Marketing Myths We’ve Busted at Meridian Trade
Marketing in ecommerce is a minefield of “expert” advice—some golden, some pure bunk. At Meridian Trade, we’ve been selling on Amazon, eBay, and our own site, meridiantrade.com, long enough to spot the difference. As a small brand aggregator running our own production, marketing, fulfillment, and support, we’ve tested the hype against reality. Spoiler: a lot of it doesn’t hold up. Here are five marketing myths we’ve busted through our own campaigns—and what we’ve learned along the way.
Myth 1: You Need a Huge Budget to Win
The gurus say you can’t compete without pouring cash into ads. Not true. In 2023, when 5.5 million new businesses flooded ecommerce (SBA stats), we couldn’t outspend the big dogs—but we didn’t need to. Our campaign for a line of travel organizers leaned on smart, low-cost moves: sharp product photos from our production team, keyword-rich listings we wrote in-house, and a few targeted Amazon PPC ads. Sales doubled in three months, no six-figure budget required. Lesson? Focus beats flash—know your product, know your buyer.
Myth 2: More Platforms, More Problems
Some say juggling Amazon, eBay, and a personal site is a recipe for chaos. We’ve proved it’s a strength. Last fall, Amazon’s 2024 fake review purge (200 million banned) tanked our visibility for a new pet accessory line overnight. Instead of panicking, we shifted marketing to eBay—tweaked titles with our in-house team, ran a flash auction—and pulled 30% more sales there. Our site chipped in with a promo code push. Multiple platforms don’t split your effort; they spread your safety net. Customers win with more ways to find us.
Myth 3: Discounts Are the Only Way to Sell
“Slash prices or bust,” they say. Nope. During 2024’s holiday rush—when USPS delays spiked 15% and shoppers got antsy—we marketed our reusable water bottles on reliability, not rock-bottom prices. Our campaign highlighted “ships fast from our USA warehouse” (thanks to in-house fulfillment) and real customer pics from our support team. Sales held steady at full price while competitors raced to the bottom. Discounts help, but trust and speed close the deal.
Myth 4: Social Media’s a Must for Every Brand
TikTok dances and Instagram reels—everyone’s obsessed. But it’s not universal. In early 2025, we tested a big social push for our kitchen gadgets, hiring influencers to hype them. Views were decent, but sales? Flat. Turns out, our buyers—busy folks on Amazon and eBay—weren’t scrolling for spatulas. We pivoted to email blasts and eBay promoted listings, using data from our own campaigns. Revenue jumped 25% in a month. Social’s great for some; for us, it’s optional. Know your crowd.
Myth 5: One-Size-Fits-All Messaging Works
Blanket ads are efficient, right? Wrong. When Red Sea shipping woes hit in 2024 (freight up 20%), we marketed our modular storage sets differently per platform. On Amazon, we pushed “Prime-ready, fast delivery” to ease delay fears. On eBay, we went “bid now, save big” for bargain hunters. Our site got a story: “designed and packed by us.” Same product, three vibes—sales rose 15% across the board. Tailoring takes time (good thing we control marketing), but generic flops harder.
Wisdom From the Trenches
The past two years—supply chain messes, platform shakeups, crowded markets—have shown us marketing’s not about following the loudest advice. It’s about testing what fits. At Meridian Trade, we’ve busted these myths with sweat and data, running campaigns from our little HQ. Next time you see our listings—maybe a pet toy on eBay or a kitchen tool on Amazon—know it’s not luck. It’s us, debunking the hype one sale at a time. Got a marketing myth you’ve seen? Tell us—we’re all ears.