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Tim Shea, founder and CEO of Latticework Insights, explains how eCommerce brands can connect data from Amazon, Shopify, Meta, Google, and retail partners, and use his SMART framework to make more profitable decisions.

Most growing brands already have plenty of data. It sits in separate systems, so nobody gets a full picture of what drives growth.

In this episode of Selling on Giants, Mr. Will and Tim cover when spreadsheets stop working, how to evaluate performance across five areas (Speed, Margin, Attribution, Retention, and Tier), and why LTV and CAC need more context than a single ratio.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• When spreadsheets stop working and why growing brands need a unified view of the business
• How to use the SMART framework to evaluate speed, margin, attribution, retention, and customer tiers
• Why customer value varies by acquisition channel, promotion, and buying behavior
• How retail expansion complicates attribution and what brands can do about it
• Why moving customers from their third to fourth purchase can be worth more than focusing on early transactions
• How to use data to form hypotheses, run experiments, and improve decisions

Tim also walks through Latticework Insights’ 90-day onboarding process: understanding the business, building insights, and putting them into practice through experimentation and A/B testing. The result is a repeatable loop where data informs a theory, the theory becomes an experiment, and each result improves the next decision.

Connect with Tim Shea:
Website: https://latticeworkinsights.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheanineseven/

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Walmart is opening its marketplace to outside AI shopping agents, Amazon extended its Black Friday deal window, and UPS is raising shipping rates.

In this October 27, 2026 episode of Selling on Giants, Mr. Will breaks down Walmart's new AI shopping rules, overlapping holiday promotions, UPS rate increases, and Amazon's return-policy uncertainty.

Is Walmart allowing AI agents to shop for customers?

Yes. Walmart announced Agent Profiles and an Agent Gateway designed to let authorized AI assistants shop on behalf of customers. Shoppers can approve purchases or set spending limits, while agents cannot access payment-card details. The Gateway is still in beta. For brands, accurate titles, attributes, pricing, and delivery promises will matter even more to AI product recommendations.

Did Amazon extend its Black Friday deal deadline?

Amazon extended its deal-sourcing window to November 13, but sellers should verify which promotion types and ASINs qualify in Seller Central. The extra time does not extend the October 28 FBA inbound deadline for Amazon-optimized shipment splits. Peak fees can turn strong sales into weak margins. More time is not more inventory.

When do Walmart and TikTok Shop Black Friday events start?

TikTok Shop runs November 11–30. Walmart is spreading promotions across November 12–15, November 23–29, and November 30–December 2. Brands need coordinated inventory, creator content, advertising, and pricing across channels.

How much are UPS shipping rates increasing?

UPS announced an average 5.9% increase effective December 21, with FedEx planning a similar average increase in January. Actual costs also depend on zones, fuel surcharges, package size, and contract terms. Compare Walmart's expanded carrier choices before changing fulfillment plans.

Are Amazon FBM return rules changing in December?

A seller-shared Amazon notice says most U.S. seller-fulfilled returns will require prepaid labels starting December 18, excluding heavy and bulky items. Sellers disagree about what changes in practice. Verify your own Seller Central notice and model holiday returns.

Is Amazon testing real-time seller chat?

A beta Enable Real-Time Chat toggle has appeared in some Seller Central accounts, including one spotted by Mr. Will. Amazon has not announced eligibility, response-time rules, or any conversion impact. Don’t enable a live channel without a staffing plan.

What should marketplace sellers do now?

Audit Walmart catalog data for agent-based discovery. Confirm eligible Amazon promotions and available FBA inventory. Recalculate margins using peak fees and shipping costs. Align holiday calendars across channels, and review returns before January.

The operator takeaway: A platform extending a deadline, automating a shopping journey, or opening another sales channel does not guarantee profitable growth. Brands win when catalog accuracy, inventory discipline, and contribution margin drive decisions.

Like and follow Selling on Giants for weekly Amazon, Walmart, TikTok Shop, AI commerce, and marketplace updates.

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Why does a barcode look the way it does? Mr. Will started with that simple question and ended up with a story about entrepreneurship, industry standards, and the data that now runs modern retail.

The barcode began in 1948 as a checkout problem. Joe Woodland sketched the first version in the sand at Miami Beach, inspired by Morse code. He and Bernard Silver patented a circular bullseye design, sold it for $15,000, and waited decades for the technology to catch up. When the grocery industry finally chose a standard in 1973, the winner was IBM engineer George Laurer’s vertical bar design, chosen largely because it survived the realities of high-speed printing. Woodland, then at IBM, backed it.

Will also covers what founders can learn from being early, why retailers like Walmart and Amazon end up setting the rules, and how the barcode’s biggest impact came from the data every scan created. He closes with a question every Amazon and Walmart operator should ask: am I actually using my data to make decisions?

Related reading from BellaVix:

How to Create UPC Codes for Amazon & Prevent Issues

Amazon FNSKU vs UPC: Which Barcode Should You Use for FBA in 2026?

The Most Important Facts About Barcodes and Their Relationship With Amazon

How to Get a Walmart GTIN Exemption: Step-by-Step Seller Center Guide

Selling on Giants is brought to you by BellaVix. Learn more at https://bellavix.com

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