How to Generate More Amazon Product Reviews with eComEngine’s Colleen Quattlebaum – Feedback Five #26

Notes

Product Review Strategies have changed a lot in the past 3 years on Amazon. Today’s guest Colleen Quattlebaum, Marketing Manager with eComEngine, will tell us how to get more product reviews while staying compliant. Feedback Five is their flagship product and you’ve probably heard about them. They also have sourcing tools. Market Scout. Pricing tools. Been around the past 13 years.

Monitor website changes with www.Wachete.com (Tool has alerts)

Amazon making it easier to leave a review. Frustrating for sellers who want to respond to negative reviews.

Stay white hat. Early reviewer program. Amazon Vine is on hold for 2 weeks. Use tools like Feedback Five.

Amazon Approved Product Review Strategies
How are reviews affected in the current environment (COVID-19)? 
Shifting to MFN from FBA. 
What are some effective and compliant ways to get more reviews on Amazon?
Safest way “request a review button” on orders page.
What are the benefits of the new Request a Review button in Seller Central?
Lot of unknown. Take 100 requests to get 10-15 reviews.

Get Amazon Consulting at https://myamazonguy.com/

Article from EcomEngine on Request a Review Button.
Amazon recently added a “Request a Review” button to the Order Details page in Seller Central, raising many questions for sellers. A clarification to the Amazon Communication Guidelines was also posted in November 2019. In this article, we’ll discuss both updates and what they mean for third-party sellers.

How Does Amazon’s Request a Review Button Work?
To send a review request with the Request a Review button, log into your Seller Central account. Go to the Manage Orders page and select the order that you would like to request a review for. Click the order to go to the Order Details page, and you should see the button on the top right side of the page.

When you click the button, Amazon will send a seller feedback and product review request (in the same message) to the buyer for your order. The message will be automatically translated into the buyer’s chosen language. You cannot send a follow up message to the same customer after the initial request has been sent. Requests can only be sent from 4-30 days after the order is delivered. Buyers cannot respond to the message. It’s worth noting that this is a manual process in which the seller is unable to customize the message that is sent to the buyer. Sellers cannot respond to these messages.

Great news: you can now schedule Request a Review automation using FeedbackFive!

Getting started is easy. Just activate the Amazon Feedback and Review Request Template with any campaign in FeedbackFive. FeedbackFive will then tell Amazon which of your orders to send the request for based on your unique campaign settings. You can set it once and forget it, as FeedbackFive will continue to communicate with Amazon via a secure and authorized connection based on the sending rules you select. Learn more about how to automate Request a Review messages.

Unedited Transcript

spk_0:
00:00
product review strategies have changed a lot the past three years on Amazon. Today’s guests will tell us how to get more product reviews while staying compliance. My name is Stephen Pope, and I’m the founder of my Amazon guy. This is the My Amazon guy podcasts. So I’m now joined by Colleen Quattlebaum, and she’s the marketing manager with E. Com engine. Did I say that? Right? Perfect. I was so worried about that. All right, well, cool. So I’m excited to have you on so before before we talk about how to generate more product reviews, because I know that’s what my my listeners are gonna care about. Can you just tell us a little about who you are and who you represent?
spk_1:
00:42
Sure. So again, my name is Colleen Quattlebaum, a marketing and business development manager. EECOM Engine and E com engine’s been around since 2007. So for those of you in the Amazon and e commerce industry, you’ve probably heard of our flagship tool, which is feedback. Five. So we provide a whole suite of software. Service is to Amazon sellers, but Feedback five is a reputation management tool to help manage feedback and reviews. You have an F B, a management tool for inventory management called Restock Pro, a sourcing tool for Ah Amazon Cellars looking to find products to sell in FDA. And that’s called Market Scout, as well as a new pricing tool called Smart Price. So
spk_0:
01:21
lots of tools, lots and lots of trains.
spk_1:
01:24
We’ve been around for about 12 or 13 years, and my job is really just to bring as much educational, valuable information to Amazon sellers. So speak with a lot of sellers on a daily basis. Our customers and other sellers as well thought leaders like you so
spk_0:
01:37
well, I appreciate that. Yes, So, um, we’re gonna be talking today about product reviews. So big, Big first question, kind of hard to answer concisely so Well, kind of dissect this today, of course, but how do you generate more product reviews on Amazon? I want to get those reviews up, so I get more sales. Of course. What are your thoughts on that?
spk_1:
01:55
Yeah, so it’s It’s definitely challenging, S. O. You know, there’s many, many different ways that you can get reviews, and my biggest advice is to do it in a white hat way that follows Amazon Terms of service always follow the rules. There’s a lot of black hat tax tactics out there, but the good guy always wins in the long run. So it’s just not worth risking your business to follow any black half tactics. So there’s several different ways. Ah, that Amazon has actually some approved programs that you can use the early reviewer program if you’re launching a new product. Um, Amazon Vine is also another great program that Amazon has out there. It’s temporarily on hiatus right now, just as of two weeks ago, based on the current state of the pandemic. So once that opens back up, though, that’s another great. You
spk_0:
02:42
have any insight on that, By the way, I’m like, I’m not sure why they closed it. I couldn’t figure it out.
spk_1:
02:46
So yes, So, um, I mean right around March 17th. That looks like it went, Uh, it’s been closed, I think, mainly just cause they’re focusing on, you know, just everything in the State of Pandemic focusing on really the essential Sure. So if somebody is registering a brand and tryingto, you know, join the fine program right now, that’s just not a priority for them. And
spk_0:
03:07
so Amazon Vine came out of, um, the woodwork. I don’t know. A couple months ago, we had almost unlimited access to it for, like, a solid month. And then all of a sudden, just one magic day. This was preceding the cove in 19 stuff. The March announcement. Um, all of our brands who hadn’t had access at that stage couldn’t gain access. So I didn’t know if, like, the vine program was just like, overwhelmed or something. But did you notice anything you know before the Cove in 19?
spk_1:
03:38
No, that’s right. Around mid March is when we started to hear that sellers were not able to enroll. Um, I mean, but you’re exactly right. It was only open toe vendors for years. Up until about December 19th 2019 it quietly rolled out to all cellar,
spk_0:
03:51
which is what always happens, right? They, like, quietly roll things out. They and never sent announcement. So, like, I I swear I spend at least 15 to 20 minutes a day just clicking on every link within Seller Central, trying to figure out what other you why changes have happened without fail two or three times a week. We find something, right? Like last week there was, too, and going on three advertising changes, right? They rolled out to new display functions. There’s like the really cool one, By the way, I thought was the custom image for brand headlines. Um, I thought, you know, that’s the biggest ad space you could take on Amazon, let alone on the entire web. Ah, and it takes up like half your mobile screen. So, like, we’ve never seen that much real estate get taken. Amazon didn’t even send on e mail out on that for a leg. I don’t even think they have yet. I don’t know if you’ve noticed one or not, but
spk_1:
04:42
no, I haven’t seen any communication on that. There is a tool called Wash Eddie or what, Teddy, I don’t know if you’ve heard of that, W c h e t e. And, um, it’s a great tool where you can just basically any website that you want to follow any changes that they have. So, Seller Central is one that if you wanna, you know, sign up for alerts any time to make a change, it will show you kind of the before and after of what they’ve done on that page. So any time that there’s a change will be alerted. So you don’t have to constantly scour that page.
spk_0:
05:11
Yeah, that’s that’s That’s an interesting one. How do you spell that one time
spk_1:
05:14
W athe h e t e.
spk_0:
05:17
We’ll put a link in that and for our description for our listeners. But I I had missed it the first time, so that’s why I had to get it. All right, so I look at that Nice, nice to actually have heard of that thought about the Wayback machine. That kind of throws me back a bit, but I’m sure that tools got some additional, um, right magically
spk_1:
05:32
alert. So each day you get alerts on the sites that you’re managing
spk_0:
05:35
that
spk_1:
05:35
look at
spk_0:
05:36
nice. So speaking of other random changes that have recently happened, I noticed that they got rid of the ability to upload photos on product reviews. Has that come across your radar? It’ll
spk_1:
05:47
well, I think Amazon is doing a lot of different things to make it easier for the consumer to leave a review. For instance, they don’t have to actually comment on their review
spk_0:
05:55
That’s a new change, too. Yeah,
spk_1:
05:57
right. So they could just choose the star rating, so they’re just making it as easy as possible so that, you know, consumers can leave a review with it. Taken minimal time. Um, I think people are more likely to leave a review. If it leaves. It takes minimal time. I know that on the back end for the sellers, that’s frustrating because you can get a review and not know why they love differ why they heated it. Um, so those pros and cons
spk_0:
06:18
of Amazon
spk_1:
06:19
it was very customer centric customer focused. So, um, you know their obsession is making sure that the consumer is happy. So
spk_0:
06:27
So, speaking of negative reviews, should sellers respond to those in your opinion?
spk_1:
06:33
Absolutely. I think that it really helps for you to comment publicly in line to those reviews. It helps to show that you care about your brand. You stand behind your products or that you’re willing to make it right. Um, and it’s it’s just helps the trustworthiness and reliability of your brand. Um, you know, acknowledge or take accountability. If something’s not working properly, um, you know, it gives somebody else a potential buyer who’s considering to purchase that product. They see that you’re actively, you know, making sure that that things were right, giving them more confidence to buy that product. If there is a negative review,
spk_0:
07:09
one of
spk_1:
07:09
those negative reviews that you can’t ask somebody to remove or update their review like you can with feedback. So a feedback. If you respond, you know you need to respond quickly, and if you make it right, then you can satisfy that customer. You can certainly ask them to update or remove that feedback.
spk_0:
07:25
So so one thing that rolled out less than two weeks ago, I think, was on the cellar app. You now can actually see customer reviews right there. So for those that are watching on YouTube, I’m putting it on screen. You can see a section for customer reviews. I think that was three years too late. I feel like they hurled that out so long ago, right, But there are tools that do send email alerts, and I know you have one of them, so feel free to plug that here. If somebody wants to get alerted when they get a negative review, what tool do you have that helps with that?
spk_1:
07:54
Certainly. Feedback five will send alerts for negative reviews and negative feedback. So and of course, the bonus of getting that alert is that you find out right away so that you can respond right away. So, just like anything, I mean, the sooner that you handle a customer service issue or, you know, product issue, the sooner you can make it right. Satisfy the customer, um, or even pull that product from the shelf. For instance, if you find out that there’s something major you know wrong with it, um, so and maybe even you decide not to ask for reviews on that ace and anymore. If it’s defective while you’re trying to pull it from the shelf, so just, you know, the sooner you can find out about that, the better. But feedback five. You can either sign up for text alerts Mobile um, or email alerts. Um, you can choose the time of day that you receive those alerts. You’re not getting interrupted at 2 a.m. and you can also just choose to have a daily digest like just once a day. Here’s all the negative reviews or feedback you’ve received on everything
spk_0:
08:49
and one last question on the negative reviews. So, um, the question of how much value is into trying to engage them, right? So, Lake, what do you think? The percentage of hey, I engaged the consumer to try and get this removed versus what I actually got removed is, does that make sense?
spk_1:
09:07
Right? So again, feedback that negative feedback can be removed, but negative reviews? You cannot ask them to remove that. So when you respond in line thio negative review that consumer is not necessarily aware that you even responded to them. That’s more for other potential buyers to see that you acknowledged their comments.
spk_0:
09:28
So I’m glad you delineated. They’re my question. The heart of my question was in, you know, engaging the product review for a consumer and then, like reaching out to them directly, um, or or even say, their seller, seller review and reaching out to them directly. What do you think that the customer responses to engaging with the seller to once we’ve made it right for them to go on back in and change it? In your opinion,
spk_1:
09:53
um, I don’t know what the percentage is there of, you know,
spk_0:
09:57
Sure,
spk_1:
09:57
like for them to update it or change it. I think you know if if you’ve made the customer satisfied, you’ve made it right. You’ve had a really good customer service throughout that process. Then they’re more likely to update it and change it. And the sooner you respond.
spk_0:
10:10
So I want to put my finger in the air and say it’s somewhere between 20 and 25%. So so the reason’s
spk_1:
10:16
pretty low.
spk_0:
10:17
It’s
spk_1:
10:17
pretty lower than that
spk_0:
10:18
could be. It could be so. The reason why the public response is so important because of that is because it’s not necessarily gonna make it so that the customer removes their feedback. It’s Maur so that the customer who hasn’t bought yet that comes across that negative review. Inevitably, they’re gonna be more comfortable to know. Hey, this this cellar backs up their product. Obviously not everybody’s gonna be 100% pleased all the time, but we know that they responded here, so we trust them. So it’s a trust signal, in my opinion. Correct. So So All right. So let’s pivot to Cove in 19. Um, how have you been seeing Corona virus impact reviews in the current environment right now,
spk_1:
10:59
Yeah, so obviously, you know, unprecedented times for sure. Um, and impacting all aspects of everybody’s life and especially, you know, Amazon sellers and business owners. And, you know, many air seeing fewer sales, which also means fewer reviews. When you have fewer or orders and fewer sales. That’s fewer opportunities to get reviews. Um, I think that feedback is is more important to focus on in a way right now, because so many, um sellers air shifting from F b A to f B M with the recent announcement of Amazon temporarily disabling the shipment creation for products other than those essential items in high demand product. So those that can’t send items FDA right now are are looking to do merchant fulfilled. And when they do that, they’re the ones shipping, packaging the item and sending it off. So making sure that you’re on time shipping that you’re, um, you know your customer response time, the overall customer experience, including the shipping and packaging, is related to your feedback, not the product review. So if you’re merchant fulfilled now and that’s a new process for you, just really you know, Pay close attention to your feedback because now you could get negative feedback in these times where, you know, maybe things aren’t shipping on time. Maybe, you know, you’re using your packaging now that you’re you’re sending it off yourself instead of f d A. Um so just pay close attention that I get feedback. I would say, um,
spk_0:
12:24
second, everything you mentioned clean. And there’s there’s a difficulty in, um, managing customer expectations right now because they don’t necessarily not all of them are paying attention to that ship time frame and even f B A and Merchant fulfilled. Orders are absolutely being impacted. The supply chains kind of in haywire. Right now I do for see this starting to ease. I feel like we you know, I think Friday, in my opinion, was kind of a slight turning point for Amazon. You know, maybe maybe don’t fluctuate. Maybe we’ll get worse and get better and kind of float back and forth. I don’t know, but they did ease some of their inbound shipping constraints, which I thought was a promising sign. And hopefully, when April 5th rolls around, we’ll see everybody get back. Open toe inbound shipments But I agree It’s been a mast massive dash to try and get merchant filled up. And at the same time, they temporarily turned off S F P application. So if you couldn’t couldn’t get prime on your S f p or your merchant fulfilled if you wanted. But even still, that’s not necessarily a program. I recommend a very many sellers. It’s very difficult to manage, um, shipping time and constraints. Getting that, Getting the orders out the door and whatnot. Um Okay, cool. So So what do you think? You know, you mentioned some compliance in white hat tactics. So what do you think? The most effective ways to generate reviews while staying compliant. And is there anything you can do? More than just running the Amazon approved programs, like, uh, early reviewer in vine that you mentioned?
spk_1:
13:56
Sure, right now. So the safest way to request reviews is using Amazons. Request to review button that they just launched at the end of last year. That’s in Cellar Central on the orders page. It’s a little gray button, and it literally says, request a review. Um, so this is a message that is sent directly from Amazon to your buyers, Um, and so it’s 100% compliant because Amazon is actually the one sending that message, and they’ve optimized the message to hopefully get good results. It does ask for both the product review and feedback in the message. Um, another benefit is that it is automated, automatically translated into the language of choice, eh? So that the buyer and their Amazon account settings has their preferred language set, so it’s automatically translated for them. Um, this is sent when you hit the review button. It can only be sent between four and 30 days after the order has been delivered. Um, and you can customize the message in any way like you came a fire somewhere messaging. But it is the safest way since the message is going directly from Amazon to the buyer. The downside of this is that it’s a very manual process to go in and do it for each order that you want to request a review on. So so Feedback five has actually automated that button. We’ve worked very closely with Amazon. You’re become engine over the last few months to, um to have that process automated. So in feedback, five you can do your typical buyer seller messaging e mails if you prefer to go that way or the new route is using the request to review Button and automating that and choosing the time and with Jason’s that you want to send that for. So that’s a brand new feature and feedback. Five. A lot of sellers, especially if they’ve been restricted from buyer seller messaging. They can use this new request to review feature.
spk_0:
15:39
So So I’ve heard a lot of buzz about your roll out on this tool, and a lot of people are talking about it. Um, for those that haven’t engaged your product yet, let’s talk a little bit about the manual part first. So So if I If I’m in my manage orders section on Amazon right now, how do I get to the manual component?
spk_1:
15:58
So if you go to the order details page, I believe it’s up in the top left corner. It says, Request a review. Little Grey button.
spk_0:
16:08
Do you have to go into the actual order to make it happen?
spk_1:
16:10
Yes, you have to go into the actual orders and going to each individual order.
spk_0:
16:14
And then you mentioned you have to do it during the between day four and 30.
spk_1:
16:18
Correct? After the order has been.
spk_0:
16:20
Got it. Got it. All right. So I’m gonna pull one up on screen here. So on screen, I’ve got an order, and this is, um, in the order details. It’s one out two weeks ago and in the top right here. You can see request your reviews If you click that it pulls up. We don’t require you to request reviews because our system already do that at no cost to you. However, if you prefer request to review for the sort of please use this feature instead of using the customer via email or cellar messaging. So it seemed like they’re trying to signal, um users to do that. Um, that’s really interesting.
spk_1:
16:54
They are definitely encouraging sellers to use this route. So and we’re still actually evaluating the data to see the figure out the performance of this, um are are Tool has had this for about a month now. Um, so we’re still evaluating the data on you know how well this is working, but we’re seeing pretty good results. Um, but again, it’s fairly new, but since Amazon is pushing sellers to this where we want to make sure that we can support that in an automated way. So to make a raise like a little bit easier
spk_0:
17:21
makes percent. So let’s talk about your tool now. So does does the tool have so, like right now with Corona? I’m thinking to myself, Man, some of my customers might leave a more negative review because, ah, the items not shipping in two day prime should I should I be engaging it right now, or is there Is there any filters within your tool toe? Specify ship timeframes anything like that.
spk_1:
17:42
So in the tool, you can specify the time that it sent. And as far as the time of day and which hastens. And if you want to exclude re funded orders, there are a few different options. You can customize the message, but you can customize the timing of it and in which a sins you’re asking for reviews on
spk_0:
17:59
Gotta,
spk_1:
18:00
Um, certainly. Right now there’s just a lot of unknown, um, people, you know are certainly stressed out, but they also probably are very grateful for the fact that they can purchase these items on Amazon and not have to go out to the store. So, um, you know, some people have little more time on their hands. It’s hard to say, Does that is that gonna lead to getting more reviews at this time? If they’re grateful and you know and they understand that they’re small businesses out there that need our help, Um, or, you know, are they stressed and more likely to live? Negative review or feedback? I don’t know. It’s hard to say so, but I think that you know you want to come out of this stronger. So asking for reviews is important. Um, it’s a small percentage of people that do leave feedback and leave reviews. So just always asking is is always what I recommend. Um, because it can take 100 requests to get 10 or 15 reviews, Um, sometimes even less, you know, depending on your product. So if you have a really good product than you know, about 10% of your emails should lead to a product review.
spk_0:
18:56
That’s probably a higher percentage than I would’ve guessed. But you’re very close to that data, so I believe you. It sometimes feels like if I didn’t ask. Could be like one out of 100 would leave a review. And when I do ask, it doubles toe like two out of 100. But but But you’re probably right. It’s probably more than that. I just a little skeptical. Yeah,
spk_1:
19:15
and a lot of it depends on the product.
spk_0:
19:17
Probably does.
spk_1:
19:18
And and the message that you know would buy our cellar messaging. You know, if you do a lot of baby testing on your subject lines, um, you know, in the past, that has worked. Well, you know, you’re getting to the point where you can find a good ratio of of, you know, people leaving. We’re review with the request to review button. Of course, you can’t change that message. Um, but Amazon has, you know, taking a look at the message. They’ve optimized it, and they claim that this is the right message to send to customers. Um, so But again, we’re still taking a look at that since it’s fairly new.
spk_0:
19:49
So So it is fairly new, but you’ve You’ve made some some assumptions. I’m sure that you think that this is the future of a review generation. Um what what other insights. Do you have?
spk_1:
20:01
Yeah, so this. I mean, definitely the future of review generation buyer seller messaging is still okay. That’s still allowed. But there has been in a lot of talk and seller forms and other places that that could be going away. Ah, lot of sellers have been suspended or restricted because of Burbage and buyer seller messaging. Amazon Terms of service can be very confusing. And so you know when when you’re in control of your own message, that can be good. But it also could be that bad because depending on which Amazon rep you speak to her, which Amazon rep reviews your email, they could interpret the way that you wrote a sentence in your email differently than a different rep, and they could choose to suspend you. So, um so it seems that there’s been a lot of, you know, mixed signals as to what you can and can’t say in an email through buyer seller messaging. So you’re just at a little bit more risk if you choose to use buyer seller messaging. Um, so request to review button. It’s certainly the safest way to go.
spk_0:
20:56
Makes makes a lot of sense. And and so as we as we kind of looked down the pipeline, what other you know, it’s it’s It’s always difficult to put your finger in the air and say, I think this is gonna happen next on Amazon because, you know, nobody really knows nobody at Amazon, Probably even though, but what? What other things? You. If you had to put your finger in the air and guess and say, I think this might change on Amazon, or what else do you think might be coming down the pipeline?
spk_1:
21:20
Well, I mean, the early reviewer and Amazon. Ah, fine programs. Both of those. For instance, you have to be enrolled in brand registry in order to do those programs. So I think any other programs that they roll out, you know, get your items enrolled in brand registry. That seems to be another big thing that you know, any program that they roll out, they want the products enrolled in brand registry. Um,
spk_0:
21:41
what do you think that is?
spk_1:
21:45
I think because of just all of the, you know, the black hat, bad actors, the, um the you know, products that are fake that are out there Um, and it just leads to, you know, a bad impression of using Amazon. You know, to purchase items if you’re a consumer not knowing if you’re going to get the real Nike shoes or the fake Nike shoes, for instance, um so making sure that they’re registered and it’s truly just the brand owner telling that,
spk_0:
22:10
and it’s interesting to note. So I feel like Amazon has kind of been a little bit of a brand killer in the past decade, right? So Jeff Bezos is famous for saying your margins, my opportunity. And so this marketplace has been a race to the bottom of Price Scout, you know, prices going lower and lower, not price Gouging is as about about the fumble into and and so we’ve seen, um, you know, unless you’re a luxury brands. If you quizzed 100 people, what was the name of the brand you bought your item from random widget gadget, If you will. Most nobody could answer that question, but But, um, so I I agree with you, and I think I think having that trademark sets you apart from the black hat stuff, and that trademark allows you to get that brand registry within Amazon so makes a lot of sense.
spk_1:
22:55
Also, I think just on the heels of, you know, Covad 19 coming out of this, you know, whether it’s a few months or a year whenever I think that we’re going to see more Amazon sellers out there. You know, there’s a lot of people furloughed losing jobs, for instance, and they’re looking for other ways to start a business. Um, or they’re looking for other ways. If they’re there, brick and mortar retail shop shuts down, maybe they start selling stuff online. So I think that there could be some more more sellers out there. Um, so, you know, there’s just gonna be Oh, I think a lot will change. Um, I also think a lot more people are going to be buying online than ever before because of the current state and then the habits that people get him. People that were not Amazon shoppers before you know, are now shopping online. Um, and then that becomes a new habit for them and instead of, you know, go into the brick and mortar they’re more likely to buy online. So I think that in the end there could be some. Some. I’m positive.
spk_0:
23:46
I think there’s tremendous amounts of positives. S o you know, we’ve had I’d say 30% of our accounts that we manage it. My Amazon guy have had had record weeks in sales. Um, beating out Christmas rush, beating out prime day week, All that good stuff. There’s a lot of high demand right now, and and the average account right now is is positive as well. Because of that increase in demand, people aren’t able to go to the retail store. They have to shop online. So, you know, you know, if I look at the economy right now, I’d probably, um, a little bit pessimistic. I’m like, Oh, man, this is gonna hurt for a while. We’re going into a recession, at least, but I think I think Amazon is recession proof. So I think I think if you’re if you’re in Amazon right now, if you’re selling on Amazon, it’s a good place to be. And even if Amazon were to decrease, which we’d not seen by the we’ve seen record sales and big demands. But even if it was to decrease it, probably the first sector to recover when the recovery came. So it’s good to be positioned there, in my opinion as well.
spk_1:
24:47
Get insight. I agree.
spk_0:
24:48
So So? And I think I think you’re inside as well was pretty spot on. So all right, so any, uh, any last thoughts you want to share with our listeners before we end our podcast today?
spk_1:
24:58
Now, I would just say it stay safe and try to stay positive during this trying time. And, ah, you know, if you have a little bit of downtime here and there, things do feel a little slow. Optimized your listings, you know, do those things that you can optimize your processes, you know, so that in the end you can come out stronger.
spk_0:
25:14
Well, I appreciate that. And then to any of the listeners who are coming from the feedback five crowd or or for the seller engine crowd, my Amazon guy were an eight person agency based out of Georgia. We’ve got access to more than 100 Amazon account, 65 active clients, and we help sellers with anything they need for everything from advertising management’s to catalog management to a plus content design and more so if you need any help with that? Go over to my Amazon guy dot com. Well, Colleen, thank you so much for joining us again. You guys have a great tool. Ah, great set of tools that help Amazon sellers. And so we really appreciate your time.
spk_1:
25:50
Thank you.
spk_0:
25:51
All right, guys, that was the My Amazon guy. Podcasts with Stephen Pope on the founder. We hope you enjoyed our podcast today. Please feel free to subscribe. Our podcast is available on Apple on Spotify on I heart radio and many other places. Thanks so much, guys.

Cathy Barouch

Brand Director

Cathy Barouch brings a wealth of experience to her role as Brand Director at My Amazon Guy. With a background in ecommerce and brand management, Cathy has a proven track record of success in driving growth and visibility for brands on Amazon.

Prior to joining My Amazon Guy, Cathy served in key leadership roles, including as the Founder of Mystigrey, where she honed her skills in brand development and management. Before that, Cathy was the CEO & Co-Founder at Caterina Jewelry, where she led the company to success with her strategic vision and innovative approach.

Cathy’s expertise extends beyond ecommerce, as she is also a member of MJSA: Professional Excellence in Jewelry Making and Design, showcasing her commitment to excellence and continuous learning in the field.

John Lane

Brand Director

I bring a strong background in ecommerce operations management to My Amazon Guy. Previously, I served as the Operations Manager at Velex Corp. dba Gorilla Gym (later Gym1), where I oversaw our supply chain operations from China to the U.S. and Canada. I managed order fulfillment and led a dedicated customer service team. Additionally, I was responsible for managing our Amazon seller accounts in the U.S. and Canada, ensuring smooth operations and customer satisfaction.

Outside of my role at My Amazon Guy, I also dedicate time to coaching football at Boston College High School during the fall, where I bring my leadership and team-building skills to the field.

Benjamin Loya

Brand Director

As a Brand Manager at My Amazon Guy, I specialize in enhancing clients’ sales and visibility on the Amazon platform. Leveraging my expertise in Amazon Seller Central, social media strategies, and adept problem-solving skills, I oversee a portfolio of accounts and projects. My role encompasses the strategic planning, meticulous execution, and continuous optimization of product listings, advertising initiatives, and brand stores.

Prior to My Amazon Guy, I served as the IT Director at Proeduco del Bajio, a prominent education firm in Mexico. During my tenure, I spearheaded the organization’s digital transformation, introducing innovative solutions such as network infrastructure enhancements and system implementations to enhance the quality and efficiency of our educational services. Collaborating closely with cross-functional teams and stakeholders, I ensured alignment of IT strategies with overarching business goals and objectives.

Jeffrey Lenz

Brand Director

Jeffrey is a seasoned e-commerce expert with over 10 years of experience in helping brands succeed on Amazon. As a Brand Director at My Amazon Guy, he leverages his data-driven approach and deep understanding of online marketplaces to develop and execute winning omnichannel strategies for our clients.

Jeffrey brings a wealth of knowledge in:

  • Brand Growth on Amazon: He has a proven track record of launching and growing brands on Amazon, utilizing his expertise in 1P and 3P operations.
  • Data-Driven Strategy Development: Jeffrey leverages data insights to craft effective channel strategies that optimize product visibility and sales for My Amazon Guy’s clients.
  • Omnichannel Expertise: He understands the importance of a cohesive omnichannel approach and develops strategies that reach customers across various touchpoints.
  • Compliance Focus: Jeffrey ensures adherence to Amazon’s ever-evolving policies and regulations, safeguarding the success of My Amazon Guy’s clients.

With his dedication to brand success and his strong grasp of the Amazon marketplace, Jeffrey is a valuable asset to My Amazon Guy, helping our clients flourish and achieve their Amazon sales goals.

Tony Chung

Brand Director

Tony is a results-oriented growth expert with a proven track record of generating leads, boosting revenue, and optimizing team performance for e-commerce businesses. He brings a data-driven approach to his role as Brand Director at My Amazon Guy, leveraging his expertise in digital marketing, sales, and operational efficiency.

Tony excels at:

  • Driving Customer Acquisition: He develops and executes comprehensive digital advertising and marketing strategies across all channels to generate qualified leads for My Amazon Guy.
  • Maximizing Sales Growth: Tony utilizes data analysis, forecasting, and KPI tracking to optimize sales strategies and drive top-line revenue for My Amazon Guy’s clients on Amazon.
  • Optimizing Team Efficiency: He fosters a high-performing team environment through project management, process improvement, and a coaching leadership style.
  • Data-Driven Decision Making: Tony leverages data analytics to build comprehensive performance trackers, measuring everything from brand growth to internal team performance, ensuring data-driven decision making across My Amazon Guy.

With his focus on results and his deep understanding of e-commerce, Tony plays a critical role in helping My Amazon Guy’s clients achieve their Amazon sales goals.

Jan Pao Montecillo

Director of Client-Success and Website Orders

Meet Jan Paolo Montecillo, our gaming virtuoso turned office hero! From pen-and-paper quests to tactical turn-based triumphs. He doesn’t just play games; he masters them, cracking their systems like a puzzle mastermind. But it doesn’t stop in the virtual realm! Jan’s game-changing work ethic and knack for system analysis have elevated our operations to epic levels. With a killer work ethic and his gaming superpowers,

Throughout his career, Jan Paolo has consistently demonstrated a strong ability to:

  • Lead and motivate teams: He has a proven track record of fostering high-performing teams and driving results.
  • Develop and implement operational strategies: Jan Paolo possesses a keen understanding of operational excellence and a talent for designing and implementing effective strategies.
  • Build strong client relationships: He is known for his client-centric approach and his commitment to exceeding client expectations.

Interests: Gaming

Noah Wickham

Brand Director

Noah Wickham started in eCommerce a decade ago, reselling on eBay and gradually expanding his knowledge base. Since then, he has worked with a variety of clients over several years, focusing on growth strategies, technology initiatives, product procurement, brand building, and SEO improvements. His expertise covers many areas of eCommerce, with a particular focus on Amazon, Walmart, and Shopify. Noah defines himself as a growth-centric leader and a client success advocate. Outside of work, he enjoys cooking, video games, reading, and chess. Most Saturday nights, you can find him trying a new restaurant or exploring a different venue in his city.

A man wearing a hooded sweatshirt.

Shane Keyes

Brand Director

Shane is an Amazon marketing specialist at My Amazon Guy and attended Temple University’s Fox School of Business to pursue a degree in Marketing. 

A self-starter, Shane mastered Amazon’s intricacies through hands-on experience and rigorous self-guided research. Specializing in listing optimization and growth strategies, he excels at boosting BSR through Click-Through Rate (CTR) and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) best practices to drive your brand’s success on Amazon. Shane’s rise at My Amazon Guy underscores his leadership ability and unwavering commitment to achieving a brand’s top priorities.

Beyond work, Shane’s passion lies in Philadelphia sports, with a history of participating in team sports like baseball and rugby.

A woman wearing glasses and a t-shirt who excels in account management.

Faith Denniston

Brand Director

I’m Faith, an Amazon marketing specialist obsessed with SEO, PPC, CTR, and the alchemy of conversions. With a data-driven approach, I help brands conquer the Amazon marketplace, turning clicks into customers.

When I’m not optimizing listings, you’ll find me in virtual worlds, exploring Final Fantasy XIV and diving into manga. I’m also a paranormal enthusiast, chasing ghostly tales in my spare time. Join me on this journey of digital dominance and otherworldly adventures!

A woman in glasses is posing for a photo for Amazon.

Roxanne Villanueva

VICE PRESIDENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES

Over 13 years of experience in the Business Process Outsourcing Industry Specializing in Customer Success and Sales for Telco, Tech, Finance and Ecommerce for both Start Up and Fortune 500 companies. 

An Inspirational Leader who loves to be where the action is, enjoys Creating Innovative Solutions to Complex Problems, Developing her People and Driving Engagement.

Interests: Traveling, Music and Spending time with Family

Kevin-Sanderson

Kevin Sanderson

Vice President of Marketing

Kevin Sanderson is the Vice President of Marketing for My Amazon Guy. He graduated from Texas Tech University and has a wide range of experiencew including previously having worked for two Fortune 500 companies and a rapidly growing insurance agency. Kevin has been selling on Amazon since 2015 and is also the founder of Maximizing Ecommerce, a company that hosts popular virtual learning events like the Convert More Clicks Summit and the PPC Mastery Summit. He joined the team at My Amazon Guy after Maximizing Ecommerce by My Amazon Guy and lives in Florida with his beautiful wife and two children.

A young man wearing glasses and a checkered shirt expertly managing seller central on an online marketplace.

Thomas Fitzgibbons

SENIOR ACCOUNT DIRECTOR

Thomas graduated from the University of Missouri – St. Louis (UMSL), receiving a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration – Marketing and a Certification in Digital Marketing. He started his marketing career in the B2B industry, helping companies focus their internal marketing efforts on Website SEO, Website Content, Digital Advertising, and effective Email Marketing Campaigns. 

 

In 2020, Thomas shifted his career to eCommerce. As a self-starter, he learned the ins and outs of Amazon, Seller Central, and Shopify to help brands and sellers succeed in the digital world. Previously, he worked for an Amazon Marketing Agency as an Account Manager, assisting brands in growing and thriving on Amazon through his management. At MAG, Thomas serves as an Account Director, overseeing an extensive portfolio of 40 brands and managing a successful team of Brand Managers. Thomas provides leadership to his team and execution on high-level strategy for the brands in his portfolio. 

In his free time, Thomas enjoys golf, soccer, music, and taking his dog on hikes around the St. Louis area.

Kristen Lasch

Kristen Lasch

BRAND DIRECTOR

Kristen started her professional work on Amazon in 2018 as a professional seller and project-based Account Manager. She has ample knowledge of both Seller Central and Vendor Central. With a degree in Art & Design, Kristen has a passion for problem-solving and thinking outside the box. She loves to help grow accounts by unraveling underlying issues, organizing catalogs, and providing creative branding ideas. With an extensive background in customer experience, she is able to really dive into the mind of a customer regarding listing optimizations and how to market products appropriately. In her free time, Kristen enjoys spending time with her family and working on growing their own private label account.

I was fortunate to be part of MAG's first batch of its Advertising Internship Program. The timing was perfect for me as I was looking for an opportunity to learn more about Amazon PPC and at the same time to have hands-on training to work on accounts.  

 

When I started my internship, I listed down the things I wanted to learn. And I am happy to say that I've ticked all the boxes! My most favorite was "Optimization Using Bulk Files”. Bulk files and I, we did not get along at first, it was so scary seeing all those data! But I had a great mentor who guided me along the way. He patiently taught me step by step on how to process the data. He was very enthusiastic in answering all of my questions. He supported me until I gained the confidence in uploading my first, second, third (and so on) bulk uploads. 

 

The biggest advantage in working with MAG (and I must say one thing that I always look forward to every week) is its Weekly Ads Training. Every week, we discuss various topics about PPC. Interns/Ads Specialists/Ads Managers, we all share knowledge, information, and updates about PPC. During our discussions, we exchange ideas and feedback. It became an avenue not just to learn a skill, but also to clear any vague or ambiguous PPC topics. 

 

For me, the biggest disadvantage is the work schedule. As an Intern, I have to follow EST timing. The time difference from my location was only 8 hours, but being a morning person, I really struggled to keep myself awake. But if you are a night owl, then this will not be a problem for you.

 

So if you are considering joining the MAG Advertising Internship Program, my advice to you is to take action - APPLY NOW! The knowledge that you will gain and the skill that you will develop from this program will be invaluable. And who knows? From being an Intern, you might be the next one to be promoted as Jr. Ads Specialist! 

Maria Victoria Piedad

A man with a beard smiling in front of a marketplace.

Steven Bruning

IT DIRECTOR

Steven has over eight years of experience in Information Technology and specializes in conceptualizing and implementing data-driven solutions.Steven started his Amazon career in 2019, breaking onto the scene by developing retail arbitrage software tools and gaining an in-depth knowledge of the Amazon Seller Central platform and account management. Outside of work, Steven enjoys DJing, learning and teaching others about personal finance, spreadsheets, and most of all, spending time with his wife playing board games and walking local trails. Steven was a long-distance runner for many years, having run over 1,000 miles and completed a marathon and several half-marathons.
A bald man from My Amazon Guy, smiling in front of rocks.

Jason Mastromatteo

VP of Brand Management

Jason Mastromatteo started his professional Amazon career in 2014 breaking into the Amazon scene selling by means of RA and private labeling. He eventually took his Amazon knowledge and started consulting for other businesses, distributors, and retailers. Jason’s experience and extensive seller central & vendor central knowledge have helped him consistently manage and grow sales through his team at MAG. Jason has interests in music, videography, skateboarding, and is a competitive Magic the Gathering player.

Dustin Fenton

VP of Finance

Dustin Fenton is the VP of Finance at My Amazon Guy. He began his eCommerce career in 2013, graduated with a Bachelors of Science with a Minor in Business Administration in 2018, and began his career at My Amazon Guy in the Fall of 2019. Dustin is a seasoned veteran at My Amazon Guy who has risen through the ranks:
  • Started as an Amazon Specialist
  • Grew to a Successful Brand Manager
  • Became a successful Account Director and through Leadership Grew Others into the Role
  • Promoted to VP of Operations
  • Now Serves as VP of Finance – and Assists the Company in all Areas of Operations
He directs:
  • AR
  • AP
  • Cash Flow
  • Tax Management
  • Employee Benefits Enrollment
  • Budgeting
  • Bookkeeping
  • Strategic Management of Financial Operations
  • M&A
  • Transfer Pricing Agreements
  • Operational Matters in Relation to the Financial Health and Solvency of MAG
In his free time, Dustin enjoys:
  • Traveling
  • Hiking
  • Extreme Weather Chasing
  • Learning and eCommerce Management
  • Retail arbitrage 
  • Spending time with friends and family
A man smiling in a blue circle, representing a marketplace seller central management.

Francisco Valadez

ACCOUNT DIRECTOR

A graduate of Monterrey Tech (ITESM) in Mexico with a Bachelor’s in International Business, Francisco Valadez has spent most of his career as an entrepreneur involved in retail, wholesale, and private label projects. He has led companies from humble beginnings to successful acquisitions. Francisco got his start in eCommerce as part of a shoe company that sells through brick-and-mortar retail, department stores, and its own website. Most recently, Francisco fell down the Amazon rabbit hole while helping a company set up their own Amazon business. From that day on, Francisco has been 100% focused on Amazon retail. He has ample experience in Seller Central, and has proven his understanding of successful strategies to grow a brand’s online retail presence. Outside of work, Francisco loves sports, cooking, reading, listening to vinyl records, and most of all, spending time with his wife and daughters. He coaches in both English and Spanish, and leads the Hispanic team in our agency
A woman in glasses is smiling in a circle while managing her seller central account on a marketplace.

Kristen Dixon

ACCOUNT DIRECTOR

Meet Kristen Dixon, a seasoned Amazon e-commerce expert with nearly 8 years of experience. Kristen is not just a master of the online marketplace; she’s a passionate advocate for helping clients and employees reach their full potential. Her journey in e-commerce isn’t just about transactions; it’s about building relationships, both professionally and personally.

What truly sets Kristen apart is her innate desire to see others succeed. Her clients trust her not just for her e-commerce expertise but for her ability to guide them towards their own success stories. As a mentor to her employees, she nurtures their talents and encourages them to reach new heights. Kristen is not just dedicated to her craft but is equally committed to fostering growth in those she interacts with.

Kristen leads a fulfilling life as a mother of two children and a proud owner of a lively Goldendoodle. Family is her anchor and her “why.” The love she pours into her work is mirrored in her home life. She proudly leads a multifaceted life, where her love for family, sports, and a deep passion for helping others intersect in harmony. Kristen is a true example of how one person can make a lasting impact, both in the digital realm and in the lives of those she touches.

A man with a beard and sunglasses, working as an "Amazon guy", involved in marketing management for Amazon.

Nick Nido

CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER

Holding a masters degree in electronic engineering from MIT with a bachelors in business management, Nick has 15+ years experience in ecommerce business and technology operations. Nick has gained a significant amount of his Amazon experience while launching his own store on Amazon with it being so successful it was later acquired by an conglomerate 3 years later.  

An bearded man marketing on the Amazon Marketplace.

Steven Pope

FOUNDER

Steven founded My Amazon Guy to help clients grow faster on Amazon. After serving on the corporate side as a marketing manager and eCommerce director for nearly a decade, Steven started teaching businesses how to leverage the largest eCommerce platform and logistics network in the world. The Grand Master of Amazon knowledge, Steven is a thought leader with more than 1500+ videos of free content where he gives away all his trade secrets away. Steven oversees marketing and sales. Mr. Pope is an eagle scout, has an MBA from Western Governor’s University, and a BS from Weber State University. Read what My Amazon Guy employees say it’s like to work for Steven.