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The Ecomcrew Ecommerce Podcast

An eCommerce podcast for store owners, hosted by 7-figure store owners Mike Jackness and Dave Bryant. We cover everything in eCommerce from Shopify, to Amazon FBA. From email marketing, to Facebook Ads. Never before has there been a podcast with store owners who are so candid. Subscribe to the Ecomcrew podcast today!
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Now displaying: December, 2015
Dec 31, 2015

Welcome to our last podcast of 2015! We love all the feedback we’ve received since we launched our podcast, and we can’t wait to hear what you guys have to say next year. That’s why on today’s episode we’re answering a listener’s questions!

On our forum, David recently asked how we managed the logistics of owning and maintaining multiple brands under one business. Many of you out there may have quite a few small businesses under your belt, and managing the paperwork, the inventory, and the accounting of each of these different gigs can be really frustrating, especially when it comes down to multiple platforms, different social media accounts, and advertising for each and every one of your new products.

Grant has even done very thorough research trying to find the best software to help us manage all of our different brands. He discusses this research on today’s podcast, and we cover a few points we’ve had hands-on experience with, including:

  • Balancing the multiple brands within your business
  • How to merge and manage inventories for multiple brands
  • Common inventory errors and how you can avoid them
  • Using tech and software to help you handle the logistics of your business
  • Grant’s personal research on different management software
  • The pros and cons of using various software and how we use them for shipping, accounting, and inventory management
  • How we – two guys who really hate accounting – find the best ways to manage our accounts and taxes
  • Telecommunication tips to keep you visible and accessible for your customers

Resources Mentioned:

StitchLabs

ShipStation

Sellbrite

TradeGecko

Orderhive

HubLogix

Skubana

Xero

Quicken

Phone.com

eVoice.com

Mike’s 2015 Year in Review Blog Post

If you have any questions or anything you’d like us to discuss on the podcast please go to ecomcrew.com and fill out the contact form. Also we would really appreciate if you would leave us a review on iTunes.

Dec 24, 2015

Today we are giving you the Grant and Mike fireside chat as we take a look at how things have been going for us for the past 30 days and talk about some of our goals for 2016.  For both of us

sales have been going really well and we have some exciting things to look forward to as we head into the new year.

Grant explains that sales have exploded over the holiday buying period at CuttingBoard.com.  Things are also going well at sister site ChoppingBlocks.com.  He talks about other Amazon projects he has going on too.  Grant notes that container pricing has dropped and talks about the impact of decreased shipping costs. His long-term goal is not to have to package anything himself ever again.

Mike has seen substantial growth in sales as well.  He has taken a major step in his business by eliminating dealing with third-party items from Amazon.  Mike has replaced those third-party items with items that have his brand name.  He has also hired his second full time employee and moved operations to a larger space which allows for a better office environment.  Mike’s long-term goal is to not have to ever move again.  He explains his plans to use third-party fulfillment going forward.

We also take the wraps off some new things we’ve been working on:

  • Grant has a supplier lined up his leatherjacket.com domain and believes he will be able to carve out a great small niche in the business.
  • Mike has launched colorIt.com, which offers high-end premium coloring books for adults.  He will round out the brand with journals, sketchbooks and other items.

We also talk a bit about logistics, which we will get into greater detail on the next Ecom Crew podcast episode.  

Mentioned on this podcast:

If you have any questions or anything you’d like us to discuss on the podcast please go to ecomcrew.com and fill out the contact form. Also we would really appreciate if you would leave us a review on iTunes.    

 

  

Dec 17, 2015

Today I’m flying solo again, but I have a great email to share with you. Jay from New Jersey sent me some questions about my recent trip to China. For those who didn’t know I have covered this extensively in our blog and the last episode. But today I’m going to answer Jay’s questions and hopefully encourage other listeners to send in more feedback.

We went to China to check out both the Canton Fair and the Hong Kong Mega Show. It was a great experience and even though I was a little disappointed in one of my niche market searches I still found some great deals for some of our other brands.

Jay asked some awesome questions. Here are some of the topics I covered in today’s episode:

  1. How did I get a visa?
  2. What did I buy?
  3. What did I buy at the show that excited me?
  4. Did I save money on products? 
  5. How long will shipments take? 
  6. What currency was I asked for?

These questioned opened the door to some deeper discussion and I tried to answer them to the fullest I could and still be comfortable, These are some of the tips I have:

  • When you purchase a Chinese visa, go ahead and pay for a 10 year pass.
  • Why projected shipment times are never accurate.
  • Why I always pay my first payment with Paypal.

If you are still curious about my trip to China, you can read more on our blog at ecomcrew.com. Also check us out on iTunes and leave an honest review of the show. We want to know if our content helps you and your honesty is the only way to know. Next time Grant should be back to discuss the inspection process with me. Until then, special thanks to Jay from New Jersey for today’s questions!



Dec 10, 2015

I just got back from China and I am exhausted. My wife and I spent over three weeks visiting and mingling at the Hong Kong and Canton trade fairs. It was a great trip, but unfortunately Grant was unable to join us. New babies make international travel a tad bit difficult, but it was still one of the best trips I’ve ever taken for my career and my business.

I like to call this trip my Leap Frog Event. Going to these trade shows gives me the opportunity to see my manufacturing and buying process first-hand, and it’s much easier to break through the language barrier when you can talk face-to-face. Seeking out the higher quality manufacturers can be tricky because these trade shows are huge, bigger than any I’ve ever been to in the States. Working these events, I walked a minimum of 5 miles every day – surpassing 12 miles one day! So in today’s episode not only am I going to discuss all I saw and who I worked with, but I’m also going to offer up my own traveler’s advice. Tune in and hear all about:

  • Tips for international travel, including getting your Visa, finding a flight, dressing comfortably, and preparing for your trip
  • Hotels and accommodations in Asia, including internet connections in Hong Kong and mainland China
  • Mike’s insight on his experience at the Hong Kong and Canton trade shows
  • The major differences between these two fairs and how they compare to local trade fairs in the United States
  • How to look for the best manufacturers at these crowded trade shows
  • How to find middle-ground on quality when working with international manufacturers
  • Networking tips and how to navigate the international scene of manufacturers and buyers

Check out our blog at www.ecomcrew.com for photos from my trip and more about my favorite manufacturers and tips for navigating Mainland China without an internet connection. And if you’ve been to China (or are thinking of going) leave us a review on iTunes and let us know about your own experiences!

 

Dec 3, 2015

Today Mike and Grant are going to give some guidelines on when to invest in your growing business. In any business there are aspects that are necessary to invest in and things that can be added as the business grows. This episode offers sound advice on when to recognize that need to grow and when your business has reached a peak.

 

Other bits of advice are:

  • Keep your costs as low as possible or your “burn rate.”

 

  • Know what items you need to spend money on how they will save you time.

 

  • Check out the work  of Chris Ducker and the concept of “Superhero Syndrome.”

 

Mike and Grant want to give you a realistic portrait of how a business grows and why investing in that business will fuel growth. Their advice is meant for longevity and will give up and coming business owners great food for thought.

 

Leave us a review iTunes and head over to our site www.ecomcrew.com for more news and updates on what’s working for e-commerce today.






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