[ BDSN ] 👀 Ex-Amazon seller's $100M TikTok secret

February 27, 2025

Market Masters 2 last weekend was a huge success

Palak was one of the participants at the first Market Masters last September. She returned this past weekend and reported she had gone from $1.5 million to $5 million in sales after implementing what she learned just five months earlier.

Market Masters is really that impactful for everyone attending. There simply is nothing else even remotely like it or more powerful for sellers in the Amazon space. Just ask any of the 59 experts and participants who were there, like Michael:

The learning never stops though. Right now I’m with 300 others at the world’s top newsletter conference, which happens to be in Austin today and tomorrow. I’m learning how to make this newsletter better for you, as well as networking with the top people in the newsletter industry.

And then this Sunday from 11am to 7pm EST, I’m hosting a mind-blowing all-day AI virtual workshop (recording available for those in other time zones or who can’t make it live) with Amy Wees and 8 of the most brilliant AI minds in e-commerce. There are no powerpoints - just step by step how-to actionable content.

If you missed the intro webinar last week, you can watch the replay here.

Or you can skip the formalities and join us for Sunday’s workshop here.

STUMP BEZOS

Returns in 2024 made up 17% of all merchandise sales — totaling $890B. What percentage admit to “wardrobing,” or buying an item to wear to one event and returning it afterwards?

[ Answer at bottom of email ]

Melisa Vong is the latest inductee into the Billion Dollar Dream 100.

It was 2015, and Melisa Vong was grinding away at a BMW dealership in downtown Toronto. The pay was barely enough to cover rent in the city, and every day felt like a step deeper into a career that wasn’t hers.

She wanted out. She wanted more. But like so many, she was stuck—until one night, an Amazon ad changed everything.

Skeptical but intrigued, Melisa went down a rabbit hole, watching YouTube videos, devouring every piece of information she could find. A few weeks later, fate intervened. Over a plate of wings, she sat across from someone who had been selling on Amazon for a few months. That dinner changed her life.

Melisa has always been an entrepreneur at heart.

Growing up in a single-parent household, she watched her mother work tirelessly to support their family. That instilled a relentless work ethic in her—a drive to create opportunities, not wait for them. She started her first business, Quint Beauty, while still in high school, and by the time she was in university, she was running multiple ventures, including a travel company.

She saw things differently—how brands positioned themselves, how marketing worked, how customers behaved. She wasn’t just looking for an escape from a job—she was building the foundation for something much bigger.

Her first Amazon brand, Namskara, a botanical skincare company, launched and hit $30,000 in sales in its first month—more than her entire annual salary at BMW. Within a year, she crossed the $1M mark. Soon after, she exited the company, a move that would become her signature.

But Melisa wasn’t done.

She co-founded Orphic Nutrition with former professional soccer player Bryce Alderson. This wasn’t just another supplement brand—it was built for longevity, fueled by her now battle-tested “Prime Product Method.” Three years later, Orphic Nutrition was acquired by SellerX. She is currently on her third exit.

Melisa has made over $20M selling on Amazon. But she isn’t just building brands—she’s rewriting the playbook.

Unlike most Amazon sellers who treat their success like a secret recipe, Melisa chose to share everything she learned. She’s trained thousands, built an e-commerce incubator through Buzz Ventures, and now consults for some of the biggest brands and influencers looking to crack the Amazon code.

She was voted best speaker at BDSS X in Hawaii, and is speaking in April at BDSS XI in Iceland. She was also an expert at last weekend’s Market Masters.

Her business philosophy? Execution over ideas. She believes that success isn’t about having the perfect plan—it’s about taking action, making adjustments, and moving forward.

And she doesn’t stop at e-commerce. Melisa is now expanding into new ventures, including escape rooms, combining her love for immersive experiences with her knack for building profitable businesses.

She’s built, scaled, and exited brands. She’s been on stages, mentored the next generation, and proven that success in business isn’t about luck—it’s about method, mindset, and execution. And now she’s part of the BDSS Dream 100.

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🚹 THIS PATENT MISTAKE COULD COST YOU MILLIONS

Think your U.S. utility patent protects you from ruthless knockoffs? Think again.

Yes, a U.S. patent is a powerful weapon—but only within the United States. The second your product gains traction internationally, counterfeiters and competitors can copy it without consequences in other countries. And here’s the terrifying reality: once your U.S. patent is granted, it’s already too late to get foreign patents.

Most sellers don’t realize this until it’s too late. They assume they can expand patent protection later—but by then, their innovation is up for grabs.

Under the Paris Convention, you only have one year from your initial U.S. patent filing to secure foreign rights. Miss that deadline? Your product is fair game. But here’s the catch: investing in multiple foreign patents can be outrageously expensive, and most sellers don’t even know if their product will justify the cost within that first crucial year.

Here’s the hack that could save your business: File a PCT (Patent Cooperation Treaty) application within that one-year window. This buys you up to 30 months—two and a half years!—to decide which of the 158 participating countries to file in, giving you time to grow your sales before committing to expensive patents.

Dream 100 member and patent attorney Rich Goldstein brought this to light last week at BDSS Market Masters, and it had folks dumbfounded. Don’t let your hard work become easy prey for copycats. If you want to protect your brand, your product, and your profits, Rich agreed to speak with BDSN readers if you want to schedule a talk.

đŸȘ  AMAZON SELLER TURNED TIKTOK GIANT
HOW ROB is PRINTING MILLIONS on TIKTOK SHOP

Rob the Bank: From Amazon Gold Rush to TikTok Domination

Rob Oliver started as an Amazon seller, taking a $5,000 investment and turning it into a $30M brand before exiting. He saw early success in Amazon’s growth era but recognized a new, even bigger opportunity with TikTok Shop. He now runs five brands using a TikTok-first strategy, collectively expected to surpass $100M in revenue this year.

According to Rob, TikTok represents the most significant marketing shift since Amazon’s early days. Unlike traditional e-commerce, where ranking and reviews dictate success, TikTok operates on a virality-first model—where the best content, not the biggest budget, wins.

Rob’s TikTok Shop Playbook

Rob outlines the fundamental shift TikTok is causing in online sales, explaining why sellers and brand owners need to adapt:

  1. TikTok is the new Search Engine & Shopping Hub

    • Younger consumers now turn to TikTok for product discovery, bypassing Google, Yelp, and Amazon’s search.

    • Example: Instead of Googling restaurant recommendations, people now search for them on TikTok to see real, unfiltered video reviews.

  2. Organic Growth Potential is Insane

    • Unlike Instagram or YouTube, where followers determine reach, TikTok’s algorithm rewards high-performing content regardless of account size.

    • A brand-new account can generate millions of views overnight.

  3. The Creator-Driven Sales Model

    • Success on TikTok isn’t about building a branded following—it’s about leveraging an army of creators making organic, product-focused videos.

    • This system enables thousands of small-scale “affiliates” to push a product through viral content.

Winning Tactics & Real-Life Examples

1. High-Impact Video Structure

  • Example: A single TikTok video made a creator $50K by combining:

    • A controversial hook ("Trump is taking down this predatory industry!")

    • A curiosity gap (viewer wonders, "What industry is he talking about?")

    • A product tie-in at the end (introducing Oil of Oregano as the “solution” to pharmaceutical greed).

  • Rob emphasizes that this script format alone could make sellers millions.

2. Brands Using Rob’s Model Successfully

  • Roos Research: A longevity supplement brand that leveraged TikTok to scale from Amazon success to a $15M+/month business.

  • Evil Goods: A skincare brand built around beef tallow (a holistic wellness trend). The name is intentionally provocative, similar to Liquid Death’s branding.

  • Top Shelf: A luxury cologne brand positioned as a "Gen Z Creed." Key strategy? Using viral TikTok trends like dating advice and “pheromone attraction” to sell fragrances.

3. Rob’s Playbook for Success

  • Forget your brand’s TikTok page—focus on generating as many independent creator videos as possible.

  • Leverage viral trends: Whether it's conspiracy theories, controversial health takes, or self-improvement topics, tap into what’s already getting engagement.

  • Use short-form storytelling: TikTok’s best sales videos don’t feel like ads. They feel like word-of-mouth recommendations.

Mistakes to Avoid

  • Treating TikTok like Instagram or Facebook Ads

    • TikTok is about organic content, not traditional paid media. ROI isn’t measured in CPC or ROAS—it’s about how many viral swings you can take.

  • Being stingy with creators

    • Some of the most successful brands pay creators well (e.g., the Goli Gummies challenge, which offered luxury prizes like condos for top-selling affiliates).

  • Ignoring TikTok Shop’s built-in algorithm advantage

    • Amazon sellers who don’t adapt will lose out, just as brands that ignored Amazon’s rise lost to DTC disruptors a decade ago.

A New Gold Rush for E-Commerce

Rob believes this TikTok opportunity is as big, if not bigger than the early days of Amazon FBA. He urges Amazon sellers to act now—leveraging TikTok’s organic reach and creator model before competition drives up acquisition costs.

If you're an Amazon seller who missed the first gold rush, this is your second chance.

Want to scale up your new product launches into listings that make $100K+ yearly revenue in less than 2 months?

Use the platform Stack Influence to automate Micro-Influencer collaborations at scale (get thousands of collabs per month) and boost your Amazon launches, generate UGC, and scale up your brand awareness like never before.

Top Amazon brands like Magic Spoon, Unilever, and MaryRuth Organics have turned their new Amazon product launches into listings with monthly revenue on pace to break $100K over the year.

  • Pay influencers only with products (stop negotiating fees)

  • Increase external traffic Amazon sales (get to top page rankings)

  • Get full rights image/video UGC (build your brand with authentic content)

  • 100% automated management (don’t lift a finger to get influencer collabs at scale)

Don't believe it? Check out the results from this Micro Influencer campaign which went from 0 to 447 avg monthly recurring sales and is on pace to break $150K in yearly revenue on Amazon.

Take your new product launches to the next level by increasing your Amazon listings organic search positioning sending free products to Micro-Influencers in 2025.

đŸ€‘  AMAZON REIMBURSEMENT COMPANIES in FREE FALL

Amazon's recent reimbursement policy changes for FBA sellers have sent shockwaves through the e-commerce refund service ecosystem, particularly affecting third-party service providers like Getida, Three Colts, and TrueOps.

The shift to 60-day look back periods and from reimbursing sellers at retail prices to manufacturing cost-based calculations (effective March 10, 2025) has significantly reduced payout amounts, creating financial strain for businesses that rely on the 10-25% fees they collect for processing these reimbursements on behalf of sellers.

Companies specializing in Amazon reimbursement claims face reduced revenue streams as sellers receive smaller reimbursements. This has forced some firms to cut costs, including layoffs and canceling sponsorships for industry events like The Prosper Show. The financial squeeze from Amazon’s policy changes has contributed to reduced budgets for marketing and community engagement.

Carbon 6, which was recently acquired for $210 million, is making some changes but marching onward, despite Seller Investigators making up a significant portion of the company’s revenue (Carbon 6 also does 1P reimbursements, which is a multi-billion dollar pond to fish in).

Many service providers and gurus are also seeing significant reductions in revenue from reimbursements, as many of them white-label the services from bigger companies.

Sellers can now submit manufacturing cost data directly to Amazon via the new "Manage Your Manufacturing Cost" tool. However, the exclusion of operational expenses (shipping, packaging) and retail margin from reimbursement calculations is devastating to the reimbursement companies.

đŸ”„ MORE HOT PICKS đŸ”„

đŸ„ƒ PARTING SHOT

“One of the only ways to get out of a tight box is to invent your way out.”

Jeff Bezos

âœŒđŸŒ Have a great weekend.

See you again Monday.

The answer to today’s STUMP BEZOS is
69% of customers admit to “wardrobing” returns