The Ecomcrew Ecommerce Podcast

It's that time of the year again!

In this episode, Dave will be revealing the winners (a couple of which you might not have expected) of last year's survey to find out the Best Amazon Seller Software across five categories:

• Product and Keyword Research
• PPC Management
• Reimbursement Services
• Repricing Tool
• Product Launch and Marketing

On top of that, he'll be talking about why some categories have lost market share overall, the significant shifts in software usage among sellers, and what he's surprised to see in the results. Let's get right into it:

Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Introduction to the 2024 Software Poll Results
• 02:09 - Repricing Software Insights
• 05:59 - Reimbursement Software Trends
• 06:28 - PPC and Advertising Software Overview
• 09:48 - Product Launch and Marketing Software Changes
• 12:39 - Keyword Tracking and Research Software Dynamics
• 17:21 - Conclusion and Future Predictions

To check out the full breakdown of our results, head over to our blog post of the Best Amazon Software of 2022.

Don't forget to leave us a review over on iTunes if you enjoy content like this. Happy selling and we'll talk to you soon!

Chinese New Year is coming up in a few days and if you're relatively new to the e-commerce game, there's a few things you should know about the big holiday. Dave is back on the podcast to cover the impact Chinese New Year has on e-commerce sellers and manufacturers, the significance of the Zodiacs, and the common equivalent for those who aren't aware.

Let's be real – email marketing isn't flashy, but that's what makes it great. Who needs chaos when you can have steady, reliable results? That's where Omnisend email and SMS comes in. Check it out today and use code ECOMCREW.

Ever wonder why all of China basically closes down every January for Chinese New Year? You're not alone.

Chinese New Year seems like the one time each year that China (and by extension, a lot of the neighbouring asian countries) goes on holiday for a few weeks.

As an e-commerce seller, you probably know by now to place your orders well in advance to prepare for the holiday. But there's a few extra things you should know about that could maintain and keep you in the good graces of your factory.

Luckily, Dave is on the podcast today to break down what exactly you need to know and how the holiday impacts you specifically.

The Big Takeaway

• Chinese New Year is comparable to Christmas in significance.
• Chinese New Year happens on the second New Moon in the lunar calendar after the Winter's Solstice (December 20th).
• Zodiac symbols can influence business decisions in China.
• Quality control tends to take a dip if orders are shipped before Chinese New Year.
• Suppliers may have varying deadlines for orders before they close for the holiday.
• Expect delays in shipping and logistics post-New Year as every company that's importing from China will also be placing orders in advance of the holiday.
• Be considerate to suppliers during the holiday period.
• Freight prices tend to dip after the New Year rush, as demand declines.

Timestamps

• 0:00 - Intro
• 1:43 - Omnisend Ad
• 2:17 - What is Chinese New Year? How big is the holiday?
• 3:28 - The traditions around Chinese New Year
• 4:28 - When exactly is Chinese New Year?
• 6:07 - Zodiac symbols and how they can affect business
• 8:40 - Why is it called the Spring Festival?
• 9:41 - Tip #1: Deadlines for Chinese New Year orders
• 11:06 - Tip #2: Days off during Chinese New Years
• 13:19 - Tip #3: Quality control during Chinese New Year
• 15:08 - Tip #4: Delays
• 17:05 - Tip #5: Being considerate

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!

After visiting a conference recently, a friend of mine told me about a place in where all of the biggest Amazon Sellers (and all the black hat tactics came from) in China congregate: China's New South City. In this episode, Dave talks about his visit to New South City in China, what he found while he was there, and why this place exists.

Let's be real – email marketing isn't flashy, but that's what makes it great. Who needs chaos when you can have steady, reliable results? That's where Omnisend email and SMS comes in. Check it out today and use code ECOMCREW.

Ever heard of China South City? It's where all of the top Chinese Amazon sellers congregate and work together. This is also the place where Chinese black hat Amazon tactics comes from.

Dave decides to visit China South City during a recent trip to Asia, and shares what he found, some insider information that he found out about after talking to sellers there, and some of the black hat tactics Chinese sellers are using.

The Big Takeaway:

• China South City is a massive hub of the biggest Chinese Amazon sellers in Shenzhen, China.
• Chinese sellers are getting subsidies from the government to encourage exports into other countries.
• Having all sellers within the same area also encourages collaboration and networking among sellers, unlike in the US or the West in general.
• Chinese sellers inspect a higher percentage of their products more than Western sellers.
• Many Chinese sellers operate multiple Amazon accounts for security reasons.
• The 2021 Amazon ban wave had a significant impact on Chinese sellers; reducing China's overall trust in Amazon.
• Because of the ban wave, Chinese sellers are also diversifying their sales channels beyond Amazon.
• Temu is starting to become one of the key places for growth among Chinese sellers.
• Live selling is a major trend in China, with dedicated studios for streaming in each floor.

Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Introduction to China South City
• 02:53 - The Structure and Purpose of China South City
• 06:10 - The Community of Amazon Sellers
• 09:00 - Operational Strategies of Chinese Sellers
• 11:52 - Challenges Faced by Chinese Sellers
• 14:45 - The Impact of Amazon's Account Suspension Sweep
• 18:05 - Tactics and Strategies of Chinese Sellers
• 20:57 - Diversification Beyond Amazon
• 23:47 - The Rise of Live Selling in China
• 27:12 - Conclusion and Final Thoughts

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!

Dave interviews David McCormick from Legacy Lawyers to talk about e-commerce taxation in B.C., Canada, specifically regarding the Online Marketplace Services Act, the Ministry of Finance's choice to start charging Provincial Sales Tax (PST) to every B.C. based seller on each of Amazon's seller fees, and why this choice is ultimately flawed.

Let's be real - email marketing isn't flashy, but that's what makes it great. Who needs chaos when you can have steady, reliable results? That's where Omnisend email and SMS comes in. Check it out today and use code ECOMCREW.

E-commerce taxation is a huge mess in British Columbia right now. If you're not from the great white north, then you should know that Amazon has been charging sellers PST since 2021 – something that Amazon wasn't exactly required to do. The worst part? They've been charging this on sellers' global sales—whether those sales occurred in Canada, the United States, or Brunei Darussalam. Because of this, many BC sellers have been paying a minimum of 1% of their sales (and most will be closer to 2% or greater) in provincial sales tax (PST). The Big Takeaway:

• Provincial Sales Tax (PST) is being applied to fees paid by sellers, and not just customer orders.
• While Amazon has taken a conservative approach to PST collection by overcharging, sellers face challenges in obtaining refunds for overpaid PST. The Ministry of Finance have been very difficult to appeal with even when having a legitimate defense.
• This leaves sellers with no choice; and they may need to engage legal help for refund applications.
• Political action is necessary to address unfair tax practices.
• Sellers should be proactive in communicating with their Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs).

Timestamps

• 00:00 - Introduction to E-commerce Taxation in BC
• 03:03 - Understanding the Online Marketplace Services Act
• 06:08 - Impact of PST on E-commerce Sellers
• 08:55 - Amazon's Approach to PST Collection
• 12:13 - Navigating Refund Applications and Denials
• 15:05 - Legal Interpretations and Software Taxation
• 17:53 - Challenges for Sellers in the Digital Economy
• 21:13 - Strategies for Sellers to Address Tax Issues
• 24:04 - Political and Legal Actions for Change
• 26:51 - Conclusion and Recommendations for Sellers

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!

Dave interviews his good friend Ronnie Teja, a well-connected figure in digital marketing, to talk about the 3 online business models that rewards the most while hurting the least. We also talk about which ones are the best to start in terms of capital, and why they're worth it. Happy new year everyone! Today's episode is sponsored by Omnisend. Check them out today! In today's episode, Dave actually flew over to Thailand and recorded this episode in person with his good friend Ronnie Teja to share his insights on living and working in Thailand full-time, the tax implications of running a business around South East Asia, and how much it costs to run a business from one of these countries. The Big Takeaway:

• E-commerce, content, and SaaS each have unique advantages and challenges.
• Living in Thailand offers both benefits and drawbacks for entrepreneurs.
• Starting with e-commerce can be viable with a small budget.
• SaaS businesses can yield higher multiples on exit compared to e-commerce.
• Building a community can enhance business opportunities.
• High-ticket items often provide better margins in e-commerce.
• Iterating on SaaS products is more feasible than on physical products.

Timestamps

• 00:00 - Introduction to Ronnie Teja and His Ventures
• 02:48 - E-commerce, Content, and SaaS: A Comparative Overview
• 06:10 - Living and Working in Thailand: Pros and Cons
• 08:59 - Tax Implications and Business Registration in Thailand
• 11:47 - Choosing the Right Business Model: E-commerce vs. SaaS vs. Content
• 15:05 - The Future of E-commerce and SaaS Businesses
• 17:55 - Navigating the Challenges of E-commerce
• 20:52 - The Role of AI in Software Development
• 24:05 - Building a Community and Audience for Business
• 27:00 - Final Thoughts on Business Strategies and Models

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!

Dave reviews the top 5 episodes of 2024 and what they're about. Check out the top 5 episodes of the year! We've included a snippet of each episode and links to them below.

Merry belated Christmas and Happy Early New Year!

This week, we're rounding out our top 5 episodes of the year along with a short snippet of the episode itself. Feel free to go back and listen to the winners on our links below:

• 0:57 - Fifth place
• 2:47 - Fourth place
• 5:07 - Third place
• 7:07 - Second place
• 10:32 - First place

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!

In this episode, Dave talks about how you can start developing custom software for Amazon, and what the main benefits are. He'll be covering how to setup custom software, the requirements needed, and the advantages of using third-party APIs to enhance data access.

The Big Takeaway

• Custom software can significantly enhance Amazon business operations.
• Most off-the-shelf software are mostly perfect; just lacking the necessary customization.
• Third-party APIs can provide valuable data not available through Amazon's main API.
• The Selling Partner API is the latest standard for Amazon integrations.
• AWS costs for API access are generally very low.
• AI advancements have reduced the cost of software development.
• Custom software can provide a competitive edge for Amazon sellers.

Chapters

• 00:00 - Introduction to Custom Amazon Software
• 02:25 - The Need for Custom Solutions
• 05:38 - Setting Up Custom Software
• 10:50 - Understanding the Amazon API
• 12:41 - Getting Started with Development

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!

In this episode, Dave takes a look at one of the biggest Chinese Amazon sellers' documents and reveals how much they were making, how being suspended by Amazon affected their revenue, and how they bounced back well enough to go public.

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!

Timestamps

• 00:00 - Unveiling the Secrets of O Group

• 10:00 - The Aftermath of the Amazon Incident

• 20:02 - Strategic Shifts and Market Adaptation

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 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 [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!

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 [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!