Dive into the labyrinth of trademark law with attorney Tiffany Donaldson as she reveals critical insights beyond Trademark 101. What exactly qualifies as a trademark? Far more than just your business name—it's any source identifier that consumers associate with your company, including slogans, logos, symbols, and product line names.

"I'm loving it." "Finger lickin' good." "We have the meats." These recognizable slogans aren't just catchy marketing—they're valuable trademark assets protected by federal law. When your customers see or hear these distinctive elements, they should immediately know who's behind the product. But securing this protection isn't as straightforward as many business owners assume.

The conversation takes a fascinating turn when Donaldson explains the Amazon Brand Registry process. Surprisingly, you need only a serial number—not a completed registration—to access these valuable seller benefits. This serial number is obtained immediately upon filing, even though the full trademark process now takes about a year due to backlog. She demystifies the verification process, debunking myths about exclusive partnerships and expedited services that simply don't exist.

Perhaps most eye-opening is Donaldson's explanation of what can and cannot be trademarked. Descriptive terms—including location-based names like "Brooklyn Roasting Company"—generally cannot secure federal protection. This puts SEO strategy and trademark protection at odds, as the perfect search-friendly name might describe exactly what you do—making it unprotectable. This explains why pharmaceutical companies create entirely fictional words incorporating uncommon letters like X, Y, and Z—a strategy small businesses would be wise to consider.

The standard for infringement—"same or confusingly similar"—leaves considerable gray area that needs professional navigation. Whether you're launching a new brand or protecting an established one, working with a trademark attorney early can prevent the heartbreak of forced rebranding later. Remember: trademark rights must be maintained with follow-up filings and actively defended against infringers to retain their strength. Don't wait until you've built significant brand equity to discover someone else already owns the rights to your name—by then, the cost of rebranding is exponentially higher.

Ready to secure your brand's future? Visit TrademarkProspector.com to learn how proper trademark protection can safeguard everything you're building.

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GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) is transforming e-commerce by focusing on getting brands mentioned by AI models like Rufus, ChatGPT, and Google Gemini. Max Sinclair, CEO of eComtent and former Amazon employee, shares insider perspectives on how AI is reshaping product discovery and what sellers must do to maintain visibility.

• Amazon's Rufus handles approximately 275 million queries daily (14% of all Amazon searches)
• Traditional keyword optimization becoming obsolete as AI uses token-based understanding
• Product listings must address five key dimensions: subjective properties, events, activities, purpose, and audience
• Multimodal optimization required - both text content and images must provide contextual information
• AI shopping assistants already influencing 60% of product research journeys
• Seasonal optimization opportunities exist by regularly refreshing content for different events
• Future AI developments will lower barriers to entrepreneurship while potentially disrupting traditional employment

The AI revolution in e-commerce isn't coming - it's already here. Optimize your listings for AI visibility or risk becoming invisible to shoppers using these increasingly dominant tools.

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Amazon has thrown sellers another curveball with significant changes to their promotional fee structure, and the timing couldn't be more strategic—just before Prime Day. Velocity Pete and Abe Shomali break down these critical updates that will reshape how brands approach deals and discounts on the platform.

Starting June 2nd, Amazon's promotional tools will shift from simple fixed fees to a hybrid model combining base costs with performance-based percentages. Lightning Deals are moving from a flat $150 to $70 per day plus 1% of sales (capped at $2,000). Best Deals follow a similar structure without a specified cap. Coupons transform from 60¢ per redemption to $5 per coupon plus 2.5% of sales. And Prime Exclusive Discounts? They're simply doubling in price from $50 to $100 daily.

The implications extend beyond just higher costs. These changes will force greater selectivity in what products receive promotional treatment, potentially creating a marketplace with fewer but more meaningful deals. As Abe insightfully notes, "When the top third of the page turns into one or two running a deal at any point in time, those products stick out." This increased visibility could actually benefit the strategic sellers who continue with promotions despite higher costs.

What's particularly fascinating is how these changes may widen the gap between sophisticated and unsophisticated sellers. According to the discussion, only about 10-15% of Amazon sellers take a truly analytical approach to promotional decisions. The rest rely on gut feeling or general principles rather than data-driven analysis. As promotional costs increase, this distinction in approach will likely create greater disparities in results.

Don't miss this timely discussion that goes beyond surface-level analysis to provide actionable insights for navigating Amazon's evolving fee landscape. Whether you're preparing for Prime Day or planning your long-term Amazon strategy, this episode delivers the calculations and considerations you need to stay profitable amid these changes.

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Ready for Amazon Prime Day 2025? The clock is ticking, and preparation needs to start now. This episode delivers essential strategies for sellers aiming to maximize their performance during what might be Amazon's most extended Prime Day yet – potentially running for four full days instead of the traditional two.

We dive deep into inventory management challenges, revealing why May 15th, June 9th, and June 18th are critical deadlines you need to mark on your calendar. Recent shipping delays through Amazon Warehousing and Distribution (AWD) have created headaches for sellers, with some inventory sitting in "check-in" status for up to 60 days. Learn why splitting your inventory between multiple fulfillment methods could save your Prime Day performance, and why having a backup plan is non-negotiable.

The conversation takes a provocative turn when we expose Amazon's broken promise about fee increases. Despite claiming there would be no new fees in 2025, they've announced significant changes to promotional costs just months before Prime Day. Lightning Deals now cost $70 per day plus 1% of sales, Coupons incur $5 plus 2.5% of sales, and Prime Exclusive Discounts have doubled to $100 per day. These changes demand a complete rethinking of promotional strategies.

We share creative approaches to navigate these challenges, including strategic product selection, smart use of brand stories and A+ content, and techniques to funnel traffic from promoted items to other products in your catalog. Rather than discounting your entire inventory, learn how to identify which products deserve promotion and which might perform better at regular pricing.

Whether your Prime Day goals involve boosting reviews, increasing subscribe-and-save signups, improving BSR rankings, or purely maximizing sales, this episode provides actionable guidance for success. Remember, the most successful sellers aren't just prepared – they're flexible enough to pivot when unexpected challenges arise.

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The e-commerce landscape demands a sophisticated omnichannel approach, and few understand this better than our guest Dan Robertson. Drawing from his three years at Shopify and current role helping brands navigate the digital marketplace, Dan reveals the crucial differences between selling on Amazon versus owning your direct-to-consumer channel.

While Amazon offers an established customer base, your Shopify store provides something arguably more valuable: a space where customers see only your products, free from competitor advertisements. But this advantage comes with responsibility—you must drive traffic yourself and optimize the experience to keep visitors engaged.

What separates successful Shopify stores from failures? Dan breaks down the fundamentals, from proper data backups to strategic integrations like Buy with Prime that leverage Amazon's fulfillment while maintaining your customer relationships. He emphasizes the importance of price parity across channels and explains how modern consumers shop across platforms before making purchase decisions.

The conversation takes a fascinating turn toward the future with the emergence of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). As AI shopping assistants like ChatGPT and Rufus become increasingly popular, brands must adapt their content strategy. Unlike traditional keyword-focused SEO, GEO requires human-readable descriptions that clearly solve specific problems—mirroring how people naturally interact with AI.

Perhaps most valuable is Dan's insight into cross-platform customer journeys. New tools allow brands to track shoppers as they move between channels and retarget them strategically, preventing revenue leakage while maintaining brand awareness throughout the purchase journey. The data reveals something counterintuitive yet powerful: customers who encounter multiple ad touchpoints often convert at higher rates with lower acquisition costs.

Whether you're an established Amazon seller considering Shopify expansion or a brand looking to optimize your omnichannel strategy, this episode provides the actionable insights needed to thrive in today's complex e-commerce ecosystem.

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Amazon has just dropped a bombshell that will affect thousands of agencies, freelancers, and service providers in the e-commerce space. Starting April 10, 2025, with full implementation required by August 31, 2025, all third-party solution providers who access one or more Seller Central accounts must register through Amazon's new Solution Provider Portal (SPP).

This mandatory registration process represents Amazon's latest effort to enhance security, improve API monitoring, and strengthen data protection across its marketplace. The process isn't simple either - it requires business verification, identity verification, video appointments, and detailed documentation of services provided. Even existing Amazon Service Provider Network (SPN) partners will need to complete this registration, indicating just how comprehensive Amazon intends this verification to be.

For sellers who rely on third-party support, this change means you'll need to ensure your service providers are properly registered by the deadline. When adding users to your account, you'll soon designate them either as an employee or as a third party. If you select "third party" and that provider isn't registered in the SPP, they will be unable to access your account - potentially creating significant disruption if not addressed before the deadline.

The change appears particularly challenging for independent freelancers who may face a more complex verification process than established agencies. This could potentially reshape the Amazon service provider ecosystem, pushing more independents toward agency models or consulting roles that don't require direct account access.

Have questions about these new Amazon requirements or need help navigating the registration process? Reach out to us at Velocity Sellers - we're staying on top of these changes to ensure our clients and partners remain compliant and operational through this transition.

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Want to know the secret to boosting your Amazon conversions? It's hiding in plain sight—your product images.

Content expert John Aspinall returns to the podcast with game-changing insights about optimizing Amazon listings, particularly hero images. John doesn't pull punches when analyzing what works and what doesn't in e-commerce content, bringing his signature New York directness to help sellers understand why many listings fail to convert.

The conversation dives deep into why showing products outside of packaging is non-negotiable, how to maximize "dead pixel real estate" without looking spammy, and why many successful brands are leaving money on the table with suboptimal images. John shares concrete examples of how simple changes—like prominently displaying quantity counts or "Made in USA" badges—can dramatically increase click-through rates.

"Amazon is like a flea market," John explains. "A really big, really nice flea market." In this marketplace environment, merchandising is everything, yet many sellers (even successful ones) fail to stand out effectively. Through real-world examples like drill bit sets and nutritional supplements, John demonstrates how even established brands can increase revenue significantly with tested image optimizations.

Whether you're launching your first product or managing a multi-million dollar portfolio, this episode delivers actionable advice for immediate implementation. Before you're done listening, you'll be looking at your listings with fresh eyes, ready to make the changes that could transform your Amazon business. What's one simple change you could make today that might increase your conversions tomorrow?

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Are you struggling to navigate the complex world of Amazon advertising? Join us in this insightful episode as we sit down with Sean Kinney, a seasoned expert in Amazon ads, to explore essential strategies for optimizing advertising campaigns and achieving significant growth for your e-commerce brands.

Sean shares his unique journey from graphic designer to ad expert, offering firsthand experience that can help shape your advertising approach. Discover how he effectively manages over ten brands within the Amazon marketplace, balancing resources, keyword metrics, and sophisticated software solutions to streamline processes for optimal performance.

We dive into the intricacies of preparing for critical promotional events such as Black Friday and Prime Day, emphasizing the importance of forward planning to ensure your products shine. Sean also discusses how he employs advanced data analytics and AI tools to stay competitive, enhancing listings and overall brand visibility.

With insights into the future landscape of advertising, Sean highlights emerging trends and challenges, encouraging marketers to embrace innovative strategies that align with evolving consumer behaviors. Whether you're a seasoned seller or just starting in the e-commerce arena, this episode is packed with actionable tips to elevate your advertising game.

Don’t miss out on these invaluable insights! Tune in now, subscribe to our channel, and share your thoughts with us. What’s your top takeaway from this episode?

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