Amazon didn't work... Now what? | Upside #103

In this episode of Upside News, Ali Shariat and Leon Rymer break down the latest e-commerce news and market headlines. We dive into big tech's massive AI spending and how it impacts sellers, the booming drone delivery race between Walmart and Amazon, Amazon's $25 Thanksgiving meal bundle strategy, and why early ChatGPT ad tests are struggling compared to Google.

Book your office hour here: https://thiswayup.online/meeting?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=vlog&utm_campaign=officehours In this News episode, Ali Shariat and Leon Rymer break down how massive tech and AI spending is directly impacting e-commerce sellers. We analyze Q3 earnings reports showing heavy AI capital expenditures, the ripple effect on rising Amazon and Google advertising costs, and how hidden platform fees and reserve holds are squeezing seller cash flow.

In this episode, Ali Shariat and Leon Rymer break down the exact blueprint for starting and scaling a successful product business. They discuss what to sell, where to launch, how to build your audience through modern social channels, and the critical financial lessons every founder needs to avoid cash flow traps.

In this episode of Upside, Ali Shariat and Leon Rymer tackle the most common questions raised by brands and Amazon sellers over the past two months. We share key insights on managing ad agency spend, maintaining pricing integrity, reclaiming hijacked listings, and defending brand search terms. Additionally, we break down the critical trade-offs between 1P (Vendor) and 3P (Seller) models, while detailing practical solutions for navigating FBA inventory storage limits.

In this episode of Upside, Ali Shariat and Leon Rymer break down the biggest announcements from Amazon Accelerate in Seattle and the Unboxed advertising conference in San Francisco. We analyze Amazon's new AI-powered Seller Assistant, sponsored prompts, and the expansion of global warehousing and distribution facilities in China. We also explore multi-channel logistics improvements, listing protection updates, and new advertising solutions from Unboxed like Diva Plus and full-funnel campaigns.

In this episode, Ali Shariat and Leon Rymer break down the FTC and 22-state lawsuit alleging Amazon secretly manipulated ad costs over seven years across Sponsored Products, Brands, and Display ads. They explain how Amazon allegedly used hidden "soft reserves" to quietly turn second-price ad auctions into first-price auctions, causing sellers to pay their maximum bids up to 80% of the time. Learn about the leaked internal emails, Amazon's weak public defense, and three tactical steps sellers can take right now to lower costs and protect their ad budgets.

In this episode of Al's Wacky Business Ideas, he pitch zero- and low-cost side hustle concepts that anyone can launch over a single weekend. From consignment e-commerce reselling and hyper-local print-on-demand merch to an automated grocery price-comparing app and seasonal house decorating services, explore creative ways to make extra cash with minimal upfront investment.

In this episode, Ali Shariat and Leon Rymer break down the seven critical ways your e-commerce dashboard might be lying to you. From misleading review averages and brand ad spend traps to hidden cash flow delays and inventory rank drops, they unpack why top-level metrics rarely tell the whole story and how to dig deeper into your numbers.

In this episode of Upside News, Ali Shariat and Leon Rymer break down the latest AI and e-commerce news. We debate if OpenAI's ChatGPT 6 Astra signifies the AGI era, explore Amazon's Rufus rollout on WhatsApp, and analyze TikTok Shop opening EU markets to UK sellers.

In this episode, Ali Shariat and Leon Rymer answer the most common questions raised by premium brands and distributors evaluating Amazon. They address whether listing on Amazon cheapens a luxury brand's image, how convenience shoppers respond to brand stories, and whether a brand can test the platform secretly without upsetting existing wholesale stockists.