Built Online Podcast – Episode Summary

Episode: The Secret Ranking Formula Every Seller Needs
Guest: Will Haire (Founder, Bellavix)
Host: Cody McGuffie
Date: November 25, 2025

Main Theme

This episode explores the critical strategies for getting e-commerce products ranked on Amazon and other major marketplaces. Host Cody McGuffie sits down with Will Haire to demystify the “secret ranking formula” every seller needs, discuss Q4 readiness, and share advanced marketplace insights that are relevant for both established and aspiring online brands.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. About Will Haire and Bellavix

[01:36]

• Will has over a decade of experience in e-commerce advertising and founded Bellavix in 2018.
• Bellavix specializes in helping brands scale on Amazon and Walmart, having facilitated over half a billion dollars in sales.
• Their clients are often medium-sized ($5–10 million in annual e-commerce revenue), too big to DIY but too small for a full internal marketplace team.

2. Ideal Clientele and Niches

[03:00][04:49]

• Typically work with omnichannel brands (supplements, beauty, home/kitchen, pet products) that sell across multiple platforms.
• Specialty lies not in product categories, but in marketplace operations.
• Avoid certain industries, e.g., sexual wellness, industrial goods.

3. Q4 Preparation and Checklists

[06:30][10:13]

• Giftable Categories: Key Q4 strategies revolve around promotions (especially Black Friday/Cyber Monday) and targeted advertising in the weeks prior.
• Inventory Planning: Stress the importance of getting inventory into Amazon FBA by mid-October for the holidays.
• Omnichannel Approach: Suggests using email and social channels to promote Amazon listings only during major marketplace events; otherwise, traffic should go to DTC channels.
• Amazon Tools:
  • Brand Tailored Promotions: Target lapsed or in-market customers.
  • Creator Connections: Performance-based affiliate outreach for Q4, commissions negotiable (10–50%).

“If you are going to run sales one time a year, it’s around that Black Friday, Cyber Monday…even if you’re a premium brand.” – Will Haire [06:46]

4. Entering Amazon & the Importance of Marketplace Presence

[11:01]

• Will recommends brands join Amazon as soon as they hit around $2–3M in revenue; customer demand and channel risk justify the move.
• Neglecting Amazon leads to reseller issues, poor customer experiences, and even counterfeit risk.

“Your customers are there…50% of e-commerce still happens on [Amazon].” – Will Haire [11:06]

• Describes how Dr. Gundry’s supplement brand suffers on Amazon from neglect, with resellers offering a poor experience and dragging down the brand’s reputation, even when the main brand is strong elsewhere.

5. The Secret Ranking Formula: How to Get Ranked on Amazon

[13:51][16:53]

• For celebrities and strong brands, “just show up”—the demand is there.
• For everyone else:
  • Keyword Placement: Put primary keywords in title, bullets, alt text, and A+ content.
  • SEO Tools: Recommends Data Dive’s Rank Radar.
  • BSR (Best Seller Rank) is central for tracking sales velocity and ranking.
  • Advertising: Use PPC to support targeted keywords, focusing on conversion rates—not mere keyword stuffing.

“The number one thing Amazon looks at is sales. Then the second is relevancy from a keyword perspective. Third is fulfillment…Price and promotion influences it, reviews and ratings influence it. And then the quality of your content.” – Will Haire [00:00]/[16:53]

Amazon’s Ranking Factors in Order:

• Sales velocity
• Keyword relevancy
• Fulfillment (FBA/Prime status preferred)
• Price and promotions
• Reviews and ratings
• Content quality (images, copy, differentiation)

6. Agency Partnership & Cost Expectations

[17:47]

• Average retainer: ~$5,000/month; depends on SKUs and catalog complexity.
• Bellavix operates as a “fractional marketplace team”—ideal for brands too small for a full team but needing more than freelancers.
• Alternatives: Upwork (cheaper, riskier for novices); Large agencies (costlier, less personalized, slower response).

“Difference between a good agency and a great agency is just good customer service, good communications, and being really organized.” – Will Haire [20:33]

7. Typical Amazon Revenue Opportunity

[21:21]

• Brands with DTC and retail presence can expect Amazon to add 20–30% of existing revenue in the first 3–6 months if investing appropriately.
• Established brands with strong equity can do $1m+ their first year on Amazon; new brands may see $250–300k with moderate support.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I am a…I love advertising. I could talk shop all day, but I didn’t know as a CEO…my job is mainly sales, recruiting, and putting out fires.” – Will Haire [23:23]
• “Somebody who’s very optimistic—can take L after L and just get up with more enthusiasm than they did before. I’ve probably got seven unsuccessful businesses under my belt.” – Will Haire [24:26], on who should be a business owner.
• “Use Upwork if you’re on a tight budget, but unless you know it, you don’t know it—you might just get a data dump and you’re on your own.” – Will Haire [18:47]

Bonus: Rapid Fire Q&A

[22:54]

• Favorite Business Book:
  • “Profit First by Michael McCallowicz.” [22:59]
• What do you wish you knew before starting your agency?
  • "That I wouldn’t really do the job I did when I started..." [23:23]
• Would you have changed anything?
  • “No, I like what I do. I love being social and sales…” [23:52]
• Who should be a business owner?
  • “Somebody who’s very optimistic, can take L after L…” [24:26]

Where to Connect with Will Haire

• LinkedIn: Will Haire (with an “e” at the end)
• Website: bellavix.com
• Podcast: Selling on Giants

Episode Highlights (with Timestamps)

• [01:36] – Will’s background and founding of Bellavix
• [06:30] – Q4 checklist and promo planning
• [10:13] – Email, inventory, and omnichannel strategy for Q4
• [11:01] – Why every brand should be on Amazon
• [13:51] – How to get ranked (the formula)
• [17:47] – How agency partnerships work and what they cost
• [21:18] – What kind of revenue lift to expect from marketplaces
• [22:54] – Rapid fire: books, advice, mindset

This episode demystifies Amazon’s ranking formula with actionable tactics, real-world case studies, and a candid look at the agency landscape, making it essential listening for current and prospective e-commerce sellers aiming to scale through marketplaces.