Clear the Shelf with Chris & Chris

Hosted by Chris Grant & Chris Racic

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Jun 2026

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About the show

The show that meets at the intersection of education and entertainment to discuss online arbitrage, retail arbitrage, wholesale, and all facets of selling on Amazon. We'll bring you news, tactics, strategies, insights, stories, and interviews to help you grow your Amazon business. Welcome to the show!

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June 5, 20261 hr 2 min

How Matt Runs a $7M Amazon Wholesale Business in One Day a Week

Apply to work with me one-on-one: https://www.cleartheshelf.com/applyHe did $7 million in Amazon sales last year. His goal for 2026 is $10 million. His entire operation runs with 12 people, mostly offshore. And his core work is done by Monday at lunchtime.Matt Hassler started selling on Amazon in July 2022 with $5,000. He ran the business from a camper while traveling the country with his wife. Today he runs an almost entirely wholesale operation using just 3 Keepa Product Finder filters and a team of sourcers, admins, and an ops manager. This episode breaks down his sourcing system, how he opens and evaluates wholesale accounts, the 3 constraints that limit growth, how he built a team, and the restocking software he built from his own process.Chapters:00:00 - $7M in Sales, Done by Monday at Noon01:37 - Chemical Engineer to Amazon Seller04:00 - The Capital Deployment System08:00 - What Opening a Wholesale Account Actually Looks Like14:56 - 3 Keepa Product Finder Filters20:04 - Could This Wholesale Model Work for OA and RA?22:05 - Three Constraints: Suppliers, Sourcers, or Capital26:19 - The Lead Approval Process31:02 - Amazon Seller Market Outlook34:49 - Building a Team of 1238:00 - How He Incentivizes Sourcers41:00 - Culture and Integrity45:44 - Top 3 KPIs: Revenue, Spend, and Inventory Age48:00 - Why He Still Does His Own Repricing51:10 - AI Distributor Scraper: 30 Distributors in 15 Minutes54:00 - ReplenPulse58:45 - Lightning RoundFollow Matt:Website: https://matthewhassler.com/Software: https://www.replenpulse.com/Follow Chris Grant:X/Twitter/Instagram: @cleartheshelf Newsletter: https://cleartheshelf.com/newsletterFollow Chris Racic:X/Twitter: @ChrisRacicNewsletter: https://oaleads247.com

May 28, 20261 hr 5 min

How Harry Replaced His Full Time Income in 6 Months with Amazon FBA

Apply to work with me one-on-one: https://www.cleartheshelf.com/applyHarry's an HR Director with a 10-year corporate career, a wife, kids, and a barn full of a million worms. In January 2026, he wrote a post to himself: "365 days from now you freaking did it, bro." Less than two months later, he replaced his W2 salary with Amazon income.Harry (@SellFlipDad) is building everything at once: a full-time career, an Amazon OA business, Whatnot live selling shows with his wife, and a Claude AI bot that messages potential customers 24/7 while he sleeps. This episode covers how he went from worm farming to salary replacement in 6 months, why he calls himself a "reseller" instead of an Amazon seller, the AI bot that runs his Whatnot chat (and accidentally bought him a Carhartt hat), and how he balances all of it without losing his family or his mind.Chapters:00:00 - The HR Director Who Replaced His Salary With Amazon02:00 - "Our Son's Twin Passed Away. We Needed Our Why."03:49 - From Worm Farming to Amazon (The Unlikely Pipeline)05:23 - "365 Days From Now You Freaking Did It, Bro"07:00 - What Amazon Revenue vs. Profit Actually Looks Like Early On10:00 - Getting Your Spouse On Board (She Said "You're Crazy")15:02 - Wife Goes From Teacher to Fashion Business Owner on Whatnot18:18 - "I Am a Reseller." Why Identity Matters23:00 - Daily Prioritization: W2 First, Then Where's the Money?27:07 - Whatnot Live Selling: $1 Starts on Goodwill Kids' Clothes33:00 - The AI Bot That Runs His Whatnot Shows (Claude Cowork)36:00 - How Claude Messages Thousands of Potential Buyers While He Sleeps39:24 - Claude Automated His Entire HR Paperwork Too40:00 - Going Deep: The Magic Number Is 700 Monthly Sold Batch44:00 - Paying to Play: Using Losses to Build Sales History46:57 - Ungating: "Keep Asking. Gamify It. Try Number 60 Is Coming."51:36 - Claude for Amazon Sellers: Where to Start55:00 - Balancing Work, Family, and the Grind (The Honest Take)59:00 - What Does Freedom Actually Look Like?01:01:00 - Lightning Round: Bidet, Lawn Service, and a Million WormsFollow Harry:X/Twitter: @SellFlipDadWhatnot: Outgrow KidsFollow Chris Grant:X/Twitter/Instagram: @cleartheshelf Newsletter: https://cleartheshelf.com/newsletterFollow Chris Racic:X/Twitter: @ChrisRacicNewsletter: https://oaleads247.com

May 21, 20261 hr 28 min

How Ryan Scaled Amazon Online Arbitrage to $1.8M at 23 (Full Playbook)

Apply to work with me one-on-one: https://www.cleartheshelf.com/applyRyan set a goal of $600,000 in Amazon sales, then he tripled it. He did $1.8 million in his first full year of doing online arbitrage. He did this while graduating from college and turning down every corporate job offer. He's 23 years old, and this year he's targeting $5,000,000 in revenue. In this podcast, we learn about his journey, find out what got him started, and he shares what he's done to scale his business. Chapters:00:00 - Video Game Currency to $1.8M on Amazon (Origin Story)05:23 - "Burned the Boats" While Barely Profitable07:00 - What Walmart Corporate Taught Him About 3P Selling10:00 - Why People Quit Before the Inflection Point14:00 - The FAFO Moment: $600K Goal, $1.8M Finish18:52 - Turning $1 Into $400 in Sales on a Single Deal20:04 - Order Cancellations: The Full Checklist22:04 - Replenishables and Stalking Your Own Storefront on Keepa26:00 - Why He Took an $85K Loan to Scale (The Math)29:00 - Cash Conversion Cycle Explained (60-70 Days)34:00 - Team of Five: Hiring VAs With a 3% Pass Rate39:00 - The Trick Questions That Eliminate 97% of Applicants42:01 - Teaching VAs to Solve Problems (Not Just Report Them)45:00 - Culture Building: Chemistry, Character, Competence49:08 - VA Incentives: 5% of Cashback + Tiered Lead Bonuses52:15 - The Custom Credit Card Dashboard (SimpleFin API + Float Scores)55:00 - Invoice Compilation Tool Built in One Day With Claude Code59:00 - P&L Management: The Weekly Reconciliation Process01:03:00 - Why He's Never Been More Bullish on Amazon01:06:00 - Fuel Surcharge and Delivery Date +7: "What Does Complaining Do?"01:07:00 - Diversify Within Your Catalog, Not Across Platforms01:11:37 - AI-Generated Fake Return Photos (His VA Caught Them)01:15:00 - Scaling to $5M: The Reverse-Engineered Framework01:20:00 - "What Got Me to 1.8M Won't Get Me to 5M"01:24:00 - Lightning Round: Bet on YourselfFollow Ryan:X/Twitter: @CookingCashflowInstagram: @CookingCashflow Follow Chris Grant:X/Twitter/Instagram: ⁨@cleartheshelf⁩ Newsletter: https://cleartheshelf.com/newsletterFollow Chris Racic:X/Twitter: @ChrisRacicNewsletter: https://oaleads247.com

May 14, 202642 min

These 7 Amazon Products Will Destroy Your Business Without Coverage

Apply to work with me one-on-one: https://www.cleartheshelf.com/apply $30,000 in legal fees. Just to get dismissed from a lawsuit. The seller didn't make the product, didn't ship it, didn't fulfill it. The customer tripped over the FBA box on their doorstep and sued everyone.Ashlin Hadden has insured more than 5,000 e-commerce businesses. She processes 50-100 insurance applications a week for Amazon sellers. Today she breaks down what Amazon actually requires, what your LLC doesn't protect you from, why your homeowner's insurance won't cover your inventory, and the seven product categories you should never sell without a policy.Chapters:00:00 - Ashlin's Origin Story04:57 - What Amazon Actually Requires06:14 - General Liability vs. Product Liability07:10 - You Jumped on Someone's Listing. You're Responsible for It.08:10 - "Your LLC Can't Pick Up the Phone and Defend You"10:46 - What Happens When You Get Sued (The Claims Process)12:12 - How Much Coverage Do You Actually Need?14:13 - Umbrella Policies and Excess Coverage Explained16:33 - The $30,000 Lawsuit Over a Box on a Doorstep19:00 - 7 Products You Should NEVER Sell Without Insurance22:12 - A Resistance Band Hit a Surgeon in the Face (Horror Story)26:00 - Your Homeowner's Insurance Won't Cover Your Inventory28:06 - Prep Center Risk: Only a Handful Actually Have Coverage30:05 - Prop 65: California's Ambulance Chaser Problem32:34 - Cease & Desist: Is Legal Defense Covered?34:00 - What Does Insurance Actually Cost? ($600 to $150K)37:37 - How to Get Started (Application to COI in a Day)38:52 - Lightning Round: One Thing Every Seller Must KnowFollow Ashlin:Website: ecom.insureEmail: sales@ashlinhaddeninsurance.comSocial: @ashlinhadden everywhereFollow Chris Grant:X/Twitter: @cleartheshelfNewsletter: https://cleartheshelf.com/newsletterFollow Chris Racic:X/Twitter: @ChrisRacicNewsletter: https://oaleads247.com

May 7, 20261 hr 4 min

He Went 12 for 12 on Amazon Ungating in 2026. Here's How.

Apply to work with me one-on-one: https://www.cleartheshelf.com/apply He went 12 for 12 on Amazon brand ungates. One took 155 days and 50+ attempts. Another got approved on the first try. There's no rhyme or reason. But there is a system.Zach Altmyer (@ZachAlt) is back on the podcast. Since his last appearance, he launched the Bolo Insider newsletter, built a full discontinued product database, and went on a 12-for-12 ungating streak. Today we dig deeper into his buy-and-hold strategy for discontinued inventory, his exact ungating application process, why eBay is an underrated sourcing tool (not just a selling platform), and how to find profitable products collecting dust on shelves nobody else checks.Chapters:00:00 - The Bolo Insider Database: What It Is and How It Works04:22 - "His Revenue Tripled" (Subscriber Results From the Database)06:17 - $2 Product, 243 Units, $15 Each: The Math on Discontinued08:49 - Five Signs a Product Has Been Discontinued14:25 - "Just Call and Ask": Confirming Discontinuation With Brands16:24 - Buy and Hold vs. Quick Flip: How to Decide20:04 - Cash Flow Management: Funding Your Hold Cycle22:54 - Using eBay as a Sourcing Tool (Not Just a Marketplace)25:00 - Your First Trip: Google Maps, Dusty Shelves, and Price Tags29:18 - Dollar General Clearance Events: Digging Through the Dust31:06 - 12 for 12 on Amazon Ungates: The Full Strategy35:56 - 155 Days, 50+ Attempts: What Kept Him Going38:37 - Combining Brand and Walmart Invoices (Did It Work?)45:53 - The Case for eBay: Brands You Can't Sell on Amazon49:03 - eBay Algorithm Hack: End + Sell Similar vs. Relist55:51 - Using Claude AI to Automate RA Receipt Processing59:05 - Lightning Round: Bargain Outlets, Air Purifiers, and DreamsFollow Zach:X/Twitter: @ZachAltNewsletter + Database: boloinsider.comFollow Clear the Shelf:X/Twitter: @cleartheshelfNewsletter: https://cleartheshelf.com

April 29, 20261 hr 12 min

Zero Percent APR Stacking Strategy for Scaling Amazon

He has 30+ credit cards. His credit score is excellent. And he built $142,000 in 0% APR credit limits across banks to scale his purchasing power. The math on credit cards for Amazon sellers is wild if you actually run it.Looking for the best Credit Card: https://www.cardratings.com/bestcards/business-credit-cards.php?src=704525Taylor Thomas (@ArbitrageCard) is back on Clear the Shelf. This time we go deep on credit card strategy for Amazon sellers: how to time applications across banks, the 5/24 rule, stacking credit limits on 0% APR cards, and why a seller spending $8K/month on inventory is leaving $10K+ per year on the table in signup bonuses alone. We also cover discount gift card best practices, the cashback model transition at Arbitrage Card, and how to turn credit card points into real travel value.Chapters:00:00 - What's New at Arbitrage Card (Cashback Model, Rebrand, Balance Checker)04:22 - The Cashback vs. Discount Model (Why It Matters for Sellers)08:00 - Building a Team of 11 From One Extended Family12:08 - How to Choose a Business Partner (Taylor and Joe's Story)17:00 - Gift Card Tracking: Best Practices for Reconciliation23:00 - Credit Card Misconceptions: More Cards = Bad Credit? (Wrong)27:06 - Can You Get the Same Signup Bonus Twice? (Usually Yes)31:27 - $10K Per Year in Signup Bonuses on $8K/Month Spend35:15 - Timing Credit Card Applications Across Banks and Bureaus38:00 - The Bureau Freeze Hack: How to Apply for Multiple Cards in One Day43:36 - Chase 5/24 Rule Explained (And How to Work Around It)47:31 - The 0% APR Playbook for Scaling Your Amazon Business53:37 - How He Stacked $142K in 0% APR Credit Limits57:24 - The Three Biggest Credit Card Mistakes Amazon Sellers Make01:01:00 - Is Credit Card Points Hacking Getting Worse in 2026?01:04:44 - How to Turn Chase Points Into Airbnb Stays01:06:52 - Lightning Round: Best Card, Best Hack, One Hour to ImproveFollow Taylor:Website: https://arbitragecard.com/cleartheshelfUse code: cleartheshelf to save $50 on your first $100+ purchase.Email: info@arbitragecard.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/psalm103.1Follow Chris Grant:X/Twitter: @cleartheshelfNewsletter: https://cleartheshelf.com/newsletterFollow Chris Racic:X/Twitter: @ChrisRacicNewsletter: https://oaleads247.com

April 23, 20261 hr 16 min

Why 2026 Might Be the Best Time to Sell on Amazon

Every big seller he's talked to says the same thing: Amazon has actually gotten easier. But you're probably hearing the opposite on social media. So who's right?Watch this next: https://youtu.be/X83l6GFho-4?si=oH8YpD_NH2keX90HJimmy Smith (@AskJimmySmith) has done $10M+ in online sales over 11 years on Amazon. He's run a software company (Replen Dashboard), built a community that's trained thousands of sellers, and just hosted a closed-door event with 75 sellers. Today he breaks down why 2026 might be the best time in a decade for Amazon sellers, the AI tools saving him $30K a year, why he shut down his software after 6 years, and the systems framework behind scaling from $30K to $100K per month.Chapters:00:00 - From Insurance Agent to $10M Amazon Seller02:45 - Networking: The Most Important Skill Nobody Talks About08:49 - Why He Shut Down Replen Dashboard After 6 Years14:50 - Amazon API Changes: What It Means for Seller Tools18:00 - "2026 Is the Best Time in a Decade for Amazon Sellers"21:30 - Why Big Sellers Say It's Getting Easier (While New Sellers Struggle)27:00 - The Rich Get Richer: Mentality of Successful vs. Stuck Sellers30:00 - What's Actually Holding Intermediate Sellers Back34:52 - The New Seller Playbook: Keepa, Net Fishing, and Rabbit Trailing37:51 - The First SOP Every Seller Should Build40:00 - "Being Hands-On Isn't Leadership, It's Being a Bottleneck"42:01 - VA Mistakes: Why Your First Hire Probably Won't Source for You46:42 - Pattern Recognition: What Separates Sellers Who Break Through49:46 - AI for Amazon Sellers: Start Here (Practical, Not Hype)55:02 - Using AI to Audit Your P&L and Restock Reports01:00:08 - AI Agents: Are They Ready for Sourcing?01:05:34 - Goals vs. Standards: Why Revenue Goals Are the Wrong Frame01:08:17 - Three KPIs That Will Change Your Business This Week01:10:34 - Lightning Round: Rolodex Contacts, Underrated Skills, and AI ToolsFollow Jimmy:X/Twitter/YouTube/Instagram: @AskJimmySmithWebsite: askjimmysmith.comFollow Chris Grant:X/Twitter: @cleartheshelfNewsletter: https://cleartheshelf.com/newsletterFollow Chris Racic:X/Twitter: @ChrisRacicNewsletter: https://oaleads247.com

March 16, 20261 hr 11 min

How She Dominates With No Competition Listings on Amazon

35% of Elizabeth's Amazon sales come from listings she created from scratch. She buys $20 items at TJ Maxx and sells them for $85 on Amazon. And she's never had more than 5-6 sellers on any listing she's built. Most have 2-3. Often it's just her.Elizabeth Thompson has been selling on Amazon for 20 years. She specializes in something most RA and OA sellers never even try: creating Amazon listings from scratch for products she sources through arbitrage. Today she walks through the entire process step by step, from brand approval to GTIN exemptions to using Amazon's AI tools to build a complete listing in 10 minutes.Chapters:00:00 - What If the Product Doesn't Have an Amazon Listing?02:10 - 20 Years on Amazon: From eBay to FBA04:27 - 35% of Sales From Listings She Created08:05 - Amazon Consulting: What She Teaches Other Sellers10:36 - When to Create a Listing vs. When to Walk Away14:00 - The First Sale: Testing Demand With Just One Unit16:09 - The GS1 Mistake That Ghost Listed 400 ASINs19:08 - The Math of Listing Creation22:03 - How to Actually Create a Listing From Scratch (Step by Step)26:00 - Brand Approval vs. Selling Approval (They're Different)31:00 - GTIN Exemptions: When There's No UPC37:26 - 10-Minute Listings41:00 - Using AI Create Amazon-Ready Photos in Seconds44:46 - Photo Rules: What Amazon Does and Doesn't Allow48:48 - Risk Tolerance53:00 - Bundles, Multi-Packs, and What to Avoid01:00:37 - Creating 30-50 Listings a Week: Is There a Limit?01:05:37 - Lightning Round: First Listing, Best Tools, and Best AdviceFollow Elizabeth:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThompsonMomCalendly Link: https://calendly.com/liz-iggysincFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/975965942459911/GO DEEPER WITH OAC+Want the full Keepa Academy training used by 7 and 8-figure sellers? It's included with OAC+, our private community of 200+ Amazon sellers.OAC+ includes:- Full Keepa Academy course- Sourcing courses and SOPs- Amazon to Amazon flip leads- Live coaching and Q&A- Suspension supportJoin OAC+: https://www.oachallenge.com/plusCONNECT WITH USTwitter: https://www.x.com/cleartheshelfWebsite: https://www.cleartheshelf.comTwitter: https://www.x.com/ChrisRacicWebsite: https://www.oaleads247.com

March 11, 20261 hr 10 min

He Made $25K Playing Skee Ball, Then Scaled Amazon to $1M

He made $25,000 hustling skee-ball at arcades. Then he started Amazon FBA as a college freshman, dropped out after one year, and hit $1.1 million in a single month doing online arbitrage. He's 21 years old.Gavin (@GavinFBA) started selling on Amazon in September 2023 with $500 in first-month revenue. Two years later, he's running a seven-figure Amazon OA business, stacking margin with discounted gift cards and credit card cashback ($60K in a single month), and refusing to pay himself a dollar. This episode breaks down his entire playbook: how he sources, how he funds massive buys, why he goes deep instead of wide, and the Q4 house he rented with two friends that changed everything.Chapters:00:00 - The Ski Ball Hustle: $25K From Arcade Arbitrage02:00 - From Popeye's Chicken Sandwiches to StockX Shoe Flips10:11 - First Amazon Sale: $14 in His Girlfriend's Dorm15:33 - $800K in Sales as a College Freshman and Baseball Player19:58 - Dropping Out of College: The Conversation With Mom and Dad24:05 - Three Friends, One Discord, All Crossed Six Figures in Profit28:00 - The Q4 House in Florida That Unlocked a New Niche30:45 - Going Deep: Tracking Sales Cycles and Controlling the Market34:16 - The August P&L Breakdown: What $240K in Revenue Actually Nets38:38 - Funding $100K in Two Days by Calling Friends42:14 - $60K in Cash Back: The Full Margin Stacking System46:31 - $250K on One Brand: The Biggest Bet He's Made50:06 - Team of Three: VA, Prep Center, and Grandma57:17 - "I Drive a 2003 Acura TL and I Refuse to Pay Myself"01:02:17 - "The Most Technical People Sell the Least"01:06:04 - Lightning Round: Biggest L, Best Investment, and What's NextFollow Gavin:Instagram: @GavinFBATwitter/X: @GavinFBAGO DEEPER WITH OAC+Want the full Keepa Academy training used by 7 and 8-figure sellers? It's included with OAC+, our private community of 200+ Amazon sellers.OAC+ includes:- Full Keepa Academy course- Sourcing courses and SOPs- Amazon to Amazon flip leads- Live coaching and Q&A- Suspension supportJoin OAC+: https://www.oachallenge.com/plusCONNECT WITH USTwitter: https://www.x.com/cleartheshelfWebsite: https://www.cleartheshelf.comTwitter: https://www.x.com/ChrisRacicWebsite: https://www.oaleads247.com

February 25, 20261 hr 37 min

Amazon Suspended Him. He Made $350K on Whatnot Instead

He was doing $1.7M a year on Amazon wholesale. Then a counterfeit complaint got his account suspended for 180 days. Instead of folding, he pivoted to live selling on Whatnot and did $350K in under 10 months.Kip Roland (https://x.com/kip_roland) is one of the early movers in live selling on Whatnot and TikTok live auctions. He built nearly 37,000 followers, runs 3-5 hour live shows 6 days a week selling liquidation clothing at $1 starting bids, and is already top 15 in live generated revenue on TikTok after just two weeks on the platform. Today we're breaking down what live selling actually looks like as a business, how the economics compare to Amazon FBA, and whether this is something Amazon sellers should be paying attention to.TIMESTAMPS:00:00 - Meet Kip Roland: From Amazon Wholesale to Live Selling02:14 - The Origin Story: Flipping Sneakers to Product Manager to Full-Time Seller09:45 - The Amazon Suspension That Changed Everything14:11 - "It Was Like Being Fired" (With a Newborn at Home)19:11 - What Is Whatnot and Why Should Amazon Sellers Care?24:16 - First Shows Were Brutal: Building an Audience From Zero27:07 - Selling 60 Items Per Hour: The Proof of Concept Moment29:01 - The Psychology of Live Auctions (Sacrificial Lambs and FOMO)33:01 - Why He Switched From Kitchen Appliances to Women's Clothing40:29 - How the First 10 Minutes of a Live Show Actually Works44:49 - Dollar Auctions: How Often Do You Sell at a Loss?53:34 - Closing in on 40K Followers: How Whatnot Helps Sellers Grow59:01 - TikTok Live Auctions: "This Is Whatnot Circa 2023"01:06:00 - Why Live Selling Projections Are in the Trillions01:11:38 - The Business Behind the Camera: Organization and Hiring01:16:42 - "Liquidation Ruins Retail Forever" (Sourcing for Whatnot)01:26:06 - Whatnot Academy: Sourcing, Selling, and Scaling Live01:30:56 - Lightning Round: Would You Still Be on Whatnot Without the Suspension?GO DEEPER WITH OAC+Want the full Keepa Academy training used by 7 and 8-figure sellers? It's included with OAC+, our private community of 200+ Amazon sellers.OAC+ includes:- Full Keepa Academy course- Sourcing courses and SOPs- Amazon to Amazon flip leads- Live coaching and Q&A- Suspension supportJoin OAC+: https://www.oachallenge.com/plusOA CHALLENGE LIVE - MARCH 2026Join us for our next live cohort where we build your Amazon business together over 14 days.Learn more: https://www.oachallenge.comCONNECT WITH USTwitter: https://www.x.com/cleartheshelfWebsite: https://www.cleartheshelf.comTwitter: https://www.x.com/ChrisRacicWebsite: https://www.oaleads247.com