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Bradley Sutton from Helium 10 joins the pod to break down how serious brands should be thinking about Amazon now: not as a backup channel, but as a core retail growth engine. We get into where Amazon fits in an omni-channel stack, how PPC has gotten way more complex, why Walmart and TikTok Shop matter more than most brands admit, and where sellers can actually use AI for efficiency.

In this episode, we cover:

Why Amazon has shifted from “nice to have” to a core acquisition and retention channel
How top sellers use PPC automation, dayparting, and keyword harvesting to manage spend without blowing budget
What Helium 10 actually helps with, from product research and listing optimization to competitive intel and campaign management
Why TikTok Shop and Walmart aren’t side quests anymore
How to think about Rufus, AI shopping tools, and what actually matters right now

If you’re a DTC founder or an ecommerce operator scaling across Amazon, Walmart, and TikTok Shop and you want cleaner CAC, better retail media performance, and fewer wasted ad dollars, this episode is a must listen.

Helium 10 is a platform that brings research, operations, Amazon advertising, and performance insights together so you can scale faster across marketplaces.

Timestamps

00:00 Amazon beyond a traffic source

02:00 Amazon as a core growth channel

03:30 Multi-channel fulfillment and expansion

06:30 Why Amazon ads are now critical

08:00 Organic vs paid growth on Amazon

12:00 Product research and competitor analysis

15:00 Validating demand before launching

19:00 Amazon vs TikTok vs Walmart strategy

23:00 AI impact on Amazon shopping behavior

28:00 Branded keyword bidding strategy

32:00 Automation and dayparting for ads

36:00 Biggest mistakes Amazon advertisers make

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Bonus: How to Scale Amazon in 2026 – 3 Data Plays DTC Brands Are Still Missing