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A Humorous Look at Amazon’s Supercenter Innovation on this April Fools

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 16:01:31 GMT

According to Business Insider, Amazon has decided it’s not enough to dominate your online shopping habits—it now wants to physically loom over you in a building the size of a small moon. Enter its latest grand plan: a Walmart-style supercenter that also moonlights as a robot-run warehouse. Because apparently, choosing between “store” and “giant robot brain” is so last decade.

Internally dubbed Project Kobe (no word on whether it also shoots three-pointers), this concept is one of Amazon’s boldest attempts yet to reinvent retail—or at least make it slightly more intimidating. The idea is simple: combine groceries, general merchandise, and a small army of robots into one mega-structure where you can shop, pick up orders, or have them delivered—all without ever escaping the building’s all-seeing algorithmic gaze.

Think Walmart Supercenter… but with more wires, more AI, and probably fewer confused employees asking if you’ve tried aisle 7.

The first of these mega-stores is planned for Orland Park near Chicago, with more locations lined up in New Jersey and Illinois. And if things go well, Amazon could roll out dozens more—because nothing says “subtle expansion” like building 225,000-square-foot retail fortresses across the country. On the surface, these stores look familiar: groceries, household goods, and that one aisle you didn’t mean to walk down but now can’t escape. But behind the scenes, it’s a different story. A huge chunk of the building is dedicated to automated storage, picking, and packaging—basically, robots doing CrossFit with your online orders. And Amazon isn’t thinking small. Each store could carry around 250,000 items—roughly double what a typical Walmart carries. So yes, you can finally buy bananas, a kayak, and a waffle maker in one trip… assuming the robots approve.

Of course, all this futuristic magic doesn’t come cheap. Internal estimates suggest it costs about 12% more to fulfill orders compared to Amazon’s already lightning-fast delivery network. Groceries are the real diva here—perishable items cost more to handle, partly because humans still have to walk over 500 feet to grab them. (Yes, even in the future, someone still has to go get the milk.) The Orland Park location alone is expected to cost about $33 million to build. That’s a lot of money, but hey—progress isn’t cheap, especially when it involves teaching robots how to find cereal.

There are also some concerns about scaling this model. As demand grows—especially for groceries—things could get more complicated and expensive. Turns out, even robots can’t completely fix the chaos of people panic-buying snacks.

This big push comes after Amazon’s somewhat bumpy history in physical retail. Its experiments with cashier-less stores and grocery chains have had mixed results, and even its $13.7 billion acquisition of Whole Foods hasn’t dramatically reshaped the grocery landscape. But if there’s one thing Amazon is known for, it’s persistence. And if that persistence results in a massive robot-powered superstore where you can buy toothpaste at the speed of light… well, at least shopping won’t be boring anymore.

Brand Focus Digital's viewpoint:

The competitive landscape is intensifying, a development that aligns with industry expectations. These micro-fulfillment centers are poised to serve as localized hubs for processing e-commerce orders. Consequently, if a product is available at a store closer to the consumer than a regional fulfillment center, customers will likely be offered expedited click-and-collect or shipping options—potentially at a discounted rate. This raises a strategic question regarding Amazon's logistics pricing: whether they will apply a premium for shipping from more distant facilities, offer slower delivery tiers, or just keep things the same with more options. Regardless, the strategy yields a net positive by expanding consumer fulfillment options.

While Amazon has recently closed several of its Amazon Fresh brick-and-mortar locations, the company remains a top-five grocery retailer by sales volume (they are #4 as these figures include Whole Foods Market). Strategically expanding their physical retail footprint will only serve to enhance their market position.

Amazon AI is No Longer Optional: What Brands Need to Know

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 18:20:56 GMT

Amazon’s AI now plays a bigger role in purchasing decisions than most brands realize. What you list, how you say it, and what customers say about you all feed the system deciding who gets seen—and who gets skipped.

Amazon AI, now referred to as Cosmo , with it’s customer interface Rufus, now sits at the center of how shoppers discover and decide on products. For brands, this means every piece of content and data you provide isn’t just informing shoppers—it’s training the AI that decides whether you win the sale. And speaking of data, you'll surely be impressed with these numbers:

250 MILLION customers used Rufus in 2025

$10 BILLION in projected additional sales in 2026, prompted by Rufus

60% HIGHER propensity to convert when using Rufus

Cosmo’s algorithm thrives on data.

Customer interactions, product information, and signals from shoppers helps the system learn, predict, and decide which products get seen and which ones don’t. Understanding the forces that feed Cosmo and what actions they need to take is key for brands aiming to align their strategy with the AI, rather than just reacting to it. Cosmo's medium to high impacts include :

Catalog Data (High Impact)- Ensure backend attributes such as color, size, flavor, scent, and other key fields are complete and accurate
Customer Reviews (High Impact)- Rufus actively analyzes customer feedback to understand sentiment, product benefits, and real-world performance
Listing Information (High Impact)- Rufus indexes titles, bullet points, product descriptions (including non-customer-facing fields), and images. This includes text on images and alt text (auto-generated by Amazon and heavily influenced by your title). Listings must be fully retail-ready
Customer Q&A (Medium-High Impact)- Even though Q&A is no longer visible on product pages, Rufus references both current and historical customer questions and answers
Customer Profile (Medium-High Impact)- Shopper behavior and past purchase history help Rufus personalize recommendations and responses
Web Sources (Medium Impact)- Your brand website should reflect accurate product assortment, brand positioning, and product details to support AI understanding and discovery

Amazon’s AI isn’t a future consideration, it’s already shaping how products are discovered and chosen. Brands that treat their data and content as AI inputs, not just shopper-facing assets, will be best positioned to win.

Brand Focus Digital talent brings decades of experience working at and with Amazon (as well as other online retailers). In partnership, we deliver comprehensive solutions, including maximizing Cosmo/Rufus, to maximize profits for your brands. Contact us now to get the help that truly makes a difference.

Brand Focus Digital Balances Consumer Trust and AI Usage

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 22:18:49 GMT

According to U.S. Census Bureau, on average only 33% of B2B eCommerce companies in the United States have fully implemented AI in their operations while 47% say they are evaluating the technology. Furthermore, the impact of AI is contributing to the widened gap between consumer trust in companies and what companies perceive consumer trust. This gap is at an all-time high of 60%!

Brand Focus Digital values and utilizes AI as an important tool to support sales and marketing strategies, but we value client and consumer trust even more. We understand that real connection and authenticity are important now more than ever. We scrutinize and validate AI in our work at every turn. For example, we use AI to explore concepts or prototype content for products but scrutinize and finalize the content for validity and authenticity.

We also use AI tools through our advertising software during keyword suggestions to optimize campaigns. However, we use our brand management expertise to check and validate relevancy. Additionally, to understand brand competition, we utilize a multitude of tools, including AI, which help us analyze competition on Amazon, the global brand landscape, consumer preferences, and market trends. The menu of tools assist us with determining our target market, advertising tactics, and sales strategies.

Client and Consumer trust is a valuable currency that Brand Focus Digital and the brands we manage must continuously strive to earn and maintain. We constantly build and maintain brands’ confidence by prioritizing transparency, authenticity, and accountability. By consistently delivering high touch, quality, and value, we ensure brands build and maintain trust and establish lasting relationships with consumers. In the era of distrust, brands that proactively address these issues will stand out as beacons of trust, gaining a competitive edge and fostering loyalty in the hearts and minds of their customers.

We’ve been managing brands and helping them build trust with consumers for more than 10 years. We are former Amazon execs, ready to partner & grow your brands on Amazon (or Walmart, Target or 15 other platforms)! Our agency offers full-service or project-based digital marketing and brand management services. Connect with us today to learn how we can help take your brand to another level:

clint@brandfocusdigital.com

colleen@brandfocusdigital.com

Amazon Brand Management Agency Pricing Explained: What You’re Really Paying For

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 19:45:33 GMT

At Brand Focus Digital, an Amazon Brand Management agency, we hear this often:“ Why does Amazon agency pricing range from $1,500 to $20,000+ per month—and how do I know what’s worth it? ”

The truth is, Amazon marketing is not one-size-fits-all. Pricing depends on the depth of services, the complexity of your business, and the results you expect. As your Amazon agency partner, we’re here to break down exactly what you’re investing in—and how to ensure it drives real growth.

Why Work with an Amazon Management Agency?

Choosing between in-house resources and an agency isn’t easy. But here’s what makes the agency model a better fit for many fast-scaling brands:

Speed to Execution: We’ve built and refined systems that drive faster go-to-market timelines.
Scalable Expertise: Our specialists bring Amazon-specific know-how from managing dozens—or even hundreds—of ASINs.
Cost-Efficiency: Skip the cost of hiring, training, and managing a full team. We offer full-service support at a fraction of in-house overhead.

For example, nearly 50% of our team being ex-Amazon (including our founder and VP, who led Vendor Management Programs at Amazon), we bring institutional knowledge that’s hard to replicate internally.

Understanding Agency Pricing Structures:

We offer multiple pricing models to fit your business stage, complexity, and goals:

What Type of Agency Fits Your Budget?

We’re proud to sit at the high-performing end of this scale—offering AI-powered execution, proprietary tools, and ex-Amazon expertise to deliver measurable ROI.

What Drives Pricing? A Look at What’s Included

Here’s what we typically handle for our clients:

Amazon Full-Service Account Management
Setup, monitor, scale—everything managed end-to-end, so you stay focused on business strategy.
End-to-End Amazon Marketing
From Amazon PPC and DSP to organic SEO, we manage integrated marketing strategies to maximize traffic and conversion.
Amazon Shortage Claims & Chargebacks
Lost revenue from Amazon errors? We recover it and ensure compliance, protecting your bottom line.
Amazon Advertising. Maximize return on ad spend (RoAS) through strategic keyword bidding, A/B testing, and AI-optimized campaign management.
SEO for Amazon Listings. We optimize every product for discoverability with keyword-rich titles, backend terms, and compelling A+ content.
Product Listing Optimization. From high-converting bullet points to eye-catching imagery, we ensure every listing stands out and sells.

Questions to Ask (And We’re Ready to Answer Them!)

We encourage every brand to ask these before choosing an agency:

What services are included in your fee?
What tools or software do you use?
Can you share ROI from similar brands?
Is there a setup fee or only ongoing fees?
How do you measure and report ROI?

At Brand Focus Digital, we provide real-time dashboards, performance reports, and transparent cost structures—so you always know where your money is going.

Measuring ROI from Your Agency Partnership

Here’s how we help clients evaluate results:

Set Clear Goals
We help you define KPIs like:
% increase in sales
ACoS improvement
Product ranking growth
Conversion rate uplift
Use Advanced Tracking. From Amazon Attribution to external platform analytics, we track everything from clicks to conversions.
Multi-Touch Attribution. We don’t just measure the final click—we measure the full customer journey across Sponsored Ads, DSP, and retargeting.
Assign Financial Value. With tools like lifetime value (LTV), cost-per-acquisition (CPA), and repurchase rates, we tie performance to real revenue.
Finding the Right Fit. We know choosing an agency is a big decision. Here’s how to evaluate your options:
Transparent Communication. Expect regular reports, performance dashboards, and strategy calls.
Expertise-Backed Strategy. Demand more than generic PPC tactics—look for deep knowledge of Amazon’s ecosystem.
Balanced Budget and Impact. Low-cost agencies often miss key growth levers. We help you invest smartly where it matters most.

A Real Example: DeCecco Pasta; one of our seasoned Amazon brands in a very competitive market

Using our AI-driven tools, PPC and account management strategy, we grew their Amazon sales by 59% YoY and advertising impressions 54% YoY.

Final Thoughts

Not all Amazon agencies are created equal. At Brand Focus Digital, we combine deep platform knowledge, ex-Amazon talent, and cutting-edge AI tools to help brands not only grow—but scale profitably. Whether you're spending $1500 or $15K per month, your investment should deliver real returns. Let us show you how.

Combat Tariffs & Costs with our Results Driven Alliance

Tue, 27 May 2025 19:51:37 GMT

Amazon frequently overcharges vendors on PO’s or shortage claims, for which we must provide extensive documentation, like BOL’s signed by shipper and receiver, invoices, pack lists, weights, images, etc. Often, Amazon only pays a portion of the shortage claim, if at all. We created an alliance that utilizes technology, created by former Amazon accounting experts, that reviews previous PO’s, shortage claims and reconciling invoices, investigating possible funds that were “left on the table”.

The investigation includes a comprehensive, no-cost audit, that includes dollars recovered on your behalf. The program usually has a recovery rate of 95-100% once cost amounts are identified.

The great news is that you are only charged if funds (as far back as 18 months) are successfully recovered, which is 30% of the amount paid back from Amazon. One client with sales of $2.3M in shipped COGS, had the audit reveal over $745K in invoice reconciliations. The entire process typically takes 4-6 weeks from beginning to receiving payment on recovered funds!

Approaching Content Effectiveness on Amazon

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 15:39:06 GMT

Discover why content is so important in winning the digital shelf for brands. The infograph provides a snapshot of results impacted by best in class content.

Amazons Makes Changes to Deals & Promotions Based on Performance

Tue, 25 Mar 2025 18:04:19 GMT

Brands that promote on Amazon will see a change in fees for coupons, lightning deals, and best deals starting June 2nd. There are benefits to brands given the fee structure is more based on performance than the flat fixed fees. But, if the promotion performs well, plan to fund a higher amount. Brand Focus Digital has seasoned experts at managing Amazon, its constant changes, and can help with:

Reviewing your current strategy to understand where and how you may need to pivot
Implementing brand tailored promotion segments
Evaluating assortment to see if lower pack sizes and lower ASP items are an option and profitable

After June 2, 2025, be aware that:

Coupons have a $5 flat fee per coupon
Coupons have a variable 2.5% redemption fee
These fees are separate from your Coupon budget, which fund the actual customer discounts
Products that are priced higher than $20 retail will be impacted most

Below is a cost comparison we formulated of Higher Retail Product vs. Lower Retail Product:

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

Brand Focus Digital provides tailored, one-on-one expertise to all things Amazon, E-Comm, digital marketing, brand management service! We work tirelessly and diligently with the makers of CPGs. In partnership, we deliver comprehensive solutions to maximize profits for your brands. We use 19 different advertising platforms to give brands more advertising power! We utilize AI capabilities in advertising, analytics, and content to help grow your brand's sales! As Ex-Amazon leaders , we understand consumable products and the nuances they bring to online selling vs brick and mortar. We offer full-service, al a carte, or project work! Our robust content team is unmatched and also ready to deliver full-service or project work.

Scan the QR code for agency and content capabilities:

Our Debut on The E-Comm Show

Wed, 26 Feb 2025 22:02:10 GMT

Featuring Brand Focus Digital's leaders about Doing Amazon Right!

Launched today, episode 172 of the E-Comm Show features our very own leaders of Brand Focus Digital. Clint George (CEO) and Colleen Caso (VP) provide insider insights to manage Amazon right! What sets Brand Focus Digital apart from its competitors is that both Clint and Colleen are ex-Amazon managers, giving them insider experience, knowledge, and expertise. Andrew Maff of the E-Comm Show hosts an in-depth interview with Clint George and Colleen Caso so that together they pull the curtain back on what selling on Amazon successfully looks like.

Enjoy the full episode here or on one of your favorite platforms: YouTube , Spotify , Apple Podcasts , Amazon Music , Stitcher

Email clint@brandfocusdigital.com or colleen@brandfocusdigital.com today to learn more how we can grow your Amazon, e-Commerce business now.

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Brand Focus Digital helps manufacturers sell their products easier and more efficiently on Amazon and other online retailers - in North America and across the globe. We work tirelessly and diligently with the makers of (and not limited to):

• Food products

• Pet related merchandise

• Health and Beauty products

• Outdoor gear

BFD’s talent has decades of experience working at Amazon as well as other online retailers. In partnership, we deliver comprehensive solutions to maximize profits for your brands. Contact us now to get the help that truly makes a difference.

Full-Funnel Amazon Strategy with Brand Focus Digital

Tue, 22 Oct 2024 21:26:54 GMT

A new full-funnel Amazon strategy, Amazon Marketing Cloud , is now available for all advertisers! And, only available through approved partners like Brand Focus Digital.

Amazon is much more than a shopping site! Between Twitch, Prime Video and live sports, Amazon is engaging shoppers in many ways. The only way to truly unify all those touchpoints is Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC). AMC is an enhanced advertising data-gathering platform for current Advertising campaigns on Amazon. It allows advertisers to dig deeper into their marketing and audience data. For example, gain the ability to uncover critical marketing functions like consumer purchase journeys, overlap analyses, and new-to-brand acquisition.

Advertisers who wait on AMC are going to miss out. First-party signals are the future. Amazon’s data is rich—but ultimately incomplete. To get a truly holistic understanding of your shoppers, you need to tie your first-party signals (in a privacy-safe way) to AMC. Adding 1P signals, according to our Amazon reps, is when you can “start to scale these audiences much further than what you're able to do if you just look at the signals that Amazon's providing.”

Previously only available for DSP advertisers, AMC is now available for all advertising campaigns, and through an affiliated partner, like Brand Focus Digital. Brand Focus Digital has the access and expertise needed to gather, analyze and interpret the data for you. Contact us to get started immediately to enhance your advertising strategies today.

Complimentary Brand Health Audit for Amazon!

Sun, 13 Oct 2024 21:06:19 GMT

Sales on Amazon trending down or staying flat? Unsure how to navigate the newest FBA changes from Amazon? We’re offering a complimentary Brand Health Audit for Amazon in celebration of our 9-year anniversary! Take advantage of Brand Focus Digital’s offer which includes a comprehensive, no fuss, complimentary audit of your current brand on Amazon to help position it for better success in the future. Audit includes:

Item detail pages
3P sellers
Buy Box issues
Pricing strategy and Profitability
Brand Store/A+ and Content
SEO and optimization
Advertising and Promotional strategy, and much more.

Email today for more information or to take advantage of this opportunity!

Brand Focus Digital is also excited to be attending Unboxed next week in Austin. We’d love to meet up if you’re attending! Let us know!

CEO Front & Center with Amazon!

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Mon, 30 Sep 2024 16:17:23 GMT

Last week our leader, Clint George, spent time with Amazon and the Buy with Prime team! Not only was he engaged with the BwP Amazon team, he learned about cutting edge products and programs launching this week that help us help manufacturers like you!

Amazon Today! A program that offers same-day delivery and in-store pickup from your retail locations. A unique opportunity to market your in-store selection on Amazon.com and offer same-day delivery or in-store pickup in a few hours from your store to millions of customers.
Amazon Warehousing & Distribution - (AWD) Utilize Amazon as a 3PL warehouse to ship products from where they are manufactured in bulk (like Taiwan or another country) to the US, but directly into Amazon rather than another US based warehouse.
Amazon Multi Channel Fulfillment - (MCF) a program where Amazon ships to customers that purchase from other websites like Etsy or Ebay for example. The shipment can be put in an unmarked box, so it doesn't appear to the customer that it’s coming from Amazon.

Let’s talk today about how these programs can benefit you, your sales, and ROI!

Learn more: https://www.brandfocusdigital.com/

Prime Day Results: Sales Climb and Record Set for Number of Items Purchased

Thu, 08 Aug 2024 00:42:38 GMT

Dim the lights, the results are in! Amazon’s annual Prime Day sales event was held from July 16 through July 17. The results show, among other things, an uptick in total money spent and a record set for the number of items purchased.

In terms of Brand Focus Digital, we are excited to announce that many of our clients enjoyed a robust increase in sales during Prime Day. For example, a leading North American coffee company increased its sales during Prime Day (as compared to a regular Amazon day) by 704%. Similarly, a large-scale specialty food company increased its sales by 407%.

Let’s take a closer look at some numbers and a few observations from the big event.

What the Data Shows

As reported by Bloomberg , this year’s Prime Day sales climbed 11%, as American shoppers reportedly spent 14.2 billion. Amazon also issued a recent news release saying that Prime Day had set a record for the total number of items purchased, but the company did not offer specific sales figures.

Interesting, is a comparison of Prime day results to Walmart+ Week, which is Walmart’s main sales event that lasted for a whole week in June. According to PYMNTS Intelligence’s data , twice as many consumers shopped on Amazon’s Prime Days than during Walmart+ Week. But indications do show that Walmart Week participation is catching up to Prime Day participation. According to analysts, for Walmart to catch up all the way, it will need to grow the Walmart+ subscriber base more than anything. Both Walmart+ Week and Amazon Prime Day reported a 50% participation rate from subscribers, but the lag in their number of subscribers impacted Walmart+ Week's sales.

Observers also found a key downside for Amazon that would have been a problem if the subscriber bases were the same size. Walmart+ Week shoppers, on average, spent more than Amazon Prime Day shoppers, primarily on groceries and high-ticket items.

Consumers Focus on Sales Events and Coupons

In the wake of Prime Day (and Walmart+ Week and Target Circle Week), PYMNTS reported that consumers increasingly wait until sales events to make major purchases.

According to Katie Stratton, chief growth officer at Target-owned on-demand delivery aggregator Shipt: “In the past year, we’ve seen engagement in our promotions with higher-than-expected volume around popular seasonal moments.”

Further, according to Katie Kobus, vice president of marketing at Save A Lot, “Customers are shopping circulars to find the best deals, and … we’ve seen an uptick in the use of coupons.”

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

Food products
Pet related merchandise
Health and Beauty products
Outdoor gear

Successful Sales Demand Effective Advertising

Tue, 16 Jul 2024 00:35:51 GMT

Brand Focus Digital recently assessed a six-month advertising campaign that it launched for a popular pantry item brand selling within Amazon’s Grocery category. The results were phenomenal. For example, the company’s ad sales increased by 247% after just the first month, and total sales increased by 235% while ROAS increased by 65%. This particular client is now one of the leading brands within their category.

We Maximize Your Advertising Reach

We understand the advertising challenges our clients face and their sometimes-difficult ability to reach their target audience effectively. That’s why we’ve made it our mission to help merchants streamline their advertising process while concurrently maximizing their reach across numerous advertising platforms.

Of course, we can help manage your brand on Amazon and Walmart.com, but we also help increase sales for our clients by utilizing such platforms as:

Instacart advertising
Shipt
Staples
Costco
Best Buy
Fresh Direct
And More!

Tips to Boost Prime Day Sales

As to Amazon, please note that Amazon’s 10th Prime Day event starts July 16 at 12:01 a.m. PDT and runs through July 17. To maximize your Prime Day sales, and your sales throughout the month of July, we recommend that merchants do the following:

Get stock/inventory in ahead of time,
Ensure your content is sound and buttoned up,
Refresh any images,
Include video, if possible,
Make certain your SEO is revamped and retooled, and
Create promotions the week before Prime Day, the week of, and the week after to fully maximize the increase in Amazon traffic that is evident throughout the month of July.

Contact Brand Focus Digital today and let us help you improve your advertising endeavors to increase your product’s visibility and boost your bottom line!

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

Food products
Pet related merchandise
Health and Beauty products
Outdoor gear

* Main image at top by rawpixel.com on Freepik

Amazon’s Prime Day is Really Prime Month?

Wed, 03 Jul 2024 19:21:12 GMT

Yes! Well, sort of. Amazon’s 10 ^th Prime Day event starts July 16 at 12:01 a.m. PDT and runs through July 17. While on its face this event appears to be two days in duration, keep in mind that Amazon sees an approximate 25% increase in sitewide traffic throughout all of July. So yes, Prime Day really means that merchants can see increased demand for their goods for an entire “Prime Month!”

Tips for Merchants

To maximize your Prime Day sales, and your sales throughout “Prime Month,” we recommend that merchants do the following:

Get stock/inventory in ahead of time,
Ensure your content is sound and buttoned up,
Refresh any images,
Include video, if possible,
Make certain your SEO is revamped and retooled, and
Optimize your advertising campaigns.

Finally, merchants should create promotions the week before Prime Day, the week of, and the week after to fully maximize the increase in Amazon traffic that is evident throughout the month of July.

Prime Day Details

As usual, Prime Day means that Amazon prime members will get exclusive access to millions of great deals on top-notch brands. New deals will also continue to drop as often as every five minutes during select periods throughout the event. This means that prime members can come back and shop often to find something they love.

Invite only deals are also back this year. Prime members can request an invitation to exclusive deals that are expected to sell out. Click here for 10 of the best Prime Day early deals you can shop right now.

Prime members can also enjoy access to early deal drops from influencers as:

Jess Sims,
Alyssa McKay,
Monet McMichael,
Jared McCain,
Millie Bobby Brown,
Meredith Duxbury, and
Alix Earle.

Every day from July 8 – July 15, one of these individuals will drop exciting deals on their favorite products across top categories.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

Food products
Pet related merchandise
Health and Beauty products
Outdoor gear

Reduce Consumer Return Fees and Grow Profits

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 16:41:08 GMT

Brand Focus Digital is constantly seeking innovative solutions for our Amazon brands. That’s why we’re excited to announce that we’re now partnering with Onsite Support (the company that brought you DimeTyd, Seller Locker, and Seller Bench). Onsite Support is a game-changer to protect your profits and combat Amazon’s new return fees. Additionally, our solution allows Amazon sellers to chat directly with buyers in particular. The solution allows sellers to:

Redirect with frustrated customers: You can connect directly with Amazon customers using the GET PRODUCT SUPPORT button on the Amazon order page.
Reduce return costs: You can achieve a 15-20% annual reduction in return costs, potentially saving $50,000 to $350,000 or more.
Prevent negative reviews: Turn upset customers into brand advocates with your personalized support page, improving customer satisfaction and product ratings.
Innovate with AI solutions: Onsite is doing incredible things with AI, including creating product expert bots that help customers troubleshoot issues or get assistance with installation questions.

Over 500+ brands like yours have already saved significantly on return costs, reducing profit leakage, and driving success.

Special pricing available for Brand Focus Digital clients! Email clint@brandfocusdigital.com today.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

Food products
Pet related merchandise
Health and Beauty products
Outdoor gear

Buy With Prime: A New Way to Grow Your eCommerce Business

Wed, 29 May 2024 16:37:48 GMT

We have exciting news to share! Brand Focus Digital is now a Buy with Prime Partner, and we can offer our expertise to help you grow your eCommerce business. Buy with Prime empowers merchants to provide shoppers with fast, free delivery, transparent delivery times, easy returns, and a seamless checkout experience that millions of shoppers know and trust. You can learn more about Buy with Prime here .

Why Buy With Prime?

Buy with Prime empowers merchants to grow their ecommerce business on their own site. They can attract Amazon shoppers with the trust of Prime and increase shopper conversions by an average of 25%* with fast, free delivery, transparent delivery times, and a checkout experience that millions of shoppers love.[i]

With Buy with Prime, merchants receive shopper information, including order and contact details, which they can use to provide customer service and nurture relationships with customers to build their ecommerce business.

Merchants can also accelerate growth with a suite of marketing solutions designed to promote the Buy with Prime badge across your site, social, search, and email marketing channels.

Merchants can help improve their brand’s credibility among shoppers by offering authentic reviews from Amazon on products offering Buy with Prime.

For merchants already using Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), they can use one pool of inventory to fulfill orders from multiple sales channels.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

Food products
Pet related merchandise
Health and Beauty products
Outdoor gear

[i] This data point measures the average increase in shoppers who placed an order when Buy with Prime was an available purchase option versus when it was not, during the same time period.

Maximizing Reach: Brand Focus Digital Amplifies Client Success Across a Multitude of Advertising Platforms

Fri, 17 May 2024 22:28:22 GMT

In the ever-expanding digital landscape, the success of ecommerce businesses hinges on their ability to harness the power of various advertising platforms. From Amazon to Walmart to Costco, and beyond, each platform offers unique opportunities to connect with potential customers. However, navigating this intricate web of advertising options can be daunting for many businesses.

That’s where we come in! Brand Focus Digital understands the challenges our clients face in reaching their target audience effectively. That's why we've made it our mission to not only streamline the process but to excel in maximizing our clients' reach across numerous advertising platforms. We’re strategically positioned to help you achieve your goals and realize your business outcomes.

Our Reaches Are Indeed Wide

Brand Focus Digital can manage your brand on many advertising platforms, not just Amazon and Walmart.com! The possibilities include (but are not limited to):

Instacart advertising
Target.com
Shipt
CVS
Staples
Macy’s
Meijer
Fresh Direct
Walgreen’s
Costco
Costco Canada
Sam’s Club
Lowe’s
BJ’s Wholesale
Best Buy/Best Buy Canada
Ulta Beauty
Home Depot
Tractor Supply
And more!

Solutions That Work for You

Navigating eCommerce is challenging, time-consuming, and overwhelming! We know this as we live and breathe eCommerce for small to large brands and companies. Our team puts in the time so you don’t have to.

We deliver comprehensive solutions to our clients in the following areas:

eCommerce and Amazon strategy
Supply chain and logistics
Catalog optimization
SEO & marketing
Packaging & right-sizing
Data analysis and reporting

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

Food products
Pet related merchandise
Health and Beauty products
Outdoor gear

* Main image at top by jannoon028 on Freepik

Meet Mandi George

Thu, 02 May 2024 19:06:34 GMT

Please meet Mandi George. If Brand Focus Digital were a sports team, Mandi would be our highly talented utility player. She can do it all!

Since Employee Appreciation Day on March 1, Brand Focus Digital has taken some time to highlight our amazing talent. Our team members are indeed the reason why we surpass our clients’ expectations day after day. We can’t thank our employees enough, and we appreciate each and every one of you!

Official Title at Brand Focus Digital and Responsibilities

At Brand Focus Digital, I call myself the Jill of All Trades.�� But mostly, I run the operations of Brand Focus Digital. I manage everything from accounts receivable to payable, to human resources, to marketing/communications, to strategic planning, to supporting the entire team wherever I can.

Why I Like Working for Brand Focus Digital

I joined Brand Focus Digital over seven years ago, when my husband, Clint, was about a year into launching the business. I was ready to try working in a different industry and wanted to support him in building a business of our own. Now, I wouldn’t trade it for anything. We work extremely hard providing the

best service we can to our employees, clients, and partners.

Employment History and Education

I earned a Bachelor of Science degree and Master Certification in health education program development. Up until seven years ago, I held various health education program development roles in county public health, nonprofit, medical centers, and corporate. While I switched roles and industry, the importance of health and wellness remain to be an integral part of who I am.

Fun Fact About Me

In 2020, I skate skied a marathon which was one of the hardest work outs ever! To bring it down a notch, I started playing golf with my husband; and we now play quite regularly. I have THE best family in the world, and I am an identical twin. ��

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Meet Sarah Miller

Fri, 26 Apr 2024 01:34:35 GMT

Our focus this week is on Sarah Miller. Sarah is an integral member of the Brand Focus Digital team, and we sincerely thank her for all of her hard work and dedication.

As you know, Employee Appreciation Day was March 1. It’s nearly impossible to honor all of our great employees in the span of a mere 24 hours. Thus, we continue to shine a spotlight on all of our great team members almost two months after the fact. Once again, thank you to all!

Official Title at Brand Focus Digital and Responsibilities

For over 3 years, I have managed:

Client marketing strategies,
Advertising,
SEO,
Listing optimization,
Forecasting, and
Shipment logistics.

I also serve as a master troubleshooter in the complex world of Amazon and eCommerce.

Why I Like Working for Brand Focus Digital

What I love most is facilitating a brand’s sales growth through strong marketing strategies. I also love the brands I work with!

Employment History and Education

I have 20 years of CPG marketing experience and have launched or re-launched over 1,000 products in my career.

I hold numerous marketing awards and have served as a:

Senior Brand Manager at a top Grocery Retailer, and
Marketing Director to a CPG company.

These past roles have helped provide great insight into the intricacies of successful go-to-market strategies.

In the past, I have also managed Amazon launches at two CPG companies.

I have a degree in Psychology from LSU where I graduated number one in my class. I also hold a master’s degree in business from UT Austin.

Fun Fact About Me

I’m a certified iRest Yoga Nidra Meditation coach and have helped numerous people find deep relaxation and peace through meditation.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

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Meet Colleen Caso

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 00:35:44 GMT

Please take a moment and meet Brand Focus Digital’s amazing Vice President, Colleen Caso. Colleen brings over a decade of experience with selling brands on Amazon to our talented team. Thank you again to all of our employees as we continue celebrating Employee Appreciation Day! You can never shine a spotlight on these people for too long. Their hard work and dedication are truly admired and respected.

Official Title at Brand Focus Digital and Responsibilities

Vice President. I am actually the former owner of Lift Sales & Marketing, which was a business that helped manufacturers utilize eCommerce platforms to drive brand awareness and increase sales through the use of diversified strategic plans and eCommerce tools. Lift Sales & Marketing merged with Brand Focus Digital in December of 2023, and I was delighted and honored to become Brand Focus Digital’s Vice President.

I have worked alongside Brand Focus Digital’s CEO, Clint George, while at Amazon and have known him for decades. My current role allows me to continue to work alongside a distinguished colleague.

I have been working with brands selling on Amazon for over a decade and each brand has different goals, directives, and strategies. Working with multiple brands allows me to utilize learnings from one brand and apply to others based on their KPIs and budget. I love helping to educate brands on eCommerce and creating strategies to best support growth.

Why I Like Working for Brand Focus Digital

I love working with our team at Brand Focus Digital because everyone has a great attitude toward each other, which is tremendous given our remote work. We all support each other and share our experiences so that we can make sure to spearhead issues or apply successful campaigns/strategies to other brands.

Employment History and Education

I have a fashion merchandising/business sales management Bachelor’s degree. I loved working in fashion but took an opportunity to join Amazon on the grocery team 15 years ago and never looked back. I really enjoy the CPG world and consulting with brands in all lifecycles.

Fun Fact About Me

I am a mom to two amazing daughters! I coach Girls on the Run for my oldest daughter and enjoy sharing that passion with her. I also love to travel and try new foods.

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Meet Jeff Fisher

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 01:03:42 GMT

Our spotlight continues to focus on our amazing employees as we proceed in our several month celebration of March’s Employee Appreciation Day. Please take a moment and meet our super skilled Manager of Business Management, Jeff Fisher. Jeff is an integral component to our amazing team! Please contact Brand Focus Digital today and let us assist with your eCommerce needs.

Official Title at Brand Focus Digital and Responsibilities

At Brand Focus Digital, I’m the Manager of Business Management. Like the other business managers on our team, I manage several of our client accounts. This means I do everything possible to help the brand succeed on Amazon, including providing support for operations, catalog management, sales and promotions, and advertising.

In addition to these tasks, I provide support to the rest of our business management team. This looks like one-on-one support and team coaching, but it also involves acquiring tools and establishing best practices to ensure that our company continues to provide industry-leading services to our clients.

Why I Like Working for Brand Focus Digital

Prior to working at BFD, I worked for a larger sales and marketing company. The size and structure of the company presented significant challenges, particularly with regard to client relations and collegiality between employees. Our team at BFD is small (I prefer sleek and nimble), which is great as it allows us to develop strong relationships with each other.

Additionally, a smaller size gives us the flexibility to meet the diverse needs of our clients. Moreover, it allows for a lot more creativity and freedom in how we approach issues that inevitably arise when working with Amazon. The bonus of doing that work for people you have genuine relationships with is rewarding.

Employment History and Education

Prior to my employment at Brand Focus Digital, I worked for several years on the operations team for the eCommerce division of Acosta Sales and Marketing. This gave me a solid foundation for learning the technical side of the business, and helped me learn all the tricks for combating the myriad issues that arise on Amazon’s back end.

I have a bachelor’s degree in History from the University of Washington, as well as a Masters of Divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary. I bet you weren’t expecting that combination.

Fun Fact About Me

I’m a guitar player, singer, and songwriter. I lead the music program most Sundays at my church in downtown Seattle. I also recently became a Little League baseball coach for the first time, which is going okay.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

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Meet J’son Cox

Fri, 29 Mar 2024 16:14:11 GMT

Please take a moment to meet our Senior Catalog Manager, J’son Cox. J’son has been with Brand Focus Digital for over four years. He is a talented and experienced member of a high caliber eCommerce team, which we are setting aside a few months to honor in light of this month’s Employee Appreciation Day. Brand Focus Digital attributes its success to our family of talented employees.

Official Title at Brand Focus Digital and Responsibilities

As Senior Catalog Manager, my role is to support the team in the management of the Amazon product listings and the maintenance of their attributes in the marketplace. I am the primary subject matter expert for enhanced content on Amazon, and the go-to contact for the creation of A+ pages, videos, brand stores and brand stories. I not only work closely with the Brand Focus Digital team and our clients to produce and/or refine existing content, but also consult with them to ensure that the implementation of creatives is within Amazon’s guidelines and best practices.

My goal is to help optimize the Amazon listing quality, and the quality of all customer-facing content to the fullest - ultimately boosting the brand’s presence in multiple spaces within the marketplace.

Why I Like Working for Brand Focus Digital

Working with a small and efficient team provides us with a unique opportunity for great communication and in-house knowledge sharing. Reaching out to the nearest SME has been made easier than ever. After being employed by much larger corporations, I especially appreciate the availability and candor from our leadership, which is not found in the typical workspace.

Employment History and Education

I graduated from The Art Institute of Seattle with a Degree in Graphic Design and Illustration. After a brief stint of mostly freelance artwork, I spent 8 years as an SEO specialist for a Fortune 500 company, optimizing websites for the auto industry between the US, Canada, and Australia. I spent the last 6 years managing sellers on Amazon – the first couple years setting up accounts, advertising, providing reporting and implementing creative content between the Toy and Pet Supply category. Since then, I’ve been doing the same, primarily for the Grocery category, managing the content and catalogs for Amazon sellers.

Fun Fact About Me

I spent much of my youth on stage and at the drawing table, engaging in the arts and the performing arts. In high school I won the Division’s Outstanding Vocalist Award at the Mt. Hood Jazz Festival.

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Meet Chandler Ledgerwood

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 16:20:05 GMT

In honor of our amazing team at Brand Focus Digital, we took the liberty of converting Employee Appreciation Day (March 1) into employee appreciation months. That’s right. We’re taking the months of March and April to introduce all of our skilled, talented, and passionate employees. Please take a few moments to get acquainted with one of our business managers, Chandler Ledgerwood.

Official Title at Brand Focus Digital and Responsibilities

Hello! I’m Chandler, an e-Commerce Business Manager with Brand Focus Digital. I have held this title for nearly 3 years! I'm the go-to person for brands selling on Amazon. My job is to make sure they do well and grow on the platform.

I handle everything from tracking sales and managing inventory to figuring out the best advertising strategies to ensuring that a merchant’s product listings look top-notch. My aim is to make things run smoothly, boost sales, and make certain that a company’s brand stands out on Amazon. Paying attention to detail and getting real results is of upmost importance to me.

In partnership with brands, I tackle and solve the challenges of selling on Amazon and help companies meet their sales goals. If you want to take your brand to the next level on Amazon, I've got your back every step of the way.

Why I Like Working for Brand Focus Digital

Working at Brand Focus Digital is great because our team is small, which means we can focus on vendors who align with our values and goals. This only makes our partnerships stronger.

Plus, being able to work remotely is a huge perk for me. I love being able to set up my own workspace and manage my time in a way that works best for me (and my clients). It gives me the freedom to balance work and life without having to commute or deal with office distractions.

Employment History and Education

I come equipped with Amazon experience from my previous agency, where I honed my skills in managing Amazon accounts. Additionally, I hold a bachelor's degree from Central Washington University, where I studied IT and Business Administrative Management. I also earned a minor in Administration. This combination of hands-on experience and academic background provides me with a solid foundation to excel in managing brands on Amazon effectively.

Fun Fact About Me

I am a passionate cook!

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

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Celebrating Our Stellar Team in Honor of Employee Appreciation Day

Sat, 16 Mar 2024 00:36:28 GMT

At Brand Focus Digital, we firmly believe that our success is deeply rooted in the dedication and hard work of our incredible team . Since Employee Appreciation Day on March 1, we have honored a few specific employees and we’ll continue to do so over the next few weeks. But today, it's our privilege to take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude to our entire team and every member of our staff.

Skilled, Renown, and Committed

In a world where the eCommerce landscape is constantly evolving, it's the passion, expertise, and commitment of our team that sets us apart. From the creative minds behind our marketing advertising and promotional campaigns to the meticulous attention to detail of our customer service representative, every individual plays a vital role in our continued growth and success.

Every business is often faced with unique challenges. When Brand Focus Digital is placed in this position, our team always rises to the occasion with resilience and determination. Whether it's adapting to Amazon, eCommerce curveballs, implementing innovative solutions, or going above and beyond to ensure customer satisfaction, our employees have demonstrated unwavering dedication and professionalism in the face of adversity.

We're immensely proud of the collaborative spirit that defines our workplace culture. Our employees not only support each other professionally but also foster a sense of camaraderie and belonging that makes Brand Focus Digital feel like a second home. It's this sense of community that drives us forward and inspires us to reach new heights together.

In honor of Employee Appreciation Day, we extend our sincerest thanks to our team for their hard work, creativity, and unwavering dedication. Your passion and enthusiasm are the driving force behind everything we do, and we're incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work alongside such talented individuals.

Past Amazon Employees

We’d like to take a moment to point out that several of our skilled teammates are past Amazon employees. This means our team has unique knowledge of Amazon advertising resources and can help you strategically improve your Amazon marketing plans. Our business managers also hold Amazon Advertising Certifications and Brand Focus Digital is a proud member of the Amazon Advertising Partner Network and earned the Verified Partner badge . . Our company is constantly engaged in, and working towards, adding additional Amazon certifications and acquiring new means to better assist our clients.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

Brand Focus Digital works tirelessly and diligently with the makers of (and not limited to):

Food products
Pet related merchandise
Health and Beauty products
Outdoor gear

Our team has decades of experience working at Amazon as well as other online retailers. In partnership, we deliver comprehensive solutions to maximize profits for your brands. Contact us now to get the help that truly makes a difference.

Meet Christine Hunter

Thu, 07 Mar 2024 17:20:14 GMT

In recognition of Employee Appreciation Day, which fell on March 1st, we are taking some time over the next couple of months to highlight our talented and skilled employees. Please take some time to meet Christine Hunter. Her narrative is below. In focusing on Christine, Brand Focus Digital is proud to inform that 55% of our employees are women. A fun and honorable fact, especially considering that March is Women’s History Month!

Official Title at Brand Focus Digital and Responsibilities

As a business manager at Brand Focus Digital, my job is to support each of my clients as they tackle the wide world of Amazon. Each client comes with a unique set of challenges and needs, and it’s my responsibility to use my knowledge and tools to help them overcome those challenges. My duties vary based on the needs of each client, but ultimately my responsibilities for each include advertising, catalog management, problem solving, and identifying growth opportunities.

Why I Like Working for Brand Focus Digital

I love working at Brand Focus Digital. I love the trust and support I receive from both Clint (CEO) and my clients. While I may not have the most years of experience, I come with a lot of knowledge and fresh ideas on how to grow and reach new audiences. I work with clients in a variety of categories across Amazon, and each one offers me a new and unique challenge that I’m eager to conquer.

Employment History and Education

After graduating from the University of Northern Colorado with a BS in Tourism and Hospitality, I started my first big girl job at a small ecommerce company in Denver. My position focused on catalog management, order fulfillment, and day-to-day business operations. I got hands on experience with the merchant fulfillment side of seller platforms like Amazon, Walmart, eBay, and more. While working here I was also able to complete my MPS in Fashion Marketing.

After a few years, I moved onto a small ecommerce agency where I was able to really grow my knowledge of both Amazon and DTC ecommerce. Here I acted as an account manager and conversion rate optimization specialist for our clients who fell into a wide variety of categories. In this role, I was able to expand my knowledge of different 3P platforms and focus on building strategies targeted towards large-scale growth across the ecommerce world.

In 2022, I found myself at Brand Focus Digital with around 5 years of ecommerce experience and ready to continue expanding my knowledge of the ecommerce world.

Fun Fact About Me

I have four cats! All four of which are glued to my side at all times of the day giving me the nickname, The Mother of Cats.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

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Meet Nick DeJulius

Thu, 29 Feb 2024 17:43:50 GMT

Employee appreciation day is March 1, 2024. In recognition, we’d like to take the next two months to highlight each and every one of our highly experienced, hardworking, and dedicated employees. There is no single doubt that Brand Focus Digital would not be where it is today without the contributions from our talented team.

To our employees as a whole, we want you to know that your efforts do not go unnoticed. You are the heartbeat of this company, and it is your passion that fuels our progress. Your positive attitude and willingness to go the extra mile do not go unnoticed, and we are incredibly fortunate to have you all onboard.

To all others, please take a moment and step into the shoes of one of our Business Managers, Nick DeJulius.

Official Title and Responsibilities

My ultimate responsibility at Brand Focus Digital is to manage and grow accounts in the best interest of our clients. We tailor our services to the unique needs of our clients, so no two days are alike. My duties range from advertising strategy and implementation to adding new items to a catalog to FBA shipment creation to compiling custom reporting based on specific KPIs. Throughout the month, I’m also meeting with clients for status updates and performance reviews, as well as attending various trade shows across the country.

What I Like About Brand Focus Digital

I like working for Brand Focus Digital because our small – but mighty – team size allows us to easily tap into our collective pool of experience and expertise to best serve our clients and navigate the ever-changing world of e-commerce. Our company also understands the importance of and utilizes software and technology which allows us to be efficient and effective in our work.

Employment History and Education

After obtaining my BBA in Marketing from Temple University, I spent the following few years in the boutique hospitality industry in New York in event sales and f & b management. While fast paced and fun, the round-the-clock schedule began to wear on me.

I was then asked by my family’s 4 ^th generation pet food company to develop their emerging e-commerce and marketing departments.

For the next 7 years I helped build out and implement the strategy and procedures to:

Ship DTC nationwide (including frozen products),
Refresh and update the branding and website, and
Launch various social media platforms for the company.

Recognizing the need to expand my knowledge within the e-commerce universe, I chose to leave the family business and join the wide world of Amazon and similar 3P platforms, and that’s how I was fortunate to land at Brand Focus Digital.

Fun Fact

In 2020, I adopted Dallas, a 2-year-old rescue Labradoodle from Texas, and it was the best decision of my life.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

Brand Focus Digital works tirelessly and diligently with the makers of (and not limited to):

Food products
Pet related merchandise
Health and Beauty products
Outdoor gear

Brand Focus Digital Continues as a Trusted Beachheads Advisor

Fri, 26 Jan 2024 17:57:48 GMT

As 2024 continues to unfold, Brand Focus Digital is excited to announce that we are continuing to serve as a Beachheads advisor. Beachheads advisors are a network of private sector experts who offer perspective and insights to help customers shape the direction of their business in exports and local knowledge. More specifically, Brand Focus Digital helps New Zealand based vendors develop solutions for selling their products online in the United States and Canada, mainly on Amazon but also on Walmart.com. Brand Focus Digital has served as a Beachheads advisor since March of 2021.

About Beachheads and Beachheads Advisors

Beachheads connects participating New Zealand companies to a network of private sector advisors in New Zealand and around the world who can act as mentors and provide insights into the realities of growing internationally successful businesses.

Beachheads advisors based in North America support New Zealand based vendors strategize for North America and provide advice and insight to help them grow in the market.

Beachheads advisors have experience in the following areas:

The global mindset – is your business prepared?
Customer acquisition and retention – how do we acquire revenue?
Market feasibility – is this the right market?
Market implementation – how do we deploy?
Operations – how do we deliver?
Finding resources – how do I find the right team?
Government and regulatory – what are the rules?

A Win-Win for Both Sides

The Beachheads advisor role has proven to be a win-win opportunity for both Brand Focus Digital and the New Zealand vendors we work with. In terms of the vendors, the following are all true:

The vendors gain the benefit of our online experience,
We answer all of their questions,
We help the vendors sell their products in North America, and
Our advice and suggestions help the vendors avoid any pitfalls that other companies have experienced.

For Brand Focus Digital, the advisor role allows us to be able to network in a part of the world that we would otherwise not be exposed to. Further, and perhaps most importantly, the relationships we build with the vendors, and the success we help them achieve, provides for an invaluable sense of pride and accomplishment.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

Brand Focus Digital works tirelessly and diligently with the makers of (and not limited to):

Food products
Pet related merchandise
Health and Beauty products
Outdoor gear

* Main image at top by tirachard on Freepik

Happy New Year with…a Merger!?

Mon, 08 Jan 2024 22:48:37 GMT

Image by rawpixel.com on Freepik

Brand Focus Digital would like to wish everyone a very happy, safe, and prosperous 2024. We are proud to announce that we will continue working hard for all our clients in the new year and we will strive to surpass your every expectation. We are also excited to announce that Brand Focus Digital recently merged with the esteemed company of Lift Sales & Marketing. One aim of the merger is to provide even more valuable services and eCommerce solutions in 2024 and the foreseeable future.

Introducing Lift Sales & Marketing

Like Brand Focus Digital, Lift Sales & Marketing is a business that helps manufacturers utilize eCommerce platforms to drive brand awareness and increase sales through the use of diversified strategic plans and eCommerce tools. The company has been able to assist a broad base of clients achieve a robust online retail presence leading to stronger revenue and sustainable year-over-year growth.

Colleen Caso has owned Lift Sales & Marketing for over the past nine years. She worked together with Clint George, the CEO of Brand Focus Digital, while at Amazon for multiple years. The two individuals share a keen insight into Amazon operations and eCommerce success.

Colleen has over 15 years of retail experience with such brick-and-mortar giants as Nordstrom, Macey’s, Zulily, and Amazon. She created Lift Sales & Marketing to provide manufacturers with effective eCommerce solutions.

When asked about the merger with Brand Focus Digital, Colleen eagerly commented as follows:

“Merging with Brand Focus Digital will enable more idea sharing for best performance recommendations, resources to support brands more efficiently, and a larger team to assist with all aspects of eCommerce needs.”

Goals Behind the Merger

Many have asked us why we pursued acquiring Lift Sales & Marketing. The answers are simple. Our purpose behind the merger is to:

Invest our resources, expand our capabilities , and add value for all of our clients.
Cultivate and expand the company's Amazon & e-Commerce expertise.
Allow Brand Focus Digital to embark on new spaces & platforms to market (i.e. Tik Tok, Target, Home Depot, etc.).
Capitalize on idea sharing for best performance recommendations, resources to support brands more efficiently, and a larger team to support all aspects of e-commerce needs.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

Brand Focus Digital works tirelessly and diligently with the makers of (and not limited to):

Food products
Pet related merchandise
Health and Beauty products
Outdoor gear

Brand Focus Digital Merges with Lift Sales & Marketing!

Fri, 22 Dec 2023 18:26:19 GMT

Image by rawpixel.com on Freepik

It is a sincere pleasure and distinct honor for us to announce that we have officially merged with the esteemed company of Lift Sales & Marketing. The merger is a win-win for both businesses. Happy holidays? This transaction checks off all of our “Wishlist” boxes and we know it will deliver the same magic for you in the coming years!

Introducing Lift Sales & Marketing

When asked about the acquisition with Brand Focus Digital, Colleen eagerly commented as follows:

Goals Behind the Merger

Many have asked us why we pursued merging with Lift Sales & Marketing. The answers are simple. Our purpose behind this is to:

Invest our resources, expand our capabilities , and add value for all of our clients.
Cultivate and expand the company's Amazon & e-Commerce expertise.
Allow Brand Focus Digital to embark on new spaces & platforms to market (i.e. Target, Home Depot, Instacart, etc.).
Capitalize on idea sharing for best performance recommendations, resources to support brands more efficiently, and a larger team to support all aspects of e-commerce needs.

Please note that as of January 1, 2024, Lift Sales & Marketing's doors will close. All business will then be operated under Brand Focus Digital.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

Brand Focus Digital works tirelessly and diligently with the makers of (and not limited to):

Food products
Pet related merchandise
Health and Beauty products
Outdoor gear

How Ambaum Grew up in the Shopify Ecosystem

Wed, 25 Oct 2023 17:37:12 GMT

Brand Focus Digital is excited to announce that we are now partnering with Ambaum, a company that works exclusively with clients to help them sell products on Shopify. We at Brand Focus Digital highly recommend Ambaum for all of your Shopify needs. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us with any questions.

A Message From Chad Fisher, Ambaum’s CEO and Founder

Chad was kind enough to provide us with the following message….

"I am always on the lookout for conferences where I can meet up and coming brands. I was talking to my good friend Jeff Heiberg at Consumer Connections and he enjoys the Expo East natural foods show for his recruiting agency. I decided that 2023 was the year to attend and while I was there I met Clint, the owner of this very site you're reading my post on. Clint and I connected because we realized that the merchants we both serve are often looking for help beyond what our respective agencies can provide. One of the challenges our brands face is how to sell on Amazon. Ambaum doesn't help manage marketing programs so we are always on the lookout for other agencies that can deliver tangentially related services.

Shopify has grown up a lot in the ten years that I have been involved in their ecosystem. I first joined the Shopify Experts program with my agency (BTown Web at the time) and we enjoyed doing development work that helped people sell products through their Shopify stores. Shopify Plus (Enterprise version of the software) hadn't yet launched so the platform mainly attracted smaller growing DTC businesses.

Seven years ago we applied to the Shopify Plus Partner program and got accepted. This changed the trajectory of Ambaum (our new Agency name) and brought us upmarket serving merchants primarily in the $1M to $20M space. Shopify Plus comes with a whole host of additional features over the core platform: lower transaction rate, Shopify Flow, B2B selling, increased API access and a ton more features.

The SMBs we serve face many challenges. Founders are struggling with hiring, firing, new products, fulfillment, accounting, marketing, omni channel selling and so much more. When Ambaum comes on board with a merchant we act not only as a development agency for Shopify stores, but also as a fractional CTO. It's rewarding to help our clients out with strategy on which Shopify apps to choose, when to build vs buy and most importantly be willing to tell our merchants no if they ask for something we don't think serves their best interests.

Shopify has gone through growing pains since early in 2020. Shopify was overwhelmed at the beginning of the pandemic as ecommerce volume exploded and they struggled to keep up with all the order volume. Tobi Lutke the Shopify CEO knew that the core platform had to be upgraded and he decided to launch Shopify Editions to energize Shopify's product release schedule. Tobi was inspired by the apparel industry and their Fall and Summer releases. He took that concept and created a six month cadence for new product features. All of a sudden the pace of development on the core Shopify platform went up dramatically and there is now an expectation for future releases, I absolutely love it!

It has been a wild ride on Shopify and while there have been plenty of ups and downs I wouldn't trade the experience for the world. It's a great feeling to help small businesses sell products and expand their online presence with Ambaum's help. The future for Shopify is bright and Ambaum is proud to play their part as a trusted partner."

Chad Fisher

CEO/Founder

chad@ambaum.com 206.419.5107

| Ambaum

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

Brand Focus Digital works tirelessly and diligently with the makers of (and not limited to):

Food products
Pet related merchandise
Health and Beauty products
Outdoor gear

Amazon Now Offering AI-Generated Product Descriptions

Wed, 11 Oct 2023 19:07:09 GMT

Amazon is in the midst of launching a new generative AI tool that you will be able to use to write your product descriptions. The new feature is called Generate Listing Content. It’s free and built directly into Seller Central. The reports we’re hearing say that the tool is easy to use and effective.

How Does It Work?

In the Generate Listing Content tool, sellers type in a brief description of their product. For example, you could enter “collapsible dog water bowl for hiking.”

Amazon’s generative AI tool will then suggest a title, product description, and key bullet points. Sellers can then edit them if necessary and move onto publishing their listing.

Note that AI-generated product descriptions are not necessarily new. Certain brands have been using AI tools for years to help sellers with their product descriptions. But what’s new is just how accessible these tools are about to become. Now, every Amazon seller will have access to generative AI for help in selling their products. Currently this tool is not available within every seller account per Amazon and what we are seeing. If you do not see it right away, it will become available in the near future.

Brand Focus Digital’s Take

We find that there are pros and cons to Generate Listing Content. The new tool can serve as a major benefit for sellers that offer a lot of products on Amazon. With a generative AI tool, these sellers don’t have to take the time to write new descriptions for the hundreds of products in their catalog.

Further, even if you aren’t offering several products on Amazon, the new tool can possibly help provide inspiration for new more engaging descriptions.

A con to the new offering is that it could result in uniformity in product listings. Amazon has created a crowded marketplace where the key to making sales is for sellers to make their products stand out. A heavy emphasis on AI-generated content may make it harder for sellers to truly differentiate their products from others available.

But please keep in mind that you don’t have to use the new tool. It’s completely optional. If you’re already happy with your product descriptions, you can ignore Generate Listing Content and publish your listing as is.

Are there other new features on Amazon? Yes. Click here to learn about five ways that Amazon is now helping consumers search and shop for products.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

Brand Focus Digital works tirelessly and diligently with the makers of (and not limited to):

Food products
Pet related merchandise
Health and Beauty products
Outdoor gear

Amazon Gets Slapped with Antitrust Lawsuit

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 16:22:08 GMT

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the attorney generals of 17 states recently filed an antitrust lawsuit against Amazon. The suit essentially charges the company with using business practices that abuse third party sellers and force them to pay high fees for services that results in higher prices for consumers. We have provided some additional information about the lawsuit below.

Pricing Policy That Hurts Online Shoppers

A main assertion in the lawsuit concerns Amazon’s pricing policy regarding outside sellers. The policy in question requires outside sellers to keep prices they charge for their goods the same or higher on rival websites. The FTC alleges that the policy hurts online shoppers by raising prices across the internet.

First-Party Anti-Discounting Algorithm

According to the FTC, Amazon used a first-party anti-discounting algorithm in 2017 to crush a competitor’s attempt to compete on price. While the suit doesn’t directly mention Walmart, keep in mind that Walmart launched a program in 2016 that offered online shoppers discounts of 3-5% to pick up their orders from stores as opposed to the company shipping them out.

The FTC alleges in the suit that Amazon concluded that its first-party anti-discounting strategy ultimately helped induce [Walmart] to stop competing on price through its discount program.

Commissions and Fees Reducing Sellers’ Profits

The suit alleges that Amazon’s commissions and fulfillment fees are taking a hefty cut from the revenues of outside sellers. Amazon took approximately 50% of outside sellers’ revenue through fees in 2022. This is up from about 35% in 2106.

Brand Focus Digital’s Take

The FTC’s lawsuit is definitely major news, and we will monitor the case as it advances and report back with updates. We’re definitely not attorneys at Brand Focus Digital, but it seems that the outcome of this case will depend on how the law and the court interpret acceptable and fair competition.

In addition, it doesn’t seem likely that the lawsuit will slow Amazon down to a large degree. The suit also seems a bit misguided since the people bringing this case to the FTC don't fully understand Amazon. Both points are more fully expressed in a Forbes article authored by Kiri Masters.

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Brand Focus Digital works tirelessly and diligently with the makers of (and not limited to):

Food products
Pet related merchandise
Health and Beauty products
Outdoor gear

5 Ways Amazon Is Helping You Search and Shop for Products

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 16:59:51 GMT

Amazon often prides itself on going above and beyond to make it easy for you to find products online. As Amazon’s online selection keeps growing, the company continues to launch improvements to make sure your product discovery experiences are successful. Below are just a few recent improvements Amazon has adopted to optimize your product search experience.

1.Search With Both Images and Text

Amazon customers often go online looking for a product that they don’t know the name of. To navigate this situation, the company provides you with the option to click on a camera icon in the search bar and snap a picture of your desired product. Amazon’s visual search algorithms then find the best possible matches across its vast selection.

While this is fantastic on its own, Amazon now lets you add text to your visual search queries. When performing a visual search, you will now see a search bar that captures a thumbnail of your image and asks for any text that may help you narrow your search.

2.Visualize Products In Your Own Space

When making an online purchase, you often wonder how a product will look in the space that you want it to fill. Wonder no more. Amazon now offers its customers a “ View in Your Room ” feature where you can see exactly how a product will look in your personal space or home. You can now see how products fit and look in your home before you bring them home.

3.Find Products Using Sales Trend Information

Amazon recently started showing sales trend data (for example, “10,000 bought in past month”) in search results and on product detail pages to provide more information about the products you are searching for. A result? You gain a sense of a product’s recent popularity.

4.Search on Mobile With a Share Feature

You often see products on a mobile device when checking email or browsing social media and then are eager to search for them on Amazon. The “Find-on-Amazon” feature now lets you make this happen. If you see a product that you like online, you just tap a “Share” button, choose the Amazon Shopping app, and click “Find products on Amazon.” You will then be taken to the Amazon shopping app where you can see similar products to the one you saw.

5.Reorder Previous Purchases With Ease

Amazon now makes it easier for you to reorder previously purchased items. Once the company recognizes that you are searching for an item you purchased in the past, it will present the item at the top of your search results with the date of your last purchase. Need to reorder printer ink again? You can now do it easier and faster.

Brand Focus Digital’s Take

In the past, and true today, Amazon takes advantage of modern technology and technological advancements to deliver an amazing customer experience. What happens when customers are given the tools to purchase items easier and with more confidence? Sales increase and profits soar. Please contact us today and let us help you realize how you can use Amazon’s new features to maximize your online profits.

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Brand Focus Digital works tirelessly and diligently with the makers of (and not limited to):

Food products
Pet related merchandise
Health and Beauty products
Outdoor gear

Amazon Watch: A Few Changes Ahead

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 17:01:35 GMT

Amazon recently announced a few new changes/developments that will impact the eCommerce world. It looks like the company has turned its attention to Sponsored Brands, ads for third-party sites, a new fee for some sellers, and a partnership with Shopify. How will these impact your operations? Let’s fill you in!

Amazon Stream for Sponsored Brand

Sponsored Brand datasets are now available globally in Amazon Marketing Stream and are supported by the Ads API. A result? All products are now integrated. This includes Sponsored Brands, Products, and Display. This integration means you can reduce the time you spend on campaign monitoring, optimization, and budget allocation.

Ads Extended to Third-Party Sites

Certain third-party sites will now start to show Amazon Sponsored Product advertisements. Examples of these sites include Pinterest, Buzzfeed, and Mashable. Advertisements will automatically appear on these sites when they think a customer is likely to be interested in a product based on:

Relevant page context,
The particular campaign, and
Cost-per-click parameters that sellers establish.

New Fee for Some Sellers

Amazon will now be charging some sellers 2% to ship their products. This fee will apply to those sellers who opt into Amazon’s new “ seller fulfilled prime ,” which will roll out on October 1 ^st .

Amazon Partners with Shopify

Amazon will soon develop a Buy With Prime App for the Shopify App Store and Shopify merchants will be able to offer Buy With Prime directly within their Shopify Checkout. According to Harley Finkelstein, President of Shopify, “this new app will make it easier for our merchants who also partner with Amazon to offer Buy With Prime to their customers on their Shopify-powered site. More choice means more opportunities to succeed as an entrepreneur; and that’s what we are powering here at Shopify.”

Brand Focus Digital’s Take

Amazon has recently introduced many new programs and developments that can help you grow your sales. It is always a good thing to be an "early adopter" on Amazon as costs typically are less and there is less competition from other manufacturers. This translates into higher sales for you. Let Brand Focus Digital help you win in these areas!

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

Brand Focus Digital works tirelessly and diligently with the makers of (and not limited to):

Food products
Pet related merchandise
Health and Beauty products
Outdoor gear

5 Things About Amazon That You Probably Don’t Know

Fri, 11 Aug 2023 17:22:57 GMT

Scott Moses recently authored an article for Informa in which he set forth five things about Amazon that most people don’t know. The information was quite interesting. Just when you thought you knew someone!

And the 5 Things Are?

Do you think you know everything about the world’s largest online retailer? Well, let’s take a test. Do you know the following:

Amazon is the fifth largest grocer in the U.S (soon to be fourth). The company owns over 600 Whole Foods, Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go grocery stores.
Amazon is the leading online grocer with $65 billion in estimated grocery sales. It has enjoyed a 2,000% increase in U.S. Grocery sales growth over the last 20 years.
There are over 200 million Amazon Prime members. Note that a $139/year Prime subscription fee generates $28 billion in cash every year.
The company has an AA credit rating. One result? Amazon has nearly unlimited capacity for investment to acquire and retain customers. It has 400+ FCS and1,000+ hubs and sorting facilities.
Amazon enjoys a $1.4 trillion market value. The company is valued more than all U.S. grocers, combined. Note that this valuation is up greater than 50% year to date.

How did you grade?

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Brand Focus Digital works tirelessly and diligently with the makers of (and not limited to):

Food products
Pet related merchandise
Health and Beauty products
Outdoor gear

Unlock Hidden Amazon Profitability Today

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 16:05:38 GMT

eCommerce vendors face a host of accounting reconciliation challenges when selling their products on Amazon. We get this, and this is why Brand Focus Digital is excited to announce that we stand ready to help you overcome these challenges with our Amazon focused deductions recovery solutions. Our service is offered through a leading partner software company that uses AI technology to go after hidden Vendor Central charges you didn't even know were being deducted from your Amazon remittances. And the best part of all of this? You don’t pay a dime until we recover funds on your behalf!

Amazon Deductions Recovery Solutions that Deliver!

The accounting and reconciliation processes associated with selling goods on Amazon can grow complex, to say the least. We understand this and that is why we are now offering clients real solutions for undertaking Amazon’s rules and systems. We can help with such things as:

Vendor Central shortages,
Overbillings, and/or
Deductions.

How much does this all cost? Not a single cent is charged until money is recovered. At that point, we simply charge 30% of the funds that we recover.

Consider a case study of a current client to gain a better idea of our recovery success. Our client sells an average of $25,000 per month on Amazon. This company recruited us to assist in recovering lost money from shortage claims and overbillings. The results are eye-opening! We ended up recovering $126,000 on the company’s behalf. The company realized hidden profits of $88,000 after paying us 30% of the recovered funds.

Please note that the software we utilize can go back two years (in some cases, five) to recover lost funds.! Additionally, we have deduction recovery solutions if you’re solely working in Seller Central.

There is no effort on your side with regards to our recovery solutions. We only ask that you sign an NDA. Our entire recovery process usually takes about six weeks to complete. This means you’ll realize financial gains in under two months.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

Brand Focus Digital works tirelessly and diligently with the makers of (and not limited to):

Food products
Pet related merchandise
Health and Beauty products
Outdoor gear

Interested in Amazon PPC? We’ve Got You Covered!

Mon, 22 May 2023 18:50:19 GMT

Amazon Pay-per-Click (PPC) advertising is a powerful tool that merchants should utilize for more profitable online sales. With PPC advertising capabilities for a multitude of platforms, Brand Focus Digital is here to help! We’re a full-service eCommerce agency with proven success of triple-digit sales & ROI increases on Amazon, Walmart, Instacart and more!

What is Amazon PPC?

Amazon PPC advertising is part of Amazon’s internal advertising system. Through Amazon PPC, brands, agencies, and third-party sellers can target specific keywords to create advertisements for their products, which appear in Amazon’s search results and competitor product listings. That way, sellers can present Amazon customers who are ready to make a purchase with relevant products at the point of sale — and then measure their ads’ performance to identify which specific ads are driving conversions. It’s a highly effective marketing technique that three out of four Amazon sellers of all types and sizes use.

How Can Brand Focus Digital Help?

It’s relatively straight forward actually. Our software partner has PPC advertising capabilities for the following platforms:

Instacart advertising
Target.com
Shipt
CVC
Staples
Macy’s
Meijer
Fresh Direct
Ulta Beauty
Walgreen’s
Costco
Costco Business Delivery-US
Sam’s Club
Lowe’s US
BJ’s Wholesale
Best Buy
Michael’s
Nordstrom

Please know that the founder and current CEO of Brand Focus Digital, Clint George, is a former Vendor Manager at Amazon. Clint held this title for over five years, and according to Authority Magazine, this experience:

“allows [him and Brand Focus Digital] to provide clients with a unique value proposition, which is centered around finding success on the largest eCommerce platform, Amazon. Brand Focus Digital knows the ins and outs of Amazon and what makes a successful online retailer on the platform and can share these insights with clients. Additionally, they have a vast knowledge base of Walmart as well, another eCommerce giant.”

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

B rand Focus Digital helps manufacturers sell their products easier and more efficiently on Amazon and other online retailers - in North America and across the globe. We work tirelessly and diligently with the makers of (and not limited to):

Food products
Pet related merchandise
Health and Beauty products
Outdoor gear

Amazon Solutions to Help You Save Money and Build Your Business

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 17:15:01 GMT

At Brand Focus Digital, one of our missions is to help manufacturers sell their products easier and more efficiently on Amazon – in North America and across the globe. Based in the Seattle area, with prior Amazon employees as team members, we are quite familiar with everything Amazon . This means we can effectively take the guess work out of your Amazon operations while maximizing your sales along the way. We would like to take a moment to discuss two Amazon solutions that will most definitely benefit your business.

Accounting Solutions and Buy with Prime

Brand Focus Digital has solutions for Amazon’s complex accounting rules and systems. We can help with such things as:

Vendor Central shortages,
Overbillings, and/or
Deductions.

The software we utilize can even go back two years! Additionally, we have deduction recovery solutions if you’re solely working in Seller Central.

In either case, we don’t charge you a penny until we recover lost money on your behalf. It’s a win-win! And we are ready to help recover lost money that you didn’t know Amazon was taking from you!

Brand Focus Digital can also add Buy with Prime to your website. The addition will help grow your ecommerce business by offering:

Fast, free delivery, and
A checkout experience Prime members know and trust.

Our company is an Amazon Buy with Prime Partner and can help connect you with the Amazon team or help to onboard Buy with Prime to your own website.

Verified Partner Status

Please also note that we have achieved verified partner status from Amazon Ads. What does this mean for you? Our team has unique knowledge of Amazon advertising resources and can help you strategically improve your Amazon marketing plans. Our dedicated content specialists can also maximize your organic ranking and SEO with the creation of A+ detail pages and brand stores to showcase your products and drive sales.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

Brand Focus Digital works tirelessly and diligently with the makers of (and not limited to):

Food products
Pet related merchandise
Health and Beauty products
Outdoor gear

Is Amazon Really Shrinking? How to Interpret the Company’s Recent Layoffs?

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 18:40:39 GMT

The Washington Post recently published an interesting article entitled, “ Amazon grew relentlessly. Now it’s getting lean .” The article’s subheading reads, “After two decades of expansion, the company known for doing it all is trying to find focus.” Do recent Amazon changes and layoffs really mean a smaller company with a loss of vision?

What the Post Says

The Washington Post article does a nice job of outlining Amazon’s growth and recent moves towards leaner operations (if that’s what they truly are). The article highlights that, just five years ago, Amazon “was in rapid expansion and experimental mode, building its delivery network to get packages to people in two days or less, reshaping the internet with its cloud services business and reinventing grocery in part through its acquisition of Whole Foods.”

But the article goes on to point out that “cracks” in Amazon’s growth started to appear last summer. In particular, the “cracks” started when the company “announced that it had over hired and overextended its logistics operation during the coronavirus pandemic and would be reducing head count and slowing growth.”

Since that announcement, Amazon is now “closing offices, cutting business lines and laying off 27,000 corporate workers, including those in core areas like cloud computing and advertising.” According to the Post, all of these are signs that “the era of uninhibited growth at the company famous for doing it all is at an end.”

The Post also points out how Amazon is changing its strategies and tactics, and flirting with changes in its core values. These changes and diminished growth, as the article suggests, might mean a lack of company focus.

Brand Focus Digital’s Take

We think it’s important to first note that despite layoffs and closures, Amazon still remains as a huge company. Amazon doesn’t really appear to be shrinking per se, but we think it’s more that the company is scaling back to where it was at pre-Pandemic. Currently, Amazon is the second largest private employer in the U.S.

But we also have to realize that things with Amazon have changed. Here, we can look to a statement from current CEO Andy Jassy as evidence: “the overriding tenet of our annual planning this year was to be leaner.”

A question, though, is whether leaner means a movement away from the concept that the customer comes first. We do feel that the overall customer experience with Amazon might be waning in overall quality. This might just mean a lack in balance, however, and not a serious loss of focus.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

Food products
Pet related merchandise
Health and Beauty products
Outdoor gear

Brand Focus Digital Returns to Expo West!

Mon, 27 Feb 2023 22:43:05 GMT

Brand Focus Digital is excited to announce that it will once again attend the Natural Products Expo West. The event is scheduled to run from March 8 ^th to March 11 ^th at the Anaheim Convention Center. Book your appointment today!

What is Expo West?

Natural Products Expo West is the largest natural, organic, and healthy products event in the United States. The event is produced by New Hope Network. It brings together innovative products that emphasize:

Sustainability,
Lifestyle,
Nutrition and health,
Transparency, and
Convenience.

Record numbers of attendees converge upon the annual event to discover the product trends that will rule in the upcoming years. Learn more here .

Some of the main events at this year’s show include:

Fresh Ideas Organic Marketplace,
Natural Products Expo West Pitch Slam,
Evenings on the Plaza, and
The Organic Center's Annual Science Benefit

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

Food products
Pet related merchandise
Health and Beauty products
Outdoor gear

11 Consumer Trends to Watch in 2023

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 20:00:55 GMT

As recently reported by Shopify , small to medium sized businesses should be on the lookout for 11 important trends as we head into 2023. These trends are generally in reaction to the rising inflation rates that we witnessed throughout much of 2022. Granted, inflation is to slow this year, but businesses will still have to address shifting consumer demands and loyalty in the aftermath of rising costs.

On to the Trends

According to Shopify, the 11 consumer trends that businesses should watch for in 2023 are:

Buyers impacted by inflation are seeking deals
Social ads are still a big driver of purchase decisions
Brand loyalty is waning
Brand collaborations cut acquisition costs
Social commerce and discovery hold strong on TikTok
Customers demand low friction returns
Brands look to omnichannel experiences to reach more customers
Building relationships starts local
Supply chain issues persist, despite customer expectation
Personalization is in demand
Buy now, pay later options popular with younger shoppers

Brand Focus Digital’s Take

There are a few trends in particular that we find worthy of more focus than the others. These are:

Buyers impacted by inflation are seeking deals: Consumers are now interested in saving money, and to help in that endeavor, they are on the lookout for deals.

In response, businesses should offer discounts or other financial incentives to attract consumers, and they can also try bundling

products, adding subscription options, and even offering gift cards.

Social ads still big driver of purchase decisions: Research shows that social ads are still a top driver of a consumer’s purchasing decisions across the U.S.

In response, companies should look to see where their ad dollars will be best spent. Look for platforms that cater to the majority of

your audience or those where you have found success in the future.

Brands look to omnichannel experiences to reach more customers: The key takeaway here is that direct-to-consumer (DTC) ecommerce brands are seeking new ways to reach their clients. Exploring new avenues to reach customers will be a major focus in 2023.

Supply chain issues persist: As a result, companies should hold more inventory, find additional vendors and suppliers, and shrink return rates.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

Food products
Pet related merchandise
Health and Beauty products
Outdoor gear

Companies Make Bank on Increased Food Prices, at Shoppers Expense

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 17:10:03 GMT

We’ve recently reported on how food inflation continues to plague the U.S. But a recent New York Times article suggests that some companies continue to increase prices even though their own inflation driven-driven costs have been covered. A result is that the companies are heading to the bank to the chagrin of struggling customers.

How Will Shoppers Respond?

Food companies and restaurants have been raising prices over the course of the past few years. They have done so in the amidst of wage increases and the growing costs of raw ingredients. The companies were essentially passing along expenses to customers.

But according to the Times article:

“[A]mid growing concerns that the economy could be headed for a recession, some food companies and restaurants are continuing to raise prices even if their own inflation-driven costs have been covered. Critics say the moves are all about increasing profits, not covering expenses. Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Chipotle did not respond to requests for comment.”

The article goes on to state that there are plenty of shoppers, including those with lower incomes and retirees, that have changed their shopping routines. But the article goes on to say that a company like Coca-Cola recently remarked that “customers continue to buy the company’s products despite economic challenges.” Further, the Times piece did not provide any concrete data that shows consumers are refusing to buy certain products in reaction to soaring prices.

Brand Focus Digital’s Take

It is interesting to learn that some companies are increasing their profit margins with the rising costs of wages and raw materials. We’ve seen an almost opposite scenario with the manufacturers of goods we work with and have spoken to. These businesses have experienced rising costs of fuel, ingredients, labor, and materials for the past several years. But they have not been able to raise their prices during this same period, and they have been losing margin over the past few years.

We should note that experts agree that the real inflation rates are under-reported by the government. Experts state that prices have increased by double digits in most sectors including fuel, wages, and of course food (groceries and restaurants).

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

Food products
Pet related merchandise
Health and Beauty products
Outdoor gear

44% of Consumers to Shop Early for the Holidays

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Mon, 17 Oct 2022 18:57:06 GMT

A recent survey conducted by the National Retail Federation (NRS) found that 44% of consumers are inclined to begin their holiday shopping now rather than later. The survey results were reported by Axios . Note that E-commerce companies have already begun to cater to early shoppers.

Consumers to Engage in Early Shopping

According to Axios, “the traditional holiday shopping season is dead.” Inflation and excess inventory are the two primary reasons why consumers are no longer waiting for Halloween to pass before shopping for the holidays. Axios cites the NRS survey in support of its position.

A second survey is noteworthy here. According to the Beyond Finance’s 2022 Holiday Financial Stress Survey, 68% of consumers anticipate holiday spending to increase their stress levels this year. These consumers will likely begin their shopping early to reduce anxiety and take advantage of pre-holiday sales.

Brand Focus Digital’s Take

It’s easy to understand the Axios report and the NRS survey. It’s also easy to understand that the actions by several E-commerce companies are fueling the fire for consumers to start their holiday shopping early. Consider, for example, Amazon’s second Prime Day promotion (taking place October 11 and 12). A survey from Klaviyo found that 78% of consumers were planning to purchase holiday gifts during the Prime sale instead of waiting for Black Friday. Keep in mind too that, in response to Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Best Buy have all started their own competing sales.

Since the outbreak of COVID, shoppers have increasingly turned to shopping online. E-commerce companies are using our concerns over inflation and inventory to help us keep to online shopping – true for both traditional holiday shopping and early holiday shopping. These companies are trying to give us “wins” (in terms of sales and discounts) to help keep us on their side.

If you sell you products on Amazon or another online retailer, you should take advantage of these early shoppers now!

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

Food products
Pet related merchandise
Health and Beauty products
Outdoor gear

Amazon Tests Pinch-Grasping Robots

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Fri, 07 Oct 2022 21:44:52 GMT

Amazon recently released a video of a pinch-grasping robot to be used for e-commerce purposes. The video comes just three years after Jeff Bezos predicted that, within a decade, robotic systems will be advanced enough so that robots will be able to grasp items with the dexterity of a human hand. While advances still need to be made, the new video questions whether robots will someday replace Amazon’s human workforce.

Robots vs. Human Help

The story about the new pinch-grasping robots appeared on the Vox website . The story posted on the website also mentions that according to one research study, Amazon could run out of workers to hire in the U.S. by 2024. The article also discusses the reality that the company is seeing increasing calls for unionization in its facilities.

Given union talks and a possible shortage of workers, it’s definitely a possibility that Amazon could turn to robots to replace or support human workers. When discussing its robotic operations, a spokesman from Amazon did not speak directly on the issue. Rather, Director of Robotics AI, Siddhartha Srinivasa, said: “[W]e have an incredible opportunity to help advance the science of robotic manipulation in ways that meaningfully benefit our employees and our customers. Our investments in robotics and technology are helping make jobs in our facilities better, easier, and safer, as well as creating new career opportunities for our people.”

Brand Focus Digital’s Take

It seems that the issue here is not “will” Amazon create a single robot that can handle its products, but “when. Once “when” becomes “now,” then we will finally get the answer as to whether robotic technologies will eliminate the need for human workers. It does seem plausible that Amazon could rely on such technologies if it ultimately does run out of new workers and existing workers unionize. Since we don’t hold a crystal ball, we’re going to have to keep watching updates to see how all of this unravels. We’ll keep you posted.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

Food products
Pet related merchandise
Health and Beauty products
Outdoor gear

Food Inflation Continues to Plague Americans

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Fri, 16 Sep 2022 21:55:46 GMT

According to recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. food costs spiked 11.4% over the past year, accounting for the largest annual increase since May 1979. A recent CNN article also reported on the issue, noting that food prices continue to soar. If you think your grocery bill is likely to go down in the near future, think again.

What the Numbers Say

You are probably aware by now that the food items at your local grocery store have been on the rise for months. As stated above, food costs have risen by 11.4% compared to what they were just one year ago. The numbers below show the increase in price (over the past year) for popular food items.

Eggs - 39.8%
Flour - 23.3%
Milk - 17%
Bread - 16.2%
Chicken - 16.6%
Meat - 6.7%
Pork - 6.8%
Fruits and Vegetables - 9.4%

Reasons for the Inflation

According to CNN, there are three main reasons for the increase in food prices. These are:

Global events, like the war in Ukraine (which affects the cost of wheat and other commodities),
Natural disasters, like crop-killing droughts and diseases such as avian flu (which has constrained the supply of eggs and turkeys), and
Time for changes, like decreases in ingredient prices, to trickle down to consumers.

Brand Focus Digital’s Take

We have been watching the rise in food prices for a few months now and it’s unfortunate. A concern is the reality that the demand for food is not really that flexible. Unlike gas where people can drive less or opt for public transportation, people have to eat. Granted, you can try to change your diet and have it include cheaper food items, but we all still need to consume basic things like fruits, vegetables, bread, eggs, and meat and poultry.

But as the table above depicts, the price of all these items has increased significantly. An unfortunate result is that we’re kind of forced to just deal with the inflation and wait it out. Note, though, that you can try to shop on Amazon and Walmart.com to help lower your food bill as certain items tend to be cheaper on both of these platforms. And, if you are food manufacturer, Brand Focus Digital can help!

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

Food products
Pet related merchandise
Health and Beauty products
Outdoor gear

Brand Focus Digital to Maximize Your ROI With Amazon’s New Marketing Stream (beta)

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Fri, 08 Jul 2022 18:20:49 GMT

Amazon recently launched Amazon Marketing Stream (beta). The messaging service essentially allows you to access near real-time Amazon Ads metrics. Brand Focus Digital is excited to announce that is uniquely positioned to maximize your ROI with Amazon’s newest service.

What is Amazon Marketing Stream (beta)?

According to its website, Amazon’s new Marketing Stream (beta) is:

“a push-based messaging service that you can use to get access to near real-time Amazon Ads metrics, available now in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.”

The website also informs that the Amazon Marketing Stream can help you:

Obtain more detailed reporting to help inform deeper campaign optimizations,
Get near real-time messages for timely alerts and campaign management actions, and
Access a push-based messaging system that eliminates API throttling.

Brand Focus Digital’s Take

We are definitely excited about Amazon’s new service. We are also proud to announce that Brand Focus Digital is uniquely positioned to maximize your ROI with the new Marketing Stream beta test because of our relationship with Intentwise . The latter is a SaaS platform utilized by Brand Focus Digital to maximize your advertising sales and key objectives.

In the near future, Intentwise will launch integration with Amazon Marketing Stream which Amazon does not plan to release to the general public until next year. For you, our client, this means our team can optimize campaigns at an hourly level, allocating your budget spend to the highest converting times of day.

New capabilities on the roadmap include the ability to optimize not only on keywords, but on keywords by placement - thus tailoring bids to the space and time of day most relevant to your customer base. This will allow Brand Focus Digital to reduce your ad spend while increasing conversion.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

Food products
Pet related merchandise
Health and Beauty products
Outdoor gear

Amazon Opens a…Clothing Store!?

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Tue, 07 Jun 2022 23:16:14 GMT

Yes. As reported by USA Today , Amazon recently opened its first ever clothing store. Named “Amazon Style,” the store is a two-floor building located in Glendale, California. Glendale is about 10 miles north of Los Angeles.

Clothes and Technology Unite

You can find Amazon Style at the crossroads of fashion and technological advancement. Like many clothing stores, it carries plenty of name brands, like Adidas, Theory, and Calvin Klein (the store also offers products from Amazon’s own apparel line). But the actual process of shopping for clothes is not like what you’ll find in most other stores.

For example, consider some of the following features that Amazon Style provides:

Every clothing rack has a barcode. If you see an item that you’re interested in, you scan the barcode with your Amazon shopping app. The scan cues an algorithm to start searching through the store’s warehouse. Once the item is found, it’s zipped to the second-floor dressing rooms.
Once you scan an item, the act puts you into a virtual cue so as to prevent wait times for a fitting room. Your shopping app alerts you once your room is ready.
When you arrive at your room, the clothes you scanned are there waiting for you. Amazon’s algorithms also pick out items that you might be interested in based upon the items you scanned.
To check out, you can scan a QR code to directly charge your Amazon account, use an Amazon one hand scanner, or make a payment using cash or credit card.

Brand Focus Digital’s Take

Amazon Style has definitely taken advantage of recent advancements in technology. The new store appears to provide shoppers with a unique customer “experience” not found in most other clothing stores.

Note that in spring of 2021, Amazon passed Walmart as the top apparel retailer in the U.S. It will be interesting to see if its new bricks-and-mortar clothing store will add to its apparel success. While the store does provide people with a fun and innovative way to shop, we’re not certain whether Amazon Style is scalable in a way that will give Amazon a clothing foot hold in shopping malls and retail space throughout the U.S.

This is a fun story that we’ll continue to monitor and report back with any new events.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

Food products
Pet related merchandise
Health and Beauty products
Outdoor gear

Amazon Set to Expand Prime Benefits with “Buy with Prime”

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Thu, 19 May 2022 23:02:20 GMT

Amazon currently enjoys millions of Prime members that take advantage of so-called “Prime benefits” every day. Some of these benefits include fast, free delivery and a seamless checkout experience. While members can enjoy these benefits while shopping on Amazon.com, Amazon is set to expand them to the online stores of select merchants.

What is Buy with Prime?

Amazon announced its new “Buy with Prime” shopping experience a few weeks ago. Buy with Prime is a new way to expand Prime shopping benefits into merchants’ own online stores.

Participating stores will display the Prime logo on their website and offer the following benefits on certain select products:

Faster delivery times,
A convenient checkout experience using Amazon pay,
The use of Amazon’s fulfillment network to deliver orders, and
The use of Amazon to help provide free returns.

Prime members can look to start shopping from participating merchants when Buy with Prime rolls out later this year.

Brand Focus Digital’s Take

Our first quick take involves the observation that Amazon has invested significantly in delivery and fulfillment capabilities over the past few years. Buy with Prime seems to provide Amazon with one way to monetize that investment.

Another take involves Shopify. There has been a ton of speculation about the steps Amazon is taking to compete with the latter eCommerce company. Buy with Prime would perhaps be the first step in directly competing with direct-to-consumer (DTC) solution providers like Shopify. Potentially, Amazon could drive the adoption of Buy with Prime, and then follow up with DTC shopping site capabilities.

It is exciting to see how this all unfolds. We’ll continue to monitor the story and report back with updates.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

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Amazon Partnering with Mom-and-Pop Stores for Rural Deliveries

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Thu, 12 May 2022 19:38:28 GMT

For almost a year now, Amazon has been working with rural mom and pop shops in an experimental delivery program. The company is currently paying many small stores a per-package fee to deliver Amazon orders within a 10-mile radius of their business. The program is currently taking place in rural areas of Nebraska, Mississippi, and Alabama.

More Details, Please…

Amazon has so far partnered up with a variety of different shops, from florists to diners. Participating stores don’t have to necessarily have any type of prior delivery experience. The pre-requisites for the gig are actually quite simple, and they include:

A pledge to deliver packages seven days a week for about 360 days a year, and
A physical location to receive packages every morning.

The purpose behind the current program is two-fold. The specific aims include to:

Have the local businesses potentially replace the Postal Service for deliveries, and
Improve the delivery speed to rural customers.

Brand Focus Digital’s Take

The program strikes us as an interesting and pretty neat idea. But it seems that the arrangement might benefit Amazon before it does the smaller shops. For example, consider the facts that the mom-and-pop stores are making approximately $1,500 to $2,000 per week to make Amazon deliveries. If the shops deliver 600 to 800 packages per week, they’re making about $2.50 a package.

Granted, this net gain might serve as a good thing to help supplement a person’s income. But time will tell if the rate is high enough to cover the expenses (like gas, vehicle maintenance, time, etc.). Brand Focus Digital will continue to monitor the story and report back with updates.

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Brand Focus Digital Achieves Verified Partner Status from Amazon Ads!

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 22:24:05 GMT

Brand Focus Digital is excited to share that it has achieved verified partner status from Amazon Ads.

Please also note that our business managers hold Advertising Certifications from Amazon!

What does this mean for you?

Our team has unique knowledge of Amazon advertising resources and can help you strategically improve your Amazon marketing plans. Our dedicated content specialists can also maximize your organic ranking and SEO with the creation of A+ detail pages and brand stores to showcase your products and drive sales.

As members of the Advertising Partner Network, our team supports the following Amazon advertising products:

Amazon DSP,
Amazon Live,
Posts,
Sponsored Brands,
Sponsored Display,
Sponsored Products, and
Video Ads

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

Food products
Pet related merchandise
Health and Beauty products
Outdoor gear

Amazon Hitting Third-Party Sellers with a 5% Fuel and Inflation Surcharge

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Tue, 19 Apr 2022 19:03:23 GMT

CNN recently reported that Amazon is set to charge its third-party sellers a 5% “fuel and inflation” surcharge. This charge is in addition to any existing Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) fees. The plan marks the first time Amazon has passed on such a fee to its sellers.

More Details on the Added Fee

Amazon plans to implement the new surcharge on April 28. Once it does, the added cost will come out to $0.24 per unit. The surcharge will place total fees to sellers at $2.52 per unit.

Amazon spokesman Patrick Graham told CNN that the fee surcharge applies only to fee rates paid by sellers that choose to use Amazon’s fulfillment services, which include storing, packing and shipping products. Other sellers that do not use Fulfillment by Amazon will not be impacted. News of the surcharge was first previously reported by Bloomberg News.

Note that both Uber and Lyft added a fuel surcharge for the first time earlier this year. The move produced some push-back from customers who said the rideshare services’ costs have risen too high.

Brand Focus Digital’s Take

The new surcharge doesn’t come as a huge shock. Important questions to consider, though, are whether the new charge is here to stay for the long-term and whether Amazon will increase it and some point in the near future. According to a memo that Amazon submitted to CNN, “In 2022, we expected a return to normalcy as Covid-19 restrictions around the world eased, but fuel and inflation have presented further challenges…It is unclear if these inflationary costs will go up or down, or for how long they will persist.”

Brand Focus Digital will continue to monitor this story to try and find answers to both questions.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

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See What Others Are Saying!

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 23:36:14 GMT

Brand Focus Digital is committed to helping its clients surpass their goals and expectations. We like to see accomplishments and we sincerely enjoy when our clients can experience business results that truly matter. In part to celebrate the past success and solutions of our clients, and to help create a porthole for others to gain an insight into the possibilities that our business can provide, we’re happy to announce a new edition to the Brand Focus Digital website. The added feature is a new Results page where Brand Focus Digital will outline the success stories of some of our most recent clients.

Other eCommerce agencies may speak volumes as to the ways they can help their clients. They may also offer promises in regard to how they can help your company operate more efficiently, more effectively, and in a way that maximizes growth and revenue. Well, statements without a foundation of proof are often just conjectures.

Case studies and testimonials provide examples of how Brand Focus Digital has helped other clients in the past. In short, they help you understand how we can help YOUR particular business, and how we have assisted other companies overcome challenges just like yours. Take a moment to review our new Results page and take a look at what our companies are saying…both via words and through their actions.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

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Pet related merchandise
Health and Beauty products
Outdoor gear

Grocery Becomes Major E-Commerce Category in the U.S.

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 23:04:31 GMT

As recently reported by Supermarket News , grocery has evolved into a “major” online retail category. The Supermarket News article backs its assertion with evidence from the Adobe Digital Economy Index. The Index shows that E-grocery spending neared $79.2 billion for 2021.

Recent Trends in U.S. E-Grocery Spending

According to Adobe, grocery accounted for 8.9% of the $885 billion in U.S. online retail spending for 2021. This figure is up from 6.3% for 2019 and slightly down from 9.1% for 2020. Adobe labels 2020 as a “breakout year” for grocery due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Adobe Digital Economy Index pegs e-grocery spending at $79.2 billion for 2021. This figure is up 7.2% from $73.7 billion in 2020. Consumers currently spend an average of $6.7 billion per month online to buy groceries. This is more than double the $3.1 billion consumers spent before the pandemic.

Adobe expects grocery to surpass $85 billion in online spending for 2022 and become a top E-Commerce category for the foreseeable future.

Per Patrick Brown, vice president of growth marketing and insights at Adobe, “E-commerce is being reshaped by grocery shopping, a category with minimal discounting compared to legacy categories like electronics and apparel… [The trend] highlights a shift in the digital economy, where speed and convenience are becoming just as important as cost savings.”

Brand Focus Digital’s Take

The Adobe data comes out at a time when most people and companies familiar with the E-grocery realm are fully aware of the advance of online grocery sales. Consider, for example, the past articles that we’ve ran on the topic:

Covid spurred the E-grocery sector beginning in 2020 and the retail category has continued to boom. As with Adobe’s expectations, Brand Focus Digital foresees that online grocery sales will continue to increase over the long term.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

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Pet related merchandise
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Outdoor gear

Advertising Certified with Amazon!

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Tue, 15 Mar 2022 20:34:12 GMT

Brand Focus Digital is excited to announce that our business managers hold Advertising Certifications from Amazon! Our company is also a proud member of the Amazon Advertising Partner Network . What does this mean for you?

As members of the Advertising Partner Network, our team supports the following Amazon advertising products:

Amazon DSP,
Amazon Live,
Posts,
Sponsored Brands,
Sponsored Display,
Sponsored Products, and
Video Ads.

We also support international Amazon marketplaces allowing your business to expand globally.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

Brand Focus Digital helps manufacturers sell their products easier and more efficiently on

Amazon and other online retailers - in North America and across the globe. We work tirelessly and diligently with the makers of (and not limited to):

Food products
Pet related merchandise
Health and Beauty products
Outdoor gear

BFD’s talent has decades of experience working at Amazon as well as other online retailers. In partnership, we deliver comprehensive solutions to maximize profits for your brands.

Brand Focus Digital Returns to Expo West!

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Thu, 17 Feb 2022 20:13:46 GMT

Brand Focus Digital is excited to announce that it will once again attend the Natural Products Expo West. The event is scheduled to run from March 9 ^th to March 12 ^th at the Anaheim Convention Center. Book your appointment today!

What is Expo West?

Natural Products Expo West is the largest natural, organic, and healthy products event in the United States. Produced by New Hope Network, the show brings together innovative products that emphasize sustainability, lifestyle, nutrition and health, transparency, and convenience. Record numbers of attendees converge upon the annual event to discover the product trends that will rule in the upcoming years. Learn more here .

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

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eCommerce Hits of the Week: U.S. Online Grocery Sales Surge While Whole Food Delivery Orders Plummet

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Thu, 10 Feb 2022 20:34:03 GMT

There are two pieces of eCommerce news that have people talking this week. The first involves a booming U.S. online grocery industry. The second involves a possible mistake by Amazon in tacking on fees for Whole Food deliveries. Let’s take a look.

Annual Online Grocery Sales Approach $100 Billion

As reported by Supermarket News , the latest Brick Meets Click/Mercatus Grocery Shopping Survey estimates that U.S. online grocery sales reached nearly $98 billion last year. These sales include those across pickup, delivery, and ship-to-home channels. According to the Brick Meets Click report, more than 70% of U.S. Households, or 93 million, received one or more orders during the year.

Whole Foods Customers Vote Against Amazon Delivery Fee

Brand Focus Digital reported back in August of 2021 that Amazon was set to charge its customers $9.95 for every time it delivered them an order from Whole Foods Market. Well, Amazon implemented the delivery fee and the initial results are in…Orders have officially “plummeted,” as reported by the New York Post .

One employee referenced in the Post article states that the number of deliveries per hour at the New York flagship store has dropped to 40 from 185 since the fee was introduced on Oct. 25, 2021.

A Whole Foods spokesman, Brian McGuigan, said those numbers were “grossly inaccurate,” but he wouldn’t give specific information on the number of deliveries per hour or say whether deliveries were affected by the new fee.

Brand Focus Digital’s Take

We’re not surprised by the Brick Meets Click Report. Brand Focus Digital has done much writing over the past year about the rise in U.S. e-grocery sales. For example, see this article from last February. Of course, COVID has helped contribute to this surge in sales, but the pandemic has helped customers treat online grocery shopping as the new norm.

With regards to the decline in Whole Foods deliveries, we said it back in August and we’ll say it again. The fee, and its subsequent disinterest among customers, could serve as an opening for Walmart. Keep in mind that the latter business offers Walmart+ grocery delivery as a free service for all its members. We’ll continue to monitor Amazon’s fee and provide updates where appropriate.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

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Seattle Continues to Provide Grocery Workers with Hazard Pay

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Tue, 01 Feb 2022 00:27:29 GMT

According to the Puget Sound Business Journal , Seattle will continue to provide its large grocery store workers with hazardous duty pay. The pay is an extra $4 per hour. Workers have been collecting this money since January of 2021.

Efforts to End the Pay Get Denied

Seattle witnessed recent efforts to try and throw out the city ordinance that mandates hazard pay. In fact, since the ordinance was adopted, grocery store chains and associations have lobbied the city to do away with it. The parties argue that higher wages would cause store closures and higher prices. The city, though, has agreed to keep the ordinance in place.

Under the ordinance, grocery businesses with at least 500 employees must continue to pay frontline workers an additional $4 an hour. The additional money is intended to:

Compensate grocery employees for the risks of working on the frontlines,
Improve their financial stability, and
Encourage workers to stay safe and continue working.

A statement from Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell’s office says that he will monitor pandemic conditions and, over the next several weeks, determine an appropriate end date for the hazard pay ordinance.

Brand Focus Digital’s Take

We first want to take a moment to thank all front-line workers for their bravery and dedication since the outbreak of the COVID virus. We appreciate everything you do and support you in all your efforts.

We understand the arguments set forth by grocery chains and grocer associations. There is a fear that extra pay may cause store closures and the resulting loss of jobs. This is definitely not a good thing. But on the upside of the issue, it does not appear that the mandate has had this impact. With Seattle’s Mayor assessing the situation, we’re confident that he will take action if the mandate starts to cause closures and disruptions in the work force. We’re also a bit curious to see if other cities will continue to provide grocers with hazard pay.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

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Amazon Ranks as the Most Preferred Retailer in U.S. Grocery Market

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Thu, 13 Jan 2022 20:47:43 GMT

dunnhumby is out with its fifth annual dunnhumby Retailer Preference Index (RPI). The RPI assesses customer preference with regards to U.S grocers. Note that the index examines customer “preference” and not percentages of sales. According to the study, Amazon is the most preferred retailer in the approximately $1 million U.S. grocery market.

RPI Results

dunnhumby’s RPI looked at over 50 grocery retailers. The company assigned each one an overall customer preference index score using certain factors. Some of these include price, quality, operation, convenience, discounts, rewards, and speed.

The top 15 grocers were:

Amazon
H-E-B
Market Basket
Wegman’s
Amazon Fresh
Aldi
Trader Joe’s
Sam’s Club
Costco
Walmart Neighborhood Market
Target
Publix
Walmart
Bj’s Wholesale, and
Fareway.

You can see last year’s results here .

“The pandemic has massively accelerated changes in how customers buy their groceries, and their behaviors are continuing to evolve,” said Grant Steadman, President of North America for dunnhumby. “2021 was the year that grocery retail became truly omni-channel. Retailers who delivered on their customers evolving needs in-store and online performed best.”

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

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Walmart Teams with Payoneer to Provide its Third-Party Sellers with Working Capital Solutions

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Wed, 29 Dec 2021 05:14:26 GMT

PYMNTS.com recently reported that Walmart is partnering with Payoneer to deliver three types of working capital solutions to Walmart.com’s third-party sellers. The solutions are intended to help sellers better grow their businesses. Let’s get you the important details.

What are the Solutions and How Will They Help?

The new capital solutions that Walmart and Payoneer are to provide include:

The one-month Capital Advance Express program,
The three-month Capital Advance Grow program, and
The six-month Capital Advance Plus program.

The various plans are designed to help Walmart sellers expand and diversify their businesses by providing three capital solutions that meet a seller’s specific needs. In particular, the additional cash flow can help a seller:

Prepare for busy seasons,
Expand into different markets, and
Branch out into new categories.

According to Walmart Senior Director, Marketplace Strategic Programs Tomas Ponce De Leon, “Affordable working capital is more important than ever to help our sellers grow their business.” He continued, “Our relationship with Payoneer helps provide sellers access to multiple capital advance programs to meet their business needs.”

Brand Focus Digital’s Take

We see this as a great opportunity for third party sellers. While it might not make or break a seller, it may provide that tipping point that allows a merchant to grow or diversify and move into a new market. We’ll continue to monitor the story and report back with any real-time reactions from sellers as to the costs and benefits of the new solutions.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

Brand Focus Digital helps manufacturers sell their products easier and more efficiently on

Amazon and other online retailers - in North America and across the globe. We work tirelessly and diligently with the makers of (and not limited to):

Food products
Pet related merchandise
Health and Beauty products
Outdoor gear

BFD’s talent has decades of experience working at Amazon as well as other online retailers. In partnership, we deliver comprehensive solutions to maximize profits for your brands.

Amazon Plans to Provide Instacart-Like Grocery Delivery Services

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 21:12:32 GMT

According to The Information , Amazon is working to become a major competitor in the grocery-delivery market. This holds true for both the U.S. and across Europe. To date, Instacart has been the dominant player in the U.S.

Amazon Fresh Marketplace and Beyond

The Information piece reports that Amazon has launched a new business in the U.K., internally referred to as “Amazon Fresh Marketplace.” The business provides services very similar to Instacart. Prime customers can use the Amazon app or visit the Amazon website and order groceries from two main supermarkets. Amazon Flex drivers will then deliver those goods on the same day that a customer places an order.

Amazon’s goal is to expand this ordering and delivery program throughout Europe and into the U.S. by 2022. If successful, the company will emerge as a direct competitor to Instacart. The same holds true for other app-based grocery deliveries like DoorDash and Uber.

Instacart has already taken the stance that, if Amazon becomes competitive, it will take the necessary steps to show consumers that it is the better service-provider. Further, according to The Information, “Instacart has said it sees Amazon as a major threat to the grocers it partners with, because Amazon’s Whole Foods is a direct competitor.”

Brand Focus Digital’s Take

I’m sure many of us are not surprised by Amazon’s current endeavors and future plans. If they pan out, next year could witness a significant shake-up in the grocery delivery market. This is especially true considering that services like DoorDash and Uber’s Uber Eats are trying to perfect their own grocery delivery services. For example, the Information article reports that earlier this year, DoorDash announced a deal to deliver groceries for the Albertsons chain, and Uber recently acquired the grocery-delivery firm Cornershop.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

Brand Focus Digital helps manufacturers sell their products easier and more efficiently on

Amazon and other online retailers - in North America and across the globe. We work tirelessly and diligently with the makers of (and not limited to):

Food products
Pet related merchandise
Health and Beauty products
Outdoor gear

Amazon Projects New Milestone in Deliveries and Updates on the U.S. Supply Chain Front

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Wed, 01 Dec 2021 19:45:04 GMT

Two recent articles caught our attention today. The first, from CNBC , reports that Amazon is projecting to become the largest U.S. package delivery service by 2022. The second, out of USA Today , says that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is ordering major retailers to supply information about supply chain issues. Let’s get you caught up.

Amazon to Deliver More than FedEx, UPS?

According to the CNBC article, Amazon expects to stand at the top of the U.S. package delivery pyramid by early 2022. This means the company would surpass long-time shipping rivals FedEx and UPS.

The article reports that, “The retail giant now oversees thousands of last-mile delivery companies that deliver packages exclusively for Amazon, as well as a budding in-house network of planes, trucks and ships. It has also dotted the country with warehouses and air hubs that can speed along packages.”

Brand Focus Digital translates this news as follows…If you’re not selling on Amazon or using them for delivery, you’re missing the boat. As a company that helps manufacturers sell their products easier and more efficiently on Amazon, contact us today so that you don’t miss the ship.

FTC Asking Retailers for Information on Supply Chain Issues

As reported by USA Today, the FTC has recently acknowledged that current supply chain issues are creating “serious and ongoing hardships for consumers and harming competition in the U.S. economy.” The agency is now asking retailers to provide it with supply chain information in an attempt to help alleviate matters.

Retailers and other large wholesalers and suppliers involved in the recent request include:

Walmart
Amazon
Kroger
Procter & Gamble Co.
Tyson Foods
Kraft Heinz Co.

Once a company receives a request from the FTC, it will have 45 days to issue a response. The FTC expects the responses to: “detail the primary factors disrupting their ability to obtain, transport and distribute their products; the impact these disruptions are having in terms of delayed and canceled orders, increased costs and prices; the products, suppliers and inputs most affected; and the steps the companies are taking to alleviate disruptions; and how they allocate products among their stores when they are in short supply.”

Brand Focus Digital has published several recent articles on the supply chain issues affecting the U.S., including:

DIY Cargo Shipping? , and
Supply Chain Disruptions Continue .

We’re curious to see how retailers react to FTC inquiries and how effectively the agency will use retail information to lessen the grip that today’s supply chain issues have on the nation’s economy. Given the 45-day window of time for responses, this grip will likely continue into the foreseeable future.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

Brand Focus Digital helps manufacturers sell their products easier and more efficiently on

Amazon and other online retailers - in North America and across the globe. We work tirelessly and diligently with the makers of (and not limited to):

Food products
Pet related merchandise
Health and Beauty products
Outdoor gear

Amazon Pressuring its Sellers to Lower Prices?

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Thu, 18 Nov 2021 20:08:12 GMT

According to a recent report by the Seattle Times , Amazon is pushing some of its top sellers to drop their prices to more effectively compete with other retailers. This includes prices for goods sold online and in the company’s brick and mortar stores. The act could present more anti-trust issues between Amazon and Uncle Sam.

What is the Times Reporting?

According to the article: “Since early this year, Amazon has been telling some of the largest third-party sellers on its Marketplace platform they can’t list new products until they match prices offered by Amazon’s retail competitors, like Walmart, Target and Costco, according to copies of emails between seven sellers and Amazon seen by The Seattle Times.”

“The CEO of one seller whose ability to create new listings was suspended earlier this year said he believes Amazon’s pricing policy is anticompetitive, but, fearing retaliation, has not communicated those concerns to Amazon.”

According to the same CEO, “Amazon sellers are more scared of Amazon than the U.S. government.”

Amazon defends its actions by saying that it’s a necessary act to protect its “customer experience.”

Brand Focus Digital’s Take

On its face, the fact that Amazon is working backwards for the consumer to lower prices sounds like a good thing. However, the company does not simultaneously lower its fees to the affected manufacturers. The failure to do so could shorten manufacturer margins and lead to greater anti-trust issues with the U.S. Government. Charging the same Amazon fees to brands could also have the opposite effect of driving future prices back up or lowering consumer product offerings on Amazon. As always, we’ll continue to monitor this story and report back with updates.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

Brand Focus Digital helps manufacturers sell their products easier and more efficiently on

Amazon and other online retailers - in North America and across the globe. We work tirelessly and diligently with the makers of (and not limited to):

Food products
Pet related merchandise
Health and Beauty products
Outdoor gear

DIY Cargo Shipping?

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 23:11:19 GMT

Brand Focus Digital recently reported as to how supply chain disruptions continue to haunt the U.S. Economy. It seems as if things have only gotten worse. How are big retailers responding? Well, sometimes you just have to take matters in your own hands.

Chartering Cargo Ships

According to the Wall Street Journal , the supply chain is officially “broken.” Some of the biggest retailers in the U.S. have responded by chartering their own cargo ships to import goods. Examples of these retailers include:

Walmart
Home Depot
Costco
Target

Some of these retailers are passing along the added import-related costs onto consumers in the form of higher prices.

The retailers are using smaller ships than traditional cargo vessels. The small ships can only hold about 1,000 containers. This is in contrast to 20,000 containers that larger vessels can carry. The smaller ships are about twice as expensive to operate in comparison to their larger counterparts.

The good news is that the retailers can now work around bottlenecks at busy ports like Los Angeles. With smaller ships, they can reroute their goods to other docks like those in Portland and Oakland. As a result, they can take it upon themselves to ensure their goods are available for holiday shoppers.

Brand Focus Digital’s Take

Although expensive, the new tactic could result in a creative solution to a very real problem. A concern, though, is how this new move will impact smaller retailers. As the Journal podcast suggests, small retailers may have to increase their prices because of reduced supply. But consumers then could choose larger merchants for their shopping needs, and smaller operations resultingly suffer a hit in profits. As always, we’ll continue to monitor this situation and report back with updates.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

Brand Focus Digital helps manufacturers sell their products easier and more efficiently on

Amazon and other online retailers - in North America and across the globe. We work tirelessly and diligently with the makers of (and not limited to):

Food products
Pet related merchandise
Health and Beauty products
Outdoor gear

Brand Focus Digital’s CEO Interviewed by Authority Magazine

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 18:19:19 GMT

Clint George is the CEO and co-founder of Brand Focus Digital. We are excited and honored to announce that he was recently interviewed by Authority Magazine. You can find the link to the article here . In the course of the interview, Clint shares his business acumen, and skills and experience with selling goods on Amazon and other online retailers. We have included one Q&A from the interview below. Excellent job Clint!

Question:

Can you share with our readers five, nonintuitive, insider tips, in order to be as successful as possible on Amazon? Please share a story or example for each.

Answer:

Choose or source products that are hard to get and sell them on Amazon. Use programs to help determine products that are underserved on Amazon and get your hands on them. For example, use a program like Jungle Scout to find an underserved category or product on Amazon and then sell it. This allows you to provide a value proposition to buyers looking for a product that is difficult to find, increasing traffic to your Amazon shop.
Sell using multi-channel. Use Amazon inventory for other channels such as your website, eBay, or other retail sites by linking your Shopify to your Amazon inventory or other platforms that can help you sell to different channels at the same time.
Make sure you are set up as a brand even if you are not established as one. If you are a reseller or third party, establish yourself a brand and become a part of the brand registry on Amazon. This will open up more tools and ways to drive Amazon sales, such as Brand Store, A+ content, etc.
Have transparent pricing and pack size strategy. The fee to sell on Amazon is eight percent versus 15 percent in specific categories, so having a clear pricing strategy can help you lower your overall costs and improve margins. Knowing the current frequency of customer usage will allow you to determine the optimum pack size. For example, if you sell a particular spice that customers only use one bottle every three months, you don’t want to sell an entire case pack of six bottles as your central sellable unit. You need to find the right size for the optimum customer sellable unit and frequency of usage.
Have a clear cost-reducing plan for advertising PPC and reducing Amazon selling fees. By following Step 4 above, you will have the right pack size and correct pricing, which will optimize your Amazon fees. Have a budget for promotions and stick to this. This is not only for advertising but for price-reducing promotions. Make an annual plan including a budget for each event and stick to it. As your sales grow, you can increase your spend level.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

Brand Focus Digital helps manufacturers sell their products easier and more efficiently on

Amazon and other online retailers - in North America and across the globe. We work tirelessly and diligently with the makers of (and not limited to):

Food products
Pet related merchandise
Health and Beauty products
Outdoor gear

U.S. Consumers Say Grocery Stores Are Failing in Pandemic Response

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Thu, 30 Sep 2021 20:25:18 GMT

The new edition of the dunnhumby Consumer Pulse Survey doesn’t speak well of grocery stores. According to the survey, 64% of all Americans reported that grocery stores are not doing a good job with their response to COVID-19. Compare this with the February 2021 report that showed 50% of U.S. consumers believed that grocers were doing a good job in reacting to the pandemic. The new information may suggest a possible rise for online grocery sales.

Survey Results

In addition to the above findings, the dunnhumby survey shows:

76% of grocery shoppers don’t believe their grocery stores are at their pre-pandemic status
34% of shoppers are worried about unvaccinated shoppers
On average, consumers are taking six grocery trips per week (up from 5.6 trips in July 2020)
The number of consumers eating in a restaurant has increased from just 10% in March 2020 to 49% in September 2021
The number of people who shop both store and online has increased to 47% since the beginning of the pandemic when it was at 35%

Twenty-nine percent of respondents in the study reported that Walmart provides the best value of all grocers, with Aldi (12%), Kroger (7%), and Target (6%) following respectively.

Brand Focus Digital’s Take

According to Grant Steadman, President for North America at dunnhumby, “After living with the pandemic for 20 months, consumers are now twice as concerned about their personal finances as they are about Covid itself. With inflation persisting, and government stimulus’ phased out, the majority of shoppers are now looking for greater value.”

With this in mind, note that both recent inflation and product shortages have resulted in higher prices at the grocery store. Higher prices mean consumers lose value since their money can no longer pay for the same groceries as in the past. We believe consumers are likely dissatisfied with grocers because of this loss of value.

Note too that we recently reported that online grocery sales for June 2021 were down 23% when compared to June 2020 sales. The recent discontent among U.S. consumers may translate into more shoppers turning to online platforms for their grocery needs, which could easily result in a rise for online grocery sales. Brand Focus Digital will continue to monitor these issues to see if this result actually pans out.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

Brand Focus Digital helps manufacturers sell their products easier and more efficiently on

Amazon and other online retailers - in North America and across the globe. We work tirelessly and diligently with the makers of (and not limited to):

Food products
Pet related merchandise
Health and Beauty products
Outdoor gear

Supply Chain Disruptions Continue

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Fri, 10 Sep 2021 18:19:36 GMT

Recent reports show that we are nowhere close to resolving supply chain challenges that were brought on with the rise of COVID. In fact, Bloomberg news forecasts that the current supply chain crunch will last well into next year as the delta variant upsets factory production in Asia and disrupts shipping. Within the U.S., increased customer demand and a labor crisis only add to the problem.

Consumer Brands Association’s Q2 CPG Economic Pulse Report

In addition to Bloomberg, the above referenced report forecasts that supply chain disruptions continue to unsettle the U.S. economy. The report also expects problems to remain for the foreseeable future as the pandemic continues. Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of Consumer Brands paints the unfortunate picture that “with supply chain backlogs more severe and the labor shortage more desperate, consumers’ access to essentials is threatened.”

The Economic Pulse report also notes the following:

At home consumption is fueling consumer demand, to the point that demand rose 8.7 % in the second quarter of 2021,
Increased demand is driving already constrained supply chains to the breaking point, which in turn is resulting in an increase in consumer products, and
The U.S. is facing a serious labor crisis, citing the fact that while there were 12,000 jobs added to the consumer-packaged goods industry in the second quarter, more than 800,000 job openings remain.

Brand Focus Digital’s Take

Continued Supply chain difficulties have certainly been felt by manufacturers shipping products to Amazon due to the many reasons cited. Further, Amazon warehouses have also been impacted with the delayed receipt of products which also affects consumer selection of the goods that they like to purchase. Brand Focus Digital continues to monitor this situation, assist clients with selling their products during slightly restrictive times, and will report back with any breaking news.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

Food products
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Brand Focus Digital’s talent has decades of experience working at Amazon as well as other online retailers. Contact us now to learn more on how we can help maximize profits for your brands.

Walmart Launches New Delivery Service, Walmart GoLocal

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Fri, 27 Aug 2021 18:21:53 GMT

Walmart announced this week that it will start commercializing its delivery platform, helping businesses of all sizes deliver goods to customers through contract workers, autonomous vehicles and even drones. The new service is Walmart GoLocal. The announcement came as the business continues to leverage its logistical capabilities and expand into e-commerce-related revenue streams.

What is GoLocal?

Walmart GoLocal is the company’s new delivery service that will cater to local outfits and national businesses alike. It will deliver goods from these entities to customers and communities throughout much of the U.S. Walmart GoLocal has already established a number of contractual agreements with national and enterprise retail clients. The business is also currently accepting select new merchants.

According to Walmart US CEO John Furner, “Through Walmart GoLocal, any merchant from national retailers to small town shops can use Walmart's growing delivery platform to power their local delivery efforts."

Ward also explained how the service would work, noting that Walmart will get a "ping" whenever a customer places an order with a business using Walmart GoLocal. The service will dispatch a driver to deliver the item, and Walmart will "capture any delivery experience feedback."

Brand Focus Digital is a fan of the new service in so far that it pits Walmart against other delivery services, like Uber, DoorDash, and Instacart. The more competition, the better for the consumer.

In addition, the new service is understandable. According to Walmart, one reason for the move is to further its strategy to build alternative revenue streams and profit pools. Exploring new sources of revenue is something every business should contemplate at one point or another.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

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Brand Focus Digital’s talent has decades of experience working at Amazon as well as other online retailers. Contact us now to learn more on how we can help maximize profits for your brands.

Amazon Set to Charge Fees for Whole Foods Deliveries

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Fri, 13 Aug 2021 21:27:27 GMT

Amazon recently announced that it will soon charge customers for food delivery from Whole Foods Market. The charges are set to begin on August 30 of this year. The move could serve to benefit Walmart, as the latter business offers Walmart+ delivery as a free service to all its members.

Background on the New Charge

Beginning on August 30th, Amazon will start charging its customers $9.95 for every time it delivers them an order from Whole Foods Market. The company will begin assessing its new fee program in seven markets. These include:

Detroit
Boston
Chicago
Providence, R.I.
Portland
Maine
Manchester, N.H.

The purpose behind the charge is to “cover operating costs, so we can continue to offer the same competitive everyday prices in-store and online.” Amazon favored moving forward with the fee as opposed to cover costs by raising prices. Customers are still free to pick up their online orders at Whole Foods at no extra charge.

COVID and On-Line Grocery Sales

One result of the pandemic has been an increase in e-commerce sales for groceries. While sales were already growing prior to the outbreak of COVID, the virus rapidly accelerated them. Data from Mercatus and Incisiv shows that online grocery sales as a percentage of the overall grocery market grew from 3.4% to 10.2% in 2020 and totaled $106 billion. Analysts believe e-commerce sales will account for about 21% of total grocery sales by 2025 and total around $250 billion.

Brand Focus Digital’s Take

It will be interesting to see how Amazon’s new charge will pan out for the company. The business tried fees for delivery in the past with Amazon Fresh and it had varying degrees of success.

The move could serve as an opening for Walmart. Keep in mind that the latter business offers Walmart+ grocery delivery as a free service for all its members. We’ll continue to monitor Amazon’s fee and provide updates where appropriate.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

Food products
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Brand Focus Digital’s talent has decades of experience working at Amazon as well as other online retailers. Contact us now to learn more on how we can help maximize profits for your brands.

Report Finds that E-Grocery Sales Dropped 23% in June

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Wed, 28 Jul 2021 19:39:21 GMT

The Brick Meets Click/Mercatus Grocery Shopping Survey for June 2021 was recently published. The survey reports that online grocery sales for June were down 23% when compared to June 2020 sales. The Brick Meets Click/Mercatus Grocery Shopping Survey is an ongoing independent research initiative created and conducted by Brick Meets Click and sponsored by Mercatus.

Survey Findings

According to the survey’s sponsors, the 23% drop is due to a decrease in the number of monthly active users (MAUs), order frequency, and spending per order.

In addition to the reduced sales, the survey found that:

MAUs dropped by 12% in June when compared to June 2020,
MAUs declined across all age groups (while the youngest (ages 18-29 years of age) and the oldest (>60 years of age) dropped by more than 15%, the core customers (ages 30-44 years old) only dropped by 6%,
MAUs for June 2021 placed an average of 2.70 online orders, a 6% decrease from 2.89 orders in June 2020,
The average order value (AOV) for June 2021 dropped by over 11% when compared to June 2020, and
June 2021’s AOVs were above pre-pandemic spending levels, with delivery up by 6%, ship-to-home up 14%, and pickup up by 12%.

Brand Focus Digital’s Take

June 2021 saw vaccinated people leaving their homes to shop live in stores. When we look at June 2020, Covid was wreaking havoc and pandemic related vaccines were not available. The 23% reduction simply reflects the reality that people are no longer largely confined to their homes where they are ordering groceries online.

The last bullet point is huge. We probably all knew that E-grocery sales would drop once COVID cases began to lower and more people became vaccinated. However, as AOVs remain above pre-pandemic spending levels, the figures show that consumers have established habits and patterns of online grocery shopping.

The U.S. still does not have COVID under control. Cases involving the Delta variant are on the rise and there are rumors of once again going back to wearing masks on a full-time basis. If this is the case, we may see last month’s reduction go down in size or perhaps see an increase in E-grocery sales for the next few months.

eCommerce Experts Here for YOU

Food products
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BFD’s talent has decades of experience working at Amazon as well as other online retailers. In partnership, we deliver comprehensive solutions to maximize profits for your brands.

FTC Ramps Up Fight on Made in USA Fraud

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Mon, 19 Jul 2021 19:10:39 GMT

According to a government posting , the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has finalized a new rule that will help it crack down on Made in the USA fraud. This fraud takes place when a marketer attaches a “Made in the USA” label to a product when the statement is not true. The rule goes into effect on August 13, 2021.

What Does the New Rule Say?

Under the new rule, marketers can still attach “Made in the USA” labels to their products. However, they can only do so if “all or virtually all” of the product is made in the United States. If a manufacturer can’t make this showing, and still attaches a label on its product, then it’s making a false and unqualified claim about its product.

In response to such a false and unqualified claim, the FTC can do any of the following:

Ask the marketer to redress the situation
Impose damages
Seek civil penalties in an amount up to $43,280 per each violation

The posting states that one of the goals behind the new rule is to help small businesses. According to the FTC, the new rule will “especially benefit small businesses that rely on the Made in the USA label, but lack the resources to defend themselves from imitators.”

Brand Focus Digital supports the FTC’s new rule 100 percent of the way. We strongly disfavor merchants making unfounded and false claims about their products, including the country in which those products get made. We’ll continue to monitor the enforcement of the new rule and provide updates where appropriate.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

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Brand Focus Digital’s talent has decades of experience working at Amazon as well as other online retailers. Contact us now to learn more on how we can help maximize profits for your brands.

Amazon Blocks Google’s FLoC

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 18:39:17 GMT

Amazon has begun blocking Google’s FLoC from some of its websites. The company has changed the source code behind Amazon.com, WholeFoods.com, and Woot.com to prevent the solution from collecting information from these domains. The company began making these changes early in the week.

What is FLoC?

FLoC is short for Federated Learning of Cohorts. It allows marketers to target their desired audiences and customers by grouping users into different clusters based on shared interests and characteristics. While the solution offers effective audience targeting with greater user privacy, FLoC is still not without criticism. The main complaint is that the solution exposes sensitive information, such as consumers’ political or religious views, and making them targetable on these bases.

Why is Amazon Blocking?

One of the main reasons for the blocking is that Amazon wishes to protect its intellectual property. It’s essentially not in the company’s best interest to let outside sources like Google to take advantage of its highly valuable shopper data. This is especially true during a high-volume time like Prime Days.

Blocking is also a competitive advantage for Amazon. The company has its own plans for taking some of the ad dollars Google currently controls by selling digital ads outside Amazon properties. As Amazon’s demand-side platform (DSP) takes off, the company plans to launch an identifier for tracking and measuring ads sold through the DSP and by publishers through Amazon’s publisher services division.

Brand Focus Digital’s Take

This is an interesting bit of news, and the story is definitely worth following. The blocking could have implications to organic customer search words that customers use on Google to find products on Amazon. However, we don’t think it would affect advertising on Amazon as that is done within Amazon once a customer is already there. We’ll make sure to stay on top of this development and chime in with updates.

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The New Reality in Today’s eCommerce Retail

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Thu, 10 Jun 2021 17:57:09 GMT

We’d like to share a few insights into today’s eCommerce retail world which our team members discussed in a recent meeting. All insights revolve around the reality that consumers are now shopping with more knowledge than ever before. Retailers and manufacturers alike must adjust accordingly. If not, they may just become disconnected.

Today’s Consumers Know What They’re Purchasing

We live in a time where consumers have the bulk of the strength in the buyer-seller relationship. Consumers currently enjoy a plethora of knowledge when it comes to the goods they buy. They rely on reviews and ratings prior to making a buying decision and they can normally compare similar products offered by a host of different sellers.

Granted, not all consumers will capitalize on the power at their disposal. But it’s there for their taking and savvy buyers will definitely use it to their advantage. Today’s sellers and manufacturers must at least acknowledge that this power exists.

Transactions Are No Longer the Main Focus

Given the power available to consumers, manufacturers and retailers can no longer rely exclusively on completing transactions. They must rather become service providers. The logic here is simple.

As consumers become smarter, they’re still going to want a particular good. However, they also want to know that the good will continue to perform how it has in the past for others and how it is expected to, based on their research and knowledge. Performance translates then into a retailer and manufacturer supplying the seller with additional knowledge and likely goods and services to ensure the buyer is happy. The result is almost a process associated with selling items that takes on the label of providing an overall service.

If a manufacturer or retailer ignores this reality, they face the real fear of becoming irrelevant in the eyes of a buyer. Irrelevance is never a good thing, especially when it comes to eCommerce.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

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Brand Focus Digital’s talent has decades of experience working at Amazon as well as other online retailers. Contact us now to learn more on how we can help maximize profits for your brands.

Make Sure Your Prime Day Ready

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Wed, 26 May 2021 18:03:28 GMT

Amazon’s “Prime Day” is an annual event where sellers on Amazon provide Prime members with 48 hours of discounts. The event is just around the corner and represents one of the company’s bigger sales events of the year. Here’s a quick look at some things you’ll want to know to make sure your Prime Day Ready.

When is It?

While Amazon still has not released the specific date of its big day, the business has confirmed that Prime Day 2021 will fall some time in June. Amazon intends to keep the specific date a secret until just weeks before the event. Believe it or not, you can keep checking for the date by asking your Amazon Echo Dot.

Key Dates for Sellers and Manufacturers

The following dates are Fulfillment by Amazon’s inventory cut-off dates for sellers. Make sure your inventory arrives by these dates to ensure your products are available for customers during Prime Day.

May 30 – India
May 31 – U.S. and Canada
June 1 – Australia and Mexico
June 6 - United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and Turkey
June 7 – the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
June 13 – Japan

What to Tell Your Customers

The number one thing to tell your customers is to make sure they’re Prime members. The discounts associated with Prime Day are only available for Amazon Prime members. If your customers are not members, tell them they can sign up for a Prime free trial here .

Prime Day 2020 Facts

According to Amazon’s website , the following are some interesting facts regarding Prime Day 2020:

Prime members saved over $1.4 billion on Prime Day
Third-party sellers made over $3.5 billion on Prime Day
The most popular Prime Day purchase across the globe was the Echo Dot
The most popular purchase in the U.S. was card games

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

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Brand Focus Digital’s talent has decades of experience working at Amazon as well as other online retailers. Contact us now to learn more on how we can help maximize profits for your brands.

FBA Storage Update: Restock Limits Now Set by Storage Type

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Thu, 13 May 2021 01:06:00 GMT

In July of 2020, Amazon introduced ASIN-level quantity limits for select FBA products due to supply chain issues brought on by COVID-19. Effective April 22, 2021, FBA products will no longer be subject to ASIN-level quantity limits. Now, restock limits will be set at the storage-type level. According to Amazon, the company made the change in response to seller feedback and to offer sellers more inventory flexibility.

A few comments are worth noting here.

Categories of Storage Type and Finding Your Restock Limits

Amazon policies set forth four main types of storage categories. These are:

Standard-size
Oversize
Apparel
Footwear

You can find your particular restock limits on the Inventory performance or Shipping Queue pages in Seller Central. Scroll down to the bottom of either page and click on the Restock Limits menu. There you’ll find your specific numbers by storage type.

Will the Storage-Level Changes Affect Pending Shipments?

According to Amazon, there should not be an issue provided that the shipment was created prior to the new change going into effect.

According to a company statement: “Shipments created under the previous ASIN Quantity Limits policy, including shipments which are already on the way, will continue to be received as normal and will not be canceled.”

Is the Change a Win-Win?

According to Brand Focus Digital , we believe many will favor the removal of ASIN-level quantity limits. However, the new restock limits will not favor all manufacturers across the board.

For example, the new limits will likely present some difficulties for high volume sellers and sellers of seasonal items.

If you find that the new restock limits are unfavorable to your operations, we recommend you monitor the situation and contact Amazon if you continue to experience problems. Amazon already tweaked its policies once. It might do so again in light of continued demand for greater flexibility.

In addition, it’s always important to diversify your fulfillment methods and selling channels. If Amazon restock hinders your ability to send inventory, fulfill Amazon orders via your own warehouse or a 3 PL. You can also sell on other eCommerce channels. This helps to continue move your inventory while building your business.

eCommerce Experts Here for YOU

Food products
Pet related merchandise
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BFD’s talent has decades of experience working at Amazon as well as other online retailers. In partnership, we deliver comprehensive solutions to maximize profits for your brands.

New Amazon Full-Sized Grocery Store with Updated Technology?

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Wed, 05 May 2021 00:52:11 GMT

Quite possibly. Amazon is allegedly building a new Amazon Fresh full-sized grocery store in Brookfield, Connecticut. But in Amazon style this isn’t just any store. The grocery outlet will utilize the Just-Walk-Out technology that it currently uses in its smaller Amazon Go Stores.

According to Bloomberg, another hallmark of the new store is a ceiling-mounted grab and go type of system that, until now, has only really appeared in Amazon Go convenience stores. The system appears to solve the difficult issues of:

A grocer catering to numerous shoppers at once, and
Avoiding the draconian expenses of creating a system for a large-scale grocer

As to the use of a Go-style automated checkout, several of Amazon’s competitors have acknowledged that they’re a year or two away from implementing such a cashier-less type of operation for a full-sized supermarket. If Amazon’s store proves successful, then, the company would arguably launch itself ahead of its rivals.

Brand Focus Digital’s Take: The creation of a full-sized grocery store, with Just-Walk-Out Technology, would almost catapult Amazon into “the grocer to beat” status.

Amazon currently has a dozen Amazon Fresh stores in operation throughout the U.S. However, the stores don’t utilize an automated checkout type of system. The use of this system in a full-sized outlet would almost serve as a technological example of where grocers should be.

Please take note that Amazon recently announced that it would start implementing Amazon One at select Whole Foods stores. Amazon One allows shoppers to use their palms to check out. The combination of this type of technology, as well as, using it on a high-scale level, shows that Amazon is dedicated to maximizing customer experience – which is a good thing.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

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Brand Focus Digital’s talent has decades of experience working at Amazon as well as other online retailers. Contact us now to learn more on how we can help maximize profits for your brands.

Using Amazon Attribution to Execute Your Cross-Channel Advertising Strategies

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 21:33:11 GMT

Believe it or not, today’s customers are visiting Amazon channels and non-Amazon channels alike. One statistic has 64% of shoppers using multiple channels when making a single purchase. Given this reality, it’s essential for merchants and manufactures to develop a cross-channel advertising strategy, and Amazon Attribution (beta) is a powerful tool to accomplish this.

What is Amazon Attribution (beta)?

Amazon Attribution is an advertising and analytics measurement solution that gives marketers insight into how their non-Amazon marketing channels are performing. With this insight, manufacturers can learn which of their strategies are performing optimally and which ones are running below par. They can then tailor their operations accordingly and

maximize return on investment, and
drive sales.

Amazon Attribution is currently available for professional sellers enrolled in Amazon Brand Registry, vendors, and agencies with clients who sell products on Amazon. Eligible sellers and vendors can access Amazon Attribution measurement through either the self-service console or tool providers integrated with the Amazon Advertising API.

Brand Focus Digital supports manufacturers incorporating Amazon Attribution into their advertising strategies. A recent study revealed that companies using three or more channels to reach their customers experience engagement and purchase rates 250% higher than those that rely on single-channel campaigns. This means manufacturers can achieve amazing results via cross-channel advertising.

However, keep in mind that these manufacturers will have to know which channels are seeing positive solutions and which ones are not performing effectively. This is where Amazon Attribution comes in. It helps tests, assess, and optimize marketing campaigns to build bigger profits.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

Food products
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Brand Focus Digital’s talent has decades of experience working at Amazon as well as other online retailers. Contact us now to learn more on how we can help maximize profits for your brands.

Walmart Opens Marketplace Website to Non-US Vendors

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Wed, 31 Mar 2021 20:00:15 GMT

Walmart, Inc. recently announced that it has removed all rules that require sellers on its marketplace website to be registered in the US. The move is an attempt to close the e-commerce gap with Amazon.com. The removal on registration will likely favor Chinese manufacturers the most.

Walmart’s Latest Move

Sellers on Walmart’s marketplace website are no longer restricted to those registered inside the US. Non-US vendors can now compete for a space on the company’s third-party marketplace. It’s expected, though, that this segment of new sellers will make up only a fraction of Walmart’s total seller population.

“We have strong relationships with many reputable companies around the world and we have some of the most rigorous seller requirements in the industry,” Walmart said in an emailed statement. “As a result, we are opening our US marketplace to a limited number of international companies who share our commitment to customer trust and safety.”

Reason for the Move

Walmart made the move to expand its marketplace and diversify the services that branch of it. The move also helps the company generate profits by selling advertising space on its websites. Note that Walmart began offering fulfillment services for its marketplace sellers last year, a move that Amazon made over a decade ago.

Chief Executive Officer Doug McMillon has said that Walmart’s marketplace business is a “huge opportunity” for the retailer, and in February told investors that Walmart would make a “greater push” to expand new services like fulfillment.

Chinese Manufacturers to Benefit

It’s likely that Chinese manufacturers will benefit the most from Walmart’s latest decision. These manufacturers have looked upon US marketplaces as a popular way to reach American customers for years now.

According to researcher Marketplace Pulse, nearly 40 percent of all Amazon marketplace sales to US shoppers come from Chinese merchants. In January, Chinese merchants represented 75 percent of new Amazon marketplace sellers, the firm found, and Walmart will likely see a similar ratio.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

Brand Focus Digital acknowledges Walmart’s latest move. We believe that the company’s announcement shows that the retailer is positioning itself to better compete with Amazon in the U.S. While Walmart still has some work to do to emerge as a head-to-head competitor with Amazon, the company is becoming better positioned to do so than any other competitor out there.

BFD helps manufacturers sell their products easier and more efficiently on Amazon and other online retailers - in North America and across the globe. We work tirelessly and diligently with the makers of (and not limited to):

Food products
Pet related merchandise
Health and Beauty products
Outdoor gear

Brand Focus Digital’s talent has decades of experience working at Amazon as well as other online retailers. Contact us now to learn more on how we can help maximize profits for your brands.

Brand Focus Digital Recognized for “Wowing” its Clients

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 17:57:58 GMT

Brand Focus Digital currently uses a digital marketing software tool provided by Intentwise . Intentwise is a marketing and advertising agency that helps manufacturers and agencies compete effectively on marketplaces such as Amazon. We are excited to announce Intentwise’s recent recognition of BFD as an “ Agency Success Story .”

The Intentwise Marketing Platform

BFD discovered the Intentwise marketing platform upon its early release. We use the platform to help streamline clients’ marketing data and provide insights to improve advertising outcomes. The platform helps us with our Amazon Advertising endeavors and it specifically allows us to:

Optimize marketing campaigns for clients
Reduce clients’ ACoS, or Advertising Cost of Sales
Monitor and measure our clients brand performance
Report marketing results

We are both proud of our working relationship with Intentwise and the amazing results that its platform can deliver for our clients.

eCommerce Experts to Drive your Sales & ROI

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We deliver comprehensive solutions to our clients in the following areas:

eCommerce and Amazon strategy
Supply chain and logistics
Catalog optimization
SEO & marketing
Packaging & right-sizing
Data analysis and reporting

Walmart Goes in Big on Automation and Supply Chain Capabilities

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Wed, 03 Mar 2021 18:59:33 GMT

According to comments at a recent Walmart Investment Community Meeting, the company plans to invest heavily over the next year in an enhanced automated e-commerce fulfillment environment. Walmart envisions that a focus on automation will help expand its fulfillment capacity. This concentration comes at a time when the business is trying to bring more customers to Walmart+, a competitor to Amazon Prime.

Walmart’s Automated Supply Chain “Ready to Scale”

According to Walmart’s recent earnings release, the retailer plans to spend $14 billon on capital expenditures during fiscal year 2022, which the company said will “focus on supply chain, automation, customer-facing initiatives, and technology.”

Per CEO Doug McMillon: “Our automation plan is now ready to scale. We’ll be investing in our distribution centers, our e-commerce fulfillment centers, and in market fulfillment centers, which will, in many cases, be inside of or built beside our stores.”

Last month, Walmart stated that it was working to build out its network of local fulfillment centers, which the company refers to as LFCs. LFCs are the facilities that McMillon mentioned will be located “inside of or built beside our stores.”

The fulfillment centers closely resemble an Amazon fulfillment center. But keep in mind that Walmart’s LFCs also provides customers with the option to personally pick up products at the facility. The latter is not taking place at Amazon fulfillment centers. Walmart’s fulfillment technology partners are Alert Innovation, Dematic, and Fabric.

Walmart is now making 1.5 million deliveries every week from its stores. This is a rate seven times greater than last year’s figures.

BFD’s Take: Brand Focus Digital acknowledges that Walmart is doubling down on its recent success. We also believe that the company’s announcements and investments show that the retailer is positioning itself to better compete with Amazon in the U.S. While Walmart still has some work to do to emerge as a head-to-head competitor with Amazon, the company is becoming better positioned to do so than any other competitor out there.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

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Brand Focus Digital’s talent has decades of experience working at Amazon as well as other online retailers. In partnership, we deliver comprehensive solutions to maximize profits for your brands. Contact us now and let us deliver these solutions for you.

Online Purchasing of Food Products the New Norm for U.S. Consumers?

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 20:47:02 GMT

The appearance of COVID-19 and its subsequent surge across the U.S. resulted in more consumers turning to online purchasing of groceries and food products. A recent Oracle Grocery Retail survey shows that these purchasing habits are not going away anytime soon. The reality is quite the contrary as the survey suggests the new norm in the food industry is customers buying food goods online.

Survey Findings

Oracle Retail’s study surveyed 521 U.S. consumers in September regarding their COVID-19 shopping habits as they pertain to food products. The study surveyed another 500 customers in early November regarding their purchasing plans for the holiday season and beyond. Survey results show that:

53% of those polled said they shopped online for groceries and food products during the pandemic
37% said they stocked up more frequently online than in-store
93% of respondents plan to shop online for groceries and food goods post-pandemic

According to Mike Webster, senior vice president and general manager for Oracle Retail, “online grocery ordering is not new, but the pandemic was the tipping point to take it mainstream. Grocery retailers were left grappling with both supply-chain issues and consumer behavior that was anything but normal, causing chaos and shortages.” Webster continued with a positive forecast for online purchasing in the coming months, “while stores navigated relatively quickly, the data shows that consumers have no plans to return to their old ways.”

Purchasing Data per Age Group

COVID concerns proved to boost online food purchasing across all consumer age groups. The study reports that the following percentages of respondents turned to online purchasing of food goods since the pandemic’s inception:

61% of Generation Z (ages 18 to 24)
60% of Millennials (ages 25 to 39)
72% of Gen X (ages 40 to 54)
30% of Baby Boomers (age 55 and older)

While the Baby Boomers percentage may seem relatively low, it marks a 173% increase in those Boomers that ordered online products since the pandemic versus before it. Further, 83% of respondents in this age bracket reported that they plan to keep ordering food goods online. It’s also noteworthy that respondents with children were more than twice as likely to buy groceries online (82%) when compared to those without kids (36%).

Store-Brand vs. Private Label

Oracle’s study shows that U.S. consumers are currently more aligned to private brands than they are to store-brands. “The surge in private-label purchases has become the unexpected silver lining of COVID-19 for grocers,” commented Webster. “Consumers uninterested in trying something new were forced to branch out due to shortages and now plan to stick with their new finds.”

By the numbers, the study reveals:

86% of shoppers said they explored with store-brand and private label alternatives during the onset of COVID
32% intend to stay with the store brands
34% expect to shop a mix of private and preferred brands
20% plan to go back to preferred brands

eCommerce Experts to Drive Your Sales and ROI

Brand Focus Digital agrees with the survey results as we have seen unprecedented growth amongst our clients selling their products online this year, especially for food brands. We specialize in helping manufacturers sell their products (including food products) more efficiently and more effectively on Amazon and other online retailers - in North America and across the globe. We help manufactures develop successful sales strategies and then we assist in executing those strategies, with the aim of capturing goals and maximizing sales along every step of the way. Contact Brand Focus Digital now for eCommerce expertise that will make all the difference in the results you achieve.

Study Shows Customers Prefer Amazon in the U.S. Grocery Market

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 20:43:10 GMT

dunnhumby recently published it fourth annual Retailer Preference Index (RPI). The index is described as a comprehensive study that looks at the U.S. grocery market, which is estimated at approximately $1 trillion. According to the study, Amazon is the most preferred retailer among U.S. consumers.

Survey Results

The study in question included 56 grocery retailers. dunnhumby assigned each one an overall customer preference index score using the following factors:

Price
Quality
Digital
Operation
Convenience
Discounts
Rewards
Information and speed

The top 14 grocers were:

Amazon
H-E-B
Trader Joe’s
Wegman’s
Aldi
Market Basket
Sam’s Club
Costco
Publix
Target
Fresh Thyme
ShopRite
Sprouts Farmers Market
Walmart

Grant Steadman, dunnhumby’s President of North America, attributes Amazon’s top score to safety concerns created by the pandemic. “Amazon accelerated past every other retailer on our COVID Momentum Metric and customer safety ratings,” Steadman said. He continued, “As we begin to emerge from the pandemic, we should expect value perception to come back strongly. Beyond COVID, retailers with Customer First strategies will best adapt to changing behaviors and deliver what matters most to their customers.”

eCommerce Experts to Drive Your Sales and ROI

Brand Focus Digital agrees that COVID safety concerns helped Amazon reach the top of dunnhumby’s study. We also believe Amazon’s stance at the top results from its almost universal presence. While many retailers focus on niche markets, Amazon caters to just about everybody.

In addition, we have to point out that online shopping is becoming the new norm. Consider, for example, that 91% of Americans will shop online by2023. This exciting new trend is yet another reason contributing to Amazon’s popularity for food products.

Further, it’s not vividly apparent that Amazon will fall down the consumer preference ladder once the pandemic ends. Given the massive changes that the virus has caused, it’s hard to believe that customers will go back to life as it was lived pre-COVID. It’s more likely that Amazon will remain near the top of customer preferences.

Brand Focus Digital specializes in helping manufacturers sell their products (including food products) more efficiently and more effectively on Amazon and other online retailers - in North America and across the globe. Contact us now to get the strategic assistance your business needs to maximize its Amazon profits!

eCommerce Hits of the Week (Week 6, 2021)

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 20:38:42 GMT

Brand Focus Digital works tirelessly to keep you and our clients informed of the latest and greatest in the eCommerce industry. Please find some of this week’s main stories below. Questions or comments? Simply contact us and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.

Investors Targeting Mom-and-Pop Sellers on Amazon

According to Bloomberg , “Some of the biggest names on Wall Street and in Silicon Valley—JPMorgan Chase, Advent International, Khosla Ventures among them—are pumping billions of dollars into mom-and-pops selling everything from tea kettles to jock itch remedies on Amazon.com Inc.”

The impetus for the investors’ actions lies in the hope that they can transform up-and-coming sellers into global brands. They claim to have the skills and experience to target strong products while avoiding “faddish” ones that fall by the wayside before hitting it big.

“About 40 Amazon aggregators have emerged in the past few years, according to people following the trend, with most of them still quietly seeking deals behind the scenes. Eight have announced fundraising rounds totaling more than $2.5 billion since 2019.”

BFD’s Take : If you own a brand already competing on Amazon, it is crucial to make sure you have an expert guiding you at every step of the way with Advertising, item SEO, set up, variations, reviews, etc. It will get more competitive in the coming months on both Amazon and other online platforms.

Amazon Purchasing Energy from Netherlands Wind Farm

CNBC reports that Amazon “plans to buy half of the energy produced by a huge new wind farm in the Netherlands.”

According to the article:

Shell and Eneco secured the right to build the 759-megawatt wind farm in the North Sea last July
Amazon intends to purchase more than 380 MW of its output to power its operations in Europe

“Amazon said the ‘Amazon-Shell HKN Offshore Wind Project’ will be its largest single-site renewable energy project yet. The offshore wind farm is expected to be operational by 2023.”

BFD’s Take : Amazon is keeping to their promise of being carbon neutral by 2030. I suspect they will beat that goal with initiatives like this one.

NGA Moves its 2021 Las Vegas Show to September

The National Grocers Association (NGA) recently announced that its in-person show will now be held in Las Vegas from September 19-21, 2021. The show was planned to take place in May. The September event will be held at the Paris Hotel and Casino.

Greg Ferrara, NGA president and CEO, said that "the safety of our attendees will continue to be our top priority. We are confident that, by employing best-in-class protocols and procedures, the 2021 NGA Show will be one of the best ever."

The NGA Show is managed by Clarion Events Food & Beverage Group.

BFD’s Take : This is following similar trends with other in person trade shows. I suspect you will see more “jockeying” around with dates in the coming week’s and months with other shows.

Contact Brand Focus Digital Today

Food products
Pet related merchandise
Health and Beauty products
Outdoor gear

Brand Focus Digital’s talent has decades of experience working at Amazon as well as other online retailers. In partnership, we deliver comprehensive solutions to maximize profits for your brands.

Amazon Likely to Focus on Food Operations with Bezos Move

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 17:10:11 GMT

Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon.com and its CEO, is transitioning to the role of the company’s executive chairman. As the transition continues, and even after its complete, word on the street is that Bezos is going to continue his focus on building the business’ food retailing operations. This focus was hinted upon by Brian Olsavsky, the company’s CFO. Olsavsky recently told investors that Bezos will continue to be involved in “the more important decisions” at Amazon, which includes “going into grocery.”

What Does this Focus Mean?

BFD anticipates that Amazon will work on mainstreaming home delivery to affluent customers. The business has already been laying the foundation for this via its Amazon Fresh stores and Prime Now distribution hubs. Amazon has been using both to serve higher-income market areas.

Further, we believe a food operation focus will result in Amazon expanding its one-stop grocery stores. If the company builds more of its Amazon Go stores, it then has the opportunity to bring all of the company’s retail benefits together. These benefits include assets like:

Amazon Fresh
Whole Foods
Amazon Go

We also expect an expansion of the company’s Amazon Fresh Prime network. If this is accomplished, then the business is in the position to integrate the network with Amazon.com. The result is a strengthening in Amazon’s total grocery experience.

Is there a Downside?

BFD believes there is one prominent downside to an Amazon focus on food ops. The focus poses a threat to niche and specialty food manufacturers. If Amazon flexes its food muscles by showcasing its own brands online, or brands it has invested in, other brands might become less visible to shoppers. Keep in mind, that as things stand now, Amazon is already perceived as the most preferred food retailer among U.S. consumers .

Also note that, as we discussed above, a continued focus on food will likely mean that Amazon invests more in its brick-and-mortar stores. As this takes place, it’s likely that the company will make its in-store experiences even better for shoppers. Better experiences for Amazon shoppers means that the company will boost its competitive advantage over rival retailers.

eCommerce Experts Here for YOU

Food products
Pet related merchandise
Health and Beauty products
Outdoor gear

New Year. New Look. Continued Commitment!

183:683001391 (Clint George) — Sun, 06 Dec 2020 15:16:35 GMT

Brand Focus Digital renews brand and logo

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