Clear the Shelf with Chris & Chris

What happens when Amazon pulls the rug out from under your most profitable brand? Most sellers panic. Jeff Storch built a plan and scaled to $25M a year. In this no-fluff episode of the Clear the Shelf podcast, Jeff returns to talk about brand gating, sourcing like a machine, scaling smart, and turning Amazon returns into pure profit. Whether you're a beginner just cracking into online arbitrage or a seasoned seller juggling OA, RA, and wholesale—this is the tactical roadmap you didn’t know you needed. Here’s what you’ll learn: • The real reason behind Amazon's wave of brand restrictions (and how to protect your inventory) • Why single-brand reliance is a death sentence for Amazon sellers • How Jeff runs a full-blown returns department that monetizes "unsellable" products • What it actually takes to build a $25M/year arbitrage business (hint: reps and systems) • The diversification playbook Jeff used to survive Nike shutdowns, supplier limits, and the Adidas-gate saga • Why returns, eBay, and even brick-and-mortar stores matter more than you think • The #1 hiring mistake most sellers make when scaling If you're serious about Amazon FBA especially online arbitrage, retail arbitrage, or wholesale sourcing this episode is your unfair advantage. Like what you heard? Smash that like button, subscribe for more tactical Amazon seller content, and join our email list at https://www.cleartheshelf.com/newsletter] for exclusive resources. Drop your biggest takeaway in the comments—we read every one. ---------- RESOURCES FOR YOU: 🧰 https://www.ClearTheShelf.com (The Blog) 🧰 Keepa Academy - https://www.oachallenge.com/keepa-academy 🧰 OA Challenge - https://www.OAChallenge.com 🧰 Repricer Challenge (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/repricer-challenge 🧰 RabbitTrailChallenge (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/rabbit-trail-challenge 🧰 revROI Chrome Extension (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/revroi-extension 🧰 Goal Tracking Spreadsheet (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/goal-tracking SOFTWARE & SERVICES I USE & RECOMMEND: ✅ IP Alert (Code YT30 to Save $30) - https://entreresource.com/ip-alert-2/ ✅ Seller365 - https://oachallenge.com/seller-365 ✅ AURA Repricer (Code CTS to Save 20% Off Your First 3 Months) - https://goaura.com/cts ✅ RevSeller (Code PRO20 to Save $20) - https://www.revseller.com/32851/258.html ✅ OA Buddy (Code CLEARTHESHELF Saves $20): https://cleartheshelf.com/OA-Buddy FOLLOW US: 🐦 Twitter (Chris Grant): https://twitter.com/cleartheshelf 🐦 Twitter (Chris Racic): https://twitter.com/ChrisRacic ---------- 00:00 - Intro & Jeff’s Return to the Podcast 04:27 - Jeff’s Take on Brand Gating & Amazon Policy Shifts 16:20 - The Nike, Adidas, and Coach Gating Fallout 26:45 - Why Diversification Is Non-Negotiable 35:40 - Building a Returns Machine: eBay, Retail Stores, and More 45:49 - How to Train and Hire a Great Sourcing Team 56:35 - Mistakes New Arbitrage Sellers Make 1:04:57 - Jeff’s Personal Sourcing Strategy & Metrics 1:13:10 - Managing Burnout and Designing a Lifestyle Business 1:20:23 - Real Estate & Diversification Outside Amazon 1:30:12 - Final Advice for Scaling to $50K+ Months

Most Amazon sellers hustle hard to build cash flow. Very few know what to do next. Nick Huber calls it The Hamster Wheel: running faster, working harder... but not actually building lasting wealth. In today’s episode of The Clear the Shelf Podcast, Chris Grant and Chris Racic sit down with Nick Huber. An entrepreneur, author of The Sweaty Startup, and expert at turning boring businesses into million-dollar empires. We break down: • How to reinvest your Amazon profits smartly (even if you’re still scrappy) • Why “boring” businesses are your secret weapon for long-term success • How Nick would grow wealth if he were starting over with $50K–$200K a year from Amazon • The “10 Minute Drill” Nick uses to vet every new business idea • Why self-funding your growth changes everything (and how to balance risk) • How to build leverage — systems, people, and partnerships — without losing control • Personal brand building tips to attract deal flow and talent (even if you’re introverted) If you’ve ever felt trapped — like you're grinding but not getting closer to true financial freedom — this episode is a must-watch. Because reinvesting wisely beats hustling forever. 👉 Grab a copy of Nick’s book, The Sweaty Startup: How to Get Rich Doing Boring Things and don't forget to COMMENT on the video. Chris is giving away 10 FREE copies to random commenters! The Sweaty Startup on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4iGGeoL [https://amzn.to/4iGGeoL] -------------------- Want to learn more about what Nick does? Find out below: • www.sweatystartup.com • www.nickhuber.com • www.sweatystartupbook.com • www.somewhere.com • www.boltstorage.com • www.recostseg.com • www.adrhino.com • www.spidexx.com • www.boldseo.com • www.webrun.com • www.titanrisk.com • www.recruitjet.com • www.hubermethod.com • www.x.com/sweatystartup • www.instagram.com/sweatystartup • www.linkedin.com/in/sweatystartup • www.youtube.com/sweatystartup • www.tiktok.com/sweatystartup • www.threads.net/@sweatystartup.com • https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nick-huber-show/id1576120606 • https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sweaty-startup/id1445260221 • Link to buy the book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4iGGeoL [https://amzn.to/4iGGeoL] • Link to buy the book in the UK: https://bit.ly/422njPW -------------------- Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro to the Clear the Shelf Podcast and Nick Huber’s Background 02:10 – Why Amazon Sellers Should Listen: Turning Cashflow into Wealth 04:25 – How Nick Got Started: Humble Beginnings with a Moving Company 08:30 – Overcoming Doubters and Internal Criticism as an Entrepreneur 13:45 – The Power of Getting Small Wins Early in Your Business Journey 18:10 – Why the Best Opportunities Are “Sweaty” and Boring 22:50 – The Mindset Shift: From Hustler to Long-Term Business Owner 28:15 – When and How to Reinvest Your Amazon Profits the Smart Way 32:30 – Why Cashflow Businesses are Step One, Not the Destination 37:05 – Lessons From Growing Storage Squad to 10,000+ Customers 41:20 – Biggest Mistakes Amazon Sellers Make Trying to Scale 46:10 – How to Spot Overlooked Opportunities in Boring Industries 50:30 – The Ten Minute Drill: How Nick Evaluates New Business Ideas 54:45 – Building a Personal Brand to Attract Deal Flow and Talent 59:10 – Lightning Round: Best $1,000 Investment, Favorite Business Book 1:03:40 – Closing Thoughts + Free Book Giveaway: The Sweaty Startup

These are the 17 things we wish someone told us sooner.In this episode of Clear the Shelf, we’re sharing 17 tips that will make you a better Amazon seller—whether you’re flipping retail arbitrage finds, sniping online deals, or building wholesale systems.No fluff. Just hard-earned lessons, quick wins, and next-level strategies like:A sourcing tip that will instantly increase your ROIOne Keepa trick you probably aren't usingWhat most sellers get wrong about "replenishables"How to avoid common mistakes in Q4And much more…Whether you’re scaling up or just starting out, these 17 tips could save you time, money, and a few gray hairs.-------------------- RESOURCES FOR YOU: 🧰 https://www.ClearTheShelf.com (The Blog) 🧰 Keepa Academy - https://www.oachallenge.com/keepa-academy 🧰 OA Challenge - https://www.OAChallenge.com 🧰 Repricer Challenge (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/repricer-challenge 🧰 RabbitTrailChallenge (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/rabbit-trail-challenge 🧰 revROI Chrome Extension (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/revroi-extension 🧰 Goal Tracking Spreadsheet (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/goal-tracking SOFTWARE & SERVICES I USE & RECOMMEND: ✅ IP Alert (Code YT30 to Save $30) - https://entreresource.com/ip-alert-2/ ✅ Seller365 - https://oachallenge.com/seller-365✅ AURA Repricer (Code CTS to Save 20% Off Your First 3 Months) - https://goaura.com/cts ✅ RevSeller (Code PRO20 to Save $20) - https://www.revseller.com/32851/258.html ✅ OA Buddy (Code CLEARTHESHELF Saves $20): https://cleartheshelf.com/OA-Buddy FOLLOW US: 🐦 Twitter (Chris Grant): https://twitter.com/cleartheshelf 🐦 Twitter (Chris Racic): https://twitter.com/ChrisRacic --------------------

She quit her corporate job… and now does $1.5M a year selling on Amazon.No warehouse. No team. No private label headaches.Just online arbitrage.Cris Beam left her 9-to-5 in 2020 and started flipping products on Amazon the next day. Fast forward a few years, and she’s running a one-woman, seven-figure empire—outpacing sellers who have massive teams and warehouses.How did she do it?In this episode of The Clear the Shelf Podcast, Chris Grant and Chris Racic sit down with Cris Beam to break down:• How she scaled to $1.5M a year selling on Amazon• Why arbitrage STILL works in 2025• How she went from $6K to $100K+ months• Her favorite sourcing tools & strategies for flips• The biggest mistakes new sellers make (and how to avoid them)Cris reveals everything—her sourcing workflow, the obstacles she faced, and the decisions that took her from a beginner to a $1.5M/year seller. -------------------- RESOURCES FOR YOU: 🧰 https://www.ClearTheShelf.com (The Blog) 🧰 Keepa Academy - https://www.oachallenge.com/keepa-academy 🧰 OA Challenge - https://www.OAChallenge.com 🧰 Repricer Challenge (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/repricer-challenge 🧰 RabbitTrailChallenge (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/rabbit-trail-challenge 🧰 revROI Chrome Extension (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/revroi-extension 🧰 Goal Tracking Spreadsheet (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/goal-tracking SOFTWARE & SERVICES I USE & RECOMMEND: ✅ IP Alert (Code YT30 to Save $30) - https://entreresource.com/ip-alert-2/ ✅ Seller365 - https://oachallenge.com/seller-365 ✅ AURA Repricer (Code CTS to Save 20% Off Your First 3 Months) - https://goaura.com/cts ✅ RevSeller (Code PRO20 to Save $20) - https://www.revseller.com/32851/258.html ✅ OA Buddy (Code CLEARTHESHELF Saves $20): https://cleartheshelf.com/OA-Buddy FOLLOW US: 🐦 Twitter (Chris Grant): https://twitter.com/cleartheshelf 🐦 Twitter (Chris Racic): https://twitter.com/ChrisRacic -------------------- Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction: How Cris Beam Built a $1.5M Arbitrage Business 3:45 - Cris’s Background: From Corporate Job to Full-Time Amazon Seller 7:20 - Why Retail Arbitrage Still Works in 2025 11:10 - The First Steps to Scaling Retail Arbitrage Past Six Figures 15:35 - Tools & Software Cris Uses to Find Profitable Products 19:50 - How to Spot the Right Products in Retail Stores 24:10 - The Biggest Retail Arbitrage Mistakes New Sellers Make 28:30 - How to Manage Cash Flow & Avoid Overextending Your Budget 33:00 - The Credit Card Strategy That Changed Cris’s Business 37:40 - Sourcing Hacks: How to Maximize Profits in Retail Arbitrage 42:15 - The Role of Amazon Loans & Business Credit in Scaling 46:50 - How to Stay Competitive Without Dropping Prices 51:25 - Balancing Inventory Levels & Managing Risk in Retail Arbitrage 55:40 - The Best Stores for Retail Arbitrage in 2025 1:00:10 - How Cris Handles Prep & Shipping Without a Warehouse 1:04:35 - The Importance of Tracking Metrics & Staying Profitable 1:08:50 - The Mindset Shift That Took Cris from $6K to $100K+ Months 1:13:10 - Final Advice for Anyone Starting or Scaling Retail Arbitrage 1:18:25 - Closing Thoughts & Where to Follow Cris’s Journey

Grab a FREE 14-day Trial of Seller365 Here: https://oachallenge.com/seller-365 Yoda Yee, CEO of Threecolts, is leading one of the biggest software companies in the Amazon space—owning tools like Tactical Arbitrage, InventoryLab, Smart Repricer, FeedbackWhiz, and more.In this episode of The Clear the Shelf Podcast, we sit down with Yoda to discuss:• The future of Amazon seller software & automation• Amazon’s latest API changes & how they impact YOUR business• How AI, repricing, & smarter data will change selling in 2025• Why Amazon is actually listening to sellers (and what’s improving soon)• How Threecolts is bundling its software to save sellers THOUSANDSWe also ask him some tough questions about the mis-steps Threecolts has taken in the past and what they've learned from it and how that affects their decision making going forward.Drop a comment below: What’s the biggest challenge you face with Amazon software?- ------------------- RESOURCES FOR YOU: 🧰 https://www.ClearTheShelf.com (The Blog) 🧰 Keepa Academy - https://www.oachallenge.com/keepa-academy 🧰 OA Challenge - https://www.OAChallenge.com 🧰 Repricer Challenge (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/repricer-challenge 🧰 RabbitTrailChallenge (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/rabbit-trail-challenge 🧰 revROI Chrome Extension (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/revroi-extension 🧰 Goal Tracking Spreadsheet (Free) - https://cleartheshelf.com/goal-tracking SOFTWARE & SERVICES I USE & RECOMMEND: ✅ IP Alert (Code YT30 to Save $30) - https://entreresource.com/ip-alert-2/ ✅ Seller365 - https://oachallenge.com/seller-365 ✅ AURA Repricer (Code CTS to Save 20% Off Your First 3 Months) - https://goaura.com/cts ✅ RevSeller (Code PRO20 to Save $20) - https://www.revseller.com/32851/258.html ✅ OA Buddy (Code CLEARTHESHELF Saves $20): https://cleartheshelf.com/OA-Buddy FOLLOW US: 🐦 Twitter (Chris Grant): https://twitter.com/cleartheshelf 🐦 Twitter (Chris Racic): https://twitter.com/ChrisRacic -------------------- 0:00 - Introduction: Yoda Yee & the Future of Amazon Selling 3:30 - What is Threecolts? The Software Powerhouse for Amazon Sellers 7:45 - Why Amazon Sellers Need Automation & Data-Driven Tools 12:10 - How Threecolts Acquired Tactical Arbitrage, InventoryLab & More 16:40 - The Biggest Challenges Amazon Sellers Face Today 21:15 - Understanding Amazon API Changes & How They Affect Sellers 25:50 - How AI & Machine Learning Are Changing Repricing & Automation 30:20 - The Future of Dynamic Repricing & Competitive Strategies 34:50 - How Smart Repricer Gives Sellers a Competitive Edge 39:30 - Scaling an Amazon Business with Software & Smart Data 44:15 - Why Amazon is Actually Listening to Sellers (And What’s Changing) 48:40 - How to Protect Your Seller Account & Avoid Suspensions 53:20 - The Role of Feedback & Review Automation in Seller Success 58:10 - How Bundled Software Can Save Sellers Thousands 1:03:45 - The Most Common Mistakes Amazon Sellers Make with Software 1:08:30 - When Should Amazon Sellers Start Using Advanced Tools? 1:13:20 - How Threecolts Plans to Innovate the Seller Software Space 1:18:15 - What’s Next for Amazon Sellers in 2025? 1:23:50 - The Future of Wholesale & Arbitrage in the Amazon Ecosystem 1:28:25 - Yoda Yee’s Best Advice for Sellers Looking to Scale 1:33:40 - How Threecolts is Helping Sellers Maximize Profitability 1:38:20 - The Importance of Data & Analytics for Long-Term Success 1:43:10 - Final Thoughts: What Every Seller Needs to Do Right Now 1:47:30 - Closing Remarks & Where to Learn More About Threecolts