TACOS Tuesday - Amazon Ads Tactics

On this episode of Tacos Tuesday, Sebastian Hargreaves sits down with Hamish Conway for a rare, behind-the-scenes conversation marking 10 years in the Amazon game. What starts as a look back quickly unfolds into a candid exploration of how it all began, the pivotal decisions that shaped the journey, and the moments that nearly broke it. Along the way, Hamish unpacks how dramatically the Amazon landscape has evolved from the early days of simple private label wins to today’s hyper-competitive, data-driven, brand-first environment where margins are tighter, expectations are higher, and execution matters more than ever. It’s an honest reflection on what’s changed, what most brands still get wrong, and why the path to success now looks very different to what it did a decade ago. If you’re trying to build, scale, or even just survive on Amazon today, this episode will challenge your assumptions and leave you thinking about the long game in a whole new way.

Most brands think they understand their Amazon performance… but they’re often only seeing the surface. In this final episode of the Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC) series, Hamish Conway and Sebastian Hargreaves dive into the attribution and acquisition insights that reveal what’s really driving growth on Amazon. They explore organic vs paid first touch, new-to-brand vs repeat customers by ASIN, full-funnel attribution, and the real path-to-purchase journey including how many ad interactions it typically takes before a customer converts. Discover how these deeper insights reveal where growth is truly coming from, where advertising is working (or not), and how leading brands make smarter decisions to outcompete on Amazon. If you want to understand how the best brands are using AMC to gain a competitive edge, this episode is a must-listen.

If you missed the earlier episodes, start with Episode 73 (Part 1) and Episode 74 (Part 2) to get the full breakdown of Amazon Marketing Cloud and how brands are using it to unlock deeper customer and revenue insights.

Listen on the TACOS Tuesday Spotify channel: https://open.spotify.com/show/2esFxJvNMtJrLLwhe0expg?si=24de078565794834

This is part two of How to Set Quarterly Objectives for Amazon Growth, where the focus shifts from planning to execution. Hamish Conway and Sebastian Hargreaves unpack how Amazon brands can turn quarterly goals into day-to-day action using weekly scorecards, leading indicators, and a practical decision-making framework for Amazon Ads. The episode shows how to diagnose performance issues faster, avoid overreacting to short-term data, and make confident decisions around scaling, efficiency, and TACOS control. If you’re looking to bring more clarity, discipline, and consistency to your Amazon advertising strategy, this episode connects the dots between strategy and results.

Missed part one? Listen here: ⁠https://youtu.be/r9Jfn6OEVZU?si=fHshkpD-Vm1FixL9⁠ 

In this episode of TACOS Tuesday, Hamish and Seb unpack how high-performing Amazon brands actually plan for growth without relying on guesswork or wishful thinking. They walk through how to set clear quarterly objectives, translate revenue goals into realistic ad spend and efficiency targets, and create alignment between strategy, execution, and accountability. The conversation dives into the thinking behind trade-offs, assumptions, and the metrics that truly matter when scaling, equipping brands with a framework to approach growth with far more confidence and clarity. This is part one of a two-part deep dive, tune in next week as they build on this foundation and unpack how to diagnose performance and make sharper decisions when things don’t go to plan.

Creative quality is one of the biggest levers behind strong Amazon ad performance and in this episode, we dig into exactly why. Drawing on insights from two of our most popular conversations, we unpack what separates ads that convert from those that simply burn budget, how creative aligns with real shopper intent, and why video and image-led formats are becoming impossible to ignore. If you’ve ever wondered why some ads outperform others, this episode will challenge how you think about creative and leave you with a few practical ideas you can apply straight away.

 

Want more clicks and higher conversion rates from your Amazon ads?

Visit our website to access the free guide, Amazon Design Concepts to Turn Lookers into Buyers, featuring 37 proven image stack design concepts and real-world examples to help your ads stand out and convert.

 

Get the guide here: ⁠https://gosellglobal.com/37-design-concepts/⁠

 

You can also listen to the full original episodes that inspired this conversation:

Ep 7 – TACOS Tuesday: How Great Creatives on Amazon Improve Your Ads Performance⁠https://open.spotify.com/episode/1xSllcJRfrDNikhGuH49zV?si=7a99bb27b9b4413a⁠

Ep 30 – TACOS Tuesday: Amazon Ad Creative Impact on Results⁠https://open.spotify.com/episode/5mXuwJbLD9bDwz2hNNlgu6?si=d0aec28df2a744dd⁠

Hamish and Seb wrap up 2025 with an insight-packed conversation reflecting on the biggest shifts that defined Amazon this year, from their predictions that played out to how AI, AMC, shopper behaviour, and Amazon’s own platform moves changed the way brands win. They dig into the real impact of deal-event strategy, tariff turbulence, the rise of third-party sellers, Amazon’s unexpected Google Shopping switch-off, and why creative quality still separates the brands that scale from the ones that stall. With candid lessons from inside the agency and a look at what’s ahead for 2026, it’s a valuable episode for any brand wanting an edge in the year to come.

And if you’re tuning in, we’d love your feedback on the show - share your thoughts here: https://forms.gle/CB4VVskAFCuYqUas9

Hamish and Seb break down the final numbers from Australia’s Black Friday event now that the attribution window has closed, revealing surprising shifts in traffic, conversions, and where the real sales growth came from. They unpack why ad-driven results outpaced organic performance, how deal tagging and product mix influenced outcomes, and what these trends say about Amazon AU’s rapidly maturing marketplace. A few standout insights including unexpected ROAS behaviour and why higher-priced products won big. This episode could reshape how you approach deal events in 2026, and it’s the kind of insight you’ll want in your toolkit before planning next year’s strategy.

 

In this episode, Hamish and Seb break down the early Black Friday performance across Amazon Australia and reveal the trends shaping one of the biggest sales periods of the year. They explore how traffic, page views, and conversions shifted during the event, why higher-value products surged, and what the data suggests about CPCs, ad strategies, and return on spend. You’ll also hear how smart Amazon Ads optimisation can drive organic ranking, strengthen Best Seller Rank, and influence performance heading into the December gifting period. It’s a data-driven, practical look at Black Friday on Amazon Australia that helps sellers and vendors identify where demand is shifting, refine their deal strategies, and apply these insights to strengthen next year’s event planning.