Amazon, TikTok or D2C: Where Should You Focus Your eCommerce Strategy? | Carina McLeod | Amazon Sellers Conference

Carina is a leading eCommerce strategist with over 20 years of experience, including 7 years at Amazon and the last decade growing brands through her agency, eCommerce Nurse. Her team of ex-Amazonians and digital experts supports brands across Amazon, TikTok Shop, social commerce, and D2C websites. With deep knowledge of the digital shelf, Carina helps businesses cut through complexity and make smart, scalable channel decisions bringing a practical, real-world perspective to where eCommerce investments really pay off.

1. Carina McLeod [email protected] Amazon, TikTok or D2C: Where Should Your Focus Your eCommerce Strategy?

2. eCommerce Growth & Marketing Agency Helping brands scale across Amazon, TikTok, and DTC with strategy-first execution.

3. The Challenge Every channel works differently Too many choices Limited time & budget Chasing shiny objects Resources spread too thin

4. Today’s Agenda Key differences: Amazon, TikTok Shop and D2C website Pros & cons of each channel What it takes to succeed Practical framework to decide where to focus

5. Choosing the Right Channel Amazon – Strong for search-based, high-intent purchases. Great for scale, but highly competitive and resource-heavy. TikTok Shop – Emerging discovery-led platform. Ideal for visual, trend-driven products and impulse buys. D2C Website – Full brand control and customer data. Best for building loyalty, but requires strong traffic-driving strategies.

6. Amazon Pros & Cons ✔ Built-in customer trust & traffic ✔ Global scale & reach ✔ Logistics & fulfilment infrastructure ✔ Credibility for new brands ✔ Launchpad / new to market entry 🗙 High competition & fees 🗙 Price pressure, margin squeeze 🗙 Complex systems & rules 🗙 Harder to own customer data 🗙 You’re in the hands of Amazon

7. Amazon Success Factors ✔ Retail-ready listings & continuous optimisation ✔ Reviews and ratings, positive customer experience ✔ Operational excellence and Prime eligible ✔ Investment in Sponsored Ads ✔ Brand Registry & protection ✔ Data & market insights ✔ Subscribe & save for repeat purchases

8. TikTok Shop Pros & Cons ✔ Explosive growth potential ✔ Discovery-driven (viral reach) ✔ Lower entry costs ✔ Creator & affiliate ecosystem ✔ Real-time test and learn 🗙 Higher reliance on creators and affiliates 🗙 Unpredictable sales pattern 🗙 Evolving, forever changing platform 🗙 Harder to own customer data 🗙 Operational challenges

9. TikTok Success Factors ✔ Creator and affiliate partnerships ✔ Authentic , trend-led, relatable content ✔ Agility in testing & adapting ✔ Right product fit (impulse, consumables, trend-friendly) ✔ Paid ads to amplify reach ✔ Live Streaming driving urgency and conversions

10. D2C Website Pros & Cons ✔ Full control of brand & messaging ✔ Own your customer data ✔ Higher margins (no marketplace fees) ✔ Build loyalty & community ✔ Long-term equity 🗙 No built-in traffic – must drive it 🗙 Requires ongoing ad spend 🗙 Tech + website maintenance costs 🗙 Slower to scale initially 🗙 Customer service burden

11. D2C Website Success Factors ✔ Strong brand storytelling for clear positioning and voice ✔ Paid ads + SEO + content to drive ongoing traffic ✔ Retention marketing (email, SMS) to build loyalty and repeat sales ✔ Smooth customer experience = fast site, easy checkout, mobile-first ✔ Conversion optimisation, testing landing pages, offers, and UX ✔ Social proof highlighting reviews, UGC, testimonials

12. The Decision Framework What are my brand goals? Awareness, profitability, scale, retention? 2. Who is my target customer, and where do they shop? Amazon? Social commerce? D2C? 3. What resources do I have? Team capacity, budget, expertise, operations 4. What stage is my business at? Startup, scaling, or established brand? 5. How much control do I need? Data ownership, brand experience, pricing flexibility

13. Framework in Action Amazon 1. Brand goals: Scale fast, reach mass audiences 2. Target customer: Broad base, already shopping on Amazon 3. Resources: Strong ops team, budget for ads, ability to manage complexity 4. Stage of business: Scaling or established, ready for volume 5. Control needs: Willing to sacrifice data/control for visibility & sales Best fit: Brands with operational strength, budget, and scale ambitions

14. Framework in Action TikTok 1. Brand goals: Awareness, rapid growth, buzz-building 2. Target customer: Gen Z / trend-driven buyers 3. Resources: Agile content creators, small budget but fast testing ability 4. Stage of business: Startup or challenger brand hungry for exposure 5. Control needs: Less concerned with control, more with visibility & virality Best fit: Challenger brands, consumables, impulse-purchase products

15. Framework in Action D2C Website 1. Brand goals: Build long-term equity, own customer relationships 2. Target customer: Loyal, repeat buyers; niche or premium segments 3. Resources: Marketing budget for ads/SEO, team for retention & support 4. Stage of business: Scaling or established, ready to invest in brand building 5. Control needs: High, full ownership of data, customer journey, pricing Best fit: Brands with strong identity, repeat purchase potential, and retention focus

16. Framework in Action Omnichannel Brand 1. Brand goals: Balance growth, profitability, and long-term equity 2. Target customer: Multi-segment broad reach (Amazon), trend-driven (TikTok), loyal repeat buyers (D2C) 3. Resources: Larger team, budget, and infrastructure to support multiple channels 4. Stage of business: Established, scaling with capacity to diversify 5. Control needs: Selective, use D2C for control & data, Amazon for scale, TikTok for awareness & discovery Best fit: Mature brands that want to maximise reach, build equity, and reduce risk by spreading across channels

17. Key Takeaways Every channel has strengths and weaknesses, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. The right choice depends on your brand goals, customer, resources, and stage of growth. Success requires focus, don’t spread too thin or chase every shiny new platform. A smart strategy balances scale, control, and awareness across channels when the time is right. The brands that win are those that invest intentionally and align their channel strategy to long-term growth.

18. Any questions? e // hello @ecommercenurse.com w // ecommercenurse.com

19. Carina McLeod [email protected] Amazon, TikTok or D2C: Where Should Your Focus Your eCommerce Strategy?