The Real Story Behind Our Amazon Launch
(And Why I'm Both Excited & Nervous)
Deacon here with a behind-the-scenes look at what's happening with Dr. Barry's. Pour yourself something warm (or grab your antacid of choice 😉) because today, I'm pulling back the curtain on our Amazon launch journey.
First, let's talk numbers (because who doesn't love a good revenue update?):
- We're 4.5 months in post-acquisition
- Revenue hit about $25K total
- Half of that came in just the last month (things are picking up!)
- Bottom line: We're roughly break-even after note payments
But here's what makes this interesting...
Remember when Travis and I said we were buying a "proven" brand? Well, we spent our first three months just getting our best-seller back in stock. Not exactly the rocket ship launch we imagined!
The Good News
- We're finally on page 1 for our main keywords
- Our new product has 10 reviews with a 4.9-star average
- We're adding 30-40 new email subscribers daily
- Sales are steadily climbing (4-6 orders per day)
The Plot Twist
Travis (my business partner and resident supplement guru) dropped a truth bomb during our last team meeting. He said he's actually more nervous than optimistic about the next quarter. Why? Because we're testing an unknown product in the market.
But here's the fascinating part - despite his nerves, we've managed to rack up something he's never seen before: our first eight reviews were ALL five stars. Even the notoriously tough Vine reviewers loved it.
The Strategy That's Working
We're running a 50% off coupon strategy right now. Yes, it hurts the immediate bottom line (my accountant brain is twitching). But here's why we're doing it:
1. We need to be in stock for 3 months to unlock Subscribe & Save
2. Those initial discounted customers can become subscribers
3. Once they're subscribers, they'll pay full price
The catch? We can't activate Subscribe & Save until September 24th. (Amazon's rules, not ours!)
Our Secret Weapon
While everyone else obsesses over Amazon PPC and Facebook ads, we're quietly building something more valuable: our email list. We recently cleaned it from 14,000 down to 3,000 highly engaged subscribers.
Why? Because when (not if) Amazon throws us a curveball, we'll have a direct line to our most loyal customers. It's our hedge against the Amazon algorithm gods.
## What's Next?
Travis and I are already eyeing our next acquisition. (Yes, we're crazy like that.) We're specifically looking for brands with:
- Strong product development but weak operations
- Cash flow challenges we can fix
- Supplement space potential
- Strategic fit with Dr. Barry's
The Big Lesson So Far
Here's what 4.5 months of acquisition life has taught me: Business metrics aren't silos - they're ecosystems. When Travis increased Facebook ads, Amazon sales accelerated. When we focused on email list growth, overall brand trust improved.
It's not about finding the ONE thing that works. It's about building a system where everything works together.
Got questions about our journey? Hit reply - I'd love to hear your thoughts, especially if you've been through the acquisition rollercoaster yourself.
Until next time,
Deacon
P.S. If you know anyone sitting on a supplement brand with great products but messy operations... we should talk. 😉