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.
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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
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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