Why 70% of Your Revenue Depends on Amazon (And Why That's Dangerous)
Supplement brands face a critical vulnerability: 70%+ of revenue concentrated on Amazon means one policy change, suspended listing, or account freeze can eliminate your entire business overnight. Meanwhile, Amazon controls your customer relationships, owns your data, and competes against you with private-label products using your sales data.
The Real Cost of Amazon Dependency
Customer Data Loss
You're building Amazon's customer list, not yours. Every sale on Amazon is a customer you'll never own. No email address. No replenishment reminders. No upsells. No loyalty program. When that customer reorders in 30 days, Amazon shows them your competitor's product if it's cheaper or better ranked. You spent $40 in ads to acquire them, Amazon keeps the relationship, and you start from zero on the next sale. Meanwhile, DTC brands with email lists are sending automated reorder reminders, cross-selling related products, and building subscription revenue you can't touch on Amazon.
Revenue Fragility
One suspended account can kill your entire business overnight. Amazon doesn't just suspend individual listings—they suspend seller accounts. And if they flag one account, they'll hunt for related accounts and suspend those too, even if they're in perfect standing. For supplement brands, the risk is higher: FDA/FTC compliance scrutiny is intense, and Amazon's enforcement is aggressive. A single customer complaint about a health claim, a competitor's false report, or an algorithm flag can trigger suspension. No warning. No appeal that works. Your revenue stops, but your bills don't.
Margin Compression
You're working harder to make less. A $100 sale on Amazon nets you $10-15 after fees, fulfillment, and product costs. Meanwhile, Amazon keeps $40-50 in fees alone—before you've paid for inventory, ads, or your own salary. The same product sold DTC? You keep $35-45. That's 3-4x the profit per sale, which is why diversification isn't optional—it's financial survival.
Policy Vulnerability
Amazon can suspend you without warning—and they're getting stricter. In April 2024, Amazon mandated third-party testing for supplements, adding $5K-$10K annual costs per product. Brands woke up to suspension notices giving them 30 days to comply or lose their listings. What's next? No one knows. Amazon doesn't grandfather existing sellers. Every policy change is retroactive, immediate, and enforced without appeal. Your compliance today means nothing if the rules change tomorrow.
Reduced Exit Value
Amazon dependency cuts your business value in half. Diversified e-commerce brands sell for 4-6x annual profit. Amazon-focused brands? 2-3x profit—sometimes as low as 1x if you're over 80% dependent. Here's what that means: A supplement brand earning $500K/year in profit would sell for $2M-3M if diversified, but only $1M-1.5M if Amazon-dependent. That's $1M+ left on the table when you exit. Buyers see Amazon risk as your problem, not theirs—and they price it accordingly.
Amazon Private Label Threat
Amazon is your competitor, not your partner. They analyze your sales data to identify winning products, then launch competing private-label versions with better placement, lower prices, and the coveted "Amazon's Choice" badge. Supplement brands are particularly vulnerable—Amazon Basics and Amazon Elements actively target top-selling categories like vitamins, protein, and pre-workout. You're funding the research for your own competition.
Amazon Independence: Own Your Business, Keep Amazon Revenue
Amazon independence doesn't mean eliminating Amazon revenue—it means building a business that survives if Amazon disappeared tomorrow.
You achieve this through three systems that give you control, profitability, and freedom:
1. Owned Customer Data
You control the customer relationship—forever. Every DTC sale builds your email and SMS lists. You own the purchase history. You decide when to send replenishment reminders, cross-sell recommendations, and loyalty rewards. When a customer buys from you on Shopify, they're YOUR customer. Amazon can't take them away, change the algorithm, or show them a competitor. You control the lifetime value, and that control is what makes your business valuable.
2. Profitable DTC Acquisition
Google Ads that actually make money: 3:1 ROAS guaranteed. Most supplement brands have tried Google Ads and failed because they didn't have compliant landing pages, accurate tracking, or the right campaign structure. We fix all three in 90 days. The result? For every $1 you spend on Google Ads, you get $3 back in revenue—consistently, predictably, scalably. No algorithm changes. No platform dependency. Just profitable customer acquisition you control.
3. Revenue Diversification
Build a business worth 2-3x more when you exit. Here's the math that matters: diversified supplement brands sell for 4-6x annual profit. Amazon-dependent brands sell for 2-3x profit—sometimes as low as 1x. On a business earning $500K/year, that's a $1M-2M difference at exit. But the real benefit starts now: diversified revenue means you sleep better, operate without fear of suspension, and run a business instead of renting shelf space from Amazon. You keep Amazon as a revenue source, but it stops being your single point of failure.
The question isn't whether you should diversify—it's whether you can afford to wait. Every month you stay 70%+ dependent on Amazon is another month of risk, compressed margins, and lost customer data. The brands winning right now started building their DTC systems 6-12 months ago. Here's how we build yours in 90 days.
How We Build Your Independence System in 90 Days
We build your complete DTC independence system in 90 days—the minimum time required for Google's algorithm to learn, optimize, and prove 3:1 ROAS while constructing FDA/FTC-compliant infrastructure that survives without Amazon.
1.5-2.2:1 ROAS
2.2-2.8:1 ROAS
2.8-3.5:1 ROAS
3.5-4.5:1+ ROAS
Month 1: Foundation & Learning (Days 1-30)
What We Build
- Google Ads campaigns (Search, Shopping, Performance Max)—FDA/FTC compliant from day one
- 5–10 high-converting landing pages—optimized for supplement buyers, compliant with health claim regulations
- Email & SMS infrastructure—welcome series, cart abandonment, replenishment reminders that capture customer data Amazon won't let you have
What You Do
Quick asset approvals (48-hour turnaround), product samples, weekly 30-minute strategy calls. That's it.
Expected Results
1.5–2.2:1 ROAS. Google's algorithm is learning your audience. First sales typically happen within 7-14 days.
Month 2: Optimization & Scaling (Days 31-60)
What We Do
- Scale what's working, kill what's not—increase budgets on profitable campaigns, pause underperformers ruthlessly
- Creative testing at scale—new ad variations, landing page A/B tests, different hooks and offers to find winners
- Audience expansion—reach more of your best customers with proven messaging
What You Do
Review weekly dashboards, approve budget increases, share customer feedback.
Expected Results
2.2–2.8:1 ROAS. Efficiency improves as we eliminate waste and double down on winners. Email automation starts contributing to repeat revenue.
Month 3: Guarantee Measurement & System Completion (Days 61–90)
What We Do
- Final optimization push—bid adjustments, audience refinement, retargeting activation for cart abandoners and site visitors
- Email segmentation goes live—behavior-based campaigns that maximize repeat purchases and customer lifetime value
- Complete system handoff—dashboards, video walkthroughs, written SOPs. You own everything, fully documented and portable.
What You Do
Review final deliverables, test the dashboard, decide your next move.
Expected Results
2.8–3.5:1 ROAS. This is where we measure the guarantee. The system is proven and hitting its stride. You now own a complete DTC acquisition and retention infrastructure that works without Amazon.
What Happens After Day 90?
You own everything—landing pages, email templates, dashboards, campaigns, audiences, SOPs with video walkthroughs. The system is completely portable. You can run it in-house or scale it with us.
Option 1: Run It In-House
You have the team and want to operate internally? Perfect. We'll support the handoff, answer questions, and refer you to specialists if needed. Everything is yours to keep.
Option 2: Scale With Us
This is where most clients see exponential growth. Day 90 proves the system works—Months 4-12 is when compounding happens. Increased ad budgets, advanced email segmentation, creative testing at scale, and LTV optimization typically deliver 3.5–4.5:1+ ROAS as the system matures.
Why We're Different: Supplement-Specific Independence Builders
Traditional agencies optimize your Amazon revenue. We build businesses that survive without it. The difference? We combine Google Ads expertise with FDA/FTC compliance review and owned customer data infrastructure—specifically engineered for supplement brands breaking free from platform dependency.
Our 90-Day Independence System Includes:
Google Ads Mastery
Search, Shopping, and Performance Max campaigns engineered for supplement compliance. We prevent disease claims before they become violations—every ad reviewed for FDA/FTC compliance before launch.
DTC Infrastructure
Shopify optimization, high-converting landing pages, and tracking systems that capture 95%+ of conversions. Your entire funnel built for supplement buyers, not generic e-commerce.
Email & SMS Marketing
Automated sequences that capture the first-party customer data Amazon restricts. Replenishment reminders, cross-sells, loyalty programs—all the retention marketing you can't do on Amazon.
Creative & Analytics
Ad testing, landing page optimization, and real-time dashboards that show exactly what's working. Attribution models, LTV tracking, and data you actually own.
Our Strategic Focus: Why We Exclude Amazon & Social Ads (Initially)
We deliberately exclude certain channels from the initial 90-day program—not because we can't do them, but because focus delivers faster results. Here's what we intentionally leave out and why:
❌ Amazon Ads Management
Why we skip it: Managing Amazon Ads creates a conflict of interest—we'd profit from the dependency we're helping you escape. Our mission is Amazon independence, not Amazon optimization. Keep your existing Amazon PPC team or agency; we'll build the alternative that reduces your reliance on that entire platform.
❌ Social Media Ads (Month 1-3)
Why we delay it: Facebook and Instagram ads require separate creative infrastructure (video content, UGC, influencer partnerships) and face strict health claim restrictions for supplements. Adding social during the first 90 days would dilute focus and delay your Google Ads profitability. Available as Stage 2 expansion after we prove the core DTC system works.
❌ Influencer Marketing & PR (Initially)
Why we delay it: Influencer partnerships and PR campaigns require different timelines, contracts, and measurement models that don't fit the 90-day guarantee framework. These are powerful Stage 2/3 expansion channels—we can coordinate with existing partners or recommend vetted agencies after your DTC foundation is profitable.
The Strategy: Prove profitability on Google Ads + email marketing first (90 days), then expand to social ads, influencer partnerships, and additional channels (Months 4-12+) once the core system is printing money. Focused execution beats scattered effort every time.
Three Partnership Tiers: Match Your Risk Tolerance and Commitment Level
All three tiers deliver the same core infrastructure and performance guarantees. The difference is pricing structure, commitment length, and how we share risk.
| Feature | Monthly Program | Accelerator Partnership | Skin-in-the-Game Partnership |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup Fee | $7,500 | $7,500 WAIVED | $10,000 |
| Monthly Mgmt | $5,500/mo | $4,000/mo | $5,500 WAIVED (Stage 1) |
| Performance Fee | None | None | 30% incremental profit |
| Ad-Spend Fee | 12% | 9% | 0% (Stage 1) |
| Waived Value | None | $25,500/year | $33,000 (6 months) |
| Commitment | Month-to-month | 12 months | 6 months |
| Landing Pages | 5 | 10 | 10 |
| Email Automations | 10+ | 20+ | 20+ |
Skin-in-the-Game Partnership: Here's the Deal Most Agencies Would Never Offer
We risk $33,000, prove results, you pay $0 monthly for 6 months.
Stage 1: Proof Phase (Months 1–6)
What You Pay:
- $10,000 setup (one-time, non-refundable—covers infrastructure buildout)
- $0/month management fee for 6 months (we waive $33,000)
- 0% ad spend fee (you pay Google directly—no markup)
- 30% of incremental DTC profit (only when you're profitable above $0)
Our Risk:
- $33,000 in waived management fees (6 months × $5,500)
- Complete infrastructure buildout at our expense
- Zero guaranteed revenue—we only earn when YOU profit
The Catch: Early Exit Terms
If you cancel before completing Month 6, you return the waived management fees for incomplete months: $5,500 × remaining months (including current month).
Cancellation Examples:
- Cancel Month 2: $5,500 × 5 months = $27,500
- Cancel Month 3: $5,500 × 4 months = $22,000
- Cancel Month 5: $5,500 × 2 months = $11,000
- Complete Month 6: $0 penalty—continue month-to-month or cancel freely
You keep all assets regardless: landing pages, email templates, campaigns, tracking systems, SOPs, dashboards—everything per the Freedom First Guarantee.
Stage 2: Scale Phase (Month 7+)
After proving the system works in Stage 1, transition to standard rates or continue month-to-month:
- $5,500/month management fee
- 9% ad spend fee
- Optional: Continue 30% profit-share or switch to standard Accelerator terms
- Zero exit penalty—cancel anytime with 30 days' notice
Frequently Asked Questions
Get answers to the most common questions about our Amazon independence program, guarantees, and partnership structure.
🎯 Most Important Questions (Start Here)
Quick Answer: We specialize exclusively in supplement brands building Amazon independence—not just running ads, but constructing complete DTC systems that survive without Amazon.
Most agencies run Google Ads campaigns. We deliver the full independence infrastructure in 90 days: Google Ads + compliant landing pages + email/SMS marketing + accurate tracking + FDA/FTC compliance review. All backed by our 3:1 ROAS guarantee.
Quick Answer: If you don't hit 3:1 ROAS (return on ad spend) by Day 90, we waive $8,000-$11,000 in management fees.
We measure ROAS as Shopify Revenue ÷ Google Ads Spend over Days 1–90 using Google's standard 30-day click attribution.
For Monthly and Accelerator Programs: If your ROAS is below 3:1 on Day 90, we waive Months 4–5 management fees ($8,000–$11,000 value).
For Skin-in-the-Game Partnership: The guarantee is built into the structure—we've already waived $33,000 in fees and only earn when you profit.
Quick Answer: $8,000/month minimum across Google Ads for effective algorithm learning.
This data volume allows Google's machine learning to optimize campaigns effectively and reach statistical significance for performance measurement.
Quick Answer: Absolutely. We'll audit your current account during our strategy call (complimentary) and identify optimization opportunities.
Most supplement brands running Google Ads have gaps in landing pages, tracking accuracy, email capture systems, or FDA/FTC compliance—all areas we specialize in fixing.
Quick Answer: No—and we actively recommend against it.
Keep optimizing Amazon. Keep your PPC running. Keep fulfilling orders. Amazon independence means building a business that survives without Amazon, not eliminating Amazon revenue. You're adding a profitable channel, not replacing one.
Quick Answer: First sales within 7-14 days, profitable performance by 60-90 days.
Expected Timeline:
- Month 1: 1.5–2.2:1 ROAS (learning phase)
- Month 2: 2.2–2.8:1 ROAS (optimization phase)
- Month 3: 2.8–3.5:1 ROAS (guarantee measurement)
- Months 4–6+: 3.5–4.5:1+ ROAS (compounding results)
📋 Program Details & Logistics
We build the alternative to Amazon, not manage your Amazon presence. Our mission is Amazon independence—helping you build a business that survives even if Amazon suspends your account tomorrow.
Managing Amazon Ads would create a conflict of interest: we'd earn fees from the dependency we're trying to reduce. Instead, we focus exclusively on the DTC channel—Google Ads + owned customer data + email/SMS marketing—to diversify your revenue and eliminate single-platform risk.
You keep 100% ownership of everything we create—delivered within 15 business days of termination, regardless of program tier or cancellation reason. No asset clawbacks, ever.
This includes: landing pages, email templates, ad campaigns, tracking systems, dashboards, SOPs, video walkthroughs, audience lists, and all creative assets.
We review all ad copy, landing pages, and marketing materials using supplement industry compliance best practices—but we are not attorneys and do not provide legal advice or legal guarantees of compliance.
Our three-layer review process: (1) Compliance-trained copywriting that prevents disease claims, (2) Client approval with option for legal review, (3) Ongoing monitoring of FDA/FTC enforcement actions to adapt strategies.
You need a functional Shopify store within 30 days of program start. We don't build Shopify stores ourselves, but we'll refer you to our trusted vendors who specialize in supplement brand stores and can typically deliver in 2–4 weeks.
💰 Pricing & Partnership Structure
Social media ads require separate creative infrastructure (video content, UGC, influencer partnerships) and significantly longer approval cycles—especially for supplements navigating Facebook's strict health claims policies.
Adding social during the first 90 days would dilute focus and delay your Google Ads profitability. Social ads are available as Stage 2 expansion after we prove the core DTC system works at 3:1 ROAS.
The Skin-in-the-Game Partnership aligns our compensation directly with your profitability. We waive $33,000 in fees (6 months × $5,500/month) and only earn money when your DTC channel generates actual profit.
Stage 1 (Months 1-6): You pay $10,000 setup fee + $0/month management + 0% ad spend fee + 30% of incremental DTC profit. We risk everything to prove the system works.
Stage 2 (Month 7+): Transition to standard rates or continue profit-share model. Cancel anytime with 30 days' notice.
Profit = Revenue minus ALL costs. We only take 30% when there's actual profit above $0 to share.
Example Calculation:
- • Revenue: $100
- • Minus: Product cost ($30) + Google Ads spend ($40) + shipping ($8) + payment fees ($2)
- • Profit: $20
- • We earn: $6 (30% of $20 profit)
- • You keep: $14 (70% of $20 profit)
If your DTC channel makes $0 profit or loses money, we earn $0.
Ready to Build a Supplement Business That Thrives Without Amazon?
Schedule a free strategy call to discuss your brand's Amazon independence plan.