Awesomers.com

https://awesomers.com/178 AMAZON FBA SELLER LIVE BROADCAST WITH NEWS ITEMSWe talked about some of the alleged price gouging newsWe talked about the delays and bringing inventory intro Amazon and why that's happeningWe talked about the probability that PRIME DAY will be delayedWe talked about how to deal with the current COVID-19 crises for Amazon FBA SellersWe talked about the SBA PPP loan program at the high levelWe talked about thinking timeWe talked about the need to be strategic and not lose your mindThis LIVE episode was streamed to a series of different places and we're curious to see if YOU like this live format.Don't forget to subscribe and leave a 5-star review. https://awesomers.com/podcast

https://awesomers.com/177 Today Steve talks about the Butterfly Effect, which is part of chaos theory,  from the coronavirus on global trade and some of the potentially surprising results that are happening or likely to happen in the near future. What are the realities that we face as Amazon FBA Sellers as a direct result of this coronavirus and how are all of these issues connected? Steve shares some examples of how this problem is having surprising and material impacts to business right now and he speculates that the worst is still ahead. https://awesomers.com/177

https://awesomers.com/176 - show notes As always Amazon keeps us jumping. On March 17th Amazon FBA announced they will stop accepting new incoming orders temporarily for non-essential items. Amazon will tell you if you item is essential or non-essential.Steve discusses speculates as to why this is required and talks about what Amazon Sellers can do now to respond. The Empowery vetted 3PL https://3plogistx.com is still accepting new customers and if you have the need you should get moving quickly before they have capacity issues too. Think about the big picture and don't be part of the problem. This too shall pass. Those who adapt can not only survive, but thrive.  https://awesomers.com/176 - show notes

https://awesomers.com/175 for show notes and links Update: What's happening - all previously planned travel is off. Let's help Flatten the Curve! Don't be part of the problem. Events this week --> Amazon Seller Game Night https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_jL7q1JlFSGWlMxdVSfSwBw Product Savants - KevinandSteve.com Reveal Webinar https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_HiOUhR6ZSBipakIZg9yM3Q Empowery sent a FREE guide from the Business Practice to it's members, but you can get one for FREE too. - https://empowery.com/contact - just ask for the Business Practice CoronaVirus Planning Guide by Michael Shinnick Here are some of the key areas to consider during this crisis: 1 - Focus On Cash From a business perspective this is critical. Bring the business back to its basic element. Is it generating cash or burning it? More especially which investments in the business are generating or burning cash? 2 - Get Finance In Place Now The old adage of ‘Cash is King’ is so very true and especially so in uncertain times. There has already been positive measures announced by the Irish banks and Government this week aimed to help Irish businesses affected by the impending crisis. Similar steps have been announced in the USA and other countries. 3 – Plan To Work From Home This is not always possible for every business nor for every role in a business but it is prudent with this virus to at least trim down the number of people in the office/building etc. 4 – Staffing Cuts/Changes This may not be necessary and it is fairly obvious that certain sectors (like travel, hospitality etc) are suffering the most right now and may need to look at some or all of these measures. Others may not need to go here at all but I am including them for completeness sake. Let’s be honest the biggest single cost on most businesses Profit & Loss account is wages/salaries. 5 – Communication It is important for those in leadership roles to convey a sense of calm and exude the confidence that they have matters in hand, so as to avoid unnecessary panic. 6 – Keep Marketing & Selling “For a business not to advertise is like winking at a girl in the dark. You know what you are doing but no one else does” – Stuartt H. Britt 7 – Double Down On Your Existing Customers Remember “a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush." Your current customers are the opportunity to make more sales without incurring the costs of finding a new customer 8 – Be Level-Headed and Stay Positive >>Panic and worry never helps >>Look for small wins every hour/day >>Sometimes less news is a good idea – turn it off 9 – And ..... Finally......Take a chill Pill!!!! Relax, this is very likely very temporary .....so plan, Don’t panic. https://awesomers.com/175 for show notes and links

https://awesomers.com/173 - Show notes - How to ask for feedback from customers Today Steve is joined by John Lee with PickFu and learn about how this "happy accident" is the business model today that works so well for them AND the entrepreneurial customers. Learn from the experts about how YOU can gather customer feedback in a fast, focused, and HIGHLY effective manner.John shares how the process works and the discussion about why this customer feedback is important and even talks about certain use cases where entrepreneurs can get qualified feedback from a REAL audience in the fastest way possible.   Learn about the evolution of this idea and why it matters to your business. Goto https://Empowery.com/contact and ask how YOU get the INSIDER deal on PickFu right now.Take action based on REAL data and customer insights without spending too much time or money! https://awesomers.com/173 - Show notes - How to ask for feedback from customers

https://Awesomers.com/174 for show notes and details. Today Steve did a random Facebook live to share some of his thoughts about the impact of the Corona Virus now referred to as Covid 19 and why it matters to entrepreneurs in general and specifically how does it impact Amazon Sellers. Steve is joined by other Amazon Sellers who also share their own perspectives and opinions and in some cases, the discussion focused on what sellers need to consider to be prepared for the uncertainty that approaches. The Greem Screen was not activated today - sorry about that. Steve was just jumping online to add value to the Awesomer community. Some resources mentioned: https://empowery.com https://parsimony.com https://productsavants.com https://symoglobal.com https://Awesomers.com/174 for show notes and details.

https://awesomers.com/171 for show notes and links Today's guest, Laurel Bloomfield, will share her experiences about inventing a product and then how she developed the idea, patented it, and then developed BIG BOX customers. Laurel talks a bit about her origin story and shares a bit of her journey from ideation to exit. She shares her own very hard work ethic and what it takes to evolve from cattle ranching to ecommerce sales. This unique view about a VERY niche market gives entrepreneurs keen insights about what it takes to go from concept to reality and then how to capitalize on that reality.  https://awesomers.com/171 for show notes and links

https://awesomers.com/169 - Show notes. Today Steve Simonson and Paul Harvey talk about one of the most effective ways brands can drive awareness and engagement through advertising and product rebates.  Rebate marketing has been around forever, but only recently have modern technologies been adapted to help consumers gain awareness about new brands and micro brands. Check out the History of Rebate Marketing. Paul talks about http://SellerChatBot.com and why messenger bots are a critical part of a customer acquisition and engagement process and further how a new DONE FOR YOU service from SellerChatBot called Rankster can help you execute awareness marketing campaigns without burning too many calories yourself. Busy entrepreneurs need to delegate and find solutions instead of trying to do everything themselves. STOP BEING THE BOTTLENECK! Paul has recorded special training to help your team manage your bot flow marketing. Better still, Paul announced the advent of round 2 of BETA customers into RANKSTER which is a great way to gain ranking without you having to do the work.  Get over to http://sellerchatbot.com/rankster and sign up for the webinar to see if you can squeeze into the next BETA round. https://awesomers.com/169 - Show notes.

PODCAST SHOW NOTES - Canton Fair 99% Cancelled Wuhan Corona Virus Amazon  Steve dives into the facts about the Pazhou complex sending notice that the fairgrounds are closed indefinitely which means in all likelihood the canton fair spring 2020 will be cancelled. The Canton Fair organizers also send a message that told exhibitors to expect cancellation and stopped short of officially declaring the fair closed, but the nuanced message was a clear indication of what's to come. Even if the Canton Fair somehow carries on - I RECOMMEND NOT GOING.The is a reason so much of China is on Lockdown and why so many unprecedented actions have taken place. One of the best visualizations, thanks to Megla Bhardwaj for sharing, is  https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html Although the China team members speculate that the peak is near or perhaps 7-10 days away, Steve points out that the CHINA authorities are saying that timeline more often than outside experts who suggest the peak is still many weeks away(at best). The fact that China is taking so many steps appears to have contained it to within China, and we hope that they can get it under control ASAP. We wanted to bring real people who are responsible for hundreds of containers and let them tell you what they are experiencing. We don't know who is right and we hope for a immediate containment and elimination of this virus. Top News Right Now about the Wuhan Corona Virus: https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/04/asia/wuhan-coronavirus-update-intl-hnk/index.html https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/02/health/coronavirus-pandemic-china.htmlhttps://www.businessinsider.com/china-healthcare-system-coronavirus-outbreak-2020-1 https://interestingengineering.com/potential-cure-to-wuhan-coronavirus-discovered-by-thai-doctors https://www.newsweek.com/coronavirus-china-outbreak-epidemic-wuhan-1485354 https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/02/03/802212047/coronavirus-cases-have-more-than-tripled-in-past-week-17-000-now-sick-in-china I warned Amazon Sellers last week not to travel to China until at least June (or we know more) and now the US Government is catching up. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/china-travel-advisory.html DO NOT GOTO THE CANTON FAIR even if by some miracle it does open up - it's not worth the risk! I've heard most people are getting refunds from organized trips, but I've heard a couple people asked for a refund and got shut down by a specific trip. I recommend retaining an attorney because Force Majeure should allow you to break any contract and get a full refund. Anyone not offering this without a hassle appears to be ripping you off. Message me with examples of tour refund rejections and I can refer you to an attorney.  https://awesomers.com/podcast - for full show directory.

https://awesomers.com/170 PODCAST SHOW NOTES - Wuhan Corona Virus Amazon Seller Personal Update with SymoGlobal China Team Today Steve Simonson is joined by a few members of the SYMOGLOBAL.com China team. We check in with the team leaders to be sure they are alright and we ask about the situation in China and what they think about the current response as well as the potential for recovery. We also dive into the timing of factory openings, what impact any delays may cause, and there is further discussion about some of the regional supply chain realities that exist as a result of the current situation.One of the best visualizations, thanks to Megla Bhardwaj for sharing, is https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html Although the China team members speculate that the peak is near or perhaps 7-10 days away, Steve points out that the CHINA authorities are saying that timeline more often than outside experts who suggest the peak is still many weeks away. The fact that China is taking so many steps appears to have contained it to within China, and we hope that they can get it under control ASAP.We wanted to bring real people who are responsible for hundreds of containers and let them tell you what they are experiencing.We don't know who is right and we hope for a immediate containment and elimination of this virus. https://awesomers.com/podcast - for full show directory. Consider these resources to help your business: https://www.empowery.com - the non-profit member owned co-op https://www.catalyst88.com - the ecommerce focused global mastermind https://www.stevensimonson.com - learn more about the founder Steve Simonson

https://awesomers.com/168 for full show notes: PODCAST SHOW NOTES - Counterfeit Crackdown on Amazon, eBay, and More... If you sell on Amazon with any degree of success you have experienced other sellers "hijacking" your listing. There are legitimate times where multiple sellers sell the same product, but if you are the inventor, brand owner, and single source for your own product line the legitimate reasons goes down by a factor of 100. Yes, for the less experienced sellers it is important to understand that people can purchase from you and resell your product. The so called "FIRST SALE DOCTRINE" allows anyone who buys your product to resell it without threat of copyright or other IP infringement. This applies to products you purchase too. So the retail arbitrage business is something that can not be stopped as long as there is an economic incentive AND as long as the goods being sold are authentic. But more importantly brand owners who do tons of giveaways and then are mad that those people who got the product for FREE are reselling it on their listing are experiencing an unintended consequence. Less reputable platforms that help drive brand awareness through discounts or rebates are driving good sellers crazy when they promote their brand only to have the lucky recipients of deeply discounted goods and even FREE products show up on Amazon and sell against then with, at times, ZERO cost of goods.  That's hard to compete with, but it is manageable to avoid those types of platforms or tactics that lead to the problem. A customer who purchased the product can also make a legitimate sale as long as they list the item properly. For example if they have opened it, they should not list it as NEW. Amazon warehouse deals can also list items that were lost and reimbursed to sellers, but later they were found, that is a legitimate type of listing that a seller may not like, but there is no recourse. The more disturbing issue is when you have a listing and sellers jump on your listing and offer to sell your brand and your product, despite the fact that it is NOT the same product. Those sellers are actively selling counterfeit products and engaging in fraud and deception. The problem is that the online platforms, up until now, have had little incentive to crackdown on those behaviors. Unlike Louis Vuitton or Cartier small brands don't have a budget to threaten Amazon or the sellers, instead we try to rely on brand registry which is purported to help resolve hijacking, but in reality it does very little to stop hijackers.   Part of the problem is that platforms like Amazon make it too easy for bad actors to spin up new seller accounts. They knowingly engage in black hat tactics using these disposable accounts without regard for the law or for consequences because they are largely based in China. Amazon also actively solicits China based sellers in spite of the facts about the risks. https://awesomers.com/168 for full show notes with much more detail.

https://awesomers.com/166 PODCAST SHOW NOTES - Special Guest Expert Maayan Gordon Let's talk about TikTok - and why it matters to Amazon Sellers and eCommerce companies in general.Our expert Maayan Gordon (who has over 1.7 million TikTok followers) will help us decode the mystery that is TikTok. Technically if you are under the age of 25 you probably already have it installed, but if you, like me, had the chance to watch Gilligan's Island you probably have no idea what TikTok is and how to use it. Even if you have heard the name you are unlikely to have the app installed or understand the opportunity. Top 10 Things To Know about TikTok for 2020  1. Tik Tok has had over 1.5 Billion downloads. Facebook's attempt to copy TikTok called Lasso has only had around 70,000 downloads. The start up has the edge! 2. The vast majority of TikTok users are Gen Z. Around 66% of the current user base are under 30 years old. This is not a surprise to Steve because he is almost 50 and doesn't have the TikTok app. (yet) Adults, especially millennials are downloading an a VERY rapid rate in late 2019 and early 2020. The inflection of users may be happening. 3. Americans alone have invested over 23 million dollars on TikTok's virtual currency. Why? They want to buy stuff. Although the American share of users is only around 10% globally on TikTok they account for almost 1/4 of the total purchases. There are several lessons in there. Global in app purchases in 2019 passed 75 million dollars. This is mostly used to send EMOJIS!!!  4. Only 4% of American brands are marketing on TikTok. That means YOU are likely in the 96% that has not yet adopted the TikTok marketing. Go where others are not. Short form Video is relatively new to marketers and will require some effort to get it right. 5. India and China followed by SE Asia represent the largest user bases for TikTok. Although North America and the EU are growing if you have a business that can sell in India (Amazon Sellers in India) or China you have unique conduits to help you build your brand. Note: in China the app is called Douyin - but it is the same overall. 6. As Maayan referenced in the podcast users want an escape. They want to be happy. They watch TikTok to check out for a bit, just like watching TV in the old days. The average user spends 52 minutes per day watching TikTok. 7. In most countries TikTok is dominating on Android based devices. This is due in part to the most popular countries and their user base. iOS may trail, but they spent far more per user on TikTok - which is a normal dynamic.  8. The Top 50 TikTok creators are followed by 7.6% of the World's population. The amount of people following them is more than the population of many western countries COMBINED.  9. TikTok is growing faster. 10. Engagement is NOT awesomer yet on TikTok. People log in everyday to other social platforms like Instagram (95%), Facebook (96%), and SnapChat (95%). TikTok has only 29% daily engagement from it's total user base. Those who do login are very engaged however, but this is one key statistic that TikTok will continue to focus on. https://awesomers.com/166 https://awesomers.com/podcast - for full show directory.

https://awesomers.com/167 PODCAST SHOW NOTES - WUHAN CORONA VIRUS TRAVEL WARNING From Steve Simonson below:  January 24 2020 I would avoid going to China until at least June to see how this virus will unfold. For those of you who know me I evaluate data and make calm decisions. I am not one who reacts to news. I have never warned against travel to China or Asia before including going to Hong Kong during protests in 2014 and 2019. That said: China has taken the unprecedented move of closing Shanghai Disneyland, tourist parts of the Great Wall, all 70,000 movie theaters and many other areas effective immediately. This is something that has NEVER happened and the fact that it is during Chinese New Year is a devastating admission of the serious situation. The financial consequences are huge, but life must be protected. All airlines and trains and reputable tour groups are offering free refunds or rebooking. There is a chance if this continues the Canton Fair schedule may be modified due to the huge gathering of people. I WOULD NOT plan on canton fair this spring. I’ve been going there on and off for the better part of 18 years, but this year the risk isn’t worth it. The rate is infection is increasing rapidly and based on the last outbreak (SARS) there will be 4-6 months to contain this situation. The face masks in China are all currently sold out. I WILL NOT BE HOSTING any trips to China or Asia in general this spring. For my friends who live in China please do not take this lightly. I have watched the swine flu, bird flu, SARS and other threats in the past, but this is by far the most serious. The rate of diagnosis is likely to multiply by a factor of 10x in the next week or so. In my opinion travel to China for the next 4 months is unwise. I will be monitoring and will update if anything changes. I would welcome a quick end to this outbreak, but the odds are against it as we sit here today. IGNORE THIS AT YOUR OWN PERIL. Top 10 Things To Know about Wuhan Corona Virus  1. As of January 26th 2020 there are close to 3000 people in China with the virus and nearly 60 have died as a result. 2. More than 5 Million people were allowed to leave Wuhan, which is the epicenter of the outbreak, despite the fact that they could be infected. 3. About 50 million people inside of China are under a quarantine mandate to try and get a handle on this epidemic.  4. Some other countries have a handful of cases which originated in Wuhan. 5. The rate of spread between humans is each person can infect 2.5 to 3.5 others which means this virus can self sustain indefinitely. 6. Speculation as of now is that this virus could be twice as bad as SARS and cause immense economic damage to China, Hong Kong, and some neighboring countries. 7. Importers should take special note that factories may not come back online at the normal time following Chinese New Year. This could cause significant uncertainly throughout the supply chain which will cause a snowball effect of delays. 8. There is no reason to put yourself at risk. Steve recommends avoiding China at least until June 2020 based on the information we have today. 9. Yiwu has been closed until Feb 21st, 2020 as of this recording. That could push farther. It is also possible that this will impact Canton fair, possibly even cancelling it. 10. China is taking unprecedented steps to help contain the virus. Closing all 70,000 movie theaters during Chinese New Year, when 7 MAJOR films were set to debut, closing Shanghai Disney, parts of the Great Wall, cancelling Spring Festival celebrations in countless cities and terminating travel in so many parts of the county are all good steps to help deal with this situation. We don't know if it will be enough yet.WE DON'T PANIC. WE SHARE OUR AWARENESS TO STOP THE SPREAD OF THIS VIRUS! Https://awesomers.com/167

Steve talks about the news of the recent Tariff changes related to the "Phase One" trade deal between the USA and China. The news about the so called phase one trade deal with china has resulted in many people wondering about what it means now and the future and Steve talks about his view on the deal and what that might mean for 2020 and beyond. Overall this is a positive step for Amazon Sellers, but we should remain vigilant about the future since uncertainly remains certain. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-china-trade-deal-heres-whats-in-the-us-china-phase-one-trade-deal/ https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/12/4/18126061/tariff-man-trump-china-tweets-memes-stock-market https://thehill.com/opinion/international/474840-christmas-tariffs-for-santa https://www.bbc.com/news/business-50784554 https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2019/12/18/no-wakanda-is-not-trumps-next-tariff-target-despite-being-removed-us-free-trade-list/ https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/china-cuts-america-a-break-on-tariffs-after-phase-one-deal https://thehill.com/opinion/white-house/474855-trumps-phase-one-trade-deal-undercuts-the-anti-tariff-crowds-arguments https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-says-u-s-is-very-close-to-a-big-deal-with-china-on-trade-11576162614 https://awesomers.com/podcast - for full show directory.

Amazon Seller Women's Conference https://awesomers.com/164 - show notes Melissa Simonson joins Steve Simonson on the Awesomers.com podcast to talk about the upcoming Empowery Women's conference in Feb 2020. This important event will set the stage for Women oriented content, networking and other important issues that are unique to Women in ecommerce. https://www.empowery.org/womensconference Melissa shared some of the original vision why a Women's conference is happening and why it is important for Amazon Sellers, Female Entrepreneurs, and Amazon Sellers in general.This unique venue combined with powerful speakers, 100% of which are female, will provide compelling content along with the opportunity to built lasting relationships though networking with the attendees and speakers. Get your ticket right now! https://awesomers.com/164 - show notes https://awesomers.com/podcast - for full show directory.