📦 - What’s poppin’?

Key Amazon Q4 Insights, Google Antitrust Case, DTC 2023 trends Thursday, October 12, 2023 ❗Attention DTC readers: Today is the final day to get our [Digital Marketing Launchpad course bundle at just $29.99]( ($270 in savings). Learn from the same team that have lead growth for brands like Unilever, Songfinch, Four Sigmatic and more. Act now, prices increase tomorrow! In this newsletter, you’ll find: - 📦 The FULL ultimate guide to scaling your Q4 Amazon success this year - 📦 Is Google manipulating the search algorithm? - 📦 Are you making the most out of your marketing budget? Two avenues you should be nurturing Let’s dive in: 👇 AMAZON 🚀 The Ultimate Guide to Q4 Success on Amazon With Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days behind us, it’s time to laser focus in on the remainder of your Q4 success. Last week, we covered tips from the Pilothouse Amazon team on (1) promotion strategy, (2) main sales days strategy, and (3) advertising and creative strategy. Today, it’s all about inventory. Let’s dive in: 👇 4️⃣ Inventory strategy Effective inventory management is crucial in Q4. Why? Because of increased sales velocity and longer receiving times at Amazon’s warehouses. Here are some tips to manage your inventory effectively: 📦 Regular shipments to Amazon - What to do: Stay on top of your inventory by sending regular shipments to Amazon to keep your stock levels healthy. - Why: Ensuring consistent stock levels helps meet the high demand during Q4. 🎃 Stock up before October 31st - What to do: Aim to have Amazon fully stocked to last until the end of the year before October 31st. - Why: This prevents stockouts during the peak shopping days of Black Friday/Cyber Monday (BFCM). 😣 Prepare for possible stockouts - What to do: If stocking out is inevitable, set up Fulfilled by Merchant (FBM) SKUs for your top products. - Why: During Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) stockouts, listings can be fulfilled via FBM, allowing ads to continue running and maintaining sales velocity. 💰 Maintain consistent pricing - What to do: Ensure pricing stays consistent if switching to FBM, as Prime Exclusive Discounts will no longer be available. - Why: Consistent pricing prevents customer dissatisfaction and maintains your brand image. ✅ Set up both FBA and FBM - What to do: Have both FBA and FBM set up for seamless switching as stock allows. - Why: This flexibility allows you to continue sales and fulfillment without interruption, ensuring customer satisfaction and consistent revenue flow. The [Pilothouse Amazon team]( used [these cumulative strategies]( to capitalize on Prime Day in July (which set sales records for several clients) and will use them to generate consistent success this Q4. Will you be joining them? 👀 GOOGLE 🔍 Search Algorithm Manipulation or Keyword Matching?: A First-Hand Experience in Google’s Antitrust Case What would you think if Google wasn’t just [inflating the price]( of those low-competition keywords but gave their entire search algorithm a makeover to rake in more cash? That’s what Megan Gray, an attorney known for her winning streak against tech giants, proposed after sitting in on Google’s antitrust trial. To summarize Gray’s claims, when users search for something like "children's clothing," Google might secretly switch it up with something like "NIKOLAI-brand kidswear." Sneaky, right? If Google was caught swapping out organic search results to boost ad clicks, that's not a good look. 😬 Gray’s article has [since been removed]( from Wired’s website but remnants of her claims remain public. We took this opportunity to examine the information Gray saw that caused such an uproar in the first place and if there is any evidence to back her up. For more information, including: - The leaked email; - “Injected” search results, and; - The Google slide that started it all [We’ve got everything you need to know right here](. TRENDS 👀 What’s poppin’ in DTC in 2023? Brands are making strategic shifts in their marketing efforts to increase engagement and stay competitive. Two key trends are emerging: - 1️⃣ An increased focus on email marketing. - 2️⃣ A growing interest in retail media networks (RMNs). 📧 Email US marketers are allocating more budget to email marketing, recognizing its effectiveness in reaching and engaging their target audiences. In a recent survey by SeQuel Response and ISG, it was found that 62% of US B2B and B2C marketers have increased their direct marketing budgets in the past year, with email marketing being the top area of investment. ([Image source]() Email marketing is favored by marketers due to its high return on investment, yielding $36 for every dollar spent, according to Litmus. However, there is a challenge as 48% of US internet users admit to frequently ignoring or deleting emails from brands without reading them. To address this, brands are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) and automation tools to deliver personalized and targeted messaging to their audiences. Nevertheless, Google's new email sender guidelines, which make it easier to unsubscribe from bulk senders, may pose challenges for email marketers. 🛍️Retail media networks (RMNs) Retail media networks are [gaining prominence as a valuable marketing channel](. A survey conducted by digital marketing platform LiveIntent reveals that 73% of marketers plan to increase their investment in RMNs over the next year, with 43% already reporting positive results from RMN campaigns. Retail media networks are retailer-owned advertising services that allow marketers to purchase advertising space across all digital assets owned by a retail business. They leverage the retailer's first-party data to engage with shoppers throughout their buying journey. Marketers are particularly drawn to channels that require customer logins, such as email newsletters, promotional emails, video streaming services, and social media. The adoption of RMNs is on the rise, with 60% of marketers having a general understanding of them, and 84% foreseeing increased adoption in the next year. Moreover, a majority (63%) believe that RMNs are more effective than other forms of digital marketing, and 54% have seen significant improvements in sales and customer engagement from RMN campaigns. Staying updated on these trends can help enhance engagement, deliver personalized content, and harness valuable first-party data for better brand results. SPONSOR DTC 📥 Promote your product to 160,000 digital marketing professionals DTC Newsletter + Podcast reaches a highly qualified audience of Shopify merchants, eCommerce founders, and digital marketers. [Talk to our team to learn more](. ⚡ QUICK HITS 💤 [Tired of overhyped AI?]( Black Crow AI uses artificial intelligence to deliver real results – 20% more revenue in less than a month, just in time for BF/CM. [Start your free 30 day trial today.](* 🎞️ [Meta announces new ad options for Facebook Reels]( ahead of the holiday push. Including Collections Ads, Multi-Destination Reels Carousel Ads, and "Swipe Left" functionality for brands in preparation for the holiday season, while also enhancing brand suitability controls via third-party verification. 🔍 Google: [Demand more from social with AI-powered ads](. Demand Gen campaigns are offering diverse ad formats, improved reporting, and advanced audience and bidding solutions to help advertisers capture and engage audiences effectively. 🤖 The head of Germany's cartel office warns that [the rise of artificial intelligence could strengthen the market power of Big Tech companies](, highlighting the need for regulators to monitor potential anti-competitive behavior in areas such as smart homes, web search, online advertising, and cars. 👀 Banter Patiently waiting for someone to call on you after raising your hand in Google Meet 😅 Have you heard our latest podcasts? - 🚀 [AKNF Archive](: Rux Rockets to Meta Ads ROAS with the Pilot Test - 🌱 [Moss Amigos & Chia Pet Legacy]( - Jared Olivia on Becoming America's New Favorite Class Pet - 📊 [AKNF 340](: Google Ads Q4 Psyche Up + GA4 Gut Check - 👕 [Jacob Rokeach]( - Fractional CMO: How to Build an Apparel Brand in 2023 - 💪 [AKNF 338](: Jogo's Retention Bootcamp - The First and Second Purchase Ecosystem (Part 3) - 😍 [Amanda Elam]( - Bloomreach: Personalized Customer Experiences on Every Channel Don’t forget to [rate the DTC Podcast]( on Apple (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) Got an awesome DTC brand story to tell? Calling all brand-side founders and team leaders! Fancy joining us on the DTC Podcast as a guest? [Tap the link to toss in your application](. DTC Newsletter is written by [Rebecca Knight]( and [Michael Venditti](. Edited by [Claire Beveridge]( and [Eric Dyck](. Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up [here](. NEED MORE DTC? 🚀 [Advertise]( in DTC Newsletter. 💰Check out our course on [Facebook and Instagram]( ads! Please note that items in this newsletter marked with * contain sponsored content. [Direct To Consumer]( Pilothouse, 1011 Government St., V8W 1X6, Victoria, BC V8W 1X6, Canada [Advertise with DTC]( | [Work With Pilothouse]( [Preferences]( | [Unsubscribe](