{"id":"9408","date":"2021-07-29T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-07-29T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.pickfu.com\/?p=9408"},"modified":"2021-07-28T16:01:39","modified_gmt":"2021-07-28T23:01:39","slug":"prosper-show-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.pickfu.com\/prosper-show-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"What happened in Vegas: Prosper Show 2021 recap"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What happens at Prosper in Vegas doesn\u2019t stay in Vegas, nor should it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amazon sellers from around the world come to the annual conference to meet, mingle, and leave with more e-commerce knowledge and practical tips than they came with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After a pandemic-induced hiatus in 2020, Prosper Show<\/a> returned last week. More than 1,800 people came, including several members of the PickFu team. You can bet everyone was ready to get back to business on the show floor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What stood out this year at Prosper? How can Amazon sellers get an edge in the marketplace? Who\u2019s ready for next year?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We asked around, and talked amongst ourselves, for tips and takeaways from Prosper to help you make the most of this e-commerce conference season<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n

Setting the scene<\/h2>\n\n\n

Coming back after the yearlong gap, the conference was everything it was supposed to be and more. High energy. Packed schedule. Networking galore!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We’re a 100% remote team at PickFu, so it was also the first time some of us met face to face. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cProsper 2021 was hands down the best e-commerce conference I\u2019ve ever attended,\u201d said PickFu co-founder John Li. \u201cThe high caliber of exhibitors and attendees was a testament to how much the Amazon FBA market<\/a> has grown and matured during the pandemic.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think Prosper reinforced that we are social creatures. Nothing can replace breaking bread with people, getting to know them on a different level,\u201d said Amazon strategist Norman Farrar<\/a>, who hosts the \u201cLunch With Norm\u201d podcast. \u201cZoom can only go so far.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"PickFu<\/a>
The PickFu crew at Prosper Show 2021 (some of us, anyway).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n

Advice for sellers<\/h2>\n\n\n

Sellers are selling smarter these days, and it\u2019s paying off. That’s the impression PickFu co-founder Justin Chen got after three days at Prosper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI found the sophistication of selling to be even higher than before. Individual sellers are savvier and selling more products, and now there are aggregators buying and optimizing already successful brands,\u201d Justin said. \u201cWe’re witnessing the maturation of a rapidly growing sub-sector of e-commerce, and it’ll be beneficial for everyone involved. Any company that ignores Amazon as a channel will be at a disadvantage.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To keep up with the competition, sellers need to explore and use every available resource on and off Amazon, said Liran Hirschkorn, CEO and founder of Incrementum Digital<\/a>, an Amazon marketing agency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“If you want a better conversion rate on your listing but you\u2019re struggling to generate ideas, crowd-based brainstorming is a good place to start.”<\/p>Liran Hirschkorn, Incrementum Digital<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSellers who only run on-platform ads are getting squeezed out. Increasing saturation and Amazon advertising platform updates are making it difficult to rank and maintain position. It\u2019s time to implement a diverse, strategic, off-platform source of traffic if you haven\u2019t already,\u201d Liran said. \u201cSeller\/brand confusion and misuse around Amazon\u2019s DSP (demand-side platform) is extremely common. Amazon is trying to improve training and education, but it\u2019s not fast enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want a better conversion rate on your listing but you\u2019re struggling to generate ideas, crowd-based brainstorming<\/a> is a good place to start. Also, if you\u2019re not using Amazon\u2019s A\/B testing tool<\/a>, it\u2019s time. It\u2019ll be too late by Q4 this year.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

One trend that\u2019s here to stay<\/h2>\n\n\n

Sustainability is top of mind for many consumers<\/a>, Liran said. It influences how they shop, what they buy, and who they buy from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPrioritize it in your product development and listing content, and you\u2019ll be around for a while,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Sustainable<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n

Be prepared for more growth<\/h2>\n\n\n

For PickFu CMO Kim Kohatsu and Geoff Bokuniewicz, product marketing manager at PickFu, it was clear from talking with Prosper attendees that e-commerce is poised for even more growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI intellectually already knew how big and broad the realm of e-commerce was, but I think Prosper Show really brought it to life. It was so interesting to see the various products and categories everyone was in, and the fascinating thing is that the pie keeps getting bigger,\u201d said Kim. \u201cIt was wonderful to be able to meet in person, hear accents from all over the country and globe, and see where PickFu can help solve problems for sellers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Geoff added, \u201cIn any market, there’s always a period early in the growth phase where everyone in the industry you talk to is crazy passionate, crazy smart, and crazy committed to success. Prosper 21 was incredible proof of that. I’ve never seen a conference with so many excited, smart, and driven people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

Leverage the learning<\/h2>\n\n\n

Breakout sessions at Prosper are an educational gold mine, but they\u2019re often overlooked by attendees, who spend a lot of their time networking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s unfortunate, says Anthony Lee of Amazon marketing agency Canopy Management<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I had a ton of takeaways from Prosper, from learning how to get to the captive team in Seller Central (hint\u2026ask for the Spanish team), to learning how to recruit brand ambassadors (hint\u2026post-purchase follow-up), and even how to optimize listings better (hint\u2026split test),\u201d said Anthony. \u201cThe point is, the sessions are packed with valuable information. Sure, after a couple of years we learn most of the tips, tricks, and strategies, but there is always a new perspective you can learn that might give you an edge.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Abstract<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n

No such thing as too much networking<\/h2>\n\n\n

Then again, you can’t not<\/em> schmooze at a major event like Prosper. Networking was the highlight for Prosper first-timer Destaney Wishon of BetterAMS<\/a>, an Amazon advertising agency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not very often you get to stand in the same room as so many powerhouse individuals, brands, and companies,\u201d said Destaney. \u201cNot only did we get the chance to discuss Amazon, but we also got to talk business, mindset, and the future of e-commerce. I couldn\u2019t put a price on the value of those conversations, or the relationships built!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The networking opportunities are \u201cunmatched\u201d at Prosper, says noted copywriter and e-commerce consultant Amy Wees of Amazing At Home<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhether catching a talk on the big stage, walking the expo floor’s endless booths and connecting with various service providers and sellers, or attending one of the many networking events after hours, it’s such an immersive and connective experience you can’t miss,\u201d Amy said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Krystsina Uradzimskaya, CEO and founder of the Amazon Social<\/a> agency, offered these networking tips:<\/p>\n\n\n\n