The Top 25 Questions to Ask an Amazon Consulting Agency

Building a successful Amazon business takes time, talent, and tenacity. Today, every category is packed with fierce competition. It’s no longer enough to simply be on the platform. To climb the Bestseller list, you need to excel in every aspect of Amazon—including account management, Amazon Ads, content and graphics, listing optimization, brand control and protection, inventory forecasting, and more.

Brands that are serious about scaling on Amazon will inevitably need help. This realization has caused a surge in Amazon agencies over the past few years. Some have large in-house capabilities, and others consist of only a few consultants. Some offer full-service Amazon account management, while others specialize in a certain area, such as Vendor Central or Amazon Ads.

Not every brand and agency will form a successful partnership because compatibility goes beyond mere expertise and services. Productive collaboration requires alignment in values, goals, communication styles, strategy, and expectations.

Brands have unique visions and specific needs that must resonate with the agency’s approach and capabilities. Misalignment in strategic direction, differing priorities, or incompatible working cultures can hinder effective collaboration and lead to frustration and poor results.

Fortunately, you can usually determine whether an agency will be a good partner for your brand simply by speaking with their team. No matter what your unique goals or needs may be, these are the top 25 questions every brand should ask an Amazon consulting agency before making a final decision.

#1: What makes you different from other Amazon agencies?

Many things set Channel Key apart from other Amazon agencies, starting with our boutique approach and extensive due diligence process. While our expansive team includes 85+ Amazon experts, our agency was founded on the principle of offering personalized, highly tailored services.

We are very selective about the brands we work with, which enables us to provide deeper attention, creativity, and customized solutions. Our clients benefit from agile decision-making, swift execution, and innovative strategies that result in more effective outcomes.

We hold quarterly “Top-to-Top” meetings with respective members of leadership to review performance, discuss strategic adjustments, and make sure we remain aligned with your business objectives. This ongoing alignment fosters a partnership built on trust and collaboration.

Channel Key’s status as an Amazon Ads Advanced Partner, membership in Amazon’s GAPD program, and recognition in the Advertising Partner directory underscore our credibility and expertise. These accolades reflect our deep understanding of Amazon’s ecosystem and our ability to leverage this knowledge to benefit our clients.

These are just a few things that distinguish us from other Amazon agencies. Above all, our unwavering commitment to your success ensures that we are not just another agency but a dedicated partner in your journey to Amazon excellence.

#2: Is your agency recognized by Amazon?

Yes, Channel Key is recognized by Amazon as an Amazon Ads Advanced Partner. This status is only awarded to agencies that demonstrate significant expertise, engagement, and success with Amazon Ads. Achieving Advanced Partner Status means that our agency has met rigorous performance criteria, including demonstrating sustained growth for our clients and effectively utilizing Amazon Ads products and services.

Working with an Amazon Ads Advanced Partner comes with several advantages, including access to exclusive resources, beta programs, and enhanced support from Amazon. This recognition is a mark of excellence, indicating that Channel Key is among the top performers in leveraging Amazon Ads to drive success for our clients. It reflects our commitment to delivering best-in-class service and results, solidifying our position as a trusted and effective partner in the Amazon ecosystem.

#3: What types of Amazon product categories do you work with? 

We are category agnostic and believe our model, processes, and approach can support all categories. However, our expertise particularly shines in managing replenishable, consumable products, and consumer packaged goods (CPG). These categories are complex and competitive, but when managed properly, they can really power the Amazon flywheel and accelerate growth rapidly.

From a performance standpoint, we specialize in generating Customer Acquisition Cost (CAQ) and New-To-Brand (NTB) customers, establishing strong brand loyalty, and capitalizing on Lifetime Value (LTV) and repeat purchases. This allows us to create sustainable growth strategies that leverage repeat business and build long-term customer relationships for our clients.

#4: How do you describe your Amazon consulting agency?

Channel Key is an award-winning full-service Amazon marketplace consulting agency that has partnered with over 250 brands ranging from SMBs to Enterprise companies. As an Amazon Ads Advanced Partner, Channel Key helps brands unlock their marketplace potential by maximizing profitability and identifying growth opportunities on Amazon. Our mission is to provide brand owners with a winning Amazon strategy and the ecosystem and resources to execute at the highest level possible.

#5: What is your unique approach to helping brands succeed on Amazon?

We take a holistic approach to managing your business’s Amazon channel. We believe that a successful Amazon business hinges on the high-level execution and synergy of several key business functions.

These include business operations, supply chain management, data feed management, listing optimization, marketing strategy, and technology integration. By focusing on each of these core areas, we develop a comprehensive strategy that ensures your brand not only thrives but also sustains long-term growth on Amazon.

Our team meticulously evaluates and optimizes every aspect of your Amazon operations, creating a cohesive Strategic Business Plan tailored to drive success and maintain a competitive edge in the marketplace.

#6: How do you help develop new business/products on Amazon?

There are several ways we can help expand your product offering and catalog on Amazon. First, we provide intelligence reports that offer insights into market trends, competitor performance, and consumer demand. This helps you identify opportunities and assess the potential for new products.

We also help you explore the white space in the market, identifying areas with unmet consumer needs or less competition. By understanding these gaps, you can strategically expand your catalog to capture new customers and increase market share.

Our team works with you to evaluate the feasibility and potential success of new product lines, ensuring alignment with your brand and market positioning. This careful approach helps you make informed decisions to confidently expand your business.

#7: Does your team have any actual experience as an Amazon seller?

Absolutely! Our journey began in 2007 when we started as Trend Nation, quickly growing into a Top 200 Amazon seller and delighting over 10 million customers. This hands-on experience gives us deep insights into Amazon, from the intricacies of marketplace dynamics to the challenges and opportunities that sellers face every day.

We launched Channel Key in 2017 to offer our expertise and experience to brands that want to achieve the same online retail success. Since then, we’ve helped businesses across all categories generate over $1 billion in marketplace revenue. Our unique background as an Amazon seller means we’ve encountered and navigated virtually every pitfall you can imagine – and we know how to help brands avoid and overcome them.

Moreover, many of our team members are Amazon insiders, bringing firsthand knowledge and insider perspectives to our strategies. This combination of practical experience and insider expertise ensures we truly walk the walk.

#8: How much will by brand grow and how long will it take?

The growth of your brand, the timeline, and the advertising costs will depend on several factors. Through our due diligence process, we assess the current state of your business, identify opportunities, and create models of potential outcomes.

Setting specific expectations without knowing the particulars of your brand is difficult and potentially irresponsible. However, we guarantee you will receive a comprehensive Strategic Business Plan within the first 60 days of partnership. This plan will outline KPIs, goals, benchmarks, and milestones tailored to your business.

Although we can’t predict exact growth numbers or costs upfront, our data-driven approach and transparent reporting will provide clear visibility into your progress and investment. And remember, our success is tied directly to your success.

#9: I’ve worked with Amazon agencies and have been moved around to different brand managers. How do I know that won’t happen with you?

Continuity and stability are core tenets of our approach. We believe consistent, long-term relationships are key to producing lasting results. Our low employee turnover rate reflects our commitment to creating a culture-rich work environment that promotes employee retention. We only hire Amazon experts who are dedicated to their roles.

While there may be instances where team members are promoted or shift to new positions, we pride ourselves on employing individuals who are committed to our clients’ success. You will not be frequently passed around to different brand managers.

You should also know that the bench is deep at our agency. In addition to your dedicated day-to-day team, several layers of services leadership also oversee your brand. This means multiple team members are familiar with your business, providing continuity even if personnel changes occur. While such changes are infrequent, our robust team structure and commitment to employee retention provide you with the stability needed for long-term success.

#10: How do you measure success?

We measure success through a customized and client-centric approach. We understand that each brand has unique goals and KPIs, so our first step is to understand what success looks like for you.

Within the first 60 days of the partnership, we develop a Strategic Business Plan tailored to your brand. This comprehensive report aligns us on specific forecasts, KPIs, profitability targets, and budget allocations to make sure we are on the same page from the beginning. By establishing these metrics early, we create a clear roadmap for your brand’s growth on Amazon.

Once the work begins, we produce customized reports weekly to track the progress that matters most to you. These are designed to monitor a variety of KPIs, which can differ significantly from one brand to another. Whether it’s sales growth, conversion rates, return on ad spend or profitability, we will track the most relevant metrics that align with your specific goals.

It’s important to note that our reporting goes beyond standard metrics. We provide detailed weekly and monthly reports on a wide range of data, down to individualized per ASIN profit and loss statements. This granular level of analytics allows us to monitor performance at the most detailed level, preventing any aspect of your business from being overlooked.

Ultimately, success for our clients typically comes down to growth and profitability. By aligning on these key metrics and providing detailed, transparent reporting, we make sure you have a clear understanding of your progress and can make informed decisions to drive your business forward.

#11: How do I know if your Amazon consulting agency will be a profitable partner for my brand?

Of all the questions to ask when choosing an Amazon agency, this is the most important one. Not every agency or consultant will tell you this. We have a successful track record because we are selective about the brands we work with. We know that not every business will be a good fit, and that’s okay.

Transparency is one of our core values. Every relationship with our clients begins with an initial phone call to learn more about their business and goals. This helps us determine if we are the right agency to help them succeed. At the end of the day, success for our clients means success for us. As a business, you should seek an agency that follows this guiding principle and has the record to back it up.

#12: Other than advertising, how can you help grow our business on Amazon?

Advertising is a key cog in the Amazon machine, but its success relies on other vital business functions. At Channel Key, we take a holistic approach to growing your business beyond just advertising.

Content optimization is essential. Ad campaigns don’t work if product detail pages aren’t optimized. Your team will include content and graphics specialists who are solely devoted to making sure all images, descriptions, and keywords are fully optimized to maximize visibility and conversions.

Inventory forecasting is another integral function. Accurate forecasting is essential to match the sales velocity we aim to increase. Without sufficient inventory, even the best ads can’t drive sales. We work closely with you to align inventory levels with sales projections.

These are just a few examples of how we help grow your brand on Amazon beyond advertising, but there are many more. At the end of the day, an Amazon business is a complex machine with many interconnected, moving parts.

#13: How can you help with things off Amazon that contribute to your success?

While our primary focus is on optimizing your business on Amazon, we recognize that many off-Amazon activities are crucial for overall success. Our agency has developed an extensive partner ecosystem to support these needs.

We’ve partnered with more than 200  service providers to offer end-to-end solutions for any challenge your brand may face. Our partner ecosystem includes vetted and trusted companies that work alongside Channel Key to ensure your brand receives best-in-class service customized to your needs.

These include product development, influencer marketing, SEO, content creation, supply chain management, logistics, customer service, and many more. This holistic approach not only enhances your Amazon success but also strengthens your overall ecommerce strategy.

#14: How much do your Amazon consulting services cost?

The cost of our services varies depending on the scope of work (SOW) necessary to support the growth of your brand. For instance, a business with multiple brands or accounts will require a larger scope of work compared to a single brand. Similarly, a brand with a catalog of 500 SKUs versus 20 SKUs will have different needs, and larger businesses will require more extensive support than emerging brands.

A significant part of our due diligence involves fully understanding your business. This allows us to produce a SOW and pricing proposal that is mutually beneficial and aligned with your specific needs. Each engagement is tailored to the unique requirements, size, and nuances of your business.

Typically, full-service agreements start around $7K to $8K per month and scale depending on the size and complexity of the engagement.

#15: How do you ensure transparency with your work on our brand?

Transparency is a cornerstone of our client relationships. We prioritize complete visibility into our work on your brand through several key practices.

First, we provide weekly customized reporting with KPI tracking specific to your goals. These reports offer detailed insights into your brand’s performance, help you understand the impact of our strategies, and identify areas for improvement.

Additionally, we hold quarterly “Top-to-Top” meetings with respective members of leadership. These sessions allow us to review performance, discuss strategic adjustments, and make sure we remain aligned with your business objectives. This ongoing alignment fosters a partnership built on trust and collaboration.

#16: What do your clients consistently say you do well?

Our clients consistently praise us for our strategic and proactive approach. Beyond achieving sales and profitability results aligned with our Strategic Business Plan, our clients appreciate that we bring innovative ideas and solutions to the table.

They value our ability to anticipate potential issues and opportunities, addressing them before they become challenges. Instead of simply reacting to market changes, we want to actively shape strategies that drive continuous growth and success.

Our clients routinely commend us for our strategic foresight, proactive problem-solving, and dedication to exceeding expectations, which collectively contribute to the outstanding results we deliver.

#17: How do I know I’m not going to get the B-team?

There is no B-team at Channel Key. We vet our employees extensively to provide our clients with best-in-class support, with each role specific to its function. We don’t have team members wearing multiple hats. Each member is an expert in their specific field on Amazon.

We provide a full-service team for each of our clients, which includes a dedicated Brand Manager with the full support of a Content Strategist, Marketing Coordinator, Graphic Designer, Service Desk, and the Channel Key Leadership team.  Every month an average of 8 team members work on each of our clients’ accounts.

#18: What is your client retention rate? 

We prioritize establishing trust and credibility with all our clients, aiming to build long-term partnerships. Our commitment to delivering consistent, high-quality results has resulted in most of our clients staying with us for multiple terms. We focus on achieving and tracking 1-3-5-year stretch plans and goals for our clients, demonstrating our dedication to their long-term success. This approach has fostered strong relationships and high client retention rates.

#19: Do you have Amazon case studies?

Of course! We have numerous detailed case studies documenting our success across various areas of Amazon. These case studies cover a wide range of services, including Amazon Advertising, Amazon DSP, Content and SEO, Inventory Management, Case Resolution, and more.

Our case studies highlight how we have helped brands achieve significant growth and overcome many challenges on Amazon. They provide in-depth insights into our strategies and the measurable results we’ve delivered for our clients.

You can view our case studies by visiting Channel Key’s About Us page. These resources showcase our expertise and the tangible impact of our work, offering a comprehensive view of how we drive success for our clients on Amazon.

#20: Do you offer full-funnel Amazon services?

Yes, Channel Key offers full-funnel Amazon services that target customers at every stage of the purchasing process. Our full-funnel marketing services involve three main stages:

Top-of-Funnel (TOFU): The goal here is to increase brand awareness and attract potential customers. We achieve this through paid advertising (e.g., Amazon Sponsored Products and Sponsored Brands), organic search optimization, and social media marketing. Key metrics include unique reach, completion rate, and click-through rate (CTR). Building brand awareness helps keep your brand at the top of consumers’ minds as they make their way to purchase.

Middle-of-Funnel (MOFU): At this stage, we focus on nurturing potential customers and guiding them toward making a purchase. Consideration marketing tactics include retargeting ads, email marketing, and product recommendations. Sponsored Brands, Video Ads, and Display Ads through Amazon DSP help create touchpoints where consumers actively research and browse products. Key metrics include detail page views, new-to-brand percentage, and branded search index.

Bottom-of-Funnel (BOFU): The final stage aims to convert potential customers into actual buyers. Strategies include promotions, providing detailed product information, and ensuring a seamless checkout process. Key metrics include return on advertising spend (ROAS), advertising cost of sales (ACOS), customer acquisition cost (CAC), and orders or units sold. A well-optimized product detail page and outstanding customer service are crucial for conversion.

Our full-funnel Amazon services cover every stage of the customer journey, from brand awareness to conversion, ensuring comprehensive support to drive your brand’s success on Amazon.

#21: Do you offer Amazon DSP services?

Absolutely. Channel Key is one of the few marketplace agencies with a dedicated Amazon DSP department. Our programmatic advertising experts leverage signal-based marketing and machine learning models to match the right messages to the right audiences at the right moments.

We power each stage of your marketing funnel with hyper-targeted, geo-specific, and interactive Amazon DSP campaigns that can reach millions of customers both on and off Amazon. This approach connects your brand with the right consumers, driving engagement and conversions across various touchpoints.

Learn more about Amazon DSP news and strategies.

#22: How would you describe your Amazon consulting agency’s culture?

Our culture is defined by a set of key values that guide our actions, decisions, and interactions both internally and with our clients. These values are integral to our identity and operational philosophy and include the following:

• OWN EVERYTHING: High Standards and Ultimate Accountability
• POSITIVITY IS A CHOICE: Be Aware and Control What You Can Control
• PURPOSEFUL PROACTIVENESS: Anticipate and Address Opportunities and Challenges
• ROOT THE PROBLEM: Solve the Root Case, Don’t Band-Aid the Problem
• ALWAYS DELIGHT: Surpass Client Expectations to Create Long-Lasting Relationships
• HONEST AND EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION: Open, Honest and Effective Communication

Our values are the bedrock of our culture, ensuring that Channel Key remains a place where excellence, positivity, proactiveness, problem-solving, and delight are at the heart of everything we do.

#23: Will any work be outsourced? And if so, to whom?

No, we do not outsource any work for your brand unless it falls outside the original agreed scope of work. As a top-tier agency with a robust partner ecosystem, we are well-equipped to help brands address any challenge they may face, even if it falls outside our scope of services.

If a need arises that requires expertise beyond our internal capabilities, we can leverage our extensive partner network to find the right solution. You can take comfort knowing your brand always has access to the best resources and expertise available, without compromising the quality and integrity of our work.

#24: How will your agency help win new-to-brand customers for my brand on Amazon?

We focus on driving new-to-brand sales by leveraging advanced strategies and tools like Amazon Marketing Cloud. This helps us understand your customer’s lifetime value (LTV) and determine the acquisition cost for new-to-brand customers.

For example, we use new-to-brand metrics to determine whether an ad-attributed purchase was made by an existing customer or a new buyer within a year. These metrics include total new-to-brand purchases, new-to-brand purchase rate, and cost per new-to-brand customer. By analyzing these metrics, we can identify the most efficient channels and tactics to attract new customers.

Our tailored ad campaigns, including Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, and Sponsored Display ads, are strategically designed to capture the attention of potential new customers. We continuously monitor and optimize these campaigns to maximize cost efficiency and return on investment.

#25: What kind of technology and software do you use?

We leverage a robust infrastructure with over 40 specialized enterprise software systems and technology products. This best-in-class tech suite provides efficiency, scalability, and superior results for our clients.

• Our Enterprise Market Advertising Solution utilizes automation for scaling campaigns and optimizing bids with AI-powered recommendations. Competitive intelligence tools keep your brand ahead by monitoring market trends and competitor activities.
• For product and keyword research, we use powerful tools that identify seasonal trends, perform reverse keyword searches, and continuously monitor the marketplace. This enables us to capitalize on emerging opportunities and maintain
• We deploy advanced tech to gain insights into market dynamics and competitor strategies, helping us make informed decisions.
• Our ad profit tracking and optimization technology focuses on increasing ROI, tracking profits in real-time, and maximizing PPC revenue, ensuring your ad spend is as effective as possible.
• To track SKU and review efficiency, we use software that monitors growth and drives profits at the SKU level while optimizing customer review management, enhancing brand reputation.
• Our Amazon price tracking tools provide historical price data and insights into best-selling products, helping refine pricing strategies and maintain a competitive advantage.

Your cost of securing all these enterprise software solutions would be about $40,000 a year. Of course, the value of our technology infrastructure goes beyond financial savings. Our team is highly trained in each of the programs we leverage to drive continuous growth and optimal performance for your brand on Amazon.

Channel Key Takeaway