you’ve never seen on a show before.
Welcome to the forefront of the ecommerce revolution, where being a Human in the Loop is not just a strategy..
But the essence of progress.
2 min

About Human in the Loop

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This brand new show explores the dynamic intersection of human intelligence and cutting-edge technology within the ever-evolving landscape of ecommerce.

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Human in the Loop

Human in the Loop episodes

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