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Seller story
Post-95 investment bank office workers “0 experience” crossing the border Amazon: selling 1.5w pieces as soon as they launched, and 8,000w a year?!
March 30, 2024
Reading time about 6 minutes
A popular circuit where cross-border newbies have uncertain doubts, he was able to uncover the potential business opportunities hidden in it. The investment bank elite with 0 entrepreneurial experience switched to cross-border e-commerce. After only two years of start-up, they achieved various achievements. The annual turnover exceeded 80 million yuan, and the first product became the best seller. This post-95 entrepreneur is the protagonist of our story today, Mr. Jia, the founder of Shenzhen Chenzhi E-Commerce Co., Ltd. Unlike the conventional idea of focusing on a vertical category, Mr. Jia, who entered the game with “0 foundation and 0 experience,” “acted independently” from the beginning. He was committed to finding potential products from popular tracks, and laid out multiple categories to create popular products one after another!
Today, we invited Mr. Jia and Mr. Tang, our partner, to share unique product selection methods to help more new sellers entering the border open up product selection ideas and replicate successful experiences. At the same time, they will also break down how to seize the critical period of “90 days of gold” for the launch of new products, achieve an efficient cold start through refined operations in listing, advertising, promotion, etc., and gradually “win” intermediate and advanced cross-border sales!
Today, we invited Mr. Jia and Mr. Tang, our partner, to share unique product selection methods to help more new sellers entering the border open up product selection ideas and replicate successful experiences. At the same time, they will also break down how to seize the critical period of “90 days of gold” for the launch of new products, achieve an efficient cold start through refined operations in listing, advertising, promotion, etc., and gradually “win” intermediate and advanced cross-border sales!
Post-95 investors started businesses with “0 experience”. As soon as they debuted, they were a hit!
In 2021, Mr. Jia, who works at an investment bank, learned that his family's friend's factory foreign trade orders had seriously declined, so he decided to quit his job and start a business to help the factory with B2C transformation. Precisely because of this decision, Mr. Jia first came into contact with Amazon, and also saw huge business opportunities and increases in cross-border e-commerce. However, for Mr. Jia, who has “0 foundation and 0 experience,” one problem that must be faced is, can new entrepreneurs still catch up with the cross-border trend?
Is today's cross-border e-commerce still suitable for newbies to start a business?
Mr. Jia said, “Although the current stock market accounts for the majority, if I produce a product and even want to use it myself, there will definitely be a potential market. The crux of the question is whether it is possible to effectively iterate on core requirements. From this perspective, I think Amazon has hundreds of millions of high-net-worth customers around the world, and they are willing to pay for good products. So for newcomers to overseas, Amazon is still a channel worth trying. "
Mr. Jia said, “Although the current stock market accounts for the majority, if I produce a product and even want to use it myself, there will definitely be a potential market. The crux of the question is whether it is possible to effectively iterate on core requirements. From this perspective, I think Amazon has hundreds of millions of high-net-worth customers around the world, and they are willing to pay for good products. So for newcomers to overseas, Amazon is still a channel worth trying. "
New entrepreneurs lack startup resources. What should I do?
Mr. Jia said, “It's not easy to do a good job in product iteration. At first, novice sellers don't have enough capital, talent, and supply chain to support high-investment R&D. Therefore, at the beginning, we did not choose “technology-based entrepreneurship” that focuses on assets; instead, we chose “resource-based entrepreneurship”. Relying on the advantages of the industrial chain, we found the unmet needs of overseas consumers and accurately entered a promising segmentation circuit. "
Mr. Jia said, “It's not easy to do a good job in product iteration. At first, novice sellers don't have enough capital, talent, and supply chain to support high-investment R&D. Therefore, at the beginning, we did not choose “technology-based entrepreneurship” that focuses on assets; instead, we chose “resource-based entrepreneurship”. Relying on the advantages of the industrial chain, we found the unmet needs of overseas consumers and accurately entered a promising segmentation circuit. "
Entering the market with 0 experience, how to find the right supply chain?
Mr. Jia said, “At present, newbies cannot simply “resell” or “sell goods,” but must find factories with R&D and production capabilities. But it's not easy to find such a factory. Considering that in the early stages of starting a business, we probably wouldn't just build a certain racetrack, so we need to find a large number of partner factories. How do I find it?Our idea is to find upstream factories that produce industrial equipment, such as spark machines. Through them, we can find a large number of supply chain companies in the 3C, home furnishing and other industries, making it easier to find high-quality foundries. "
Mr. Jia said, “At present, newbies cannot simply “resell” or “sell goods,” but must find factories with R&D and production capabilities. But it's not easy to find such a factory. Considering that in the early stages of starting a business, we probably wouldn't just build a certain racetrack, so we need to find a large number of partner factories. How do I find it?Our idea is to find upstream factories that produce industrial equipment, such as spark machines. Through them, we can find a large number of supply chain companies in the 3C, home furnishing and other industries, making it easier to find high-quality foundries. "
After gradually solving problems such as factory, capital, and team, Mr. Jia began to enter Amazon in 2021, and the first site chose the North American site with great potential. Mr. Jia said that the reason for choosing the North American site is because Amazon has better acceptance in North America, and the purchasing power of local consumers is also stronger. It is easier to verify the quality of products on this mature site, and it is also convenient to establish a brand in the future.
What people didn't expect was that Mr. Jia “made an amazing impression” on Amazon. As the first product, the integrated mobile phone cleaning tool became the best seller within four or five months after launch. The highest monthly sales volume reached 15,000 units, earning him the “first pot of gold.”
So here's the question: how can such a young startup team be able to make a splash in the first place?
What people didn't expect was that Mr. Jia “made an amazing impression” on Amazon. As the first product, the integrated mobile phone cleaning tool became the best seller within four or five months after launch. The highest monthly sales volume reached 15,000 units, earning him the “first pot of gold.”
So here's the question: how can such a young startup team be able to make a splash in the first place?
Unique product selection methodology revealed for the first time in three simple steps to boost sales and explore business opportunities
Compared to many sellers who lack experience in product selection, Mr. Jia's outstanding results are due, on the one hand, to his unique product selection methodology — finding potential segmentation products from the Red Sea Circuit; on the other hand, he also has unique experience in logistics, listing design, advertising, promotion, etc., and can use various tools at the beginning of the product launch to open up new product sales within “90 days of gold.”
Today, Mr. Jia also shared with us his exclusive experience in product selection:
Today, Mr. Jia also shared with us his exclusive experience in product selection:
Do newbies have to avoid the Red Sea when picking categories?
Mr. Jia said, “I don't think there is a Blue Ocean product in the full sense of the word. Instead, we will look for pain points that have not been solved in the Red Sea circuit and focus on niche market needs to create products. Specifically, in practice, it is to make ancillary products for popular products, such as cleaning tools for mobile phones, hanging shelves for Christmas lights, stands for monitors, etc. The advantage of this is that popular tracks are easier to research, and there is a large amount of data to clearly calculate the sum of online and offline sales, because the overall market stock is not just sales on Amazon. On this basis, we have clear goals and directions to make product breakthroughs and drive business growth. Until now, we have also used this method to select products. For example, entertainment methods such as short videos and live streaming are very popular in the US this year, and demand for related live streaming equipment will definitely rise, so we laid out categories related to live streaming early on. "
Mr. Jia said, “I don't think there is a Blue Ocean product in the full sense of the word. Instead, we will look for pain points that have not been solved in the Red Sea circuit and focus on niche market needs to create products. Specifically, in practice, it is to make ancillary products for popular products, such as cleaning tools for mobile phones, hanging shelves for Christmas lights, stands for monitors, etc. The advantage of this is that popular tracks are easier to research, and there is a large amount of data to clearly calculate the sum of online and offline sales, because the overall market stock is not just sales on Amazon. On this basis, we have clear goals and directions to make product breakthroughs and drive business growth. Until now, we have also used this method to select products. For example, entertainment methods such as short videos and live streaming are very popular in the US this year, and demand for related live streaming equipment will definitely rise, so we laid out categories related to live streaming early on. "
Christmas lights (pictures from the Internet)
After identifying the categories, how to iterate on the product?
Mr. Jia said, “Launching a new product is through two routes. One is to optimize functions and iterate products, which tests supply chain integration capabilities; the other is to make a new product to find innovative functions through user research to meet consumers' scenario-based needs. However, regardless of the route, the product must be iterated around the core needs of consumers and the actual situation in the local market. For example, a toilet brush is for cleaning; the core is the cleaning effect, so the direction of change must be to increase its rotation speed rather than adding a light to it. To find this kind of core requirement, we must pay attention to research and reviews. For example, we can add or optimize product features based on pain points mentioned in social media or Amazon reviews, or check where the product needs to be iteratively improved based on poor product reviews. "
Mr. Jia said, “Launching a new product is through two routes. One is to optimize functions and iterate products, which tests supply chain integration capabilities; the other is to make a new product to find innovative functions through user research to meet consumers' scenario-based needs. However, regardless of the route, the product must be iterated around the core needs of consumers and the actual situation in the local market. For example, a toilet brush is for cleaning; the core is the cleaning effect, so the direction of change must be to increase its rotation speed rather than adding a light to it. To find this kind of core requirement, we must pay attention to research and reviews. For example, we can add or optimize product features based on pain points mentioned in social media or Amazon reviews, or check where the product needs to be iteratively improved based on poor product reviews. "
Practical case
Aiming at the 3C accessories track and using micro-iteration to create the best seller
The mobile phone cleaning tool that has been very successful before is one of the best examples of verifying Mr. Jia's methodology. Through early market observation, the team discovered that the 3C data cable, power bank, etc. market was too large and did not have much advantage. At the same time, it was discovered that Americans attached great importance to storage and cleaning, and lacked integrated cleaning products. As a result, Jia's team improved the product function of the mobile phone cleaning tool, and relied on supply chain capabilities to design a 7-in-1 integrated cleaning tool. It initially hit the Best Seller list, and sales soared.
Aiming at the 3C accessories track and using micro-iteration to create the best seller
The mobile phone cleaning tool that has been very successful before is one of the best examples of verifying Mr. Jia's methodology. Through early market observation, the team discovered that the 3C data cable, power bank, etc. market was too large and did not have much advantage. At the same time, it was discovered that Americans attached great importance to storage and cleaning, and lacked integrated cleaning products. As a result, Jia's team improved the product function of the mobile phone cleaning tool, and relied on supply chain capabilities to design a 7-in-1 integrated cleaning tool. It initially hit the Best Seller list, and sales soared.
After stabilizing our position, is it necessary to do research and development?
Mr. Jia said, “After going through the initial stage of resource-based entrepreneurship, we also realized that only after improving R&D capabilities can we have real core competitiveness and increase product premiums. Now, we have gradually completed the shift to technical product selection, and we are developing scenario-based products based on our own or the latest and most mature technology in our supply chain. Currently, we focus on electrified products in research and development. Through electrification, we have added new functions to the products and improved ease of use. The return rate of a certain charged product is less than 2% after launch, making it the top 1 in this category! ”
Mr. Jia said, “After going through the initial stage of resource-based entrepreneurship, we also realized that only after improving R&D capabilities can we have real core competitiveness and increase product premiums. Now, we have gradually completed the shift to technical product selection, and we are developing scenario-based products based on our own or the latest and most mature technology in our supply chain. Currently, we focus on electrified products in research and development. Through electrification, we have added new functions to the products and improved ease of use. The return rate of a certain charged product is less than 2% after launch, making it the top 1 in this category! ”
In addition to this, in addition to the mature product selection process, Mr. Jia has also summed up four practical points suitable for new sellers to refer to, starting from years of successful experience:
1. Try not to make male model products. It is easy to step into the hole, and the requirements for processization and standardization are very high. But don't try too difficult private model products; it's easy to get frustrated.
2. On the basis of little financial pressure and good sales performance, try to choose products with high customer unit prices. Coupled with our own iterative innovation, we have a greater chance of success.
3. Product selection must come from life. You should plan your product selection after having a deeper understanding of the atmosphere, customs, and culture of overseas sites.
4. Be guided by technical product selection as much as possible, and combine the technical accumulation of the supply chain with your own development capabilities, but never do anything beyond your scope of ability.
2. On the basis of little financial pressure and good sales performance, try to choose products with high customer unit prices. Coupled with our own iterative innovation, we have a greater chance of success.
3. Product selection must come from life. You should plan your product selection after having a deeper understanding of the atmosphere, customs, and culture of overseas sites.
4. Be guided by technical product selection as much as possible, and combine the technical accumulation of the supply chain with your own development capabilities, but never do anything beyond your scope of ability.
Take good care of new sellers Gold for 90 days, Amazon helps new sellers move forward steadily
At the beginning of Amazon's operation, Mr. Jia's team did not have a smooth journey, including the control of the pace of promotion, the ratio of logistics and delivery, and the selection of overseas warehouses, all of which needed to be continuously summarized through trial and error. Precisely to help novice sellers grasp the new critical stage in product selection, Amazon proposed the “90 days of gold” concept and prepared comprehensive guidelines for sellers, from logistics and listing to advertising and promotion, to help sellers do a good job of cold starting new products and quickly opening up sales.
How can a novice seller get started quickly in 90 days?
Mr. Tang said, “The initial stage of launching a new ASIN is critical and largely determines the subsequent trend of sales. Our company places great emphasis on “90 days of gold” work. Before the new product is launched, we will make a detailed new product promotion plan, which covers everything for 90 days. After that, our core job is to strictly follow the schedule to carry out the tasks at every stage. "
Mr. Tang said, “The initial stage of launching a new ASIN is critical and largely determines the subsequent trend of sales. Our company places great emphasis on “90 days of gold” work. Before the new product is launched, we will make a detailed new product promotion plan, which covers everything for 90 days. After that, our core job is to strictly follow the schedule to carry out the tasks at every stage. "
Stage 1: Laying the foundation
Improve logistics layout and optimize listing
Improve logistics layout and optimize listing
Using Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA)
Mr. Tang said, “Our company mainly makes private model products. The minimum order volume in the supply chain is very high, and the loss of failure is huge. This makes us have to choose FBA because using FBA has the Prime mark, and it allows us to improve delivery timelines, optimize logistics experience, gain consumer trust more easily, and increase exposure and sales. "
Mr. Tang said, “Our company mainly makes private model products. The minimum order volume in the supply chain is very high, and the loss of failure is huge. This makes us have to choose FBA because using FBA has the Prime mark, and it allows us to improve delivery timelines, optimize logistics experience, gain consumer trust more easily, and increase exposure and sales. "
02 Optimize Listing | 0-30 days
Mr. Tang said, “Complete and rich listing content can greatly improve product drainage and promote conversion, and pave the way for creating successful products in the future. We feel we need to do these details well:
01 Title and image
Images should be clear and beautiful, highlighting product features and selling points. The title should be brief, detailed and persuasive as possible, and the keywords should be accurate and relevant.
02 Make good use of Advanced A+
Try to upgrade the product to a high level A+, and use a closed loop of traffic to drive sales of other products in the store. For example, after using Advanced A+, we can display all related products in the store and convert traffic from popular products to products with average traffic.
03 Use the Amazon Vine Plan
This tool can obtain more high-quality, compliant reviews. For any seller, as long as the product quality is strictly controlled and the product experience is optimized in the early stages, consumers will naturally leave high-quality reviews after the experience. "
Mr. Tang said, “Complete and rich listing content can greatly improve product drainage and promote conversion, and pave the way for creating successful products in the future. We feel we need to do these details well:
01 Title and image
Images should be clear and beautiful, highlighting product features and selling points. The title should be brief, detailed and persuasive as possible, and the keywords should be accurate and relevant.
02 Make good use of Advanced A+
Try to upgrade the product to a high level A+, and use a closed loop of traffic to drive sales of other products in the store. For example, after using Advanced A+, we can display all related products in the store and convert traffic from popular products to products with average traffic.
03 Use the Amazon Vine Plan
This tool can obtain more high-quality, compliant reviews. For any seller, as long as the product quality is strictly controlled and the product experience is optimized in the early stages, consumers will naturally leave high-quality reviews after the experience. "
Stage 2: Seek the overall picture
Use Amazon ads to increase visibility and explore greater business opportunities
Use Amazon ads to increase visibility and explore greater business opportunities
01 Using Amazon Advertising Tools | 15-35 days
Mr. Tang said, “Advertising is an effective means to increase product exposure and sales volume. We will use product promotion, brand promotion, etc. to attract more potential customers and increase conversion. Specifically, we also have our own set of operating experiences.
01 How should the advertising budget be allocated?
When the product or brand doesn't have a certain level of popularity, we may spend 80% of our initial budget on product promotion, but when the brand has settled down for a while, and there is a certain level of customer loyalty and brand awareness, we will allocate more budget to brand promotion, at a ratio of about 6:4.
02 How to get more exposure?
In terms of specific advertising, we will divide the keywords obtained in the early stages into different match types to launch automatic advertisements. First, we will pre-reject the keywords, then we will use broad pointers to increase traffic and relevance, and then use precise pointers to increase the weight of the links.
After receiving satisfactory exposure and conversion, we will compare with competing products through display promotion to obtain double exposure and conversion. After two months, we will launch a brand promotion video. One is to increase exposure, and the other is to increase brand awareness. "
Mr. Tang said, “Advertising is an effective means to increase product exposure and sales volume. We will use product promotion, brand promotion, etc. to attract more potential customers and increase conversion. Specifically, we also have our own set of operating experiences.
01 How should the advertising budget be allocated?
When the product or brand doesn't have a certain level of popularity, we may spend 80% of our initial budget on product promotion, but when the brand has settled down for a while, and there is a certain level of customer loyalty and brand awareness, we will allocate more budget to brand promotion, at a ratio of about 6:4.
02 How to get more exposure?
In terms of specific advertising, we will divide the keywords obtained in the early stages into different match types to launch automatic advertisements. First, we will pre-reject the keywords, then we will use broad pointers to increase traffic and relevance, and then use precise pointers to increase the weight of the links.
After receiving satisfactory exposure and conversion, we will compare with competing products through display promotion to obtain double exposure and conversion. After two months, we will launch a brand promotion video. One is to increase exposure, and the other is to increase brand awareness. "
Stage 3: Show your strength
Promotion and brand protection work together to achieve steady progress
Promotion and brand protection work together to achieve steady progress
01 Use promotional tools | 20-40 days
Mr. Tang said, “The big promotion is a good time for sellers to evaluate new products and store traffic. We will cooperate with influencers on social media outside the site to achieve drainage effects
When it comes to important promotion points, such as Prime Day and “Black Five Network One,” we will be making more preparations. We will warm up a week or two in advance to increase the advertising budget and promotion intensity, and we will also post posts (Posts) within the site to generate traffic. At the same time, we will also focus on basic tasks, such as listing checks, inventory checks, image optimization, etc., and use A+ to make images more in line with the holiday atmosphere. "
Mr. Tang said, “The big promotion is a good time for sellers to evaluate new products and store traffic. We will cooperate with influencers on social media outside the site to achieve drainage effects
When it comes to important promotion points, such as Prime Day and “Black Five Network One,” we will be making more preparations. We will warm up a week or two in advance to increase the advertising budget and promotion intensity, and we will also post posts (Posts) within the site to generate traffic. At the same time, we will also focus on basic tasks, such as listing checks, inventory checks, image optimization, etc., and use A+ to make images more in line with the holiday atmosphere. "
02 Use brand protection tools | 0-60 days
Mr. Tang said, “Once the store has successfully passed the initial stage and emerged, brand maintenance can help new sellers protect their brand rights and get rid of problems such as counterfeit intrusion.
When we first started crossing borders, we also encountered some problems with malicious competition, which were finally resolved through a complaint. Fortunately, Amazon also provides sellers with some brand protection tools. For example, the Transparency Transparency Program can solve the problem of malicious follow-up sales, and also make consumers feel more trustworthy. "
Mr. Tang said, “Once the store has successfully passed the initial stage and emerged, brand maintenance can help new sellers protect their brand rights and get rid of problems such as counterfeit intrusion.
When we first started crossing borders, we also encountered some problems with malicious competition, which were finally resolved through a complaint. Fortunately, Amazon also provides sellers with some brand protection tools. For example, the Transparency Transparency Program can solve the problem of malicious follow-up sales, and also make consumers feel more trustworthy. "
Fourth stage
Develop global business opportunities (60-90 days)
Develop global business opportunities (60-90 days)
Mr. Tang said, “The size of one site is limited. After gaining a foothold in the US, we are also considering developing a Japanese site. We chose this new site because we've seen Amazon grow very fast locally, and judging from the data we've learned, Japan is a very worth trying site. At the same time, Amazon has also prepared tools such as “One-Click Listing Global” for sellers. You only need to upload listings once, and you can sync to other sites to expand your global growth. "
New Seller Onboarding Guide Video
Before entering Amazon, please read the registration guide video, prepare relevant registration materials in advance, understand the specific registration process, and help you start a store smoothly!
Recommended reading
Getting Started: New Seller Guide
Global business opportunities
