- Million Dollar Sellers Roundup
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- Amazon changes the ad game as we know it [MDSR #3]
Amazon changes the ad game as we know it [MDSR #3]
Million Dollar Sellers
November 30, 2023
Welcome back to the Million Dollar Sellers “Roundup” or MDSR for short — the biweekly newsletter here to accelerate your sales and growth without you having to reinvent the wheel. From essential industry news and events to priceless resources and tips, we offer quick, potent insights that can be your shortcut to success.
Hot Off The Presses 📰
Initial numbers are in. Black Friday 2023 delivered on the whirlwind we’ve come to expect — no lines of 5am doorbusters needed.
Adobe Analytics reported a record $9.8 billion in consumer spend on Black Friday (up 7.5% from last year) with $5.3 billion of all online sales happening on smartphones (also up 10.4% YoY). Those numbers track with experts saying mobile and online purchases are the first place winner of Black Friday.
But let’s not forget about Shopify merchants, who set a new highwater mark with a combined $9.3 billion in Black Friday Cyber Monday sales — or Shopify itself, whose stock rose 4.9% on Cyber Monday thanks to the Black Friday tailwinds.
At the time of writing, Amazon is far outpacing Temu and Shein in holiday earnings — and has officially become the biggest delivery business in the continental U.S.
But the exact numbers from Amazon’s NFL broadcast with a side of Black Friday shopping remain to be seen. Anecdotally, it sounds like the exclusive deals advertised via QR codes made commercial breaks more compelling — but scanning them is still a bit cumbersome for the average consumer.
Something tells us QR codes will make another post-pandemic comeback nonetheless. After all, they’re the backbone of Amazon’s new audience-based creative concept that enables brands to target different segments with different ads at the same time.
If this is the future of advertising? Game on.
Million Dollar Advice 💸
What’s the point of building a community before I even have something to sell? I can always network after I launch…
Putting the cart before the horse when you’re building an eCommerce business is a scary thought. But if you’ve ever launched a product to lukewarm reception — and then found yourself scrambling to reverse engineer a product-market fit — you’ve already fallen into the trap of selling something without understanding exactly who you’re selling to.
And it’s time to embrace the value of community and networks in the fragmented world of eCommerce.
eCommerce Tool Of The Week 🔦
Scale Insights is the talk of the MDS community right now. It’s a cost-effective tool for scaling and automating your Amazon PPC campaigns, and it’s easy to see why our members love it. The tool intelligently adapts so you can set your own PPC rules and let it handle the real-time bidding for you. It’s like having your own 24/7 PPC marketing team dedicated to optimizing your campaigns, without fail.
Why leave your profit margins on the table when you can sign up for free today?
How to end the year on a high note 📈
Improve your operations →
At the risk of stating the obvious… Customers don’t ever like to wait — and they like it even less when it comes to delayed holiday orders.
On-time delivery is how you keep customers coming back all year round, but it can get tricky for sellers during the holidays when higher order volumes and inventory management complications stretch us thin.
That’s why so many million dollar sellers team up with expert 3PL providers to:
Reduce costs
Increase logistics efficiency
And improve customer satisfaction
If you want the full download on what 3PL’s all about and whether it’s the right move for your business this holiday season, read our full post below.
Hone your ad strategy →
Set the vision for 2024 →
ChatGPT Prompts 🤖
These ChatGPT prompts will save you time (and headaches) this holiday season…
Write an email template to announce holiday order-by dates.
Generate 5 FAQs and answers for [PRODUCT] to address any concerns [TARGET AUDIENCE DEMOGRAPHIC] might have before buying.
Draft a response template for a negative 1-star review about a [PRODUCT]’s quality.
Provide a solution for a customer who received the wrong item.
Featured Partnership 💼
At MDS, we’re firm believers that strong partnerships are the cornerstone of success. That’s why we’re excited to introduce you to ThornCrest.
They’re not your typical partner — with equal parts revenue growth expertise and legal acumen, ThornCrest brings a holistic approach that empowers emerging and established brands globally.
YouTube Playlist ▶️
These are some must-watch videos that provide tactical steps to improve your business!
Think these are helpful?
Share this newsletter to help other sellers get actionable tips like these.
eCom Stock Watch 👀
Amazon stock started 2023 at $84. Today Amazon traded at $147.73, up +15% this month and +76% from the start of the year. Their forecasted price for the end of 2023 is now $172 (+16% from today and +105% YoY). Prices are expected to climb to $175 by summer 2024 and $188 at year end (+27% from the current price).
SHOPIFY → Last earnings report on November 2nd and next earnings report currently TBC
Shopify stock was $50.50 at the top of 2023. Today they traded at $73.79, up +26% this month and +46% from the start of the year. By the end of 2023, their price is expected to hit $99.78 (+35% from today, +98% YoY) — and $120.16 by the end of 2024 (+63% from the current price).
ALIBABA → Last earnings report on November 16th and next earnings report currently TBC
Alibaba stock started 2023 at $88.09. Today they traded at $77.53, down -7% this month and -12% from the start of the year. By the end of 2023, their price is expected to hit $81.65 (+5% from today and down -7% YoY) — and $105.04 by the end of 2024 (+35% from the current price).
WALMART → Last earnings report on November 16th and next earnings report currently TBC
Walmart stock came into 2023 at $127.34. Today they traded at $156.77, down -4% this month but up +23% from the start of the year. By the end of 2023, their price is expected to hit $158 (+1% from today and +24% YoY) — and $164 by the end of 2024 (+5% from the current price).
Did you see that post 📲
Amazon reimbursement services could be LOSING you money.
Here's how:
Clawbacks.
If you are unfamiliar with clawbacks, they are cases where you previously received reimbursement from Amazon, but they determined you shouldn't have received it for some reason.
They claw back… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
— Chris Potter | Tax & Bookkeeping for eCom (@ChrisPotter361)
8:44 PM • Nov 20, 2023
The more you know…
Upcoming Ecom Events 🗓️
If you’re in the San Diego area, don’t miss our next ecomlunch. This one’s open to everyone — not just MDS members — so feel free to share with your network.
📅 Date: December 13th
🕒 Time: 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
📍 Location: Harland Brewing - One Paseo, San Diego
Other than that — we’ve said it once, we’ll say it again. Mark your calendars for the must-not-miss eCom events of 2024.
Traffic & Conversion Summit in Las Vegas, Nevada, January 9-11, 2024. You can look forward to 3 jam-packed days of actionable content about new traffic channels, customer-centric marketing, and conversion break-throughs led by 45+ expert speakers.
eTail in Palm Springs, California, February 26-29, 2024. Join 195 industry leaders in an intimate conference atmosphere for some meaningful dialogues about omnichannel excellence.
MDS Inspire, in Las Vegas, Nevada, March 4-5, 2024. You won’t want to miss the only MDS main event where non-members can attend. This once-a-year event features the multi-million dollar sellers in the industry that you haven't heard speak anywhere else.
ASD Market Week in La Vegas, Nevada, March 10-13, 2024. This is the ultimate consumer merchandise trade show, offering a four-day shopping experience with product options that will appeal to retailers of all shapes and sizes.
Shoptalk in Las Vegas, Nevada, March 17-20, 2024. Come together with 10,000 retail changemakers to gain exclusive insights and connect with industry giants. If you’re looking to boost your brand recognition and expand your business, this one’s a must.
Looking for a mastermind community?
Million Dollar Sellers (MDS) is an exclusive community of 600+ like-minded Amazon and DTC sellers from all over the world. Collectively, our members generate more than 8 billion in annual sales and dominate some of the biggest categories on Amazon. MDS offers world-class events, chapters, industry discounts, resource libraries full of SOPs, templates, and video recordings of private trainings, workshops, events and so much more.
If you are looking for a business professional community made for ecom entrepreneurs, then consider applying today.
*To qualify, you must be a full-time seller or brand owner and do at least 1 million in verified annual revenue.
Until Next Time ✌️
As always, thanks for sticking with us if you’ve read this far. But now, over to you.
How was your BFCM 2023, and what’s on deck for 2024?
Remember — you’re always welcome to smash that reply button and let us know what you’d like us to cover in the next newsletter.
See you next time, with the latest and greatest content you need to succeed 🔥
Sincerely,
