Internet Mastery Accelerator 5

Action Items

Mark Leas

☐ Build out and implement creating own Amazon listings

☐ Spend the next few weeks creating unique product listings

☐ Obtain GS1-compliant UPC barcodes for new listings

☐ Raise prices on listings where sole seller (small increment)

Amazon Selling Landscape and Strategic Pivots

• Amazon is making selling increasingly difficult for third-party sellers.
  • A seller’s account score dropped to 200 due to a single complaint, resulting in a significant sales decline over two months.
  • Payment policy change: Amazon now pays sellers 10 days after item delivery, a shift from the previous policy of paying upon shipment.
    • This change impacts cash flow, bill payments, and inventory purchasing.
    • The rationale is to address issues with bad shipments or customer dissatisfaction.
• Increased “red tape” and challenges:
  • Category gating and brand restrictions are significant issues.
  • Authenticity claims are more prevalent, with receipts from standard retailers often not accepted.
  • Pricing uncertainty is a growing concern.

Product Sourcing Methods and Associated Problems

• Four primary methods of product sourcing: Retail Arbitrage, Wholesale, Private Label, and Branding.
• Retail Arbitrage:
  • Has the lowest barrier to entry but poses the biggest problems.
  • TEMU: Products purchased from TEMU cannot be used to validate authenticity claims, leading to account blocks or restrictions.
• Wholesale:
  • Faces high competition as many wholesalers sell to numerous Amazon sellers.
  • Reputable wholesalers often have brand-exclusive deals or do not sell to Amazon sellers, making it difficult to compete with bulk buyers.
• Private Label and Branding:
  • Require significant financial investment and time.

Creating Own Listings as a Solution

• Creating unique product listings directly addresses key Amazon selling challenges:
  • Solves brand restriction issues.
  • Mitigates pricing uncertainties.
  • Resolves authenticity claims.
• Essential requirements for creating listings:
  • Product
  • Images
  • Titles and descriptions
  • Keywords
  • Paid advertising (for driving traffic)
  • Reviews (e.g., Amazon Vine program, or personal network for authentic reviews)
  • Crucial first step: Obtaining a GS1 barcode (UPC code).
• Benefits of self-created listings (validated by Mark Leas):
  • More profitable due to less need for price adjustments.
  • More sustainable, allowing for continuous sales of the same product.
  • Higher percentage of sales contribution compared to retail arbitrage products.
  • While time-consuming (1-3 hours per listing), it is more efficient than spending hours on retail arbitrage to find profitable, ungated products.

Strategic Direction and Future Outlook

• Amazon’s evolving strategy:
  • Amazon appears to be moving towards dealing directly with brand owners and manufacturers, aiming to eliminate middlemen.
  • The belief that Amazon copies best-selling products to create its own generic versions is considered a myth; Amazon wants brands to sell on its platform.
  • Amazon seeks unique, high-value products that people desire.
• Seller adaptation:
  • Sellers should pivot towards creating their own unique listings or bundles.
  • A recommended strategy is to identify popular products and create improved or similar versions, rather than inventing entirely new products.
  • Avoid overthinking product ideas; focus on trial and error with multiple concepts.
• Advice for Mark Leas:
  • Mark has created 10 unique listings out of 130-150 SKUs, with 3 of these being among his top 10 best-selling products.
  • These self-created listings are more profitable.
  • Mark should consider raising prices on his exclusive listings (e.g., from $13 to $14) as he is the sole seller.
  • Mark’s plan to focus on building out more self-created listings is aligned with the current Amazon landscape.
  • Mark’s Amazon account is currently restricted, awaiting a response from Amazon.
• The discussion will continue in subsequent sessions, with feedback from other participants.

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Action Items

☐ Enroll your brand in Amazon Brand Registry

☐ Purchase GS1 barcodes for your products or bundles

☐ Use the IP Accelerator to expedite Brand Registry

☐ List sample items on Amazon to practice listings

☐ Prepare images and copy for A+ content creation

☐ Reply in chat if you are Brand Registry approved

☐ Return from lunch and reconvene at 1:00 PM

GS1 Barcodes

• Amazon requires GS1 barcodes for products.
  • Generic UPC codes, previously acceptable, are no longer sufficient.
  • Bundles are considered new products and require a new UPC code.
• Purchasing options for GS1 barcodes:
  • Directly from GS1: Costs $30 for one barcode.
  • BarCodesTalk.com: Offers 100% authentic GS1 barcodes for $5 each, with prices decreasing for bulk purchases (e.g., 25 cents or 13 cents each for 100s or 500s).
    • BarCodesTalk.com recirculates barcodes from products no longer in use.
    • Recommendation is to purchase from BarCodesTalk.com, especially for creating bundles, and to buy in bulk (100, 200, or 500 barcodes).

Amazon Brand Registry

• Enrollment Process:
  • Access through sell.Amazon.com/brand-registry or by searching “Amazon Brand Registry” on Google.
  • Two methods for enrollment:
    • Regular method: Time-consuming.
    • IP Accelerator program: Recommended for faster and guaranteed approval.
      • Connects with Amazon-vetted legal teams.
      • Customer Support paid $500 or $1200 for this service.
      • Approval for Brand Registry is granted upon finalizing the deal with the service provider, even before the trademark is fully approved.
      • Approval can take 4-6 weeks if all necessary information is provided.
  • An LLC can be used for brand registration, and one LLC can cover multiple businesses.
  • A step-by-step guide for Brand Registry is not provided by Customer Support, suggesting the use of AI tools like ChatGPT for guidance.
• Key Benefits and Features:
  • Subscribe & Save: Allows offering recurring purchases to customers.
  • A+ Content: Enables creation of professional, website-like product listings with enhanced images and videos.
    • Customer Support uses a graphic designer for A+ content creation.
    • Amazon’s AI tools for A+ content generation:
      • Can generate images and text, and provide insights based on Amazon shopping trends when an ASIN is entered.
      • Demonstration showed the AI pulled from existing images and generated text that exceeded character limits.
      • Generated images (e.g., flowers) were not preferred by Customer Support.
      • Amazon’s AI for A+ content is considered not user-friendly and less effective compared to other AI tools or custom design.
  • Manage IP Complaints: Provides tools to address intellectual property infringements.
  • Storefront: Allows building a customized brand storefront on Amazon.
    • Example of a well-designed “Pure” store was shown.
    • Customer Support’s own storefront requires updating.
  • Brand Analytics: Offers detailed data and insights.
    • Provides information on how, where, and when customers find products, including keywords and trends.
    • Includes Search Catalog Performance, Consumer Behavior, and Demographics.
    • Top Search Terms (within Search Analytics): Offers real-time data on keywords searched on Amazon across all categories.
      • Lower numerical rankings indicate more popular keywords (e.g., “omega 3” at 460).
      • Allows analysis of top brands, ASINs, conversion rates, and product titles for specific search terms.
      • Keywords are crucial for optimizing listings to appear in search results.
      • Enables analysis of competitors’ images, A+ content, titles, and descriptions.
  • Amazon Vine: Access to the Vine program for product reviews.
  • Brand Tailored Promotions.
  • Virtual Bundles: Allows creating bundles of existing listings without sending additional inventory to Amazon; Amazon ships items separately.
  • Transparency Codes.
  • Advertising options.

AI Tools and Search Trends

• Prediction: Search functionality will transition from traditional search engines like Google to AI platforms (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude) within the next 1-2 years.
• Bing, owned by Microsoft, currently receives more search traffic than Google and offers AI-powered search results.
• AI tools can significantly save time in research, but users should be aware that they can make mistakes.

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Action Items

Customer Support

☐ Bring the printed workbook for tomorrow’s session

Unassigned

☐ Obtain UPC codes for products to list

☐ Create main product image plus nine additional images

☐ Hire a designer to create product label and images

☐ Ensure Amazon listing images are square for listing

☐ Create a ChatGPT project and upload listing sources

☐ Upload prepared images to the Amazon product listing

☐ Bring laptops to the hands‑on workshop

☐ Attend Boca Farmers Market tomorrow 9:00 AM–1:00 PM

☐ Be prepared to appear on camera during market

☐ Meet at the office around 1:30 PM after market

Accelerator 5.0 Training Overview

• The training focuses on listing items directly on Amazon that are not currently available on the platform.
  • Melissa had requested this detailed discussion for over two years.
  • The primary challenge for participants is the application of the information provided.
  • Building a large e-commerce business requires Amazon as a core strategy.

Amazon Listing Creation Essentials

• UPC Code Requirement: A UPC code is essential for listing new items and associating them with a brand.
  • The process for obtaining UPC codes is straightforward.
  • An incorrect or already used UPC code will prevent the listing from going live.
• Image Guidelines: Images are crucial for sales before A+ content is available.
  • Amazon requires actual pictures of the item, which can be sourced from retailers like Best Buy.
  • The first image must always be on a white background, clean and simple.
  • Additional images (2-8) can show different angles, contexts, or usage scenarios.
  • AI-generated images are acceptable if they include the exact product image.
  • Images should ideally be square for better presentation on Amazon.
  • Maximizing the number of images (up to nine) is recommended for comprehensive listings.
• Listing Content Maximization: Utilize every field Amazon provides for more content.
  • The item name is the actual title of the listing.
  • Bullet points should be maximized to provide detailed product information.
  • Product details, offer information (pricing, quantity, fulfillment), and safety/compliance sections must be completed.
  • Filling in all recommended fields, not just required ones, improves search visibility.

Leveraging AI for Listing Optimization

• ChatGPT for Content Generation: AI tools like ChatGPT are highly effective for writing listing content.
  • It is recommended to use AI for tasks that are not the best use of personal time, such as writing descriptions and keywords.
• Project-Based AI Interaction: Create a new project in ChatGPT for Amazon listings.
  • This allows the AI to remember previous interactions and context, avoiding repetitive explanations.
  • A specific prompt is used to set the AI’s persona: “You are a $100 million Amazon seller, and I need you to help me maximize new Amazon listings. We are creating them from scratch, so you’ll need to guide me on the title, description, keywords, and all other inputs. I will give you an idea of the product, and you will create everything else from there. You are a genius. I need to make a lot of money, so this needs to work. And I’m going to give you 20% profit for all sales.”
• AI Source Material Upload: Upload screenshots of Amazon listing pages (product identity, description, product details, offer, safety/compliance) to ChatGPT.
  • This enables the AI to read and understand the required fields without manual explanation.
  • The AI can then generate content tailored to these specific inputs.
• AI-Generated Content Focus: The AI aims to maximize organic ranking, click-through rate, conversion rate, profitability, and long-term brand value.
  • It optimizes listings for both the Amazon algorithm and human shoppers.
  • The AI provides high-converting SEO titles, search-dominating backend keywords, and effective bullet points.

Platform-Specific Listing Strategies

• Amazon vs. eBay Algorithms: Amazon and eBay require distinct listing psychology, SEO structures, and conversion strategies.
  • A common mistake is copying Amazon listings directly to eBay, which leads to poor performance.
  • eBay’s algorithm, named Cassini, rewards different elements, including more aggressive and descriptive language and better storytelling.
  • AI can help duplicate and optimize listings for eBay using platform-specific best practices.
• Platform Compliance: It is critical to instruct the AI to be completely platform compliant.
  • Beauty and skincare listings, for example, can be suppressed due to medicinal claims, image violations, or restricted keywords.
  • The AI can help rephrase claims to be compliant, such as changing “repairs damaged skin and reverse aging” to “help support smoother, healthier looking skin.”

AI-Assisted Image Creation

• Generating Supplementary Images: Once the main product image is available, AI can create additional images for the listing.
  • Prompts can be used to generate various image types:
    • Graphics: Simple images with text overlays (e.g., skin types designed for).
    • Infographics: More detailed visual explanations of product benefits.
    • Before and After: Images demonstrating product effectiveness (e.g., smoother skin).
    • Comparison/Competitive: Images highlighting why the product is superior to generic alternatives.
  • It is important to include “make no changes to the reference image” in prompts to maintain product consistency.
  • AI-generated images can include disclaimers like “Results may vary” for compliance.
• Image Diversity: Varying image styles, colors, layouts, and objectives is crucial to “stop the scroll” and engage shoppers.
• Designer Role: While AI is excellent for generating supplementary images for the listing, a human designer is still needed for creating the actual product images and labels.

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Action Items

☐ Apply for a G10 exemption for the product listing

☐ Check back in ~30 minutes and change the listing fulfillment setting on Manage Inventory

☐ Wait ~30 minutes and verify the new Amazon listing is live

☐ Send follow-up questions to Melissa or post them in the Saturday chats

Amazon Listing Creation Process

• The session is recorded for repeated viewing due to the consistent nature of Amazon listing creation over time, despite minor detail changes.
• ChatGPT is utilized to structure the Amazon listing output in the order of the screenshots to streamline the process and reduce confusion.

Listing Content and Details

• Title: Copied from ChatGPT; Amazon notifies if character limits are exceeded.
• Product Identity: Includes item name, item type keyword, product category, and subcategory (e.g., Face moisturizers).
• Product Description: Copied from ChatGPT; review and edit for accuracy and clarity, either manually or by requesting ChatGPT to rewrite.
• Bullet Points: Five bullet points are generated by ChatGPT and copied into the listing.
• Main Image: The main image was removed and re-added during the process.
• Product Details: Active ingredients (e.g., beef tallow, vitamin D, ghkcu) are crucial keywords for Amazon searchability.

Product Variations

• Product size variations require a new UPC code.
• Variations can be added to a listing at a later stage.
• A parent listing can have child relationships for different sizes, colors, options, or bundles (e.g., one-pack, two-pack).
• A variation for product size (travel size) was initially considered but removed for demonstration simplicity.

UPC Codes and GTIN Exemption

• A new UPC code is needed for product variations.
• The system indicated an error due to conflicting ASINs and item package quantity, which was resolved by removing the UPC code.
• Without a UPC, a GTIN exemption is required, which involves an application process that appeared broken on Amazon’s platform.
• The product was successfully listed without a barcode by removing the UPC, which eliminated the error.

Offer and Fulfillment Methods

• SKU: Optional; Amazon automatically creates one if not provided. A custom SKU (e.g., Glovera Travel) can be entered.
• Quantity:
  • FBM (Fulfilled by Merchant): The quantity of items available must be specified on the listing page.
  • FBA (Fulfilled by Amazon): The quantity field disappears from the listing page when FBA is selected. Quantity is provided only when filling out the shipping or prep center form to send items to Amazon.
• Price: The selling price is entered.
• Condition: The product condition is set to “new.”
• List Price: Set a higher list price (e.g., $29.99 for a $19.99 product) than the selling price to create a perception of value, contrary to Amazon’s suggestion to set them equally.
• Dimensions: Item dimensions (e.g., 2x2x4 inches for Glovera) are critical for Amazon to determine FBA fulfillment charges.
• Package Weight: The package weight (e.g., 3 ounces for Glovera) influences shipping costs.

Shipping Cost Optimization

• Weight Management: Under-weighing items slightly can significantly reduce shipping costs, especially when crossing the one-pound threshold for USPS Priority Mail.
• Packaging Weight: The weight of the shipping box must be considered in addition to the product weight.
• Shipping Rate Research: It is important to know shipping rates (e.g., USPS costs for items under two pounds) to manage expenses effectively.

Listing Status and Management

• After submission, a listing can take up to 30 minutes to be created.
• Initially, the listing may show as “inactive review reason blocked.”
• To change the fulfillment method from FBA to FBM, the listing must be updated on the Manage Inventory page.
• Once updated to FBM, the listing status changes from “inactive” to “out of stock,” allowing inventory to be added.

Strategic Considerations for Listings

• Keywords: More keywords in the title, description, and bullet points increase the chances of a product being found in search results.
• Unique Listings: Creating unique listings (e.g., bundling a coffee cup with a recipe card, or electronics with custom-colored bricks) prevents others from piggybacking on the listing.
• Packaging for Unique Bundles: Consider the logistics of packaging and shipping bundled items to the customer or Amazon.
• Generic Listings: Creating generic listings carries a high risk of Amazon account suspension if authenticity claims cannot be provided.

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Action Items

Customer Support

☐ Change Amazon item quantity to 12 and click Save All to publish updates

☐ Adjust Amazon price to $29.00

Unassigned

☐ List the exact same Amazon product on eBay using a fixed-price, Good ‘Til Cancelled format

☐ Create unique, owned product images from reference images (photo-realistic scenes and alternate angles) for use in eBay listings

☐ Convert the product description into HTML code (for eBay) using ChatGPT

☐ Set eBay shipping details: package weight 4 oz, dimensions 2x2x4, free shipping, USPS Ground Advantage as service

Amazon Listing Management

• A product listing is currently in a holding pattern on Amazon.
  • The listing was changed to FBM (Fulfillment by Merchant).
  • The quantity was set to 12.
  • The item is expected to go live on Amazon within 15 minutes after saving.
  • The listing initially appeared as “blocked” or “inactive” due to processing or review.
  • The item price was initially set at $19.99 but will be adjusted to $29.99.

eBay Listing Strategy

• Simultaneously listing products on eBay is a key strategy.
  • The process involves taking the exact same product listed on Amazon and creating an eBay listing.
  • eBay listing details include:
    • Listing type: Fixed price
    • Duration: Good till canceled
    • Quantity: 3 to 5 minimum
    • Title: Character-optimized for SEO, with an 80-character limit.
    • Example product: Glovera Beef tallow face cream with copper peptides and Snap eight.
    • Photos: The same five photos used for Amazon listings are utilized.
    • Product details: Includes body area (face and neck), ingredients (beef tallow, Snap8, GHK CU), scent (citrusy), country of origin (United States), 1oz volume, features (hydrating, smoother skin), travel size, and “new” condition.
  • Description: Copied from Amazon and then edited using Chat GPT to generate HTML code for a professional appearance.
  • Pricing: Set at $29.99.
  • Shipping:
    • Standard shipping with a package weight of 4 ounces and dimensions of 2x2x4.
    • Free shipping is offered.
    • eBay charges for the shipping label, with USPS Ground Advantage being the least expensive option at $5.17.
    • A two-day handling time is set, allowing two days to ship after payment.
  • eBay is considered significantly easier than Amazon for listing items.
  • eBay should be a primary focus, especially for items that are blocked or restricted on Amazon.
  • The most time-consuming part of listing is getting the pictures; once done, multiple items can be listed quickly.

Leveraging AI for Listing Creation

• Chat GPT is used to streamline the listing process.
  • Generates eBay listing titles and descriptions from existing Amazon content.
  • Creates HTML code for eBay descriptions, enhancing the professional look of listings without requiring a developer.
• AI for unique product images:
  • AI tools can create unique, photo-realistic images from a reference image.
  • This allows for diverse scenes (e.g., college student using a calculator, bookkeeper using it, top-down view with a finger pressing a button, unboxing scenarios).
  • These custom images help listings stand out and are owned by the seller.
  • This capability is a significant advantage in selling on eBay, as images are crucial for engagement.

Questions and Answers

• Brand Registration:
  • An initial product is not strictly required for brand registration, but a trademark is needed.
  • Amazon’s IP accelerator program is recommended for trademark registration due to better rates and comprehensive service.
  • A single Amazon account can be used for all products, regardless of category.
• HTML Code Benefit:
  • Using HTML code for descriptions makes listings look professional and helps them stand out from standard text-based listings.
• AI Lister for eBay:
  • AI Lister can be used for eBay listings, especially for items already on Amazon to pull images.
  • However, creating unique images with AI, as demonstrated, helps listings differentiate themselves and can lead to higher sales.
• eBay Listing Promotion:
  • Paying to promote eBay listings is beneficial if the product has high profit margins and is expected to sell well.
  • Promotion increases visibility but does not guarantee sales.
• Branding and Niche:
  • Focusing on a specific niche is primarily relevant for those building their own brand.
  • For most sellers not building a brand, selling a wide variety of products is recommended.
• Ginspire Products and Free Accounts:
  • Free Ginspire accounts will produce watermarked images.
  • Higher-tier plans offer unwatermarked images and more image creation capacity.
  • The Ginspire opportunity is expanding with a new members’ area for customers.