The Asian Seller - SoundSage

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Sammy Akhtar from Regro Media joins us on this episode of The Asian Seller podcast. Sammy shares recent Amazon updates he is excited about. He also talks about using PPC for product launches, ad reports, and gives some tips for increasing sales.

Sammy is Co-Founder of Regro Media. He has been in the ecommerce space since 2017 when he started selling on Amazon. After a few years, he created Regro Media, a full service Amazon agency helping Amazon brands scale.

Episode highlights:

• Amazon Marketing Cloud, and other updates Sammy is excited about • Importance of PPC • How to launch products PPC • Most important ad report that sellers don't check • Mobile-optimized listings • Tips to increase sales for a brand

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On this episode of The Asian Seller podcast, we welcome Karthick and Kamalavel from KwickMetrics to talk about the importance of analysing and tracking data for Amazon sellers.

An Amazon business strategy without data analytics is like shooting in the dark. Assumptions and preferences can easily bias sellers and result in wrong decisions. We also briefly talk about some of the important data points Amazon sellers should focus on.

Kamalavel and Karthic are speakers at the upcoming Ecom India Summit to be held in Delhi in October. J

oin the Summit to meet with them and many other brands, ecom sellers, and global experts traveling to India for this first-of-its-kind conference and expo.

Learn more and reserve your seat here: www.ecomindiasummit.com

Episode highlights:
• Introductions • Ways that Amazon sellers can use data to increase sales and improve profitability • Tips on managing inventory • Advice for sellers as they prepare for Q4 sales • About KwickMetrics and how it it different from other tools available for Amazon sellers? • Who is it for & pricing
About:
Kamalavel is a successful entrepreneur with 12+ years of expertise in solving business problems using technology. He has hands-on experience in providing strategic solutions for business platforms that handle customers online. He is the founder of KwickMetrics, a business analytics and intelligence tool for Amazon sellers.

Karthick is Product Manager of KwickMetrics, and a receptive team lead with 6+ years of experience in interacting with entrepreneurs and stakeholders. Equipping them with proper strategical solutions for their business problems, he always finds way towards ensuring data driven decision making for business processes. His keen interest always drives towards bringing software as a solution for day-to-day business and sales handling problems.

KwickMetrics is a business Intelligence and analytics tool that offers powerful and innovative solutions for Amazon sellers. Their user-friendly business dashboard and profit calculator enables retailers, manufacturers, and private-label sellers to automatically generate reports from their sales data. With KwickMetrics, sellers can explore sales forecasting, multiple seller account access, reimbursement reports, and inventory management, and more.

Learn more: www.kwickmetrics.com

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From 0 to 7 Figures: The Story of an Ecommerce Seller from Ludhiana On this episode of The Asian Seller podcast, we speak with Kulbahar Singh Tiwana, a 7-figure (USD) ecommerce seller from India who began his selling journey with limited investment. He started selling online in 2015 and on Amazon, in 2018. He currently sells on the US, UK, Europe and Australia marketplaces and sources all his products from India. Kulbahar is an expert in commercial exports and CSB-V (ecommerce exports). Kulbahar is testament to the fact that cross-border ecommerce is an extremely viable business opportunity for anyone that is willing to put in the time and effort to learn the ropes. There are, however, no short cuts in this business - it requires investment, patience, time and just like any other business, risk tolerance. Kulbahar is a panelist at the upcoming Ecom India Summit to be held in Delhi in October. Join the Summit to meet with him and many other brands, ecom sellers, and global experts traveling to India for this first-of-its-kind conference and expo. Learn more and reserve your seat here: www.ecomindiasummit.com

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On this episode of The Asian Seller, Jason Tay, Meghla Bhardwaj and Margaret Jolly answer sellers questions about Amazon FBA, Ecommerce, Private Label, Sourcing, QC, Logistics and more.

Jason is the first ever Singapore seller to be featured on Amazon’s Seller Success Story series, and is regularly invited by Amazon and other institutions to talk about eCommerce.

Episode highlights

Does the PAC replens model work for amazon.sg?
Keepa doesn’t work on Amazon.sg, what’s the alternative?
I have some of my listings with search suppressed. I had tried file upload and edit but nothing helps. Any advise?
Can you give an example of how you make your product page the more attractive to consumers?
Is it possible to do the replens model in amazon.com from Singapore? What are the potential challenges?
I have an Amazon AU account. I have two lots of products that I bought from AliExpress that I want to get rid of. Can I deliver them to the Amazon warehouse in Melbourne myself to sell on amazon.com.au FBA?
Is bath bomb fallen under prohibited category ? if yes, how do we find out what type of licences we need?

How to reach Jason

Jason Tay Online: https://www.jasontayonline.com/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/jasontayonline/
Jason’s Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/MySilentTeamSG/

Jason’s course

Amazon Seller - Singapore Training: https://www.jasontayonline.com/singapore-training.html

Mention “The Asian Seller” when registering for the course to receive a bonus one-on-one session with Jason

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On this episode of The Asian Seller, Jason Tay, Meghla Bhardwaj and Margaret Jolly answer sellers questions about Amazon FBA, Ecommerce, Private Label, Sourcing, QC, Logistics and more.

Jason is the first ever Singapore seller to be featured on Amazon’s Seller Success Story series, and is regularly invited by Amazon and other institutions to talk about eCommerce.

Episode highlights

Does the PAC replens model work for amazon.sg?
Keepa doesn’t work on Amazon.sg, what’s the alternative?
I have some of my listings with search suppressed. I had tried file upload and edit but nothing helps. Any advise?
Can you give an example of how you make your product page the more attractive to consumers?
Is it possible to do the replens model in amazon.com from Singapore? What are the potential challenges?
I have an Amazon AU account. I have two lots of products that I bought from AliExpress that I want to get rid of. Can I deliver them to the Amazon warehouse in Melbourne myself to sell on amazon.com.au FBA?
Is bath bomb fallen under prohibited category ? if yes, how do we find out what type of licences we need?

How to reach Jason

Jason Tay Online: https://www.jasontayonline.com/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/jasontayonline/
Jason’s Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/MySilentTeamSG/

Jason’s course

Amazon Seller - Singapore Training: https://www.jasontayonline.com/singapore-training.html

Mention “The Asian Seller” when registering for the course to receive a bonus one-on-one session with Jason

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On this episode of The Asian Seller, Jason Tay and Meghla Bhardwaj answer sellers questions about Amazon FBA, Ecommerce, Private Label, Sourcing, QC, Logistics and more.

Jason is the first ever Singapore seller to be featured on Amazon’s Seller Success Story series, and is regularly invited by Amazon and other institutions to talk about eCommerce.

Episode highlights:

The best way to approach businesses to work with?
What is your view on price moving up and down $3+- during testing? 3 months changes 3-4x?
How to rank on top of the fold on first page, and how do you maintain that position?
How we can scale our business further especially if our budget is not so much? By looking for more products or focus more on existing selling products?
With rising shipping costs and perhaps PPC costs, it means that we potentially have to price our products higher than existing sellers. DO we still try to maintain the same margin ? Do you recommend we try to price the same level with other sellers or spend more on PPC (esp if this is the 1st time you are selling this product)?
When sourcing wood products, is it the supplier or freight forwarder who should provide the lacey act + fumigation cert + FDA inspection cert?
Do you recommend launch new product during prime Day?

How to reach Jason

Jason Tay Online: https://www.jasontayonline.com/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/jasontayonline/
Jason’s Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/MySilentTeamSG/

Jason’s course

Amazon Seller - Singapore Training: https://www.jasontayonline.com/singapore-training.html

Mention “The Asian Seller” when registering for the course to receive a bonus one-on-one session with Jason

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On this episode of The Asian Seller podcast, Ashley Kinkead from Private Label Masters shares her "3 x 2 Method" of launching products on Amazon. She also shares her journey of selling online - from Retail Arbitrage to Online Arbitrage and finally Private Label. Ashley has helped thousands of sellers launch products on Amazon.com. She's inspired and equipped thousands of online entrepreneurs around the world with the skills and strategies they need to build thriving empires, from the ground up. In 2015, Ashley desired to leave her dead-end career as a manager in corporate America. She started out selling used books on Amazon FBA. She then launched into her own Private Label products, eventually listing over 15,000 products on Amazon.com. She quickly scaled her Amazon business to over $30,000/month in income. She eventually exceeded her goal of $100,000/month in her Amazon business. In under 3 years, she exceeded $2 million sold on Amazon FBA. Today, she is just as enthusiastic and passionate about teaching new business owners how to grow with e-commerce using her innovative "3 x 2" Method and TSA Approach that is scalable, simple and fast. Many of her students are in the top 1% of global Amazon sellers. Today she serves as the Founder of Private Label Mastery. Her primary business is training women and men like herself to launch winning businesses on Amazon FBA using her innovative training system and approach to product launching, scaling and automation. Website link - plmastery.com/masterclass Join The Asian Seller community

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On this episode of The Asian Seller podcast, we chat with Pierre Poignant, Co-Founder of Lazada, and currently Co-Founder & CEO of Branded.

In 2012, Pierre co-founded Lazada, one of the largest e-commerce marketplaces in Asia building out the largest logistics network in South East Asia.

Under his leadership, Lazada scaled to over 80 million customers and processed millions of transactions every day.

Pierre joined Lazada originally as its COO where he oversaw tens of thousands of employees and contractors, before taking over the reins as CEO after Alibaba's acquisition from 2018-2020.

Previously, Pierre spent over 8 years at McKinsey in Singapore and Paris focusing on operations and digital transformation. Episode highlights: - How did you come about founding Lazada? - What were some initial challenges you faced when establishing Lazada? - Why did you decide to sell to Alibaba? - What advice do you have for entrepreneurs who are looking to start an ecommerce / Amazon FBA business? - In today's competitive environment, what does it take for an ecommerce business to be successful? - Where do you see ecommerce headed in the next few years in SE Asia? - What are the key trends and predictions you have for the aggregation space in 2022? - What makes Branded different? - What kind of e-commerce businesses is Branded interested in? Join The Asian Seller community

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On this episode of The Asian Seller Jason Tay and Meghla Bhardwaj answer sellers questions about Amazon FBA, Ecommerce, Private Label, Sourcing, QC, Logistics and more.

Jason is the first ever Singapore seller to be featured on Amazon’s Seller Success Story series, and is regularly invited by Amazon and other institutions to talk about eCommerce.

Episode Highlights:

Is it advisable to order large quantity and send to 3PL or smaller quantity and ship direct to Amazon?
What should be the percentage set aside for the first 6 months and subsequent months for PPC Ads?
For Prime Exclusive discount, is FBA fees based on original price or discounted price?
How should I handle (1) Voice of Customer, (2) Cancelled order, (3) Returns?
When we first start out, do you think we should try on our own or use a VA from the start?
How to cope with increasing logistics costs?
What's the appropriate way to identify product competition and demand in Amazon.sg ,since we're not using Helium10 in Singapore?
How to reach Jason
- Jason Tay Online: https://www.jasontayonline.com/
- Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/jasontayonline/
- Jason’s Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/MySilentTeamSG/
  Jason’s course
- Amazon Seller - Singapore Training: https://www.jasontayonline.com/singapore-training.html
  Mention “The Asian Seller” when registering for the course to receive a bonus one-on-one session with Jason

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On this episode of The Asian Seller podcast, Melissa Simonson and Hai Mag from Eva join us to chat about a range of topics including dynamic pricing, Amazon India, Q4 trends and more. About Melissa: Down to her last $30 and with her power turned off, Melissa started her entrepreneurial journey out of necessity. She later shifted into eCommerce private label and is now proud to represent Eva.Guru as Head of Marketing. Melissa is honored to be on the Board of Directors for the nonprofit, member-owned Empowery eCommerce Cooperative to help other eCommerce entrepreneurs on their journey and has a special place in her heart for empowering women in eCommerce. Event host, international speaker, podcaster, community builder and people connector, she was the host of the first ever event in eCommerce with an all women speaker lineup and is the current host of the Amaze on Stream Podcast.

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On this episode of The Asian Seller podcast, Gianmarco Meli from The Seller Process talks about creating SOPs for an Amazon business. Gianmarco is an Amazon seller who started his ecommerce journey in Shanghai where he launched an online platform backed by venture capital fund SOSV.
He is the host of The Seller Process, a weekly podcast that aims to empower Amazon sellers and ecommerce entrepreneurs with the right systems and SOPs to accomplish more in their business with less time and effort. Download this free eBook about capturing systems and creating SOPs. Episode highlights * What SOPs are and what are the benefits of implementing them in your business * How to create SOPs * Different types of SOPs * In depth structure of an SOP * What are the tools to generate and collect SOPs * Running SOPs best practices * Common mistakes with SOPs

Contact: The Seller Process: www.thesellerprocess.com LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/gianmarco-meli/

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On this episode of The Asian Seller podcast, we're talking to McClain Warren of Movley about inspections and quality control when sourcing from China.

McClain Warren is a Colorado-native w/ a Communications and Marketing degree from American University, DC. She started in the Amazon space as a copywriter for listing optimizations and worked her way up the corporate ladder until she was the director of the keyword research and copywriting department of one of the larger Amazon-focused marketing companies. She now owns her own marketing and copywriting firm called The Write Buzz and is the Marketing and Content Manager at Movley – a US-based inspections company that provides clients with an entire quality control team for the price of an inspection.

Episode highlights * Introduction * Who can do inspections and what are the pros and cons of each * What kind of tests should you have your inspection team perform * What is the difference between a mid-production inspection and a pre-ship inspection * How do you choose the right sample sizes * Why is it recommended for online sellers to get a level III inspection done on your sample * How do bad inspections affect your Amazon listing * How do bad inspections impact the valuation of your company

Contact McClain: https://bit.ly/3hA7I1N

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On this week's Webinar Wednesday, we talk to Ivegen Ivanko, VP of Acquisitions at Rainforest, an aggregator of Amazon businesses. He will talk about structuring your business, and best practices to follow to maximise your company's valuation. About Yev: Yev moved to England when he was 16 without parents to take an opportunity to study A-Levels. Initially, things were "bumpy", but he managed to grow and learn quickly, graduating at the top of his year. Perseverance got him fully paid place at the London School of Economics where Yev majored in Mathematics. He worked hard and won a place on a graduate scheme at Citigroup Investment Bank before moving to Deutsche Bank with a two-grade promotion. After attempting to start a business in spare time, in 2012 Yev took a leap into the world of entrepreneurship full-time, e-commerce business model was a focus for him. Yev was an early investor into a unicorn D2C brand – Dollar Shave Club. Launched and scaled a number of profitable ecommerce businesses from $0 to seven figures and co-founded Nimble Seller, a borderless working capital solution for global Amazon Sellers. Currently Yev is spearheading acquisition efforts at Rainforest – Asia-based Amazon brand acquirer. About Rainforest: Rainforest is an aggregator of Amazon FBA and DTC brands, and they were incorporated in Singapore in Oct 2020. Till date, they have acquired a handful of brands and are actively looking into more brands to acquire in 2021. They specialize in developing microbrands globally through their inhouse domain capabilities and tech expertise. Through the payout, brand owners can fund their other business expansion or pursue their personal endeavors. They are open to brands globally.

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On this week's podcast, we welcome Chris Shipferling, Managing Partner at Global Wired Advisors. Chris believes preparing your business for an exit is more in depth than what you may have been told. In this webinar, Chris will discuss the top three things to focus on today to help you begin to mold your company into a more sellable business and optimize your potential exit: 1. Financial organization 2. Know your data 3. Product road map About Chris: Chris offers invaluable insight to help sellers and buyers reach their full potential before, during and after the sale of their business. Chris is especially adept at finding client companies that are poised for sale, guiding them through the initial steps, and preparing them to make the best possible first impression. About Global Wired Advisors: Global Wired Advisors is a leading Digital Investment Bank focused on optimizing the business sale process. Their approach combines decades of merger and acquisition experience with online and e-commerce expertise to increase the transactional value of your greatest asset. Join The Asian Seller community

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The Asian Seller Founder Meghla Bhardwaj was interviewed by Payman Lorenzo. Meghla shared a bit about her journey from who she is and her transition from being a journalist to the business woman she is now.

She also talks about her experience of Sourcing From India VS China, advantages & for what type of products it is best for. Meghla shared about her soon to be launched brand.

Episode Highlights:

Transition From Being A Journalist To The Business Woman She Is Now
Sourcing From India VS China, Advantages and For What Type Of Products It Is Best For
Personal Tragedy As The Root For The Inspiration To A More Fulfilling and Meaningful Life
The Importance Of Legacy & The Power Of Impact
Sponsoring Kids' Education In New Delhi For A Year In Her First India Sourcing Trip
The Unforgettable Experience Of Visiting These Kids At Their School
Education, The Key To Arising Above Poverty
Doing Good With Your Business Is Not Only The Right Thing To Do As A Human Being But Also Very Good For Business!
Most Impactful Lesson Learned Over The Past 12 Months
What Kept You Going In That Very Challenging Time?
Involving Her Son Into The Business At An Early Age
Best Way To Reach Meghla.
Tip For Someone Looking To Feel More Fulfilment In Their Business and Life By Adding A Cause To Their Business.

Contact Meghla

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This week’s The Asian Seller podcast is about procrastination and mindset.

Do you put things off and keep yourself busy with meaningless tasks? Do you find it hard to commit to decisions and just go for it?

Well, there are deeper patterns within our mindset that play a role in why we move forward in life, and why we don't.

In under an hour, Cameron will show you exactly why procrastination is not really about putting things off, it is actually about something much deeper within you that is unresolved

On this podcast transformation coach Cameron Allen gives you 3 key takeaways that will allow you to identify and see where this pain point is coming from everytime, and move through it.

About Cameron Allen:

Life CAN be how you want it. But you need to want it enough. When you experience coaching with me, we will delve into the root causes of patterns holding you back. We clear out the limitations and re-wire your mind to inspire new ways of living.

I work with the subconscious mind to empower you to design the life you desire. Send me a message if you would like more information. I offer 1:1 VIP coaching, workshops, retreats, and the powerful Aligned Mastermind.

Contact Cameron:

www.cameronallen.com.au

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On this week’s The Asian Seller podcast, we talk to Jelena Nuhanovic, founder of AmazoniaPPC about everything you need to know about Amazon Posts.

Jelena shares the basics of Posts, and gives best practices in 2021 to maximize Posts so you can get your brand and product in front of more shoppers on Amazon.

Apart from listening to / watching the podcast interview with Jelena, you can also read the article written by Jelena below to get an overview of Amazon Posts.

What are Amazon Posts With the most recent pandemic event that has definitely acted as a catalyst for the development of ecommerce, Amazon has moved more in the direction of creating a more branded shopping experience for customers on the platform.

This new way of communicating with audiences has opened a door for brands to expand their brand discoverability in front of Amazon’s shoppers and build a following in a similar way that they do on social networks.

Amazon Posts are an innovative new tool for sellers to expand their organic reach free of charge. In this article, we’re going to give you full insights on what this tool is, and how to leverage all the advantages it’s currently giving us.

What is interesting about this new format is that it is a shoppable format. Each post links to a product detail page, which is a valuable feature if you’re looking to expand your brand presence on Amazon.

Why should I use Amazon Posts?

There are many reasons why you should start building your following on Amazon through Posts, and some of them are:

You already have that content on your social media, just probably haven’t reached Amazon’s audiences with it yet. Since you already have the content it is very easy to repurpose it for Amazon
This is a great way to generate additional organic clicks to your product detail pages and promote any special offers you might have
This is currently free to join, but you will need to be Brand registered first

One of the most interesting things about Amazon posts is that their main format looks a lot like regular social media posts (very similar to Instagram posts and stories, or Facebook posts), but at the same time there is no option to interact with the brand other than signing up to follow their feed on Amazon. Other than that, you can click on the post to lead you either to the featured product’s detail page, to brand feed, and to expand the caption on mobile devices.

How to get started with Amazon Posts?

This program is completely free (it is good to harvest its potential while it’s still free) to join, but you will need to be brand registered before signing up for the program. If you need to get brand registered fast, you can speed up this process by signing up for the IP accelerator program. This program is a network of Amazon-vetted IP law firms that can help you speed up the process of trademark registration and they usually offer better pricing than independent law firms.

If you’re already brand registered, then you can use the following steps to sign up:

Go to: https://posts.amazon.com/welcome
Create a new profile by using your regular Seller Central login credentials
Verify your brand name and add your brand logo

This simple, 3-step process will then enable you to start creating posts once you’re approved.

How does it work?

Once you are signed up, you can use the interface to create interesting and engaging posts. It is important to stick to the creative guidelines given by Amazon, and respect the rules of posting. Similar to social media, there is no limit to how many Posts you can create, which is great for building a consistent brand presence on the platform.

Another great thing is that you can schedule posts in advance, similar to Scheduled Posts on Facebook.

Once it’s approved to be published, Amazon will automatically start showing it in customer’s feeds where applicable. After you create a post, you can either publish it right away, or schedule for later. After a while, you will have a good overview of each post’s performance and easily understand what works and what doesn’t.

Where will my Amazon Post appear?

Currently there is no option to choose where the post will display. Amazon chooses post placements automatically. They use feeds and product detail pages as placements for the posts, using relevancy as one of the ways to determine where it will place your post. So far, we’ve seen higher-than-average CTRs coming from Amazon Posts in our client’s accounts, so our opinion is that they are making a good estimate where to place the posts.

In order to get your posts approved, there is an extensive list of creative policies you’ll need to respect.

What does an Amazon Post look like?

The most interesting thing about this new format is that it looks like Instagram posts and sponsored products ads had a baby 😊 This new innovative format has already proven to generate much higher CTR rates than regular ads. We strongly suggest you read the creative policies carefully before testing different creatives.

Each Amazon Post is consisted of 5 creative elements:

Name and the logo of the brand – in the header of each post
Custom image – in the biggest part of the post there will be a custom image. Image types that are most typically used are lifestyle images but you can use any other format if you feel like it would resonate better with your own audience.
Show/hide button – this button will show what product is being featured in that specific post, and show some basic details about it, such as: price, reviews, Prime eligibility and similar.
Caption – piece of custom text that follows the post. Use this part to advertise product features, talk about your brand, or promote a lightning deal you are doing at the moment etc.
Category tags – Amazon will automatically attach different category tags to your post, and add a couple of the most similar categories. Once a customer clicks/taps on a category tag, they will be taken to the whole feed of different posts that fit in to that category.

The most effective way to create a high-quality post, is to split test a couple of different variants of copy and images. Coming from our experience there are a couple of general guidelines you can use to create a good post:

Show your product being used: this is a great way to showcase your product’s features and some additional functionalities your competitors might not have. Keep the white background image for the main image on the listing, and focus more on the lifestyle imagery when doing Amazon Posts.
Don’t use text within an image: this is a lesson learned from Facebook boosted posts. The main reason why Facebook limits the number of letters within an image in a post, is because additional text is distracting, it looks messy, and it lowers average CTRs.
Use the right format and resolution: you want to avoid your images being stretched too wide or too tall due to the wrong resolution.
Creative copy: this new format is now available to enable the customers to get closer to the brand and follow them on Amazon. Make sure to use this space to share a story with your customers like you would on social networks and engage your customers with interesting and fresh content.

How do I check the performance of Amazon Posts?

Seller central has a pretty nice set of metrics you can use to track your posts’ performance over time. The report is downloadable and within the report you can easily click on any of the posts there and the link will take you to the post itself. The metrics that are currently available are: viewable impressions, total engagement, clicks to detail page, clicks to brand feed, clicks to related feed, clicks to show product, clicks to expand caption, and engagement rate.

Each of the specific metrics is good to understand how customers interact with your brand and what content moves the needle in terms of generating more following for the brand.

Additionally, if you’re looking to learn more about your customer’s behavior on Amazon, regardless of Amazon Posts, Brand Analytics reports are a good way to do that. In this set of reports you can easily learn what are currently the hottest search terms and their popularity, how many of your products have the potential for repeat purchases, what supplementing products from your arsenal would sell well together, what products are winning your market share and more interesting information.

The future of Amazon Posts

Unlike Amazon Spark, a similar program that was launched by Amazon in 2017, we believe that Amazon Posts are here to stay long-term. The timing this time is right, because the users worldwide are used to seeing similar content formats across social media. Considering how it currently works, the only thing Amazon has replicated from social media is the content format itself, with no implications of intent to socialize it a little bit.

The only interaction customers can have with Amazon posts is to click through to the product detail page or the brand page or to follow the brand. This is pretty limited so that is the main reason why posts are perceived more like a free ad-placement than a real content piece that can help you communicate better with your customers.

However, there are a wide array of advantages to using them, so we strongly encourage brands to try it for a little while and see what specifically works for their own brand.

About Jelena

This article is written by Jelena Nuhanovic, founder of AmazoniaPPC

Jelena started as an independent contractor in 2015. Her main area of expertise was always PPC campaign management. Over the last 6 years, she was able to scale a consultancy business into an agency and build a team of 9 people that is growing exponentially.

Their main agency focus is Amazon marketing services that include: PPC campaign management, Amazon listing copywriting, conversion rate optimization, A+ content creation, and programmatic advertising through the DSP platform.

Aside from being passionate about entrepreneurship, Jelena is also passionate about parenting, gardening, and vine making.

Contact Jelena:

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On this week’s The Asian Seller podcast, Habib Rkha Founder and Managing Director of QCADVISOR talks about his company’s unique new service of virtual factory tours in China.

Habib shares why and how his company offers 360 views of factories in China, and how these can be beneficial to importers when they cannot visit factories in person.

Habib is a QC and manufacturing veteran, based in China.

He founded QCADVISOR in Shenzhen in 2018, and they currently serve over 150 clients. They specialize in offering customized QC solutions instead of offering QC services as a commodity.

Episode highlights:

Introduction - About Habib and QCADVISOR
Virtual factory tours
1. What are they
2. How and why did Habib start doing these
3. Are they used for factory audits or inspections as well
4. How many have they done so far
5. What has been buyers’ feedback about these
6. How do they create these 360 videos
QC-related advice for someone just starting to source products from China
Ways in which suppliers cut corners and compromise quality
Habib’s services and how to contact him

Contact Habib:

Website: QCADVISOR

Email: habib@qcadvisor.com

Schedule a 15-minute call: https://calendly.com/habib-qcadvisor/15min

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On this week’s The Asian Seller podcast, Margaret Jolly and Meghla Bhardwaj share notes about the ups and downs of being an Amazon seller.

It’s not always a smooth ride, and don’t believe gurus who say you can make 7 figures by working only 4 hours a week!! This is a real business and takes time to start and grow. There are a lot of challenges and pitfalls to avoid along the way.

It is nonetheless a business that you can set up with the least amount of investment especially compared to other businesses such as retail.

Margaret is a business and Amazon coach, and has been selling on Amazon for about 4 years. She is a coach on India Sourcing Trip and sources all her products exclusively from India.

Contact Margaret on Messenger for coaching

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On this week’s The Asian Seller podcast, we talk to a few inspiring women entrepreneurs from the Amazon and ecommerce world.

They share what drives them, what inspires them, the challenges they have faced, and lots more.

They also talk about their presentations at the Branded by Women conference.

The Asian Seller founder, Meghla Bhardwaj is also a speaker at the conference, and will be sharing some of the lessons learnt in 2020.

Episode highlights:

Introductions
When did the entrepreneur bug bite them?
The biggest challenge they face as woman entrepreneurs
What they do for encouragement or to stay motivated
Tips for other women who would like to start their own businesses
Rapidfire - Answer in one sentence:
Favorite thing to do in their free time
What mantra do they live by
Biggest regret if any
Biggest achievement
What's the dream
Advice to their younger self
Their topic at Branded by Women.

Sign up for Branded by Women

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When she was in school, she painted stones and drew cartoons to sell to her classmates. She sold keychains from her father’s store and her pre-loved toys.

It was evident she had an entrepreneurial spark in her from the time she was in school.

When she started working, she started feeling restless in her 9-to-5 and wanted to do something more challenging that would give her freedom of time and creativity.

She discovered the business of ecommerce and Amazon, and knew this is what she wanted to do. Despite the limited ecommerce opportunities in her country, she is determined to build an Ecommerce Empire.

On this week’s The Asian Seller podcast, winner of Spark Ecom Scholarship, Farah Zaidi from Brunei shares her story and her lofty plans for her Amazon business.

Hear her story, be inspired.

Watch Farah’s video that she sent as an entry for Spark Ecom Scholarship.

🌟 WHAT IS SPARK? 🌟

Spark is a US$2,000 scholarship to help one seller start and scale their Amazon business 🤩 📈 👨‍🏫

The scholarship recipient will receive training from Jason Tay, one of the top Amazon sellers from Singapore, and consultation calls with Margaret, Kevin and Meghla.

The winner will also get 6 months free access to Helium10, access to in-depth PPC and listing optimization workshops, and more - ALL FREE, all part of the scholarship 🙌 🎓 🎉

Spark is awarded by Jasontayonline.com, The Asian Seller, and India Sourcing Network.

Episode highlights:

Introduction
Farah’s entrepreneurial spirit growing up
Her other scholarship
How she felt winning the Spark eCom Scholarship
How she discovered Amazon
What appeals to her the most about selling on Amazon / ecommerce
She put in a lot of effort into creating the Spark video. What was her motivation
Where is she in her Amazon journey now, and plans for the future

Follow Farah on Instagram

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On this week’s The Asian Seller podcast, Nate Ginsberg from Seller Plex and Dream Team Machine shares a blueprint for an Amazon FBA dream team.

Nate stresses that entrepreneurs should strive to be the best they can be, have the biggest impact, receive the biggest impact and focus on being the visionaries for their business. And if they continue to “donkey work” or repetitive, low-value tasks, they are limiting themselves and their business.

Nate also talks about a “hiring funnel” that he has developed to help him make the hiring process more efficient.

Nate is an entrepreneur, investor, writer and world traveling yogi. After selling his FBA business in 2017 Nate dedicated himself to helping other entrepreneurs unplug from and scale their business.

He now supports other FBA entrepreneurs through his agency SellerPlex, his Podcast Ecom Exits, and his Dream Team Machine Training.

Nate believes in pursuing win/win collaborations with good people. So connect with Nate on Facebook or IG @nateginsburg and say Hi to explore any ways to collaborate or work together.

Episode highlights:

Introduction
Why is it important for founders to unplug from “donkey work”
Why have an org. structure
What does the team look like - there are four buckets to focus on in an FBA business:
1. Amazon bucket
2. Supply chain: Supplier relationship management / inventory management / logistics
3. Finance
4. New product development
Why it is important to get the right people in place earlier - even when you’re a small business
What is a hiring funnel
Relaunch of Nate’s course

Nate’s services:

Seller Plex

Dream Team Machine

Contact Nate:

Facebook

Instagram

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On this week’s The Asian Seller podcast, Davide Nicolucci from Growth Hack Consulting talks about key trends in the Amazon space in 2021 based on a comprehensive article he has published recently.

We also talk about crypto currency, and why he thinks digital currencies and blockchain are going to be increasingly important with potential e-commerce applications.

Here are some of the trends he talks about:

Amazon is upping their game with advertising. There will increasingly be more opportunities for showcasing your products via video and other pay-to-play means
Being brand registered is extremely important
Amazon Live is picking up
Look into influencer marketing on TikTok and other platforms
Buyer and supplier messaging may become stricter
Amazon exits will be a huge opportunity as more investors look to buy profitable businesses
Amazon Singapore is expected to pick up
Amazon India is a growing opportunity
Facebook Shops is gaining traction
E-commerce with Facebook Live

Read Davide’s article: Amazon Trends and Predictions for 2021 by Industry Experts

Contact Davide: info@wearegrowthhack.com

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On this week’s The Asian Seller podcast, I talk to Felix Law, a Singapore-based e-commerce seller who quit his full-time engineering career and is now focused 100 percent on e-commerce.

Just three years ago in early 2018, Felix quit his job because he was unhappy working a 9 to 5, and started exploring entrepreneurship.

He started working as a delivery boy for Ninja Van and Amazon Prime Now, which is how he was exposed to e-commerce. The high volume of parcels he was delivering made him realize the potential of selling online.

His first product was coffee cups, which didn’t really sell well. Even though the product was a failure, it was a learning experience for Felix and helped familiarize him with the process. He also learnt valuable lessons about product research and PPC.

The second product was a glass-based item, which had many breakages and he dropped it altogether.

The third product he launched on Amazon was more consistent and it’s still selling.

As of now, Felix is selling on Amazon US and also has three Shopify stores for his various brands.

Recently he has been appointed as an Ambassador by the Amazon team in Singapore, and he has been hosting meetups trying to help other local sellers.

Felix is currently a 6-figure seller, and aiming for 7 figures this year.

Episode Highlights

How and why Felix quit his R and D and engineering job to focus on e-commerce
How Jason Tay’s course helped Felix get started
His first few products, why they failed, how much he invested and lessons learnt
About Felix’s brands and which marketplaces he sells on
The process of launching new products
Mistakes he made when starting out
Which aspect of the business does he find most challenging and which is his favorite
How Felix does influencer marketing on social media
How does he deal with cash flow
Being an entrepreneur can get lonely. How he keeps himself motivated
Advice for new sellers

Contact Felix on Telegram: felixlaww

Learn more about Jason Tay’s live Amazon Training

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On this week’s The Asian Seller podcast, I share the story of my life on Seller Sessions with Danny McMillan.

Life hasn’t been easy for me, but the experiences have shaped me into who I am today. I had a not-so-fun childhood, but that’s what instilled in me a strong desire to be independent, financially stable and strong.

I’ve had a successful corporate career working for an amazing company, Global Sources for over 19 years in 4 countries. I moved up the corporate ladder quickly with my dedication and hard work.

But then life gave me a big blow when my husband suddenly and unexpectedly passed away from a heart attack in 2017 leaving me to raise my then 6-year-old son. A year later, I was made redundant from my cushy corporate job, and had to search for a new path.

I decided to venture into entrepreneurship in 2019, and I’m so glad I did!

I’m extremely lucky and thankful that I found my tribe in ecommerce and Amazon FBA. The Asian Seller, and India Sourcing communities are what drive me today.

My mission in life now is to build my own ecommerce business, and help others achieve their dreams of creating profitable, sustainable businesses.

Wishing you best of luck in your ecommerce endeavours, and hope our paths will cross someday.

Contact:

Reach out to me if you want to connect: https://www.facebook.com/meghla.bhardwaj

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On this week’s The Asian Seller podcast, Jason Tay, Margaret Jolly, Kevin Oldham, Meghla Bhardwaj and Baptiste Porzier get together in a virtual meetup and share what they believe are the top e-commerce / Amazon FBA trends for 2021.

Some of the trends discussed are more like strategies you need to continue emphasizing as we head into the new year, while others are specific shifts we’re seeing on Amazon and in e-commerce.

Here are 10 Amazon FBA and E-commerce Trends for 2021:

Continued E-commerce Growth: Online shopping is becoming more mainstream and e-commerce sales will continue to grow globally.
More Competition - The growth in ecommerce means more sales but also more competition. Be ready for more competition as more entrepreneurs jump on the bandwagon, and big brands invest more in e-commerce.
Focus on Product Selection: Increasingly more important to focus on product selection to ensure you have the right keywords, and profitable products.
Diversification: Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Diversify for products, keywords, sourcing, sales channels, and traffic funnels.
Continued Logistics Disruptions: Expect continued disruption in supply chain and logistics when shipping from Asia. Also anticipate issues with FBA including inventory restrictions. It is critical to have a 3PL warehouse in place in the US.
Video Content: Video PPC ads on Amazon are doing really well currently, and will continue to be popular in 2021. In addition, product videos on listings will
Social E-commerce: Amazon Live is gaining traction, and will continue to be enhanced and given more exposure on the website. Plus, livestream shopping on social media such as Facebook, Instagram, and services such as Talk Shop Live will be more popular.
Influencer Marketing: We’re seeing the rise of micro influencers on social media, and they can provide an incredible platform for product promotions and launches.
Exit and Acquisitions: A huge opportunity for entrepreneurial sellers is cashing out on their business. In 2021, companies such as Thrasio and Alpha Rock Capital will continue to buy more businesses. Make your business profitable and investor-friendly.
New Ways to Network: Networking and learning from each other will continue to be super important for Amazon sellers. New apps such as Clubhouse, and Voice Chat in Telegram will give us new ways to collaborate and learn. Join a mastermind, find your tribe and grow together.

Contact:

Jason Tay: www.facebook.com/jasontayonline

Margaret Jolly / Kevin Oldham: www.facebook.com/margaretjollybrightdezigns

Meghla Bhardwaj: www.facebook.com/meghla.bhardwaj

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On this week’s The Asian Seller podcast, Raja Hamza Rasheed, CEO of eCom Managers talks about how to find, vet and work with Virtual Assistants (VAs) in Pakistan.

He shares how these digital marketers are being trained on Amazon-related tasks, what types of tasks they are good at, and ways to test and judge their skills.

Raja is a marketer and consumer behavior analyst. He holds a degree in consumer behavior & marketing from the University of Punjab in Pakistan. Along with his own Amazon selling business, he is also a consultant and trainer.

His main area of expertise includes product research, launching, ranking, branding, marketing, advertising and merchandising. Raja has worked on various Amazon marketplaces including USA, UK, Canada, Germany and India.

Episode Highlights

Background and intro
We’ve been seeing a lot of VAs from Pakistan specializing in Amazon FBA. What is driving this? Are there also many FBA agencies emerging?
Are sellers from Pakistan also selling on Amazon globally themselves, or mostly focused on providing services?
What are the types of ecommerce tasks they are good at? How are they different from VAs in other countries, such as the Philippines?
What is the best way of finding VAs, and how much does it cost? What is the best way to test / judge their skills before hiring them?
Are they good with other digital marketing tasks as well such as SEO, social media, website development, etc?
What are some ways that you do product research at your agency?
What are some of your launch strategies that are working right now?
Are women in Pakistan working in ecommerce too?

Contact Raja Hamza:

Email: hamzaraja596@gmail.com

WhatsApp: +923328547961

Website: eCom Managers

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What a year 2020 has been!

While there have been tons of challenges, ecommerce sellers have also been presented with many opportunities. We are in fact lucky to be in one of the few industries that are growing during the pandemic.

On this podcast episode, India Sourcing Trip coaches, Tim Jordan, Chris Thomas, Gary Huang, Margaret Jolly, Kevin Oldham and Meghla Bhardwaj reflect on 2020, and gaze into their 2021 crystal balls.

They share:

the biggest lesson they learnt in 2020

what are they most looking forward to in 2021

their one piece of advice for 2021

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On this episode of The Asian Seller podcast, Michael Michelini, founder of Global from Asia, and ecommerce SEO agency, Shadstone, talks about ways to build a community around your brand.

Michael shares best practices to start, develop, engage, maintain and grow a community. He gives tips on leveraging various mediums such as social media, emails, bloggers, and the like.

Michael is an American social media, e-commerce, and SEO specialist who has lived in China since late 2007. He is a passionate business connector who helps companies do business in China as well as Chinese companies to work in overseas markets.

Episode highlights:

Why invest in off Amazon content and community
When is the right time to start building a community
Starting a community - and the strategy behind a Facebook group for your community
Email collection - ways to build an email list with inserts
Email promotions - what to do with the emails you do collect (hint - use it or lose it!)
Maintaining the community - similar to email lists, you need to engage or it will lose effectiveness
Growing the community - segmenting - make a VIP list, VIP group, brand vs industry naming
Making a blog - put content on your brand site, or make a separate blog site
Making an influencer gift bag / onboarding - what to do with your VIP
Launching a new product with this community - how to leverage this to grow your sales

Contact Michael:

Email: michelini@shadstone.com

Websites: www.globalfromasia.com

www.getfrenzi.com

www.shadstone.com

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CJ Rosenbaum from Amazon Sellers' Lawyer talks about listing and account suspensions, and other issues sellers face.

He also shares best practices when preparing and submitting plans of action to Amazon, and the strengths sellers have that they may not know.

CJ is the Founding Partner of Rosenbaum Famularo, PC, the law firm behind Amazon Sellers Lawyer. He and his team help sellers with IP protection and writing plans of action for listing suspension.

Episode highlights:

Common reasons for account / listing suspension
What can sellers do to prevent account suspensions
Preparing a plan of action - best practices
What kind of documentation should sellers have ready in case of a suspension
Dealing with Error 5665 when trying to list a product
Ramifications from Amazon revealing sellers' IDs in the US
Increase risk of IP complaints hitting home
Increase in related accounts suspensions
What strengths do sellers have that they might know about?
Trademark or counterfeit complaint - claims against brands that make baseless complaints
Copyright complaint - Digital Millennium Copyright Act Counter Notices

Contact CJ:

Email: cj@amazonsellerslawyer.com

Website: www.amazonsellerslawyer.com

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Steven Selikoff from The Product Development Academy returns to The Asian Seller podcast to talk about trends in retail.

We also talk about the upcoming Global Sources Virtual Summit, and Steven’s exclusive 6-hour China Sourcing Workshop at the Summit.

2020 has been an exciting and challenging year for eCommerce sellers around the world - while some of us saw steep sales increases, others experienced declines.

While no one can tell what exactly the new year has in store for us, we can learn from the past and be ready for the future.

The agenda of Global Sources Virtual Summit is designed to help you be better prepared for the coming year.

Take a look at the agenda and speakers here, and reserve your seat: www.globalsources.com/summit

Use the code WIN2021 for a 10% discount on the ticket.

Episode highlights:

Trends in retail
Omnichannel eCommerce is here to stay
Selling beyond Amazon
Topics at the Global Sources Virtual Summit to help sellers develop an omnichannel strategy
How is sourcing changing
Emerging alternative sourcing markets
Steven’s China Sourcing Workshop at the Summit

Contact Steven:

Email: steven@productdevelopmentacademy.com

Website: www.productdevelopmentacademy.com

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On this episode of The Asian Seller podcast, Steven Selikoff from The Product Development Academy shares best practices when working with Virtual Assistants for your Amazon / eCommerce business,

Margaret Jolly and Kevin Oldham also join the conversation.

While VAs can help make your business more efficient, their services should be utilized to assist you with specific tasks. Many sellers make the mistake of depending on VAs for product research and business strategy.

Episode highlights:

Introduction
Why a VA?
What tasks do you think are suitable to outsource to a VA?
What tasks would you never give to a VA?
At what stage of your Amazon business should people look at using a VA
Can my business sustain their services without giving away too much profit?
Before you outsource do you feel that you need to know how to do it yourself to delegate correctly
How do you track their hours and check out their work quickly (otherwise you may as well do it all yourself)?

Contact Steven:

Email: steven@productdevelopmentacademy.com

Website: www.productdevelopmentacademy.com

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On this episode of The Asian Seller podcast, writer & editor extraordinaire Ana Warren Gonzalez talks about the importance of crafting a compelling story in your Amazon listing.

Ana is the founder of AWGCopy, an emerging copywriting firm that also specializes in Amazon copywriting. The agency prides itself on elegant copy that employs marketing principles to further client goals.

As an individual, Ana's been writing professionally since 2008. She pretty much learned on the job; she was enmeshed in traditional marketing, local store marketing and retail, public relations, and events management, and she figured out copywriting on the fly. She has contributed as well to many publications in Manila, Philippines, as well as all over Asia, as a contributing features writer.

She believes she's a good teacher because she's inherently bossy - a trait that comes in handy in her day-to-day profession (the most important one) of Single Mom! (So, yes, oftentimes the Mom Voice comes out in her training - so be sure to sit up straight and keep your elbows off the table!)

Episode highlights:

Introduction
Why you can't ignore your organic SEO
How to write a balanced title that is meaningful and also good for SEO
The importance of storytelling
How much text do people actually read on a listing
KISS - easier said than done
Engage, convert, tease - AKA be memorable, be persuasive, develop a relationship
How to highlight core emotional benefit for customer
Search volume vs. relevancy >> Department stores vs. boutiques
Why buyer psychology is so crucial

Contact Ana:

Email: awarrengonzalez@gmail.com

Website: https://awarrengonzalez.wixsite.com/awgcopy

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On this episode of The Asian Seller podcast, US attorney Yael Cabilly from Cabilly & Co talks about brand registry, trademarks, patents, hijacking and more.

She shares insights on how to choose a relevant brand name, how to search if the brand name is already in use, and the correct way to apply for a trademark.

Yael is the founder of Cabilly & Co., and one of the leading attorneys in the field of eCommerce law. With over 13 years of experience in Intellectual Property, Yael uses her IP background to solve problems on eCommerce platforms, and protect her clients’ interests.

Episode highlights:

Introduction
Trademarks
- Do you really need a trademark on Amazon?
- How do you know if your trademark is available
- How to search for brand names
- Choosing your brand name
- What do you need to prepare before applying for a trademark
- How much does it cost
Copyrights
- What does it include? How do you avoid infringements?
Patents
- How do you protect a new product?
- How do you know if your product is already patented?

Contact Yael:

Email: yael@e-cabilly.com

Website: www.e-cabilly.com

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On this episode of The Asian Seller podcast, Amazon consultant Laura Buhl talks about selling on Amazon’s European marketplaces.

Most sellers prefer to sell on Amazon US, and are often daunted by selling on Amazon Europe because of many barriers including language, VAT, stricter product compliance, and the like. However, Laura says these obstacles are easily overcome if you have the right information and access to specialists.

Laura used to work at Amazon where she coached top 100 sellers in the EU.

She has recently started a 12-week course specially for women where she walks them through the process of finding and launching a product on Amazon.

Episode highlights:

Introduction
Main marketplaces in Europe, and key differences
Which is easiest to sell on
Is it advisable to sell on all European marketplaces or is it better to focus on one / a few?
Differences between the various options for FBA: European Fulfillment Network (EFN), Multi-country Inventory (MCI) and Pan-European FBA? And what are the pros and cons?
Are there specific product categories that sell more than others on the key marketplaces?
Is VAT registration required for all our only UK? How to apply for VAT number?
Ways to manage product quality and compliance
Other marketplaces in European countries
How to localise listings for various countries
About Laura’s services and course

Contact Laura:

Email: hello@laurabuhl.com

Website: www.laurabuhl.com/home40108993

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Norman Farrar aka The Beard Guy joins us on The Asian Seller podcast to talk about working with influencers for eCommerce and Amazon.

Norm is an Amazon, ecommerce and online marketing expert. He has 20 years of branding experience, and is an international public speaker and a podcaster.

Episode highlights:

Introduction
What is influencer marketing?
Are you seeing an increase in influencer marketing among online sellers? Why?
What is the difference between an influencer and a brand ambassador?
What are the different types of influencers?
What is the objective of influencer marketing - increase reach, branding, sales..? All three?
Where and how do they find influencers?
What are some ways to approach influencers and pitch products to them?
How can Amazon sellers leverage influencer marketing to increase sales / conversions?
What are some dont’s or mistakes to avoid?
Are there any influencer marketing tools that can be used?
About Norm’s new chat agency

Learn more:

The Chat Agency

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Given that Amazon is a customer-centric marketplace, it is essential for sellers to manage customer relationships on the platform really well.

On this episode of The Asian Seller podcast, Lisett Lees and Augustas Kligys from Orange Kilk talk about how you can improve your customer relationship, and keep them returning to your store.

About Lisett:

Lisett started out in 2016 as an Amazon FBA store assistant and since then has been working daily with different Amazon FBA sellers. Years of experience as a store manager along with the mission of helping businesses run daily operations cost- and time efficiently has shaped her into a strategic partner for Amazon sellers. She helps to manage stores, product-related tasks, customer relations and the team while advising company owners to set their goals and strategy. She is the head of international e-commerce at the Estonian Export agency and a video host on the Orange Klik Youtube channel.

About Augustas:

Known in the business simply as the “Amazon Summits Guy”, Augustas is committed to providing others with the opportunity to achieve success by offering powerfully informative expert sessions and guides to becoming a top Amazon seller. Since 2016 he has recorded over 400 sessions with Amazon industry leaders, experts and speakers. Augustas is also the founder of Orange Klik Company and the following in-person events for Amazon sellers: European Seller Conference, Seller Fest and PPC Congress.

Episode highlights:

Introduction
Lisett talks about improving customer relations
How to get more positive reviews about the product and service if sellers can’t directly ask for reviews in messages
If the customer is thanking the seller or just sending a short message with not a lot of information how can sellers start a conversation
How often should sellers check their messages
The biggest no-no when answering to buyer-seller messages
How to work with negative reviews
About Seller Fest

Sign up for their upcoming virtual Seller Fest

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In this episode of The Asian Seller podcast, Suzanne Smith, Director of Customer Success at eComEngine talks to us about Amazon’s updated communication guidelines for buyer-seller messages

Suzanne explains what you should know about these guidelines for both direct communication and indirect communication.

Amazon defines two types of Buyer-Seller Messages. Both are considered direct communication with buyers:

Permitted Messages: Communications necessary to complete an order or respond to a customer service inquiry.

You can only send Permitted Messages to customers who contact you about purchasing a product or who have already purchased an item from you on Amazon. These messages are specific to an order and must be sent from your seller account.

Proactive Permitted Messages: Communications initiated by sellers that are not responses to a buyer’s question.

These can be sent via email and must be sent within 30 days of order completion.

Episode highlights:

Introduction - Suzanne’s background
What are the changes announced by Amazon, and when do they go into effect
How can sellers send messages? Are third-party tools allowed?
What should sellers be aware to ensure they don’t get restricted
What is the safest or best way to send feedback and review requests
About eComEngine

More information:

eComEngine breaks down the changes in a blog post
Here are the updated guidelines
Automate your requests through Amazon Buyer-Selling Messaging with Feedback Five
Contact eComEngine

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In this episode of The Asian Seller podcast, Francois Jaffres, Director of Business Development at Noviland Technologies, Inc. talks about how Chinese New Year (CNY) holidays impact supply chains in China.

For those who may not be familiar with CNY, this is a month-long holiday in China that usually falls in January or February. All factories and businesses are closed as millions of workers travel back to their hometowns to be with their families.

CNY falls on Feb 12 in 2021, and according to Francois, the time to start planning your Q1 inventory is now.

Episode highlights:

Introduction - Francois’s background and experience with sourcing
Is manufacturing back to normal in China now
About CNY, and how the supply chain is impacted before and during CNY holidays
How delivery lead times are affected
Impact on product quality
Production issues before, during, and after CNY holidays: worker turnover, delivery lead times, quality
How logistics is affected
When should importers start planning for CNY holidays, and what are some steps to take to avoid supply chain disruption and impact on the quality

More information:

Learn more about Noviland

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This is the 50th episode of The Asian Seller podcast! Wow - it’s been quite a journey and I’ve learned so much myself and been inspired by many of the guests.

I started this podcast and The Asian Seller community to bring Amazon and eCommerce sellers together, so we can share information, resources and help each other grow.

Hope you have found the content useful and inspiring. Please do subscribe to Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or YouTube.

Here’s to the next 50 episodes!

Episode highlights:

Introductions
Preparing for Prime Day
Managing logistics when selling on multiple marketplaces
Top marketplaces to start selling on
Managing hijackers in Mexico and Canada Amazon marketplaces
Documents needed for toys and other similar categories
Setting up a company to sell on Amazon India
Is insurance required when selling on Amazon
When to convert from an individual account to a company account on Amazon
How to launch products on Amazon
Videos on listings
How many units to launch with
Do we need to use an accounting service or software
How to source products in India for Amazon India
Should you source from IndiaMart
Will Q4 be chaotic?
Challenges with FBM
3PL options
Last day to send shipments to Amazon.com for Christmas deliveries
We need a mastermind group for The Asian Seller!
Jason’s training - highlight recommended
Quick advice from all speakers

Follow sellers in this episode:

Jason Tay
Rishiraj K
Viral Jain
Margaret & Kevin
Debbi Cai

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With Amazon’s new inventory limitations until the end of 2020, it has become essential for Amazon sellers to send in their shipments to a 3PL warehouse and drip feed to Amazon FBA. This is especially important for new SKUs as they are mostly limited to 200 units.

In this replay of the Virtual India Sourcing Show, we talk to two 3PL service providers, both of whom are currently being used by the webinar hosts. Margaret and Kevin send their products to DSP, while Meghla utilizes Oregon BPS.

DSP Warehouse:

This company was established in 2007, and is located in the Raritan Center Business Park in Edison, New Jersey, in the heart of the New York/New Jersey Metro region. They ship to Amazon FBA and can do FBM orders as well. They manage all logistics information including receiving, storing, and the shipping of your products to your customers; they also provide information related to inventory, sales, returns, and other management data to enhance your profitability and business planning. Most processes are automated at this large-scale 3PL.

Download their presentation here
Contact: Simon Wei, Eric Lai
Email: dspwarehouseinc@gmail.com, eric@dspwarehouseinc.com
Website: www.dspwarehouseinc.com

Oregon BPS:

Oregon BPS is situated in Oregon on the west coast. This is a smaller family-run business that specializes in Amazon FBA. The founder, Heather used to sell on Amazon previously and understand the pain points of sellers.

Services they offer include receiving, storage, quality control, staggered fulfillment to Amazon FBA, prep services for bundling or multi-packs, shipment creation in Seller Central, labeling with FNSKU (if required), fulfillment through eBay, Shopify, FBM, among others.

Download their presentation here
Contact: Heather Jackson
Email: oregonbps@gmail.com
Website: www.oregonbps.com

Mention “Virtual India Sourcing Show” or “The Asian Seller” when reaching out to them.

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In this episode of The Asian Seller podcast, Dr. Neale O’Connor talks about importing electronics products from China.

Most Amazon sellers shy away from selling electronics as a lot can go wrong with a product that has many moving parts. However, if you find the right factory, do your due diligence, and conduct ongoing quality control, these categories can be quite profitable.

Dr. Neale is a Professor of Accounting at Monash University, Malaysia.

He is an expert on technology and innovation in manufacturing in China. He has spent 18 years in Hong Kong where he researched the modernization processes of Chinese firms, examining issues such as performance measurement, order qualification, and trust.

His China 1000 project is the largest ever survey of operational risk issues for foreign buyers and Chinese suppliers.

Most recently he has been undertaking factory quality audits for multinational clients and advising on operational and marketing improvements as Director of Ricebox.com.

He is founder and editor of Tech Asia Youtube channel with over 14,000 subscribers.

Key topics discussed:

Dr. Neale’s background and work
Overview of electronics manufacturing in China - products made, production hubs
Different types of electronics factories in China
1. Trading companies, buying agents, wholesalers
2. SME factory workshops
3. Established factories – OEM factories
4. EMS providers
What differentiates a factory producing good quality products from one producing products that don’t last long?
1. They should choose the right components, especially battery
2. They should have systems in place – material receiving, assembly to final QC
3. Proper packaging and separation from the environment
4. Anti static – especially during soldering process
5. Finger gloves avoid moisture during the assembly process
6. They should have dust free zones
7. Do they OEM for established brands
8. Do they have in-house design teams
Advice for new importers sourcing electronics
1. Begin with off the shelf product
2. Delay setting up and ordering a tweaked product
3. Use a trading company – if you cannot travel to visit the factory now
4. Work with an OEM factory that has established relationship with brand names
5. Redouble QC efforts beyond what is needed for a certain level of AQL
6. Know your quality specs so you can have a good engagement/relationship with the 3rd party inspector
7. Look for a factory that already has FCC, UL, CE certifications
8. You do not want to be the first customer asking for such certifications
9. Ask for reference from other customers
10. Don’t pay any money unless you have verified the business license, have reference, conducted a factory audit, had facetime communications with the factory
How suppliers cut corners and compromise quality
1. Use substandard materials
2. Outsourcing without telling you (have a clear conversation with them about this – i.e. our auditor is allowed to visit the outsourced factory)
3. Process shortcuts
4. Poor set up of assembly line for workers to do a consistent job
5. Separation of electronics components
6. Burn in room tests – takes time – they can cut corners on this process
7. Replace lower quality components, like batteries inside your product
Dr. Neale’s services and contact information

Contact:

Rice Box
China sourcing course in Udemy - Use the code CHINA39 for a discount
Email Dr. Neale: Neale@Ricebox.com
Tech Asia YouTube Channel

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Whether you're sourcing from India or China, you will need inspections to ensure products conform to your specifications.

In this webinar hosted by Meghla Bhardwaj, Margaret Jolly and Kevin Oldham, Grace Wong and Tatiana Trukhina from V-Trust give an overview of product inspections and explain how they are done.

They also answer a number of audience questions.

V-Trust is a one-stop-service of product inspections, factory audits and laboratory testing. They are one of the biggest local inspection companies in China. They have 310+ full-time QC inspectors.

They offer free consultancy for your quality control plan in Asia, and have served over 3,200 buyers all over the world.

Episode highlights:

About Grace and Tatiana
V-Trust’s network in India, China and Vietnam
What are product inspections?
Why are product inspections needed?
What is inspected and how is it done?
Are all products inspected?
How to understand whether my products Pass or Fail?
How do I confirm my sample?
3 main instruments to confirm quality of your sample
Do’s and Don’ts when it comes to quality

Contact:

Book an inspection with V-Trust here and get 5% off your first inspection: www.v-trust.com/ecommerce-ist.aspx
Contact Tatiana at tatiana@v-trust.com if you have any questions

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Eddie Levine from Hub Dub Ltd joins Meghla Bhardwaj, Margaret Jolly and Kevin Oldham to talk about Amazon’s new inventory quantity limits, and who they affect the most.

Eddie shares advice on dealing with the new guidelines. He also breaks down IPI or Inventory Performance Index, and gives some tips on how to improve it.

Episode highlights

About Eddie and his background
Overview of the new storage guidelines by Amazon
How are new sellers affected, especially considering new sellers also have space limitations
What is IPI and how to improve it
Should you switch to FBM
If you’re a new seller, should you hold off starting to sell until the dust settles

Contact Eddie:

Email: sales@hubdubltd.com

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Sylv Stefanowicz from Poland runs a wholesale and retail lingerie business. She started 3 years ago after a successful corporate career in banking.

In this podcast episode, she talks about how she built her business from scratch, sourcing from various countries including China, Sri Lanka and Poland, and the challenges she has faced along the way.

She also shares advice for new sellers who want to start a fashion brand.

Episode highlights

Sylv’s background
Challenges she faced building a fashion brand
Why fashion is known as a high risk industry
How to find suppliers in various markets
Advice for people wanting to go into fashion
Should people start with their own brand or selling other brands
Comparing manufacturing China vs Sri Lanka/India vs Poland
Sylv’s plan for the future

Follow Sylvia:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/sylviastefanowicz

Instagram: www.instagram.com/sylv_lingerie

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PPC is perhaps one of the most daunting aspects of selling on Amazon for most new sellers. In this podcast episode, Ritu Java, CEO of PPC NInja gives a tried and tested blueprint you can follow when launching a new product.

Ritu also talks about her free 6-week PPC Mastermind, where she does weekly live calls with a small group of sellers. You get free access to PPC Ninja during the mastermind period, and a special offer for The Asian Seller community if you want to continue using PPC Ninja (see details of the offer below).

Ritu’s recommended campaign structure when launching a product

2 Auto
4 Manual - Keyword targeting
1 Manual - Category targeting
2 Manual - Product targeting
1 Sponsored Display - Product targeting

Episode highlights

Ritu’s background and how she helps Amazon sellers
Importance of Amazon PPC
Types of ads on Amazon
10 campaigns you should start with when launching a product
Impact of PPC sales on organic sales
How to determine your PPC budget
PPC Ninja’s free PPC Mastermind
About PPC Ninja software and account management services

Free 6-week mastermind

Click here to join the mastermind

Special offer for The Asian Seller community

Apart from the free mastermind, you get access to your own trial account for PPC Ninja for the whole duration of the Mastermind.

If you go on to become a paying subscriber, you will get an additional 50% off your first month. Just message support@ppcninj.com with Asian50 in the subject line.

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Margaret Jolly and Kevin Oldham started their Amazon business as a hobby after retiring from running multiple businesses.

They traveled to Canton Fair in China, sourced their first few products from there, and have now been importing private label products from India for a couple of years.

Selling on Amazon has become a full-time business now, and they even coach other new sellers, and manage a few Amazon accounts.

In this episode, they talk about their own journey, and also offer advice for people thinking about venturing into eCommerce.

Episode highlights:

How Margaret and Kevin started their eCommerce business
Do you need a course to start selling on Amazon
What is Private Label
How to source products
Advantages of sourcing from India
Outlook for global ecommerce
What’s next for them
How Marg and Kevin help new Amazon sellers

Contact:

Reach out to Margaret on Messenger

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Amazon sellers, Riley and Payman have developed a unique way of guiding other people to start their eCommerce business.

Instead of only offering recorded videos like most other experts do, they take their students through a 90-day program where they give guidance on how to find, source, and launch products.

With weekly group coaching calls, brainstorming sessions, product research cheat sheets and more, Riley and Payman will guide you through the entire process from start to finish.

In this podcast episode, they talk about the 90-day challenge as well as their Multiple Layers of Differentiation (MLD) approach of selecting products.

Episode highlights:

How Riley and Payman started their eCommerce businesses
Is product research for Amazon an art or a science?
What is their MLD approach to product research, and how is it different
What is the 90-Day FBA Challenge
What it takes to succeed in eCommerce
Payman talks about why he is excited about sourcing from India

Learn more:

Join the 90 Day FBA Challenge here

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A software engineer by profession, Priya Sivaraj started her eCommerce business after her son was born and she wanted to spend more time with him.

Today, she runs a successful online store selling products in India and the US. She also sells on Amazon and other marketplaces in both countries.

Priya has been able to leverage social media and content marketing to build a community of loyal and raving fans.

In this podcast, she gives insights into how she has grown the community, and the strategies she uses to keep them engaged and coming back to buy more.

Episode highlights:

About Priya and how she ventured into eCommerce
Why she decided to focus on crafts
Where she sources her products from
How she does market research for her brand
How she has built a community of raving fans
How she keeps her audiences engaged
Which social media channels does she use and how
How does she recommend people start building a community for their eCommerce brand
Advice for sellers outside of India who want to sell in India
Advice for sellers just starting their eCommerce business

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Singapore-based Amazon seller, Debbie Chai has built a profitable Amazon business around a product category not many new sellers would consider selling - cuticle nippers.

Her brand, Rui Smiths is sold on multiple Amazon marketplaces, and she is now expanding to other nail care products.

But Debbie’s success did not happen overnight. It was a slow journey of careful planning, executing, hits and misses. In fact, she did not take any profits out of the business for the first few years.

Debbie is an inspiration to aspiring eCommerce sellers, and her success is proof that eCommerce is a viable and sustainable business - if you treat it like a real business.

Episode highlights:

Introduction and how Debbie ventured into eCommerce
How Debbie started her brand
Is product selection for Amazon an art of a science
What is the “gasp” factor
How to determine if there is demand for products
How Debbie does keyword research
Which countries does she mainly source from
Her experience selling on Amazon Singapore
One piece of advice for people just starting their eCommerce business

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This is a replay of a live webinar with Regina Peterburgsky, Anna Davidson, Anna Warren and Anjali Agarwal

They say "It takes a village to raise a child." And our guests on this week’s podcast are doing it alone. These are single women who are running their businesses and raising their children.

Find out how they manage everything including school, tantrums from teenagers, curricular activities, sports, house work, chores, errands...all while creating successful businesses.

At the end of the podcast, Danny McMillan joins us to talk about his Branded by Women summit.

Episode highlights:

Introductions
Challenges single mum entrepreneurs face
Finances - it’s hard to manage on a single income
Business travel – how they have to compromise
Holidays – it’s tough without a partner, how they manage
Do they get any me-time – and do they feel selfish when taking time for themselves
What are some nosy questions they’ve been asked as a single mum
Advice for single mums (and dads)
Special guest: Danny McMillan talking about Branded by Women Summit

Reach out to the panelists:

Regina Peterburgsky
Anna Davidson
Anna Warren Gonzalez
Anjali Frank Agarwal

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This is a replay of a live webinar with Michele Venton, Cara Sayer, Sylv Stefanowicz, Sharon Evan and Amy Wees.

We talk about what self-confidence means to the panelists, and how confidence can be developed if you don’t have it to begin with.

The panelists share their own experiences dealing with imposter syndrome, lack of confidence and how they overcame such issues.

Episode highlights:

What does self-confidence mean to women
Were you always a confident person, or did you have to build it?
Have you experienced “imposter syndrome?”
Studies have proven there is a confidence gap in men and women, that women are often less self-confident than men. Have you found yourself in situations where you may have underestimated your abilities?
Tips and strategies to instil self-belief and self-confidence.

Reach out to the panelists:

Michele Venton
Cara Sayer
Sylv Stefanowicz
Sharon Evan
Amy Wees

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This is a replay of a live webinar with Melissa Simonson, Jana Krekic and Athena Severi to talk about why there are few women speakers at ecommerce conferences.

We talk about what conference organizers can do to attract more women, and how women can get more speaking gigs.

Episode highlights:

Introductions and how did they start their own business
Why is there a lack of women speakers at conferences
What conference organizers can do to attract more women speakers
What women can do to get more speaking opportunities

Reach out to the panelists:

Melissa Simonson
Jana Krekic
Athena Severi

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This is a replay of a live webinar with Izabela Hamilton, Margaret Jolly, Anne Ferris and Cassandra Craven to discuss the vast opportunities ecommerce and Amazon FBA have opened up for women.

They talk about their own journeys starting their ecommerce businesses, and share the challenges they faced and how they overcame them.

Episode highlights:

Introductions and how did they start their own business
Being a woman entrepreneur, what are some challenges they faced starting their business and how did they overcome them
Why ecommerce is a good business opportunity for women
What can be done to encourage more women to get into ecommerce
Advice for women who want to start an ecommerce and Amazon business

Reach out to the panelists:

Izabela Hamilton
Margaret Jolly
Anne Ferris
Cassandra Craven

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In this episode, Gary Huang, Founder of 7 Figure Seller Summit and 80/20 Sourcing shares 10 things he learnt about running an eCommerce business from over 20 successful sellers he recently interviewed.

Gary is an Amazon seller himself, and also a coach on India Sourcing Trip. He has helped thousands of e-commerce entrepreneurs save time and money sourcing products and scale their businesses.

He has also worked with hundreds of Chinese suppliers, having managed multimillion dollar sourcing campaigns for clients.

10 takeaways:

Successful entrepreneurs get around excuses
Get off of Amazon to find profitable products
Apply the 80/20 rule to save time and increase profits
Build a superstar team
Building a brand is more critical than ever to rank products, get reviews, and sell your business for a higher multiple
Keywords for PPC campaigns - need to balance data with common sense so you don’t pay the “idiot tax”
Whatever gets measured gets managed
Split Test ideas cheaply and quickly
Focus on the BOTTOM line not on the top line
Selling a business - need to be smart to get a higher multiple

More information:

Sign up free for 7 Figure Seller Summit
Contact Gary: gary@8020sourcing.com

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In this podcast episode, Rishi Raj K, an Amazon seller from India shares his experiences selling internationally.

Rish runs a global community of entrepreneurs at Republic of Sellers and offers e-commerce training at Private Label School.

In the interview, he shares the strategies he uses for product research, validation and differentiation. He also talks about how he reaches out to influencers to launch products instead of other launch strategies.

Episode highlights:

Introduction
Rish’s approach to product research:
- Discovery
- Evaluation
- Differentiation
How to find discover niches to sell in
Categories new sellers should stay away from
How to use influencers to launch products on Amazon
Rish’s take on branding
What kind of investment is needed to start selling on Amazon
Selling on Amazon India vs Amazon US
About Republic of Sellers
Advice for people just starting out on their e-commerce journey

Contact Rish:

Republic of Sellers
Private Label School

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Ecommerce sales in the US were up 25% in the month of March 2020 as a result of the lockdown.

But will this trend continue post-coronavirus? What products are people buying? How is Amazon positioned to meet this increasing demand, and what will it take for third party sellers to be successful in ecommerce?

Ecommerce veterans and experts Tim Jordan, Kevin King and Steve Simonson answer these questions and more in this panel discussion held during Global Sources Smart Sourcing Summit.

Episode highlights:

Introductions
Major trends / shifts in the overall US e-commerce industry as a side-effect of coronavirus
Categories that will see a long-term increase in online sales
Changes expected in Amazon FBA in coming months
Which non-Amazon e-commerce platforms are emerging
What will it take for third-party Amazon sellers to be successful on Amazon in coming months?
How might the holiday shopping be affected
One piece of advice for Amazon / ecommerce sellers as they navigate the impact of coronavirus

Contact panelists:

Kevin King - www.freedomticket.com
Tim Jordan - www.privatelabellegion.com
Steve Simonson - www.awesomers.com

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This is a replay of a Live Webinar with Dan Ashburn & Lyden Smithers.

Dan Ashburn, Lyden Smithers and Athena Severi from Titan Network and China Magic join us on this live Podcast.
They discuss a range of strategies Amazon sellers can implement to optimize and fortify their businesses during the current uncertain environment.

Episode Highlights

Impact of coronavirus on Dan and Lyden's businesses
How are they approaching product research
How are consumers searching differently
Sourcing a product to sell in the current situation
Listing optimization best practices
FBA vs FBM
Should sellers launch new products in the current market
About Titan Network and China Magic
Tips from Dan & Lyden
Re-negotiating with suppliers

More Info :

www.titannetwork.com
www.chinamagic.com

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If you’re new to selling on Amazon, you’re probably struggling to get the first few reviews for your listing. In this podcast episode, Colleen Quattlebaum from eComEngine shares some ways to get reviews.

She talks about Amazon’s Early Reviewer Program, the new Request a Review button and other effectives ways of encouraging buyers to leave reviews.

eComEngine offers a range of tools to help Amazon sellers automate their businesses, including feedback management, inventory management, product research and other processes.

Episode highlights:

Colleen’s background
How eComEngine helps sellers
How are reviews affected in the current environment (COVID-19)
How do reviews help ranking, and how many do you need
How low-star reviews affect ranking
How effective is the Early Reviewer Program in getting reviews
What are some white hat/compliant and effective ways to get reviews
What is Amazon’s Request a Review button
Percentage of buyers that leave reviews
eComEngine has a new feature in FeedbackFive that automates the Request a Review button
When is the best time to ask for a review
More tips for sellers to get more reviews
Special offer for podcast listeners

Resources mentioned:

Blog post about the Request a Review Button
Amazon Product Review Strategy Guide
30 day extended free trial of FeedbackFive
Contact Colleen for a FREE PRODUCT REVIEW CONSULTATION at: colleen@ecomengine.com

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This is a replay of a 2-hour Live Masterclass on how to start a PRINT-ON-DEMAND business by Jacob Topping.

Get Jacob's 350-page ultimate guide to Print-on-Demand now (only US$57)

Jacob has been doing POD since 2016, and understands it inside out. He provides an incredible amount of information in this video to get you started.

His book is an expansive guide to all things Merch and Print on Demand:

Over 350+ pages - including selling via Merch By Amazon and many other popular top Print On Demand sites:

Several bonus files
Step by step instructions
How to guides
Glossary
List of 45+ POD platforms (with traffic metrics)
Tips for settings
Tips to boost conversions of existing designs
Technical specifications
Additional tools and resources to help you improve your sales.
Over 300+ resource links, and dozens of links to step by step videos

Get the 350-page ultimate guide to Print-on-Demand now (only US$57)

More info:

Get the 350-page ultimate guide to Print-on-Demand now (only US$57)
Reach out to Jacob on Facebook

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In this podcast episode, Per-Ola Röst, an experienced Amazon seller, and founder of SellerMetrix talks about the importance of ROI, and how much ROI you should be looking for when starting an Amazon business.

Per-Ola and his wife started selling on Amazon in 2015, and have recently launched SellerMetrix, a tool that helps Amazon sellers Instantly see their Amazon sales and profit in their personal dashboard. Sellers can see their financial metrics like sales, profit, PPC spend, Amazon fees, ROI, refunds and other key numbers.

The tool is free for beginners who have fewer than 100 orders per month and costs US$15 for 101 to 2.500 orders and so on.

Episode highlights:

Per-Ola’s background
Impact of coronavirus on e-commerce
Why is ROI important?
What is ideal ROI
Other metrics sellers should track
Important metrics sellers should be paying attention to
About SellerMetrix
Special offer for The Asian Seller

More info:

SellerMetrix
Special offer: Sign up to SellerMetrix here for an extended free trial of 60 days (usual trial period is 30 days)

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This is a replay of a live virtual meetup held on 19 March 2020 with almost 80 Amazon sellers, and e-commerce experts.

Jason Tay, Chris Thomas, Margaret Jolly and Meghla Bhardwaj answered questions related to dealing with COVID-19, Amazon FBA restrictions, supply chain disruptions, Amazon SG and a lot more.

They provided advice and tips on how sellers should look at product research, what product opportunities to look for, how to manage the recent FBA restrictions, and more.

Episode highlights

Introductions
Impact of COVID-19 on sales and supply chains
How is logistics being impacted and what to do if sellers have products ready to ship
Advice on the temporary FBA restrictions
What products to sell in this environment and how to look at product research
How to make the most of your time right now
What to do for Amazon PPC
What does this mean for e-commerce in the long-term
Selling on Amazon Singapore
Rats in Amazon’s warehouse..?!
Can we add keywords related to coronavirus on listings

About the experts

Jason Tay: One of the top Amazon sellers from Singapore. He was the first ever Singapore seller to be featured on Amazon’s Seller Success Story series. He runs a training program at www.jasontayonline.com/singapore-training.html
Chris Thomas: Has been selling on Amazon for 5 years, and coaches scores of students at all different levels. Check out: https://www.theaustralianseller.com
Margaret Jolly: Mentor to small businesses after owning and managing several businesses and is also an Amazon seller who has been sourcing products from India for over 2 years. More info: http://profitimprovementbusinesssolutions.com
Meghla Bhardwaj: Has been working in the Asia sourcing industry for close to 20 years. Runs The Asian Seller podcast, and organizes sourcing trips for Amazon sellers. More info: http://www.theasianseller.com

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In this podcast episode, Sophie Mao. Managing Partner of Chibridge Law Firm and blogger at China Law Help shares advice on how to source safely and smartly from China.

Sophie has been practicing law since passing her Chinese Bar Exam in 1997. General corporate matters have been her major practice area, having not only advised many enterprises, financial and medical institutions, but also local governments in China.

She has gradually shifted her focus to foreign direct investment and worked as counsel for numerous foreign enterprises and advises their daily operation in China.

Her areas of practice include foreign direct investment under Chinese law, contract law, IPR, labor law and litigation.

Her law firm can help do due diligence on sourcing agents or suppliers.

Tips shared by Sophie:

Confirm the identity of the person you’re dealing with. In case you are cheated, you cannot file a police complaint or litigate if you cannot prove the identity of the person
Trust but verify any information the agent or supplier gives you
Check the company information against government databases (in Chinese). The information you can check includes: company name, domicile, registered capital, business scope, name of the legal representative, business scope etc.
Suppliers’ English company names should not be used in contracts as the government registration is done using their Chinese company names
Register your trademark in China to prevent suppliers producing counterfeits of your product

Episode highlights:

Sophie’s background
How to vet sourcing agents when sourcing from China
How to check if a supplier is a trading company or a manufacturer
What are the options available to recover money if someone has been cheated
How effective is it to sign contracts with suppliers to prevent IP infringement / design copying
How particular are Chinese companies about following contracts
What is the process of filing a trademark in China
Is it worth filing a lawsuit if a supplier / agent has cheated a buyer or in cases of IP infringement
How much does it cost to file a lawsuit in China
How to contact Sophie

Contact Sophie and her team:

China Law Help
Email: sophiemao@chinalawhelp.com
Wechat official account: LegalTips
Get more information on Sophie’s services here

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In this podcast episode, Eric Eio, a Chartered Accountant and founder of Paul Hype Page & Co. shares advice on how overseas Amazon and eCommerce sellers can set up a company in Singapore.

He also talks about the requirements for overseas entrepreneurs who want to incorporate in Singapore, and the differences with Hong Kong.

Eric helped me incorporate my company, and I highly recommend his comapny’s services. Right from the beginning of the process, Eric and his team were patient, thorough and extremely efficient. As Eric is an entrepreneur himself, he understands the pain points and struggles of a new business owner.

Eric brings many years of experience from the Big 4s (Ernst & Young and PricewaterhouseCoopers). He was awarded the Practicing Management Consultant in July ’12 & voted as Advisory Panel for Singapore SME 500.

Episode highlights:

Eric’s background
Why should overseas entrepreneurs set up a company in Singapore?
Is Singapore a tax haven? Why are corporate taxes much lower than other countries?
Typically, what types of businesses set up companies in Singapore
How to incorporate a company in Singapore?
How easy is it to open a bank account?
Differences with Hong Kong
How can local Singaporeans and PRs incorporate a company?
Accounting advice for small businesses
Do eCommerce sellers need to pay GST in Singapore?
Effects of COVID-19 on business in general
Why it’s a good time to start an eCommerce business

Contact Eric and his team:

Paul Hype Page & Co.
WhatsApp: +65 6221 4733

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The Buy Hive is a new and unique service that allows importers worldwide to hire a “sourcing bee” or a freelance merchandiser / buyer to attend trade shows in Asia on their behalf.

In this episode of The Asian Seller podcast, Minesh Pore, Co-Founder of The Buy Hive talks about how the app will help Amazon and eCommerce sellers (and other types of importers) who are unable or unwilling to travel to Asia to join a trade show.

You can think of The Buy Hive as the “Up Work of sourcing and trade shows” that will match buyers to the right sourcing freelancers based on their requirements.

For a fee of US$399 per day, you can get information from up to 20 exhibitors and 150-160 products. The service will especially be useful in situations such as the current COVID-19 epidemic because of which importers don’t want to travel to Asia.

Episode highlights:

Minesh’s background
Ongoing changes in the sourcing industry - Amazon sellers are growing and big box retailers are shrinking
What is The Buy Hive, and how it helps buyers
Why is there a need for such a service
Types of buyers is the service best for
How freelance buyers are recruited
Payments and ratings on the platform
Guidelines buyers need to give freelancers
What happens if the buyer is not satisfied with the product info they get
How much does it cost
Can one freelancer work for multiple buyers on the same day
Trade shows available now on the app

Get more information

The Buy Hive: www.thebuyhive.com
Email: minesh@thebuyhive.com

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In this episode of The Asian Seller podcast, hear from Shopify seller Thomas Bertrand who sells bento boxes on his ecommerce store.

An alumni of Kyoto University, Thomas has been in Japan since 2003.

In 2005, he started a blog that became a huge hit, and gave him the idea to start Bento&co, an online store focused on selling a variety of bento boxes.

Today, Thomas has an online and offline store specializing in all types of boxes that he mostly sources from within Japan.

With 10 years of ecommerce experience, Thomas has a deep understanding of ecommerce sellers’ needs.

He recently started Ship&co, a SAAS and API to digitize the shipping process.

Episode highlights:

Intro and background
About Bento&co, the products and how they’re unique
Why did Thomas decide to start a Shopify store
How do they drive traffic to their website
How do they build an audience and community
How do they manage order fulfilment
Best practices of running a Shopify store
What are some mistakes Thomas made along the way
Why they don’t sell on Amazon
What kinds of categories do well on Shopify
Advice for new Shopify sellers - how many products should someone start
What is Ship&Co, and how does it help sellers

How to reach Thomas:

Email: thomas@shipandco.com
Bento&Co
Ship&Co

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Danny Carlson, founder of Kenji ROI shares the strategy he uses to optimize Amazon listings to improve clickthrough rates and sales.

Danny is an Amazon FBA entrepreneur specializing in PPC management & listing optimization. He founded the Amazon seller agency Kenji ROI in 2016.

Kenji ROI offers Amazon sellers with product photography, video, copywriting, Amazon SEO, and Amazon PPC management services, and has produced 1355+ Amazon product listings.

Residing in Bali, Danny’s off time is spent training hand to hand acrobatics, ripping sport motorcycles, and speaking at business events.

Episode highlights:

Intro and background
Keyword optimization - How to show Amazon’s A10 ranking algorithm your product is the most relevant item for specific search phrases
Subject matter fields
Title structure
Key info communication - Identifying the key information shoppers are scanning for, then prioritizing and placing it in strategic areas to maximize clickthrough and conversion rates
Persuasive desire optimization - Using sales psychology to portray your product as the bridge from your customer’s undesirable current situation to an improved future situation
Best practices for image stack
Are Photoshopped images acceptable
How to optimize images for mobile
Best practices for A+ content
How to optimize bullet points

How to reach Danny:

Website: www.kenjiroi.com
Facebook: danny.k.carlson

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On this episode, Justin Chen, Co-Founder of PickFu gives a rundown of their popular crowdsourcing split-testing app.

PickFu is a simple and fast way to receive consumer feedback.

To set up a test, you write a question, provide two options, and specify the audience you'd like to respond. PickFu brings you 50 or more respondents in as little as 10 minutes. You can target an audience by gender, ethnicity, income, mobile device, political preference, and more.

Once your survey is complete, you'll receive a vote tally which tells you which option your audience preferred. In addition, each respondent will explain his or answer, so you'll know why.

You'll see a demographic breakdown of your respondents, and get a full understanding of who answered. And with this insightful, real-world feedback, you'll know how to improve your idea.

E-commerce sellers can PIckFu to decide on product variations before ordering and improve CTRs by optimizing product listing images and descriptions.

Episode highlights:

Intro and background
How and when PickFu came about
How does PickFu work, and who are the people doing surveys
How accurate are survey results
What can be tested using PickFu
How can a product idea be validated
Strategies and best practices for testing images, titles, descriptions, videos
Audience targeting on Pickfu - behavioral segmentation, psychographic segmentation
Best practices for audience segmentation
Pricing of PickFu

Special offer:

Use the code ASIANSELLER for 50% off first poll on www.pickfu.com

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Cameron Walker is an eCommerce entrepreneur living and working in China for over 15 years. He is based in Shenzhen.

A week before Chinese New Year in January, together with his wife and daughter, Cameron went to his wife’s hometown, Xiangyang to spend a few weeks with her parents. Soon after they got there, coronavirus hit the city of Wuhan, 300kms away from Xiangyang.

A few days after Wuhan was quarantined, their city was also locked down - flights and trains were canceled, highways closed, and basically no one is allowed to enter or leave the city.

As of today, 6 February 2020, it’s been three weeks since they arrived in Xiangyang and two weeks since the lockdown, and the situation seems to be escalating with the number of cases increasing every day.

Luckily, Cameron’s is an eCommerce entrepreneur and can work remotely so his business has not been affected as such.

In this podcast, Cameron talks about the situation on the ground where he is, and how he and his family are coping. He also shares advice for Amazon and eCommerce sellers on how they can cope with the disruption in the supply chain.

This interview was recorded on 6 February 2020.

Episode highlights:

Intro and Cameron’s background
The situation on the ground in Xiangyang, where Cameron and his family is in quarantine
How hospitals are coping
How do they get food supplies and groceries
Where do they get information and updates from
How is the situation now different from SARS in 2002
What’s the situation with factories
How Cameron is coping as an eCommerce seller
Impact on the supply chain long term
Likely impact on Canton Fair and other fairs in Asia
Advice for Amazon sellers on how they can cope with the supply chain disruption

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More often than not, new sellers are oblivious to all the costs of running an Amazon FBA or eCommerce business. They launch new products without doing proper research or validation, and are then surprised when they run into losses.

On this episode, Margaret Jolly, Founder & CEO, Profit Improvement Business Solutions, talks about the various expenses and costs sellers must account for in order to run a profitable eCommerce business.

Margaret became a mentor to small businesses after owning and managing several businesses of her own. She is also a successful Amazon seller who has been sourcing products from India for over 2 years.

She is a Coach on India Sourcing Trip, a guided sourcing, learning and cultural tour for Amazon sellers.

Whether you are new to Amazon and require guidance listing your first product or a more experienced seller looking for help with listings, optimization, images or other information, Margaret can help.

Her goal is to guide sellers on their journey and grow their brand that will make an impact on their customers. She teaches sellers how to find products that will sell and craft listings that convert.

Her truthful no-nonsense approach ensures sellers know exactly what the real costs of this business are and how best to manage their Amazon account to maximize profit.

Episode highlights:

Background, intro, and how Margaret helps Amazon sellers
Why are many Amazon sellers not aware of the costs of running their business
What is the minimum margin sellers should look at to cover all key costs and still be profitable
Deep dive into the specific costs:
- Set-up costs
- Cost of goods
- Advertising
- Tools & other expenses
Effective ways to track expenses
How can sellers reduce and optimize costs
Margaret’s services

Special offer:

Free 30-minute consultation for the first 5 people to contact Margaret
To redeem, email mjprofitsolutions4u@gmail.com and mention The Asian Seller
More info: http://profitimprovementbusinesssolutions.com

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Many home-based Amazon and ecommerce sellers working as one-person companies often feel isolated, and need to deal with failures, criticism and self-doubt.

We experience many ups and downs on a daily basis - we may make a few sales in the morning and be excited and then receive a 1-star review in the evening and feel dejected.

My guest on this episode, Stephen Somers, Co-Founder of Marketplace SuperHeroes has been there done that. He shares advice and tips to build the mental frameworks that will make you stronger and more effective entrepreneurs.

Episode highlights:

Introduction and how Stephen started with Amazon
Challenges Stephen faced as he started and grew his business
How can entrepreneurs overcome isolation
Advice on how to deal with criticism and self-doubt
How to manage failures, rejection and day-to-day ups and downs
Tips for maintaining work-life balance
Habits entrepreneurs should develop to be efficient and effective
Services offered by Marketplace SuperHeroes, and how to reach Stephen

About Stephen Somers:

Stephen is the co-founder of Marketplace SuperHeroes, an online education and services company that helps people learn how to sell their own products globally on Amazon.

Together with his business partner, Robert, the guys have sold over $12 million of products on Amazon and have helped over 5,000 people learn to do the same.

Marketplace SuperHeroes: http://MarketplaceSuperHeroes.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0vPu0MpUQucAnZukUbtJuw/videos

FaceBook Page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1429399653973369

Instagram: @stephenjsomers

Daily Success & Motivation Hacks Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/831325197329010/

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Whether you are a new Amazon seller or an experienced one, finding new products to sell is probably one of the most challenging aspects of running an ecommerce business.

In this episode, Chris Thomas from The Australian Seller podcast talks about product research and validation for Amazon private label.

Listen in to learn: Is product selection an art or a science? How to look for product ideas off of Amazon? Which product categories to avoid? How to look for products at trade shows, and more.

Episode highlights:

Introduction and how Chris started with Amazon
Is product selection an art or science
Where should sellers look for product ideas
What are some product validation strategies that are working nowadays
What is the search volume Chris is looking for when doing keyword research
How to search for product ideas off of Amazon
Product categories to avoid, especially for new sellers
Does one need to “love” the product or be passionate about the niche
Should sellers attempt to sell bulky items
Product validation at trade shows - should people go to trade shows with a product in mind, or validate products after they’re back from the show?
Tools used for product research and validation
Common mistakes sellers make when selecting products
Capital required to start an Amazon business
Chris’s services and how can reach him

About Chris Thomas:

Chris has been involved in eCommerce since 2011, and in 2013, he raised $110,000 on Kickstarter for his own product. He launched on Amazon US in 2015, and is also an Amazon coach and consultant.

He is the host of The Australian Seller Podcast, and speaker at conferences around the world including Retail Global and Global Sources Summit.

Website: www.theaustralianseller.com

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In this episode, Keith O’Brien, CEO of Page.One, a full service Amazon agency shares strategies to increase conversions by enhancing images.

According to Keith, people buy online based on emotion, and therefore the most important thing for sellers to consider is who exactly their audience is. After they’ve done this, they need to add emotion and story into their images.

Here are 5 key strategies Keith shared among many others:

Understand who buys the product and why
How does the product solve their problems
Hero shot or main image should be the best it can be
Tell a visual story using your image stack
Nail the feature / benefits of the product

Episode highlights:

Keith’s background and how his company helps Amazon sellers
Importance of images and photographs on Amazon listings
Different types of photos on Amazon, and which are the most critical
Should sellers DIY their images
If they do DIY, what are the minimum requirements
About 3D rendered and Photoshopped images
Tools for A/B testing images
Common mistakes sellers make when it comes to images
5 strategies to increase conversions using photographs and images
Services offered by Page.One

About Page.One:

Page.One is a full-service agency serving Amazon and e-commerce businesses with listing optimization, product photography, Enhanced Brand Content, PPC management and full brand management.

They have been helping Amazon businesses grow their brands since 2014 and work with businesses of all sizes.

Website: https://www.page.one

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Anna Davidson, an Amazon mentor and coach from London opens up to share her story of how she found the courage to get out of an abusive relationship.

Anna also talks about her transition from a successful corporate leader to a digital mumpreuner launching her own online business. She is now a 6-figure seller, an eCommerce mentor and has helped over 2,000 people launch their own businesses. She is also an author, speaker and ambassador of a charity The Buddy Bag Foundation.

PS: If anyone reading this is in an abusive relationship or the victim of domestic violence, know that if Anna could come out of it, you can too! Reach out for help now.

Episode highlights:

Anna had a successful corporate career, and then her perspective changed after the birth of her first child
She talks about her abusive relationship, and why she has now decided to open up and talk about it. She hopes someone who is in a similar situation might hear her story and find the courage to get out of it
It took her three years and a lot of courage to get out of the relationship
What was the tipping point that finally made her leave
How Anna stumbled upon Amazon
How she started her coaching program
Why people need ongoing help with their Amazon business
Common mistakes people make when starting their Amazon business
Product research strategies and tips
Differences between the US and European marketplaces
Why Branding is going to be critical on Amazon moving forward
Eco-friendly products will continue to be a key trend in the future
The key is to look for products that haven’t gone sustainable yet
Anna’s plans for the future

About Anna:

Anna is an eCommerce & digital marketing expert, author, mumpreneur, founder of 6 Figure Amazon Sellers and coach at ImportXperts.

She became an Amazon seller in 2012 on the USA marketplace followed by Europe. Her skills are understanding Amazon, building brands, and creating eCommerce stores. She has taught over 2,000 students to build successful businesses through on and offline training programs,

She also teaches how to drive traffic through Facebook & Instagram. She has built multiple brands from scratch with 10+ years of online marketing experience.

How to reach Anna:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/missannadavidson

Instagram: www.instagram.com/annadavidsonthawe

Join her Amazon sellers group: www.facebook.com/groups/6figureAmazonCreator

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In episode, we talk about hiring and working with freelancers and agencies. My guest is Kamaljit Singh from AMZ One Step, who shares outsourcing best practices and the mistakes people make when working with freelancers.

Kamaljit came to Canada in 2010 as an international student at Niagara College. After finishing school, he founded AMZ One Step, an agency that helps Amazon sellers launch their products on Amazon.

They now have a team of 27 employees in Canada and Pakistan to help with Listing Optimization, EBC, Photography and PPC management services.

Episode highlights:

Introduction
When should Amazon sellers hire freelancers or outsource their tasks
Tasks that can / should be outsourced
Freelancers vs agencies - pros and cons
Criteria to consider when selecting freelancers
Recommended platforms to hire freelancers
Where to outsource - pros and cons of key locations - Philippines, Pakistan, India
Average rate per hour for freelancers
How to ensure they deliver quality consistently
Importance of developing SOPs and defining KPIs
Mistakes sellers make when outsourcing, and best practices
How AMZ One Step helps Amazon sellers

Special offer:

Email info@amzonestep.com or kamal@amzonestep.com and mention “The Asian Seller” to get a 15% discount on all services
Website: www.AMZOneStep.com

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Raj is an Amazon seller in Singapore, who started his eCommerce journey in early 2019 after working in a 9-to-5 job for 16 years.

In this episode he shares his experience selling on various marketplaces including Amazon, Lazada and Qoo10. He shares lessons learnt, successes and challenges.

Raj knows that eCommerce is not a get rich quick scheme like some “gurus” portray it. It is a real business that requires hard work, patience and a lot of learning. While it is a business that needs less investment than many others, there are challenges, pitfalls and risks just like any other entrepreneurial venture.

This episode is for all wannabe sellers, and gives a glimpse of what running an eCommerce business entails.

Episode highlights:

About Raj. How he started selling on Amazon
Did he take a course and how was it
Mistakes he made when starting his eCommerce business
Biggest challenges he faces in business today
Which aspect of the business he finds most challenging
Selling on multiple marketplaces for diversification
Main differences sourcing from China and other sourcing markets
Importance of networking and learning from other sellers
Raj’s advice for new sellers

Mentioned in this podcast:

Helium10

A comprehensive suite of tools to help with your Amazon business
Includes Freedom Ticket - a free US$1,000 course from Kevin King
Use the code ASIANSELLER10 for 10% off every month or ASIANSELLER50 for 50% the first month
Subscribe here: www.helium10.com

Jason Tay’s Amazon training

This is the most comprehensive, practical and affordable Amazon training in Singapore, and I vouch for it 100%
Mention “The Asian Seller” to receive an additional one-on-one session with Jason after the in-person training
Sign up here: https://www.jasontayonline.com/singapore-training.html or email Jason at jasontayonline@gmail.com

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Steven Selikoff started selling on Amazon FBA in October 2006, a few weeks after the program was announced.

He has vast experience in retail and sourcing from China.

He recommends identifying market gaps and people’s pain points to come up with product ideas instead of using tools. He also emphasizes the need to diversify off of Amazon and sell into retail.

Steven caught the entrepreneur bug in 1973 when he sold photos printed from editing room discards from the TV show Star Trek at the second ever Star Trek Convention.

He continued to nurse his entrepreneurial streak through years in fashion photography, advertising and marketing.

Eventually he ended up at Microsoft where he was Business Manager to two Vice-Presidents, including Microsoft’s Worldwide Retail Sales & Marketing division. While at Microsoft, he started developing and importing products from China. His own businesses grew enough for him to leave Microsoft and to make importing and selling products his sole career.

Episode highlights:

Introduction
Is retail dying? If not, how is it changing and adapting?
Steven’s approach to identifying, testing and developing products for eCommerce and retail
On average, how much capital is required to develop a new product
How should someone who doesn't live in the US develop products for the US market?
Trading companies vs manufacturers
Vetting suppliers - why communication is critical
Contacting retailers after the product is developed and tested
The one piece of advice Steven has for sellers
About Canton Fair Experience

Learn more about The Canton Fair Experience:

www.thecantonfairexperience.com
Use the code MEGHLA100 for $100 off

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Klaidas Siuipys is a rising PPC expert and professional based in Lithuania. He has been an entrepreneur most of his life helping with the family business.

He ventured into Amazon in 2015 when he started selling products from his family business on Amazon.

Now Kliadas is a trainer, consultant and conference speaker known for closely tracking how Amazon platforms are constantly evolving and how to adapt to take advantage of any changes.

In this episode, Kliadas walks us through the basics of Amazon PPC. If you’re just starting out on Amazon, this episode is for you.

Episode highlights:

What is Amazon PPC, and what ACoS?
What's the purpose of PPC? Is it to make profit or to rank your products organically
What to prepare before spending money on ads.
What are the different campaign types - Auto and Manual
Keyword match types
Ad placement options
Keyword research
Negative keywords
Common rookie PPC mistakes

How to reach Klaidas:

www.chayzconsulting.com
www.facebook.com/KlaidasCommerce

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In this episode, Meghla Bhardwaj talks about how you can find the right supplier for your Amazon and eCommerce business.

The first step is defining an ideal company based on your specific needs. Use 6 key criteria to decide what kind of supplier you want to work with depending on your requirements.

This will save you time during the supplier selection process because you can very quickly eliminate candidates that don’t meet your requirements.

Episode highlights:

6 criteria to consider when defining your ideal supplier:
Supplier types
Regulatory compliance
Export markets
Location
Factory size
Equipment, specialization
Where to search for suppliers
Narrowing down to 2-3 suppliers
Finalizing THE one and placing an order

How to reach Meghla:

Email: info@theasianseller.com

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Peter Chiang, originally from Australia and currently based in Shanghai is on track to generate $1 million in revenue on Amazon this year. Sounds amazing and this is what every seller aims to achieve.

But Peter’s eCommerce journey over the last two years has not always been smooth. Not all his products have been successful, he has made costly mistakes, and learnt from trial and error.

In this episode, Peter shares some of the lessons he has learnt along the way, and what he would have done differently knowing what he knows now.

If you are thinking of starting an Amazon or eCommerce business, listen carefully and avoid the mistakes that Peter has made.

What Peter wishes he had known:

It’s better to focus on and launch one product when you’re starting out
Cash flow is critical for success
Stay away from fad products
Focus on packing dimensions of the product to keep storage costs in check
Profitability is important but be ready to lose money initially to maintain rank
Get your product tested and certified, especially if it’s for kids
Optimize your logistics to save on costs
Talk with other sellers if you have a network to bounce off ideas and learn from them. Attend meetups, conferences and listen to podcasts to always keep learning
If you want to do a course, choose one that will offer ongoing support after the course

How to reach Peter:

Email: peter.chiang1000@hotmail.com

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“When you hit rock bottom, the only way is up,” says Danny McMillan, host of Seller Sessions.

In this episode, Danny shares how he persevered in the face of tragedy and adversity, after sadly losing two of his children and almost going bankrupt.

Today, Danny runs one of the e-commerce industry’s top podcasts, and helps and inspires thousands of Amazon sellers everyday. He has recently bought a grand family home “with a view” of beautiful farmland.

He shares how he was “stripped of everything” but that has made him an optimistic person who always looks on the bright side.

Having lost my husband to a heart attack two years ago, I can relate to Danny’s experience and I feel his pain.

Losing a loved one or similar tragedies change our perspective of life. After such hardships we tend to be more humble and have more gratitude.

We also realize that we all have an inner strength within us that helps us move forward when tragedy strikes.

I hope you are inspired by Danny’s resilience, perseverance and his positive outlook. I know I am.

Danny’s inspiring quotes in the episode:

When you hit rock bottom, the only way is up
If you make meaning, you’ll make money
There’s nothing worse than chasing money and being miserable
If you enjoy what you do, you have the opportunity to excel
You have to find your thing
If you can do something that doesn’t feel like a job, you’ve made it
If you haven’t got purpose in life, what do you have
If you’re just starting out on Amazon, take baby steps and don’t go all in
Find products that are differentiated
Money amplifies who you are (from Rich Dad Poor Dad)

About Danny McMillan

Danny is the host of Seller Sessions, the largest podcast for advanced Amazon sellers.

A world renowned public speaker and veteran Amazon seller, Danny is also the co-founder of DATAbrill. Working alongside respected algorithm expert Dr. Ellis Whitehead, DATAbrill manages PPC and advertising automation for 6, 7 & 8 figure Amazon brands.

He also works with Amazon in the UK to provide webinar content for their 3rd party sellers.

How to reach Danny:

Email: danny@sellersessions.com
Website: www.sellersessions.com

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Rahul Chawla, Senior Business Development Manager, QIMA (formerly AsiaInspection) is a veteran when it comes to QC and inspections. You will see him at most eCommerce conferences and meetups in Hong Kong and China, and he is always quick to respond to quality control-related questions in Amazon FBA Facebook and Wechat groups. He is also the first to share articles and news affecting Amazon FBA sellers.

In this episode of The Asian Seller podcast, Rahul talks about the quality pitfalls Amazon sellers face when sourcing private label products from China or India. He also shares advice and tips on how to do QC and inspections effectively and avoid 1-star reviews on Amazon.

Episode highlights

Common mistakes Amazon sellers make when it comes to product quality
Differences between how Amazon sellers approach quality and how brands / retailers / importers manage quality
Differences between how QC is managed by suppliers / buyers in India and China
Product testing:
- Difference between testing and getting certified
- When should sellers do product testing
- Which types of tests are mandatory and which are nice to have
- Can sellers use test reports from suppliers
- What’s the process of doing product tests
- How do sellers find out which certificates their product needs?
Inspections:
- Different types of inspections and when each is done
- Types of inspections retailers / importers buying in large volumes usually do
- Is there a minimum order value / volume for a pre-shipment inspection
- Process of how a pre-shipment inspection is done
- About QIMA: services, location, price, USP

About Rahul Chawla

Rahul is Senior Business Development Manager at QIMA (formerly AsiaInspection). He has been in the industry of Quality Control, Product Compliance, Certification & Supply Chain Audits for more than 11 years. Rahul serves and consults several global brands and retailers that source from multiple countries and in various product categories. He also assists Amazon FBA sellers and others for quality control and product compliance needs.

How to reach Rahul to book an inspection:

Email: rahul.chawla@qima.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rahulchawla20

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Emma Schermer shares strategies to enhance your Amazon listing to boost sales and conversions. She talks about mistakes people make when it comes to copy, and how to add emotion and psychology to enhance copy.

Other topics covered in the podcast are how to optimize EBC or A1 Content, keyword research, infographics, and tips to write the listing title and bullet points.

Episode highlights

Emma’s background and how she helps Amazon sellers
How important is listing copy for increasing sales and conversions
Some of the no-no’s of copy
How to add emotion and use psychology to enhance copy
Best practices for the title, bullet points, and EBC or A+ Content
Tips on keyword research
Importance of infographics, and tips to optimize infographics
Services Emma offers

About Emma Schermer

Emma transforms her insatiable curiosity into conversion-spiking copy. As co-founder of Marketing by Emma, she's helped over 650 businesses from around the world boost their sales and build their brands through authentic, compelling copy.

How to Reach Emma

Website: www.marketingbyemma.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/marketingbyemma
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-schermer-tamir-85899166/
Email: hello@marketingbyemma.com

Special offers for The Asian Seller community

Free listing review: Send an email to hello@marketingbyemma.com with a link to your listing, and mention “The Asian Seller”
2 free photo texts: Buy any Amazon listing optimization service at www.marketingbyemma.com (basic listing, EBC listing, or one of their packages), and get 2 photo texts free. Use the promo code: TAS2PHOTOS

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What does it take to build an Amazon private label brand from scratch and then sell it for 30 or 40 times the monthly profit?

In this episode, Peter Luxenburg, an eCommerce seller and consultant from Hong Kong shares his story about how he created and then sold his home products brand. Peter talks about how he selected the product category, what are the key criteria buyers are looking for, how sale price is determined and more.

Episode highlights

Peter’s background and how and why he decided to sell his Amazon business.
How Peter chose and sourced products for his brand.
What are some of the must-haves of an Amazon business if a seller sets it up with the intention of selling it.
Product categories that are more likely to be bought.
How the sale price is determined.
Who is buying Amazon businesses.
The mistakes Peter made when building his brand, and what he would do differently if he had to do it again.
Sourcing from Yiwu.
Peter’s plans for the next 12 months and the services he offers.

About Peter Luxenburg

Peter is the Founder & CEO of Frost Limited. He is a serial entrepreneur and eCommerce consultant based in Hong Kong. He has worked in China since 2007 when he managed a mid-size machining company with production, sourcing and assembly services catering to companies in the west.

In 2013, he got into selling on Amazon and soon created an online private label brand of quality bar accessories. In 2014 he founded Frost Ltd, a consulting firm that helps clients plan, launch and cultivate business online in general and on Amazon in particular.

With years of hands-on and strategic experience, Frost supports its clients with everything from product selection and brand creation to online sales and supply-chain planning.

Special offer for The Asian Seller community

FREE 20-minute call with Peter for The Asian Seller community members. Talk to him to ask for help and guidance what to do next with your business or simply bounce of your ideas.
Book a time with him here: https://calendly.com/peter-luxenburg/theasiansellerpodcast
Website: https://www.frostlimited.com

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With the uncertainty around the ongoing US-China trade war, many Amazon sellers are looking to source their products from alternative markets, and India is one of the key contenders.

But there isn't a lot of information available online on how to import from India, what products to source, how to search for suppliers.

In this episode, Meghla Bhardwaj, Founder of India Sourcing Trip and The Asian Seller gives an overview of how sourcing works in India.

Episode highlights

What are the advantages of importing private label products from India
How sourcing from India is different from importing from China
Which products are produced competitively
Tips for effective sourcing including whether or not to negotiate, and cultural sensitivities to be aware of
How to find suppliers including online and at trade shows
About India Sourcing Trip

Find out more about India sourcing

India Sourcing Trip: www.indiasourcingtrip.com
Sourcing from India Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/IndiaSourcing/
Download free “The eCommerce Seller’s Guide to Sourcing from India”: www.indiasourcingtrip.com/ebook

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In this episode, we talk about everything Amazon sellers need to know about filing patents for their innovative products.

Rich Goldstein, Principal Patent Attorney at Goldstein Patent Law explains in simple terms the differences between a patent, trademark and copyright. He talks about the different types of patents, when and where you should file for one, how to prepare for filing, and how the process varies from one country to another.

Episode highlights

What are the differences between a patent, trademark and copyright?
When should Amazon sellers patent a product?
When is a product patent-worthy?
How design patents are different from utility patents. What is trade dress
Differences in patent laws in U.S., U.K. and China. If a seller wants to sell their product in multiple markets, do they need to patent the product in each market?
The process of patenting a product, how much does it cost and how long it takes.
Prior Art and other preparation you need to do before filing a patent.
Can a patent be filed directly by a seller or do they need a patent attorney / agency.
Types of products Amazon sellers are patenting.
How can sellers ensure they’re not inadvertently infringing on someone else’s patents or copyright.
One piece of advice to someone who’s just starting their eCommerce business.
About ABA Consumer Guide to Obtaining a Patent

About Rich Goldstein

Rich has built a career on working with both individual inventors and start-up companies. He has given critical advice to more than 10,000 inventors, and has obtained nearly 2,000 patents for his clients.

He has educated thousands more about the patent process through his seminars, educational videos, and best selling book: The ABA Consumer Guide to Obtaining a Patent.

He also works directly with executives to help them make effective decisions to protect their IP, meet their business goals, and leverage the value of what they have already created.

How to reach Rich

Website: https://goldsteinpatentlaw.com
Learn more about the patent process: https://goldsteinpatentlaw.com/the-patent-process/

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In this episode, Refael Elbaz, CEO of Unicargo, goes over logistics and shipping basics for Amazon FBA sellers.

He explains in clear terms essential information every Amazon seller should be familiar with when it comes to logistics. He talks about the shipping process to FBA, the different ways of calculating weight, incoterms, mistakes to avoid, the impact of tariffs, and much more.

This episode is a must-listen if you are new to Amazon FBA.

Episode highlights

About Refael. How and when Unicargo started focusing on eCommerce shipments.
The process of shipping once an Amazon FBA seller has confirmed an order with a supplier.
Impact of US tariffs - 10% to 20% of their clients are shifting to alternative markets.
Dimensions - difference between volumetric weight and dimensional weight, and how this affects shipping costs and methods.
Incoterms - Most commonly used incoterms for Amazon sellers and when should they use which.
Common mistakes Amazon FBA sellers make with regards to shipping:
- Sellers amending their importing invoices
- Asking the supplier for import requirements
- Amazon shipping plan manipulation
- Sellers going for the cheapest shipping price instead of what meets their business needs
- Asking your supplier to manage your logistics especially as you scale
Unicargo’s consolidation services for Amazon FBA.

How to get a quote from Unicargo

Website: www.unicargo.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Unicargo.International/ (they have a chatbot to help you get quotes)

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In this episode, Baptiste Porzier, an Amazon seller from France and based in China talks about China sourcing arbitrage.

He shares his experience buying products from local Chinese wholesale website 1688 and markets such as Kunming and Yiwu.

Episode highlights

What is China sourcing arbitrage
Benefits of sourcing arbitrage
How it is different from sourcing online on B2B marketplaces such as Global Sources or at trade shows such as Canton Fair
Product quality and safety issues when buying from these sources
Types of products and suppliers you can find in wholesale markets
Kunming wholesale market, and how it is different from Yiwu
Finding manufacturers of products on 1688
How to source from 1688 if you don’t know Chinese
How to manage shipping when buying from 1688
Baptiste’s tips on product selection
One piece of advice to someone who’s just starting out with eCommerce - Don’t get discouraged and don’t give up!

How to reach Baptiste

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/baptisteporzier
Join Baptiste’s Seller Supreme Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/612626839163857/

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In this episode, top Amazon seller from Singapore, Jason Tay shares his story about how he started selling on Amazon and built a 6-figure business. He also gives wide-ranging advice for new sellers just starting their eCommerce journey.

Jason is the first ever Singapore seller to be featured on Amazon’s Seller Success Story series, and is regularly invited by Amazon and other institutions to talk about eCommerce.

Episode highlights

Jason’s background and how he started with eCommerce
How he started with his flagship brand
Common mistakes people make when they start selling on Amazon
What does it take to succeed in eCommerce
What sort of investment is required to start an eCommerce business
Jason’s advice for product selection
Why people should develop their with private label brands
Why some drop shipping methods may be considered illegitimate by Amazon and eBay
Should you start with selling with Amazon or sell on your own website too
What does it take to create and rank your own eCommerce website
Best ways to source products from China
Why you should not limit your sourcing to China
Jason’s experience sourcing from India and the challenges he had with shipping
What’s next for Jason’s eCommerce business

How to reach Jason

Jason Tay Online: https://www.jasontayonline.com/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/jasontayonline/
Jason’s Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/MySilentTeamSG/

Jason’s course

Amazon Seller - Singapore Training: https://www.jasontayonline.com/singapore-training.html

Mention “The Asian Seller” when registering for the course to receive a bonus one-on-one session with Jason

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In this introductory episode, host of The Asian Seller podcast Meghla Bhardwaj talks about what this podcast is about, why you should listen and how you can expect to benefit from the interviews and content.

She also talks about The Asian Seller community and how you can be part of it.

And a bonus! Meet her 8-year old son, Aditya, who is her motivation to do what she does, and he is her WHY.

Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast.

Join The Asian Seller Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheAsianSeller/

The Asian Seller: Recent Episodes

Meghla Bhardwaj