The end of 2019 is a little bit different. Not only is it the end of the year, but it’s also the end of the decade so we’re taking extra stock of what has been and what’s ahead. This year and this decade have been good to us, and we are excited to share this retrospective. We hope that your year and your decade were similarly kind and that 2020 and beyond is even better!

The Seller Labs Family Grew!

Quite possibly our most-exciting news of the year was our acquisition of X-Cart! This merger is opening up so many new doors for customers and for our business and employees. A tremendous thank you to all who have been a part of the transition and those who are new to the Seller Labs community. Joining teams has proven a lot like pairing Seller Labs Pro and the X-Cart eCommerce platform: maximum coverage and soooo many cool resources and features!

Big Releases

In 2018, we launched Ignite 2.0 and our Managed Services department. Both were in an effort to help make the increasingly daunting Amazon Advertising program a little less daunting. In 2019, Ignite became more powerful than ever. 

• Amazon Sponsored Brands Ad Suggestion Automation Available in Ignite
• Amazon Broad Match Modifiers for Sponsored Brands Campaigns Available in Ignite
• Use Ad Scheduling to Maximize Budget and Profitability

Ditto our Seller Labs Managed Services team! The same team you know and love is now more robust than ever. Get your Amazon Advertising managed, your listings optimized, and even your Buyer-Seller Messaging checked for Terms-of-Service compliance and maximum impact.

We also rolled out the new and improved dashboard to all users. Data within Amazon’s Seller Central is spread out, difficult to locate, and even harder to interpret. What numbers do you need to review and what actions do you need to take in the best interest of your business? Seller Labs made it easy for you with the new dash: one login for all your Amazon account management right at your fingertips.

In addition to rolling out the dashboard, we made Seller Labs Pro is now more affordable than ever. With plans starting at just $49/month, you can’t afford to not have our full suite at your fingertips (and it looks so smooth on the dash).

Finally, we rolled out our Preferred Partner Program. Seller Labs may not be able to solve all of your problems, but if we can’t help, we can steer you to someone trustworthy and qualified who can. When you start working with these companies, be sure to mention Seller Labs!

Hot Topics and Real Talk for Sellers

Did you know that there was a 40% increase in counterfeit goods from 2018 to 2019? While counterfeiters and black-hat tacticians aren’t new within the world of Amazon, they were brought into the spotlight in 2019, in large part thanks to a BuzzFeed article in April 2019. We were also all over this story and tackled the issue head on in our webinar, In a World of Amazon Black-Hat Tactics, Don’t Let the Bad Guys in or Let Them Win.

Amazon sellers of all ilks found that webinar really helpful so we kept at the hard-hitting issues, bringing together some of the leading experts in the space for a Mastermind Summit in October. This was our first event of its kind, and we got deep into Amazon updates, staying compliant, and ways to protect your business. 

On the Road

Seller Labs has continued traveling to various trade shows, conferences, and regional events. If you’re looking to add some networking and education to your calendar, check out our list of top events. 

We also launched our Seller Labs Live traveling event! A few years ago, we hosted a small group of local sellers in our Athens, GA office, and it was a hit. We discovered the power of a local community of sellers and decided to help foster that in cities all over the U.S. This year, we tested it out in Denver, CO and Chicago, IL to great success. In 2020, we have plans for New York City, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Miami, and more. 

The Flagship: Amazon

If 2018 was the year of Amazon Advertising, 2019 has been the year of sweeping updates and less-than-flattering Amazon exposés. With changes to everything from buyer-seller messaging to one-day Prime Delivery to the Transparency program to warehouse conditions, it was as if no part of Amazon went untouched or unexamined.

• Amazon Giveaways Discontinued
• Buyer-Seller Messaging & Customer Privacy
• Amazon Blocks Sellers from Using FedEx Ground for Prime Shipments
• Amazon’s Supplier List
• Amazon Attribution
• Amazon’s “Positions”
• Amazon Starts Controlling Pricing

Don’t forget that we do weekly news recaps on the blog, so you can always stay up to date on the latest Amazon news. Bookmark for #ICYMI!

Greatest (Blog) Hits of 2019

• What’s the Deal with Amazon Logistics? (Updated for 2019)
• [eBook] Understanding Amazon’s Black-Hat Tactics
• [Tip Sheet] 9 Places to Find High-Value Amazon Keywords
• [White Paper] How to Get Reviews on Amazon and Improve your Seller Feedback
• [Checklist] Amazon New Product Launch Checklist

Perennial Faves

You keep coming back for more with these blog posts. They were written pre-2019, but they’re still so applicable to your business so they’re well worth revisiting.

• Manufacturer Part Number (MPN): How One Little Number Can Drastically Improve Your Amazon Sales (2017)
• How to Get an Amazon #1 Best-Seller Badge for your Product Detail Page (2018)
• Made in America: Is Chinese Manufacturing as Affordable as it Used to Be? (2016)
• Last-Minute Strategies to Beat Amazon Long-Term Storage Fees (2017)
• What Amazon’s 250-Character Indexing Maximum Means for Merchants (Updated for 2018)

2020: The Year of Expansion and Diversification!

In the world of Amazon, it’s always difficult to make predictions as to what will happen next. One thing about which we are certain is that the days of just selling on Amazon (or putting all of your business eggs in one marketplace basket) are over. 

Expand and diversify your selling presence; meet your buyers where they are, not where you think they are or solely where you are! Amazon may still be king, but the future is about being more than an “Amazon business,” Spread your wings and find your sales channel mix. This means utilizing your own website, tapping into influencer networks and building a social audience, selecting long-term items for your catalog, selling on marketplaces other than Amazon, investigating getting your products in stores and on shelves, and meeting your customers (and prospects) wherever they are. 

Thanks to our X-Cart team, we can help you grow and be there for your buyers! Let 2020 be the year of building (or expanding) your brand and presence.