Blair Forrest 's Linkedin Analytics

Every Amazon warehouse location in one database (1,300+ and counting) Full list below CONTEXT: - Compiled this for our internal teams who manage thousands of inbound shipments daily - Found 15,000+ people search for this information monthly on our website - Includes 1,300+ facilities across US, Canada, and Europe While optimizing our inbound operations last month, I realized we were missing reliable location data for dozens of Amazon facilities. So I had our team compile a complete list of every Amazon location. It's nothing fancy - just a straightforward database that includes: → Location name → Facility code → Facility type (FC, SC, IXD, etc.) → Complete address → Country/region We use this daily for: - Planning inbound shipments - Mapping transit lanes - Optimizing carrier selection - Tracking fulfillment performance After seeing how many people search for this information, I figured it might help others in the Amazon ecosystem. The database now includes 1,300+ Amazon facilities worldwide and we update it monthly as new locations come online. If this would be useful for your operations, comment "FBA" below and I'll share access. What specific Amazon facility has been the most challenging for your inbounds lately?

Saturdays are a good reminder that slowing down doesn’t mean stopping. Some of my best thinking happens away from the screen—on a trail, in the mountains, or with a good coffee and no phone in sight. If the workweek is about output, weekends are about input. Whatever fills your tank—do more of that today. Liam Barry Diggy Lalussis

Everyone knows us as "the Amazon people" And it's both our greatest strength and our biggest blindspot We just lost a massive DTC opportunity - 70,000 orders per month. The feedback from their COO gut-punched me: "I just didn't think that was your area of expertise." This despite the fact we: - Process tens of thousands of DTC orders daily - Have implemented advanced robotics in our warehouses - Handle fulfillment complexity at a scale most 3PLs can't touch The irony? We won their entire Amazon business (100,000+ items prepped monthly). I've spent weeks reflecting on this loss. We would have crushed it for them, but they never even toured our facilities despite multiple invitations. This is the paradox we've created: → We've built incredible category dominance in the Amazon fulfillment space → Everyone in this niche knows AMZ Prep® and what we do → But that same strong positioning is creating a ceiling for how brands perceive us Some have suggested rebranding and dropping "AMZ" from our name. But would that be walking away from the powerful brand equity we've built? I'm torn between two realities: 1. Our name instantly communicates our Amazon expertise to a massive audience 2. That same name creates an artificial limitation in prospects' minds about what else we can do The competitive advantage of being known as "the Amazon people" is enormous. But I never anticipated it would close doors for us in other channels. How would you approach this dilemma? Rebrand to something more channel-agnostic? Double down on educating the market? Create a separate brand for non-Amazon services? What's your take on this branding paradox?

We were speaking to a $500M Amazon brand shipping 12,000+ orders monthly to Canada Here's what I discovered This major Amazon seller (think top 1% of sellers) is doing: - 12,000 orders/month in Canada - 200,000+ orders/month in the US - $150 average cart value THE PROBLEM: They didn't even realize how much their current shipping setup was costing them: - Using UPS for all cross-border shipments - 5-7 DAYS average shipping time to Canada - Paying $25-30 per parcel (many over 15lbs) - 60% of their orders going to Eastern Canada but shipping from West Coast US THE OPPORTUNITY: 1/ Cut delivery times to 2-3 DAYS across Canada for all 12,000 orders 2/ Generate 15-20% lift in Canadian sales due to faster shipping 1,800 additional orders × $150 ACV = $270,000 in new monthly revenue 3/ Slash shipping costs from $25-30 down to $8-12 per package 12,000 orders × $15 savings = $180,000 monthly cost reduction 4/ Eliminate customs delays and customer service issues Currently losing 8% of orders to customs problems and returns 5/ We didn't even talk about the TARIFF advantage Most of their product categories are either 0% or 10% duty when importing to Canada vs. the 30% (previously 145%!) in the USA THE IMPACT: - $270,000+ in new monthly revenue - $180,000 in monthly cost savings - 19% overall reduction in logistics costs - Significantly improved customer experience - Massive tariff avoidance opportunity All of this could be implemented in less than 45 days by splitting inventory between Toronto and Vancouver. The most overlooked growth lever for established Amazon brands is optimizing international operations. Most brands are bleeding money at the border and don't even realize it's happening.

Premium brands that said "never Amazon" are eating their words Just saw Louis Vuitton front and center on Amazon with a $4,300 price tag. Remember 3 years ago when luxury executives swore they'd NEVER sell on Amazon? "It would dilute our brand." "Wrong customer." "Too down-market." Guess who else is there now? Dolce & Gabbana. Gucci. Prada. Dozens of other designer brands that previously wouldn't even discuss the platform. The shift has been remarkable to watch. I still have conversations daily with "premium" apparel and cosmetic brands insisting that Amazon will "make them look cheap" or damage their brand positioning. Meanwhile, literal LVMH is thriving on the platform. What changed? Amazon built a luxury shopping experience that actually works: → Premium presentation → Brand-controlled storefronts → Elevated photography → Luxury-specific customer service The myth that Amazon only works for cheap, Chinese-made products is officially dead. The new reality: If Louis Vuitton believes they can maintain premium positioning on Amazon, what's your brand's excuse? The ones who adapt fastest will win market share. The holdouts will eventually follow anyway - just with less favorable terms and more competitors already established. I've helped dozens of premium brands transition to Amazon without compromising their positioning. The question isn't "if" anymore. It's "how" and "when." Is your premium brand still resisting Amazon? What's holding you back?

I'm spending $500K to solve Amazon's biggest Q4 problem First shipment free for every brand and agency willing to try our inbound FBA solution After months of refining our Amazon inbound freight program, I'm making a massive bet: I'm allocating half a million dollars to let brands try it for FREE before Q4. Here's why I'm so bullish: → We're getting inventory checked into FBA in 1-3 days (vs the standard 2-4 WEEKS) → Zero placement fees (saving $0.30-$3.00 per unit) → Brands ship to just ONE location (vs Amazon's 4-5 destinations) → We're one of Amazon's largest inbound partners running full trucks daily Even in lanes where our freight might cost slightly more, the speed-to-market and cash flow benefits are so significant that brands are still switching to us. With Q4 approaching, inbound times at Amazon are going to stretch even longer (likely 3-5 weeks in many cases). That's why I'm being incredibly aggressive in both directions: - Directly partnering with brands to give them free trial shipments - Working with partners who work with merchants sending to Amazon I need partners and brands who are willing to give our freight program a trial, provide candid feedback, and help us scale this model. The most valuable thing in Q4 isn't price - it's SPEED. When your inventory is checked in and selling in 3 days vs sitting in Amazon's parking lot for 3 weeks, the ROI is undeniable. If you work with brands on Amazon or are one yourself, DM me. What's been your worst Amazon inbound delay experience?

Hiring: The smartest people in B2B retail compliance to join our team We're scaling our Costco, Walmart and Target operations rapidly We're experiencing unprecedented demand for our B2B retail prep services. After nailing Amazon prep at scale, brands are now asking us to handle their Costco, Walmart, Target, TJX, and ULTA Beauty shipments with the same precision. We already do this work - and do it exceptionally well - but we're ready to become the absolute best in the nation at retail compliance. I'm looking for people who: - Have deep experience managing compliance for major retailers (especially Costco, Walmart or Target) - Understand the logistics of retail routing guides and compliance documents - Want to build systems and processes at scale - Can train teams to execute with precision This is an opportunity to build an entire division focused on B2B retail excellence. You'll work with: → Multiple Fortune 500 brands → Our existing warehouse network → A technology team to create automation → Leadership that's committed to this strategic direction Our chargeback rate is already below 1%, but as we scale this operation, we need more specialized expertise. If you know anyone exceptional in B2B retail compliance who wants to help build something special, please DM me or tag them below. We're serious about becoming the premier partner for brands navigating the complex world of retail compliance.

Should your brand name match what you actually do? The unexpected trap of being too specific When we named this company "AMZ Prep" five years ago, the decision was simple: - We prepared inventory for Amazon - We wanted people to instantly understand what we did - The name was available That clarity served us incredibly well as we scaled to become one of the largest Amazon prep companies in North America. But as we've expanded far beyond those initial services, I'm confronting an unexpected challenge: The very name that helped us grow is now limiting how clients perceive us. Last week, a long-time Amazon client who ships 30,000+ units with us monthly said: "I had no idea you could handle our Shopify fulfillment - we just signed with [competitor] because we thought that was their specialty and Amazon was yours." This wasn't an isolated incident. We're losing opportunities because our name has become too specific for what we actually do. Some operational facts that contradict our name: - 60% of our total volume is now non-Amazon - Our DTC operations serve hundreds of brands shipping thousands - Our B2B division handles compliance for every major retailer - Our tech stack integrates with 30+ DTC platforms Yet all people see is "AMZ" and make assumptions about our limitations. What would you do? Have you ever faced a similar challenge with your brand name becoming too limiting as you evolved?

DOLCE&GABBANA is now officially selling on Amazon. Average price point? $2,500+ Let that sink in for a moment. If you're still telling yourself your brand is "too premium" for Amazon... If you're still worried Amazon will "dilute your brand image"... If you're still convinced your "luxury positioning" won't work on the platform... D&G just proved you wrong. The excuses are running out. The question isn't whether premium brands should sell on Amazon anymore. It's which premium brands will get there first and own their category. What's your take on this?

We're Hiring a Head of Network Operations (This Role Will Make or Break Our Next Phase) You'll own: Every warehouse Every team Every metric Across our expanding network Why This Role is Critical: We're: - Managing performance across multiple DCs - Onboarding 10-20+ new merchants/month - Actively acquiring warehouses needing full integration The reality? Most logistics companies grow their revenue but their operations fall apart. We're not going to be one of them. What we need: Someone who can deliver: - 98% OTIF across our entire network - Daily SLA reporting and accountability systems - Zero-friction merchant onboarding at scale - Complete warehouse acquisition integration This isn't a typical ops role. You'll be: - Implement structured accountability across every DC - Lead operational onboarding for enterprise merchants - Manage compliance for Amazon, DTC, and retail accounts - Integrate newly acquired warehouses - Train and develop existing warehouse teams - Build standardized operations nationwide The Unique Challenge: We're acquiring warehouses with existing teams and operations, then systematizing them under our standards while maintaining their strengths. You literally own warehousing. Every DC performance metric, every team integration, every operational standard - it all rolls up to you. The opportunity: Build the operational backbone for a company growing 100-200% YoY through acquisition and organic growth, without venture capital. What success looks like: - <1% order error rate outbound - Seamless integration of acquired warehouse teams - Scalable processes for rapid merchant onboarding - Real-time visibility into network-wide performance - Proactive problem-solving that keeps brands happy If you've built operations at scale, integrated acquired facilities, and want to join a bootstrapped company competing with VC-backed giants, let's talk. This role reports directly to me and will have massive impact on our growth trajectory. Think you can handle it? DM me. P.S. We're not looking for someone to "manage" operations - we need someone to own them completely.

We were speaking to a major coffee brand shipping 15,000+ orders per month into Canada from the US. Here's what I discovered. This specialty coffee brand (think Lavazza, Starbucks, Death Wish Coffee) is doing: - 15,000 orders/month in Canada - 120K orders/month in the US (DTC + Amazon) - $32 average cart value THE PROBLEM: They didn't even blink at their current shipping setup: - Using UPS International and USPS - 7-10 DAYS shipping time to Canada - Paying $12 per parcel for 1lb lightweight coffee - Customers get hit with duties/tariffs on delivery (terrible experience) THE OPPORTUNITY: 1/ Offer 2-DAY shipping across Canada for all 15,000 orders 2/ Generate 15-20% lift in Canadian sales due to faster shipping 2,500 additional orders × $32 ACV = $80,000 in new monthly revenue 3/ Cut shipping costs from $12 down to $4-5 per package 15,000 orders × $7 savings = $105,000 monthly cost reduction 4/ Boost repeat purchase/subscription rate by just 8% Massive lifetime value increase with virtually zero acquisition cost 5/ We didn't even talk about the TARIFF advantage Roasted coffee imports to Canada have only 0-5% duty vs. the much higher US rates THE IMPACT: - $80,000+ in new monthly revenue - $105,000 in monthly cost savings - Improved customer experience - Higher retention rate - Significant tariff savings All of this could be implemented in less than 30 days. The most hidden gem for merchants to add growth and save costs is looking international. Most brands are getting absolutely killed at the border and don't even realize it.

Sundays are for signal, not noise. Most of us start the week already overwhelmed. Not by tasks, but by tabs open in our mind. The email you flagged but never answered. The convo you’ve been meaning to have. The idea that keeps resurfacing but gets buried in the busy. What I’ve learned? It’s not the workload that drowns you — it’s the clutter. So on Sundays, I clear the mental desk: - Write down the stuff I’m avoiding - Decide what I’m actually doing this week - Give myself permission to let go of the rest You don’t need more hours. You need more clarity. How do you make space before Monday hits?

Aesop is a $500M+ premium brand with poor Amazon management I just found two of their products with this label: [parallel import goods] Amazon isn't even hiding it anymore. They're shipping Aesop products into new markets without the brand's permission and literally tagging it in the product title. This is parallel importing - when genuine products are imported and sold without trademark owner consent. 100% legal. But terrible for a $500M premium brand. Look at what customers are experiencing: ✘ Product titles mixing languages ✘ Inconsistent SKUs across markets ✘ Random packaging variations ✘ Cross-border delivery confusion This isn't the premium experience Aesop built their reputation on. But here's the real issue: Aesop clearly has no global Amazon strategy. They're letting Amazon control their brand narrative instead of owning it themselves. I've worked with Fortune 100 brands transitioning from 1P to 3P. The first thing we always address is global brand control. When you don't have a strategy: → Amazon fills gaps however they want → Third-party sellers create chaos → Your premium positioning erodes → Customer experience fragments The solution isn't complicated: 1. Register your brand in all key markets 2. Control your global catalog 3. Set up proper distribution channels 4. Monitor and enforce consistently But Aesop is doing none of this. They're letting a $500M brand get managed by Amazon's algorithms and grey market importers. This is what happens when premium brands ignore Amazon or treat it as an afterthought. The damage to brand equity is real. And it's completely preventable. Have you seen other luxury brands making this same mistake?

Why I Still Sweat the Small Stuff 5AM warehouse walks. Measuring pallets myself. Testing label printers. My team asks: "Why bother?" Here’s why: 1. Details Dictate Destiny The brands winning Amazon aren’t smarter—they obsess over inches and ounces 2. Culture is Contagious When I fix a mislabeled box, our team remembers it matters 3. The 1% Rule 0.5” packaging error → 14% slower check-in → $28K lost/month This week’s small win: Caught a 0.3 lb discrepancy in our new client’s shipments. Saved them $11K in potential chargebacks. What’s one "small thing" that makes a BIG difference in your business?

In 12 months, I grew my LinkedIn following from 6K to 25K followers — driving Millions in impressions and Pipeline. Today I am giving away my playbook, which took me 3 years to perfect: BACKGROUND When we first started AMZ Prep®, we were bootstrapping. LinkedIn was the best way to promote and experiment with our messaging as it’s free, and our ICP spends most of their time here. First 2 years, I grew from 0 to 6K. Last 12 months, I grew from 6K to 25K. Why? Because I finally understood the 4 principles of Linkedin success: - You need to make sure the first 2-3 sentences are PERFECT - You need to build a content cadence that works for YOU - The biggest goal is not reach or pipeline, it’s feedback - Find what is working, turn into templates, and repeat This year, I spent 20 hours teaching my playbook to other founders. I finally decided to turn it into content for everyone to learn. Want access? Like this post and comment LinkedIn below. Make sure we are connected, and I will send it to you. Includes: our full LinkedIn playbook, training video, templates, top performing posts, how to use AI the right way, content calendar, and more. P.S. Yes, we actually send these to everyone. Sent 2k copies of my last 2 playbooks.

I'm looking for an incredible 3PL partner in Canada and need your help. Here's what's happening: Our marketing engine and founder-led sales approach has been generating massive Canadian opportunities, but many aren't the right fit for our scale. We've learned exactly what type of brands we're AMAZING with at AMZ Prep®, and honestly? Some of these Canadian inquiries would be better served by other partners. Just this week: - Multiple US brands expanding into Canada - Local Canadian brand just starting needed DTC fulfillment - A brand that needs help with Amazon returns in Canada - An Australian doing 500 orders per month in Canada I know this sounds backwards coming from a 3PL, but I believe a rising tide raises all ships. We're all in this together, and I'd rather see Canadian businesses succeed with the right partner than struggle with the wrong one. What I need: Recommendations for Canadian 3PLs who can handle DTC, B2B, and / or FBA prep with the same standards we'd expect for our own clients. REALITY CHECK: There's enough business out there for everyone if we're smart about matching brands with the right partners. The opportunity is real. The demand is there. I just want to help connect Canadian businesses with warehouses that can actually serve them well. Who should we be talking to? Tag your favorite Canadian 3PL below - let's help these brands find their next home. P.S. If you're a Canadian 3PL reading this, DM me

Just filmed a “day in the life” with Jared Ward — not his first, but first one we did together and it turned out incredible! We’ve been meaning to show more of the behind-the-scenes — not just the polished stuff, but the real chaos of building AMZ Prep®. More of these coming soon (I’ll start filming my own too). Let me know what you think — and what you’d want to see more of.

the LEGO Group is losing control on Amazon. And it’s a $100M+ mistake. BACKGROUND: - Checked out a popular LEGO listing on Amazon. - Found 82 resellers competing one listing… - One of the resellers is doing 4K orders per month on the one list(!!). - Price? Way above MAP pricing for sure - Delivery? 9-13 days via FBM—not Prime THE PROBLEM: - Resellers are setting random pricing, with no control over what customers pay - Customers are frustrated by slow delivery times (9 days is crazy), inconsistent experiences - LEGO is losing millions in revenue as resellers take a significant cut of their total earnings - Reviews are scattered, and resellers control the entire customer journey, damaging the brand (the reviews on this one are rough) THIS IS A $100M+ PROBLEM FOR LEGO. If you were consulting the LEGO Amazon team, how would you solve it? Let me know your thoughts

ANNOUNCEMENT: Yahoo, Business Insider and a dozen outlets featured me today for putting $2M+ back into struggling brands instead of our marketing budget 👇 Last week, I was reviewing our Q3 budget. Events, trade shows, travel, marketing spend - the usual stuff that's supposed to "grow the business." Then I got a call from an incredible founder I've known for 3 years. Bootstrapped brand, doing $2M+ per year, grinding every single day. "Blair, I have to close my business. These tariffs are killing me." This isn't isolated.... I've been talking to tons of eCommerce, Amazon, and CPG brands going through the exact same nightmare. Great founders. Great products. Getting crushed by costs they can't control. That's when I decided to change this. Here's what I realized: - This industry is hard enough - Warehouses are struggling - Brands are bleeding cash - Amazon keeps squeezing - Tariffs keep rising We're all fighting the same fight... So I made a choice. Instead of spending on trade shows and fancy dinners, we're launching a $2M relief fund to help brands survive and thrive. Cutting our event budget. Slashing travel spend. Reallocating marketing dollars. Every penny is going back to founders and brands who need it most. This is our sword in the sand. While others raise prices and blame "market conditions," we're doubling down on the people who built this industry - the operators, the grinders, the founders betting everything on their vision. We've been featured on Business Insider, Forbes, Yahoo - all within the past 24 hours... Because here's the truth: Founders help founders. Period. Whether you're a logistics company, a software provider, or just a founder who's made it - this industry only gets stronger when we support each other.

There were 532+ brands we turned away last month that would be perfect for your smaller 3PL... and they're all looking for warehouses in these specific states I used to take every single client that came through the door at AMZ Prep. Solo founders. Micro-brands. Even the 20 orders/month side hustles. But we've grown to where we just can't service them properly anymore. And yet we get hundreds of these smaller brands reaching out weekly: - Doing 10-1000 orders per month - Not yet big enough for our requirements - Perfect for smaller 3PLs looking to grow together Last time I posted about this, it went mega viral and helped dozens of smaller brands find new fulfillment homes. I want to do it again. We connected 82 smaller 3PL’s with opportunities that might help grow their business. We're specifically looking for solid 3PLs in: - Nevada - California - Texas - Florida - New York - Chicago area - Ohio - Illinois - Seattle - Toronto - Vancouver - Montreal What we're looking for: → 3PLs that genuinely love helping smaller brands grow → Basic tech stack that can handle integrations → Focus on service quality over volume → Realistic pricing for growing brands If you're running a smaller 3PL in these states (if not, still comment the state!), this is your moment to be selfish! Shout yourself out in the comments. If you know a great smaller 3PL, tag them below. Everyone started somewhere. We all win when the right brands find the right fulfillment partners for their stage.