Q&A: How do you ‘build your platform’ if you’re selling on Amazon?
Today’s caller has an important question: if you use Fulfillment by Amazon, how do you go about building your platform? After all, Amazon controls the entire customer service process and doesn’t even let you know who’s buying.
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What It's About
Today's caller wants to grow their business on Amazon. What should their prime directive be?
Notes from Chris
Episode 1731
The Fulfillment by Amazon program is massive. At last count, it had more than two million vendors, the majority of which are small businesses and side hustlers who use Amazon’s platform to reach consumers. There are a lot of benefits to it, and we’ve featured a lot of stories in the archives of listeners just like you who’ve used it to great success. But what’s the downside? Well, surprisingly, Jeff Bezos does not wake up every day and think, “How can I give away every advantage I have?” Today’s caller has an important question: if you use FBA, how do you go about building your platform? After all, Amazon controls the entire customer service process and doesn’t even let you know who’s buying."Hey Chris this is Carly and I hear a lot about how it's important to "build your platform" instead of relying on third-party networks, since they can always change the rules or even disappear. But I'm planning to sell on Amazon, which of course has the widest possible distribution and makes a lot of things easy. I like them for that reason, and the whole business model I'm looking at depends on selling with Amazon—but it also seems hard to collect email addresses of customers and market to them on an ongoing basis when Amazon is doing the selling. Is there a way around this? How can I build my platform while selling on the world's largest marketplace? Thanks for your help."Listen to today's episode to learn more...
SEE ALSO:
- WEEKLY RECAP: Retail Arbitrage with Fulfillment by Amazon: In our thirty-third recap of Season III, we'll highlight the lessons learned in this week. Also: an audio update from a previous case study!
- Q&A: My product is selling on Amazon … but how can I get more attention?: A listener from Singapore sells biodegradable party cups with cheerful designs. She’s selling them on Amazon, and wondering how to get noticed by more people.
- Q&A: Are Amazon ads worth trying?: In addition to selling more than twelve million items, Amazon.com also sells ads. Might this be a good alternative to expensive Google and Facebook ads?
