#477 – Hijacked Amazon Trucks + TikTok Shop Strategies
In this episode, Bradley Sutton kicks off a brand-new era for both the AM/PM Podcast and the Serious Sellers Podcast with co-hosts Carrie Miller and Shivali Patel. This simulcast episode sets the tone for what’s coming next: more Amazon, TikTok Shop, Walmart, and AI-driven strategies designed to help you make money in the AM and the PM. Bradley also shares the new format for both shows, including Weekly Buzz moving to AM/PM Podcast, expert-led trainings, and a renewed focus on real seller stories on Serious Sellers Podcast every Monday.
From there, things get wild. Carrie tells the story of a truckload of her Amazon inventory being hijacked on the freeway like a scene straight out of Fast & Furious, complete with a fake carrier, turned-off tracking, ransom demands, and a loss that ballooned to around $70K after tariffs. She breaks down what she learned about freight, tariffs, switching manufacturing from China to Turkey, and why sellers need to be more hands-on with carriers and agencies alike. Shivali then shares her own hard lesson: a high-margin product that kept failing customers, forcing her to pull the listing and rebuild the brand off-Amazon using a digital-first strategy that pairs a makeup mastery course with a physical product bonus and a new funnel powered by Google Ads.
To round out the episode, Shivali walks through exactly how she became a TikTok creator in just 12 days, qualified for the Creator Pilot Program, and started monetizing with TikTok Shop using existing camera-roll content, smart reposting, and product tagging. She also reveals some under-the-radar AI tools like Higgsfield and Arcads that can help sellers generate before-and-after content, influencer-style videos, and scalable creatives without always needing the physical product on hand. Carrie closes with one more key reminder for Amazon sellers: start paying attention to Rufus and optimize your listings around the real questions shoppers are asking, because AI-driven search is already changing how people discover products on Amazon.
In episode 477 of the AM/PM Podcast, Bradley, Carrie, and Shivali discuss:
- 00:00 – Bradley kicks off the new era of the AM/PM & Serious Sellers Podcasts
- 02:03 – Fast & Furious moment: an Amazon shipment gets hijacked
- 03:20 – How the thieves impersonated the carrier and held the load for ransom
- 05:14 – $70K in losses and what sellers MUST know about subcontracted carriers
- 07:48 – Turning a product failure into a digital-product-first business model
- 15:50 – Carrie moves manufacturing from China to Turkey – costs vs. tariffs
- 16:55 – Major announcement: Weekly Buzz moves to the AM/PM Podcast
- 22:10 – How Shivali became a TikTok Creator in 12 days &
- 27:45 – Carrie’s Amazon PPC agency disaster & how she rebuilt with Helium 10
- 34:05 – AI tools sellers haven’t heard of
- 36:45 – Optimizing Amazon listings for Rufus AI
- 37:55 – The future format of both podcasts moving forward
Enjoy this episode? Want to be able to ask questions to Leo Sgovio live in a small group with other 7 and 8-figure Amazon sellers? Join the Helium 10 Elite Mastermind and get monthly workshops, training, and networking calls with Kevin at h10.me/elite
Make sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you listen to our podcast!
💰 Get Helium 10 with a special discount to start or scale your e-commerce business here: https://h10.me/h10
Want to absolutely start crushing it on eCommerce and make more money? Follow these steps for helpful resources to get started:
- Get the Ultimate Resource Guide from Bradley Sutton, Carrie Miller, and Shivali Patel for tools and services that he uses every day to dominate on Amazon!
- New to Selling on Amazon? Freedom Ticket offers the best tips, tricks, and strategies for beginners just starting out! Sign up for Freedom Ticket.
- Trying to Find a New Product? Get the most powerful Amazon product research tool in Black Box, available only at Helium 10! Start researching with Black Box.
- Want to Verify Your Product Idea? Use Xray in our Chrome extension to check how lucrative your next product idea is with over a dozen metrics of data! Download the Helium 10 Chrome Extension.
- The Ultimate Software Tool Suite for Amazon Sellers! Get more Helium 10 tools that can help you optimize your listings and increase sales for a low price! Sign up today!
- Does Amazon Owe YOU Money? Find Out for FREE! If you have been selling for over a year on Amazon, you may be owed money for lost or damaged inventory and not even know it. Get a FREE refund report to see how much you’re owed!
- Check out our other Amazon FBA podcasts including the Serious Sellers Podcast, as well as our Spanish version!
- You can also listen to the AM/PM Podcast on YouTube here!
The post #477 – Hijacked Amazon Trucks + TikTok Shop Strategies appeared first on AM/PM Podcast.
Amazon Blocks ChatGPT Shopping: What Sellers Must Do to Stay Visible
Quick Answer: Did Amazon Block ChatGPT Shopping?
Yes. Amazon blocked ChatGPT-User and OAI-SearchBot crawlers in November 2025. ChatGPT can’t access Amazon product data. But 50 million shoppers per day still use ChatGPT for product research—getting recommendations from Walmart, Target, and Etsy instead. Amazon sellers are invisible to this massive audience.
Amazon Declared War on ChatGPT This Past Week
Two major events happened:
- Monday: ChatGPT launched Shopping Research.
- Wednesday: Amazon blocked its crawlers.
This shift affects how shoppers discover products and where research begins.
What Actually Happened
ChatGPT Shopping Research launched November 24, 2025 with improved:
- Product recommendation accuracy
- Memory of shopper preferences across sessions
- Integrations with Walmart, Target, and Etsy
- Testing for simplified checkout flows
Amazon responded by updating its robots.txt file to block ChatGPT’s crawlers.
The result:
ChatGPT cannot use Amazon listings for recommendations.
So it defaults to other retailers.
Why Amazon Blocked ChatGPT: The $56 Billion Reason
Amazon’s ads business generates over $56 billion per year. AI-driven product research tools threaten this revenue by bypassing Amazon entirely.
By blocking ChatGPT:
- Amazon keeps shoppers on Amazon
- Ad impressions and clicks remain intact
- Amazon maintains control of product discovery
The Problem Nobody’s Talking About
Even though Amazon blocked ChatGPT’s crawlers, shoppers didn’t stop using ChatGPT.
OpenAI reports 50 million shopping-related queries per day.
Since Amazon listings are off-limits, ChatGPT now recommends:
- Walmart
- Target
- Etsy
- Review sites
- Blogs
- Influencer content
If your brand doesn’t appear in those channels, you’re invisible in AI-driven shopping.
Your Customer Journey Just Split in Two
Path A: ChatGPT First (50M+ shoppers/day)
Shoppers open ChatGPT → ask for recommendations → receive personalized guides based on Reddit, YouTube, TikTok, blogs, and expert reviews.
Amazon sellers do not appear.
Path B: Amazon/Rufus (250M Amazon users)
Rufus displays its “Researched by AI” content above listings, often citing external sources — not your product page.
Either path dilutes the impact of traditional listing optimization.
What ChatGPT Actually Prioritizes
ChatGPT pulls from:
- Reddit conversations
- YouTube product reviews
- TikTok demonstrations
- Third-party review sites
- Long-form comparison blogs
It does not use:
- Amazon listings
- A+ content
- Bullets
- Product descriptions
Authenticity now outranks listing optimization in the AI research phase.
The AI Memory Problem You Can’t Beat
ChatGPT Shopping remembers user preferences:
- Past pain points
- Size or measurement needs
- Budget patterns
- Style preferences
Example:
If a shopper mentioned knee pain months ago, ChatGPT will recommend cushioned running shoes — even if they don’t ask again.
Your Amazon listing cannot compete unless you show up where ChatGPT gathers its information.
The 7-Platform Strategy That Works
Stop optimizing for Amazon alone.
Start optimizing for where customers research:
1. Amazon Rufus
- Long-tail titles: “Product + Use Case + Outcome”
- Structured bullets: Feature → Benefit → Proof → Use Case
- Add tables and FAQ sections
2. Google AI Overviews
- Blog posts with comparison tables
- Step-by-step buying guides
- FAQ sections (AI pulls heavily from these)
3. ChatGPT Shopping
- Reddit presence in your niche
- Featured in review sites
- YouTube product demonstrations
4. TikTok Search
- 60-second product use videos
- Text overlays with features
- Authentic reactions
5. YouTube
- “How to choose [product]” videos
- Detailed comparisons
- Long-term testing content
6. Reddit
- Answer real questions
- Share helpful insights
- Build credibility
7. Review Sites
- Get featured by trusted reviewers
- Build topical authority
- Earn citations AI references
Real Results from Early Adopters
Running Shoes Brand
- Weekly TikTok demos
- Monthly YouTube videos
- Reddit engagement
- Review site features
→ 43% sales growth in 90 days
Kitchen Appliances Seller
- Comparison blog content
- Review partnerships
- Reddit participation
→ 28% more external traffic and 31% higher profit
Visibility before the purchase phase is now essential.
What to Do This Week
Day 1: Check Your Visibility
Search your product category on Reddit, YouTube, TikTok, review sites.
Are you mentioned?
If not, you’re invisible to 50M daily ChatGPT shoppers.
Day 2: Create One Authentic Piece
Reddit: Answer a real question. TikTok: Film 60-second demo. YouTube: Record product comparison.
Pick one. Start there.
Day 3: Fix Your Amazon Listing
Apply AIO Framework:
- Title with use case and outcome
- Bullets: Feature → Benefit → Proof → Use Case
- Add comparison table and FAQ
Track What Matters: Profit
Visibility only matters if it increases profitability.
Seller Labs Profit Genius helps sellers:
- Measure SKU-level performance
- Understand true profitability
- Analyze cost impact
- Compare external traffic vs. Amazon traffic
Note: Seller Labs does not guarantee AI visibility or sales increases.
It does provide accurate profitability and SKU insights to guide strategic decisions.
The Brutal Truth
Amazon blocked ChatGPT to protect $56 billion in ad revenue. But shoppers still rely on ChatGPT for research.
If you only optimize your Amazon listing, you’re missing where customers now make their decisions.
What’s Next
Amazon has acknowledged “conversations” with OpenAI, but no timeline exists.
Until then:
- ChatGPT cannot access Amazon
- Walmart, Target, and Etsy appear in recommendations
- Amazon sellers are excluded
Sellers who adapt now gain an advantage that lasts years.
Get Started Now
Step 1: Read the complete platform guide Amazon SEO & AI Overviews 2025-2026
Step 2: Track profit impact Try Seller Labs Free for 30 Days
Step 3: Build presence where customers research
Don’t optimize for where they buy. Optimize for where they decide.
FAQ
Yes — Amazon blocked ChatGPT’s crawlers in November 2025.
Not directly. It cannot access Amazon listings.
Around 50 million shopping queries daily.
To protect ad revenue and maintain control over the research stage.
No — Amazon SEO is still essential, but it must be paired with off-Amazon visibility.
Ready to stay ahead of Amazon’s changes — and protect your brand visibility?
Turn AI-driven shopping insights into real growth with Seller Labs.
For a limited time, get 30% off your first month — after your 30-day free trial.
Related Blogs
- Amazon SEO & AI Overviews 2025–2026
Learn how AI Overviews and Amazon’s AI search changes impact product visibility. - Boost Amazon Sales with External Traffic
Strategies for improving visibility beyond Amazon’s ecosystem. - Amazon Hijackers Are Killing Your Sales — Here’s How Transparency Stops Them
Protect your brand from unauthorized resellers. - Amazon Brand Registry 2025
Strengthen brand protection and improve listing control. - Amazon SEO: How to Optimize Your Listings for Higher Rankings & Sales
Learn modern SEO strategies aligned with Amazon’s AI. - How to Maximize Your Amazon Ad ROI with Data-Driven Strategies
Learn how to use analytics to increase ad efficiency and improve profitability. - Boost Amazon Profit Margins in 2025
Improve profitability with smart cost controls and revenue optimization.
The post Amazon Blocks ChatGPT Shopping: What Sellers Must Do to Stay Visible appeared first on Seller Labs: Amazon Seller Software and Platform.
How do you stay consistent tracking purchases in spreadsheets?
I’ve been talking to sellers about operations, and one thing keeps coming up: everyone knows they should track every purchase (order date, tracking, units received, damaged inventory, pricing) but most people hate actually doing it.
One seller mentioned his tracking system saved him $15K last year when Amazon lost inventory because he had proof of what he sent. Another said documentation saved his account during a supplier verification audit. So the value is obvious. But the execution sucks. Manually updating spreadsheets after every order is tedious, and it’s easy to fall behind when you’re busy.
For those of you who actually maintain purchase tracking consistently: • What’s your system? • How do you stay disciplined about it? • How long does it take you per invoice? • Do you automate any parts of it? Curious what’s working for people who’ve figured this out.
submitted by /u/Different_Thing1964
[link] [comments]
How do you stay consistent tracking purchases in spreadsheets?
I’ve been talking to sellers about operations, and one thing keeps coming up: everyone knows they should track every purchase (order date, tracking, units received, damaged inventory, pricing) but most people hate actually doing it.
One seller mentioned his tracking system saved him $15K last year when Amazon lost inventory because he had proof of what he sent. Another said documentation saved his account during a supplier verification audit. So the value is obvious. But the execution sucks. Manually updating spreadsheets after every order is tedious, and it’s easy to fall behind when you’re busy.
For those of you who actually maintain purchase tracking consistently: • What’s your system? • How do you stay disciplined about it? • How long does it take you per invoice? • Do you automate any parts of it? Curious what’s working for people who’ve figured this out.
submitted by /u/Different_Thing1964
[link] [comments]
New seller shipping question
Hi all please help me with this last step.
I have product in Turkey that I would like to ship to Amazon USA.
I live in Texas, so i was wondering if i can put my address in Texas as a ship from address. Just in case the delivery it gets rejected so instead of sending it back to Turkey it would come to my house in Texas.
Any advice? Pros/cons? Thank you!!!
submitted by /u/Pretty-Trouble-3213
[link] [comments]
New seller shipping question
Hi all please help me with this last step.
I have product in Turkey that I would like to ship to Amazon USA.
I live in Texas, so i was wondering if i can put my address in Texas as a ship from address. Just in case the delivery it gets rejected so instead of sending it back to Turkey it would come to my house in Texas.
Any advice? Pros/cons? Thank you!!!
submitted by /u/Pretty-Trouble-3213
[link] [comments]
3Pl lost inventory for 3 months and no resolution
I have been storing my inventory with this warehouse Seller Shipping Solutions LLC in Topeka, KS. When I wanted to ship in September, they told me they don’t have all of it. For now, there are 2358 units, valued at more than $50,000. After they went silent and unresponsive for weeks, now they are playing a game we are investigating. And this has been going on for 3 months. Half of that inventory sells only during this holiday season. So we missed on, in addition to no reimbursement. Has anyone faced something like that?
submitted by /u/Cool_Ad669
[link] [comments]
Inexperience Amazon Seller…”Returnless refund”?
I’ve only sold a handful of things on Amazon so far, but no good deed goes unpunished. I was clearing out stuff and listed my son’s 8th grade algebra textbook (he’s 25 now!) as I hated to see 800 pages end up in a landfill. Ok…so the buyer now says it is damaged and Amazon issued a returnless refund. I would like the seller to return the book as I think I could GIVE IT away to a deserving student locally (8th grade algebra hasn’t changed that much).
Amazon was most unfriendly and their chat agent resorted to hiding behind a whole bunch of gobbledygook about late delivery (which the buyer wasn’t claiming). (Looks like I am not allowed to post the chat transcript here).
Nothing to see here I suppose but I’m done with selling on Amazon.
—
submitted by /u/rj123456
[link] [comments]
Inexperience Amazon Seller…”Returnless refund”?
I’ve only sold a handful of things on Amazon so far, but no good deed goes unpunished. I was clearing out stuff and listed my son’s 8th grade algebra textbook (he’s 25 now!) as I hated to see 800 pages end up in a landfill. Ok…so the buyer now says it is damaged and Amazon issued a returnless refund. I would like the seller to return the book as I think I could GIVE IT away to a deserving student locally (8th grade algebra hasn’t changed that much).
Amazon was most unfriendly and their chat agent resorted to hiding behind a whole bunch of gobbledygook about late delivery (which the buyer wasn’t claiming). (Looks like I am not allowed to post the chat transcript here).
Nothing to see here I suppose but I’m done with selling on Amazon.
—
submitted by /u/rj123456
[link] [comments]
3Pl lost inventory for 3 months and no resolution
I have been storing my inventory with this warehouse Seller Shipping Solutions LLC in Topeka, KS. When I wanted to ship in September, they told me they don’t have all of it. For now, there are 2358 units, valued at more than $50,000. After they went silent and unresponsive for weeks, now they are playing a game we are investigating. And this has been going on for 3 months. Half of that inventory sells only during this holiday season. So we missed on, in addition to no reimbursement. Has anyone faced something like that?
submitted by /u/Cool_Ad669
[link] [comments]
