😱 The Hidden Cost of Dishonesty…

What you’ll find in this week’s newsletter:

• 😱 The Hidden Cost of Dishonesty… [True Story]

• 🚨 TikTok Deal Reached?!

• ⚠️ Q4 Amazon FBA Cutoff Dates

• 🔥 New Title Format That’s Splitting Sales

• ✅ How to Use AI to Clean Up Photos for Banners and More!

Hey Beardos,

Are you looking for something to do at Amazon Accelerate?

Check out the full list of parties and events happening in Seattle this week.

🚨 And of course, reply to this email with #wheelofkelsey to win 1 of 3 audits from Brian Johnson’s “Rank Ready” audits, announced on Wednesday! (Congrats to Susan B for last week’s win!)

😱 The Hidden Cost of Dishonesty… [TRUE STORY] 

This story is a bit more of a rant but it’s something I’ve been seeing more and more…

Over the past few years, I’ve noticed this annoying thing called shrinkflation creeping into all sorts of products.

It drives me crazy.

For example, I recently grabbed a Klondike bar and realized it’s a third to a half the size I remember…

Or when I opened a pack of Oreos and suddenly there’s a lot less filling in there than there used to be…

Do you remember Celebration cookies?

Now, they package the first and third row with 3 cookies, and the 2nd row with 2 cookies leaving a cookie-sized gap below.

And you pay more!

I get it.

Costs go up.

But instead of quietly shrinking the product and hoping nobody notices, why not just be upfront about it?

I’d honestly rather pay a little extra and know I’m getting the same product I trust than feel like I’m being shortchanged.

It annoys me.

I will find a substitute whenever possible.

And yes, I like my ice cream and cookies.

In business, transparency builds trust.

If you need to adjust prices, do it honestly rather than trimming down the product on the sly.

You’ll build loyal fans that trust you, even if the prices go up.

Enjoy the rest of the newsletter.

— Norm

🚨 TikTok Deal ‘Framework’ Reached with China, Trump and Xi Will Finalize it Friday

Alright, here’s what’s going on behind the scenes with TikTok…

According to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, the U.S. and China have reached a framework deal over TikTok.

He says the “commercial terms” have been agreed to, and it’s now in the hands of both governments. Trump and Xi are expected to meet this Friday to hammer out the rest.

The goal of the deal?

Move TikTok under U.S. ownership or control. ByteDance (TikTok’s parent company) has until September 17 to figure it out… or risk a full shutdown in the States.

Here’s what we know:

• Trump says there’s already a deal on the table to “save” TikTok.

• Rumors are flying, everyone from Oracle’s Larry Ellison to Elon Musk to the folks behind Perplexity AI and Project Liberty have been linked to possible bids.

• But nothing’s finalized. And if it doesn’t close soon, that extension window will slam shut.

🚨 Learn more about the TikTok ban

⚠️ Amazon’s Q4 FBA Cutoff Dates

If you’re planning to take advantage of Amazon’s Q4 traffic with the Prime badge, there are hard deadlines you can’t afford to miss.

🇬🇧 Key U.K. Inventory Deadlines

To qualify for Prime deals, your inventory must be received by Amazon by the following dates:

• September 19, 2025 — Inventory for October Deals

• October 30, 2025 — Inventory for Black Friday and Cyber Monday

If you miss these windows, your products may not carry the Prime badge during the highest-traffic periods of the year.

🇺🇸 Inbound Shipping Deadlines for Q4 Promotions

For U.S. sellers, Amazon has outlined priority receiving windows based on specific Q4 events:

• September 10–19 — FBA shipments for Prime Big Deal Days

• October 20–30 — FBA shipments for Black Friday/Cyber Monday

Amazon prioritizes shipments that arrive within a 7-day delivery window. Late arrivals may face delayed receiving, which can affect your visibility and sales performance.

What to Expect in November

Starting in November, Amazon’s fulfillment network shifts focus. Instead of prioritizing inbound shipments, they focus on customer order fulfillment.

This means:

• Receiving times slow down

• Palletized shipments experience delays

• Sellers using non-partnered carriers should update their “Send to Amazon” delivery windows to avoid potential bottlenecks

If your inventory arrives late, it may not be available for key promotions—even if you technically shipped it on time.

🌎 Where in the World is The Beard Guy?

😱 De Minimis Has Ended and Holiday Sales Will See an Immediate Impact

As of August 29, the de minimis loophole is gone.

That little tax break that let goods under $800 sneak into the US duty-free?

It’s officially dead.

And retailers are sweating.

Experts are saying we’ll feel it right away. Some are trying to figure out how to pass the costs on to customers, SKU by SKU.

Others are deciding whether to just eat the cost or cut the product entirely.

Spoiler alert: most will pass it on somewhere.

If you’ve got goods already on the water, even those won’t be exempt.

No grace period.

Retailers like Under Armour are already projecting a $100 million hit.

So what happens next?

If you're selling into the US, now’s the time to look at your pricing, your logistics, and how you message all of this. Because customers will feel it, and if you’re not honest or prepared, it’ll show.

🔥 New Amazon Title Format That Could be Splitting Your Sales | Brian R. Johnson

My takeaways from this episode! (Episode out soon on YouTube)

1. Amazon is Testing Split Titles

Amazon is experimenting with breaking the title into two visible parts:

• Core Title (~55 characters) – the most prominent, always shown.

• Highlight (~75 characters) – secondary line, often visible before truncation.

  The full 200-character title still exists in the backend, but most shoppers will only see the first 55–80 characters.

2. Position & Sequence of Words Matters More Than Ever

A9 and Cosmo assign more weight to words at the start of the title.

• Exact phrase placement (e.g., “stainless steel tumbler with straw”) beats keyword stuffing.

• Amazon is penalizing shotgun-style titles that try to capture everyone.

3. Personas Drive Performance, But Generic Personas Hurt

Avoid stuffing titles with broad demographics (“for men, women, teens”). It dilutes focus.

• Instead, address specific pains or situations. Example: “Dead Sea Mud Soap” → target persona = obstacle racers (“Get Clean with Mud”).

4. Rufus Answers Depend on Content Completeness

Rufus pulls directly from listing text, images, and specs.

• Missing answers (dimensions, temperature resistance, certifications) → Rufus may recommend a competitor instead.

5. Testing is Continuous, Not One-and-Done

A/B split testing of titles every 4 weeks is recommended.

• Benchmark CTR and CVR on brand analytics + competitor analysis to decide if your title/bullets are resonating.

🔥 The $2.5 Billion Pitch Formula | Forbes Riley

Here are my favorite tips from this episode!

1. The Core Mistake in Pitching

   Most people instinctively describe features (“these glasses help you read, they look good”) instead of framing desire. Riley reframes the pitch around a universal pain point (trouble seeing after 40, frustration with progressive lenses). This is an advanced shift from “selling products” to “selling transformation.”

2. Pitches Create Want, Not Just Solve Need

   The key psychological insight: people don’t buy what they need, they buy what they want. Great pitches elevate awareness of desire while making the solution feel obvious and inevitable. This flips the seller’s mindset:

   Don’t convince someone they need glasses, help them realize they want the outcome (comfort, clarity, style).

3. Context Over Avatars

   Forbes argues against rigid buyer avatars. Instead of obsessing over “Susan, 45, who drinks tea,” she teaches fluid pitching: take whoever is in front of you and make the product relevant to them (or someone close to them).

4. The Three “Yes” Rule

   Her method emphasizes stacking micro-commitments. Example: “Do you want to see something cool?” → “Yes.” Get two more small yeses and you’re on the path to closing.

5. Pitcher > Pitch

   There’s no such thing as a perfect pitch. 

   Instead, become a “perfect pitcher” who adapts instantly to the context and the audience. This adaptability is why live selling pros can jump between products, reframe on the fly, and still hit sales goals.

Find this episode of Marketing Misfits on YouTube and anywhere you listen to podcasts

And that’s it, Beardos.

See you next Monday!

- Norm

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