Supplier, launch and expansion decisions · Sequence before spend
Launch checklist
A launch is a sequence: compliance, listing, inventory, price and traffic. Skipping a step makes the paid traffic expensive.
Key facts
| Compliance | Category approval, product safety documents, labelling and responsible person where required |
|---|---|
| Listing | Title, images, bullets, A+ content and backend terms complete before traffic |
| Inventory | Cover for the launch window, including a buffer for a faster-than-expected start |
| Economics | Fee stack, landed cost, return rate and break-even ACoS modelled |
| Measurement | Search-term report, conversion and ad data reviewed on a fixed cadence |
| Official source | The marketplace launch and advertising guidance plus your own model |
Sequence before spend
Paid traffic on an incomplete listing is a donation. The compliance approval, the images and the price should be ready before the first ad click. If the listing is suppressed or the category is gated, the spend buys nothing.
Inventory is the second gate. A launch that sells faster than expected and stocks out loses the rank and the reviews momentum. A launch that sells slower than expected ties up cash. Set a launch quantity with a buffer and a decision date.
Model before the first click
Put the landed cost, the fee stack, the expected return rate and the break-even ACoS into the model. Decide the launch budget and the review date in advance. A launch without a stop rule becomes an open-ended subsidy.
Measure the search-term report and the conversion from day one. The first two weeks tell you whether the traffic is relevant. If the terms are wrong, fix the listing before increasing the budget. If the terms are right and the conversion is weak, the price or the images are the problem.
Frequently asked questions
What should be ready before launch?
Compliance approval, a complete listing, inventory cover, a modelled price and a measurement plan. Traffic comes after those.
How much launch inventory should I buy?
Enough to cover the launch window plus a buffer, without committing a year of cash to an unproven product. The right number depends on lead time and the cost of a stockout.
When should I increase ad spend?
When the search terms are relevant and the conversion supports the break-even ACoS. Increase gradually and keep a review date.
What is the most common launch mistake?
Spending on traffic before the listing and the compliance are ready. The second most common is launching without a model of the fee stack and returns.
Ask a compliance question
Free first answer by email. Tell us the destination, the product and the channel — we will point you to the rule and the official source. No obligation, no sales sequence.