🎙️News Review with Armin Alispahic and Pat Petriello

DESCRIPTION

Welcome to another edition of The Retail Round Up: your monthly recap of the biggest headlines and developments in the retail world.

This week, Pat Petriello is here to unpack everything happening in the world of ads, and Armin Alispahic will take us through the latest in operations and organic trends.

First up: Amazon fees. What changed, what's next, and how to respond, followed by rapid-fire industry updates.

Let's dive in.

Quote:

Search is not dead. I think in two years, 90+ percent of product discovery will still be going to happen through the search bar.

Pat Petriello

KEY TAKEAWAYS

In this episode, Julie, Jordan, Pat, and Armin discuss:

• Amazon FBA Fee Changes: The latest fee updates, how they compare to previous years, and what they really mean for brands, from operational efficiency to punitive costs for poor fulfillment practices.

• Survival of the Fittest: How increased complexity and tighter margins are pushing sellers to optimize their operations or risk falling behind, with commentary from Pat Patriello on treating SKUs as individual P&Ls.

• Big Retail Media Announcements: Amazon's new partnerships and platform updates, including shoppable ads on Twitch and audio/video ad placements on Spotify, and what these mean for near- and long-term media buying strategies.

• AI Tools and Storefronts: Amazon's rollout of its Storefront Page Builder powered by AI, its current limitations, and predictions for what's coming next.

• The Rise of ChatGPT in Commerce: Recent announcements about the Agentic Commerce Protocol and integrations with platforms like Walmart, Shopify, and Etsy, reflecting on how conversational AI could transform (but not immediately replace) traditional search-driven product discovery.

• Fee Updates and Pricing Transparency: New Prime Exclusive Deal structures for the holidays, plus a potentially game-changing test of displaying historical price data in the Amazon mobile app, and what that could mean for brands and consumers.

🎙️Interview With Shahrez Anjum and Laurie Tovo of Acadia

DESCRIPTION

Welcome to The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast, brought to you by Julie Spear, Head of Retail Marketplace Services, and Jordan Ripley, Director of Retail Account Management.

Today we're joined by two fantastic guests from Acadia: Shahrez Anjum from our Account Management team and Laurie Tovo from our Retail Media team.

They're here to break down what's unique about this year's Q4: what's changing, what you should be watching, and why this holiday season won't look like the last one.

Quote:

The vibe has definitely changed. Brands are less aggressive than last year. There's more selectivity, more intention, less 'go all-in on everything for 12 days straight.

Shahrez Anjum

KEY TAKEAWAYS

In this episode, Julie, Jordan, Laurie, and Shahrez discuss:

• How Q4 2025 compares to recent years: From aggressive, catalog-wide deals to more selective and targeted promotional strategies, especially following tariff changes and economic uncertainty.

• The influence of macroeconomic factors: Brands are feeling the effects of inflation, volatility, and changing consumer stamina for deals, which is shaping a more cautious approach to sales periods and media investment.

• AI's growing role in ecommerce: How AI, like Amazon's Rufus chatbot, is changing the way shoppers search for and discover products, shifting the focus from keywords to behavioral signals and personalized content.

• Amazon merchandising and promo capabilities: Updates like changes to promotional fees, expanded Subscribe & Save funding, and automated multipacks are reshaping organic and paid strategies for brands.

• Advanced advertising strategies: The power of AMC Audiences and behavioral targeting, enabling brands to deliver more segmented and effective messaging across the customer journey.

• Amazon's evolving fulfillment landscape: Insights on multi-channel fulfillment and the logistical complexities brands face as they consider programs like AWD and adapt to new fulfillment fee structures.

• Key changes to watch for in 2026: Anticipated shifts include the end of commingled inventory, further customization of deals and shopping experiences, and the need for brands to collect and leverage more customer data.

• Predictions for the future of search: We may be seeing the end of the traditional search bar in favor of more AI-driven, personalized shopping experiences.

🎙️Interview With Pat Petriello of Acadia

DESCRIPTION

Welcome to The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast, brought to you by Julie Spear, Head of Retail Marketplace Services, and Jordan Ripley, Director of Retail Account Management.

Today, we're digging into how Amazon's DSP has expanded its streaming and connected TV media buying footprint through strategic partnerships with Netflix, Disney+, and Roku.

To help unpack it all, we're joined by Pat Petriello, our Director of Retail Marketplace Strategy, who's been tracking all these updates and what they mean for brands.

Quote:

"The era of cheap clicks and free audience access across Google Meta and Amazon is largely over."

Pat Petriello

KEY TAKEAWAYS

In this episode, Julie, Jordan, and Pat discuss:

• Amazon DSP Expansion: Overview of Amazon's new integrations with Netflix, Disney, and Roku, and what they signal about Amazon's push into streaming and connected TV media buying.

• Media Landscape Trends: Discussion of the decline of linear TV and the rise of streaming—backed by Nielsen data showing streaming TV viewership surpassing broadcast and cable in the US.

• What This Means for Brands: How Amazon DSP acts as a nearly one-stop shop for reaching streaming audiences, including the value of authenticated reach and new inventory across multiple premium publishers.

• Amazon's Unique Differentiators: Universal frequency capping, access to first-party data for closed-loop attribution with Amazon Marketing Cloud, and lower programmatic guaranteed rates compared to industry averages.

• Differences in Partnerships: Breakdown of the depth and reach of the Roku integration versus publisher deals with Disney and Netflix, with Roku offering the largest authenticated footprint currently.

• Early Learnings from Roku Beta Tests: Surprising conversion upticks in early trials, successful audience retargeting, and encouraging initial results prompting more brands to dive in.

• Actionable Advice for Brands: What's needed to confidently test Amazon DSP, why expertise is required, and encouragement that it's still early days for streaming media buying.

• Looking Ahead: What's on the horizon, like Amazon's entrance into audio and podcast ad supply (e.g., SiriusXM, Spotify), brand safety, and predictions about Amazon's future in major sports broadcasting rights.

🎙️Prime Big Deal Days Data Breakdown With the Acadia Team

DESCRIPTION

Welcome to The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast!

In this episode, Director of Retail Media at Acadia, Ross Walker, is joined by cohost and retail roundup resident expert, Armin Alispahic, stepping in for the show's regular hosts, Julie Spear and Jordan Ripley.

Today's discussion dives into all the trends, data, and hot takes from this week's Prime Big Deal Days event. Recorded midday on Friday, October 10th, just 48 hours after Prime Day wrapped, the episode captures early insights and fresh perspectives on what really happened.

Joining Ross and Armin are four Acadia team members:

From the Account Management team, Gavin Farnan and Michael Childers cover the operations and organic performance side of the event, while Spencer Selden and Carlos Sastre bring their expertise from the media side.

The data may still be settling, but that's never stopped this team from sharing their verdict on Prime Day's success.

Let's jump into the conversation.

Quote:

"This is a year when widespread use of AMC, not just for analysis, but for audience building, would allow for a lot of unlocks during the lead-in, during the day of, and for lead-out strategies."

Ross Walker

KEY TAKEAWAYS

In this episode, the team discusses:

• Event Overview: Amazon's October Prime Big Deal Days 2025 was shorter, sharper, and strategically focused, reflecting a more disciplined retail environment.

• Two-Day Format: Amazon scaled back from four days to two, addressing buyer fatigue, fulfillment constraints, and profitability for sellers.

• Sales Performance: Net sales rose 72% year-over-year, with balanced performance across both days and increasing importance ahead of Q4.

• Top Performer Strategies: Leading brands combined strong deal depth, off-Amazon traffic, and unbranded campaigns to outperform despite rising CPCs.

• Profitability Focus: Brands prioritized margin protection, promoting fewer SKUs and using data to guide selective discounting.

• Consumer Behavior: Demand remained steady across both days; shoppers responded best to targeted, value-driven offers over blanket discounts.

• Brand Building: Sustained awareness and off-Amazon visibility proved essential — major event success began long before the sale.

• Platform Challenges: Some sellers faced real-time PED eligibility changes, pricing inconsistencies, and temporary reporting delays.

• Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC): AMC emerged as a key differentiator, powering smarter targeting, lookalike modeling, and cross-sell opportunities.

• Inventory & Merchandising: Brands took a selective, profit-first approach — focusing on hero products and navigating new Best Deal cost structures.

• Pricing & Visibility: Inconsistencies in Amazon's badging rules persisted, but overall visibility improved thanks to fewer, higher-quality deals.

• Post-Event Strategy: The lead-out period is crucial — retargeting, brand-tailored promotions, and consistent visibility bridge into Q4 success.

• Core Lesson: Prime Big Deal Days wasn't just a sales event — it was a test run for Q4, revealing that focus and flexibility now define winning brands.

🎙️News Review with Armin Alispahic and Ross Walker

DESCRIPTION

Welcome to another edition of The Retail Round Up: your monthly recap of the biggest headlines and developments in the retail world.

As always, Ross Walker is here to unpack everything happening in the world of ads, and Armin Alispahic will take us through the latest in operations and organic trends.

This month's lineup is packed: from fresh product updates out of Accelerate, to the ongoing rise of AMC, plus a whole assortment of operational and merchandising developments.

Let's dive in.

Quote:

The workflow to create AMC audiences, the workflow to see insights, and the UI for creating queries have all been massively improved. So the barriers to entry from a technical standpoint have probably never been lower.

Ross Walker

KEY TAKEAWAYS

In this episode, Julie, Jordan, Ross, and Armin discuss:

• Amazon Accelerate Announcements:

• • End of commingled inventory and its implications for brands and resellers.

  • Introduction of AI-powered agentic assistance within Seller Central: potential and early impressions.

  • Overhaul of seller and vendor reporting, including launch of native profit analytics and scenario modeling tools.

• Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC) for All:

• • Major update enabling direct access to AMC from the ad console: what this change unlocks for brands and agencies.

  • Limitations for connecting with third-party software and practical applications like audience targeting for Prime Day.

• Merchandising and Assortment Management:

• • Increase in maximum seller-funded discounts for Subscribe & Save (from 15% to 20%) and the business strategy behind it.

  • Introduction of virtual multi-packs, including hands-off automated creation and improved placement in product variations.

• Creator Connections Program Update:

• • Shift from an affiliate-only model to allowing upfront sponsorships for creators and publishers.

  • Implications for brand awareness strategy, influencer selection, content ownership, and budget lines.

• Supply Chain and Inventory Updates:

• • Changes to FBA liquidation and donations programs: what sellers need to watch out for.

  • New partial refunds capability and its pros and cons for brands.

  • Multi-Channel Fulfillment (MCF) is now expanding direct integrations with Shopify and Shein (joining Walmart), and new MCF dashboards for improved cross-channel fulfillment visibility.

🎙️Interview with Kelsey Knight of Slumberkins

DESCRIPTION

Welcome to The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast, brought to you by Julie Spear, Head of Retail Marketplace Services, and Jordan Ripley, Director of Retail Account Management.

Today, we're excited to be joined by Kelsey Knight, Chief Commercial Officer at Slumberkins, an emotional learning brand dedicated to helping children grow into caring, confident, and resilient individuals.

We first connected with Kelsey at eTail East, where she led an engaging session on the evolution of influencer marketing. Her perspective was both insightful and inspiring, and we're thrilled to bring that conversation to our listeners today.

Tune in to find out more!

Quote:

"Our top-performing content is coming from our influencer or influencer affiliates. We really can see what's working organically and then lean into that from a paid perspective."

Kelsey Knight

KEY TAKEAWAYS

In this episode, Julie, Jordan, and Kelsey discuss:

• Kelsey Knight's career path and her motivation to join Slumberkins

• Slumberkins' mission & growth: A brand teaching kids emotional skills through plush "creatures," books, and media. Kelsey Knight's career in social and DTC led her to join for its mission-driven focus.

• Influencer as a growth engine: The brand began with grassroots social efforts and now uses the Siral platform to scale influencer programs. UGC from parents and teachers drives strong engagement and fuels paid ads more effectively than traditional creative.

• Paid media rebalancing: After reaching efficiency limits on Meta, Slumberkins cut spend to invest in organic channels (influencer, email, SEO). Once healthier, they returned to Meta profitably, keeping first-purchase profitability as a non-negotiable metric.

• Loyalty & community: Their Radium-powered loyalty program goes beyond points, running challenges (reading, seasonal, routines) to foster parent/teacher engagement, generate UGC, and deepen brand loyalty.

• Amazon as a channel: Amazon sales are steady and profitable, but treated as part of a wider ecosystem. Off-Amazon marketing efforts (ads, influencer, organic) consistently lift Amazon sales within days.

• Search everywhere optimization: With AI disrupting discovery, Slumberkins invests in SEO, PR, and organic content to surface in LLMs and new search tools. Early results show AI-driven traffic is small but far more engaged.

🎙️Interview with Ross Walker & Damiano Ciarrocchi of Acadia

DESCRIPTION

Welcome to The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast, brought to you by Julie Spear, Head of Retail Marketplace Services, and Jordan Ripley, Director of Retail Account Management.

Today, we're joined by our resident masters of media, Ross Walker and Damiano Ciarrocchi, to dig into the often-fraught world of cross-channel budget allocation.

They'll share insights, strategies, and hard-won lessons to help brands navigate this complex challenge with more confidence.

Tune in to find out more!

Quote:

"You don't get to control how the consumer buys. I can put my ads in front of the consumer, and they can choose to pick up in store because that's the most convenient for them. We've had brands say, "My online sales are not doing anything". Yes, but store sales are growing fantastically. Maybe it's time to change your goal."

Ross Walker

KEY TAKEAWAYS

In this episode, Julie, Jordan, Ross, and Damiano discuss:

• Evolution of Retail Media Networks:

• • The initial expectations versus the reality of how retail media networks have developed.

  • Challenges emerging as not all retailers are equipped for all marketing goals or funnel stages.

• Strategic Approaches to Channel Selection:

• • How brands should assess retailers based on sales potential, data capabilities, and unique opportunities.

  • Importance of evaluating both hard metrics and business strategy when onboarding new brands.

• Metrics that Matter (and Vanity Metrics to Watch For):

• • Breakdown of crucial KPIs: impressions, CPC, CPM, conversion rate, and new-to-brand rate.

  • Caution against over-relying on vanity metrics like ROAS without understanding calculation differences across platforms.

• Assortment vs. Media Strategy:

• • Navigating the "chicken or egg" dilemma between assortment planning and media activation.

  • How exclusive or differentiated products for retailers can drive performance and avoid channel conflicts.

• Understanding Shopper Behavior Across Channels:

• • The need to recognize that it's often the same shopper moving between channels.

  • The value of creating a cohesive brand experience, no matter where the purchase occurs.

• Media Mix Modeling (MMM) and the Future of Budget Allocation:

• • The growing role of MMM in omnichannel strategy.

  • Current limitations and evolving needs for MMM to provide actionable guidance for retail media investments.

• Practical Scenarios & Recommendations

Welcome to The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast, brought to you by Julie Spear, Head of Retail Marketplace Services, and Jordan Ripley, Director of Retail Account Management.

Today, we're thrilled to be joined by Scott Lester, Senior Manager of Digital & E-commerce at eos: the brand behind the beloved Evolution of Smooth products, from body lotions and lip balms to shaving creams.

We first connected with Scott at eTail East, where he spoke on marketplace optimization and strategy. His insights really stood out, and we're excited to dive deeper into those ideas with him today.

Tune in to find out more!

KEY TAKEAWAYS

In this episode, Julie, Jordan, and Scott discuss:

• Scott Lester's Nontraditional Career Path: Scott shares how he went from a Spanish literature degree and pharmaceutical sales to a thriving career in ecommerce, emphasizing the value of curiosity and adaptability.

• Translating Brand Ethos Across Channels: The eos team maintains consistency in their brand voice across digital marketplaces, retail media, and in-store experiences.

• Marketplace Growth Framework: Scott walks through eos's approach to marketplace growth by breaking it into four stages: market anticipation, leveraging reviews, discover & rank, and platform optimization.

• Nimbleness in Product Innovation: Insights on how eos uses social and market trends (such as their "Flavor Lab" launches inspired by viral secret menu hacks) to quickly develop and release new products, benefiting from the agility that comes with being a relatively small company.

• The Power of Customer Reviews: Discussion on how reviews are being repurposed into user-generated content and ad creative, and why customer sentiment is now essential, especially with the rise of AI such as Amazon's Rufus and Walmart's Sparky.

• Shifting Optimization Strategies: The evolution from keyword-stuffing to a more nuanced approach focused on consumer language, mobile relevance, and content that appeals both to customers and marketplace algorithms.

• Paid vs. Organic in Digital Shelf Strategy: Scott explains balancing organic and paid tactics, and why he no longer believes in strict "upper/mid/lower-funnel" strategies. Instead, eos seeks to create memorable, shareable moments across multiple touchpoints.

• The Rise of AMC and Measurement: How Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC) has moved from "nice to have" to essential for tracking incremental impact and optimizing media spend effectively.

• AI: Both Exciting and Alarming: Scott offers candid thoughts on the double-edged sword of AI in ecommerce, from helping with data analysis to concerns over generative imagery and deepfakes.