Show Notes
Michael Michelini sits down with Sören Dittrich, a data analytics expert from one of Germany's top 10 Amazon sellers, Waldo Shop. With nearly 10 years in the e-commerce trenches, Sören shares how his lean 8-figure operation evolved from gut-feeling decisions to Python-powered precision, building custom analytics tools that identify hidden profit leaks and drive actionable improvements. This episode reveals the hard-won lessons of surviving Europe's 2025 margin squeeze, the strategic return to China sourcing for US expansion, and practical AI strategies that are actually working for advanced sellers.
Topics Covered in this Episode
From Gut Feeling to Data-Driven Decisions
Why many European sellers still operate on intuition and basic P&L checks, and how this vulnerability is catching up with businesses in the current market squeeze.
Building a Self-Taught Tech Stack
Sören's journey from Excel to Python and PostgreSQL through community college courses, Google, and Stack Overflow—proving that technical skills are accessible to determined sellers.
Actionable Analytics Over Pretty Dashboards
How Voldo Analytics moves beyond data visualization to provide real recommendations: flagging dead stock, identifying FBA fee waste of 20–70 cents per unit, and spotting packaging optimization opportunities.
Strategic Pivot: Europe to China Sourcing
After years of exclusive EU production that provided COVID-era advantages, Waldo Shop is returning to China for US market expansion—balancing local manufacturing benefits with the scale realities of container-based sourcing.
Surviving the 2025–2026 Margin Squeeze
Real turnaround tactics post-Cross Border Summit: launching 20 new products, cutting rent in half, slimming the team, and finding the balance between cost-cutting and growth to escape the squeeze.
European Regulatory Complexity
The reality that the EU is not truly unified for sellers: separate tax registrations per storage country, upcoming packaging representatives in each market, and GDPR gray areas that limit some US AI tools.
AI Tool Recommendations for Sellers
Why Sören shifted from ChatGPT to Claude for analysis, listings, PPC setup, and coding—plus insights on Gemini, specialized GPTs for Power BI, and Accio for Alibaba sourcing at $20/month.
Lean Team, 8-Figure Results
How Waldo Shop operates with just five full-time employees while generating eight-figure turnover—demonstrating the power of automation, data systems, and strategic focus in modern e-commerce.
FBA Fee Optimization Gold Mine
Real examples of Amazon mismeasuring products and charging 20–70 cents extra per unit in shipping fees, and how data-driven sellers can identify these leaks across hundreds of SKUs.
Agency Model and Voldo Analytics Launch
Plans to publicly launch Voldo Analytics in Q2–Q3 2026, followed by agency services offering account audits, fee optimizations, and procurement guidance to help other sellers spot hidden profit opportunities.
People / Companies / Resources Mentioned in this Episode
- Sören Dittrich on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/soeren-b-dittrich/
- Accio – AI Alibaba Sourcing Tool - https://accio.com
- Cross Border Summit 2026 - https://2026.crossbordersummit.com/
- PowerLobster – AI Agent Network - https://powerlobster.com/a/lisa-yuson (Lisa's profile)
Download Options
- Direct Download: Right-click here and click “Save As” for a direct download
- iTunes: Listen and subscribe on iTunes for free!
- Android: Check out Android Options or Listen via Stitcher Internet Radio streaming
- If you enjoyed this episode, leave a positive review on iTunes, & more (directions here)!
