Billion Dollar Sellers

Why keywords, not AI, are still king on Amazon (for now)

Date: September 1st, 2025
Summary: Kevin King discusses whether Rufus is distracting sellers from fundamentals, how keywords still provide instant ranking benefits, the evolution of Rufus AI, strategies for balanced optimization, and insights from Chinese Amazon seller schools.
Key Points Discussed:
Why keywords still drive instant results despite AI advancements
The balance between keyword optimization and conversion optimization
How Rufus is evolving with transparent reasoning workflow and multi-source discovery
Smart seller strategy: building foundation first, then layering AI optimization
Cross-cultural collaboration opportunities between Chinese and American Amazon sellers
The impact of ending de minimis exemption on international e-commerce
12 free Amazon features every brand should be using
How to transform photos with AI using Higgsfield
Stack Influence platform for micro-influencer collaborations
Links Mentioned:
Why RUFUS Optimization is hurting your Amazon rank
Join the DragonFish waitlist
Billion Dollar Sellers Club
12 Free Amazon Features Every Brand Should Be Using
Higgsfield AI
Stack Influence Platform (10% off code: BillionDollarSellers)
Inside China's Amazon Seller Schools
Axiom Return Solutions
Hot Picks:
China is flooding Latin America with cheap goods
Razor and Infinite Commerce merge to form new e-com aggregator
Walmart is testing new way to show off 3P seller products in stores
Scammers using AI to mimic TikTok sellers and steal cash
Do you know whether ChatGPT recommends your products?
Amazon published key holiday shipping schedule for sellers
Stump Bezos Answer: There are 10 million paid OpenAI accounts
Find us at BillionDollarSellers.com Follow me on Twitter and LinkedIn.

75% of listing optimization has ZERO effect on AI purchasing

Date: August 28th, 2025
Summary: Kevin King discusses a groundbreaking study on AI agents and purchasing decisions, Amazon's variation cleanup policy reversal, the end of US de minimis exemptions, and profitable Amazon PPC strategies.
Key Points Discussed:
AI agents' purchasing behavior and the 75-25 Rule of optimization
Position effects, badge impact, and price sensitivity in AI decision-making
Amazon's dramatic policy reversal on variation theme cleanup after seller backlash
End of US de minimis exemptions causing global shipping disruptions
Amazon's return to Google advertising outside the USA
Chris Rawlings' profitable Amazon PPC product launch breakdown
Cryptocurrency payment trends surpassing traditional processors
Links Mentioned:
Groundbreaking AI study
DragonFish AEO optimization
BDSC membership and replays
Axiom Return Solutions
Google's Nano Banana AI Model video
Chris Rawlings PPC Launch video
Listen to podcast version
Hot Picks:
Chinese Virtual Humans Outperforming Real Human Counterparts
August digital industry roundup summary
Amazon launches Central China initiative
Stump Bezos Answer: Europe, the UK & Latin America hit $6.3B in GMV on TikTok
Link to written version of the newsletter: [Insert link here]
Find us at BillionDollarSellers.com Follow me on Twitter and LinkedIn.
YouTube Show Notes
Episode Title: 75% of listing optimization has ZERO effect on AI purchasing
Date: August 28th, 2025
Summary: Kevin King discusses a groundbreaking study on AI agents and purchasing decisions, Amazon's variation cleanup policy reversal, the end of US de minimis exemptions, and profitable Amazon PPC strategies.
Key Points Discussed:
AI agents' purchasing behavior and the 75-25 Rule of optimization
Position effects, badge impact, and price sensitivity in AI decision-making
Amazon's dramatic policy reversal on variation theme cleanup after seller backlash
End of US de minimis exemptions causing global shipping disruptions
Amazon's return to Google advertising outside the USA
Chris Rawlings' profitable Amazon PPC product launch breakdown
Cryptocurrency payment trends surpassing traditional processors
Links Mentioned:
Groundbreaking AI study (https://arxiv.org/pdf/2508.02630)
DragonFish AEO optimization (https://form.typeform.com/to/Of7jg6lq)
BDSC membership and replays (https://join.billiondollarsellers.club/bdss-club/)
Axiom Return Solutions (https://zfrmz.com/aK5N8f9kH6wBTVt9Yq7l)
Google's Nano Banana AI Model video (https://youtu.be/3Zvk4AMCrG8?si=T8uFp2EPN4CW9QGE)
Chris Rawlings PPC Launch video (https://youtu.be/o9OccRg1z-Y?si=2eLNRgkkbBzeMEZr)
Listen to podcast version (https://billiondollarsellers.podbean.com/e/new-alibaba-tool-for-amazon-product-sourcing/)
Hot Picks:
Chinese Virtual Humans Outperforming Real Human Counterparts (https://www.wired.com/story/artificial-intelligence-tiktok-shop-ecommerce-china/)
August digital industry roundup summary (https://hs-39670822.f.hubspotemail.net/hub/39670822/hubfs/August%202025%20Industry%20Roundup.pdf)
Amazon launches Central China initiative (https://www.yicaiglobal.com/news/amazons-global-selling-program-unveils-new-central-china-scheme-to-help-thousands-of-businesses-go-global-by-2028)
Stump Bezos Answer: Europe, the UK & Latin America hit $6.3B in GMV on TikTok
Find us at BillionDollarSellers.com (http://billiondollarsellers.com/) Follow me on Twitter (https://x.com/blupinguino) and LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-king-amazon/).
 
 

Tool finds deprecated variations before Amazon breaks your listing

Date: August 25th, 2025
Summary: Kevin King discusses Amazon Rufus's evolution from search to agentic commerce, urgent variation theme purge on September 2nd, Pattern's IPO filing, and new AI tools for e-commerce workflows.
Key Points Discussed:
Amazon Rufus evolution: from basic search to agentic commerce engine
Urgent: Amazon variation theme purge affecting 65,000+ themes on September 2nd
Pattern Group files for $400M IPO - from refrigerator magnets to #1 Amazon seller
OpenAI's GPT-5 prompting guide for better e-commerce AI workflows
Stack Influence platform for micro-influencer collaborations
E-commerce sales stats: Q2 2025 hit $304.2B (+5.3% YoY)
Growth Hacking Live San Diego event - 7 free tickets available
Links Mentioned:
Growth Hacking Live Event Tickets
Rufus Agentic Optimization GPT
Amazon Theme Checker Tool
BDSN Mystery Link
Stack Influence Platform
BDSS 12 Virtual Replays
Pattern IPO S-1 Document
GPT-5 Prompting Guide
GetReviews Platform
Hot Picks:
Amazon left Google Ads: clicks rose, ROAS fell
TikTok's GMV Max mandate getting pushback
Amazon blocks bots from Meta, Google, Huawei
Alibaba launches AI agent for sourcing
Stump Bezos Answer: 58% of Prime Members purchased groceries on Walmart
Find us at BillionDollarSellers.com Follow me on Twitter and LinkedIn.

From $1.5m to $5m in 5 months on Amazon

Date: August 21st, 2025
Summary: Kevin King discusses whether YouTube is an underrated marketing channel for Amazon sellers, explores recent data on where AI gets its information, and shares success stories and strategies for e-commerce growth.
Key Points Discussed:
YouTube's dominance among younger demographics (90% of US teenagers use YouTube vs 79% on TikTok)
YouTube's revenue growth from $8.15 billion (2017) to $36.15 billion (2024) in ad revenue
YouTube's 11% ROI increase from 2023 to 2024, beating other platforms
How YouTube Shorts offer opportunities for Amazon sellers with 6% engagement rates
Case study: Woman scaling from $1.5M to $5M in 5 months on Amazon
Rufus now offers price-watching capabilities for customers
Where AI gets its information - Reddit leads at 40%, Wikipedia at 26%, YouTube at 24%
TrueOps client success stories finding significant revenue for brands
Links Mentioned:
CMS Three: Cigars and Whiskey by the Sea
TrueOps Free Audit
Barry Hott's Ad Creation Masterclass
BDSS Market Masters - $1.5M to $5M Success Story
BDSS 12 Virtual Information
Real $50k/mo Amazon PPC Product Launch
BDSN Mystery Link
Hot Picks:
Amazon is starting to run out room for FBA early
Agentic AI is skipping your products and costing you sales
How creators maximize income by stacking commissions
Why e-commerce is becoming more social
Stump Bezos Answer: 79% of Gen Z is regularly on TikTok, the most of any group.
Find us at BillionDollarSellers.com Follow me on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Cracking the code on TikTok Shop

Date: August 18th, 2025
Summary: Kevin King discusses TikTok Shop's future and strategies, Amazon's Manufacturing Central launch in India, Rufus optimization techniques, and the latest e-commerce insights including container shipping rates and AI developments.
Key Points Discussed:
TikTok Shop's growth data and why it's not disappearing despite political concerns
Product discovery and validation process for TikTok Shop success
Critical distinctions between affiliates, creators, and influencers
Commission structure reality and affiliate recruitment strategies
Essential tools stack for TikTok Shop sellers
Amazon Manufacturing Central portal launch in India amid 50% tariffs
Rufus optimization strategies: SEO + GEO + AEO approach
Container shipping rate updates and market trends
AI-first selling tactics for Amazon sellers
Links Mentioned:
BDSS 12 Virtual Event Registration
Billion Dollar Sellers Club ($9 membership)
Stack Influence Platform (10% off code: BillionDollarSellers)
Blueland Micro Influencer Case Study
Hot Picks:
GEN AI comes for online checkout, seismic shift expected
Walmart hosts Chinese seller conferences to woo sellers with perks
Dream 100 member Destaney Wishon names best software tools
Joe Rogan says 30% of supplements on Amazon are fake
Stump Bezos Answer: Saturday only: Alex Hormozi sold 2.7 million books, generating $82+ million revenue
Parting Shot: "The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now." — Chinese Proverb
Find us at BillionDollarSellers.com Follow me on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Dramatic Transformation for Amazon Sellers

Date: August 14th, 2025
Summary: Kevin King discusses Amazon's new advertising model, AI shopping agents transforming ecommerce, BDSS 12 Virtual event highlights, and AI-powered tools for Amazon sellers.
Key Points Discussed:
Amazon's Native Commerce Advertising (NCA) program paying publishers for clicks, not just sales
The shift from traditional SaaS to AI-powered "Agentic Era" commerce platforms
How AI shopping agents will transform Amazon businesses in the next 12 months
BDSS 12 Virtual event strategies for competitive advantage
AI-powered Amazon image generation tools for creating compliant listings
GetReviews platform for improving product review strategies
Meta's revenue per user statistics and social platform comparisons
Links Mentioned:
BDSS 12 Virtual Event Registration
Billion Dollar Sellers Club ($9 membership with $497 LIVE ticket credit)
AI Amazon Image Generation Tool Beta Access
YouTube: She Built a Fortune 500 Skincare Brand From $0
GetReviews Platform (15% off with code: BDS15)
Hot Picks:
U.S. maintains lower tariff rates on China imports for 90 more days
Guide to the parties happening at Amazon Accelerate next month
65 marketing statistics to guide your strategy & budget
Stump Bezos Answer: Google is twice ChatGPT, at 5 billion daily searches
Find us at BillionDollarSellers.com Follow me on Twitter and LinkedIn.

The IRS is coming after Amazon Sellers

Episode Date: August 11th, 2025Summary: Kevin King discusses leveraging AI to create compelling comparison charts that drive conversions, Shopify's new agentic commerce platform, IRS enforcement against e-commerce sellers, and eye contact strategies that can boost ad conversions by 30%.
Key Points Discussed:
Using AI to understand buyer psychology and create effective comparison charts
Step-by-step process for building comparison tables that convert
Positioning strategies: trust-building vs. competitive advantage approaches
Visual and mobile optimization for maximum impact
Shopify's launch of agentic commerce AI agents
IRS ramping up enforcement against e-commerce sellers
Eye contact strategies for different product types in advertising
Amazon's new Seller Assistant chatbot in beta
Links Mentioned:
Live BDSS-12 Registration (August 19-21)
Intellibrand Newsletter
Shopify Agentic Commerce Documentation
Stack Influence Platform (10% off code: BillionDollarSellers)
BDSN Mystery Link of the Day
Blueland Micro Influencer Case Study
Hot Picks:
How Shein ships a million orders a day
Temu in trouble in EU for selling illegal products on its platform
How Walmart & Amazon are using AI to reinvent the supply chain
Amazon secures largest ever win against fake review network
Stump Bezos Answer: 62% of TikTok users prefer tutorials
Find us at BillionDollarSellers.comFollow me on Twitter and LinkedIn.
 

Fake supplement marketing tricks on Amazon

Date: August 7th, 2025 
Summary: Kevin King discusses Trump's new tariff regime affecting Amazon sellers, exposes the dark truth about fake supplements on Amazon, analyzes Amazon's withdrawal from Google Shopping ads and its agentic AI strategy, plus reviews of the best Amazon FBA training courses.
Key Points Discussed:
Trump's new tariff regime launching August 7th with rates from 10% to 41%
The 40% "transshipment" penalty for products made with components from other countries
De minimis exemption elimination on August 29th affecting all packages under $800
Dark truth about fake supplements on Amazon marketplace exposed by industry insider
Amazon's complete withdrawal from Google Shopping ads and strategic reasoning
Agentic AI revolution and how Amazon is positioning for AI-driven commerce
TikTok Shop case studies showing multi-million dollar success stories
Freedom Ticket by Helium 10 rated as top Amazon FBA course
Links Mentioned:
Live webinar with Kevin at 2pm EST
The Dark Truth About Amazon Supplements - YouTube
TikTok Shop Case Studies Vault
Helium 10 Membership
Top 8 Amazon FBA Courses Review
Hot Picks:
The US patent system could be getting a big price hike
Reddit claims top spot as most cited domain in AI answers
Amazon conversion rates explained with seller benchmarks
ChatGPT changes what it fundamentally means to be e-com brand
BDSN Mystery Link of the Day
Stump Bezos Answer: 76% of X (Twitter) users are bots
Find us at BillionDollarSellers.com Follow me on Twitter and LinkedIn.

🪦 The death of traditional Amazon product research

August 4th, 2025
Summary: Kevin King discusses the revolutionary shift from traditional Amazon product research tools to TikTok-first strategies, Amazon's Q2 2025 financial results, new Custom Analytics features, TikTok + Amazon integration, micro-influencer marketing with Stack Influence, and Govee's $250M success story.
Key Points Discussed:
Death of traditional Amazon product research tools like Jungle Scout and Helium 10
Josh Hadley's TikTok-first product research strategy using Kalo Data
Amazon's Q2 2025 financial results showing $167.8 billion revenue
Amazon's revolutionary Custom Analytics platform launch
TikTok + Amazon Buy with Prime integration for social commerce
Stack Influence platform for micro-influencer collaborations
Govee's rise from Anker spinoff to $250M Amazon success story
Hot picks: TikTok agency failures, Amazon seller verification issues, AI shopping agents
Links Mentioned:
Best of BDSS 2025 Webinar Registration
Billion Dollar Sellers Club
What's going viral on TikTok shop right now
Amazon Custom Analytics
GetReviews - 15% off with code BDS15
Stack Influence Platform (10% off)
Blueland Micro Influencer Case Study
Govee's Rise Story
Hot Picks:
Why most TikTok agencies fail to scale e-com brands
Former Amazon staff say Chinese seller verification is flawed
The rise of AI shopping agents: differentiate or die
Stump Bezos Answer: Over 300 million Android devices have Google Lens
Find us at BillionDollarSellers.comFollow me on Twitter and LinkedIn.
 

🐶 Does this Amazon Rufus image hack work

Date: July 31st, 2025Summary: Kevin King explores a potential Rufus image hack using hidden keywords, Amazon's new AI partnerships with major publishers, the controversial star-only feedback system, and how external content is reshaping Amazon's search algorithms.
Key Points Discussed:
Testing hidden keyword embedding in Amazon product images for Rufus
Amazon's content partnerships with Condé Nast and Hearst for Rufus AI
New star-only seller feedback system causing seller backlash
Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) as the new SEO frontier
Amazon ending FBA prep services in 2026
Neil Patel's 2025 SEO strategies across platforms
$1M/month Amazon PPC campaign breakdowns
Links Mentioned:
BDSN E-Commerce Detective Episode 1
BDSN Vault
ProductPinion
ImageChek tool
Ranking on Amazon Isn't Magic - It's Optimization Science (Rufus & Cosmo)
Neil Patel's SEO Strategy for 2025
The 5 Amazon PPC Campaigns That Took Us to $1M/Month
BDSN Mystery Link
DragonFish AEO Waitlist
Hot Picks:
Temu is struggling in US against Amazon & de minimus changes
The top 14 Amazon appeal questions (and answers)
SmartScout versus Helium 10 - how do they stack up?
Helium 10's Amazon to TikTok Shop one-click listing converter
Stump Bezos Answer: 43% of pet spending is on food, treats and supplements
Parting Shot: "Success is not final; failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." — Winston Churchill
Find us at BillionDollarSellers.com Follow me on Twitter and LinkedIn.