Sarah:
Welcome to the Clear Ads Podcast: Highway to Sell. I’m Sarah Lamb, and today I’m joined by our colleague Mendel. This week we’re talking about the importance of streamlining Amazon operations for success. We’ll cover strategies, tips, and tricks for making operations more efficient through automation and outsourcing.
To start, what are the main challenges and pain points sellers face when managing Amazon operations?
Mendel:
There are quite a few areas. The biggest challenges tend to be inventory management, supply chain management, PPC campaigns, customer service—like responding quickly to queries—and then listings and A+ content. Those are the main areas where sellers often struggle.
Sarah:
And if sellers do streamline operations, what benefits can they expect?
Mendel:
The main benefits are saving time and money. As your account grows, it’s harder to manage everything yourself, so automation or outsourcing becomes vital. It frees up your time, reduces errors, and usually gets you better results than trying to handle everything manually.
Sarah:
Do you have any stats or industry insights to highlight how significant this is?
Mendel:
Sure. Around 70% of consumers say efficiency and speed of delivery influence their buying decisions. So being an FBA or Prime seller gives you an edge. And Marketplace Pulse has reported that about 80% of Amazon sales go through the Buy Box. If your operations are smooth, you’re much more likely to win and hold that Buy Box.
Sarah:
That makes sense. Let’s dive into the areas of Amazon operations that can be automated. Can you walk us through some examples?
Mendel:
Definitely. Keyword research and PPC management are huge ones. You can also automate A/B testing of your images and bullet points, manage inventory levels, and even do product research. Basically, anything repetitive or data-heavy is a good candidate for automation.
Sarah:
How does automation help specifically with inventory management?
Mendel:
When you’re small, with only one or two ASINs, it’s manageable. But as your catalog grows, it gets complicated. If you run out of stock, even for two weeks, you risk losing rank and giving competitors an opening. Tools can forecast stock levels and lead times so you can reorder before you hit that point.
Sarah:
What about listings? Can that be automated?
Mendel:
Listing optimization is less about automation and more about outsourcing. You can hire a VA or agency to handle copy, images, and A+ content if it’s not your strength. Tools can help you split test variations, but the actual creative work is usually better handled by specialists.
Sarah:
And with AI now, do you think sellers can use tools like ChatGPT to optimize listings?
Mendel:
It’s possible. I haven’t tested it myself, but AI can definitely help generate ideas for titles, bullets, or content. There are even plugins designed for Amazon listings. Still, I’d suggest using it as a helper, not a full replacement for human optimization.
Sarah:
Let’s talk about errors. How does automation improve accuracy?
Mendel:
A good example is financial reporting. Tools like Sellerboard can automatically calculate ROI, P&L, and refunds daily. It’s much quicker and often more accurate than doing it manually—provided your input data is solid. Garbage in, garbage out still applies.
Sarah:
What pitfalls should sellers be aware of when using automation, especially in ads?
Mendel:
The main one is being too rigid with parameters. If you set a rule to lower ACOS at all costs, the tool will do that—but it might also kill your sales volume and profits. Tools don’t know the nuances of your business, like stock levels or seasonal shifts, so you still need to monitor and guide them.
Sarah:
So automation adds complexity and still requires oversight.
Mendel:
Exactly. You need to understand enough to set smart rules and step in when needed. Automation should support you, not replace you.
Sarah:
Have you seen examples where automation helped sellers adapt to seasonal demand?
Mendel:
Yes. Keyword research tools are great at spotting seasonal spikes. Sellers can quickly add trending terms to campaigns or adjust listings to position products as giftable. That speed gives them an edge during peak times like Christmas.
Sarah:
If a seller wants to start automating, how should they choose where to begin?
Mendel:
Start with the biggest pain points. If inventory is your challenge, automate that first. If PPC is eating up all your time, outsource or automate there. Focus on what drains your time or causes the most issues, then build from there.
Sarah:
How often should sellers review and refine their automation setup?
Mendel:
It’s an ongoing process. Tools evolve, and so does your business. If something isn’t working, test an alternative. Continuous improvement is the key.
Sarah:
What are the main benefits of outsourcing?
Mendel:
You save time, reduce stress, and tap into specialists’ expertise. Instead of being a jack of all trades, you let experts handle areas like PPC or listing optimization. That allows you to scale faster and focus on what you’re best at.
Sarah:
And how do sellers find reliable partners?
Mendel:
Check reviews on Trustpilot, join seller Facebook groups, and ask for recommendations. Look for proven results and feedback from other sellers. Do your research before committing.
Sarah:
Are there risks with outsourcing?
Mendel:
The biggest risk is ROI. If your business is too small, the cost of outsourcing may outweigh the benefits. That’s why we sometimes turn clients away if we know they won’t get enough value yet.
Sarah:
That’s a good point. Do you have any examples of sellers who’ve benefited from streamlining operations?
Mendel:
Yes—we’ve seen clients save huge amounts of time and avoid stockouts by using inventory tools or VAs for admin tasks. Others have scaled faster by outsourcing PPC or creative work. It’s all about freeing sellers from being bogged down in the details.
Sarah:
That’s really helpful. Hopefully our listeners can take these insights and start applying them. Thanks so much, Mendel, for joining me today.
Mendel:
Thanks, Sarah. Great to be here.
Sarah:
And thanks to our listeners for tuning in. If you’d like to get in touch about this episode—or any others—visit clearadsagency.com or find us on social at Clear Ads Agency. See you next time!
