The Ultimate Guide to Brand Direct Wholesale on Amazon with Caj Robinson

🔥 Grab a 14-day FREE Trial to SellerAmp (Profit calculator, sales estimator, and sourcing tool): https://www.selleramp.com/oachallenge

📦 Want to speed up listing, shipping, and analytics? Check out Boxem free for 14 days: https://www.oachallenge.com/boxem

➕ Join OAC+. The premier community for Amazon sellers looking to grow their business and become better business owners: https://www.oachallenge.com/plus

Learn the secrets to mastering brand direct wholesale, securing exclusive partnerships, and optimizing your Amazon listings from Caj Robinson.

Whether you're an online arbitrage expert or just starting in retail arbitrage, this episode is packed with actionable insights to add another dimension to your Amazon business.

Learn how to pitch brands, manage relationships, and enjoy long-term success on Amazon.

Find Caj on Twitter here: https://x.com/CajuaRobinson

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RESOURCES FOR YOU:

🧰 https://www.ClearTheShelf.com (The Blog)

🧰 Keepa Academy - https://www.oachallenge.com/keepa-academy

🧰 OA Challenge - https://www.OAChallenge.com

🧰 Repricer Challenge (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/repricer-challenge

🧰 RabbitTrailChallenge (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/rabbit-trail-challenge

🧰 revROI Chrome Extension (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/revroi-extension

🧰 Goal Tracking Spreadsheet (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/goal-tracking

SOFTWARE & SERVICES I USE & RECOMMEND:

✅ IP Alert (Code YT30 to Save $30) - https://entreresource.com/ip-alert-2/

✅ AURA Repricer (Code CTS to Save 20% Off Your First 3 Months) - https://goaura.com/cts

✅ OA Buddy (Code CLEARTHESHELF Saves $20): https://cleartheshelf.com/OA-Buddy

FOLLOW US:

🐦 Twitter (Chris Grant): https://twitter.com/cleartheshelf

🐦 Twitter (Chris Racic): https://twitter.com/ChrisRacic

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Chapters:

00:46 - Meet Caj Robinson

01:14 - Brand Direct Wholesale Explained

03:40 - Caj's journey from private label to brand direct wholesale

06:22 - Why Kaj prefers working with brands over online arbitrage

07:15 - Wholesale vs. Brand Direct

09:13 - Common myths about brand direct wholesale

10:36 - First Steps to Landing an Account

12:13 - Cold Calling Tips

14:41 - Building Trust with Brands

16:44 - Price Control Challenges

20:05 - The Exclusivity Solution

21:45 - Value Propositions for Brands

25:18 - Timing for Brand Direct Conversations

27:21 - Executing After Landing a Brand

29:14 - Helping Brands with Brand Registry

31:30 - Outreach Strategies

34:07 - Overcoming Rejection

37:04 - Discussing Margins

39:00 - PPC Strategies

42:33 - Assessing Brands

47:33 - Learning from Mistakes

52:57 - Future of Brand Direct

56:19 - Lightning Round

STOP Selling Solo: The Playbook for Amazon Sellers to GrowIn this episode we talk with Miles ( @Flips4Miles ) about how he leveraged social media to grow his business. What works, what doesn't work, and why you should spend time creating content even if you don't want to be an influencer or offer a service.We also dive into mindset and discuss the most helpful things Miles has learned over the last several years in this space.Like what you heard?

Smash that like button, subscribe for more tactical Amazon seller content, and join our email list at https://www.cleartheshelf.com/newsletter for exclusive resources.Drop your biggest takeaway in the comments—we read every one.

----------🧮 Get the SellerAmp Profit Calculator & Sourcing Tool Here: www.selleramp.com/oachallenge📦 Ship Smarter with Boxem (14 Day Free Trial): https://cleartheshelf.com/boxem RESOURCES FOR YOU: 🧰 https://www.ClearTheShelf.com (The Blog) 🧰 Keepa Academy - https://www.oachallenge.com/keepa-academy 🧰 OA Challenge - https://www.OAChallenge.com 🧰 Repricer Challenge (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/repricer-challenge 🧰 RabbitTrailChallenge (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/rabbit-trail-challenge 🧰 revROI Chrome Extension (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/revroi-extension 🧰 Goal Tracking Spreadsheet (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/goal-tracking SOFTWARE & SERVICES I USE & RECOMMEND: ✅ IP Alert (Code YT30 to Save $30) - https://entreresource.com/ip-alert-2/ ✅ AURA Repricer (Code CTS to Save 20% Off Your First 3 Months) - https://goaura.com/cts ✅ RevSeller (Code PRO20 to Save $20) - https://www.revseller.com/32851/258.html ✅ OA Buddy (Code CLEARTHESHELF Saves $20): https://cleartheshelf.com/OA-Buddy FOLLOW US: 🐦 Twitter (Chris Grant): https://twitter.com/cleartheshelf 🐦 Twitter (Chris Racic): https://twitter.com/ChrisRacic

The FULL Amazon Replens Plan That Made Grant Douglas $2M/YearIn this episode we interview Grant Douglas. He's built a successful Amazon business on replens and outsourcing. Grant is able to work on his business around 20 hours a week and the systems keep it running.In this episode he unpacks exactly how he does it so you can replicate his success.Like what you heard?

Smash that like button, subscribe for more tactical Amazon seller content, and join our email list at https://www.cleartheshelf.com/newsletter for exclusive resources.Drop your biggest takeaway in the comments—we read every one.

----------🧮 Get the SellerAmp Profit Calculator & Sourcing Tool Here: www.selleramp.com/oachallenge📦 Ship Smarter with Boxem (14 Day Free Trial): https://boxem.com RESOURCES FOR YOU: 🧰 https://www.ClearTheShelf.com (The Blog) 🧰 Keepa Academy - https://www.oachallenge.com/keepa-academy 🧰 OA Challenge - https://www.OAChallenge.com 🧰 Repricer Challenge (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/repricer-challenge 🧰 RabbitTrailChallenge (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/rabbit-trail-challenge 🧰 revROI Chrome Extension (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/revroi-extension 🧰 Goal Tracking Spreadsheet (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/goal-tracking SOFTWARE & SERVICES I USE & RECOMMEND: ✅ IP Alert (Code YT30 to Save $30) - https://entreresource.com/ip-alert-2/ ✅ AURA Repricer (Code CTS to Save 20% Off Your First 3 Months) - https://goaura.com/cts ✅ RevSeller (Code PRO20 to Save $20) - https://www.revseller.com/32851/258.html ✅ OA Buddy (Code CLEARTHESHELF Saves $20): https://cleartheshelf.com/OA-Buddy FOLLOW US: 🐦 Twitter (Chris Grant): https://twitter.com/cleartheshelf 🐦 Twitter (Chris Racic): https://twitter.com/ChrisRacic

What happens when Amazon pulls the rug out from under your most profitable brand? Most sellers panic. Jeff Storch built a plan and scaled to $25M a year.
In this no-fluff episode of the Clear the Shelf podcast, Jeff returns to talk about brand gating, sourcing like a machine, scaling smart, and turning Amazon returns into pure profit.
Whether you're a beginner just cracking into online arbitrage or a seasoned seller juggling OA, RA, and wholesale—this is the tactical roadmap you didn’t know you needed.
Here’s what you’ll learn:
• The real reason behind Amazon's wave of brand restrictions (and how to protect your inventory)
• Why single-brand reliance is a death sentence for Amazon sellers
• How Jeff runs a full-blown returns department that monetizes "unsellable" products
• What it actually takes to build a $25M/year arbitrage business (hint: reps and systems)
• The diversification playbook Jeff used to survive Nike shutdowns, supplier limits, and the Adidas-gate saga
• Why returns, eBay, and even brick-and-mortar stores matter more than you think
• The #1 hiring mistake most sellers make when scaling
If you're serious about Amazon FBA especially online arbitrage, retail arbitrage, or wholesale sourcing this episode is your unfair advantage.
Like what you heard? Smash that like button, subscribe for more tactical Amazon seller content, and join our email list at https://www.cleartheshelf.com/newsletter] for exclusive resources.
Drop your biggest takeaway in the comments—we read every one.

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RESOURCES FOR YOU:
🧰 https://www.ClearTheShelf.com (The Blog)
🧰 Keepa Academy - https://www.oachallenge.com/keepa-academy
🧰 OA Challenge - https://www.OAChallenge.com
🧰 Repricer Challenge (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/repricer-challenge
🧰 RabbitTrailChallenge (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/rabbit-trail-challenge
🧰 revROI Chrome Extension (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/revroi-extension
🧰 Goal Tracking Spreadsheet (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/goal-tracking
SOFTWARE & SERVICES I USE & RECOMMEND:
✅ IP Alert (Code YT30 to Save $30) - https://entreresource.com/ip-alert-2/
✅ Seller365 - https://oachallenge.com/seller-365
✅ AURA Repricer (Code CTS to Save 20% Off Your First 3 Months) - https://goaura.com/cts
✅ RevSeller (Code PRO20 to Save $20) - https://www.revseller.com/32851/258.html
✅ OA Buddy (Code CLEARTHESHELF Saves $20): https://cleartheshelf.com/OA-Buddy
FOLLOW US:
🐦 Twitter (Chris Grant): https://twitter.com/cleartheshelf
🐦 Twitter (Chris Racic): https://twitter.com/ChrisRacic

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00:00 - Intro & Jeff’s Return to the Podcast

04:27 - Jeff’s Take on Brand Gating & Amazon Policy Shifts

16:20 - The Nike, Adidas, and Coach Gating Fallout

26:45 - Why Diversification Is Non-Negotiable

35:40 - Building a Returns Machine: eBay, Retail Stores, and More

45:49 - How to Train and Hire a Great Sourcing Team

56:35 - Mistakes New Arbitrage Sellers Make

1:04:57 - Jeff’s Personal Sourcing Strategy & Metrics

1:13:10 - Managing Burnout and Designing a Lifestyle Business

1:20:23 - Real Estate & Diversification Outside Amazon

1:30:12 - Final Advice for Scaling to $50K+ Months

Most Amazon sellers hustle hard to build cash flow. Very few know what to do next.

Nick Huber calls it The Hamster Wheel: running faster, working harder... but not actually building lasting wealth.

In today’s episode of The Clear the Shelf Podcast, Chris Grant and Chris Racic sit down with Nick Huber. An entrepreneur, author of The Sweaty Startup, and expert at turning boring businesses into million-dollar empires.

We break down:

• How to reinvest your Amazon profits smartly (even if you’re still scrappy)

• Why “boring” businesses are your secret weapon for long-term success

• How Nick would grow wealth if he were starting over with $50K–$200K a year from Amazon

• The “10 Minute Drill” Nick uses to vet every new business idea

• Why self-funding your growth changes everything (and how to balance risk)

• How to build leverage — systems, people, and partnerships — without losing control

• Personal brand building tips to attract deal flow and talent (even if you’re introverted)

If you’ve ever felt trapped — like you're grinding but not getting closer to true financial freedom — this episode is a must-watch.

Because reinvesting wisely beats hustling forever.

👉 Grab a copy of Nick’s book, The Sweaty Startup: How to Get Rich Doing Boring Things and don't forget to COMMENT on the video. Chris is giving away 10 FREE copies to random commenters!

The Sweaty Startup on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4iGGeoL

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Want to learn more about what Nick does? Find out below:

• www.sweatystartup.com

• www.nickhuber.com

• www.sweatystartupbook.com

• www.somewhere.com

• www.boltstorage.com

• www.recostseg.com

• www.adrhino.com

• www.spidexx.com

• www.boldseo.com

• www.webrun.com

• www.titanrisk.com

• www.recruitjet.com

• www.hubermethod.com

• www.x.com/sweatystartup

• www.instagram.com/sweatystartup

• www.linkedin.com/in/sweatystartup

• www.youtube.com/sweatystartup

• www.tiktok.com/sweatystartup

• www.threads.net/@sweatystartup.com

• https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nick-huber-show/id1576120606

• https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sweaty-startup/id1445260221

• Link to buy the book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4iGGeoL

• Link to buy the book in the UK: https://bit.ly/422njPW

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Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro to the Clear the Shelf Podcast and Nick Huber’s Background

02:10 – Why Amazon Sellers Should Listen: Turning Cashflow into Wealth

04:25 – How Nick Got Started: Humble Beginnings with a Moving Company

08:30 – Overcoming Doubters and Internal Criticism as an Entrepreneur

13:45 – The Power of Getting Small Wins Early in Your Business Journey

18:10 – Why the Best Opportunities Are “Sweaty” and Boring

22:50 – The Mindset Shift: From Hustler to Long-Term Business Owner

28:15 – When and How to Reinvest Your Amazon Profits the Smart Way

32:30 – Why Cashflow Businesses are Step One, Not the Destination

37:05 – Lessons From Growing Storage Squad to 10,000+ Customers

41:20 – Biggest Mistakes Amazon Sellers Make Trying to Scale

46:10 – How to Spot Overlooked Opportunities in Boring Industries

50:30 – The Ten Minute Drill: How Nick Evaluates New Business Ideas

54:45 – Building a Personal Brand to Attract Deal Flow and Talent

59:10 – Lightning Round: Best $1,000 Investment, Favorite Business Book

1:03:40 – Closing Thoughts + Free Book Giveaway: The Sweaty Startup

These are the 17 things we wish someone told us sooner.In this episode of Clear the Shelf, we’re sharing 17 tips that will make you a better Amazon seller—whether you’re flipping retail arbitrage finds, sniping online deals, or building wholesale systems.No fluff. Just hard-earned lessons, quick wins, and next-level strategies like:A sourcing tip that will instantly increase your ROIOne Keepa trick you probably aren't usingWhat most sellers get wrong about "replenishables"How to avoid common mistakes in Q4And much more…Whether you’re scaling up or just starting out, these 17 tips could save you time, money, and a few gray hairs.-------------------- RESOURCES FOR YOU: 🧰 https://www.ClearTheShelf.com (The Blog) 🧰 Keepa Academy - https://www.oachallenge.com/keepa-academy 🧰 OA Challenge - https://www.OAChallenge.com 🧰 Repricer Challenge (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/repricer-challenge 🧰 RabbitTrailChallenge (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/rabbit-trail-challenge 🧰 revROI Chrome Extension (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/revroi-extension 🧰 Goal Tracking Spreadsheet (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/goal-tracking SOFTWARE & SERVICES I USE & RECOMMEND: ✅ IP Alert (Code YT30 to Save $30) - https://entreresource.com/ip-alert-2/ ✅ Seller365 - https://oachallenge.com/seller-365✅ AURA Repricer (Code CTS to Save 20% Off Your First 3 Months) - https://goaura.com/cts ✅ RevSeller (Code PRO20 to Save $20) - https://www.revseller.com/32851/258.html ✅ OA Buddy (Code CLEARTHESHELF Saves $20): https://cleartheshelf.com/OA-Buddy FOLLOW US: 🐦 Twitter (Chris Grant): https://twitter.com/cleartheshelf 🐦 Twitter (Chris Racic): https://twitter.com/ChrisRacic --------------------

She quit her corporate job… and now does $1.5M a year selling on Amazon.No warehouse. No team. No private label headaches.Just online arbitrage.Cris Beam left her 9-to-5 in 2020 and started flipping products on Amazon the next day. Fast forward a few years, and she’s running a one-woman, seven-figure empire—outpacing sellers who have massive teams and warehouses.How did she do it?In this episode of The Clear the Shelf Podcast, Chris Grant and Chris Racic sit down with Cris Beam to break down:• How she scaled to $1.5M a year selling on Amazon• Why arbitrage STILL works in 2025• How she went from $6K to $100K+ months• Her favorite sourcing tools & strategies for flips• The biggest mistakes new sellers make (and how to avoid them)Cris reveals everything—her sourcing workflow, the obstacles she faced, and the decisions that took her from a beginner to a $1.5M/year seller.

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RESOURCES FOR YOU:

🧰 https://www.ClearTheShelf.com (The Blog)

🧰 Keepa Academy - https://www.oachallenge.com/keepa-academy

🧰 OA Challenge - https://www.OAChallenge.com

🧰 Repricer Challenge (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/repricer-challenge

🧰 RabbitTrailChallenge (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/rabbit-trail-challenge

🧰 revROI Chrome Extension (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/revroi-extension

🧰 Goal Tracking Spreadsheet (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/goal-tracking

SOFTWARE & SERVICES I USE & RECOMMEND:

✅ IP Alert (Code YT30 to Save $30) - https://entreresource.com/ip-alert-2/

✅ Seller365 - https://oachallenge.com/seller-365

✅ AURA Repricer (Code CTS to Save 20% Off Your First 3 Months) - https://goaura.com/cts

✅ RevSeller (Code PRO20 to Save $20) - https://www.revseller.com/32851/258.html

✅ OA Buddy (Code CLEARTHESHELF Saves $20): https://cleartheshelf.com/OA-Buddy

FOLLOW US:

🐦 Twitter (Chris Grant): https://twitter.com/cleartheshelf

🐦 Twitter (Chris Racic): https://twitter.com/ChrisRacic

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Timestamps:

0:00 - Introduction: How Cris Beam Built a $1.5M Arbitrage Business

3:45 - Cris’s Background: From Corporate Job to Full-Time Amazon Seller

7:20 - Why Retail Arbitrage Still Works in 2025

11:10 - The First Steps to Scaling Retail Arbitrage Past Six Figures

15:35 - Tools & Software Cris Uses to Find Profitable Products

19:50 - How to Spot the Right Products in Retail Stores

24:10 - The Biggest Retail Arbitrage Mistakes New Sellers Make

28:30 - How to Manage Cash Flow & Avoid Overextending Your Budget

33:00 - The Credit Card Strategy That Changed Cris’s Business

37:40 - Sourcing Hacks: How to Maximize Profits in Retail Arbitrage

42:15 - The Role of Amazon Loans & Business Credit in Scaling

46:50 - How to Stay Competitive Without Dropping Prices

51:25 - Balancing Inventory Levels & Managing Risk in Retail Arbitrage

55:40 - The Best Stores for Retail Arbitrage in 2025

1:00:10 - How Cris Handles Prep & Shipping Without a Warehouse

1:04:35 - The Importance of Tracking Metrics & Staying Profitable

1:08:50 - The Mindset Shift That Took Cris from $6K to $100K+ Months

1:13:10 - Final Advice for Anyone Starting or Scaling Retail Arbitrage

1:18:25 - Closing Thoughts & Where to Follow Cris’s Journey

Grab a FREE 14-day Trial of Seller365 Here: https://oachallenge.com/seller-365

Yoda Yee, CEO of Threecolts, is leading one of the biggest software companies in the Amazon space—owning tools like Tactical Arbitrage, InventoryLab, Smart Repricer, FeedbackWhiz, and more.In this episode of The Clear the Shelf Podcast, we sit down with Yoda to discuss:• The future of Amazon seller software & automation• Amazon’s latest API changes & how they impact YOUR business• How AI, repricing, & smarter data will change selling in 2025• Why Amazon is actually listening to sellers (and what’s improving soon)• How Threecolts is bundling its software to save sellers THOUSANDSWe also ask him some tough questions about the mis-steps Threecolts has taken in the past and what they've learned from it and how that affects their decision making going forward.Drop a comment below:

What’s the biggest challenge you face with Amazon software?-

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RESOURCES FOR YOU:

🧰 https://www.ClearTheShelf.com (The Blog)

🧰 Keepa Academy - https://www.oachallenge.com/keepa-academy

🧰 OA Challenge - https://www.OAChallenge.com

🧰 Repricer Challenge (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/repricer-challenge

🧰 RabbitTrailChallenge (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/rabbit-trail-challenge

🧰 revROI Chrome Extension (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/revroi-extension

🧰 Goal Tracking Spreadsheet (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/goal-tracking

SOFTWARE & SERVICES I USE & RECOMMEND:

✅ IP Alert (Code YT30 to Save $30) - https://entreresource.com/ip-alert-2/

✅ Seller365 - https://oachallenge.com/seller-365

✅ AURA Repricer (Code CTS to Save 20% Off Your First 3 Months) - https://goaura.com/cts

✅ RevSeller (Code PRO20 to Save $20) - https://www.revseller.com/32851/258.html

✅ OA Buddy (Code CLEARTHESHELF Saves $20): https://cleartheshelf.com/OA-Buddy

FOLLOW US:

🐦 Twitter (Chris Grant): https://twitter.com/cleartheshelf

🐦 Twitter (Chris Racic): https://twitter.com/ChrisRacic

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0:00 - Introduction: Yoda Yee & the Future of Amazon Selling

3:30 - What is Threecolts? The Software Powerhouse for Amazon Sellers

7:45 - Why Amazon Sellers Need Automation & Data-Driven Tools

12:10 - How Threecolts Acquired Tactical Arbitrage, InventoryLab & More

16:40 - The Biggest Challenges Amazon Sellers Face Today

21:15 - Understanding Amazon API Changes & How They Affect Sellers

25:50 - How AI & Machine Learning Are Changing Repricing & Automation

30:20 - The Future of Dynamic Repricing & Competitive Strategies

34:50 - How Smart Repricer Gives Sellers a Competitive Edge

39:30 - Scaling an Amazon Business with Software & Smart Data

44:15 - Why Amazon is Actually Listening to Sellers (And What’s Changing)

48:40 - How to Protect Your Seller Account & Avoid Suspensions

53:20 - The Role of Feedback & Review Automation in Seller Success

58:10 - How Bundled Software Can Save Sellers Thousands

1:03:45 - The Most Common Mistakes Amazon Sellers Make with Software

1:08:30 - When Should Amazon Sellers Start Using Advanced Tools?

1:13:20 - How Threecolts Plans to Innovate the Seller Software Space

1:18:15 - What’s Next for Amazon Sellers in 2025?

1:23:50 - The Future of Wholesale & Arbitrage in the Amazon Ecosystem

1:28:25 - Yoda Yee’s Best Advice for Sellers Looking to Scale

1:33:40 - How Threecolts is Helping Sellers Maximize Profitability

1:38:20 - The Importance of Data & Analytics for Long-Term Success

1:43:10 - Final Thoughts: What Every Seller Needs to Do Right Now

1:47:30 - Closing Remarks & Where to Learn More About Threecolts