By Greg Mercer, founder and CEO of Jungle Scout, the leading all-in-one platform for selling on Amazon.
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When I think about all the industries and areas that have changed since I started selling on Amazon in 2013, I’m fascinated by e-commerce’s growth.
Everyone remembers the days of daily errands and out-of-stock items. Now, with a few clicks on our devices, we’re able to get anything we want delivered right to our doors, maybe even in a few hours.
E-commerce is a hugely influential and exciting market — it’s changing the world. But what’s the most impactful thing that e-commerce has accomplished?
Help entrepreneurs. I’m the founder and CEO of a platform to help entrepreneurs and brands build, scale and manage their businesses on Amazon and beyond, and being in the business of empowering entrepreneurs is one of the most rewarding aspects of being involved with Amazon.
Amazon Is For Everyone
Whether it’s small, mid-market or enterprise-level businesses, the “dark ages” of retail have been thrust into the ultramodern era of e-commerce shopping and convenience. Here at my company, we help businesses understand that space better with the right tools and insights.
Selling on Amazon is for anyone with internet access, a computer and guidelines for how Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) works. The days of opening your own storefront and pitching your product to retailers are over. You don’t even have to source your own traffic on Amazon — ready-to-buy shoppers come to you.
MORE FOR YOU
Amazon allows for the democratization of business. It’s an immense value add to not just entrepreneurs but e-commerce and the economy at large. The Everything Store inspires people to take data, glean insights and monetize them — to generate income, afford education, create a side hustle, pay off a loan — whatever you need it to do.
Consumer Insights
The top few tech giants control all the most meaningful data about consumer behavior. I think everyone should have this level of access to information to optimize their businesses, and that’s the mission my company is on: to empower the world with the most robust e-commerce intelligence to win online.
Ideally, we should compete with the same level of intelligence as the tech giants do. This puts everyone on a level playing field, which in turn, yields the greatest benefits of a free market.
Who can offer the best product, at the best price, with the best customer experience? That’s who wins. And that seems fair. And that’s how I believe e-commerce should work.
We know that with greater competition, better products get made. Plus, these sellers can share the wealth of all kinds of industries. It champions everyday people to flex their creativity, be resourceful and embrace scrappiness.
What It Takes To Sell On Amazon
Over the years, I’ve learned a lot from selling on Amazon and starting my own business to support e-commerce sellers of all kinds.
It takes time, a small investment, the willingness to learn something new and a commitment to sustaining business growth. Sometimes succeeding on Amazon doesn’t look like starting your own business from scratch.
I’ve seen an uptick in Amazon aggregator businesses and even entrepreneurs buying homegrown third-party businesses to make their own. Amazon is not a one-size-fits-all approach for entrepreneurs; there are so many ways you can find success.
What I love about Amazon is that what you get out of it is a direct result of how much you put into it. And success is within reach for anyone with the drive to learn more. So many platforms enable entrepreneurs to enter this market and claim space.
Thinking Toward The Future
Finally, let’s not forget one key advantage of investing in tech. Amazon encourages entrepreneurial-minded people to get involved in the e-commerce domain, which will only spur more innovation for the next thing that comes around. Sellers will reap the benefits of Amazon’s tailwinds for years to come, not only for their business but with the knowledge that they played a hand in the future of convenience, growth and the free market.
