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In this episode of Selling on Giants, Will sits down with Milton and Gisela, founders of Not Bad Snacks, to explore what happens when a digital-first brand takes its first steps into retail.

Not Bad Snacks is a Vancouver-based better-for-you snack brand built around the idea that healthy snacks shouldn’t be boring. Known for their clean ingredients and bold flavors, the brand has been growing through direct-to-consumer channels, local events, and a strong community presence.

Learn more: https://notbadsnacks.ca
Follow them: https://instagram.com/notbadsnacks

This conversation breaks down that transition from online to retail, and what founders often underestimate along the way.

You’ll learn:

- How real customer demand (not just strategy) pushed the brand toward retail
- Why local events became a key proving ground for product-market fit
- What actually needs to change before approaching retail buyers (pricing, packaging, case packs, shelf presence)
- How retail buyers evaluate products—velocity, margins, and category fit
- Early signals that indicate retail success, including reorders and in-store feedback
- Why retail is still a relationship-driven business—and how that impacts growth

Milton and Gisela also share honest insights into the learning curve of entering the CPG space for the first time, from operational challenges to pitching buyers and navigating new stakeholders beyond DTC.

If you’re building an eCommerce brand and considering retail expansion, this episode offers practical, real-world perspective on what it actually takes to make that leap—and what to pressure test before you do.

Follow Selling on Giants for more conversations with founders and operators scaling across Amazon, Walmart, and retail.

Follow BellaVix:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bellavix/
Website: https://www.bellavix.com/

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This week’s Selling on Giants breaks down a clear shift happening across Amazon, Walmart, and the broader marketplace landscape. It is not one major update. It is a series of smaller changes that all point in the same direction.

More platform control. More operational pressure. Less room for error.

If you are responsible for performance, this is the environment you are operating in.

Top stories this week:

• Amazon launches “Unmet Demand” insights
  A new feature inside Product Opportunity Explorer highlights high search, low conversion opportunities. Strong in theory, but still too broad for direct execution. Useful for validation, not decision-making.
• eigh-to-Z claims remain inconsistent despite clear process
  Sellers follow the rules, provide documentation, and still absorb losses. The issue is no longer understanding the process. It is trusting the outcome.
• Amazon doubles down on AI infrastructure
  AI is not a feature. It is becoming the system that drives search, ads, and visibility across the platform.
• Google search shifts toward AI-generated answers
  Ranking matters less. Selection matters more. Fewer links, more synthesized results, and tighter competition for visibility.

Operational pressure building across the board:

• Supply chain complexity impacts scalability
  Categories like fragrance highlight how sourcing, compliance, and production variability affect margins and inventory.
• Packaging costs becoming volatile
  Material costs, sustainability requirements, and supply disruptions turn packaging into a variable cost center.
• Variation enforcement tightens on Amazon
  Review consolidation strategies are being phased out. Each Skew must now build its own credibility, increasing launch cost and time.

Retail and demand signals:

• Walmart leans into cultural product drops
  Limited-time collaborations show a shift toward event-driven commerce and demand creation.
• Easter spending hits record levels
  Demand remains strong, but consumers are more price-sensitive and value-driven.

Discovery and advertising shifts:

• Conversational ads expand with Alexa+
  Voice-based interaction introduces new discovery surfaces beyond search and scrolling.
• Community and AI reshape visibility
  Reddit, AI-generated results, and conversational interfaces influence perception before customers reach listings.

Macro trends shaping the market:

• Potential tariffs on digital goods
  WTO developments introduce uncertainty around costs tied to software, tools, and services.
• Shift toward profitability and efficiency
  Growth-at-all-costs is fading. Operators are focusing on margin, retention, and disciplined execution.

The bigger picture:

• Platforms are taking more control
• Costs are increasing across the board
• Discovery is becoming fragmented
• Consumers are more selective
• Operations are more complex

The edge is not in hacks. It is in execution. Clean data. Clear systems. Fast decisions.

If you are operating on Amazon, Walmart, or scaling across marketplaces, this episode gives you a clear operator-level breakdown of what matters right now and how to respond.

Subscribe to Selling on Giants for weekly insights that go beyond headlines and focus on what actually impacts your business.

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This week’s Selling on Giants goes deep on one of the most important updates sellers have seen this year, Amazon’s so-called “temporary” three point five percent fulfillment surcharge and what it actually means for your business.

This is not just another fee update. This is a continuation of a pattern.

If you are operating on Amazon, this episode breaks down what is really happening behind the scenes and how to respond like an operator, not a spectator.

Main focus this week:

• Amazon introduces a 3.5% fulfillment surcharge
  Positioned as temporary, but sellers know how this plays out. Costs increase, margins compress, and the burden shifts downstream.
• Margin pressure compounds across the board
  Rising ad costs, tighter competition, and pricing sensitivity are already limiting flexibility. This adds another layer of pressure.
• Seller control vs platform control
  Amazon continues to centralize decision-making across fulfillment, data, and expansion tools, while sellers absorb more variability.

What serious operators should be doing now:

• Reduce fulfillment costs at the unit level
  Packaging optimization, dimensional adjustments, and SIPP qualification all directly impact fee exposure.
• Reevaluate fulfillment strategy
  Fulfilled by Merchant becomes more relevant for specific SKUs where FBA economics no longer make sense.
• Control participation in promotions
  Prime Day and other events require discipline. More volume does not always equal more profit.
• Test pricing, don’t guess
  Incremental price adjustments paired with conversion monitoring become critical in a constrained environment.
• Diversify beyond Amazon
  Walmart continues to expand reach, TikTok offers lower acquisition costs, and DTC provides control. Dependency is now a risk.

Additional shifts shaping the market:

• Amazon tightens ecosystem control
  From fulfillment standardization to guided expansion tools and closed data environments, control continues to consolidate.
• Discovery moves beyond search
  Reddit, AI-driven answers, and community-driven content are influencing visibility before customers reach product pages.
• AI moves from reporting to decision-making
  Systems are starting to execute on pricing, inventory, and campaign decisions, shifting the role of the operator.
• Product data becomes infrastructure
  PIM systems and structured listings are now required to scale across Amazon, Walmart, and emerging channels.
• AI-driven advertising emerges
  Early signals show product feeds and shopping placements entering AI environments, creating new acquisition channels.
• Regulatory complexity increases
  State-level regulations introduce more fragmentation, adding operational overhead and compliance challenges.

The bigger picture:

• Costs are rising
• Control is consolidating
• Discovery is shifting
• Complexity is increasing

The edge is not in hacks. It is in execution. Clean data. Clear systems. Fast decisions.

If you are an eCommerce brand selling on Amazon, Walmart, or scaling across channels, this episode gives you a clear, operator-level breakdown of what matters right now and how to respond with confidence.

Follow Selling on Giants for weekly insights that go beyond headlines and focus on what actually impacts your business.

Subscribe to Selling on Giants for weekly operator-level insights built for serious marketplace brands navigati

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This week’s Selling on Giants breaks down the real shifts happening across Amazon, Walmart, retail media, and AI-driven commerce. This is not a surface-level recap. This is an operator’s view of what actually changes when you are responsible for the P and L.

The pressure is building across multiple fronts at the same time, and the brands that adapt fastest will hold their position.

Top stories this week:

• Amazon linked account enforcement tightens
  Amazon is now treating seller accounts as a single entity. One violation can take down multiple accounts, and recovery depends on resolving the root account first. This is a structural risk, not an isolated issue.
• DD+7 reserve policy creates cash flow pressure
  Sellers are now waiting longer to access funds, creating real constraints on inventory, ad spend, and daily operations. This is not just a policy change, it is a financial shift.
• Retention marketing faces new regulation
  Pennsylvania’s proposed bill introduces stricter rules around email and SMS marketing. More consent, less flexibility, and reduced ability to re-engage customers.
• Ulta expands store fulfillment capabilities
  Speed is becoming the baseline. Inventory positioning now directly impacts visibility and conversion, not just delivery time.

Platform and discovery shifts:

• AI reshapes product discovery (Sephora + Gen AI search)
  Discovery is moving from keyword search to guided interaction and AI-generated answers. Visibility now depends on structured, clear, and complete product data.
• Meta and TikTok push AI and creator-led commerce
  Discovery is shifting from intent-based search to algorithm-driven exposure. Creators and AI are becoming primary drivers of product visibility.
• Walmart expands into connected TV commerce
  Product discovery is moving into content environments, reducing reliance on traditional ecommerce entry points.

Operational and marketplace signals:

• Etsy reinforces listing quality as a ranking factor
  Complete, accurate, and structured listings are now required for visibility. Keywords alone are no longer enough.
• NRF highlights growing regulatory pressure
  Labor, supply chain, data, and compliance are all tightening at the same time, increasing operational complexity.
• Brands experiment with alternative acquisition channels
  Rising costs are pushing brands to test lower-cost tactics like offline marketing to maintain efficiency.

The bigger picture:

• Compliance is tightening
• Cash flow is getting tighter
• Discovery is shifting toward AI and content
• Platforms are consolidating control
• Customer acquisition is getting more expensive

The edge is not in hacks. It is in execution. Clean data. Clear systems. Fast decisions.

If you are an eCommerce brand operating on Amazon, Walmart, or beyond, this episode gives you a clear operator lens on what matters right now and how to respond with confidence.

Follow the show for weekly breakdowns of what is actually changing in eCommerce, and how serious operators are adapting in real time.

Subscribe to Selling on Giants for weekly operator-level insights built for serious marketplace brands navigating complexity with discipline.

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This week’s Selling on Giants breaks down the biggest shifts impacting Amazon, Walmart, and the broader eCommerce landscape, with a focus on compliance risk, customer behavior, and tightening margins.

These are not surface-level updates. This is how operators are responding in real time.

Top stories this week:

• “Made in USA” enforcement is tightening
  A new executive order increases scrutiny on product claims. If your listings are not fully compliant, you are exposed to suppression, penalties, and account risk.
• Amazon buyer abuse and feedback threats
  Customers are leveraging negative feedback to push refunds and concessions. Learn how to protect your rating without sacrificing margin.
• NRF forecasts 4.4% retail growth
  Demand is steady, but competition is tightening. Growth comes from execution, not market lift.
• Walmart UPC and GTIN exemption friction
  More visibility into denials, but the process remains inconsistent. Listing velocity now depends on structured, precise submissions.

Additional insights covered:

• Shipping pressure from USPS losses
  Rising costs and service variability are forcing brands to rethink carrier strategy.
• Amazon returns and recovery data expansion
  New visibility into return reasons and costs creates opportunities to improve contribution margin.
• Target’s $915M retail media growth
  Paid visibility is becoming a baseline requirement across retail platforms.
• Sam’s Club and the participation era
  Membership, retention, and customer ownership are becoming central to growth.
• Shift away from third-party tools
  Amazon continues to pull sellers into its native ecosystem, changing how brands operate.

The bigger picture:

• Compliance is tightening
• Customer behavior is more aggressive
• Growth is steady, not explosive
• Margins are under pressure
• Platforms are taking more control

The edge is not in hacks. It is in execution. Clean data. Clear systems. Fast decisions.

If you are an eCommerce brand operating on Amazon, Walmart, or beyond, this episode gives you a clear operator lens on what matters right now and how to respond.

Like, follow, and subscribe to stay ahead of what is actually changing in eCommerce.

Subscribe to Selling on Giants for weekly operator-level insights built for serious marketplace brands navigating complexity with discipline.

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Consumers everywhere are noticing something strange.

Your favorite snack looks the same.
The price looks the same.
But somehow… the product inside feels smaller.

Welcome to the era of shrinkflation.

In this episode of Selling on Giants, we break down why products across grocery stores and marketplaces are quietly getting smaller — and why inflation is only part of the story.

The bigger shift is happening behind the scenes.

Modern retail economics — especially the rise of Amazon, eCommerce logistics, and marketplace fulfillment costs — are creating powerful incentives for brands to design smaller, lighter, and more efficient products.

What looks like shrinkflation on the shelf may actually be margin engineering driven by logistics, packaging optimization, and marketplace economics.

This episode connects the dots between consumer trends, global retail strategy, and the operational realities brands face when selling across Amazon, Walmart, Target, and other modern commerce platforms.

Along the way, we look at some real-world examples making headlines right now — from shrinking chocolate bars to evolving product packaging strategies.

Because once you understand the economics behind it, shrinkflation stops looking like a mystery… and starts looking like a system.

In this episode we cover:

• The rise of shrinkflation and why brands reduce product size instead of raising prices
• Why consumers notice price increases more than quantity changes
• The Reese’s example and how iconic products make shrinkflation visible
• Cadbury and the global chocolate shrink trend happening across Europe
• How Amazon fulfillment fees and shipping costs influence product design
• Why smaller packaging improves logistics efficiency in eCommerce
• The growing policy debate around shrinkflation transparency

Key takeaway

Products are getting smaller not only because of inflation, but because modern retail and marketplace economics reward smaller, more efficient product designs.

As eCommerce continues to reshape global retail, packaging, product sizing, and fulfillment efficiency will play an increasingly important role in how brands manage margins.

Shrinkflation may not be a temporary trend.

It may be the future of retail product design.

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This week on Selling on Giants, Mr. Will breaks down several major shifts shaping eCommerce, Amazon selling, and retail strategy. From AI entering Seller Central to retail media becoming a billion-dollar business, the rules of marketplace growth are evolving fast.

The common thread across this episode is simple.
Platforms are becoming smarter, more automated, and more data-driven.

Key topics in this episode include:

Amazon Adds AI to Seller Central Analytics
Amazon is embedding generative AI directly into Seller Central to help sellers analyze sales trends, advertising performance, and inventory movement via natural-language questions. For smaller brands, this could function like having a built-in analyst. For experienced operators it speeds up pattern detection across complex data sets.

Agentic Commerce and the Rise of AI Shopping Agents
New research from McKinsey highlights the next phase of online commerce. AI systems will not only recommend products but may soon execute purchases on behalf of consumers. That means product discovery could shift from human browsing to machine-driven decision making.

Target’s Advertising Business Keeps Growing
Target generated $915 million in advertising revenue in 2025 through its Roundel media network even while retail sales remained soft. This reinforces a massive industry shift where retailers are evolving into media companies and brands increasingly pay for visibility inside retail ecosystems.

Amazon Expands Product Opportunity Explorer
A new “Saved Opportunities” feature allows sellers to track niches and product ideas directly inside Seller Central. This signals Amazon’s continued push to keep product research and demand validation inside its own platform rather than relying on third-party tools.

Tariffs, Supply Chains, and Retail Cost Pressure
Costco is proactively adjusting sourcing strategies as tariffs begin influencing global supply chains again. Brands should expect renewed pressure on margins as retailers negotiate pricing with suppliers.

Returns Continue to Drain Retail Profitability
Retailers processed roughly $706 billion in product returns in 2025. Operational gaps and omnichannel returns like buy online return in store are becoming major margin challenges across retail.

Celebrity Backed Brands Continue to Reshape CPG
Kim Kardashian has joined energy drink startup Update as a co founder as the brand launches into Walmart with a paraxanthine based formula targeting wellness focused consumers.

The Bigger Theme

The future of commerce is becoming increasingly automated and data driven.

Retailers are building media businesses.
Platforms are embedding AI into operations.
And shopping behavior itself may soon be influenced by autonomous AI agents.

For brands and marketplace operators, the companies that adapt fastest to these structural changes will have the strongest advantage.

If you sell on Amazon, operate across marketplaces, or care about the future of retail, this episode provides the operator-level perspective behind the headlines.

Subscribe to Selling on Giants for weekly operator-level insights built for serious marketplace brands navigating complexity with discipline.

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Amazon Tightens Capital. Ads Demand Discipline. AI Compresses Competition.

This week’s Selling on Giants episode breaks down the structural tightening happening across Amazon, retail media, AI search, and global retail infrastructure. None of these shifts are cosmetic. Each one affects capital flow, attribution control, data visibility, and long-term margin durability.

Here’s what serious operators need to understand right now:

Amazon DD+7: A Working Capital Shift, Not a Fee Increase

• Funds now release seven days after confirmed delivery
• The reserve clock starts at delivery confirmation, not shipment
• No manual overrides if Disburse on Demand is not enabled
• Cash conversion cycles quietly extend

This is not emotional. It is arithmetic. If you front inventory, freight, ads, and payroll, payout timing matters. Extended float increases working capital needs and magnifies debt cost exposure. Strong brands model this. Weak capital structure gets exposed.

Sponsored Products: Is Your Account Maintained or Just Running?

• Do you know your break-even ACOS?
• Are bids tied to Revenue Per Click math?
• Are budgets open on winners and capped on waste?
• Can your team diagnose which lever moved when ACOS shifts?

Most accounts do not fail because Amazon is “rigged.” They fail because margin math, search term hygiene, and structural clarity are missing. Discipline, not emotion, separates scalable ad accounts from expensive ones.

Meta Targets Retail Media Budgets

• Closed-loop measurement improvements
• Retail data integrations
• Direct competition for Amazon and Walmart ad dollars

This is budget warfare, not branding. Attribution is becoming the battleground. Platforms that prove incremental sales impact win allocation. Habit-based budget placement is losing power.

AI Shopping Behavior Is Changing Product Discovery

• Consumers use AI tools upstream to compare products
• Listings are being summarized before shoppers land on Amazon
• Clarity and differentiation matter more than keyword stuffing

AI compresses competition. If your PDP cannot be summarized clearly in one paragraph, positioning is weak. Structured, benefit-driven content wins.

Google’s Universal Commerce Protocol

• Standardized product data requirements
• Structured, machine-readable commerce feeds
• Data integrity over keyword tricks

SEO is shifting from content optimization to data architecture discipline. Messy feeds and incomplete attributes quietly erode visibility over time.

McKinsey Grocery Report: Growth Paradox in MENA

• Consumer confidence rising
• Premium willingness increasing
• Formal grocery growth lagging

The issue is not demand. It is execution and format relevance. Retail expansion alone does not guarantee velocity. Brands must align assortment, positioning, and innovation to how shoppers actually buy.

The Big Pattern

Capital discipline is tightening.
Ad discipline is tightening.
Data standards are tightening.
Execution tolerance is shrinking.

This is not a panic cycle. It is a precision cycle.

Strong operators model cash, margin, attribution, and velocity. Undisciplined brands feel friction first.

Subscribe to Selling on Giants for weekly operator-level insights built for serious marketplace brands navigating complexity with discipline.