Dragonproof Ecommerce - Dragonproof Podcast Episode 2 - John Lawson

Dragonproof Podcast Episode 2 - John Lawson

11/07/19 • 35 min

Rick Wilson, CEO of Miva, sits down with John Lawson, best-selling author, to discuss entrepreneurship, Amazon, and the current state of independent ecommerce. Hosted by Richard Otey, the trio share diverse perspectives on ecommerce and the role that marketplaces play in the success (and demise) of independent business.

Episode Highlights

02:12 - Explanation of retail arbitrage - John Lawson sets the stage for a discussion about online marketplaces by explaining a common online sales business model.

07:15 - Early days of ecommerce software - Rick Wilson paints a picture of ecommerce marketplaces back when Amazon just sold books. Back then, his approach was to empower existing brick-and-mortar businesses to grow through building their own online store.

11:09 - Difference between ad engines and marketplaces - Instagram and Google Shopping act more as ad engines than marketplaces. Rick explains the distinction between ad engines and marketplaces.

17:12 - Amazon Prime - the not-so-obvious way Amazon is competing with you and creating a race to the bottom for sellers on Amazon.

20:15 - China tariffs - how the political climate with China is helping Amazon achieve end-to-end control over the supply chain and purchasing experience.

20:25 - Reaching scale - success in online marketplaces can come with a price. How counterfeit products and predatory reviews can threaten your account.

32:28 - John’s biggest takeaway - John shares his top piece of advice for online sellers.

Dragonproof Ecommerce (Book) - https://www.amazon.com/Dragonproof-Ecommerce-Business-Products-Customers-ebook/dp/B07NKW3W52

Dragonproof Website - https://dragonproofbook.com/

John Lawson’s website - https://www.johnlawson.com

Kick Ass Social Commerce for E-preneurs - https://www.amazon.com/Kick-Social-Commerce-preneurs-Likes/dp/1939529441

Social

Dragonproof Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/dragonproof2019/

Dragonproof Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dragonproofecommerce/

Dragonproof Twitter - https://twitter.com/Dragonproof2019

Rick Wilson Twitter - https://twitter.com/RickMiva

Richard “RichE” Otey Twitter - https://twitter.com/richardotey

John Lawson Twitter - https://twitter.com/ColderICE

Episode Highlights

02:12 - Explanation of retail arbitrage - John Lawson sets the stage for a discussion about online marketplaces by explaining a common online sales business model.

11:09 - Difference between ad engines and marketplaces - Instagram and Google Shopping act more as ad engines than marketplaces. Rick explains the distinction between ad engines and marketplaces.

17:12 - Amazon Prime - the not-so-obvious way Amazon is competing with you and creating a race to the bottom for sellers on Amazon.

20:15 - China tariffs - how the political climate with China is helping Amazon achieve end-to-end control over the supply chain and purchasing experience.

20:25 - Reaching scale - success in online marketplaces can come with a price. How counterfeit products and predatory reviews can threaten your account.

32:28 - John’s biggest takeaway - John shares his top piece of advice for online sellers.

Dragonproof Ecommerce (Book) - https://www.amazon.com/Dragonproof-Ecommerce-Business-Products-Customers-ebook/dp/B07NKW3W52

Dragonproof Website - https://dragonproofbook.com/

John Lawson’s website - https://www.johnlawson.com

Kick Ass Social Commerce for E-preneurs - https://www.amazon.com/Kick-Social-Commerce-preneurs-Likes/dp/1939529441

Social

Dragonproof Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/dragonproof2019/

Dragonproof Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dragonproofecommerce/

Dragonproof Twitter - https://twitter.com/Dragonproof2019

Rick Wilson Twitter - https://twitter.com/RickMiva

Richard “RichE” Otey Twitter - https://twitter.com/richardotey

John Lawson Twitter - https://twitter.com/ColderICE

Previous Episode

10/04/19 Dragonproof Podcast Episode 1 - WingStuff.com

Rick Wilson, CEO of Miva, and Richard Otey sit down with Rick Arnoldo, owner of WingStuff.com, to talk about what it takes to dragonproof your online business and succeed with a highly commoditized product. They discuss how passion, smart brand positioning, and a great company culture drive success.

Episode Highlights

3:20: Leveraging User-Generated Content - Rick Arnoldo explains how he helped build an online community of engaged, loyal, high-value customers.

30:00: Grow Rich in the Niche - Rick Arnoldo describes his journey into a niche market and how this transition has benefitted his customers.

44:48: The Antithesis of Good Business - How a dishonest shopping experience helped the owner of WingStuff.com appreciate his own business ethos on a deeper level.

WingStuff.com - https://wingstuff.com/

Dragonproof Ecommerce (Book) - https://www.amazon.com/Dragonproof-Ecommerce-Business-Products-Customers-ebook/dp/B07NKW3W52

Dragonproof Website - https://dragonproofbook.com/

Social

Dragonproof Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/dragonproof2019/

Dragonproof Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dragonproofecommerce/

Dragonproof Twitter - https://twitter.com/Dragonproof2019

Rick Wilson Twitter- https://twitter.com/RickMiva

Richard “RichE” Otey Twitter - https://twitter.com/richardotey

WingStuff.com YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/wingstuffcom

WingStuff.com Twitter - https://twitter.com/wingstuff

Next Episode

Dragonproof Podcast Episode 3 - Jeff Pandolfo

Rick Wilson, CEO of Miva, sits down with Jeff Pandolfo, Sr. Director Tech Partnerships for CyberSource & Authorize.Net, to talk about how independent merchants can thrive in the age of Amazon. Rick, Jeff, and Rich chat about the past, present, and future of ecommerce, exploring how technology accessibility has changed the commerce landscape.

Episode Highlights

02:30 – Independent sellers & Amazon – Jeff remarks that his talks with small merchants, mid-market CEOs, and enterprise CEOs are shockingly similar. Ecommerce businesses of all sizes are facing the same challenges.

07:15 – Amazon's most desired products – Rick asks Jeff about the products on Amazon he loves. Digital products and home fixtures top the list.

11:12 – Ecommerce logistics barriers – Jeff points out that today’s shipping barriers are low compared to the past and predicts globalization of sales as the biggest opportunity over the next 5 years.

21:36 – Evolution in the payment space – Rick queries Jeff about the challenges of fraud in the payment space and the role of machine learning in fraud prevention.

33:15 – Great shopping experiences – Jeff describes the products and customer experience offered by some outstanding ecommerce businesses.

32:28 – Closing thoughts – Jeff encourages online merchants to take a chance on new technologies and talks about embracing the integration of online and in-store shopping experiences.

Dragonproof Links

Dragonproof Ecommerce (Book) - https://www.amazon.com/Dragonproof-Ecommerce-Business-Products-Customers-ebook/dp/B07NKW3W52

Dragonproof Website - https://dragonproofbook.com/

Social

Dragonproof Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/dragonproof2019/

Dragonproof Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dragonproofecommerce/

Dragonproof Twitter - https://twitter.com/Dragonproof2019

Rick Wilson Twitter- https://twitter.com/RickMiva

Richard “RichE” Otey Twitter - https://twitter.com/richardotey

Solutions Mentioned

Authorize.Net - https://www.authorize.net/

CyberSource - https://www.cybersource.com/en-us.html