Join host Matt Edmundson on the Ecommerce Podcast as he chats with Dan Brownsher from Channel Key, a leading Amazon agency. Discover insights into Amazon retail strategies, brand building, and the complexities of selling on the platform.

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Timestamps:

0:00 Intro

3:18 Dan's Journey to Amazon

5:36 Complexity of Selling on Amazon

8:40 Starting on Amazon Today

12:57 Challenges of Selling on Amazon

16:50 Product Selection for Amazon

20:20 Supplements as a Lucrative Category

23:37 Building a Brand on Amazon

29:15 Strategies for Brand Building

34:55 Using Amazon as a Customer Acquisition Channel

40:28 Channel Strategy and Brand Quality

46:45 Review Numbers and Sales Correlation

48:52 Connecting with Dan and Channel Key

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Key Takeaways:

1. Diversify Sales Channels: Dan emphasises the importance of not relying solely on Amazon as a sales channel. He suggests using Amazon as a testing ground and data aggregation channel but stresses the need to build a brand outside of Amazon through platforms like Shopify or social media channels. This approach helps in creating brand equity and avoiding the pitfalls of commoditisation.

2. Invest in Brand Building: To maintain a competitive edge, Dan advises building a strong brand presence. This involves creating a brand story and engaging with consumers through various channels, including social media and traditional advertising. A well-established brand can command loyalty and potentially higher prices, protecting against market saturation and competition.

3. Understand the Cost of Entry: Dan highlights that entering the Amazon marketplace today requires significant resources. He advises new sellers to be prepared to invest in advertising and potentially operate at a loss initially to gain traction. This understanding is crucial for realistic planning and long-term success on the platform.

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If this episode of the eCommerce Podcast piqued your interest make sure to check out everything that gets done over here on the eCommerce Podcast, a space dedicated to eCommerce Wow!

Matt Edmundson [0:05 - 2:23]: Welcome to the Ecommerce Podcast with me, your host, Matt Edmundson. Now this is a podcast all about helping you deliver ecommerce. Wow. And to help us do just that, today I am chatting with a chap all the way from Las Vegas, Dan Brownsher from Channel Key, which is a full service Amazon agency. We are going to get into all kind of groovy things today, just chatting pre record with Dan, then we're gona have a laugh, then we're gonna have some fun. I think you're gonna grab your pens and your notebooks because I think we're gonna hit a lot of stuff today. So yeah, yeah, make sure you've got them. Of course, if you're subscribed to the newsletter, all of the notes will come straight to your inbox because that's the way we roll here. We send that out to you. If you're not subscribed to the newsletter, you can get it@ecommercepodcast.net and all the links and sort of stuff are in there, aren't they? But of course, as I've been saying for a little while, they're also in the podcast app which you're probably listening to this on as well. Just scroll down, just click the links, go say how's it to Dan, Tell him you enjoyed the show. Excuse me while I clear the frog in my throat now. A warm welcome to you. If you are new to the podcast, it's great, great to have you. Great that you're joining us. Be great if you subscribe to the show and keep joining us. As we keep talking about all things ecommerce. Come find me on social media, Come find me on Instagram or on LinkedIn E. Edmundson and just connect with me. Let know what you're doing, let me know what your business is like. I would love to see your website if you've got an e commerce website. Always enjoy connecting with ecommerce commerces around the world. Now let's talk about Dan, who is the dynamic leader in Amazon retail strategy and ecommerce commerce trends. Known for his insightful commentary, he's been featured in Bloomberg, Forbes and Reuters, making waves with his expert opinions. As the President, CEO, CEO and co founder of Channel Key, Dan helps everyone from multimillion dollar corporations to scrappy startups conquer the ever evolving world of Amazon ecommerce commerce. Dan, it's great to have you on the show man. Thank you for joining us. How are we doing today?

Dan Brownsher [2:23 - 2:35]: Good Matt, thanks for having me. And that's the first time I've ever heard anybody in our I Don't know. World referred to as an E ecommerceE commercer. Is that what you said? ecommerce commerce.

Matt Edmundson [2:35 - 2:39]: Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's just a phrase that I use, fellow E commercers.

Dan Brownsher [2:39 - 2:40]: Yeah, yeah, I like that.

Matt Edmundson [2:40 - 2:52]: It looks really cool when you write it down. Right. So I've been using this for. I coined this phrase ecommerce a while ago and it looks really cool when you write it down. It's just a slightly odd when you say it.

Dan Brownsher [2:52 - 2:58]: It is odd but you do a good job. Not the first. So I'm going to steal that.

Matt Edmundson [2:58 - 3:18]: Matt, go for it. You know, go for it. It's. So Dan, tell us a little bit about your journey because we were saying before we hit the record button, you've got this Amazon agency, but you started off with a product based business and sort of found your way into Amazon, is that right?

Matt Edmundson [5:06 - 5:09]: Wow, that's a long old time, right Amazon?

Dan Brownsher [5:09 - 5:10]: It is man.

Matt Edmundson [5:10 - 5:35]: It really is. It really is. And I mean having sold stuff on Amazon, stole a few things a few quid's worth of stuff on Amazon over the years. I'm curious, have you found Amazon has become an easier place to sell? Has it become more complicated? If you were starting out again today, would you still do Amazon? I'm kind of curious on your thinking on all that.

Dan Brownsher [5:36 - 7:38]: I believe that Amazon is more complicated than ever to sell through and to surveys, and that's for a multitude of reasons. So in my opinion, Amazon operates like a SaaS business. Okay, so it's very pro consumer. Right. Amazon's consumers are the customers, like the end user. And the brands that sell through the platform or the service providers like me, aren't necessarily their customers. Right. So we're dealing with the problems and you can't just pick up the phone and call Amazon and say, hey, fix this title or this is this bullet point. Is it making sense? Or why did it revert back to what I changed yesterday? It's always been that way ever since we started. And so managing it is very much an art in a lot of cases and how you communicate with them. So you've got that complexity and how they service and operate for their partners and service providers and vendors. And now it gets more complex because there's just far more competition, there's far more different ways you can advertise on the platform. There's so many more tools and opportunities and things that you can leverage as a brand owner to be successful on the platform. So it's, I think the root culture around Amazon has always been there and it's been the same and it's gotten so much bigger and so much more complex because what they're offering to their sellers has gotten far more advanced. So into the latter part of your question, what I still do today, absolutely. Like, I think there's so much opportunity on the platform, whether you're, whether you're a brand owner or a seller and, or just a straight advertiser working through their media business, there's so much opportunity still on the platform, so much consumption happening on Amazon. So I'm very long on, I'm very, I'm still very long on Amazon at this point.

Matt Edmundson [7:39 - 8:40]: Yeah, it's not going away, is it, Amazon and it seems to be getting more and more entrenched. And I think everyone sort of, it felt like with Amazon, there were arguments about it a few years ago. You know, certainly in the uk, the press weren't happy with them and, you know, it sort of swings around, but it all seems to have sort of settled down really, and everyone sort of accepted the status quo. Written Amazon still account for. I think it's worn into online purchases. So it's a hell of a marketplace. You know, it's a big old space. So if you were starting today, because we get a lot of people who listen to the show who are just starting out right, and we'll get into some more of the techniques and advanced stuff in a second. But if you were starting out today, would you do Amazon only? Would you do Amazon on a website? Where would your balance be on that? I think it's a question I get asked a lot.