Shows
The Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE600: Mike Left E-Commerce for This - Part 2Mike is back on the podcast to finally reveal what he's been up to in the past year. He shares his journey from e-commerce to going full-time content creation on launching a YouTube channel while also talking about the importance of video content in promoting e-commerce brands and the potential for YouTube as a business opportunity. Struggling with tariffs? Unsure about upcoming changes? Let's talk! With Portless, you only pay tariffs after your customers pay you – so your cash always moves faster than your costs. Schedule a risk assessment and leverage tariff deferment today. All new customers get $1...
2025-05-1948 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE599: Why Mike Left E-Commerce - Part 1If you've been listening to the podcast recently, you must have asked yourself, "where did Mike Jackness go?". Today, he's on the podcast to talk about his journey from running multiple e-commerce brands to transitioning out of the industry. Struggling with tariffs? Unsure about upcoming changes? Let's talk! With Portless, you only pay tariffs after your customers pay you – so your cash always moves faster than your costs. Schedule a risk assessment and leverage tariff deferment today. All new customers get $1,000 to reinvest in their business. Timestamps 00:00 - The Journey of Mike...
2025-05-1231 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE595: The Real Cost of Entrepreneurial SuccessMike Jackness and Aymeric catch up on their e-commerce journey as friends and talk about how timing and luck are so important in entrepreneurial success. Success is always a mix of luck, tenacity, and grit. It takes a bit of luck to be in the right place at the right time and some grit to keep going when things aren't as profitable as they used to. At the same time, success also involves balancing between trying new things and focusing on what works. Knowing when to zone in on the one thing or wh...
2025-04-1439 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE567: Using Lifetime Warranties To Contact Your Amazon CustomersIn this episode, Mike Jackness interviews Michael Kaufman – the CEO of ProTuff Products. We talk about Kaufman's journey in the e-commerce industry, how he differentiates his products by offering an extended warranty and how lifetime warranties guarantees 5 star reviews. How to Find a Profitable Product Course Open Now Still struggling to find your next great product? The EcomCrew How to Find a Profitable Course is open now and is just $499 for one week only. We'll cover everything from using the 'Cockroach approach' to developing large and bulky products, avoiding placement fees, and more. Check it out now....
2024-09-0932 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE565: Did Google & Reddit Kill Blog Marketing?In this episode, Mike and Dave evaluate the impact of Google's September 2023 Update on EcomCrew's and other websites, and talk about the new challenges that have popped up because of this update. Ever since September 2023, ranking on Google as an affiliate site has been harder than ever. We've seen websites (including ours) decline in organic views from 20% to 80%, while Reddit has started to rank for every keyword. If Google continue towards this trend of giving big websites all the ranking juice, what happens to affiliate websites? And by extension, what does that mean for...
2024-08-2624 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE560: Was This The Worst Prime Day Ever?Dave joins the podcast today to talk about Prime Day 2024; what their early sales look like, whether Chinese Marketplaces are going to start more shopping holidays, and why this might be the worst Prime Day so far. Today's episode is sponsored by Clearco, a company that provides ecommerce businesses with working capital to fund inventory, marketing, shipping and logistics, and more! Check them out today! Prime Day 2024 has been nowhere close to what we've seen in sales the year before. Now these might be niche and brand specif...
2024-07-2221 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE557: 10 Strategies for Reducing Stupid PPC SpendIn this episode, Dave shows 10 ways you can reduce stupid PPC Spend and maximise efficiency just in time for Prime Day. Today's episode is sponsored by Clearco, a company that provides ecommerce businesses with working capital to fund inventory, marketing, shipping and logistics, and more! Check them out today! Prime Day 2023 saw people spend up to $12.9bn alone. Obviously, everyone wants a piece of the pie. You can expect competitors to increase their ad spend 2x or even 3x more just for the possibility of more sales. To prepare for this year's Prime Day...
2024-07-0118 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE554: The 5 Top Trending Products on Amazon TodayIn this episode, Mike and Dave discuss Ecomcrew's new feature, the trending products tab on Amazon. They list out some of the top opportunities found, and why they may or may not be a very good idea. The conversation covers a wide range of trending products and niche opportunities, including the impact of the pandemic on consumer behavior, the rise of hyper-seasonal trends, and the potential for creating brands around products you wouldn't normally think of.
2024-06-1036 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE553: How Your Past Can Affect Decision-MakingAdam Craft, founder of Elevated Craft, joins Mike Jackness on the EcomCrew podcast to discuss his personal journey in building a brand. Adam shares his approach to product differentiation in a saturated market, and how building a strong brand was the first priority for Adam. This meant that learning the basics of Amazon wasn't his priority. It was all in the hands of agencies. Eventually, Adam learned about the challenges of relying on agencies and how much better it would be to learn and implement marketing strategies yourself. Adam also shares his experience with using K...
2024-06-0336 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE551: Your Returns Are About to Kill Your ProfitsIn this episode, Mike and Dave dissect Amazon's latest announcement regarding Return Fees, how this will affect sellers starting on June 1st, and a possible option to combat these fees. Another day, another fee gets announced. It seems like third-party sellers are getting hit left and right lately with new fees, the latest one being Return Fees. In this episode, Dave and I are going to dive into the latest announcement regarding Return Fees, what this means for sellers, and how you can possibly combat these fees. The Big Takeaways If you're in a h...
2024-05-2024 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE549: How To Get Started in Building Your SEO in 2024 with Jeff OxfordJeff Oxford joins us on the podcast today to talk about the most recent Google Update, who the winners were, and how search is going to look like with AI in the horizon. Jeff Oxford is the Founder and SEO Director of 180 Marketing, a marketing agency that specialises in SEO strategies which cover everything from keyword research to webpage optimization. Today, he's on the podcast to talk about the most recent Google update that happened in March. Specifically, we'll dive into the criteria that Google uses to rank websites, the winners of...
2024-05-0634 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE542: How to Avoid Amazon's Newest Inventory FeesWith Amazon's most complex fee increase ever going live, Mike and Dave talk about what this means for sellers, the pros and cons for each change, and how you can avoid the most detrimental fees to your bottom line. Amazon today announced its biggest fee increase ever, and more aggravatingly, the most complex fee increase ever. Dave and I will try to walk you through exactly what fees are changing and how it affects you. Warning—it's complex (probably deliberately by Amazon) and there's a lot to absorb. If any...
2024-03-1840 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE533: Mike's Wins and Fails of 2023Mike and Dave review their biggest accomplishments and their deepest pitfalls in the past year. In this episode, Mike and Dave are back to discuss the year in review, and the eventful things that happened in the past year, like traveling to China again after 3 years, visiting Hong Kong and India and the stark differences between the two, and how Mike's experiences of loss and burnout affected him. I want to thank everyone for supporting the EcomCrew Podcast. Whether you've been with us from the start or are just tuning in, I ap...
2024-01-1537 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE532: The Ecomcrew Podcast is Back! | Dave's Wins and Fails of 2023Mike and Dave reflect on 2023 and discuss the various wins and fails that Dave experienced this year, including traveling to China, Hong Kong, and India, the impact of COVID on business growth 3 years in, and how Dave lobbied to change policies around government taxation on digital advertising. The Ecomcrew Podcast is back after the holidays! In this episode, Mike and Dave are back to discuss the year in review, and the eventful things that happened in the past year, like traveling to China again after 3 years, visiting Hong Kong and India and...
2024-01-0842 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE531: The Top 10 Podcast Episodes of 2023Mike Jackness and Ecomcrew's brand manager, Ben Iballa, review the episodes that made the top 10 list of the year and share their thoughts on each one. 2023 was a wild ride. I let go of most of his brands, while costs on Amazon increased by a LOT. Here's a roundup of the top 10 episodes of the year. Some of the best of the year includes when I sold most of his e-commerce business, the rising costs of selling on Amazon, and my perspective on retiring. Here's some timestamps to help you along: 0:00 - Intr...
2023-12-1837 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE530: The Ecomcrew Software Poll is OPEN!In this episode, Mike and Dave talk about our upcoming Software Poll, and the evolution of software tools in the ecommerce space. They highlight the changes that they've personally seen in the Amazon software space over the past 4 years, including big valuations and the increase in competition. They also show how projects like these can give credibility to you and your niche and improve SEO rankings. They discuss the categories of software tools, such as keyword and product research, PPC management, and reimbursement services. If you want to participate, go ahead to...
2023-12-1125 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE529: What Is Mike Looking For In His Next Business?After dropping a few hints here and there, Dave finally asks Mike the big question: what are you looking for in your next business? After getting into the mindset of selling all of my brands and getting back to the part of Amazon FBA that I really enjoy, I realized that it's not as fun as it used to be with my current business. I am trying to build it for the eventual sale, and after start a new business that's still within e-commerce. As most of you have probably noticed, I've dropped a few...
2023-12-0440 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE524: Differences Between India Trade Shows vs. Chinese Trade ShowsMike and Dave recap going to India, where they mark the biggest differences that they've seen between Chinese Trade Shows and Indian Trade Shows. The India Sourcing Trip finally took place earlier this October! Dave and I, along with a few friends and loved ones, went to India for the first time to check out the India Ecomm Summit, visit a Manufacturing Factory and see the Taj Mahal. Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction 0:44 - Jet Lag 2:37 - Key Differences Between Chinese and Indian Trade Shows 3:37 - Product Differences 9:09 - La...
2023-10-3042 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE517: How Mike Is Squeezing Out As Much Profitability As Possible Before SellingMike and Dave discuss the strategies that Mike's put in place to squeeze as much profitability as possible to gain maximum value out of his business when he goes to sale. Back in July, I announced on the podcast recently where my headspace has been at and the events that lead to the possible reasons why. At the start of August, the wheels were set in motion and I ended up selling 2 more ecommerce brands. Dave and I ended on a cliffhanger on that episode, and this is the official Part 2 where Dave and...
2023-09-1156 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE516: Rebuilding (and Selling!) A $1M Brand – Dave's Year 6 Update Dave is back to give his 6th annual update for his business while it's up for sale! As usual, he'll detail the wins, losses, why he's decided to put the brand up for sale, and what his brand might actually be worth! Every year since 2017, I've chronicled rebuilding a 7-figure brand from scratch after the sale of my previous company. For this episode, I'll be giving my 6th annual update while also having this exact brand now be listed for sale in QuietLight Brokerage. As usual, I'll detail the wins, losses, why I...
2023-09-0425 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE512: Life Update – Selling 2 More Ecommerce BrandsMike and Dave talk about the crazy sale that Mike's been working on for the past few months, the details of each sale, and what's next for him. Back in July, I announced on the podcast recently where my headspace has been at and the events that lead to the possible reasons why. The future however, had other plans. Things have progressed faster than I've come to expect, and that's what Dave and I discuss on today's episode. Dave and I recount what's been happening in the past fe...
2023-08-0745 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE510: Which Company is the Most Evil? Insights from Consumer Survey 2023The numbers are out! In this episode, Mike and Dave unpack the recently concluded 2023 version of our Amazon Consumer Behaviour survey, and compare the results against last year. Dave and I are thrilled to present our second annual consumer research report. We explore intriguing insights into consumer preferences, buying behavior, and the growing significance of product authenticity. We discussed Prime Day's influence on consumer behavior, identified the most "evil" tech company, and analyzed shopping trends during Black Friday. The reported increase in sales on walmart.com surprised us and sparked speculations abo...
2023-07-2447 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE509: Life Update – Mike Jackness' Plans for the Next YearWith the recent sale in the rear view mirror, Mike talks about the plans he has for the future and what business he's thinking of getting into next to focus 100% of his attention on. Today, Dave and I are diving into some events this year that have led to me ultimately choosing to let go of all my brands. We discussed a little bit on the last podcast episode, but Dave and I also discuss the rest of my plans for the future and moving towards embodying The One Thing. Here's a f...
2023-07-1745 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE508: Selling My E-commerce Business After 3 YearsMike Jackness talks to Chris Duty of Quiet Light Brokerage to dive into the challenges that they faced when trying to sell one of Mike's most recent business acquisitions, and the string of bad luck that Mike faced along the way. After 3 years, I'm glad to announce that I've sold one of my businesses. Joining me today is the broker that helped me with the transition, Chris Duty from Quiet Light Brokerage. Chris and I explore the process of selling a business that I, alongside investors from ECF Capital, acquired in lat...
2023-07-1046 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE502: The Power of Conversion Rate Optimization with Nirav ShethNirav Sheth and Mike Jackness dive into Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) strategies. Our guest, the founder and CEO of Anata, sheds light on the significance of CRO and its optimal timing for business enhancement. We focus on often overlooked aspects of e-commerce management, highlighting the importance of a user-friendly checkout experience, the influence of distractions on mobile users, and the role of data-driven decision-making in e-commerce. Additionally, the episode uncovers the power of influencer-led channels, effective landing page optimization, and the psychology behind podcast advertising. Nirav provides his exp...
2023-05-2935 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE495: How Masterminds Have Changed Mike Jackness' and Steve Chou's LivesWith Seller Summit 2023 coming up in May, Mike and Steve Chou reflect on the value of events, revisit some of their favorite memories, and how its impacted their lives in more ways than one. Masterminds are one of my favorite segments of a live event. Whether it be EcommerceFuel, Seller Summit, or whatever event that takes place, Masterminds give everyone an opportunity to voice out their problems and get actionable advice from a like-minded group of people. Steve and I first met during Andrew Youderian's event, at a Mastermind where Steve aske...
2023-04-1039 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE491: Strategic Goal-Setting for Your Ecommerce BusinessMike and Dave discuss the thought processes and nuances of their business goals for 2023 and beyond. Setting a trajectory and an overarching vision for your ecommerce business is not as simple as it sounds. There are myriad factors that can influence how and why you set your goals and, more importantly, whether they are realistic and achievable for your company. In this episode, Dave and I will not only be talking about what our goals are, but we'll be talking in-depth about the thought process behind those goals and the various nua...
2023-03-131h 01The Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE489: Wins and Fails – Mike and Dave Reflect on 2022Mike and Dave reflect on 2022 as ecommerce entrepreneurs, including their biggest wins, failures, and general outlook moving forward. 2022 was a year of successes and challenges for ecommerce sellers—the industry is literally shifting right beneath our feet! In this episode, Dave and I will take a closer look at how 2022 has been for us as ecommerce sellers, what with all that's going on between the market coming out of the pandemic, changing administrations, and Amazon's constantly changing policies. We'll be breaking down some of our biggest wins, inclu...
2023-02-2754 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE488: The Top 10 EcomCrew Podcast Episodes of 2022Mike and Ben do a rundown of EcomCrew's top podcast episodes of 2022, which includes a couple of pleasantly surprising entries this time around. Last year was another one filled with insightful conversations with people from within (and some outside of) the ecommerce ecosystem. In this episode, our podcast editor Ben will join me for a rundown of EcomCrew's Best Podcast Episodes of 2022 where we'll explore which episodes really resonated with our listeners this past year. Timestamps: How we find out our top podcast episodes every year – 2:50 #10 E438: Trekk...
2023-02-2034 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE485: The Winners of EcomCrew's 2022 Software PollMike and Dave reveal the winners of EcomCrew's annual software poll, along with some juicy insights, trends analysis, and predictions for the future of SaaS. It's that time of the year again! In this episode, Dave and I will be revealing the winners (a couple of which you might not have expected) of last year's survey to find out the Best Amazon Seller Software across five categories: Product and Keyword Research PPC Management Reimbursement Services Repricing Tool Product Launches and Giveaways On top of that, we'll be talking about th...
2023-01-2345 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE481: What's the Best Amazon Seller Software in 2022?Mike and Dave talk about the current environment of software tools in the ecommerce space; how it's grown, the leaps and bounds made throughout the years, and the pitfalls of some of these changes. 2022 has been a year of changes and innovations in the software space, and EcomCrew is once again polling sellers to find out the Best Amazon Seller Software across five categories: Keyword and Product Research PPC Management Reimbursement Services Repricing Tools Product Launches By simply telling us what you think and completing the survey, you'll get a chance to win a free...
2022-12-0525 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE463: Our Longest Tenured Employee is Leaving - July Brand Report 2022Mike and Dave ponder EcomCrew's early years as they bid a bittersweet goodbye to the company's first employee. July was an interesting month. For me, my top line number went down, but my bottom line number went up – thanks to reduced PPC costs, raised product prices, and AGL. Dave, on the other hand, rants about the ridiculous sales tax being imposed on businesses based in British Columbia. We also discuss our takes on 3PL, which Dave and I are approaching very differently: I'm slowly weaning off of it, w...
2022-08-1531 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE461: Reaching The Five-Year Mark (Annual Brand Update by Dave Bryant)In this yearly review episode, Dave gives an update on how his brand's been doing the past year, from feeling the fallout of a post-pandemic market to increased competition in the niche. I did the first one of these annual reviews on July 17, 2017. It's kind of surreal how fast time flies. I've always enjoyed these because it makes me take an objective look at my brand. Businesses in certain niches certainly benefited from the lockdown, us included. With people choosing to do more outdoor activities then, we saw a spike in ou...
2022-08-0126 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE460: Improving Margins During An Economic Downturn - June Brand Report 2022Taking a more proactive approach, Mike and Dave talk about the measures they've taken to prepare for less-than-ideal market conditions in this Brand Report episode. As we've mentioned in our previous episodes, Dave and I spent a good chunk of June in the Philippines spending time with our employees there. We also made good headway on the content website we are launching this month–yes, this month! After several setbacks, I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. For me, I worked on impro...
2022-07-2534 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE460: Improving Margins During An Economic Downturn - June Brand Report 2022Taking a more proactive approach, Mike and Dave talk about the measures they've taken to prepare for less-than-ideal market conditions in this Brand Report episode. As we've mentioned in our previous episodes, Dave and I spent a good chunk of June in the Philippines spending time with our employees there. We also made good headway on the content website we are launching this month–yes, this month! After several setbacks, I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. For me, I worked on impro...
2022-07-2534 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE458: Analyzing Our 2022 Amazon Consumer Behavior SurveyThe results are in! In this episode, Mike and Dave unpack their recently concluded Amazon Consumer Behavior survey, which includes a shocker you'll want to know. Over the past few months, we've been working on a survey to pick the brain of today's Amazon consumer a little bit – to better understand their purchasing habits. What pushes a consumer to check out an item? Which matters more: star rating or number of reviews? With the findings, we hope sellers can leverage them to improve their strategies. We also found...
2022-07-1134 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE455: How Seasonality Affects Revenue - May Brand Report 2022From finalizing a soon-to-be-launched content website to releasing a new cockroach product, Mike and Dave unpack a hectic May in this Brand Report episode. Aside from our recent trip to the Philippines (which you can know more about here and here), May was quite an eventful month. Revenue-wise, there was a slight increase from April by almost $70,000. If we're talking about individual brand progress, there was a fair share of wins and losses. IceWraps saw a big gain, while Offroading Gear and BTG Gear were down roughly 10% com...
2022-06-2736 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE454: What We Learned from Visiting Our Team in the PhilippinesFresh (yet possibly still jet lagged) from their trip to the Philippines, Mike and Dave unpack their takeaways after reuniting with the team. It finally happened–we made it to Cebu! Dave and I aligned our travel dates so that we'd have a few days to spend with the EcomCrew team while we were there. It's been three years since I last saw some of them (most I haven't met in person at all), and it was Dave's first time in Cebu, so we were pretty excited to say the least.
2022-06-2038 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE453: Looking Back on Mike's Trip to the Philippines with EcomCrewMike sits down with EcomCrew's Podcast Producer, Ben, to talk about his recent trip back to the Philippines, the value of facetime with your employees, and our big plans for the company moving forward. I'm in Cebu for a couple of weeks! Over this short but fun period, I saw old friends again after the pandemic and got to meet new ones whom I've only ever spoken to on Zoom. I had a genuinely fun time being back to the Philippines after several years. Joining me for thi...
2022-06-1329 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE451: It's Crunch Time For Our New Brand - April Brand Report 2022Mike and Dave talk about their wins and losses in April, as well as exciting updates on their not-so secret project, including an official launch date. It's time for another Brand Report! Compared to March, there's a slight decline in last month's revenue numbers. But that's not to say April was all bad. April was a hectic month for me. After over six months of working with several developers, we finally got to launch Tactical.com's new look, which I am very happy about. Dave also shares abo...
2022-05-3034 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE443: An Update on Knitting.com (Clearing The Air About Our Intentions)A lot has happened since the big announcement about Knitting.com. It went viral, but not for the right reasons. In this episode, Mike and Dave set the record straight. Shortly after we released the blog post and podcast about Knitting.com, we got into hot water with members of the knitting community. While we've gotten some pretty harsh comments, we've also received helpful advice from knitters that we will definitely implement as we grow this business. Looking back, we realized that there were certainly points we could've articulated bet...
2022-04-0536 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE440: Our First (and Probably Only) Episode on CryptocurrencyMike and Dave discuss quite the polarizing topic: cryptocurrency – and how it might revolutionize the financial industry in the future. Our topic for today is not totally in line with ecommerce, but a bunch of you guys requested it so here we are: Ecomcrew's one and only episode on cryptocurrency. The subject is especially interesting since Dave and I aren't exactly on the same team when it comes to this one, even though we both have experience investing in it. For this episode, we break down some of the ambiguities surrounding cryptocurrency, how we think it...
2022-03-1746 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE434: Using Post Cards to Touch Base with Customers in a Touchless WorldMike catches up with PostPilot's Drew Sanocki to talk about spotting opportunities in business, the bullishness of SaaS, and the efficacy of real mail in today's environment. Ever since I attended eCommerceFuel Live five or six years ago, I've always admired Drew Sanocki for his knowledge and experience in the business. Drew is the founder and executive chairman of PostPilot, a service that aims to help businesses grow through direct mail by creating personalized postcard campaigns. In this episode, Drew and I discuss some of the milestones in...
2022-02-1741 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE432: Mike and Dave's Business Review 2021As the pandemic continues to drag on, running a successful ecommerce business is not without its challenges. 2021 may not have been the COVID-free year Dave and I wanted for our businesses, but that's not to say it was all bad. It wasn't an easy year, but looking back, there were plenty of reasons to celebrate too, which we will talk about in this episode – and we may or may not discuss a little bit about our new but still secret new business. Timestamps: Was 2021 a good year? - 1:47 The year in num...
2022-02-0750 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE428: Ecomcrew's Most Popular Ecommerce Software of 2021Mike and Dave discuss the most popular ecommerce tools out there, giving their two cents on which seller software are better than others. Last month, we ran our yearly community poll to find out which among the myriad of seller software our EcomCrew community predominantly uses. The poll was aimed at determining the most popular Amazon software in 5 categories: Product Launches and Giveaways Keyword and Product Research PPC Management Reimbursement Management, and Pricing Management THE RESULTS ARE IN! We'll be discussing the winning software for each of the...
2022-01-1738 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE427: The Top 10 EcomCrew Podcast Episodes of 2021Mike and Dave look back at 2021 and reveal the year's Top 10 EcomCrew Podcast episodes. Throughout 2021, we've had some great conversations with a lot of interesting people about all things ecommerce—from tips and strategies to taking your business to new heights, to peeling the curtain back on aggregators, to analyzing the latest market trends and Amazon policy drops. Would you believe that our first episode of the Ecomcrew Podcast was released on October 20, 2015? In this episode, Dave and I will unveil the Top 10 EcomCrew Podcast episodes of 2021. We'll t...
2022-01-1042 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE420: Rebates and Coupons are Dead. Now What?Mike and Dave talk about the end of off-Amazon rebates and coupons and what they think sellers across the white-hat-black-hat spectrum will be doing moving forward. You really can't predict what Amazon will do next these days. One minute I make a prediction that they won't ban rebates because it makes them money, the next minute they're bringing the hammer down on RebateKey. In this episode, Dave and I will break down Amazon's latest policy drop regarding off-Amazon rebates and coupons, what the next white-hat and black-hat tactics are likely going to...
2021-11-1537 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE407: The Year of Uncontrollable Circumstances in EcommerceWe've made the jump to video podcasts! You can now not only listen, but watch full episodes on the EcomCrew Podcast YouTube channel. Today, Dave and I are excited to catch-up and talk about our businesses, and how 2021 has been for us so far. In my opinion, it's been the hardest year in ecommerce ever since I started 8 years ago, and that's because of the uncontrollable circumstances that have been plaguing the industry. But Dave seems to disagree. We explore Dave's side of the story, why stress is at...
2021-09-0944 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE398: How To Defend Yourself Against Copycats and Sabotaged ListingsSketchy competition is one of the most frustrating stress points for entrepreneurs—more so when you're running a brand online. That's why it's important to know all the things you can do to protect your brand from copycats and sabotagers. In this episode, Dave and I will talk all about intellectual property infringement and sabotaged listings, particularly our own experiences and how we dealt with them in the past. We'll go over the things you should do when someone copies your products or tries to sabotage your listing...
2021-07-2641 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE395: Rebuilding A $1M Brand - Dave's Year 4 UpdateGoing from 0 to $1M is no small feat, but Dave has done exactly that, and then some. For this episode, he'll be talking about all his wins, losses, and future outlook four years after he started a new ecommerce brand from scratch after selling his previous business for top dollar. If you haven't already, be sure to check out all the previous updates from years 1 through 3: Million Dollar Update - 12 Month Update E278: Dave's Year 2 Update on His Off-Roading Gear Business E325: Rebuilding a 1M Brand - Dave's 3 Year...
2021-07-1233 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE385: Is FBA Dead?Mike and Dave talk about why Amazon is pushing sellers away from FBA, how they are dealing with storage limits, and what fallback strategies you can use. "Amazon is not a retail company, it's a logistics company that does retail." Interesting adage. But is it still true today? In this episode, Dave and I will try to dissect Amazon's mindset—whether over the next several months, they will try to get more sellers to send more of their inventory into FBA, or push them towards Seller Fulfilled Prime...
2021-05-2437 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE384: Here's a Fresh Way to Get Some FundingWhether you're just starting out or are looking to scale your business, capital is a problem. Things change fast in ecommerce and getting your hands on cash can be difficult. My guest today is Don Henig, a tried-and-true finance guy who has found a rather fresh way of financing Amazon businesses through his company, AccrueMe. AccrueMe is an investment company that offers funding to Amazon private labels and wholesalers in return for a small temporary share in profits. Its goal is to help Amazon sellers grow without worrying about the usual burd...
2021-05-2141 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE383: [Amazon PPC Overhaul Part 2] Our Advanced Strategies for Sponsored ProductsIn this edition of our Amazon PPC series, Dave explores advanced tactics that worked for his own brands which coincidentally, everyone else seems to be ignoring. Do your Sponsored Products campaigns suck? Has your ACoS gone through the roof? Today, Dave will address those problems and talk about Amazon's Sponsored Products. This episode kicks off with a breakdown of the most basic strategy that everyone is using for this advertising campaign method—the peel-stick-block technique. Then, Dave will talk about some of our advanced...
2021-05-1726 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE382: This Book Will Help You Gain Traction in EcommerceMike and Dave break down how Gino Wickman's best-selling book, Traction, helped them grow their ecommerce companies. They also announce the giveaway winners of Gino's new book, Entrepreneurial Leap. Ever struggled as an entrepreneur but can't quite put your finger on what the problem is? I know I have. One of the biggest things that helped me get past that and level up my entrepreneurial game is Gino Wickman's best-seller, Traction. Matter of fact, I did an entire podcast series on how I used his practical methods with...
2021-05-1054 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE381: How Mike is Growing His New Ecommerce BusinessI bought an exciting new ecommerce business last year! I've talked about how that opportunity came about with my business partners, Andrew and Bill, back in Episode 366. Now, several months into this venture, there's a bunch of new questions to be answered and a lot more stuff to be explored, all of which I'm happy to share with you guys. In today's episode, Dave is back on the show to ask me some of those burning questions: Was it wise to have bought the compa...
2021-05-0653 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE379: Amplifying Your Growth in Ecommerce (Under the Hood Part 2 with Dave Alexander) Episode 301 with Dave Alexander was a memorable one. We talked about his failures in venturing into the world of ecommerce (including his hilarious first ecommerce idea) and how perseverance eventually got the ball rolling for him. Since then, Dave has found success with his brands, Bushy Box and Lazy Leash. Hungry for more growth, Dave is back for a second Under the Hood session where I answer his biggest questions on how to level-up his ecommerce game. Some of the things we talk about in this episode incl...
2021-04-2636 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE360: How Content Can Give You A Leg Up In EcommerceEcommerce today is hardly the same as it was ten years ago. The competition has gotten much stiffer, black hat sellers are all over the place, and simply writing cheap blurbs just to get clicks no longer cuts it. That said, there's one surefire way to grow your business and gain an unfair advantage over much bigger ecommerce brands without resorting to cheap tactics—creating valuable content. In this solo episode, I will be talking about why content matters in ecommerce, how much it helped our own brands grow in the past year, and...
2021-01-2535 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE342: Mike and Dave's Biggest Business MistakesWelcome to Episode 342 of the EcomCrew podcast! Dave and I sit down to reminisce about our biggest business mistakes and what we did to remedy them. This episode is not exactly fun for us, but we did learn our lessons from the mistakes that we made, and we hope you will too. Timestamps: Why we're doing this podcast - 3:40 Mistake #1: My hiring dilemma - 4:09 Mistake #2: Dave hires too quickly - 7:55 Mistake #3: Translating my site into multiple languages - 9:12 Mistake #4: My attempt at creating a Grammarly-like website - 14:30 Mistake #5: Dave's auxiliary sites -15:40 Mistake #6: Dave...
2020-11-0252 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE338: Mike and Dave's Favorite Business BooksWelcome to Episode 338 of the EcomCrew podcast! Today, Dave and I are doing something new. We're not just gonna be talking about ecommerce. We're also gonna dive into the business books that shaped us into the people we are today. These books were highly influential especially as to how we handle our teams and operate our businesses in general. We talk about some highlights of the books and how we implemented what we learned into running our brands. Timestamps: Mike's new reading routine - 3:15 Ready Player One by Ernest Cline - 7:00 Book No. 1:The 7 H...
2020-10-1552 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE325: Rebuilding a 1M Brand - Dave's 3 Year UpdateHey guys, long time no see! It's time again for another update on my Off Roading business, after a year since my last episode. After three years of running my Off Roading Business, another update is certainly due. If you're new to the podcast or need a refresher, here are quick links to previous episodes in this series. Part 1: Rebuilding a $1million Ecommerce and Importing Business from Scratch Part 2: Rebuilding a $1M Ecommerce Business – Finding Products and Suppliers Part 3: Rebuilding a $1M Ecommerce Business – First 60 Day Results Part 4: Rebuilding a $1M Ecommerce Business – 6 Month Results Million Dollar...
2020-07-2727 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE301: Why Perseverance is so Important in Ecommerce with Dave AlexanderWelcome to the Ecomcrew podcast! It's been a month-long trip overseas. We visited several countries in South East Asia and even stopped by Australia to catch the Australian Open. This particular episode was recorded while we were still in the Land Down Under. But now we're back in America, ready to jump into the year with a refreshed mind and a hunger for growth. In this episode, I sit down with Dave Alexander to talk about his ecommerce journey, how his first ecommerce business failed and how he persevered through it all by making his third product...
2020-02-1031 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE296: The Best Episodes of 2019Today's episode of the Ecomcrew Podcast is the final episode of 2019 and because of that, we have a bit of a treat for you. Dave Bryant will be joining me in this episode and together we'll be going through the Top 10 Ecomcrew Podcast Episodes of the year. To come up with the rankings, we took into consideration several statistics such as average minutes played, total downloads, pulling data from all the places that we host the podcast, like Spotify, iTunes, and even from the blog itself. Now this does mean that we won't have an episode for n...
2019-12-2338 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE287: Landing on the Right Side When Flipping Domain NamesI've been a closet domain collector for over a decade and some of my "purchases" have turned into ecommerce properties - treadmill.com.,colorit.com, survivalfood.com, and tactical.com. In this episode, my co-captain Dave Bryant joins me in this discussion that centers around domain flipping. Today we're going over strategies, thought processes, as well as the dos and don'ts of shopping for domains. In this episode, we specifically cover the following: Mike and his impressive portfolio of domain names Why investing in domain names can help you become successful in ecommerce Appraising t...
2019-10-2143 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE281: Mike and Dave Break Down Their NumbersDave's joining me on the podcast today as we drill down on our business numbers. In this episode, I'll be breaking down the trailing 30-day figures for my biggest brand, IceWraps. Meanwhile, Dave will talk about the latest statistics for his current business, Offroading Gear. We cover Amazon sales and the big-ticket items on our COGS. You'll want to skip the part where I slipped on one of the boardwalks while doing the West Coast Trail (boring story) and dive right into the good parts of this today's episode. Here are th...
2019-09-0937 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE278: Dave's Year 2 Update on His Offroading Gear BusinessIt's Dave doing a solo podcast today. I've been giving periodic updates on how my current ecommerce business has been doing so far. Having recently marked two years of owning and running OffRoadingGear.com, another update is due. If you're new to the podcast or need a refresher, here are quick links to previous episodes in this series. Part 1: Rebuilding a $1million Ecommerce and Importing Business from Scratch Part 2: Rebuilding a $1M Ecommerce Business – Finding Products and Suppliers Part 3: Rebuilding a $1M Ecommerce Business – First 60 Day Results Part 4: Rebuilding a $1M Ecommerce Business – 6 Month Results Million Dollar...
2019-08-2629 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE258: What It's Like to Work for Mike and DaveOver the past couple of weeks, you've heard a handful of podcasts recorded in the Philippines. You've heard from Mia and all our employees, including Abby and Muffins. If you've listened to episode 256, these ladies talked a little bit about their specific responsibilities for EcomCrew. But what distinguishes them from the rest is the fact that they work directly for Dave and me. So, I wanted to get them back on the podcast and hear their perspective on what it's like to work on the brand and for the 'EcomCrew Guys'. Mia didn't leave the...
2019-06-1746 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE231: Focusing on a New Product When Existing Ones Aren't Selling Well: A Baby Brand StoryThis Under the Hood episode is unique and perhaps unexpected. I'm joined by Speck Hansen of earthMonkeys, a brand that sells plush stuffed animals. The company's underlying mission is "for moms that wanna get their kids using less screen time and getting out and doing more physical activities through adventure." You might say that his products are in direct competition with those sold under one of our brands. However, I'm a firm believer that there's enough business for everyone out there. And by having the opportunity to talk to him about his business and answer his questions...
2019-03-141h 02The Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE230: How to Create Successful Free Plus Shipping OffersThe first time Joe Cochran came on the podcast, we were set on talking about free plus shipping offers. However, Joe's background proved to be too interesting to cut short, so we talked more about it instead. You can listen to that episode and the lessons he learned before before founding ComfortTac, his current company. We discussed the ups and downs of running an ecommerce business, and whether or not passion really does play a part in creating a successful company. We're having Joe back on the podcast today to finally talk about free plus...
2019-03-1140 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE213: FBA Fees, Product Targeting and PPC Updates, Amazon Photography Service and Dave on The VergeIt's the start of a new month and a whole new year, so Dave and I bring you some of the latest from the marketplace we all know and 'love'. The title is a good indicator of what we're covering in today's show. But there are some, like Amazon Product Targeting, that we introduced in the previous updates. You can listen to them by clicking on the links below. E185: Amazon News, Updated Review Policy, Minimum Wage Hike, Increase in Storage Fees, etc. E201: Amazon Update – Black Friday, Review Throttling, PPC ...
2019-01-1042 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE210: Top 10 Podcast Episodes of 2018Time flies so fast and before you know it, another year gone! As 2018 comes to an end, we decided to look back into the year and round up our 10 most downloaded podcast episodes: 10. E169: Building Your Facebook Audience with Dave Huss 9. E158: Using Amazon PPC and Giveaways to Create an Effective Launch Strategy 8. E198: The First Steps in Ecommerce Marketing (Under the Hood with Colin Grice) 7. E159: 3 Key Email Marketing Sequences for Your Ecommerce Business 6. E205: Advanced Amazon PPC Strategies with Dave Bryant 5. E155: Where to Start with Building a...
2018-12-3127 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE205: Advanced Amazon PPC Strategies with Dave BryantHey, Dave here. Today's podcast will once again be about PPC. But, we'll be going into the more advanced strategies that Mike did not cover in his popular podcast on the same topic. So, what can you expect from this particular episode? A refresher on the main types of Amazon advertising A look at Amazon Bit+ New product targeting that was recently rolled out Headline search ads Listen until the end for more information on these. If you're looking to really dig deep into these new concepts and strategies, I've written a blog post that...
2018-12-1324 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE195: Road to 1M - Dave's 18th Month Update on His New Ecommerce BusinessIt's Dave here. I've taken the reigns from Mr. Jackness in order to bring you an update on the status of my second ecommerce venture. Regular listeners to this podcast will know that I sold my first company two years ago. After going on a hiatus for a couple of months, the call to entrepreneurship became too strong to ignore. So in June of last year, I started another business with the intention of generating a million dollars in revenue by March 2018. It's been 8 months now and I still haven't broken through the 1M mark...
2018-11-0827 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE191:Takeaways from Retail Global and Rhodium WeekendThe second week of October was a particularly busy time for me. I was up in Vegas to speak at back-to-back conferences. First up was Retail Global Las Vegas, an ecommerce event organized by Aussie ecommerce veteran Phil Leahy. This was then followed by Rhodium Weekend, a gathering of online business owners and potential buyers. In today's episode, I talk to Dave about my biggest takeaways from attending and speaking at these events. There are a lot of investors looking to invest in ecommerce businesses. With banks offering low interests, a 50 to 100...
2018-10-2530 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE175: An Interview with Mike JacknessHello everyone! It's Dave again bringing you what is perhaps our most special episode yet. Today we have Michael Jackness on the other end of the microphone. In these podcasts, we often hear Mike talk about his real-life experiences in running an ecommerce business. What many don't know is that he got his start in digital marketing as an online poker affiliate business back in the early 2000s. On this particular podcast, Mike shares what it was like to start this kind of business and scale it to become a highly profitable company. Aside from the highs, he'll also...
2018-08-271h 09The Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE172: Selling on Amazon Canada with Dave BryantHi, it's Dave here. Mike is taking some much-needed time off at the moment so I'm taking the reins. Coincidentally, today's podcast topic is something that I'm in the best position to talk about - selling on Amazon Canada. If the accent isn't a giveaway already, I am Canadian myself and currently running my business out of Vancouver. So, let's start off with a question. Should you be selling in Canada? The answer to this is of course relative. But, if you are living in the United States, then Canada would technically be the "lowest hanging fruit"...
2018-08-1638 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE171: Optimizing for Engagement on Facebook with Dave HussWhen you're just starting as an ecommerce seller, do you improve your Amazon listing first or get started on Facebook ads? There's no right or wrong order here. The main thing to remember is that you need to plan out how you can get both done at some point. In this episode, we're gonna tackle the Facebook side of things. As you may recall, I had my good friend Dave Huss join me in a previous podcast to talk about building a Facebook audience. I've had the chance to sit and have a chat with him again...
2018-08-1338 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE169: Building Your Facebook Audience with Dave HussIn this episode, I sat down with "Paid Traffic Guy" himself - Dave Huss. Dave helps online entrepreneurs bring in new customers by leveraging paid traffic and using retargeting to recover lost sales through Growth Scout. He's also an ecommerce entrepreneur with brands in the arts and crafts niche that have a massive following on their respective Facebook business pages. And this was the focal point of our conversation. Dave gamely shared how he was able to leverage Facebook as a marketing platform for his products. His brands' business pages have 150,000 and 90,000 fans respectively. Here...
2018-08-0640 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE156: Diversifying Ecommerce Businesses Beyond Amazon US"...I think under a million dollars, personally. I don't think that you should be trying to 'squeeze that lemon' much harder until you've re ally optimized Amazon. I think once you get beyond a million dollars, give or take, in sales that's when you really need to start looking at other sales channels, whether its outside of Amazon.com and other marketplaces within Amazon or other sales channels totally outside of Amazon."- Dave Bryant on evaluating when an ecommerce business should diversify and get sales off of Amazon US Amazon US is widely regarded as the e...
2018-06-2139 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE148: EcomCrew Premium and How Digital Products Can Bolster Your Ecommerce BusinessMany of us starting on the ecommerce entrepreneur route debate between selling two types of products: physical or digital. It's relatively easy to demonstrate the value of a physical product, and it tends to evoke the feeling that you're running a real business. Physical products however require higher overhead, as you need ample amounts of inventory and money on shipping operations to keep the business running. On the other hand, digital products require almost no overhead and creating them doesn't tie up any money. On the downside, digital products are far more difficult to create and creation...
2018-05-2446 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE141: Get to Know Abby, EcomCrew's Filipino VAEcomCrew has gone through a big transformation ever since the site merged with Dave Bryant's site ChineseImporting.com. In less than a year we've accomplished so much--we've launched new courses, upped the podcast to two episodes per week, and revamped the entire EcomCrew site. Dave and I are tremendously happy with what EcomCrew has become and we are gearing to do even more, but we would not have gone to this point if not for the people helping us behind the scenes. If you've been listening to the podcast recently or reached out to us at some...
2018-04-3034 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE122: EcomCrew Treat! Launching Two Courses and Catching Up with Dave BryantOur months of hard work have finally paid off! We are happy to announce that the following courses are open for registration: Build a 7-Figure Product Brand Import From China Like a Pro And to kick things off, we have Dave Bryant from literally the other side of the world on the podcast to talk about the course and the carefully curated content that's waiting for you on the other side. And if that's not a treat in itself (you guys know how hard it is to get Dave on the podcast...
2018-02-2241 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE120: Getting Fired From My Own Company "The reality is that one day you wake up and you realize that you're the bottleneck in your own business, and it's time to be fired." - Mike Jackness on handing over the reins of the company to someone else Have you ever had that feeling when you just know you're about to get fired from your job? In 41 years I have never been fired--I worked hard enough to not be in that situation--and it's certainly uncomfortable dealing with this issue with a company I started. You might remember me doing an episode about my g...
2018-02-1219 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE111: Amazon Horror Stories from Real SellersThis is an episode I wish we didn't have to record. Competition on Amazon is getting stiffer and stiffer and some sellers, in order to succeed, use the short cut and employ black-hat tactics--killing the business of other sellers mercilessly, if need be. In this episode we discuss in detail how these black-hat tactics work. I invited three Amazon sellers who actually went through the grueling experience of being victims to competitors who have no moral compass. We are doing this in the hopes that we spread awareness of what is happening, especially since Amazon...
2018-01-1143 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE105: My 7 Biggest Struggles in 2017 "In general, I think that people spend too much time talking about their wins, and gloating, and how well things are going and never talk about the disarray or things that are going on behind the scenes, or things that they're struggling with. I think it's important to talk about this stuff; I think everyone goes through these types of things." - Mike Jackness on the business and life struggles he faced this year This is that time of the year when people talk about "best-of", "top 10 of the year", and all those things that highlight the...
2017-12-1435 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE104: Building a Brand Around Loyal Customers with Nat Arem of Hookgrip "If you put no effort into your stuff, like if you're really not contributing any value to whatever community you're in--you have crappy packaging, crappy products, crappy support--you're not going to get anywhere. So you have to make yourself stand out." - Nat Arem of Hookgrip Here at EcomCrew we put emphasis into how important it is to build a brand and not just sell a bunch of products. It's fine if you're just starting, but building your brand needs to be a part of your long-term strategy. Having a brand makes it easier to move off...
2017-12-1143 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE103: Buying a Business vs. Starting One From Scratch with Bill d'Alessandro of Elements Brands "If you're never been an entrepreneur before, I would suggest starting a business. If you have done it once, I would strongly advice buying a business. It's just a lot easier." - Bill D'Alessandro of Elements Brands If you've been listening to the podcast for a while now you might have noticed I that when I talk about my speaking engagements, I always give credit to someone who told me--back when I was unwilling to speak in front of a large crowd and would rather get a root canal--that I needed to do something that makes me...
2017-12-0742 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastE102: Amazon Product Launch Strategy for 2018 "Seeing all these things that other people ... are doing, especially the black hat sellers, and not being able to beat them by using my white hat tactics--it's a very brutal position to be in. But the thing is, one day, I want to be left with a chair when the music stops and they won't." - Mike Jackness on his long-term Amazon launch strategy Earlier this year we came upon a chilling situation--more and more sellers are employing black hat tactics to try to win more sales on newly launched products. With so much competition on Amazon...
2017-12-0432 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastEpisode 100: A Special Q&A with Five Successful Entrepreneurs100 episodes! Can you believe it? Today marks a special moment in EcomCrew history. We've hit a very important milestone and we never would have done it without YOU. I had my struggles; I can't tell you how frustrating it is not knowing whether people truly enjoyed listening to the podcast or if they got any real value out of it or not. But then I go to these live events and people come up to me and tell me how the podcast helped them in their businesses, and I just feel stoked. It...
2017-11-2744 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastEpisode 97: Asia Trip Review - Global Sources Summit, Canton Fair, and a Visit to our Philippines Team "Sometimes you have to do something that makes you uncomfortable to further your career and your life and I really believe that." - Mike Jackness on speaking at the Global Sources Summit This episode is a play-by-play report of my entire trip to Asia, covering the Global Sources Summit, the Canton Fair, meeting with our Philippines team -- basically everything my team and I did while we were in Asia from early October through early November. If you're like me who doesn't like following someone's life abroad on an hour-by-hour basis, then this episode probably...
2017-11-1632 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastEpisode 79: Mike's Alaskan AdventureOn today's episode I want to tell you about the awesome time I had up in Alaska and just take a moment to really stress the importance of vacation time. My family and I went up to the Kesugi Ridge Trail and hiked 32 miles over the course of four days. During my time away there were some issues with the business, but I have built a self-sufficient team, so I was still able to enjoy my trip. Hiking that trail showed me some parallels to running an e-commerce business. If you are interested in seeing some of t...
2017-07-2719 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastEpisode 77: Doing Business In and With China - Part OneHello, it's Mike and Dave! This is our first official podcast together. We figured a good first episode was to compare notes about our experiences with doing business in and with China. Dave and I both import our products from China and for the most part, we've both had great results from it. This topic will be a two-parter. Today we answer some questions about China. If you are thinking about getting into importing from China or any other foreign country, this two-part series will hopefully prepare you for what to expect. Here are some...
2017-07-1331 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastEpisode 76: Ecom Crew ChangesI'm sure our listeners have noticed that Grant hasn't been on the podcast lately. The reason for this is Grant has moved on to do other things. We agreed that he should follow his new direction, so he has left the podcast. Our friendship remains strong. However, I am happy to announce that Dave Bryant will be joining me on Ecom Crew! Dave is the founder of chineseimporting.com, a blog for newcomers to the importing business. His focus is, of course, China, but his business is starting to shift to e-commerce. This change is...
2017-07-0626 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastEpisode 75: Holiday Planning TimeOn today's episode, I discuss why you need to start planning for the holidays. It is easy to fall into the trap of assuming you have enough, and then underestimating your demand. A lack of inventory means a loss of sales. Don't let it happen! Here's what I cover today: Our Ecom Crew courses. The ideal time frame to order standard inventory. The ideal time frame to order a new product. The process you need to go through to get ready for the holidays. Color It's upcoming 12 Days of Christmas promotion. Color It's upcoming 8 Days of...
2017-06-2916 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastEpisode 73: Should You Go All in on Amazon, or NotOn today's episode we welcome back Dave Bryant. Dave is here for a friendly little debate. We are going to trade views on Amazon. Dave tends to believe you should build your business completely on Amazon, and I disagree.This is a respectful discussion and we both make some really good points. If you are just starting out in ecommerce, then maybe this episode will help you balance out which approach is best for you. Are you more comfortable basing your sales on Amazon? Or do you want to hedge your bet? There really isn't a right o...
2017-06-1534 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastEpisode 66: Importing Insights With Dave Bryant of ChineseImporting.comThe Ecom Crew Podcast welcomes guest Dave Bryant to this episode. Dave is an ecommerce veteran who shares his experience with us. Dave has been importing goods for 10 years now. He grew his business to 2 million and sold it. He tells us how he did it and why he began his blog Chinese Importing. Dave has been doing business in China during 2008. So, he has some really useful information for new e commerce sellers and sellers who want to expand. Here are today's points: How Dave got started in ecommerce. Why trade shows are...
2017-04-0639 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastEpisode 64: Preview of Mike's Upcoming China TripHey it's Mike here for Ecom Crew! I will be doing a solo podcast today. I'm going to talk about my plans for my upcoming trip to China. I will be attending the Global Sources Show and the Canton Fair. There will be some other visits I'm going to make this time around, but Hong Kong will be where I will spend the majority of my time. I also talk about our recent promotion on Colorit.com. It is working really well for us! We are offering 3 free markers to a selective group of customers. I discuss...
2017-03-2327 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastEpisode 39: Doing Business with Chinese ManufacturersThis is Mike Jackness with Ecom Crew. On today's episode I'm going to tell you about my recent trip to China. I want to stress that these types of trips are essential if you are going to do business with Chinese manufacturers. My trip consisted of 3 places; Shanghai, Pon, and Na-Jing. At all these places I visited some of my suppliers. During this visit I made some notes for future visits. So I'm going to share some of the tips and observations I made during this last visit to China. The tips I cover today:
2016-08-0418 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastEpisode 17: Executing a Website ContestToday Grant’s going to step out of the podcast. I'm Mike Jackness and I’m going to talk about my experience with running a contest for my site colorit.com.
On December 5, 2015 we launched colorit.com. We had tried our product out on Amazon and decided to make the move to our own site to build the brand.
Our first contest was January 1st. We offered a set of colored pencils every day for 30 days. At first I wasn't sure if this approach was going to work, but I have to say I have been...
2016-02-1819 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastEpisode 9: Grant and Mike's Fireside ChatToday we are giving you the Grant and Mike fireside chat as we take a look at how things have been going for us for the past 30 days and talk about some of our goals for 2016. For both of us
sales have been going really well and we have some exciting things to look forward to as we head into the new year.
Grant explains that sales have exploded over the holiday buying period at CuttingBoard.com. Things are also going well at sister site ChoppingBlocks.com. He talks about other Amazon projects he has goi...
2015-12-2431 minThe Ecomcrew Ecommerce PodcastEpisode 1: Welcome to the Ecom Crew PodcastWelcome to the first ever episode of the E-Commerce Crew Podcast! Since this is the first episode, introductions are in order:
We are your hosts, Grant Yuan and Mike Jackness. Both of us have been involved with business for most of our professional lives, and we have a similar background in online marketing and the affiliate industry. Grant started working with affiliates in 2003, focusing on online gaming and a lot of poker sites. Mike is a lifelong entrepreneur who started running his own businesses at 18 with nothing but a pack of business cards and a pager. He...
2015-10-2050 min