[EPFN] If Amazon Disappeared Tomorrow... Would You Survive?

🚨 Horses, Highways & A Bigger Mission

(Why This Issue is Late)

This issue is late. And here’s why.

We moved WildHeart to a massive new property, and moving day turned into something between a rodeo and a Netflix survival series.

Picture this: our hauler’s truck breaks down 30 minutes from us—with a horse inside.

No air conditioning. No water. On a hot Florida’s highway, that mare was minutes from collapse. My team rushed to free her, she snapped the halter, cut our hauler’s finger open, and bolted straight onto the highway.

Yes… the highway.

We got her back safe, but that was just the start.

Suddenly, no hauler, no truck, no trailer—and 21 horses still waiting.

So what did I do? I didn’t move the horses myself—but I tracked down a trailer, hooked it to my empty Tesla (yes, the one that technically can tow 3,500 lbs), and drove it out.

Keep in mind, the day before was the first time in my life I’d ever pulled a trailer.

That one was light. This one? Not so much. It was an experience.

I delivered the trailer with Leeza by my side, and my team handled the rest of the move.

And here’s the real takeaway: building a very, very, very strong team is everything.

Without people who step up under pressure—no excuses, no whining, just problem-solving—we would’ve been stuck for days.

By 1:20 AM, the job was done. Not pretty, not smooth, but finished. And just like in business, with horses or with Amazon, your success is only as strong as your team.

Now, let’s talk about why this matters.

A while ago, Ivan (my husband) asked me:

“If money wasn’t an issue, what would you do?”

My answer: start a nonprofit for veterans.

We’re not officially there yet, but the need is staring us in the face.

Every week, 10–15 riders come to WildHeart wanting lessons they can’t afford.

They don’t qualify for the government program we got approved for.

Veterans with PTSD are reaching out too—but cost is the barrier.

So, we’re building the bridge:

WildHeart Scholarships

• $1,000/month sponsorship covers 50% of lessons for 5 families.

• Businesses get featured across WildHeart’s media channels.

• We’ll create fun horse-powered ads spotlighting your brand.

• For veterans, we’ll partner with veteran-owned businesses to offer full scholarships.

It’s not just a good deed. It’s a smart business move.

👉 In the last 30 days, WildHeart reached 425,000+ views, 7,600+ interactions, and gained 930 new followers (88% women, mostly ages 25–44).

Your brand gets plugged directly into that Momentum. Not Ritz Momentum :-)

Instead of handing money to Uncle Sam, you can turn it into impact, visibility, and real lives changed.

📩 If your business is at the size where you can commit to a monthly scholarship, reply to this email. Let’s talk about how you can help—and what you’ll get back.

🚀 Q4 Is Here – Now What?

We are officially in Q4—the season everyone’s been waiting for.

So what do we do now?

👉 If you don’t have a product yet, this is not the time to sit on your hands. Get moving. Come to Ritz Momentum and grab a product before the window closes.

👉 If you’re already making sales, your mission is simple: increase conversion. 

Why? Because PPC is usually cheaper during Q4, and with higher conversion rates, your products naturally rank higher.

Add in Cosmo’s ability to deliver your listings to the right shoppers, and you’ve got yourself a recipe for serious growth.

Now, here’s the golden question: how do you increase conversion?

This is where ChatGPT becomes your secret weapon.

Use it to stress-test your listing images and uncover blind spots.

Here’s a plug-and-play prompt you can drop right into ChatGPT:

 ChatGPT Prompt for Listing Image Audit

*"I am selling [insert product name]. Here is my product listing and the images [paste listing link or descriptions of images]. Act like a shopper browsing Amazon.

Tell me:

1. What pain points or objections do these images fail to address?

2. Which images feel confusing, unnecessary, or weak?

3. What emotional triggers or benefits should be highlighted better?

4. Give me 3 redesign suggestions for the main image and 3 for secondary images that would make the listing more compelling and conversion-focused."*

With this, you’ll uncover exactly where your images are dropping the ball—and how to fix them before shoppers scroll past you.

💳 Boost Q4 Conversions with Flexible Customer Financing

You know when you’re shopping on Amazon and see that some products can be financed in installments? That’s not automatic—you actually have to enable it. Inside your Amazon account, go to Flexible Customer Financing (FCF) and click Enroll. Once you’re in, you’ll see which of your products qualify for financing.

Why does this matter?

Because it instantly increases your conversion rate. Customers can now purchase your product with interest-free payments through Amazon or with other “buy now, pay later” options (like Afterpay with interest).

During Q4, when budgets are tight, this makes your listing much more attractive—customers are more likely to hit “buy” when they can spread the cost out over time.

Here’s the part most sellers don’t know: Amazon charges an FCF Fee for every enrolled product sold via financing. This fee is calculated as a percentage of the total retail sales price (product price + shipping + gift wrap + taxes) and depends on the installment plan chosen by the customer.

📊 Current Promotional Rate (Subject to Change)

• Short Term (3–4 months): 4.2% fee

• Eligible ASIN price: $50 – $500

If you select longer-term options (like Mid-Term), all shorter terms are included by default. For example, if you enable 6 months, you’re also automatically offering 3-month financing, and you’ll be charged the rate tied to the plan the customer actually uses.

And here’s the kicker: this is a promotional rate, and Amazon can change it with 30 days’ notice. You can unenroll at any time if the math doesn’t work for your margins.

🔢 Quick Margin Check Formula

Here’s how to see if FCF works for you:

(Selling Price – Amazon Fees – COGS – FCF Fee) ÷ Selling Price = Net Margin %

👉 Example:

• Selling Price: $100

• Amazon Fees (15% referral + $4 FBA): $19

• COGS: $30

• FCF Fee (4.2% of $100): $4.20

$100 – $19 – $30 – $4.20 = $46.80 profit → 46.8% margin

Still very healthy—and with financing enabled, conversion rates usually spike enough to offset the fee multiple times over.

Bottom line: if your price point qualifies, enabling FCF can be a Q4 conversion machine. Yes, you pay a small fee, but you unlock buyers who otherwise wouldn’t click purchase.

🤯 Thought Exercise: What If Amazon Disappeared Tomorrow?

I just want to ask you a question—and really sit with this for a second. Imagine Amazon does not exist tomorrow.

What would you do?

How would you sell your product?

Where would your customers find you?

Most sellers panic at the thought because they’ve built their entire business on one platform.

But here’s the thing: if your answer is “I don’t know,” then it’s time to start thinking bigger.

Your brand should not live and die by Amazon alone.

The ones who win long term are the ones who build strong listings, yes—but also diversify into Shopify, TikTok Shops, email lists, and communities.

So play this out in your head: if Amazon vanished tomorrow, would you be out of business, or would you already have your next sales channel lined up?

🛒 ChatGPT Becomes a Shopping Mall

Here’s the latest curveball in e-commerce:

ChatGPT now lets shoppers buy directly inside conversations. 

Millions of people already use ChatGPT to figure out what to buy, and with Instant Checkout, they can complete the purchase without ever leaving the chatchatgpt.com.

For sellers, this means your products can show up when someone asks ChatGPT for “a durable carry-on under $300” or “a ceramic bowl set under $100.”

Relevance decides ranking, not ads—and if you’re a Shopify or Etsy seller, you’re already eligible.

This is the future of shopping: conversational, AI-driven, and frictionless.

The question is—are your products ready to show up in ChatGPT’s search results when your future customer asks for them?

👉 How to Sell Through ChatGPT:

1. Go to ChatGPT Merchants.

2. Click “Get Started” and connect your Shopify or Etsy store.

3. Approve product syncing so your catalog is available inside ChatGPT.

4. Set up payment and shipping preferences (ChatGPT handles Instant Checkout through Stripe).

5. Your products are now discoverable when shoppers ask for items matching your listings.

This is the future of shopping: conversational, AI-driven, and frictionless. And here’s the kicker—if you’re not setting this up now, your competitors will.

Was this issue too much?

If yes, reply yes in the email, just give me some feedback.

It would be greatly appreciated.

Have a wonderful weekend,
Izabella