THE IN-HOUSE AMAZON TEAM VS AGENCY: THE PROS & CONS
A question every business asks before they fully commit to selling on Amazon is whether to hire an agency or not. Handling everything from building a brand presence to growing revenue is tough to do, but with several options to consider when managing your Amazon business, it’s seen companies working with more agencies and building their in-house team of Amazon experts. While some may choose the DIY route, other businesses still prefer to hire experts in the Amazon field and spend money rather than investing time. As long as you are aware of the pros and cons, you may choose whatever you think is best for your business.
PROS & CONS OF AN IN-HOUSE AMAZON TEAM:
PROS:
- A dedicated team that works on your strategies alone and has in-depth knowledge of your products and business operations.
- Excellent communication meaning that in-house teams are there on-demand when you need to contact them although this is less relevant now, thanks to an increase in working from home and improved communication tools like Slack.
For some companies, these benefits are worth investing because of the benefits like security and cost-effectiveness. Choosing this option means you will have to successfully hire and train the right people and craft them into a team capable of managing all of your Amazon needs.
CONS:
- Building an in-house team is generally more expensive than hiring an agency.
- There may be additional costs such as healthcare, cost to hire and fire employees, benefits and etc.
- There is no networking or relationship with Amazon. Lack of experience and skills. Keep up with Amazon policy changes and new programs within Amazon.
The main problem with building your in-house Amazon team is the time, money and resources it takes to get things up and running. For some companies, they choose to look for pros more than cons, but the opportunity cost of not growing as quick can be substantial.
PROS & CONS OF AN AMAZON CONSULTANCY AGENCY:
PROS:
- Instant expertise meaning agencies provide an instant team of experts who are ready to make things happen with no additional training required.
- Access to Beta Programs available at Amazon.
- A good relationship with Amazon within various teams.
- Experience across multiple long-term clients which allows best practices to be shared with your company.
- Vested interest to grow sales for clients.
- Powerful software tools, all bought and paid for.
- Cutting edge understanding of Amazon marketing services, understanding and certification in Amazon Attribution and understanding and certification within the Amazon advertising platform (sponsored products, sponsored brands, video ads and more).
The most important aspect of hiring an agency is flexibility and being able to run your business while they take care of everything. Essentially, getting an agency to run your business accounts means everything is set up for you from day one. You will work with the team on your objectives and you are set to go.
CONS:
- The hardest part about working with an agency is finding the right or good agency which has an in-depth knowledge about all of your products (good agencies learn about your products).
- The initial time to understand your brand (a good agency will learn about your business and become an extension of your business).
You are probably thinking hiring an agency is more expensive than building your team, but the opposite is true. Yes, an agency needs to sustain their operations financially, but a good agency will increase your sales so that you take more profit by working with them, give you more control over your brand, increase brand awareness, improve brand image and build your brand as a valuable asset.
The biggest investment you need to make while building an in-house Amazon team is the time it takes to get things moving. By the time you’ve recruited and trained your team, you still need them to devise and implement a strategy before you start making any progress. Whereas, with an agency, you can start making things happen from day one with the highest level expertise, infrastructure and resources to grow your brand much faster and more effectively.
FINAL THOUGHTS
If you want to focus on your business whilst an Amazon growth agency grows your brand and profits, then Marketplace Sorted agency is the best solution for you. You don’t have to worry about building a new team or any of the disruption it might cause, let alone the financial aspect. Likewise, if you need fast results, flexibility or to get an edge on your industry rivals, then working with us is the best option as our agency allows you to seize new opportunities faster. Regardless of who you choose, it is essential to build a strong and long lasting relationship and have complete transparency with them.
LETS DISCUSS THE WAYS THAT OUR TEAM CAN TAILOR STRATEGIES TO EXPLODE YOUR BRAND’S SALES AND GROWTH ON AMAZON