The Ecomcrew Ecommerce Podcast

4 months after Mike scaled down his team, Dave checks in with him and how it feels like to get back in the weeds of his ecommerce business.

Growing a team is second nature when revenue grows.

It's a natural by-product of success, to help the business grow even more in the next year.

But what is it like to maintain a $5M ecommerce business when you only have 1-2 employees? Dave is on the podcast today to check in on Mike 4 months after scaling down from a 20+ person team, to 1-2 employees for his ecommerce businesses.

They'll be discussing the differences of employees vs. no employees, contractors, and how being nice can do more bad than good.

If you've been thinking about scaling up your team, this episode is definitely for you.

Here are some timestamps to skip to your favorite parts:

• 0:00 - Introduction
• 1:13 - Current Team Status
• 2:41 - Does everyone hit a stage where they don't want to manage?
• 3:32 - Employee Loyalty
• 7:27 - Generational Differences with Employment
• 11:28 - Pros and Cons of Contractors
• 13:11 - The Problem with Being Too Nice
• 13:54 - Feeling Bad About Assigning Mundane Tasks
• 22:28 - Pros of Being A Solopreneur
• 32:55 - Cons of Being A Solopreneur
• 35:49 - Losing Out On Growing As A Leader
• 38:51 - ROI on Employees
• 41:50 - Going to the Vegas Sphere

As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, reach out to us at [email protected] 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 [email protected]. We'd love to help you in any way we can.

Happy listening, and until next time, happy selling!

Mike and Dave recap going to India, where they mark the biggest differences that they've seen between Chinese Trade Shows and Indian Trade Shows.

The India Sourcing Trip finally took place earlier this October!

Dave and I, along with a few friends and loved ones, went to India for the first time to check out the India Ecomm Summit, visit a Manufacturing Factory and see the Taj Mahal.

Timestamps:

• 0:00 - Introduction
• 0:44 - Jet Lag
• 2:37 - Key Differences Between Chinese and Indian Trade Shows
• 3:37 - Product Differences
• 9:09 - Lack of Variety
• 13:49 - Product Quality
• 16:32 - Questions You Should Ask In Trade Shows
• 22:20 - Lack of Pressure
• 29:15 - Communication Differences
• 32:21 - Country Differences: Traffic Culture
• 37:14 - Country Differences: Sightseeing Diversity
• 38:50 - Visiting a Manufacturing Factory in India
• 42:43 - India Sourcing Trip

Shoutout again to Meghla, for making everything possible for Dave and I and setting us up with this eye opening trip.

If you're interested in possibly joining the India Sourcing Trip next year, check out India Sourcing Trip which is managed by our friend, Meghla Bhardwaj. If you'd like to learn more about Meghla Bhardwaj, check her out on her LinkedIn page.

As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, reach out to us at [email protected] 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 [email protected]. We'd love to help you in any way we can.

Thanks for listening!

Until next time, happy selling!

Nicole Barnes, 3x ecommerce founder and Founder of Marrow Marketing, is on today to talk about iOS 14 and how privacy policies have impacted entrepreneurs. We discuss actionable ways on how you can lower ad costs, while keeping the same conversion rates consistent throughout your marketing campaigns.

Check out our sponsor, Portless, today!

Today we're joined by fellow creative and entrepreneur, Nicole Barnes from Marrow.

Nicole Barnes is a 3 time ecommerce founder with awards from Shopify as Fastest Growing Company, along with international distribution of her product and partnerships with major brands.

Nicole now takes what she's learnt to help serve other founders through her creative strategy agency, Marrow, where she helps D2C brands thrive on paid socials.

Timestamps:

• 0:00 - Introduction
• 0:59 - Looking Back at iOS 14's Effect on Ecommerce
• 2:20 - Nicole Barnes' Background
• 9:03 - How Nicole Built a Million Dollar Bike Empire from $1,000
• 13:06 - How iOS 14's Update Changed Ecommerce After 3 years
• 22:00 - How To Regain Campaign Targeting Power for 2024 and Beyond
• 24:32 - What Should Struggling Brands Do?
• 26:35 - How Do You Lower Ad Costs?
• 32:21 - Best Practices for Creative Strategy
• 35:00 - Find Out More About Nicole Barnes and Marrow Marketing!

Nicole, thank you again for coming on the podcast and giving listeners an idea on how they can up their creative strategies in advertising.

If you'd like to learn more about Nicole Barnes and Marrow Marketing, check her out on her LinkedIn page, and Marrow's Website.

As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, reach out to us at [email protected] 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 [email protected]. We'd love to help you in any way we can.

Thanks for listening!

Until next time, happy selling!

Check out our sponsor, Portless, today!

In this episode, Mike's joined by Greg Mercer to talk about how Amazon will change in the face of AI, JungleScout's new AI features and how these apply to sellers on the daily.

Greg Mercer, the CEO of JungleScout, is back on the podcast to talk about AI and how sellers can use JS' new AI features to fix the leaks, so to speak. We also talk about how AI can level the playing field, and how Amazon hides a lot of useful data that AI can unravel.

If you're curious about the latest developments in the software space, or for practical advice for beating the competition, this episode is for you!

Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Introduction
• 00:40 - AI in Ecommerce and Junglescout
• 03:12 - Leveling the Playing Field on Copywriting and Data Analysis
• 05:30 - Junglescout's New AI Features
• 11:24 - Real-Life Applications for Junglescout's AI Features
• 14:21 - Amazon's Hiding A Lot of Useful Data
• 17:33 - Tools are The New Way to Obtain The Competitive Advantage
• 22:59 - "What should I be working on in my ecommerce business?"
• 27:23 - JungleScout's Roadmap for the Future
• 32:06 - How will things change for customers on Amazon?

Thank you again to Greg Mercer for coming on the show. It's always a blast to have him on.

If you're interested in signing up for JungleScout, I highly recommend you do so by checking them out here [affiliate link].

As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, reach out to us at [email protected] 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 [email protected]. We'd love to help you in any way we can.

Until next time, happy selling!

Check out our sponsor, Portless, today!

Chad Rubin is back on the podcast! He's an Amazon Seller of over 20 years, the ex-CEO of SKUBANA before it was acquired in 2021, one of the original founders of the Prosper Show conference.

Chad is back to talk about Profasee, one of his latest ventures into the software space, that aims to reclaim profit margins without affecting your Amazon BSR, or your product ranking.

Timestamps:

• 00:00 – Introduction
• 03:03 – Chad Rubin's ecommerce background
• 05:55 – Why Increasing Prices on Amazon Can Be A Great Option
• 10:57 – How Mike Tried to Increase Prices
• 12:53 – How Profasee Works
• 16:40 – What data does Profasee prioritise for success?
• 19:01 – Real life examples of Profasee's results
• 30:12 – Affiliate Offer for Profasee

Chad, thank you again for coming on again to the podcast and dropping value bombs as always.

If you're interested in Profasee, I highly recommend you do so by checking out this link. If you want to hear more of Chad's value bombs, follow him on his LinkedIn.

As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, reach out to us at [email protected] 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 [email protected]. We'd love to help you in any way we can.

Mina Elias joins the Ecomcrew Podcast to drop some value bombs -- from optimizing your click-through rate to experimenting with price increases, this is one you won't want to miss.

Today we're joined by friend and fellow speaker, Mina Elias of Trivium Group.

Mina and I met doing the usual speaking rounds at several events and I've always felt like Mina knew how to walk the walk.

Mina is back on the podcast to drop some Value Bombs. From deconstructing the Amazon Funnel, to finding profit leaks in your business, Mina's advice is definitely not one to miss.

Timestamps:

• 0:00 - Introduction
• 1:30 - Background on Mina Elias
• 4:46 - Value Bomb #1 - Breaking Down the Amazon Funnel
• 7:00 - Squeezing out Click-Through Rate
• 12:37 - Meetup at Hong Kong
• 13:40 - Value Bomb #2 - Raising Conversion Rates
• 15:09 - Optimizing Your Main Image to Increase Click-Through Rate
• 18:00 - Sneak Peek Into Next Week's Episode - Profasee with Chad Rubin
• 24:50 - Finding Missed Opportunities
• 28:18 - "How Do You Find Out What To Change First?"
• 35:20 - Mike's Experience with Tinkering with Prices

If you're interested in partnering with Mina for your business, I highly recommend you do so by checking out this link. If you want to hear more of Mina's value bombs, follow him on his LinkedIn or Instagram pages.

As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, reach out to us at [email protected] 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 [email protected]. We'd love to help you in any way we can.

Thanks for listening!

Until next time, happy selling!

Mike speaks with Avishai Sam Bitton, VP of Marketing and Growth at 8fig about the biggest challenges in ecommerce that everyone's been feeling lately, and how you can leverage AI to solve these issues at a low cost.

In this episode, we dive into the challenging landscape of e-commerce, workforce, and technology with Avishai Bitton, a distinguished expert in the field. Avishai, hailing from 8fig.co, specializes in using AI and data to tackle the challenges of cash flow management, supply chain optimization, and sustaining growth, especially during uncertain times.

Join us as we explore how AI and generative technologies can help fill the holes in your businesses, especially as a small-sized business.

Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Introduction
• 03:51 - Avishai's Introduction and Background
• 09:50 - Discussion on the Impact of COVID-19 and Supply Chain Challenges
• 13:30 - Challenges of Inventory Management and Cash Flow
• 20:33 - The Impact of Generative AI on E-commerce
• 24:00 - Workforce and Unemployment
• 25:09 - Finding a Balance in the Labor Market
• 28:07 - Opportunities for Business and Entrepreneurship

I hope you had some key takeaways from this episode. To explore the tools and resources mentioned in this episode, visit 8fig.co for more information. If you want to contact Avishai directly, you can connect with him on Twitter and LinkedIn for more insights.

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 [email protected]. We'd love to help you in any way we can.

Thanks for listening!

Did you know that you're entitled to reimbursements from Amazon for lost / damaged inventory within Amazon FBA? Mike and Yoni, the CGO of GETIDA, discuss everything you need to know about reimbursements and auditing.

Check out GETIDA with our affiliate link!

According to last year's Software Poll, a whopping 37% of sellers are NOT using a reimbursement service of any kind. As Yoni mentions in today's episode, that is not only a significant loss in cost, but also a loss in potential profit margins that you could have gained.

Yoni Mazor is today's guest, and the CGO of GETIDA, one of the biggest companies out there specializing in Auditing and Reimbursements for Amazon Sellers. We talk about the common mistakes that Amazon makes, how you can claim reimbursements from Amazon for free, and the amount of inventory lost in Amazon FBA on today's episode.

If you've ever been reclassified into a different FBA size tier, (which is extremely common) then this episode is definitely for you. Here are some chapter markers:

• 0:00 - Introduction
• 1:02 - Amazon Is Stealing Money From You
• 2:57 - Why Amazon Is Better Than Other Marketplaces with Reimbursements
• 4:13 - "What is Amazon infamous for, and what can you do about it?"
• 5:50 - "What Percentage of Shipments Are Lost?"
• 9:07 - How To Claim Reimbursements From Amazon and Make Money
• 11:55 - GETIDA: Pricing, ROI and Return of Frustration
• 18:12 - Mike's Latest Inventory Issue
• 20:16 - "What Else Can You Get Reimbursed For?"
• 25:08 - Why Reimbursement Services Are Worth It
• 26:31 - Where did GETIDA's name come from?

If anything, I'd like for you to walk away with the fact that having a reimbursement service is no longer optional, and that you're leaving money on the table if not. If you're interested in GETIDA, check out our affiliate link here!

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 [email protected]. We'd love to help you in any way we can.

Thanks for listening!

Mike and Dave discuss the strategies that Mike's put in place to squeeze as much profitability as possible to gain maximum value out of his business when he goes to sale.

Back in July, I announced on the podcast recently where my headspace has been at and the events that lead to the possible reasons why.

At the start of August, the wheels were set in motion and I ended up selling 2 more ecommerce brands.

Dave and I ended on a cliffhanger on that episode, and this is the official Part 2 where Dave and I talk about what I've been up to and how I've been squeezing out as much profitability as possible before selling – from Avoiding Amazon's HUGE Inventory Costs, to using Freelancers to make up for manpower and more, you won't want to miss this one.

Here's a few chapter markers that you can easily refer to:

Audio Timestamps:

• Introduction – 0:00
• A Quick Recap – 1:13
• Creating New Reports to Make Things Efficient – 2:43
• How Dave Automates Forecast Reports – 7:45
• How Mike Avoids Amazon's New Storage Costs – 10:06
• How Dave Deals With Inventory – 18:13
• Shifting to One Employee: What Roles Are Essential? – 25:11
• Essential Roles Dave Hires For – 29:05
• The Real Costs of Employees – 32:55
• A Short Discussion About PPC – 36:14
• Pricing and Coupons – 37:08
• Hidden Gem: Bulk Packs – 41:38
• The Challenge of Accurate Bookkeeping – 43:31
• The Last Tip: 2% Cashback Rewards – 50:22

Stay tuned as we continue to update on our future plans, and for our special PPC episode we're planning for!

I hope you took away some valuable profit-saving insights from this episode. Don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoy our content. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to [email protected].

Happy selling and I'll see you on the next one!

Dave is back to give his 6th annual update for his business while it's up for sale! As usual, he'll detail the wins, losses, why he's decided to put the brand up for sale, and what his brand might actually be worth!

Every year since 2017, I've chronicled rebuilding a 7-figure brand from scratch after the sale of my previous company.

For this episode, I'll be giving my 6th annual update while also having this exact brand now be listed for sale in QuietLight Brokerage. As usual, I'll detail the wins, losses, why I've decided to put the brand up for sale, and what my brand might actually be worth!

If you haven't already, be sure to check out the blog article here, along with all the previous updates:

• Rebuilding a Million-Dollar Brand: 6 Year Update
• Rebuilding a Million-Dollar Brand: 5 Year Update
• Rebuilding a Million-Dollar Brand: 4 Year Update

First, I'll answer the question that's on everyone's mind: Why?, and then I'll touch on why this brand might be a good fit for you, or why it might not.

Timestamps:

• Intro – 0:00
• Today's Episode Is Going To Be A Unique One – 00:53
• Why I'm Choosing to Sell My Business – 2:02
• A Sneak Peek Into The Numbers Of This Brand – 7:59
• Dave's Biggest Wins – 10:06
• Why This Brand Might Be Great For You – 12:52
• Why It Might Not Be A Good Fit – 17:02
• Closing Thoughts – 21:47

There will definitely be a lot more to unpack once all is said and done. For now, you can check out all the other good stuff we have on the EcomCrew Podcast, YouTube channel, and Blog.

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes. Until the next one, happy selling and we'll talk to you soon!