#481 - How to Stay Profitable on Amazon in 2026

Stay profitable on Amazon in 2026 with pricing, PPC, and inventory tips. Plus, how Helium 10’s Managed Refund Service helped a seller recover $100K in reimbursements.   Amazon profitability in 2026 is going to reward sellers who run their business like a finance department and a marketing department at the same time. In this episode, Carrie Miller and Leo Sgovio bring on experienced sellers to talk through what’s actually moving the needle right now: pricing discipline, smarter PPC decisions, inventory/storage awareness, and operational tweaks that protect margin when costs keep rising.   Ryan Cramer shares how Gen-Y Hitch stays profitable by controlling what they can control: manufacturing in the US, negotiating in bulk, keeping prices consistent across Amazon/Walmart/other channels, and forecasting 6–12 months out so unprofitable SKUs get sunset instead of quietly bleeding margin. Leo adds a practical angle from the games category: when competitors aren’t racing to the bottom on price, the real leverage becomes perceived value. Sharona Ozeri brings the apparel perspective, where price pressure is brutal, and explains how she’s leaning harder into brand positioning, using a mix of lower-margin “traffic drivers” and higher-margin specialty products to stay afloat. She also breaks down her CM1/CM2/CM3 contribution margin method to pinpoint whether the real issue is price, Amazon fees/returns, or PPC spend, so decisions stay math-based, not emotional.   Then the conversation turns into “found money”: reimbursements. If Amazon loses inventory (and it happens), leaving reimbursements unclaimed is like accepting a lower profit margin on purpose. Ryan explains why Helium 10’s MRS Managed Refund Service stands out (hands-on support + smart automation), how documentation like BOLs matters, and how their team recovered six figures in reimbursements, money that went straight back to the bottom line. Carrie also highlights a limited-time incentive: if you activate Helium 10’s MRS inside your dashboard, the fee is 10% through February 28, 2026, making it an easy win compared to services charging 15–20%+.   In episode 481 of the AM/PM Podcast, Carrie, Leo, Ryan, and Sharona discuss: 00:00 – Introduction 01:19 – Ryan Cramer: Forecasting and Cost Control 05:03 – Leo Sgovio: Pricing and Perceived Value 07:11 – Sharona: Competing in Apparel by Branding up 10:39 – CM1/CM2/CM3 and FBA vs FBM Strategies 12:40 – Amazon PPC for Profitability Basics 21:19 – Amazon Reimbursement Policy Change 23:33 – Helium 10 Managed Refund Service 25:46 – MRS promo: 10% fee until Feb 28, 2026 40:20 – Deals, Rufus Price History, and Price Wars