The goal of every Amazon seller is to scale their business and achieve long-term success in the highly competitive eCommerce landscape. Scaling an Amazon business, however, brings unique challenges. From managing increased sales volume to expanding operations and staying ahead of the competition, entrepreneurs need to be agile to navigate the complexities of growth on that platform.
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A key strategy for overcoming these challenges is to cultivate strategic partnerships. Cooperating with the right organizations and individuals can provide the expertise, resources, and support necessary to propel your business to new heights. In this article, we’ll explore the essential partnerships you need as you scale your Amazon business, focusing on hiring, operations, marketing, and finances.
By collaborating with strategic providers, you can optimize your business operations, drive growth, and achieve sustainable success on the Amazon platform.
Hiring partnerships
Photo: Mimi Thian at Unsplash
As your Amazon business scales, you need a competent and dedicated team to handle various aspects of your operations, tackle challenges effectively, and capitalize on opportunities as they arise. Hiring this talent can significantly drive growth and maintain a high level of efficiency. A robust team includes positions such as marketing specialists, operations managers, customer service representatives, and more.
1. Recruitment agencies and platforms
Partnering with recruitment agencies and leveraging online platforms can significantly streamline the hiring process. Recruitment agencies possess industry expertise and networks to help you identify and attract top talent suited for your business needs.
Meanwhile, online platforms like LinkedIn and job boards provide access to a vast pool of qualified candidates and simplify recruitment through advanced search filters and applicant tracking systems.
Tip: Look at the area of expertise as well. Some recruiters are well known in certain industries or have expansive networks for certain levels or skill sets (e.g., executive versus technical roles).
2. Freelancers and contractors
Freelancers and contractors is another cost-effective and flexible solution, especially for specialized or short-term projects. Take advantage of freelancers’ unique skills and knowledge without the commitment of hiring full-time employees.
Platforms like Upwork and Freelancer.com host a wide variety of freelancers, allowing you to find individuals with the specific skills you require.
Operations partnerships
It’s a good problem to have when your sales are so frequent, it’s difficult to keep up. When your business grows — and especially quickly — you’ll find yourself seeking innovative ways to maximize your operations workflow, from warehousing to customer service and all the fulfillment logistics in between.
3. Fulfillment logistics
Third-party logistics providers (3PLs) streamline your fulfillment process, reduce shipping times, and improve overall customer satisfaction. These services are experts at handling warehousing, inventory management, and shipping so you can focus on other critical aspects of your business.
Some 3PLs, like MyFBAPrep, specialize in the Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) program to provide a one-stop solution for all of your FBA needs. This can further streamline and strengthen your operations process both by reducing the number of parties involved and freeing up your time to spend on other business activities.
4. Inventory management
Effective inventory management is essential to maintain adequate stock levels, minimize storage costs, and meet consumer demand. Adopting inventory management software can automate and optimize your inventory control processes.
These solutions offer real-time tracking, demand forecasting, and inventory replenishment features, ensuring you have the right products available when needed.
Some inventory management software alternatives include: InFlow Inventory, SoStocked, Finale Inventory, Forecastly, Inventory Source, Ordoro, SKU Grid, SKU IQ, Skubana or SkuVault
5. Customer service
Exceptional customer service builds customer loyalty and drives repeat business, and hiring a customer service provider can help you deliver that. They specialize in tackling customer inquiries, order issues, and returns for prompt and satisfactory resolutions.
Outsourcing customer service allows you to focus on other aspects of your business while ensuring your customers receive the care and attention they deserve.
Marketing partnerships
Photo: Hal Gatewood at Unsplash
An important component of business growth is ensuring you fill your sales funnel with potential customers through strategic marketing.
6. Digital marketing agencies
Digital marketing agencies help you establish a strong online presence and effectively market your products. They’ve honed their expertise in vital areas such as search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, social media marketing, and content creation. That knowledge enables them to develop and implement effective marketing strategies to increase your brand visibility, drive traffic to your Amazon listings, and, ultimately, boost sales.
7. Influencer partnerships
Influencer marketing has become a powerful tool for promoting products and reaching a wider audience. Collaborate with relevant influencers in your industry to increase brand awareness and generate buzz around your products.
Influencers have established credibility and a loyal following, allowing them to influence their base’s purchasing decisions. By cooperating with influencers who align with your brand values and target audience, you can leverage their reach and engage with potential customers in an authentic and impactful way.
Some Amazon influencer platforms include: Viralix, Rebaid or Rebatekey
8. Affiliate marketing networks
Affiliate marketing involves contracting with publishers, bloggers, or content creators who promote your products on their platforms. When a customer makes a purchase through their unique affiliate link, the affiliate earns a commission.
Joining affiliate marketing networks can expand your reach, drive targeted traffic to your listings, and increase sales. They also provide tracking and reporting tools that simplify the management of your affiliate programs.
Note: Amazon also has its own affiliate marketing program, which you may be able to benefit from, so check it out!
Financial partnerships
Financial partnerships are an important part of keeping your business running smoothly and also ensuring that you are able to maximize your revenue and best manage both your money in and your money out.
9. Accounting and bookkeeping services
A growing business increases the complexity of your finances, so, to ensure accurate financial records, compliance with tax regulations, and efficient financial management, consider taking on a professional accounting and bookkeeping service. They shoulder the burden of bookkeeping, financial reporting, tax preparation, payroll processing, and other related tasks.
Here are some suggestions:
10. Payment processors and merchant services
To manage transactions and payments effectively as your Amazon store scales, partner with a reliable payment processor and merchant service. These providers enable you to accept a variety of payment methods, provide secure payment processing, and ensure seamless transactions for your customers.
Look for payment processors that offer competitive transaction fees, robust fraud protection measures, and integrations with the Amazon platform to streamline your payment operations. Check some of them out:
11. Funding and investment options
Scaling your Amazon business often requires additional capital to fuel growth initiatives. Explore funding and investment options such as investors, venture capitalists, and crowdfunding platforms to secure the financial resources needed to expand inventory, invest in marketing campaigns, or develop new product lines.
These partnerships can bring not only financial support but also strategic guidance and industry connections to help you navigate the scaling process effectively. Check some of them:
Wrapping up — Take your Amazon business to new heights with the strategic partnerships
Strategic partnerships are instrumental in overcoming challenges and maximizing growth opportunities as you scale your Amazon business. By collaborating with hiring, operations, marketing, and financial services, you can optimize your business and drive sustainable success.
These relationships gain you specialized expertise, resources, and support that complement your own skills and streamline your operations. Consider your business’s needs during its growth phase and seek out partners who align with your goals and values.
Remember, successful scaling is a collaborative effort. Harness the strengths of your partners and continue to adapt and evolve along with your business. By leveraging their expert capabilities, you can confidently navigate the challenges of scaling and unlock the full potential of your Amazon business.
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About the author
Tom Wicky
Tom is an entrepreneur, startup advisor, and management consultant with over 20 years of senior management experience.
He is the Co-Founder and CEO of MyFBAPrep, the largest worldwide 3PL ecommerce warehouse network. He managed the digital assets of local media companies across Europe as part of a $2 billion private equity investment led by Macquarie Bank.
At the beginning of the Amazon FBA Marketplace, Tom built a data automation platform used to programmatically generate, manage and optimize over 1 million product listings on Amazon. He is a Boston sports fanatic and a recovering hot sauce junkie. Tom speaks Spanish and German and lives in Florida with his wife and three children.
