Podcast Summary: Built Online

Episode: Amazon Listing Secrets Only Top Sellers Know
Host: Cody McGuffie
Guest: Sean Stone (Founder, Stones Goods)
Date: October 28, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the strategies and mindset shifts necessary to win as an Amazon seller, featuring insights from Sean Stone, an Amazon advertising expert and agency owner. Aimed at entrepreneurs ranging from total beginners to eight-figure sellers, it unpacks how to truly approach Amazon as both a powerful search engine and comparison shopping platform, and it offers tactical steps—the PAIR method—to maximize organic and paid sales. The discussion is candid and motivational, touching also on entrepreneurial risk-taking, financial runway, and scaling businesses.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. How to Think About Amazon: The Comparison Shopping Engine

• Sean emphasizes that, regardless of business size, most sellers misunderstand Amazon’s dynamics:
  • “Amazon is a search engine just for products… It’s like Google, but just for products.” – Sean [13:14]
• Amazon’s biggest value isn’t just in being a marketplace, but in bringing you high-intent buyers ready to compare and purchase.
• Cody highlights the importance of relying on Amazon as a sales channel in addition to having your own web property (EverBee Store, Shopify, Wix, etc.) as your business home base. [14:41]

Quote:

“Everywhere else on the Internet, there’s no built-in traffic engine for you. On Amazon, there is a gigantic amount of traffic.” – Sean [14:58]

2. First Principles: What Does Amazon (aka “Jeff”) Want?

• Sean uses the analogy of "Jeff" (as if Amazon is run by just Jeff Bezos) to clarify Amazon’s motivations:
  • The key isn’t maximizing fees or sales from any one transaction, but maximizing customer lifetime value.
  • Amazon wants the product most likely to convert quickly, delight the shopper, and bring them back repeatedly.

Quote:

“What matters to Jeff is the product that is most likely to convert quickly, leave the shopper happy, and most importantly, bring that shopper back… to maximize customer lifetime value.” – Sean [16:38]

3. The PAIR Process: Promotion, Advertising, Inventory, Rankability

Sean’s “PAIR” framework (PAIR: Promotions, Advertising, Inventory, Rankability) is the tactical foundation for sellers:

• Promotions:
  • Use limited-time deals, coupons, subscribe-and-save, etc. to boost conversion rates, both short-term and long-term.
  • Promotions drive impulse and urgency with badges (e.g., “Limited Time Deal”).
• Advertising:
  • Amazon’s ad platform works similarly to Google’s—bid on keywords, analyze conversion data, and pay to climb rankings.
  • Effective advertising can “teach” the algorithm your product is worth higher organic ranking, especially when combined with promotions.
• Inventory:
  • Having enough stock to enable Amazon’s quick fulfillment everywhere is crucial. Amazon (Jeff) will only promote listings that provide a superior delivery experience to customers nationwide.
• Rankability:
  • A self-coined term: “Can your product, through promotions and advertising, actually reach the top 5 organic positions for key search terms?” If not, it’s considered an “incremental” product (still valuable, but less likely to be a flagship).

Quotes:

“So there are no secrets. Like, I throw this information everywhere I possibly can because I think it’s so helpful.” – Sean [20:45]
“Having enough inventory for Jeff’s customers to get your product very quickly and optimize around that.” – Sean [25:05]

Timestamped Walkthrough:

• PAIR overview: [20:09]
• Importance of promotions: [20:45]
• Role of advertising: [22:08]
• Inventory logistics: [24:02]
• What is 'rankability': [25:30]

4. Rankability in Action and Differentiation

• Sean describes “rankability” as rooted in a product’s true advantage over competitors for specific search terms.
• His method for identifying rankable opportunities uses another playful acronym, “B.C.I.T.” (Benchmark, Compare, Isolate, Track):
  • Benchmark: Evaluate competitors’ conversion rates.
  • Compare: Stack your conversion data against theirs, using your own ad data.
  • Isolate: Determine what makes your product uniquely better.
  • Track: Continue measuring to inform further decisions.
• Real-world example: Adding a simple, customer-centric innovation (like a lacrosse ball holder to a foam roller) can create meaningful differentiation.

Quote:

“The improvements don’t have to be that big… A lot of the time, the answer is just, ‘I want the same thing for less money’ and that is a big thing that Jeff likes to provide.” – Sean [30:28]

5. Evaluating the Amazon Opportunity

• The scale of opportunity is massive: Sean mentions top foam roller sellers do “at least $5 million per month” in sales. [35:06]
• Key factors for success include:
  • Unique differentiation.
  • Competitive cost of goods.
  • Ability to execute on the PAIR process.

Quote:

“The opportunity is quite substantial.” – Sean [35:20]

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• On Managing Risk and Financial Runway:

  • Cody and Sean both share stories about building up savings and “runway” before launching their ventures. [05:50 - 07:54]
    • “I looked at it in a number of months before I was in a [tight spot]... I could go probably two years, purposely losing money, and I’d still be okay.” – Sean [06:23]
  • Cody’s personal anecdote on liquidating real estate to create a 12-month runway:
    • “12 months is enough time to make something work—if you trust yourself. Just keep going.” – Cody [08:43]

• Entrepreneurship and Family:

  • Cody dispels the myth that parenthood kills entrepreneurial drive:
    • “The fear… that I lose my entrepreneurship when I have kids… it’s a myth. It’s not true… I became more inspired, more ambitious when I had children.” – Cody [11:54]
  • Sean expresses gratitude for the reminder:
    • “If it’s something that I want in my heart, it’s never gonna leave. Like that spirit’s not gonna leave me.” – Sean [12:03]

Listener Q&A / Rapid Fire (36:20 – 40:33)

• Are Amazon Giveaways Still a Thing?
  • No, but working with micro-influencers who “search, find, and buy,” then post about the product, is the evolved tactic. [36:23]
• Startup Costs for Amazon Selling:
  • At least 1,000 units of inventory recommended (“whatever your cost of goods sold is, times 1,000”).
  • Advertising budget: 50-75% of your inventory spend.
  • Example: For $5/unit, $5,000 in inventory plus ~$2,500-$4,000 in ads recommended. [37:35]
• Biggest Clients:
  • Sean’s agency typically works with brands up to $15-20 million/year, after which clients either hire in-house or sell their businesses. [39:25]

Actionable Takeaways

• Think first about how to delight the Amazon customer—conversion and experience drive all ranking.
• Use the PAIR process: Apply promotions, run effective advertising, ensure broad, fast inventory coverage, and focus on “rankable” products.
• Differentiate clearly: Even small improvements (functionality, price, bundling) can drive big wins if they solve real pain points.
• Know your numbers: Calculate your runway, ad spend needs, and conversion rates compared to competitors before scaling up.
• Start with your “home base” (website), but don’t ignore Amazon—millions in monthly sales volume are possible.

Where to Find Sean

• Website: stonesgoods.com
• YouTube: “Sean Stone - Stones Goods Amazon Tutorials”
• Google: Search “Sean Stone Amazon” for more links/socials.

Sean offers free audits and strategy calls for Amazon stores.

Standout Quotes

“What matters to Jeff is the product that is most likely to convert quickly, leave the shopper happy, and most importantly, bring that shopper back…” – Sean [16:38]

“12 months is enough time to make something work—if you trust yourself. Just keep going.” – Cody [08:43]

“The improvements don’t have to be that big… A lot of the time, the answer is just, ‘I want the same thing for less money’ and that is a big thing that Jeff likes to provide.” – Sean [30:28]

“The fear… that I lose my entrepreneurship when I have kids… it’s a myth. It’s not true… I became more inspired, more ambitious when I had children.” – Cody [11:54]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:11] – Sean’s background and entrepreneurial beginnings
• [05:43] – Discussion on financial runway and entrepreneurial risk
• [12:51] – Transition into Amazon tactical discussion
• [13:14] – Amazon as a search engine & comparison shopping platform
• [20:09] – Introduction to the PAIR process
• [24:02] – Inventory's strategic role
• [25:30] – Defining and leveraging rankability
• [27:17] – BCIT: Evaluating differentiation and “rankability”
• [35:06] – Market sizing: Foam roller top sellers
• [36:20] – Rapid fire: Giveaways, startup costs, client scale

This episode is a goldmine for anyone serious about breaking through on Amazon, packed with both mindset and actionable guidance for building a scalable, defensible e-commerce business.