GA Takeaway from The Gift & The Gab with Amazon expert Vicki Weinberg - There is no shortage of opinions when it comes to selling on Amazon.

For some brands, it feels like an obvious next step. For others – particularly those rooted in wholesale, independent retail and trade shows – It can feel like an entirely different world with its own language, rules and expectations.

That was exactly why we wanted to bring in Amazon expert Vicki Weinberg for our latest Gift & The Gab session.

With nearly a decade of hands-on Amazon experience, Vicki joined Sequoia, Gemma, Chris and Greta alongside a ‘room’ full of home and giftware businesses to unpack what actually works on Amazon today, what brands are getting wrong and how to approach the platform in a way that supports sustainable growth rather than creating more chaos.

And one thing became very clear very quickly.

Amazon is not passive income.

It is not a case of uploading a few listings and waiting for sales to roll in.

But for brands willing to approach it strategically, thoughtfully and with realistic expectations, there is still huge opportunity!

 

The biggest mistake brands make? Assuming Amazon works like every other sales channel

One of the most important points Vicki raised early on was that success elsewhere does not automatically translate to success on Amazon.

A product might perform brilliantly through independents, at trade shows or through your own website, but Amazon has its own ecosystem, customer behaviour and competition. Before launching, Vicki encouraged brands to pause and properly assess whether Amazon is commercially viable for them in the first place.

That means understanding:

 - Whether your products require approvals or compliance documentation
 - What the fee structure actually looks like
 - Whether your margins still work once Amazon fees and fulfilment costs are factored in
 - If there is genuine demand for your category on the platform

It sounds obvious, but it is surprisingly common for brands to launch first and only later realise they are barely breaking even.

The conversation repeatedly came back to the idea that Amazon rewards preparation. The brands seeing the strongest results are often the ones that treat launch as a strategy rather than an experiment.

 

Good listings are not enough anymore

One of the strongest themes throughout the discussion was just how much customer expectations have evolved.

A basic listing with a white background image and a short description simply does not cut it anymore, particularly for premium home and gift brands.

Vicki spoke a lot about the importance of building listings that actually help customers imagine the product in their life.

Lifestyle imagery, packaging shots and thoughtful branding all matter far more than many businesses realise.

In gifting especially, customers are not just buying a product. They are buying a feeling, an experience and often reassurance that the item will arrive beautifully presented.

Interestingly, Vicki pointed out that many Amazon listings are still surprisingly poor visually, which actually creates opportunity for brands willing to invest in stronger imagery and storytelling.

And storytelling still matters.

Despite assumptions that Amazon is purely price-driven, the group discussed how consumers increasingly want to know who they are buying from. Customers are paying attention to founder stories, small business badges and brand missions.

In a marketplace flooded with generic copycat products, authenticity has become a competitive advantage.

Reviews remain one of the biggest growth drivers

If there was one topic that repeatedly resurfaced throughout the session, it was reviews.

Because while traffic matters, reviews are often what convert browsing into actual sales.

Vicki explained that reviews are still one of the strongest trust signals on Amazon, particularly for premium or considered purchases.

The discussion explored Amazon Vine in detail, which allows brands to provide products to approved reviewers in exchange for honest feedback.

What stood out most though was not just the importance of collecting reviews but using them intelligently. Reviews can reveal gaps in your listing that you may never have noticed yourself.

If multiple customers are confused about sizing, packaging, product scale or expectations, that is usually a sign the listing itself is missing something important.

The conversation naturally shifted into the wider challenge many brands are currently facing around conversion. Members shared that traffic levels are often decent, but turning that traffic into sales is becoming harder.

The answer, according to Vicki, is rarely one single thing.

Usually, it’s the cumulative effect of clearer listings, stronger visuals, reviews, pricing confidence, delivery expectations and making the product feel trustworthy enough to purchase.

 

Premium brands do belong on Amazon
One of the most reassuring parts of the session for many attendees was the discussion around premium positioning.

There is often a fear that Amazon forces every seller into a race to the bottom on price.

But Vicki was clear that premium brands absolutely can succeed on the platform. The difference is that every part of the listing has to justify the price point. That means:

·       Premium imagery.

·       Premium branding.

·       Thoughtful A+ content.

·       Clear positioning.

·       And critically, resisting the temptation to compete with lower-priced alternatives that are often targeting an entirely different customer anyway.

This felt particularly relevant for home and giftware businesses where brand perception and presentation are everything.

The consensus throughout the conversation was that customers looking for beautifully designed, high-quality products are still willing to pay for them… but brands need to give them confidence in what they are buying.

 

The balancing act between Amazon and independents

For some members in the room, one of the biggest concerns was not whether Amazon works, but whether it risks damaging relationships with existing stockists and this sparked one of the most honest and nuanced conversations of the session.

Vicki explained that many brands successfully balance both wholesale and direct selling on Amazon, but it requires communication and boundaries.

Undercutting retailers was repeatedly highlighted as one of the fastest ways to create tension.

Some brands choose to sell only selected hero products on Amazon. Others create exclusive bundles. Others allow independents to continue selling through the platform alongside them under agreed pricing structures.

What mattered most was transparency.

Interestingly, the group also discussed how Amazon visibility can sometimes strengthen retail relationships rather than weaken them. Consumers may discover a brand on Amazon, but still choose to purchase through independents, websites or physical retail later.

Rather than replacing existing channels entirely, Amazon is increasingly functioning as part of a wider discovery journey.

FBA is not all or nothing

Fulfilment by Amazon was another area many brands were trying to navigate and again, the conversation was far more flexible than many expected.

Vicki explained that FBA does not need to be an all-or-nothing decision.

Some brands use it year-round. Some only switch it on during peak periods like Christmas. Some use a hybrid model with their own fulfilment running alongside Amazon.

The key considerations were:

 - Margins
 - Inventory management
 - Product fragility
 - Seasonal demand
 - Operational capacity

One particularly interesting point raised was around damaged products.

For brands selling fragile or presentation-led products, Amazon logistics can sometimes create issues with packaging arriving less than perfect. For gifting brands especially, that presentation piece matters enormously. Again, there was no universal right answer.

The overall takeaway was that Amazon works best when brands build systems around their own business needs rather than blindly following a standard formula.

 

Advertising is powerful but overwhelming
Advertising was probably the area that prompted the most collective nodding from attendees. Members admitted they found Amazon Ads confusing, expensive and difficult to measure confidently.

Vicki encouraged businesses to simplify their approach initially.

Rather than trying to master every ad format available, the recommendation was to focus first on highly relevant keyword-targeted Sponsored Product campaigns with manageable budgets.

What really stood out though was the reminder that ads only work properly when the foundations underneath them are already strong. If the listing itself is weak, even well-targeted traffic will struggle to convert.

The session also touched on something many businesses are quietly experiencing at the moment.

Traffic and consumer behaviour are shifting.

Several members shared that they are seeing softer traffic levels compared to previous years, despite strong optimisation.

Gemma highlighted wider retail trends showing that spending in general merchandise categories has become increasingly cautious, with customers prioritising essentials, experiences and value.

It was an important reminder that slower sales are not always the result of poor strategy.

Sometimes they are reflective of much broader changes in consumer confidence.

So, what should brand’s focus on first?
Towards the end of the session, Sequoia asked what businesses should prioritise in their first 90 days on Amazon.

Vicki’s answer was refreshingly grounded.

Not doing everything.

Doing the fundamentals properly.

That means:

Understanding whether Amazon is financially viable for your products
Building strong, conversion-focused listings
Investing in high-quality imagery
Setting up Brand Registry where possible
Gathering early reviews
Having a clear plan for driving traffic
Understanding fulfilment and inventory from the beginning
Most importantly, the conversation reinforced that sustainable growth on Amazon rarely happens overnight.

The brands seeing long-term success are usually the ones building solid foundations rather than chasing shortcuts.

 

Final thoughts

What made this session particularly valuable was how honest it felt.

There was no pretending Amazon is easy.

No promises of instant sales.

No magic formula.

Instead, the conversation focused on realistic, practical ways brands can approach the platform without losing what makes them unique.

For home and giftware businesses especially, that balance matters.

Because while Amazon may be driven by algorithms and search terms, customers are still ultimately buying emotion, trust, quality and connection.

And the brands that manage to bring those things into their Amazon presence are often the ones that stand out most.

A huge thank you again to Vicki Weinberg for joining us and sharing such valuable insight with our members.

And thank you to everyone who joined the discussion and contributed their experiences throughout the session.

If you would like to learn more about upcoming The Gift & The Gab sessions or if you want more information on the topics raised in this session, feel free to get in touch with the team: enquiries@ga-uk.org

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