Client: Mid-market U.S. consumer brand, multi-SKU catalog, strong offline distribution and accelerating Amazon revenue — but eroding contribution margin. Names and figures are anonymized.
The leadership team didn't need "more campaigns." They needed one accountable system for catalog, pricing integrity, advertising efficiency, and unauthorized seller pressure — the same pillars we describe in uncontrolled success and choosing a partner.
The Challenge
Listings were inconsistent: broken A+ modules, legacy titles, and suppressed variations burning merchandising time. Buy Box ownership swung weekly. MAP violations and unauthorized offers recycled after each cleanup. PPC spend rose steadily while TACoS flattened — a classic sign ads were compensating for retail weakness.
The Approach
We moved the brand to a buy-sell operating model: wholesale purchasing, unified ownership of catalog and retail readiness, coordinated brand protection, and a rebuilt PPC structure focused on profitability targets — not vanity spend.
Enforcement was paired with distribution follow-up so removals weren't a temporary win. Listing work was prioritized by revenue and strategic hero SKUs first, then the long tail.
Outcomes (Directional)
Within the first two quarters, the brand saw materially higher Buy Box stability, meaningfully lower wasted ad spend as negatives and structure tightened, and fewer repeat unauthorized sellers on priority ASINs. Contribution margin improved even as the brand continued to invest in growth — the hallmark of a channel moving from reactive to managed.
What This Case Illustrates
Growth without control eventually becomes expensive. The fix isn't a single tactic — it's alignment. When the operator's economics match the brand's, Amazon work stops living in silos (ads over here, tickets over there) and starts behaving like a real retail channel.