Is moving your manufacturing out of China actually smart… or just reactive?

In this episode of The eCom Growth Show, Danan Coleman sits down with global sourcing expert Lyden Smithers, who oversees more than $100M in annual eCommerce sales, to break down why China continues to dominate global manufacturing, even in the face of tariffs and “China Plus One” strategies.

From negotiating better payment terms to navigating Canton Fair like a pro, Lyden reveals what separates transactional buyers from long-term supplier partners, and why most sellers are approaching factories the wrong way.

If you're sourcing products for Amazon, Shopify, or TikTok Shop, this conversation could dramatically improve your margins, leverage, and supply chain stability.

In this episode, we cover:

○ Why extended payment terms are about leverage, not just cash flow

○ The #1 negotiation mistake sellers make with factories

○ Why face-to-face meetings in China unlock better pricing & exclusivity

○ The truth about moving manufacturing to Vietnam, Mexico, and beyond

○ What most sellers misunderstand about tariffs

○ How to use Canton Fair as a strategic advantage

○ Why pre-shipment inspections are non-negotiable

○ How to turn your supplier into a true business partner

Lyden also shares insights from his China Magic Trip, where he takes eCommerce founders directly to Canton Fair to build high-level supplier relationships the right way.

🎁 Exclusive Listener Bonus

Mention The eCom Growth Show when booking a call at ChinaMagicTrip.com and receive $500 off your ticket!

🔗 Connect with Lyden Smithers:

Website: https://www.lydensmithers.com

China Magic Trip: https://www.chinamagictrip.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lyden-smithers

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lydensmithers

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/talktolyden

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LydenSmithers

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lydensmithers1

⏰ Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction & Lyden’s $100M eCommerce background

03:05 – Why you need a sourcing plan before Canton Fair

05:00 – Extended payment terms: Why they matter even if you have cash

07:40 – The costly mistake of skipping inspections

08:40 – The biggest negotiation mistake sellers make

12:05 – Why face-to-face meetings in China change everything

17:25 – Canton Fair vs Alibaba suppliers

18:30 – Should you move manufacturing out of China?

20:45 – The reality of “China Plus One” factories

23:30 – China’s infrastructure advantage

24:45 – The ultimate leverage strategy with manufacturers

26:40 – China Magic Trip + $500 listener offer

#TheeComGrowthShow #GlobalSourcing #CantonFair

KEEP IN TOUCH:

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danancoleman

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ecomgrowthshow

👥 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheeComGrowthShow

🐦 X (Twitter): https://x.com/eComGrowthShow

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@eComGrowthShow

Danan Coleman is an expert in the Amazon field. He's been actively selling on Amazon since 2010 and in the SaaS and Service network for Amazon sellers since 2018. After helping companies like ManageByStats and Carbon6 scale and be sold, he started his eCom Triage [https://ecomtriage.com] to help sellers with solutions to complicated and seemingly impossible tasks like removing negative reviews and detecting critical and detrimental changes to your product detail pages. He also consults both brands and agencies in the Amazon space.

On paper, the business looks profitable.

In reality, the bank account keeps shrinking.

In this episode of The eCom Growth Show, Danan Coleman sits down with Nachman Lieser, founder of ConnectBooks, to expose the financial blind spots that cause Amazon sellers to go broke, even while their P&L says they’re “making money.”

From dead inventory and poor cash flow planning to delayed financial visibility, Nachman breaks down the real reasons profitable-looking ecommerce brands hit a wall. You’ll hear real-world examples of seven-figure sellers with no liquidity, inventory silently draining cash, and why profit alone is a dangerous metric if you don’t understand your numbers.

If you sell on Amazon (or across multiple marketplaces) and want to scale without choking your cash flow, this episode will change how you look at your business.

🔑 What You’ll Learn

○ Why profit doesn’t equal cash flow in ecommerce

○ How inventory quietly destroys otherwise healthy businesses

○ The biggest financial mistake Amazon sellers keep repeating

○ Why “making money” on paper can still lead to bankruptcy

○ How top sellers stay liquid—even in volatile markets

○ What knowing your numbers actually means

🔗 Connect With Nachman Lieser

Website: https://connectbooks.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nachman-lieser-166807ba

ConnectBooks LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/connectbooks

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@connectbooks5693

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – Intro: Why “making money” isn’t the same as staying in business

01:30 – How ConnectBooks was built from real bookkeeping pain

04:45 – Are Amazon sellers still making money today?

06:40 – What profitable sellers do differently

08:10 – Case study: Turning losses into real profit

11:50 – The danger of misunderstanding margins

14:05 – Profit vs cash flow (the mistake killing sellers)

15:20 – How inventory quietly drains cash

18:55 – Inventory aging & why dead stock is deadly

21:40 – The 90-day inventory rule

23:10 – When buying more inventory actually makes sense

25:00 – What Amazon sellers can learn from Costco & Walmart

26:55 – How to connect with Nachman & ConnectBooks

#TheeComGrowthShow #AmazonSellers #CashFlowManagement

KEEP IN TOUCH:

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danancoleman

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ecomgrowthshow

👥 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheeComGrowthShow

🐦 X (Twitter): https://x.com/eComGrowthShow

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@eComGrowthShow

Danan Coleman is an expert in the Amazon field. He's been actively selling on Amazon since 2010 and in the SaaS and Service network for Amazon sellers since 2018. After helping companies like ManageByStats and Carbon6 scale and be sold, he started his eCom Triage [https://ecomtriage.com] to help sellers with solutions to complicated and seemingly impossible tasks like removing negative reviews and detecting critical and detrimental changes to your product detail pages. He also consults both brands and agencies in the Amazon space.

Amazon doesn’t reward sellers who try to figure everything out alone.

In today’s Amazon ecosystem, the sellers who survive — and scale — are the ones plugged into the right communities before problems hit. Suspensions, IP complaints, supply chain enforcement, and sudden policy changes don’t come with warnings… unless you’re already in the rooms where that information is shared.

In this episode of The eCom Growth Show, host Danan Coleman sits down with Ed Rosenberg, founder of ASGTG (Amazon Sellers Group) and one of the most trusted voices in the Amazon seller ecosystem. With over 25 years in eCommerce, Ed explains why serious sellers rely on communities like ASGTG to stay compliant, identify risk early, and adapt as Amazon continues to professionalize and tighten enforcement.

If you sell on Amazon — or plan to — this episode breaks down why information, community, and timing have become competitive advantages, and why the most serious operators no longer build in isolation.

🔗 Connect with Ed Rosenberg

ASGTG Website & Seller Resources: https://asgtg.com

ASGTG Events (Brooklyn – March 5, 2026): https://asgtgevents.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edrosenberg1/

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction to Ed Rosenberg

00:34 – Selling online since the early eBay days

02:53 – The biggest reasons Amazon sellers get suspended

03:17 – Supply chain enforcement & Section 3 violations

04:09 – Why reselling has become so risky

05:14 – IP complaints & “unauthorized seller” claims

07:20 – Safer Amazon business models going forward

09:16 – Where Amazon selling is headed in 2026

10:11 – Strategic Account Services (SAS): advantage or tax?

12:37 – Are sellers still winning on Amazon?

13:12 – Amazon vs Shopify, TikTok Shop & Walmart

17:50 – Why Amazon struggles to identify good sellers

18:00 – Why Ed created ASGTG

21:46 – The real value of seller communities

24:32 – ASGTG Brooklyn 2026 preview

27:20 – Diversifying beyond Amazon

29:26 – AI, TikTok Shop & what’s next

#TheeComGrowthShow #AmazonSellers #ASGTG

KEEP IN TOUCH:

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danancoleman

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ecomgrowthshow

👥 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheeComGrowthShow

🐦 X (Twitter): https://x.com/eComGrowthShow

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@eComGrowthShow

Danan Coleman is an expert in the Amazon field. He's been actively selling on Amazon since 2010 and in the SaaS and Service network for Amazon sellers since 2018. After helping companies like ManageByStats and Carbon6 scale and be sold, he started his eCom Triage [https://ecomtriage.com] to help sellers with solutions to complicated and seemingly impossible tasks like removing negative reviews and detecting critical and detrimental changes to your product detail pages. He also consults both brands and agencies in the Amazon space.