SmartScout is a top research tool that helps Amazon sellers find and understand products, brands, and competitors. It gives sellers clear data about the marketplace so they can make better choices for their business.
The platform has changed how sellers research on Amazon by showing them hidden connections between products, brands, and categories. Many Amazon businesses use SmartScout to spot chances that others miss.
When I started selling on Amazon, I wished I had known the full possibilities of what could be achieved with the right data.
Scott is an expert Amazon seller with more than 11 years of experience. Before starting SmartScout in 2020, he built BuyBoxer into an Amazon giant with over 120,000 unique products. His background in software development helps him create tools that make selling on Amazon easier.
Scott shared his thoughts on…
The lessons from his BuyBoxer days, how AI can help Amazon sellers, and where he sees the biggest chances for growth. He also talked about the rise of TikTok Shop, the value of micro-influencers, and why playing the long game is key to success on Amazon.
In this interview, we’ll look at his ideas about building a lasting Amazon business and how sellers can stand out as the marketplace keeps changing.
Q.1 What’s one key mistake from BuyBoxer that significantly shaped your approach to building SmartScout?
Expanding the catalog too much. It was exciting being able to find more products to sell. But the true ROI comes when you can go deep.
It has all sorts of downstream effects. Like the prep process/shipping process gets refined further. We would have had less exposure to Amazon issues.
Q.2 How does SmartScout’s “threaded” data design, enabling seamless navigation between products, brands, and categories, reflect its core philosophy, and what sets this approach apart in terms of value?
I wish I could tell you there was a major philosophy. It just feels natural to let people zoom in wherever possible. Like if we see a revenue trend, I just always want to click into that and see what’s happening.
I knew, without any sort of doubts, that for the right person, they’d see the value immediately. I knew that we’d be under charging the right person. For example, working with Thrasio, we had the most comprehensive and categorized data of every Amazon seller.
We only charged them a few hundred bucks a year. When they had raised billions of dollars. I haven’t always been worried about extracting every pound of flesh that we could, but just giving value. I knew if we had value, everything else would fall into place.
Q.3 How do you balance evolving SmartScout for private label sellers and agencies while maintaining its strengths for resellers?
I will say, successful wholesale sellers start to act like private label sellers. They like the keywords and category research. This helps them win brands.
Everything we build either is adjacent to what we currently build, and feels natural to show. Or it’s just has to be cool. Like the Buy Box map is really interesting for arbitragers and for very large brands that have complicated supply chain. It’s our favorite type of tool that does such a good job of displaying reality that different people see different opportunities.
Q.4 Looking beyond current applications like the Listing Architect , what specific seller challenge do you think AI, combined with SmartScout’s data, is best positioned to solve next?
I’d like to build pricing intelligence. Not repricing. Image scoring. I’ve seen someone do it really well (trueinsights), I think it’s powerful the way they can score images and suggest improvements that anyone could do.
Competitors like Helium 10 and Jungle Scout often bundle operational tools (inventory, profits) with research.
Q.5 Is SmartScout’s focus on market/competitor intelligence deliberate, and will it expand into operational features?
Yeah, we have to be best in class in one area to win.
Q.6 What inspired the Traffic Graph’s “frequently bought together” visualization, and what surprising insights have users gained from it?
It’s a story worth telling. It’s voyeuristic. Before you get too tangled in details of a product, it would be nice to see it’s neighborhood.
Q.7 What’s the most powerful but underutilized or misunderstood feature in SmartScout?
It’s hard to say. Because most tools have at least one champion. But I think our subcategories tool is well used, but ripe for another round of updates so it comes alive again.
Q.8 How does your pragmatic view of AI as a tool shape SmartScout’s AI strategy, especially in choosing features like the Listing Architect over hype-driven ones?
You’re correct. I heard “AI won’t be stealing your job, but someone with AI will”. I use AI everyday. I mentioned previously, it’s getting better with images. I think image scoring goes well with our suite. I’ll leave it to other experts to create AI images.
Q.9 Where do you see AI’s greatest near-term potential for enhancing SmartScout’s Amazon market and competitor research, such as predictive analytics or pattern recognition?
We’ve worked on a tool that will spin up a 360 analysis with AI. It’ll show you all the ways that keywords/ASINs/revenue trends are interconnected. I think AI as a builder of intelligence is something we’ll expect to see more often.
Q.10 In 3-5 years, what major challenge will reshape the Amazon landscape, and how should sellers prepare?
Differentiated products and marketing will win long term games. It’s what will win micro influencers. So it’s kind of back to first principles. Have products people really want and the rest can take of itself. Because you could price it correctly and people will still pay.
Q.11 Where are the biggest untapped opportunities on Amazon for adaptable sellers today?
Micro influencers. Micro influencers tapping into affiliate programs are doing really well. Look at nello. 0 to $100m because they paid people along the way to share their success.
Q.12 How will Amazon’s relationship with other e-commerce platforms like TikTok Shop evolve, and might SmartScout add cross-platform intelligence?
Would love to have TikTok Shop to SmartScout intelligence. They’re intertwined so much right now.
Q.13 What’s the single most important piece of advice you’d give to someone starting an Amazon business from scratch in today’s competitive environment?
Play long term games. Pick up true skills. I took two writing courses in the past few years. I’ve loved being able to use those skills. I’m a linkedin influencer. Watch out world!
Q.14 How is SmartScout positioning itself to support sellers in building that integrated capability?
Shoot, external traffic is like a 2 hour conversation. I’m not sure how SmartScout is poised today on external traffic. It’s perhaps bigger than us right now. But the best external traffic is from content. Email/Newsletter/TikTok/Youtube. You win those channels and you can have passive new fans of your product. It’s the game many in business need to play.
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Q.15 What technologies or techniques are used to render these complex relationships in an intuitive way?
We found javascript libraries. You’re always one library away from doing something awesome. It makes us look cooler than we are.
Q.16 Here at AffMaven, we’re passionate about helping sellers thrive. How do you feel about our mission, and what parting words do you have for our readers tackling the Amazon jungle?
Don’t stop learning. After selling on Amazon for 2 years, I thought I had it all figured out. I missed wave after wave. (Private Label /Advertising tech). Don’t stop learning.
Ready To SkyRocket Your FBA Business with SmartScout?
At SmartScout, we’re all about learning and listening to our users to make sure we’re building tools that really help them. At the end of the day, we’re here for our customers. Their needs guide our decisions. What they want, is what we want.
Our chat with Scott Needham gave us a deep look into the world of Amazon selling. With over 11 years in e-commerce, Scott shared how tools like SmartScout can help sellers find the best products and brands to grow their businesses.
He mentioned that 70% of successful online stores use data to make smart choices and stay ahead. Scott stressed the importance of keeping up with market changes and using tools that give you the latest information.
He also talked about how SmartScout has helped over 10,000 sellers make their businesses easier by improving how they find products and make decisions.
As Amazon selling gets tougher, having the right tools and strategies is key. Are you ready to take your online business to the next level with better product research?
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