Amazon's 2025 Prime Day was a wake-up call for sellers - the four-day format killed urgency, lightning deals lost their punch, and profitability took a hit across the board. In this episode, Brandon Fuhrmann, a 12-year Amazon veteran and co-founder of the Innovate conference, breaks down what went wrong with Prime Day and what it means for your Q4 strategy. As a seven-figure seller in the brutal kitchenware category, Brandon shares the hard-won lessons from navigating Amazon's evolving landscape where fees are multiplying, Chinese sellers are getting smarter, and profit margins are under constant pressure.

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Sponsored by OMG Commerce - go to (https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact) and request your FREE strategy session today!

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Chapters:

(00:00) Intro

(05:07) Insights from Prime Day 2025 and Changes in Dynamics

(11:11) Ad Strategy & Lightning Deals

(13:14) Preparing for Q4 & Prime Day 2026

(19:01) Managing Fees & Profitability

(22:37) Join Us at Grow NYC!

(25:35) Maximizing Profitability Through Cost Management

(30:52) Navigating the Competitive Landscape and AI Optimization

(40:56) Amazon Innovate: A Seller-Centric Conference

(47:42) Fermat: Optimize Shopper Experience with AI

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Connect With Brett:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebrettcurry/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@omgcommerce
• Website: https://www.omgcommerce.com/
• Request a Free Strategy Session: https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact

Relevant Links:

• Brandon’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonfuhrmann
• Amazon Innovate: https://amzsummits.com/events/innovate-2025/
• Grow NYC: Joingrow.com
• Special Offer | Fermat: fermatcommerce.com

Past guests on eCommerce Evolution include Ezra Firestone, Steve Chou, Drew Sanocki, Jacques Spitzer, Jeremy Horowitz, Ryan Moran, Sean Frank, Andrew Youderian, Ryan McKenzie, Joseph Wilkins, Cody Wittick, Miki Agrawal, Justin Brooke, Nish Samantray, Kurt Elster, John Parkes, Chris Mercer, Rabah Rahil, Bear Handlon, JC Hite, Frederick Vallaeys, Preston Rutherford, Anthony Mink, Bill D’Allessandro, Stephane Colleu, Jeff Oxford, Bryan Porter and more

When most DTC brands think about scaling, they focus on optimizing Facebook ads or expanding to new digital channels. But Jared Mehr helped build something different at Pura Vida—a wholesale empire that became 25% of their business and played a crucial role in their $135 million exit to Vera Bradley. In this episode, Jared breaks down the counterintuitive truth about wholesale: it's often more profitable than your direct-to-consumer sales, provides incredible diversification, and creates marketing lift that benefits all your channels.

Starting from cold calls and trade show hustle, Jared shares the exact playbook that took Pura Vida from selling friendship bracelets in a San Diego bedroom to building relationships with thousands of retailers nationwide. Whether you're tired of being at the mercy of Zuckerberg's algorithm changes or looking to build a more attractive business for potential acquirers, this episode reveals why wholesale might be your most overlooked growth opportunity.

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Sponsored by OMG Commerce - go to (https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact) and request your FREE strategy session today!

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Chapters:

(00:00) Intro

(04:23) The Importance of Wholesale in Business

(13:42) The Pura Vida Success Story

(16:51) Practical Steps to Launching Wholesale

(21:44) Wayflyer: Fast, Flexible Funding Designed for You

(22:26) Making It Easy for Retailers to Say Yes

(27:21) How to Identify Your Target Retailers

(34:08) Common Mistakes in Wholesale Retail

(37:51) The Role of Sales Reps

(42:05) Understanding Retailer Terms

(45:30) Pricing Strategies for Wholesale

(51:15) Threecolts: Recover Hidden Revenue for Free

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Connect With Brett:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebrettcurry/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@omgcommerce
• Website: https://www.omgcommerce.com/
• Request a Free Strategy Session: https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact

Relevant Links:

• Pura Vida Bracelets: https://www.puravidabracelets.com/
• Jared’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaredmehr
• Special Offer | Wayflyer: https://wayflyer.com/en/partners/omgcommerce
• Special Offer | Threecolts: https://www.threecolts.com/

Past guests on eCommerce Evolution include Ezra Firestone, Steve Chou, Drew Sanocki, Jacques Spitzer, Jeremy Horowitz, Ryan Moran, Sean Frank, Andrew Youderian, Ryan McKenzie, Joseph Wilkins, Cody Wittick, Miki Agrawal, Justin Brooke, Nish Samantray, Kurt Elster, John Parkes, Chris Mercer, Rabah Rahil, Bear Handlon, JC Hite, Frederick Vallaeys, Preston Rutherford, Anthony Mink, Bill D’Allessandro, Stephane Colleu, Jeff Oxford, Bryan Porter and more

Amazon enforcement has reached unprecedented levels in 2024. Even 8 and 9-figure sellers are getting suspended, and Amazon's "two strikes and you're out" policy means there's virtually no room for error. If you sell on Amazon, this episode could save your business.

Amazon's tolerance for any form of manipulation is at an all-time low. The cost of non-compliance isn't just a warning anymore - it's permanent removal from the platform. Even if you think you're playing by the rules, the rules have changed, and they're being enforced by AI that doesn't give second chances.

We sit down with Chris McCabe, former Amazon employee with 5.5 years inside the company and 11+ years helping sellers navigate suspensions and enforcement. Known for direct, no-nonsense advice that saves businesses from permanent bans.

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Sponsored by OMG Commerce - go to (https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact) and request your FREE strategy session today!

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Chapters:

(00:00) Intro

(01:40) Overview of Amazon Enforcement and Review Manipulation

(06:12) Reporting Abuse: Best Practices

(11:42) Identifying and Avoiding Review Manipulation Tactics

(23:11) Grow Subscription Revenue with Loop Subscriptions

(24:16) Common Mistakes to Avoid and Additional Considerations

(30:44) Understanding AI Takedowns

(33:39) Improper ASIN Mergers

(36:04) Amazon Policy: No Gray Areas

(38:50) Navigating Appeals Effectively

(45:22) Drive More Revenue with Post Pilot

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Connect With Brett:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebrettcurry/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@omgcommerce
• Website: https://www.omgcommerce.com/
• Request a Free Strategy Session: https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact

Relevant Links:

• Chris’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-mccabe-2646555
• Ecommercechris: https://www.ecommercechris.com/
• Amazon’s Anti Manipulation Policy: https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=G8CXDFT9GLRRSV3G
• LOOP: http://loopwork.co/
• PostPilot: https://postpilot.com/

Past guests on eCommerce Evolution include Ezra Firestone, Steve Chou, Drew Sanocki, Jacques Spitzer, Jeremy Horowitz, Ryan Moran, Sean Frank, Andrew Youderian, Ryan McKenzie, Joseph Wilkins, Cody Wittick, Miki Agrawal, Justin Brooke, Nish Samantray, Kurt Elster, John Parkes, Chris Mercer, Rabah Rahil, Bear Handlon, JC Hite, Frederick Vallaeys, Preston Rutherford, Anthony Mink, Bill D’Allessandro, Stephane Colleu, Jeff Oxford, Bryan Porter and more