Profits don’t appear by accident—especially when tariffs rise, fees stack up, and ads get pricier. We sit down with CapForge’s Matt Ramuzzi to pull back the curtain on e‑commerce accounting that actually drives growth. The conversation is blunt, practical, and focused on what matters: knowing exactly which SKUs make money, which channels deserve your time, and how to protect margin when costs jump.

We start by challenging the “sales are up” narrative and unpack why clean, e‑commerce‑specific books are the only way to see true unit economics. Matt shares a real client story: over 100 active SKUs with 30 losing money before ads—cutting them freed enough cash to absorb new tariff costs. From there, we get tactical about catalog triage, SKU‑level P&L, and reallocating ad spend toward products with real pricing power. If Amazon is 95% of your revenue, we question the myth of diversification and explain why small channels can be costly distractions unless they contribute meaningful, profitable volume.

The heart of the episode is differentiation. Competing with undifferentiated products is a race to zero; building bundles, features, or brand loyalty creates the pricing power that withstands tariff shocks and ad inflation. We zoom out to the post‑COVID market: normalization, manufacturers going direct, and tighter margins that demand intent, not guesswork. You’ll hear clear guidance on modeling landed costs with tariffs, deciding when to raise prices or exit SKUs, and using accounting as an operating system for growth—not just tax time.

If you’re ready to replace gut feels with data and steer your business through Q4 and beyond, this one’s for you. Subscribe, share with a founder who needs a reality check, and leave a review with the one SKU you plan to cut—or double down on—after listening.

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If 60% of e-commerce lives beyond Amazon, why are so many brands still waiting on the sidelines? We sat down with Seth Hurd of Brand Expand to map a clear path into the channels that actually fit your products—and to separate hype from traction across Walmart, TikTok Shop, Shopify, and niche marketplaces. From review dynamics and margins to logistics and speed, we unpack where early movers are winning now and what will matter most in 2026.

We get tactical about Walmart’s latent logistics advantage and why its online growth rate may outpace Amazon’s mix shift over the next few years. Seth explains how to pick platforms based on category and price point, not fear of missing out—think Chewy for pets, Etsy for handmade, and specialty retail where your buyer already shops. We also dig into TikTok Shop’s low-friction onboarding and creator engine that makes it the most effective launch booster of 2025, often seeding repeat orders that migrate to Shopify, Amazon, or Walmart where reordering is habitual.

AI threads through everything here. On the practical side, it compresses content creation, improves listing quality, and turns messy customer feedback into clear product and UX fixes that lift conversion rates. On the strategic side, it rewires discovery. GEO—generative engine optimization—will decide which products appear when a shopper asks an assistant for “the best leakproof bottle under $25.” We lay out how to make your brand legible to these systems with clean specs, authentic reviews, rich media, and a defensible value story. And because Q4 waits for no one, we share the unglamorous moves that protect growth: order inventory early, build relevancy weeks before peak, and avoid the annual bottlenecks that quietly erase momentum.

If you’re serious about expanding beyond Amazon, protecting margin, and staying visible as AI reshapes search and reordering, this conversation is your roadmap. Subscribe, share with a founder who needs it, and leave a review with the channel you plan to test next.

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Shoppers are about to enter peak buying mode—and the platforms know it. We break down the new Q4 map: Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days locked for October 7–8, Target stretching Target Circle Week to October 5–11, and Walmart running deals from October 7–12. That calendar collision can be a gift if you plan it right, or a margin trap if you don’t.

We unpack the operational punch behind the headlines, starting with Amazon’s decision to end FBA prep and labeling services in the US come January. Combined with inbound placement fees and stricter inventory rules, the cost pressure keeps shifting to sellers. We share concrete ways to protect contribution margin: stand up reliable prep workflows, recalibrate landed cost per unit, and let clean numbers set your promo depths and ad bids. Then we turn to TikTok Shop’s commission hikes—now pushing into the mid-to-high teens—which means creator-led sales need real unit economics, not vanity metrics. You’ll hear how to structure blended creator deals, use live shopping to move inventory, and design bundles that lift AOV while staying profitable.

Target’s loyalty play gets a closer look too. With Target Circle and the paid Circle 360 offering early access, exclusive drops, and same-day delivery, there’s a smart way to sequence offers: seed members with timed coupons, pair hero SKUs with cart-threshold add‑ons, and serve proof‑rich creative to bottom‑funnel shoppers. Finally, we tackle Walmart’s marketplace headaches—fake storefronts, stolen seller IDs, and counterfeit goods—and lay out a fast-response brand protection checklist so you can escalate issues with evidence and keep trust intact.

If you’re aiming to turn overlapping deal weeks into real growth, this is your field guide to pricing, inventory, and creative that survive rising fees. Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a review with the one Q4 tactic you’re betting on this year.

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Billions sold and we’re still just getting started. We sat down with Jordan Levine to unpack how AI and creators are reshaping TikTok Shop—from finding the right affiliates to building a repeatable UGC engine that lifts Amazon and D2C sales. The headline shift: creator spend is the new ad spend. Instead of pushing budgets into traditional ads, smart brands invest in the right creators, the right hooks, and the right audiences—and then use AI to scale what works without burning hours on manual outreach.

We dig into the practical playbook. Jordan breaks down how AI tools filter affiliates by category fit, post-fulfillment rate, engagement quality, and last-month GMV, then automate thousands of targeted invites and messages per day. We also explore social intelligence that scrapes TikTok Shop to surface top products, winning hooks, and proven creators, so you can reverse-engineer success for your niche. With proper usage rights, the best UGC becomes omnichannel fuel: Spark ads, Instagram Reels, Amazon PDP videos, and retail media. The result isn’t just TikTok revenue—it’s a measurable halo on Amazon, where trust and Prime do the heavy lifting.

We also look ahead. Will AI-generated video rival human creators? How should brands balance infinite content scale with the emotional nuance that sells? Expect lives, auctions, and AI content to evolve fast, but the fundamentals remain: audience fit, creative testing, and relentless iteration. Treat TikTok as your fast insight lab, then bring the winners to Amazon and beyond.

If you’re building a TikTok Shop strategy—or wondering how to turn creator content into a true growth flywheel—this conversation is your blueprint. Subscribe for more deep dives, share with a teammate who needs the playbook, and leave a review with your biggest TikTok KPI—what matters most to you?

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The e-commerce landscape is transforming at breakneck speed, and the most successful brands are embracing an "everybody eats" philosophy. This powerful approach, as our guest explains, means being present wherever your customers want to buy rather than forcing them into your preferred sales channel.

For brands heading into Q4 2025, strategic inventory forecasting and capital allocation remain critical factors for omnichannel success. The decisions you make about where to place your "chips" across Amazon, TikTok, Shopify, and other platforms can dramatically impact your growth trajectory. Our discussion reveals how brands should evaluate their channel priorities and why maintaining momentum on key platforms sometimes requires difficult inventory decisions.

The relationship between digital success and physical retail has completely reversed in recent years. While brands once established retail presence before expanding online, today's standout companies grow digitally first, then leverage their online success to secure coveted shelf space. When you can approach a major retailer with evidence of massive TikTok following and millions in digital sales, those once-difficult retail conversations become remarkably easier.

We also explore Amazon's Buy with Prime program and its evolution into a powerful tool for increasing customer confidence on direct-to-consumer sites. For smaller brands especially, this integration offers valuable social proof through Amazon's trusted reviews and fulfillment capabilities—often the missing element that pushes hesitant buyers to convert.

Looking ahead to 2026, artificial intelligence promises to fundamentally reshape how consumers discover and purchase products. Are you prepared for a world where AI assistants shop based on customer preferences, sizes, and price points? The shift from traditional search to "generative engine optimization" requires forward-thinking strategies that many brands haven't yet considered.

Ready to expand your brand's reach? The time to plan your next channel expansion isn't after the holiday rush—it's now. Connect with experts who understand each platform's unique requirements, foster communication between your channel teams, and position your brand for omnichannel success in the coming year.

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The countdown to AI dominance has begun, but there's still time to position your e-commerce business for success in this brave new world. Former Google executive Mo Gawdat warns we're just months away from AGI (Artificial General Intelligence), and hedge fund billionaire Ray Dalio cautions that "global collapse is coming." But what does this mean for entrepreneurs today?

Amy shares jaw-dropping examples of how quickly AI is transforming business operations. One CEO slashed his workforce from 500 to 160 employees in just three months through automation. Google's Nano Banana now allows anyone to create professional product videos in minutes, eliminating entire creative workflows. Even high-level business strategy that once required expensive consultants can now be generated in minutes by combining multiple AI tools.

Despite these sobering realities, there's hope for forward-thinking entrepreneurs. While service-based businesses face significant disruption, product-based brands remain valuable assets. The key lies in understanding your customer avatar deeply and creating meaningful brand experiences that AI can enhance but not replace. Amy demonstrates how she leverages AI for competitive analysis, website optimization, and even patent filings—tasks that previously required specialized professionals and weeks of work.

The most powerful strategy combines human expertise with AI capabilities. Understanding color psychology in branding, recognizing emotional connections with customers, and identifying unique market opportunities are areas where human insight still provides an edge when augmented by AI tools. As Amy notes, "One thing that is not going to change is human connection."

Ready to future-proof your business? Visit amazingathome.com and use the "Ask Amy" feature for personalized advice on applying these powerful AI tools to your specific challenges. The robots may be coming, but with the right approach, your brand can still thrive.

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The digital marketing landscape has undergone a profound transformation, with authenticity now reigning supreme over polished production. Donatas Smiles, CEO and co-founder of Billo, joins us to unpack why 92% of consumers trust recommendations from real people over brand-created content, and how this shift is revolutionizing e-commerce sales strategies.

Donatas shares his journey from micro-influencer marketing to creating a platform that connects brands with UGC creators who may not have massive followings but can create authentic, conversion-driving content. The conversation reveals how the psychology of relatability plays a crucial role in consumer trust—when we see someone similar to ourselves genuinely enjoying a product, we're significantly more likely to purchase it ourselves.

We explore the fascinating emergence of "ugly ads" and why content that breaks from polished standards often performs better in today's saturated media environment. As Donatas explains, "The beauty of it is that the more authentic a person is, the better it vibes with the audience." This authenticity isn't just about aesthetics—it's about creating genuine connections that algorithms reward with visibility and consumers reward with purchases.

The discussion also ventures into the evolving relationship between AI and UGC, with Donatas offering a thoughtful perspective on where to draw ethical lines. While AI can enhance strategies and scale testing, Billo has made a moral decision against creating "fake UGC" by cloning real creators, recognizing the potential damage to brand trust.

For brands preparing for the competitive Q4 season, Donatas offers practical wisdom: approach creator content as "a separate marketing channel with separate budgets and a very systematic approach." The brands that succeed will be those that plan strategically, test continuously, and harness the power of authentic human connections in their marketing.

Curious about implementing UGC for your brand? This episode provides both the strategic foundation and tactical tips to get started, regardless of your company's size or budget. Subscribe now for more insights that will keep you ahead in the ever-evolving e-commerce landscape.

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Q4 selling season is approaching fast, and savvy Amazon sellers are already mapping their strategy for the cascade of shopping events ahead. In our latest episode, we dive deep into what you need to know about Prime Big Deal Days, the October sales event that kicks off the holiday shopping season.

While speculation swirls about whether this October event will span the traditional two days or extend to four like July's Prime Day, one thing is certain: preparation time is running short. Our panel of experts confirms that inventory should already be en route to Amazon's fulfillment centers, and promotional planning should be complete. For those who've fallen behind, we offer actionable last-minute optimization strategies that won't disrupt your listing's search ranking.

This October marks the first Prime promotional period featuring Amazon's restructured fee system, with coupon costs jumping from a flat 60 cents to a 2.5% commission and lightning deal fees potentially reaching $1,000. We break down the math on these promotions, helping you determine when they're worth the investment and when they're simply margin-killers. You'll learn which discount thresholds trigger additional Amazon placement benefits and how to leverage A+ Content comparison charts to boost average order value without additional promotional costs.

Looking beyond October, we explore the extended Black Friday/Cyber Monday period that now spans up to ten days, and Amazon's extended holiday return window that runs through January. Our experts share proven strategies to minimize costly returns by optimizing product details, addressing common customer questions, and analyzing Voice of Customer data. We also reveal how to use brand tailored promotions to recapture abandoned carts with higher-value offers after the main event ends.

Ready to maximize your Q4 sales while protecting your margins? Subscribe now for weekly insights that will keep you ahead of the competition during this critical selling season. Your future self will thank you when January's profit reports arrive!

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