Our Director of Amazon, Ryan Burgess, joined a roundtable discussion with our friends at Jungle Scout and other leaders in the Amazon Advertising community to discuss the latest Amazon news and updates.
See Ryan’s thoughts below and check out the full article for the entire panel discussion too!
Jungle Scout: Over the last 12 months, how has the growth of Amazon impacted your business? Are there specific new features, processes, or policies that are competing with your business?
Ryan Burgess: As Amazon grows, the need for sophisticated technology and advanced support for Amazon sellers is also growing. We’ve seen this demand range from small, private label sellers, all the way to fortune 100 companies. Blue Wheel Media has experienced significant growth as an agency in this time as well – becoming an Amazon Advertising Agency partner and receiving access to new tools like DSP that can help us do more for our clients.
Jungle Scout: Amazon now has over 100 private label brands. Do you predict this will have an effect on your business or the sellers you conduct business with?
Ryan Burgess: Amazon’s Private Label brands are a point of contention for some sellers – especially smaller businesses that have spent lots of time and energy – and money – into growing their organic rank and presence on the platform.
If anything, the rise in Amazon’s private label brands has helped our agency grow, as beating Amazon at their own game requires a lot of skill and technology that most brands can’t implement on their own.
You can search for various products in certain product categories, and Amazon has even created call outs/vibrancy around their private label brands, drawing in shoppers to the brands they’ve created. Try typing in things like “Shampoo” and you’ll see a variety of Amazon’s brands in a unique call to action widget they’ve created in the search results
Jungle Scout: What should new sellers be thinking about going into their first-holiday season?
Ryan Burgess: Amazon gets really competitive during the holidays. It’s important to come into the busiest season of the year well prepared and with a robust advertising strategy in place.
Lots of consumers are looking for deals during this time of year, so new sellers should consider how they can layer in promotions and discounts to their advertising strategy. Remember to submit new ads and promotions early, as Amazon has strict deadlines and cut-offs for deal and ad submissions.
Jungle Scout: Are the sellers you work with encountering any new challenges recently?
Ryan Burgess: The biggest challenge that every Amazon Seller is encountering now is increased competition. Amazon has become a pay-to-play marketplace, where you need to spend money to make money. Brands who try to tackle the intricacies of Amazon Advertising are learning just how hard it is to be at the top. Especially in congested categories.
What’s Next?
Amazon will continue to reshape and rebrand and expand for years to come, that we’re sure of. It’s all about how we react and readjust. And we’re confident that open discussions like this provide tremendous value for the selling community. Especially when we pool our resources and expertise together. You’re never facing the challenges in the Amazon marketplace alone!
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