🐣The Great Egg Fiasco…

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

• 🐣 The Great Egg Fiasco [True Story]

• 🔍 Top Amazon News and Updates

• 😱 TikTok’s Fate in the U.S. [Deep Dive]

• 🤖 AI Predictions That Will Completely Change Your Business

• 🔍 The Revenue Leaks Costing You Thousands in Your Ecom Store

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 💰 THE GREAT EGG FIASCO: A STRANGE LAW AND A SOUR MEAL [True Story] 

Back when my kids were little, we’d always head up to my parents (or as my kids call them Nana and Papa) for the summer or Christmas.

They lived about 12 hours away in Maine. We’d meet at the halfway mark, and spend a night or two together, grab a meal, and pick up my kids for the drive back.

It was easier that way—just a six-hour drive instead of the full 12.

One time, we met up in a small town called Cornwall, and I’ll never forget this experience.

At the time, the government had passed some strange law about eggs.

Everyone was suddenly worried about getting sick from undercooked eggs.

We went into this little restaurant, and when the server came to take our order, we asked for eggs sunny side up or over easy—like we always do.

But she refused.

Flat out refused.

She said they weren’t allowed to serve eggs with a runny yolk anymore.

It had to be hard-cooked, no exceptions.

It was bizarre.

My parents were baffled.

The server, meanwhile, doubled down, turning into the egg version of the “Soup Nazi” from Seinfeld. 

She said, “Haven’t you heard? You could get Salmonella from eggs. We have to protect our customers.”

The whole interaction left a bad taste in our mouths—literally and figuratively.

We ordered something else, but the experience was ruined.

The funny thing is, it didn’t take long for this whole egg fiasco to blow over.

Pretty soon, you could order your eggs however you wanted—sunny side up, raw in eggnog, you name it.

Things went full circle, just like they always do.

It reminded me of another law we deal with here in Canada: you can’t get a medium-rare burger.

Americans come up here all the time, surprised they can’t order their burgers medium or rare.

Instead, everything has to be well-done, which, let’s be honest, isn’t nearly as tasty.

At the end of the day, these things change.

Politicians reverse their decisions, restaurants adjust, and life moves on.

But that day in Cornwall, it felt like we were on the outside looking in—just because we wanted our eggs the way we liked them.

This back and forth reminds me of the current TikTok Ban.

We’re in the middle of decision week, and politicians, judges, and the public opinion are all going back and forth on the issue.

Will it happen, won’t it… we’ll see.

Enjoy the rest of the newsletter.

— Norm

What do you think will happen with TikTok?

🗞️ AMAZON NEWS & UPDATES 🗞️

🤷‍♂️ TIKTOK’S FATE IN THE U.S. - ARE WE WATCHING THE END?

There’s a storm brewing, and if you haven’t been paying attention, TikTok might not be around much longer—at least not in the U.S. ByteDance has until January 19th to sell TikTok’s U.S. operations, or it’s game over for 170 million users and 7,000 employees.

Public opinion’s shifting fast. Just last week, 30% of Americans believed a ban was likely. Now? That number’s shot up to 68%.

Let’s break this down because this is bigger than just one app.

Why Is TikTok on the Chopping Block?

It all boils down to national security concerns. The “Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act” mandates that TikTok must be sold to U.S. ownership or face a nationwide ban.

Lawmakers are concerned about ByteDance’s ties to the Chinese government and the app’s potential to collect sensitive data or spread propaganda.

TikTok has been fighting this every step of the way. They appealed the decision at the U.S. Court of Appeals—and lost. Now, they’re taking it to the Supreme Court, arguing that banning the app violates the First Amendment.

But here’s the thing: when national security’s involved, First Amendment claims don’t hold much weight. The Supreme Court justices are leaning toward upholding the law, and unless ByteDance can pull off a last-minute miracle, the ban looks inevitable.

What Happens If TikTok Is Banned?

If the Supreme Court rejects TikTok’s plea, here’s what to expect:

• No more TikTok Shop. Operations will grind to a halt.

• No app updates. Existing users will face a slow decline in functionality.

• Chaos for agencies and brands. Everyone, including my own agency, will need to pivot fast.

The app won’t vanish overnight, but it will become unusable over time. No updates, no support—it’ll be like trying to keep an old car running without spare parts.

Can TikTok Be Saved?

There’s a slim chance. A group of U.S. investors has shown interest in buying TikTok, but there’s no indication ByteDance is engaging with them. They’ve also claimed the deadline is too tight to arrange a sale.

Meanwhile, incoming President Donald Trump has filed a request with the Supreme Court to delay the deadline until after he takes office. If granted, this could buy TikTok a little time. But even then, his options are limited.

Trump could:

1. Pressure Congress to rescind the bill (unlikely, given its unanimous passage).

2. Direct the Justice Department not to enforce the law (a risky move with shaky legal footing).

Neither path guarantees TikTok’s survival.

Is Kevin O'Leary buying TikTok?

The "Shark Tank" host and investor has announced his bid to buy the platform, reported CNN.

O'Leary also posted an interview on X discussing his plans to "save TikTok."

"We want to eliminate the misconception that it can't sell because no one will buy it without the algorithm. NOT true. We'll buy it without the algorithm. We don't need them. We'll do it ourselves and make TikTok wonderful again,' O'Leary wrote

How much does TikTok cost to buy?

In 2024, TikTok was likely worth $100 billion, according to a report by CBS News.

What Does This Mean for Sellers and Agencies?

If you’ve built your business around TikTok—whether it’s TikTok Shop, content creation, or ad campaigns—you need a contingency plan. Start looking at other platforms like Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, or even good ol’ Facebook. Pivoting isn’t easy, but being caught flat-footed will hurt more.

For agencies, it’s crunch time. This week is going to be chaos as everyone scrambles to figure out what’s next. We’re already mapping out alternatives for clients, but make no mistake: this is uncharted territory.

Final Thoughts

As I’m writing this, TikTok has just days left to secure its future in the U.S. A Supreme Court decision is expected any moment, and right now, the odds don’t look good.

If the ban happens, it’s going to shake up the digital marketing world. But here’s the thing: platforms come and go. The key is to stay adaptable and not put all your eggs in one basket.

I’ll keep you updated as this unfolds.

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS THE BEARD GUY?

Can you find Norm in the picture below? Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter to see the answer!

🚨 WHAT YOU MISSED LAST WEEK!

🤖 AI Predictions That Will Completely Change Your Business In 2025 | Kevin King

Here’s 3 Takeaways From This Episode:

1. Use Authentic Branding: Differentiate by showcasing "AI-free" products or services, emphasizing your human touch in content creation and customer interactions to build trust and loyalty.

2. Implement AI-Driven Execution: Utilize AI platforms to manage product launches, create optimized listings, and execute marketing campaigns, freeing up time for strategic decision-making.

3. Invest in Weekly Skill-Building: Allocate 1-2 hours weekly to learn emerging Amazon trends, AI applications, or marketing strategies, ensuring you stay ahead of your competition.

4. Automate with AI Agents: Use AI tools like ChatGPT and specialized agents for tasks such as keyword research, ad creation, and real-time PPC optimization, reducing costs and increasing precision.

5. Prioritize Strategic Networking: Attend Amazon-specific events to meet like-minded sellers, find potential partners, and gain insights from top performers—always approach groups with a simple introduction to build connections.

6. Extract Insights with Tools: Use transcription tools like Plod to record and summarize webinars or conferences into actionable next steps for your team, saving hours of review time.

7. Streamline Supply Chains with AI: Adopt AI tools that monitor trending products, design variations, and source manufacturers to launch new products faster and more efficiently.

🚨 Watch the full episode here

🔥 THE REVENUE LEAKS COSTING YOU THOUSANDS WITH YOUR ECOM STORE

Courtesy of Build Grow Scale

Many store owners overlook critical friction points that silently drain their revenue. Instead of blindly increasing ad spend, start by understanding your store's specific challenges.

Here's how successful stores identify and fix revenue leaks:

Start by examining your customer journey.

Pay special attention to these often-overlooked areas:

• Mobile layout and functionality (where over 40% of purchases happen)

• Cart abandonment points

• Page load times across devices

• Navigation flow and search functionality

Look beyond surface metrics.

While revenue numbers are important, focus on understanding the complete picture:

• Conversion rate benchmarking

• Customer retention patterns

• Average order value

• Mobile vs. desktop performance differences

Before making any changes, verify your analytics setup.

Accurate data is crucial for making informed decisions.

Check your Google Analytics implementation to ensure you're tracking the right metrics.

Pro Tip: When optimizing your store, start with "low-hanging fruit" - changes that require minimal effort but can have a significant impact.

BGS store audits specifically identify these opportunities to help you prioritize improvements for maximum ROI.

Remember, each store has unique challenges and opportunities.

Understanding your store's specific data points is necessary for making informed optimization decisions.

🚨 Next week’s Lunch With Norm episode will cover the steps to take control of your ecom site.

🚀 CATCH UP WITH THE MARKETING MISFITS!

Here are 5 TIPS from this episode!

1. Use Iconic Colors for Shelf Recognition: Research competitors’ packaging and choose colors that stand out. For example, if competitors predominantly use red, white, or black, select a unique color to ensure your product catches the consumer's eye.

2. Design Packaging for Retail and E-Commerce: Develop packaging that meets retail requirements (e.g., barcodes, shelf dimensions) while also appealing to online buyers. This saves costs and streamlines your operations when transitioning between markets.

3. Test Packaging Concepts In-Store: Spend time analyzing retail shelves to understand what grabs attention. Look for trends and design your packaging to communicate your product’s purpose and value within seconds.

4. Maintain Inventory Buffer for Retail Accounts: Always keep 6–8 weeks of inventory to accommodate unexpected sales spikes or retailer demands. Missing ship dates can lead to losing retail accounts, so reliability is key.

5. Understand Retail Costs and Fees: Factor in slotting fees, promotional costs, and chargebacks for non-compliance with retailer requirements. For instance, Target charges $50,000 for vendor setup plus $15,000 per SKU, which must be considered in your financial planning.

🚨 Watch the full episode here

MARK DOWN THESE EVENTS! 

Market Master II

Feb 20 - 24 - Austin - Starting at $2997

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Mar 20 - New York - $161.69

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Mar 24 - Las Vegas - $1495

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→ FULL CALENDAR ←

And that’s it, Beardos!

P.S. Make sure you don’t miss any updates by joining our community here.

See you next Monday!

- Norm

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