Last Wednesday, through Hui Creative’s Cross-border Intelligence Room, we hosted a 90-minute in-depth session featuring TikTok’s official team, a U.S.-based TikTok seller, and a brand operator. Together, we shared strategic insights with Hui Creative members. A key highlight of the session was a practical case study showing how a Korean Amazon FBA seller launched a new product using a combined TikTok Shop + Amazon strategy—reaching 400,000 units per month and over 1 million lifetime sales on a single listing.
Following the session, several Hui Creative members reached out requesting a deeper dive into how TikTok Shop can be used to fast-track Amazon product launches. To help everyone understand how a Korean Amazon FBA seller outperformed dominant Chinese sellers—even without a pricing advantage—this article will analyze the promotional strategy for new Amazon products, TikTok Shop’s role, and walk through a real case study of a Korean brand’s success.
Part 1: See It for Yourself: A Listing That Sold Over 1 Million Units
Let’s begin with a look at this Amazon best-seller:
Two high-performing Amazon listings from the same product line (search "mighty patch" on Amazon.com:
- 170K+ reviews, 400K+ units/month, $21.97 price
- 170K+ reviews, over 1 million units sold, $12.99 price
And it doesn’t stop there—the store’s other listings are nearly all best-sellers. Even their lowest-performing SKU sells over 2,000 units per month, while their main products average between 70,000–100,000 units/month.
Part 2: Special Amazon Tags Worth Noticing
Careful observers will notice that this brand’s listings carry tags that differ from those most Amazon FBA Sellers sellers strive for:
- While most Amazon FBA Sellers' listings often show “xx bought in the past month,” these listings show “xx bought multiple times”—highlighting repeat purchases.
- Amazon also prominently displays: “FSA or HSA eligible” (under the 400K/month listing).
These signal two key trends:
- Amazon is placing greater emphasis on repeat purchase rates and incorporating that into its BSR and front-end metrics.
- The seller did extensive prep to ensure the product met U.S. compliance standards—and Amazon now places certification and eligibility details directly under listings.
Part 3: The Secret Behind the Korean Seller’s Success
Let’s break down what made Mighty Patch (Hero Cosmetics) so successful.
01. Product Selection Strategy
Most sellers rely on third-party tools that only analyze competitors’ current data. But if a product is already hot, launching a similar one often leaves sellers with only one option—lowering price.
Hero Cosmetics’ founder is a Korean-American who grew up in Seattle. Her understanding of market needs came from personal life experience, and her knowledge of e-commerce came from growing up in a city like Seattle.
She chose pimple patches with the following product selection logic:
- Proven demand: Widely used in Korea, but few equivalents in the U.S.
- Mass appeal: Acne is common among teens and young adults.
- Low sampling cost: Each patch costs 1–2 cents, ideal for giveaways and market testing.
- High repeat purchase rate: Single-use format leads to consistent reordering.
02. Launching via Social Media
At Hui Creative, we’ve repeatedly shared this insight: while Amazon excels at generating sales, it’s not ideal for launching new products. Here’s why:
- New listings lack reviews, lowering conversion rates and increasing ad costs.
- A single early negative review can severely damage momentum.
- Competitors quickly notice and replicate rising listings, starting price wars.
- You can’t collect customer contact info or direct feedback.
In contrast, social media allows for low-cost testing, direct engagement, and feedback collection from interested users.
03. Amazon New Product Period = Social Media Fan Base
Amazon’s “honeymoon” period for new listings is all about conversion and order volume. Smart U.S. sellers build a fanbase in advance via social platforms, then notify them ahead of the launch—offering exclusive discounts through Amazon coupon codes.
04. Why Independent Sites Matter
Many ask: Will social media followers actually convert during the launch?
Not all, of course—but if your social account builds trust and engagement, the purchase intent is strong. Managing followers, however, requires more than chat groups—it involves email, SMS, landing pages, and automation tools.
That’s where a branded independent site becomes crucial. Even though such sites can’t match Amazon in traffic or conversions, they integrate all these tools into one seamless backend. In our recent live session, Hui Creative showcased how Mighty Patch’s independent site operates as a private traffic engine. You can replay the session via the “Hui Creative Club” mini program.
05. Amazon’s Role: Driving Explosive Sales
Once the above steps were complete, Mighty Patch launched on Amazon and asked its fans to order there, spreading the word. The brand ramped up ad spend while leveraging influencer buzz, organic orders, and ads to scale—hitting monthly sales milestones of 1 million, 400K, 100K, and 70K units for different SKUs.
06. Entering Offline Retail
After launching its DTC site in 2017 and seeing explosive Amazon growth, Mighty Patch began entering U.S. offline beauty chains like Anthropologie by 2018. In 2022, it was acquired for $630 million by Church & Dwight. Today, it’s widely stocked in retail chains across the U.S. and Canada.
Part 4: Key Takeaways for Amazon FBA Sellers
From launching in 2017 to a $630M USD exit in 2022, Mighty Patch’s story is not an exception in the U.S. market. Here are Hui Creative’s summarized takeaways:
- Product Selection: Don’t rely solely on competitor data—focus on actual market needs.
- Launch Channel: Use social media to introduce new products.
- Fan Engagement: Build and manage audiences via independent sites.
- Amazon Strategy: Use Amazon not as a test bed, but as a channel to scale.
- Exit Strategy: Build to sell—capitalize on brand equity and exit at the right time.
In today’s hypercompetitive landscape, operating a brand long-term is more challenging than ever. Once a product gains traction, it’s often targeted by both low-cost copycats and large competitors. For many sellers, a planned exit may be the wisest endgame.
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