Overview

In episode #240 of the Helium 10 podcast, two Amazon sellers—one operating out of North America and the other from Southeast Asia—shared their 2024‑era journeys. Their contrasting experiences illustrate how market maturity, product‑selection tactics, and logistical choices affect performance on Amazon. Sellers can use these insights to fine‑tune strategies for both established and emerging marketplaces.

Key Points

• Market maturity contrast — The U.S. entrepreneur entered a crowded, data‑rich environment, while the Asian counterpart launched in the still‑growing Amazon Japan and India arenas with noticeably fewer rivals.
• Product‑selection focus — Both relied on Helium 10’s Black Box and Xray, yet the American seller chased high‑volume, low‑margin items, whereas the Asian seller targeted niche, high‑margin products with limited local competition.
• Supply‑chain approach — The North American seller partnered with domestic manufacturers to keep lead times short, while the Southeast Asian seller managed overseas freight and customs to maintain low landed costs.
• Ad‑budget distribution — The U.S. seller devoted roughly 70 % of advertising spend to Sponsored Products using automated bidding; the Asian seller split the budget evenly between Sponsored Brands and Sponsored Display to build brand awareness.
• Regulatory hurdles — The Asian seller navigated Japan’s strict labeling rules by hiring a local compliance consultant early, whereas the U.S. seller mainly dealt with FBA inventory caps and tax‑nexus issues.
• Community resources — Both highlighted the value of seller forums and Helium 10 Academy, with the Asian seller emphasizing language‑specific groups that accelerated his learning curve.

How Their Strategies Evolve

1. Market research —

   • The American seller entered Black Box, filtered for products generating more than 5,000 units per month, competition under 30 %, and price points between $15‑$30, then validated profitability with Xray.