Episodes
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Welcome to another episode of The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast hosted by Acadia’s Head of Retail Marketplaces Services Julie Spear and Director of Retail Operations, Jordan Ripley.
Today we’re joined by two amazing guests: Meghan Corron, Co-founder & CEO at Clerdata, and Andrew Lipsman, a notable industry analyst who heads up Media, Ads, and Commerce.
We’ll be diving into some of the key takeaways from a report Andrew recently presented at RMN Ascendant called “The Future of Retail Media is the Future of ALL Media”, as well as getting Meghan’s take on a lot of the cutting-edge incrementality data and research that’s informing Andrew’s presentation on the state of the industry.
Make sure you tune in to find out more!
KEY TAKEAWAYS
In this episode, Julie, Jordan, Meghan, and Andrew discuss:
The inefficiencies in current digital marketing due to poor measurement systems.
The over-credited nature of Google and Meta due to their advanced measurement and frequent consumer interactions.
Shift Towards Mobile Search and Social Media: Significant movement of ad dollars toward platforms like Google and Meta.
Waves of Digital Advertising: Google, Facebook, and now retail media. Each wave leverages closed-loop measurement to attract budgets.
Retail media is noted as a cost-effective yet underinvested channel.
Despite higher costs than Google or Meta, RM captures consumer decisions at the point of purchase.
Varied success among Retail Media Networks (RMNs) driven by targeting quality and contextual environments.
Meghan Corroon compares marketing investments to stock portfolios, highlighting the over and under-investments across different platforms.
The issue of siloed ROI reports often exceeds a company's actual revenue.
The need for more reliable measurement techniques beyond ROAS to understand the true incrementality of ads.
Connected TV (CTV) Opportunities: The emerging promise of CTV in influencing consumer behavior despite higher costs and low ROAS.
CPG companies' willingness to experiment with credible measurement evidence.
Pressure to grow sales, maintain stock prices, and avoid layoffs driving the need for trusted data.
The Concept of clean rooms and their potential to unify data and attribution forms.
Slow development and underutilization, with a call for clear application guidelines to improve their effectiveness.
The progression from Retail Media 1.0 to 3.0, focuses on various aspects such as on-site search, offsite display, and experiential media.
Amazon's pioneering role in retail media integration and its impact.
Importance of loyalty programs like Amazon Prime for targeting and measurement.
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Welcome to another episode of The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast hosted by Acadia’s Head of Retail Marketplaces Services Julie Spear and Director of Retail Operations, Jordan Ripley.
Today we’re joined by long-time Amazon insider Joanna Otto. Joanna has spent over a decade across brand side roles, Amazon-focused agencies, and internally at Amazon. More importantly - she is the type of person we’ll invent any excuse to get on a call with so she can inject positivity into our days.
But today we have a good excuse for our chat: Joanna has graciously agreed to give us a full download on the relatively new capabilities of Brand Tailored Promotions, what they are, where they came from, why they may or may not work for a given growth strategy and brand, and what they might tell us about the future of all things merchandising on Amazon.
Make sure you tune in to find out more!
KEY TAKEAWAYS
In this episode, Julie, Jordan, and Joanna discuss:
Introduction to Joanna Otto: Experience in brand-side roles, Amazon-focused agencies, and Amazon itself; currently an account manager at Acadia.
Overview of Brand Tailored Promotions (BTPs)
Timeline of development and key updates (August 2023 launch, June 2023 update to exclude ASINs, October 2023 new features).
Differences between Brand Tailored Promotions and Brand Tailored Coupons
Placement: Promotions visible on product pages vs. coupons in search and browse.
Discount thresholds and fees associated with each.
Implementation Strategies: Importance of a phased approach and audience segmentation.
Utilizing BTPs during significant events (e.g., Prime Day) to extend promotion benefits.
Use Cases for Different Brand Types: Strategies for new/upstart brands vs. established brands.
Examples of audience segments (e.g., cart abandoners, high spenders).
Pros of BTPs: Non-crawlable, refreshed data, specific targeting, no additional fees.
Cons of BTPs: Lack of immediate impact, no ASIN-level reporting yet.
Future Outlook: Anticipated developments in ASIN-level reporting.
The potential evolution of Amazon’s promotional strategies to provide more precise targeting and enhanced customer experience.
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Episodes manquant?
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Welcome to another episode of The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast hosted by Acadia’s Director of Retail Operations, Jordan Ripley.
We're coming to you live from unBoxed in Austin, Texas, with a very special guest: Jeff Cohen, Amazon's Ads Tech Evangelist who will be sharing insights into the latest developments in the Amazon ads ecosystem.
This episode will bring you insightful updates on brand-building strategies, innovative AI tools, and powerful measurement metrics designed to elevate your e-commerce game.
Make sure you tune in to find out more!
KEY TAKEAWAYS
In this episode, Jordan and Jeff discuss:
Jeff shares his journey to becoming an Amazon ad tech evangelist.
His passion for educating the community on Amazon ads and scaling brands.
The importance of retail readiness before scaling advertising efforts.
Advertisement as the kerosene that makes the brand's fire grow bigger.
AI-Powered Creative Solutions
Enhancing creative capabilities through Amazon’s new tools.
Integration with Canva for streamlined creative development.
The concept and benefits of managed campaigns for new product launches.
Aligning inventory with advertising strategies to overcome the cold start problem.
Utilizing Amazon DSP’s new user experience for planning and execution.
The role of Performance Plus in simplifying the campaign setup.
Importance of triangulating signals to achieve desired outcomes.
Advanced Targeting Methods: Amazon’s strength with signal-rich targeting across various properties.
Impact of upper funnel investments on down-funnel activity.
Key targeting techniques for driving new-to-brand sales and subscriber growth.
Enhanced Measurement Tools: Long-term sales metrics for 12-month impact analysis.
Conversion path reporting to track multi-touchpoints.
Amazon’s Multi-Touch Attribution Model using scientific methodologies.
The Democratization of Branding Tools: Making advanced advertising tools accessible to SMBs.
Simplifying complex processes to allow broader brand participation.
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Welcome to another episode of The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast hosted by Acadia’s Director of Retail Operations, Jordan Ripley.
In this special edition, we dive into the results of this year's Prime Big Deal Days with some top-tier experts from the industry.
Joining us are Logan Nielsen, an Account Manager at Acadia and our resident Prime Day hype man, and Zach Christensen from Analytic Index, Acadia's trusted category and search analytics data partner.
Just 36 hours after the event, they share their initial impressions, key trends, and data-driven insights, helping you understand what worked, what didn't, and what it all means for the future of e-commerce.
Make sure you tune in to find out more!
KEY TAKEAWAYS
In this episode, Jordan, Logan, and Zach discuss:
The different names for Prime Day and the event's brand identity.
Personal takes on prime big deal days: personal experiences and purchasing stories.
Analysis of consumer engagement and awareness compared to the summer Prime Day event.
The general sentiment and energy surrounding Prime Big Deal Days.
Emotional involvement and purchase decisions.
Preliminary key trends and data insights
The importance of leveraging external traffic and influencers.
Analysis of the increased competitive landscape and its impact on ad spending and ROI.
Notable Glitches and Technical Challenges: Issues encountered with Amazon's ad consuls and badging for sponsored brands.
Logan's strategies for mitigating these challenges in future events.
Logan highlights the success of premium brands with compelling discounts.
The important role of prime exclusive discounts despite the new deal fee.
Zach's insights into the surge of novelty items and Amazon's private label strategies.
Predictions and strategies for the future: Leveraging brand-tailored promotions and new audience types.
Importance of analyzing competitive promotions and preparing for upcoming Q4 events.
Zach discusses the potential long-term impact on search visibility and shopping patterns.
Summary of initial findings and anticipated future analysis.
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Welcome to another episode of The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast hosted by Acadia’s Head of Retail Marketplaces Services Julie Spear and Director of Retail Operations, Jordan Ripley.
Today we’re joined by Martin Heubel, founder of Consulterce and leading expert on Annual Vendor Negotiations or AVNs.
Martin spent nearly 5 years internally at Amazon in various category and vendor management roles before founding Consulterce to help brands better understand and navigate their vendor relationships and negotiation process with Amazon.
For today’s episode, we’ll be diving into next year’s AVN cycle - how it might be different than years prior and how brands should ultimately be preparing for this process now to ensure they’re in the best position for success next year.
Make sure you tune in to find out more!
KEY TAKEAWAYS
In this episode, Julie, Jordan, and Martin discuss:
Duration and Challenges of Annual Vendor Negotiations:
Typically take 3.5 months to complete.
72% of brands encounter difficulties.
Key issues include direct and hidden costs like charges and trade marketing investments.
Strategy for Reducing Trading Terms:
Only 9% of brands have managed to reduce trading terms.
Success often linked to diversified sales channels and less dependency on Amazon.
Influences on Profitability:
Trade investments have increased by 69 basis points year-over-year.
Focus on understanding costs such as shortages and chargebacks affecting net sales.
Amazon's Operational Focus:
Emphasis on automation, offshoring, and efficiency, including a 15% reduction in corporate headcount.
Decreased inventory holdings, impacting vendor negotiations.
Shipping Speed and Customer Spending:
Faster shipping correlates with higher annual customer spending.
Critical for vendor discussions as Amazon targets fulfillment reliability.
Market Focus and Strategy Differences:
Variation in Amazon’s focus by market maturity and region.
Differences between mature markets (US, UK, EU) versus expansion markets (Japan, Australia).
Vendor Negotiation Strategies:
Importance of preparing proactively, setting negotiation anchors, and involving cross-functional teams.
Emphasis on data-driven discussions, leadership alignment, and clear negotiation objectives.
Amazon's Balance Between Profitability and Growth:
Shift from a growth-focused pandemic approach to current profitability optimization.
The impact of rising competition from platforms like Shein and TikTok Shop.
Preparing for Future Negotiations:
Clarity and objectivity as critical elements for successful negotiation outcomes.
Preparing for the 2025 negotiation cycle with clear expectations, mutual growth goals, and thorough data analysis.
Anticipation for Continued Collaboration:
Future discussions planned to evaluate the effectiveness of strategies and insights shared.
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Welcome to another episode of The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast hosted by Acadia’s Director of Retail Operations, Jordan Ripley.
Today, we are joined by two of Acadia’s resident experts: Julian Galindo, Senior Account Manager, who oversees brand strategy for some of our most prominent client partners, and Laurie Tovo, a key member of our media team with a passion for integrating branding into comprehensive media strategies on Amazon.
We’ll be exploring a topic that, while not new, has become increasingly important over the years: To what extent should Amazon be viewed as a branding channel versus a performance-driven sales channel?
An exciting discussion - tune in to find out more!
KEY TAKEAWAYS
In this episode, Jordan, Julian, and Lauren discuss:
Why Amazon is transitioning from being purely a sales channel to a significant branding channel.
Historical perspective on Amazon's evolution and the increasing importance of branding.
Challenges and insights on balancing lower funnel metrics like ROAS and conversion rates with upper funnel brand-building activities.
The importance of understanding the full story beyond performance metrics.
Strategies for ensuring brand cohesion across multiple platforms, particularly Amazon.
The importance of repurposing assets and developing Amazon-specific creative content.
The evolving role of visual content in media campaigns on Amazon.
How existing content can be repurposed effectively for Amazon.
Leveraging new metrics and brand analytics for improved customer segment targeting.
Using this data to inform product launches and brand strategies.
Early experiences and potential of Amazon's new AI-driven creative tools.
Predictions on the future role of AI in creating branded content on Amazon.
Specific tactics like brand-tailored promos to engage different customer segments.
Insights into interactive and personalized content options like premium A+ content.
Exciting new developments in Amazon's branding tools and metrics.
Predictions and expectations for the future of branding on Amazon.
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Welcome to another episode of The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast hosted by Acadia’s Head of Retail Marketplaces Services Julie Spear.
We’re joined by two of our favorite podcast guests - Chris Perry and Oskar Kaszubski of firstmovr.
In this episode, we’re sharing some key takeaways from the report they released earlier this year that represents a guide to something they’re calling “Omnicategory Captaincy.”
Sounds interesting? Tune in to find out more.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
In this episode, Julie, Chris, and Oskar discuss:
Introduction to Omni-Category Captaincy: Chris and Oskar introduce their innovative report on omni-category captaincy, transforming traditional category management by integrating multiple channels, both online and offline.
Key Pirate-Themed Criteria for Success: The report's pirate motif brings a creative flair to critical success elements:
Tight Ship:
Day-to-day excellence.Pirate Code:
Establishing a joint business plan (JBP) and routines.Compass:
Industry thought leadership.Fair Winds:
Traffic and demand generation.Bounty:
Incremental growth.Treasure Island:
Data sharing and utilization of data cleanrooms.Map:
Online category navigation.Fly the Colors:
Enhancing user experience and shopper journey.Insights from the Digital Shelf Institute event and upcoming plans for a dedicated captaincy event and podcast.
The critical need for brands to avoid complacency and continuously innovate to maintain market share.
Addressing the gap between recognizing individual actions and integrating them holistically for true category captaincy.
Overcoming resistance in C-suites to the critical role of digital content, especially in light of inflation and shifting consumer preferences.
Detailed audits and the importance of optimizing the shopper experience—learn from mistakes and improvements seen with major retailers like Walmart and Kroger.
Leveraging partnerships and thought leadership to demonstrate commitment and drive mutual benefits.
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Welcome to another episode of The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast hosted by Acadia’s Head of Retail Marketplaces Services Julie Spear and Director of Retail Operations, Jordan Ripley.
We’re joined by two great guests today: Lauren Livak Gilbert, Executive Director of the Digital Shelf Institute, and Nate Pinkston, Head of Growth at Microsoft’s Retail Media division.
In this episode, we’re focusing on the key takeaways from the report they released earlier this year, which represents a guide to the evolving landscape of Joint Business Planning.
Tune in to get an insider’s take on who, when, and how the most successful brands approach the JBP process across various retailers.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
In this episode, Julie, Lauren, Nate, and Jordan discuss:
Explanation of JBP and its critical role in brand-retailer relationships.
Comparison of JBP processes among different retailers (Amazon, Walmart).
JBP Lite: Less detailed, often used by smaller brands or those with weaker retailer relations.
Omnichannel JBP: Integrates all sales channels and stakeholder inputs for holistic collaboration.
Issues stemming from having separate JBPs for retail media and marketing.
Importance of integrating retail media into the JBP process.
Nate Pinkston's emphasis on retail media budgeting and its role in sales.
Cross-Departmental Collaboration: Need for the involvement of finance and other departments from the start.
Recommendations for effective stakeholder engagement and process improvements.
Lauren Livak's advice to start JBP preparations six months in advance.
Continuous monitoring and revisiting of JBPs throughout the year.
Recommendations for Brands: Integration of finance for comprehensive planning.
Clear communication and defined roles among stakeholders.
Transparency and data sharing between brands and retailers.
Involvement of sales, marketing, e-commerce, procurement, finance, and supply chain in JBP.
Importance of sharing growth goals, feedback, and maintaining open communication channels.
Recap of the importance of coordinated, omnichannel approaches to JBP.
Final thoughts on avoiding organizational silos and ensuring transparency for mutual success.
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Welcome to another episode of The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast hosted by Acadia’s Head of Retail Marketplaces Services Julie Spear and Director of Retail Operations, Jordan Ripley.
Today we’re joined by a friend of the show and a frequent guest: Russ Dieringer of Stratably, a research firm providing unbiased insights on how to do better business with Amazon and its peers.
We’ll be diving into launching products on Amazon - something many claim to have a secret sauce around, but a topic we haven’t seen holistic industry research on.
Make sure you tune in to find out more!
KEY TAKEAWAYS
In this episode, Julie, Russ, and Jordan discuss:
1P vs. 3P Brands on Amazon: The nimbleness and product innovation advantage of 3P brands.
25% of brands use Amazon as a launching pad for new products, adopting a "test and learn" approach.
Many launches on Amazon are dictated by timing issues rather than strategy.
Tactical aspects like SEO, PDP development, and inventory planning.
Emphasis on case studies to demonstrate the impact of well-executed launches.
Seasonality and Launch Timing: Insight on launching seasonal products
6 months in advance of peak season.Using Amazon's event calendar for strategic planning.
Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC): low adoption of AMC tools.
Potential benefits like advanced targeting, audience creation, and quicker market entry when AMC is used effectively.
The complexity of product launches within large organizations and strategies for better coordination.
Insights into the typical timeline for reaching baseline sales post-launch.
Media Strategy and Ad Spend: Higher average ad spend for new products and the balance between ad efficiency and speed-to-sales.
Importance of upper funnel support for product visibility and sales propulsion.
The critical role of leaders in Amazon initiatives and the necessity of cross-department collaboration for successful launches.
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Welcome to another episode of The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast hosted by Acadia’s Head of Retail Marketplaces Services Julie Spear and Director of Retail Operations, Jordan Ripley.
Today we’re joined by Neha Shah, who most recently oversaw the eCommerce Organic Acceleration team at Kenvue and is now a free agent. Before that, Neha spent 17 years at Johnson & Johnson as a Senior Manager overseeing Omnichannel Excellence and Shopper Marketing.
This episode is all about the role of organic marketing in sustainable brand growth - both on Amazon and across other retail channels.
Make sure you tune in to find out more!
Disclaimer: Neha's viewpoints in this podcast episode are separate from her work at Kenvue. These represent her personal opinions and beliefs on the industry.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
In this episode, Julie, Neha, and Jordan discuss:
The Role of Organic Marketing
Organic marketing's often overlooked potential in driving sustainable brand growth.
Importance of organic growth in providing cost efficiencies and building brand trust and equity.
The common oversight of organic efforts due to the immediate results offered by paid advertising.
Organic growth as a long-term strategy that complements paid efforts.
Strategies and activities for organic growth, such as keyword and content optimization.
Measuring organic success through metrics like revenue, share, average order value, traffic conversion, and organic search rank.
The need for a cross-functional team including paid, organic, and shopper leads.
Importance of collaboration and adaptability within the team.
Leveraging both internal and external resources for technology and data insights.
Future Trends to Watch: Rise of social commerce and new marketplaces.
Evolution of omnichannel strategies.
Impact of AI in areas ranging from content to supply chain operations.
What's Next for Neha Shah
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Welcome to another episode of The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast hosted by Acadia’s Head of Retail Marketplaces Services Julie Spear.
Today, we are joined by two special guests: Paul Sonneveld, CEO & Co-Founder of MerchantSpring, and Acadia’s Director of Retail Operations, Jordan Ripley.
We’re diving into the complex decisions behind building vs buying software at an agency and SaaS company, using customer feedback to shape what you deliver to the market, and where we see the industry headed in this multichannel e-commerce world.
Make sure you tune in to find out more!
KEY TAKEAWAYS
In this episode, Julie, Paul, and Jordan discuss:
Origins and evolution of MerchantSpring: from an in-house tool for managing multiple e-commerce platforms like Amazon and eBay to a shift towards SaaS for agencies.
Multi-channel support and feature parity across different platforms.
Specific focus on agency needs and saving customers' time by providing a unified interface.
Balancing between roadmap developments and quality of life improvements.
Core focus areas: feature parity, profitability, and retail media support using agile methodology.
Importance of customer lifetime value and sourcing share analysis.
Challenges of overinvesting in features like eBay item specifics, driven by local market demands but limited broader interest.
The evolution of the company’s approach to idea generation based on client feedback.
Future developments include enhancing retail media, profitability analysis, and expanding into Southeast Asia and Japan.
Homogenizing retail data across various channels.
Advantages and strategies for early considerations of data homogenization.
Exploration of clean room developments to unify client data.
Future updates and developments to look forward to from MerchantSpring.
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Welcome to another episode of The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast hosted by Acadia’s Head of Retail Marketplaces Services Julie Spear.
In today's episode, we have two special guests that Julie had the privilege of joining for a discussion panel at eTail East in Boston: Ash McMullen, Head of E-commerce at Advantice, and Stephanie Grubert, Director of E-commerce Sales at Torani.
Together, we'll dive into the topic of “tentpole events” and how brands plan, execute, and build their e-commerce strategies around these major shopping events.
Make sure you tune in to find out more!
KEY TAKEAWAYS
In this episode, Julie, Ash, and Stephanie discuss:
The necessity of strong client-agency relationships and thorough preparations, including scenario planning, tool implementation, and automated rules.
Importance of monitoring user experiences, conducting real-time sales checks, and managing unexpected issues with calmness.
Managing stress and staying calm during the execution phase.
Real-time analysis and adaptation based on competitor strategies.
Utilizing limited real-time sales checks to avoid overreactions.
Understanding the purchase cycle and defining success metrics for different product types.
Importance of pre-defining success measurements.
Goals such as new-to-brand growth and repeat purchasers.
Key metrics like added-to-carts, retargeting consumers, and buy cycles on Amazon.
Tentpole Event Planning: Months of detailed planning involving finance, supply chain, sales, and marketing teams.
Execution requires about two days, followed by approximately two weeks of reporting.
Importance of education, alignment, and early communication to avoid challenges.
Suggestion to define success with one or two key performance indicators (KPIs), focusing on traffic and glance views.
Driving down ROAS for a bigger goal.
Unique promotional event ideas to create consumer urgency and introduce new products.
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Welcome to another episode of The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast hosted by Acadia’s Head of Retail Marketplaces Services Julie Spear.
Today, we have two exceptional guests: Scott Ohsman, VP of Digital Commerce at Quickfire, and Ken Beemer, Director of Retail Client Growth at Acadia.
We’ll be diving into Amazon’s growing investments in live sports and media content, its impact on advertising, and what it means for brands and consumers alike.
Make sure you tune in to find out more!
KEY TAKEAWAYS
In this episode, Julie, Scott, and Ken discuss:
- Sports broadcasts, ads, and watching live games.
- Amazon Prime is a vortex for drawing consumers into its ecosystem.
- Investments in live sports aim to increase audience reach and draw manufacturers and brands to sell on Amazon.
- Amazon's massive first-party data offers unparalleled advertising and sponsorship opportunities.
- Live sports could boost Amazon Prime sign-ups and leverage content for retention.
- Amazon’s scale allows for significant brand advertising with trackable results.
- Amazon's investments, including Thursday Night Football and NBA rights.
- The role of partnerships with entities like Dude Perfect to target younger demographics.
- The need for a new mindset regarding Amazon advertising.
- Full-funnel marketing and evolving metrics over the next three years.
- Testing new opportunities on connected TV.
- Sports broadcasting’s evolution from major networks to tech players like Amazon.
- Legacy deals and the transformative role of tech giants.
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Welcome to another episode of The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast hosted by Acadia’s Head of Retail Marketplaces Services Julie Spear.
In this episode, we’re joined by Tyler Dixon, E-commerce Manager at water bottle company Reduce.
We’re diving into Tyler's background and his leading role at Reduce, the brand's transition from a 2P reseller model to a 3P seller model on Amazon, and the key trends he's observing in the industry.
Make sure you tune in to find out more!
KEY TAKEAWAYS
In this episode, Julie and Tyler discuss:
- Tyler's broad experience across sales, account management, finance, and e-commerce has helped him connect cross-functional teams and bring creative ideas to his current role
- When evaluating 2P vs 3P selling models on Amazon, brands need to carefully consider what will help remove obstacles and achieve goals, and get full leadership buy-in on the transition
- The transition from 2P to 3P should not be rushed - take time to plan it out, get functional support, and find the right agency partner
- Differentiating your brand and building brand equity on Amazon is more important than ever
- Reduce is paying attention to trends like hydration bottles becoming fashion accessories, and developments in Amazon's fulfillment programs and services for brands
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Welcome to another episode of The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast hosted by Acadia’s Head of Retail Marketplaces Services Julie Spear.
Today, we're thrilled to have Scott Fulton, Director of Sales and Marketing at Sun Bulb, join us.
In this episode, Scott shares his journey to overseeing Sales and Marketing at an industry-leading gardening company. We delve into how he evaluates and grows newer channels in a long-standing business, along with some valuable gardening tips.
Get ready to uncover insights about Sun Bulb’s impressive product portfolio and their strategic shift into e-commerce.
KEY TAKEAWAYSIn this episode, Julie and Scott discuss:
Gardening tips from Scott, especially caring for orchids.
Scott’s career transition from a CPA to his current role in Sales and Marketing at Sun Bulb.
How his accounting background aids his role in understanding costing, profitability, and enhancing sales strategies.
Overview of Sun Bulb’s major brands: Better-Gro, Dynamite, and Shurich.
Unique features and market positions of these brands, including endorsements and innovative products like time-release fertilizers and durable indoor pots.
The Impact of COVID-19: Sun Bulb’s record sales during the pandemic due to increased consumer interest in home improvement and gardening.
Strategies that led to sustained growth through subsequent years.
E-commerce Strategy: Approaching B2C sales without conflicting with established brick-and-mortar relationships.
The role of Amazon in Sun Bulb’s e-commerce growth and strategies for differentiation.
Future Plans: Launching live plants on Amazon and the benefits of providing more detailed product information.
Direct-to-consumer fulfillment logistics for live plants.
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Welcome to another episode of The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast. Jordan Ripley, Acadia’s Director of Retail Operations, is hosting this Prime Day Recap, and Retail Media Specialist Dusan Tepavac and Project Manager João Couceiro da Costa are joining him.
Recorded just 36 hours after the massive shopping event, this episode offers a breakdown of initial data, strategies, and insights to help you understand what worked, what didn’t, and how to leverage those learnings moving forward.
Whether you're a seasoned e-commerce professional or looking to optimize your next big sales event, this episode is packed with actionable takeaways.
Make sure you tune in to find out more!
KEY TAKEAWAYS
In this episode, Jordan, João and Dusan discuss:
- The theme for this year's report revolved around the Roman Empire
- The analogy signifies that crossing Amazon Prime Day without proper preparation leaves no room for corrective actions.
- General industry growth estimates ranged from 11% to 15% year-on-year.
- Competitive Cost-per-Click (CPC) landscape, with reports of a 70% increase in CPC.
- Significant increase in sales for clients using prime exclusive discounts and longer lead-in strategies.
- Effective use of custom audience targeting via Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC) and maintaining efficiency despite rising CPCs.
- Discussion on a two to three-hour outage in the ad console during peak Pacific time.
- João faced issues with the smooth execution of some vendor promotions.
- Successful lead-in strategies involved aggressive marketing and improved Best Seller Rank (BSR).
- DSP and AMC provided advanced targeting opportunities.
- Dusan discusses a focus on branded targeting and cautious budgeting post-Prime Day.
- João emphasizes analyzing data and utilizing subscribe and save options for CPG clients.
- The importance of data analysis to refine strategies for future events.
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Welcome to another episode of The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast hosted by Acadia’s Head of Retail Marketplaces Services Julie Spear.
Today we’re joined by Senior Retail Marketplaces Account & Operations Specialist Tamara Vukovic to discuss the impact of the updated Amazon fees rolled out this year and how brands can navigate these changes effectively.
With these fresh updates, this episode aims to decode the new fee structures and provide practical strategies for optimizing operations amid evolving landscapes.
Make sure you tune in to find out more!
KEY TAKEAWAYS
In this episode, Julie and Tamara discuss:
Introduction of New Amazon Fees
Reduced referral fees for apparel under $20.
New size bands for small and large standard tiers; changes in FBA fees.
Introduction of inbound placement fees.
Introduction of low-level inventory fees and adjustments in storage fees.
Introduction of return processing fees.
Impact on Sellers
Apparel sellers benefited from reduced referral fees.
Adjusting to new FBA fee structures based on updated size tiers.
Operational and inventory management shifts due to inbound placement and low-level inventory fees.
Overblown Concerns
Impact on operationally efficient vs. inefficient sellers.
Adjustments to prep, removal, and disposal fee changes with minimal disruptions for optimized operations.
Incentivization Through Fees
Fees designed to encourage better operational decisions rather than just increasing costs.
Emphasis on supply chain efficiency and optimal inventory management.
Advice for Brands
Importance of inventory management and planning.
Utilizing Amazon's tools and data for product improvement and efficiency.
Regular auditing of supply chain processes, internal logistics, and operational strategies.
Proactive adaptation to ongoing and future changes in Amazon's fee structures.
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Welcome to another episode of The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast hosted by Acadia’s Head of Retail Marketplaces Services Julie Spear.
In this episode, we’re joined by Claire McBride, the VP of Research and Education at Stratably, to discuss the Amazon Vendor Negotiation (AVN) Benchmark Report.
Authored by Claire alongside Martin Heubel of Consulterce, this report dives deep into the AVN process, offering valuable insights and benchmarking data for brands looking to navigate their negotiations with Amazon more effectively.
Tune in to discover key takeaways, strategies, and trends that can help you prepare for next year's AVNs.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
In this episode, Julie and Claire discuss:
The stress and lack of transparency that many brands experience during AVNs.
The purpose of the benchmark report.
Data gathered from 252 brands, split between North American and European vendors.
Surprising Findings: Brands are becoming firmer in resisting trade term increases.
9% of brands achieved a year-over-year decrease in their trade terms and 61% of brands avoided a decrease in overall margins.
The main challenge continues to be securing favorable trade terms.
Disparities in AVN experiences between various types of businesses, with food and CPG brands facing tougher negotiations.
European vendors had a more challenging AVN experience compared to North American vendors, potentially due to Amazon's margin improvement efforts.
Preparation and data gathering are crucial for a successful AVN.
Brands that are growing faster or are highly profitable had better AVN experiences.
Build a healthy Amazon business year-round to ease the AVN process.
Do extensive homework and preparation before entering negotiations.
Embrace Amazon's unique, data-driven negotiation approach for better outcomes.
Potential trends in AVN processes becoming less formal due to understaffing at Amazon.
Importance of leaning into the challenging aspects of AVNs and Amazon as a whole to gain an edge in the marketplace.
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Welcome to another episode of The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast hosted by Acadia’s Head of Retail Marketplaces Services Julie Spear.
This week we’re sharing a high-level conversation about bid management in Amazon's advertising ecosystem with retail media experts Jordi Beltran and Carlos Sastre.
Join us to discover the nuances of bid management, its impact on budget allocation, and how campaign architecture plays a vital role in optimizing brand performance.
Make sure you tune in to find out more!
KEY TAKEAWAYS
In this episode, Julie, Jordi, and Carlos discuss:
Budget Distribution: The need for a clear structure in budget distribution and campaign architecture to control investments and achieve campaign objectives.
Campaign Objectives: Importance of having focused approaches for each campaign to maximize efficiency and return on investments.
CPC Analysis: The significance of monitoring Cost Per Click (CPC) and budget management to maintain campaign efficiency.
Signs of Poor Structure: Identifying accounts with hundreds of products or keywords in a single campaign as a red flag for inefficiency.
High Competition Categories: The importance of strategic bidding in competitive categories where clicks can be expensive.
Conversion Rates: The need to understand the conversion rates of products to avoid overspending and optimize bids for better returns.
Bid Placement Modificator: Adjusting bids for top search placements can drastically improve campaign performance.
Campaign Bidding Strategies: Carlos advises using a "down only" bidding strategy for better control and efficiency.
Automation Trends: How Amazon is evolving towards more automation and goal-based bidding, similar to trends seen in other advertising platforms like Google.
Algorithm Improvements: Jordi highlights the improvements in Amazon's algorithm and the potential benefits and drawbacks of automatic campaigns.
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Welcome to another episode of The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast hosted by Acadia’s Head of Retail Marketplaces Services Julie Spear.
Today we’re diving into the transformative technologies shaping the future of retail.
Joining us are two pioneering minds in omnichannel education and AI, Chris Perry and Oskar Kaszubski, the founders of Firstmovr.
In this episode, we dissect key findings from Firstmovr’s latest report and explore actionable insights that both large enterprises and smaller brands can leverage in this rapidly evolving landscape.
Make sure you tune in to find out more!
KEY TAKEAWAYS
In this episode, Julie, Chris, and Oskar discuss:
Essential components for effective AI implementation: commitment, focus, leadership, vision, strategies, goals, resources, assessment, and communication.
AI for Smaller Brands: Leveraging AI for content optimization and new insights, is particularly beneficial for brands with limited resources.
AI Misconceptions: AI is not an "easy button".
The importance of time, discernment, and realistic expectations in AI adoption.
AI Go-to-Market Loop and Ecosystem: Chris introduces the AI go-to-market loop and talks about the complexities and legal considerations in AI implementation.
Data Limitations and AI Reliability: Insufficient data volumes ("hallucinations" and unreliable analytics).
Need for larger token models to improve AI reliability.
Strategic Business Considerations: Challenges in managing rapid AI development and aligning expectations with reality.
Establishing guidelines, training, and considering an "AI czar" for successful AI integration.
Traditional vs. AI-Enhanced Consumer Journeys: The "infinity loop" and expansion of the traditional four P's of marketing to eight P's.
Emphasis on platforms, proposition, presence, promotion, performance, people, process, and partnerships.
Retail Media and AI: How AI impacts retail platforms and the necessity for retailers to balance personalized AI responses with monetized media placements.
The future automated nature of purchases and the need to rethink retail media.
AI in Sentiment Analysis and Ad Optimization: AI’s role in extracting insights from social media and product reviews.
Limitations in AI’s effectiveness in ad optimization and performance analysis due to token limitations.
Outlook on ongoing AI advancements and potential future interactions within retail.
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