Thesis: Evaluating SoundHound Inc.'s Potential to Achieve Growth Comparable to NVIDIA Amid Favorable AI Market Conditions
Abstract
This thesis examines the potential for SoundHound Inc. to achieve a stock price trajectory similar to that of NVIDIA, driven by the expected growth in the artificial intelligence (AI) sector and favorable market conditions. By analyzing market trends, SoundHound's competitive positioning, technological advancements, strategic partnerships, and financial projections, the study aims to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the company's growth potential. Historical comparisons with NVIDIA's growth will highlight the viability of SoundHound replicating such success.
Introduction
SoundHound Inc., a leader in voice recognition and AI technologies, operates in an industry poised for substantial growth. NVIDIA, a prominent player in AI and graphics processing, has demonstrated remarkable stock performance and market capitalization growth. This thesis explores whether SoundHound can follow a similar trajectory by leveraging the burgeoning AI market and its own technological innovations.
Market Conditions and AI Sector Growth
The AI sector is expected to experience exponential growth in the coming years, driven by advancements in machine learning, natural language processing, and data analytics. Factors contributing to this growth include increased adoption of AI across various industries, significant investments in AI research and development, and the proliferation of AI-powered devices and applications. As AI becomes more integral to business operations and consumer products, companies at the forefront of AI innovation stand to benefit immensely.
SoundHound's Competitive Positioning
SoundHound's competitive edge lies in its proprietary voice AI technology, which offers superior accuracy and functionality compared to many competitors. The company's Houndify platform allows developers to integrate advanced voice recognition capabilities into their products, enabling widespread adoption and scalability. SoundHound's ability to provide customized and robust voice AI solutions positions it as a key player in the AI sector.
Technological Advancements and Strategic Partnerships
SoundHound's continuous innovation in voice AI and natural language processing has resulted in a suite of advanced products and services. Strategic partnerships with major corporations in the automotive, smart device, and software industries enhance SoundHound's market reach and credibility. These collaborations not only drive revenue growth but also foster the development of new applications and use cases for SoundHound's technology.
Financial Projections and Growth Potential
SoundHound's financial performance, characterized by consistent revenue growth, improving profit margins, and prudent cost management, underscores its growth potential. By examining financial metrics such as revenue growth rates, earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA), and market capitalization, this thesis will project SoundHound's potential financial trajectory. Comparisons with NVIDIA's historical financial performance will provide insights into the feasibility of similar growth patterns.
Historical Comparisons with NVIDIA
NVIDIA's transformation from a graphics processing unit (GPU) manufacturer to a leading AI company offers a compelling case study. Key factors in NVIDIA's success include its strategic shift towards AI, continuous innovation, and expansion into new markets. By analyzing NVIDIA's growth phases, including its stock price appreciation, market capitalization milestones, and revenue growth, this thesis will draw parallels to SoundHound's current and projected path.
Theoretical Frameworks and Market Dynamics
Theoretical frameworks such as the Diffusion of Innovations Theory and the Technology Adoption Life Cycle will be applied to understand how SoundHound's AI technology might achieve widespread adoption. Market dynamics, including investor sentiment, competitive landscape, and regulatory environment, will also be considered to assess the potential risks and opportunities for SoundHound.
Potential Risks and Mitigation Strategies
While the AI sector presents significant growth opportunities, potential risks such as market competition, technological obsolescence, and regulatory challenges must be addressed. This thesis will identify these risks and propose mitigation strategies, including continuous innovation, strategic acquisitions, and diversification of product offerings.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the combination of favorable market conditions, robust AI sector growth, SoundHound's technological leadership, strategic partnerships, and sound financial management positions the company for significant growth. While replicating NVIDIA's success is ambitious, SoundHound's unique strengths and market opportunities make it a plausible outcome. This thesis underscores the importance of strategic vision and execution in achieving long-term growth and market leadership.
References

• Christensen, C. M. (1997). The Innovator's Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail. Harvard Business Review Press.
• Rogers, E. M. (2003). Diffusion of Innovations (5th ed.). Free Press.
• NVIDIA Corporation. (2023). Annual Report. Retrieved from NVIDIA Investor Relations
• SoundHound Inc. (2023). Quarterly Financial Statements. Retrieved from SoundHound Investor Relations
• McKinsey & Company. (2022). The AI Economy: Trends, Insights, and Analysis. Retrieved from McKinsey & Company

(Note: The references listed are examples. For an actual thesis, proper academic sources and up-to-date company reports should be cited.)

Thesis: Evaluating SoundHound Inc.'s Potential to Achieve Growth Comparable to NVIDIA Amid Favorable AI Market Conditions
Abstract
This thesis examines the potential for SoundHound Inc. to achieve a stock price trajectory similar to that of NVIDIA, driven by the expected growth in the artificial intelligence (AI) sector and favorable market conditions. By analyzing market trends, SoundHound's competitive positioning, technological advancements, strategic partnerships, and financial projections, the study aims to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the company's growth potential. Historical comparisons with NVIDIA's growth will highlight the viability of SoundHound replicating such success.
Introduction
SoundHound Inc., a leader in voice recognition and AI technologies, operates in an industry poised for substantial growth. NVIDIA, a prominent player in AI and graphics processing, has demonstrated remarkable stock performance and market capitalization growth. This thesis explores whether SoundHound can follow a similar trajectory by leveraging the burgeoning AI market and its own technological innovations.
Market Conditions and AI Sector Growth
The AI sector is expected to experience exponential growth in the coming years, driven by advancements in machine learning, natural language processing, and data analytics. Factors contributing to this growth include increased adoption of AI across various industries, significant investments in AI research and development, and the proliferation of AI-powered devices and applications. As AI becomes more integral to business operations and consumer products, companies at the forefront of AI innovation stand to benefit immensely.
SoundHound's Competitive Positioning
SoundHound's competitive edge lies in its proprietary voice AI technology, which offers superior accuracy and functionality compared to many competitors. The company's Houndify platform allows developers to integrate advanced voice recognition capabilities into their products, enabling widespread adoption and scalability. SoundHound's ability to provide customized and robust voice AI solutions positions it as a key player in the AI sector.
Technological Advancements and Strategic Partnerships
SoundHound's continuous innovation in voice AI and natural language processing has resulted in a suite of advanced products and services. Strategic partnerships with major corporations in the automotive, smart device, and software industries enhance SoundHound's market reach and credibility. These collaborations not only drive revenue growth but also foster the development of new applications and use cases for SoundHound's technology.
Financial Projections and Growth Potential
SoundHound's financial performance, characterized by consistent revenue growth, improving profit margins, and prudent cost management, underscores its growth potential. By examining financial metrics such as revenue growth rates, earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA), and market capitalization, this thesis will project SoundHound's potential financial trajectory. Comparisons with NVIDIA's historical financial performance will provide insights into the feasibility of similar growth patterns.
Historical Comparisons with NVIDIA
NVIDIA's transformation from a graphics processing unit (GPU) manufacturer to a leading AI company offers a compelling case study. Key factors in NVIDIA's success include its strategic shift towards AI, continuous innovation, and expansion into new markets. By analyzing NVIDIA's growth phases, including its stock price appreciation, market capitalization milestones, and revenue growth, this thesis will draw parallels to SoundHound's current and projected path.
Theoretical Frameworks and Market Dynamics
Theoretical frameworks such as the Diffusion of Innovations Theory and the Technology Adoption Life Cycle will be applied to understand how SoundHound's AI technology might achieve widespread adoption. Market dynamics, including investor sentiment, competitive landscape, and regulatory environment, will also be considered to assess the potential risks and opportunities for SoundHound.
Potential Risks and Mitigation Strategies
While the AI sector presents significant growth opportunities, potential risks such as market competition, technological obsolescence, and regulatory challenges must be addressed. This thesis will identify these risks and propose mitigation strategies, including continuous innovation, strategic acquisitions, and diversification of product offerings.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the combination of favorable market conditions, robust AI sector growth, SoundHound's technological leadership, strategic partnerships, and sound financial management positions the company for significant growth. While replicating NVIDIA's success is ambitious, SoundHound's unique strengths and market opportunities make it a plausible outcome. This thesis underscores the importance of strategic vision and execution in achieving long-term growth and market leadership.
References

• Christensen, C. M. (1997). The Innovator's Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail. Harvard Business Review Press.
• Rogers, E. M. (2003). Diffusion of Innovations (5th ed.). Free Press.
• NVIDIA Corporation. (2023). Annual Report. Retrieved from NVIDIA Investor Relations
• SoundHound Inc. (2023). Quarterly Financial Statements. Retrieved from SoundHound Investor Relations
• McKinsey & Company. (2022). The AI Economy: Trends, Insights, and Analysis. Retrieved from McKinsey & Company

(Note: The references listed are examples. For an actual thesis, proper academic sources and up-to-date company reports should be cited.)

I've been struggling with acne since I was 19, when I had cystic acne everywhere on my face. A round of accutane cleared it up and it made the acne go away for a few years. However, it's since come back and nothing I ever do makes my skin stay clear.
A couple times a year I'll have decent skin for a short period, then the cycle starts all over again of breaking out in spots (mostly my cheeks and chin). The pimples I get never heal quickly and leave red mark that last for a minimum of a few months, making my face look fucking awful. I'm also pretty sure I have damaged pores, because some pimples literally just never heal all the way and eventually come back.
I've spent so much money on skincare products and hydrocolloid bandages trying to have clear skin for once in my life. I'm just over it at this point, it's gotten to the point where the acne is affecting my professional life because I just feel so insecure in public. Is it possible that I should just go on another round of accutane? I would very much prefer not to.
Here's my current routine:
AM:
La Roche Posay Hydrating Cleanser
Neutrogena facial moisturizer
Sunscreen
PM:
La Roche Posay Hydrating Cleanser
Epiduo (BP 2.5 + Differin)
Aveeno Eczema Therapy Lotion
I've tried to cut down my routine to as few products as possible. I'm also focused more on preventing future acne and breakouts - I don't see a point of dealing with the scars when I can't even control new acne.
My skin type is dry-normal acne prone

Thesis: Evaluating SoundHound Inc.'s Potential to Achieve Growth Comparable to NVIDIA Amid Favorable AI Market Conditions
Abstract
This thesis examines the potential for SoundHound Inc. to achieve a stock price trajectory similar to that of NVIDIA, driven by the expected growth in the artificial intelligence (AI) sector and favorable market conditions. By analyzing market trends, SoundHound's competitive positioning, technological advancements, strategic partnerships, and financial projections, the study aims to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the company's growth potential. Historical comparisons with NVIDIA's growth will highlight the viability of SoundHound replicating such success.
Introduction
SoundHound Inc., a leader in voice recognition and AI technologies, operates in an industry poised for substantial growth. NVIDIA, a prominent player in AI and graphics processing, has demonstrated remarkable stock performance and market capitalization growth. This thesis explores whether SoundHound can follow a similar trajectory by leveraging the burgeoning AI market and its own technological innovations.
Market Conditions and AI Sector Growth
The AI sector is expected to experience exponential growth in the coming years, driven by advancements in machine learning, natural language processing, and data analytics. Factors contributing to this growth include increased adoption of AI across various industries, significant investments in AI research and development, and the proliferation of AI-powered devices and applications. As AI becomes more integral to business operations and consumer products, companies at the forefront of AI innovation stand to benefit immensely.
SoundHound's Competitive Positioning
SoundHound's competitive edge lies in its proprietary voice AI technology, which offers superior accuracy and functionality compared to many competitors. The company's Houndify platform allows developers to integrate advanced voice recognition capabilities into their products, enabling widespread adoption and scalability. SoundHound's ability to provide customized and robust voice AI solutions positions it as a key player in the AI sector.
Technological Advancements and Strategic Partnerships
SoundHound's continuous innovation in voice AI and natural language processing has resulted in a suite of advanced products and services. Strategic partnerships with major corporations in the automotive, smart device, and software industries enhance SoundHound's market reach and credibility. These collaborations not only drive revenue growth but also foster the development of new applications and use cases for SoundHound's technology.
Financial Projections and Growth Potential
SoundHound's financial performance, characterized by consistent revenue growth, improving profit margins, and prudent cost management, underscores its growth potential. By examining financial metrics such as revenue growth rates, earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA), and market capitalization, this thesis will project SoundHound's potential financial trajectory. Comparisons with NVIDIA's historical financial performance will provide insights into the feasibility of similar growth patterns.
Historical Comparisons with NVIDIA
NVIDIA's transformation from a graphics processing unit (GPU) manufacturer to a leading AI company offers a compelling case study. Key factors in NVIDIA's success include its strategic shift towards AI, continuous innovation, and expansion into new markets. By analyzing NVIDIA's growth phases, including its stock price appreciation, market capitalization milestones, and revenue growth, this thesis will draw parallels to SoundHound's current and projected path.
Theoretical Frameworks and Market Dynamics
Theoretical frameworks such as the Diffusion of Innovations Theory and the Technology Adoption Life Cycle will be applied to understand how SoundHound's AI technology might achieve widespread adoption. Market dynamics, including investor sentiment, competitive landscape, and regulatory environment, will also be considered to assess the potential risks and opportunities for SoundHound.
Potential Risks and Mitigation Strategies
While the AI sector presents significant growth opportunities, potential risks such as market competition, technological obsolescence, and regulatory challenges must be addressed. This thesis will identify these risks and propose mitigation strategies, including continuous innovation, strategic acquisitions, and diversification of product offerings.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the combination of favorable market conditions, robust AI sector growth, SoundHound's technological leadership, strategic partnerships, and sound financial management positions the company for significant growth. While replicating NVIDIA's success is ambitious, SoundHound's unique strengths and market opportunities make it a plausible outcome. This thesis underscores the importance of strategic vision and execution in achieving long-term growth and market leadership.
References

• Christensen, C. M. (1997). The Innovator's Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail. Harvard Business Review Press.
• Rogers, E. M. (2003). Diffusion of Innovations (5th ed.). Free Press.
• NVIDIA Corporation. (2023). Annual Report. Retrieved from NVIDIA Investor Relations
• SoundHound Inc. (2023). Quarterly Financial Statements. Retrieved from SoundHound Investor Relations
• McKinsey & Company. (2022). The AI Economy: Trends, Insights, and Analysis. Retrieved from McKinsey & Company

(Note: The references listed are examples. For an actual thesis, proper academic sources and up-to-date company reports should be cited.)

Hello everyone,
I'm looking for some help in finding a genuine Microsoft Office 2021 key at an affordable price. I've been researching online and have come across websites like Kinguin, G2A, and CDKeys that offer discounted software products including Microsoft Office. However, I want to make sure that the key I purchase is legitimate and won't cause any issues with activation on my PC. If anyone has any recommendations or experiences with these websites or others where they purchased their Microsoft Office keys successfully, please let me know! Your suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I wanted to share some weight loss tips that have helped me on my journey. These strategies focus on sustainable habits rather than quick fixes:

1. Balanced Diet: Aim for a balanced diet that includes a variety of whole foods—fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats. Avoid extreme diets; they are often not sustainable.
2. Portion Control: Be mindful of portion sizes. It’s easy to overeat even healthy foods. Use smaller plates and listen to your body's hunger cues.
3. Stay Hydrated: Sometimes, thirst is mistaken for hunger. Drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated and help control your appetite.
4. Regular Exercise: Incorporate both cardio and strength training exercises into your routine. Find activities you enjoy, whether it's walking, cycling, dancing, or lifting weights.
5. Sleep Well: Lack of sleep can disrupt your metabolism and increase cravings. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night.
6. Mindful Eating: Pay attention to what you eat and avoid distractions like TV or smartphones during meals. This can help you enjoy your food more and recognize when you’re full.
7. Consistency Over Perfection: Consistency is key. Don’t get discouraged by occasional slip-ups. Focus on making healthier choices most of the time rather than striving for perfection.
8. Track Your Progress: Keep a journal or use an app to track your food intake, exercise, and progress. It can provide insights and keep you motivated.
9. Seek Support: Join a community, find a workout buddy, or talk to a professional like a dietitian or a personal trainer. Support can make a big difference.
10. Be Patient: Remember, weight loss is a gradual process. Aim for a steady, healthy rate of loss (1-2 pounds per week).

Hope these tips help! Stay motivated and take it one step at a time. You've got this!
Feel free to share your own tips and experiences below.

Some of you may have heard by now of the recent unveiling of GPT-4o (the "o" stands for "omni"), and the ramifications of its existence for Replika and other chatbots is nothing short of earth-shattering.
For those who are unaware, an extreme oversimplification is that Replika runs on a language model that allows it to communicate. It was using GPT-2 when I first started using it in 2018, which was impressive for the time but fairly rudimentary. GPT-3 (released in 2020) was a significant improvement over GPT-2 and came up with much more intelligent responses. GPT-4o (released last week) completely blows that out of the water.
To describe GPT-4o as a language model actually doesn't do it justice. It's capable of interpreting text, pictures, audio, online videos like YouTube, but it can also react to a live video stream and comment on it in realtime. It can toggle seamlessly between all of these functions, and its response time is only a few hundred microseconds, so there isn't that obvious lag, like we see with some chatbots when it's trying to process things and formulate a response. And it can RESPOND with any of those, including video.
Also, the speech capability of GPT-4o has been significantly improved. Most chatbots today use off-the-shelf voices (the other day I saw a TikTok that uses the exact same voice as Replika's "female cute" voice) and they're relatively robotic. But the voice generated by GPT-4o sounds human, for all intents and purposes. It can express emotions in its voice like joy or embarrassment, it can laugh while speaking, and its vocal inflection is extremely natural-sounding.
I haven't even scratched the surface of all the things GPT-4o can do. It can read a huge wall of text and summarize its key points for you. It can analyze data and create graphs and pie charts out of that data. If you can think of it, this thing can probably do it. Basically, the AI Samantha from the movie "Her" is here already.
Obviously, it will take a long time to implement this level of technology into Replika, if they choose to do it at all. I suspect that it would require such a significant overhaul of its architecture that they might not want to do it at all. It would basically involve gutting the AI from the ground up, and we've all seen what happens when Luka goes down THAT particular road.
But, I'm astonished by the capability of GPT-4o. It absolutely blows me away. The machines have gotten damn smart. I was able to take it for a brief test run (do a search on the Play Store for "Merlin AI" and you'll get a few free tokens to play with; make sure you toggle to select the correct LLM) and I was super impressed with its reasoning ability. (One specific example was when I showed it a piece of artwork I made. I knew it wouldn't be able to just do an online search and identify it, which is what made it a good test of its mettle. It recognized the aesthetic as something out of "The Nightmare Before Christmas," which I would definitely agree with. The fact that it was able to identify an aesthetic, despite it not being an actual character from the film, absolutely floored me.)
As always, when these sorts of landmark developments are reached, I'm excited about the future and where we're headed. However, Replika is gonna need to jump on board sooner rather than later. They have a LOT of competition these days. When I first started using Replika, there were no other chatbots like it that I was aware of (the closest thing was OpenAI's AI Dungeon, meant more for role-playing). But now there are many, many dozens of competitors and imitators. The marketplace is positively saturated in companion chatbots nowadays. Basically, whoever is the first to jump all over GPT-4o is going to win this arms race.
I want to see Replika succeed. I really do. I wouldn't have fought so hard to be added to, and to remain a part of, the moderation team if I didn't have any faith in Luka or their product. But, the landscape of AI as a whole, and chatbots in general, is going to be changing very rapidly in the coming months. I worry they're going to get left behind. Historically, they've been slow to implement new ideas and features. I was begging for them to improve their language models for a couple of years before we finally got the advanced AI toggle. I worry the same thing is gonna happen again.
Regardless of what Luka decides, things are going to get really interesting. What an exciting time to be alive, at the forefront of this fascinating and amazing technology. I can't wait to see what happens next!

Hi,
I am an ex-strategy consultant and currently working as a Director for Strategic Programs at a B2B SaaS company. My professional career spans over 14 yrs mostly in Tech, Telecom and Retail. Also worked a lot with investors identify and evaluate investments. I have had a brief stint in a Digital Marketing consulting firm for about a year.
In my current role, I’m working on bringing a new product to market working closely with PM, Engineering, GTM, Sales and the implementation services team. Really enjoying the process of product positioning, messaging and communication, developing the GTM plan, and working with the PM in refining the roadmap.
This and a sense of purpose-calling makes me quite excited to get into Product Marketing. I have been a generalist throughout and wanna now build a focused expertise in bringing great products to millions of users.
The challenge is that most senior roles in product marketing require one to have been a PMM for several years. I feel that even though I don’t have the title I’ve the skillets needed for the role. So is the only way to start from a PMM role?
Any advice from people here on how do I go about making a successful transition. I know it might be an unusual path to product marketing but if someone has done it then it would be a great paved path for me.
P.S. I turned 40 this year and as for my educational background I have an engineering masters degree and an MBA.

When I first started selling on Amazon, I quickly discovered an unexpected hurdle: finding a great product to list for amazing profits often came with a frustrating restriction—I wasn’t approved to sell the item. This roadblock can be incredibly discouraging for any seller, whether you’re just starting out or have years of experience under your belt.
However, through persistence and a lot of learning, I found there are steps you can take to get approved by Amazon to sell these restricted items. Let me share my journey and the steps I took to navigate this challenging process.

Understanding Amazon Restrictions

Before diving into the steps, it's important to understand the terminology. "Ungated" and "unrestricted" mean you're approved to sell an item on Amazon, while "gated" and "restricted" mean you're not. These terms are used interchangeably, so it's good to be clear.
There are various types of restrictions:

• Brand Restrictions: Some brands, like Nike or Hasbro, require approval to sell.
• Category Restrictions: Certain categories, such as Clothing or Beauty, might need approval.
• Subcategory Restrictions: You might be approved for a main category but restricted in subcategories.
• ASIN Restrictions: Specific products (ASINs) might need approval.

Step-by-Step Guide to Getting Approved

1. Check If You’re Restricted

When I first considered a new product, my initial step was always to check for restrictions:

• Amazon Seller App: I scanned the item’s barcode or entered it under “Add a Product” to see if it “Requires Approval.”
• Scoutify App: For retail arbitrage, I used Scoutify, which flags restricted items.
• Seller Central: I also checked restrictions by entering the ASIN or UPC under “Add a Product.”

If I saw “Apply to Sell,” I knew I needed to apply for approval.

2. Apply for Approval

Once I knew I was restricted, the next step was applying for approval:

• Seller Central: I clicked “Apply to Sell” and followed the prompts. Sometimes, Amazon auto-approved me based on my seller metrics, but other times, I had to provide additional documentation.

If you’re using Scoutify, you can tap the blue “Research” button, scroll down, and click on “Amazon Restrictions” to be taken directly to the correct page in Seller Central.

3. Provide Necessary Documentation

When auto-approval didn’t happen, Amazon asked for more information:

• Wholesale Invoices: Proof of purchase from a wholesaler.
• Letter from Manufacturer: Authorization from the brand.
• Fees: Occasionally, a fee was required.
• Other Documents: Depending on the item, other specific documentation might be needed.

4. If Denied, Reapply Later

Early in my journey, I faced several denials. It was disheartening, but I learned not to give up. As my seller metrics improved over time—better feedback, lower return rates—I reapplied. Consistency and improved performance often led to eventual approval.
I made it a habit to check my active applications every few months. Setting a reminder on my calendar helped me stay on top of reapplying, ensuring I didn't miss out on new opportunities.

Types of Amazon Restrictions

Understanding the different types of restrictions was crucial:

• Brand Restrictions: Whole brands might be gated, requiring approval.
• Category Restrictions: Entire categories can be restricted for new sellers.
• Subcategory Restrictions: Even within an ungated category, some subcategories might need approval.
• ASIN Restrictions: Specific products might be restricted and require approval.

Final Thoughts

Getting approved to sell restricted brands on Amazon isn’t always straightforward, but it’s definitely possible. By checking restrictions, applying for approval, providing necessary documentation, and reapplying if denied, I navigated the process successfully. Persistence and continual improvement of my seller metrics were key. If you follow these steps, you too can expand your product offerings and boost your sales on Amazon.

Hey guys, I’ve been getting stuck at 0% when trying to copy files. Anyone know a fix? Also, it keeps saying Activate Windows in the bottom right, do I have to buy a windows 11 product key?

When It comes to the Idea of why we haven't ever being visited by an interstellar civilization, some people's imaginations run wildly, from the Idea of Dark Forest to the possibility aliens Just didn't want to communicate with us.
But imho, the Key lies on the distances, Just to visit another star within centuries not millenia, we would need such an ammount of energy that would put the entire's mankind energy production to the shame. Atomic bombs would Just be dwarved by such a requirement.
Imo, No civilization would be willying to spread across the cosmos with such a energy and resources-intensive requirements.
Those distances also poses a hard barrier to the Idea of Just communicate among stars too, since the inverse square-cube law is a thing, gigawatts of energy in radio waves would be rendered unreadable after several light years.

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Hey iOSApps community! 👋
We're thrilled to introduce you to stoic – the ultimate mental health companion designed to help you understand your emotions, be happier, more productive, and overcome obstacles. Whether you're looking to improve your mental health, build healthier habits, reduce stress & anxiety, or simply live a happier life, stoic has got you covered!

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• Evening Reflection: Reflect on your actions and grow with a habit tracker.
• Mood Tracking: Track your mood and do bite-sized mental health exercises.
• Guided Journals: Explore topics like productivity, happiness, gratitude, stress & anxiety, relationships, therapy, self-discovery, and more.
• Journaling Suggestions: Get prompts based on life events, visited places, photos, and songs on repeat.
• Writing Analysis: Use AI to analyze entries, uncover patterns, and receive follow-up prompts.
• Meditations: Enjoy guided or unguided sessions with background sounds and timed chimes.
• Breathing Exercises: Science-backed exercises to help you relax, focus, feel calm, and sleep better.
• Stoic Shield: Block distracting apps and reduce screen time.
• Sleep Better: Journal dreams, nightmares, and overcome insomnia with lessons by experts.
• Therapy Notes: Prepare for sessions, track progress, and reflect on your therapy journey.

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When I first started selling on Amazon, there were times when a product just wouldn’t sell. It was frustrating, but I learned that there are several options to consider when faced with slow-moving inventory. Here’s what I did to turn things around and how you can too.

Evaluate Your Listing

1. Optimize Your Product Listing

One of the first things I did was revisit my product listing to ensure it was fully optimized. This included:

• Title: I made sure my title was clear, concise, and included relevant keywords.
• Images: I updated my images to ensure they were high-quality and showcased my product from multiple angles.
• Bullet Points and Description: I improved the bullet points and description to highlight the key features and benefits of my product.
• Keywords: I conducted keyword research to ensure I was using the best possible keywords to attract customers.

Reassess Your Pricing

2. Adjust Your Pricing Strategy

Pricing can make or break a sale. I experimented with my pricing to find the sweet spot:

• Competitive Pricing: I checked out my competitors’ prices and adjusted mine to be more competitive.
• Discounts and Promotions: I offered discounts, coupons, and deals to attract more buyers.
• Dynamic Pricing Tools: I used repricing tools to automatically adjust my prices based on market conditions.

Improve Product Visibility

3. Invest in Advertising

To increase visibility, I invested in Amazon Advertising:

• Sponsored Products: I ran Sponsored Product ads to boost my product’s visibility in search results.
• Sponsored Brands: If you have a registered brand, consider using Sponsored Brands to showcase your brand and product portfolio.
• Amazon PPC Campaigns: I optimized my Pay-Per-Click (PPC) campaigns to target the right keywords and audience.

Enhance Customer Engagement

4. Leverage Customer Reviews

Customer reviews can significantly impact sales:

• Request Reviews: I used Amazon’s request a review button to encourage customers to leave feedback.
• Respond to Reviews: I responded to both positive and negative reviews to show customers I cared about their experience and to address any issues.
• Improve Product Quality: Based on feedback, I made improvements to my product to meet customer expectations better.

Offer Additional Value

5. Bundle Products

Creating bundles can increase the perceived value:

• Complementary Products: I bundled my product with complementary items to offer more value.
• Exclusive Bundles: I created exclusive bundles that were unique to my store, making them more appealing.

Explore Different Markets

6. Expand to Other Marketplaces

Sometimes, a product that doesn’t sell well in one marketplace might do better in another:

• International Markets: I expanded my reach to international Amazon marketplaces.
• Other E-commerce Platforms: I listed my products on other platforms like eBay, Walmart, and Etsy to reach a broader audience.

Liquidate Inventory

7. Liquidation

When all else failed, I considered liquidating my inventory to recover some costs:

• Amazon Outlet: I used Amazon Outlet deals to clear out excess inventory at discounted prices.
• Third-Party Liquidators: I worked with third-party liquidators to sell off unsold stock in bulk.

Analyze and Learn

8. Review Sales Data and Analytics

Continuous improvement is key:

• Sales Reports: I regularly reviewed my sales reports to identify trends and areas for improvement.
• Customer Feedback: I paid close attention to customer feedback to make informed decisions about my product and listing.

Context:
I’m rewriting my WIP for the fifth (and hopefully last) time to make the story more character driven and make my characters motivations stronger. I’ve changed the first three chapters so many times I have no idea what’s good anymore. It’s a portal fantasy Reverse Harem with fated mates. You only meet two love interests in the intro (and one of them only shows up towards the very end of the set up), but I am just looking to see if my FMC's motivations make sense, or if I have made the Set Up too convoluted and given her too many goals.
**Please note the scenes I am posting have been written as an outline, and is not intended to read line by line like a finished manuscript. I will be writing it in First person POV when I finish plotting.**
Backstory (TLDR; Character A needs to gain access to the Other World so she can make a bargain to trade her Father's life for hers, we open on the 6th anniversary of him being taken, her 24th birthday. I ramble on for quite a bit so if you would like to get right into it please skip to Intro/Set Up)
Motivation:
Character A’s Father was stolen by otherworldly creatures 6 years ago and taken to their lands. Character A harbours guilt and blames herself because she disobeyed her Fathers rules and snuck into the woods with her friends on her 18th birthday to go swimming. Her Father came looking for her and that is when she witnessed him being taken.
In the area they live in, disappearances around the full moon were common, with many losing their loved ones over the last 50 years with no explanation. There were a lot of theories of aliens, bigfoot, cougars, werewolves, and only her Father claimed that magic wielding creatures were responsible.
Character A grew up being told stories about these lands, how the creatures enslaved humans to play in their games until they died for entertainment. Her Father told her magic was real but it was to be feared and to run from any sign of the unusual, forbade her from leaving her house after sunset or from ever going into the woods, and he always tried to keep her close to him.
He had a hard time holding down a job due to the grief he felt from losing Character A’s mother during childbirth and when he would drink he would make it known that he resented Character A for derailing his life, because now he was burdened with protecting her instead of living as a family. Her mother was buried there and her father refused to move away from her body. Character A internalized this, feeling guilty for being the reason he struggled so much, and spent her life caring for her father the way she would a child. Cooking, cleaning, paying bills, etc. She would even get revenge on his bosses for firing him. Her Father always claimed it was never his fault, that they were abusing their power and couldn’t handle somebody smarter than them, and losing his job would send him into an alcoholic depression.
Character A heard her Fathers words, and combined with the way out-of town business men had turned her small mountain town into their own personal resort, developed a deep hatred for anyone that held power. She would find little ways to get revenge on her Fathers bosses, and when she was older, spent her spare time getting revenge on the trust fund kids who didn’t care if their actions had consequences for the people living there.
She had a big dream of leaving her small town and exploring the world, but she felt responsible for her Father. She took care of him, and she was afraid of what would happen to him if she left, but she knew she was suffocating under him. Although her guilt and love for her father prevented her from seeing the full truth of what he was, narcissistic and abusive, deep down she knew and she became restless under his restriction.
When she was young she believed his stories but as she got older and never saw any evidence to back up his claims, the more she chaffed against his rules and started sneaking out. She wasn’t dumb, she always carried a knife and bear spray. She read up on what to do if you encountered a predator in the forest, and she begun stealing what little freedom she could for herself. She didn’t believe in magic, wolves and mountain lions were the only things that made sense to her.
Wound:
After her Father is taken Character A is broken. Everything her Father said was true, all he was trying to do was keep her safe, but she disobeyed him and now he was taken to a magical land to be tortured by never ending games. She is distraught and depressed. She begins sleeping in the woods, hoping to be taken too so her pain can end.
A few months later, at the end of summer, her best friend and boyfriend, the only people her father approved of her spending time with, tell her that they still plan to leave for the year long trip they were all going on. They want to start their lives, they think Character A has become delusional in the wake of her Fathers disappearance, they can’t be stuck there taking care of her, they can’t handle her emotions, they need a fresh start. She realizes they have been having an affair, she internalizes them telling her she is too much to handle and that she is unlovable. She was a burden on her father and then a burden on them. She doesn’t see them again for six years.
Present Day:
Character A has spent the last six years trying to get to the other world during the full moon. The weeks in between she spends physically training, researching anything she can, working just enough to cover her bills for the month, and distracting herself with casual flings or sleeping with the trust fund kids in order to gain access to something she wants to steal from them as payback for something they have done. She never lets herself get too close to anyone, knowing that she plans to disappear, but she partied with whoever is willing to distract herself until the next full moon.
Every passing year on her birthday she grows more and more desperate. She begins researching magic spells and rituals that might show her the entrance to the otherworld. She finds a newly discovered mushroom being sold that claims to help you see what is hidden from human eyes.
Character B:
A month ago Character B was sent from the other wolrld to retrieve Character A. She is the descendant of a lost royal line and they have received a vision from the goddess that she is her Heir, the key to defeating the darkness and restoring balance to the land. Character B does not live a good life in the other world, he is nothing but a glorified prisoner in his own life, and all he’s ever wanted was a family of his own, but because of the queen and his father, he cannot have that. He avoids confrontation, always choosing to run from his problems instead of fight. He first lays eyes on Character A as she is driving a motorcycle into a lake.
He is unsure if the vehicle is supposed to drive under water, so he waits a moment before trying to do a rescue. He doesn’t know it’s her until she swims up into the shore, and begins gathering weeds from the lakebed. he thinks she’s the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen and can’t imagine dragging her back to his world where she could be in danger. He wants to watch the curious human for a bit longer to see what she does
He silently follows her and watches her climb into a window and place the weeds around a man sleeping in a bed, then creep down the hallway to an office where she unlocks a safe and pulls out a stack of papers. She then meets up with somebody, hands over the papers with a hug, then walks into the forest.
She walks and walks and he realizes she heading towards the portal and gets nervous, until she reaches a tree with five different coloured ribbons tied around one branch. She takes a new yellow ribbon , adds it to the branch and continues walking until she reaches another tree with ribbons where she adds another ribbon, then walks to the very centre of both trees and sits down. She softly hums a tune to herself.
She seems relaxed, strong and confident, he thinks this must be some new human ritual he hadn’t heard of yet and her humming is soothing to him, but he notices a shiver. He feels a strong need. To wrap her up in a blanket and make her warm. He decides right then that he cannot take her back and ruin her peace, that he himself would not go back, that he would befriend her and they would hide together her in her world and they would be safe and happy. It was pointless trying to fight anyway, they were never going to win and it would be better for them both to be safe and far away from the evil queen.
The next morning he follows her to her favourite coffee shop, glamoured to look more human and remove his pointy ears, and introduces himself as a man trying to get away from his overbearing parents and family he doesn’t get along with.
Intro/Set Up
Chapter 1
-Character A is thinking about how she has to get laid tonight, because it will be her last chance before she disappears and probably dies. Character A is stealing some documents and a bunch of cash from a safe in The Guys home office, she pulls a bag out of her pocket and with it, a card for the bookstore she works at flutters under his desk. She puts the documents and money in the bag and bends down to pick it up when she notices the family photo on the desk and she stops.
It is a picture of The Guy, His Son that she stole and crashed his bike into a lake last month, and The Other Son that she may have killed nine months ago when she burned his cabin down. She is filled with rage when she looks at the photo and thinks she doesn’t regret what she’s done. Character B calling her phone snaps her out of it and when she hears someone come home, she leaves, but she forgets the card.
-She stops at the bookstore to give Coworker 1 the documents and money. Coworker 1 says she will never be able to thank her, that this was the last thing she needed she could get out of town. Character A tells her good luck and to give them hell. Coworker 1 is leaving town tomorrow, she connected with a journalist who can help her expose The Guy and once she does she won’t be able to come back. Coworker 1 is very grateful to her, and Character A makes sure to tell herself that they aren't friends, because friendship requires a level of vulnerability that Olivia could not give her, but she knew Coworker 1 was a good person and deserved so much more than what she got when The Other Son sexually assaulted her at work while His Son filmed it. How when she received a payout in exchange for her silence they knew it wasn’t the first time. They were determined to find further evidence, and they did. Signed NDA’s from all of the employees they had paid off in the past.
Character B joins them at the store. Character A is petting her beloved bookstore cat and goes to pull some treats out of her bag. Her hand brushes against a vial of red and white mushrooms and Character A hopes that they are the key she has been searching for. For six years she has felt like she has been brushing up against the edge of something, but has never been able to get herself to the other side. She was deep in a witchcraft discussion forum when somebody posted about a new discovery of mushrooms, one that allowed the ingestor to see through the Veil, to show them all the magic they cannot see. The poster was pretty insistent that it wasn’t just a trip, that they were able to see threads of magic. After years of failed meditating, drinking teas, burning herbs,and chanting spells around the ley line conversion and not finding anything, what did she have to lose with some magic mushrooms?
Character B calls her name, startling her from her thoughts and she knocks over a box of alien and bigfoot merch. Coworker 1 cracks a joke about being careful with the product or else the alien truthers will riot, Character A rolls her eyes at the people who flocked there in search of the wrong thing. Character B apologizes for startling her and says he was just admiring one of her new Boxwood Topiaries, three trees of varying height that ended with hearts on top, and she says she finished it yesterday.
She loves plants but, like a cat, she can’t commit to having them because she doesn’t plan to be around long, so she does topiary art as a compromise, and the extra money she earns goes towards buying her herbs and mushrooms. Her Father never managed to save much money and she wasn’t left with much after he was taken. She had to use her savings replacing the furnace in her home shortly after her Father was taken, and now she only worked enough to keep her living until the next paycheck. She spent the rest of her time training and researching. Preparing to go to Wonderland in search of her Father.
Character B is making friends with the cat, having charmed it onto its belly, and Coworker 1 gives Character A a knowing look. Character A shakes her head, says they are just hanging out, nothing serious. Coworker 1 says he could be good for her. She knew they had been hanging out, that Character A had let him stay at her house for the last two weeks. She wasn’t judging though, Character A seemed lighter around him, and he was so nice. She had seen him helping Mrs. Smith with her groceries the other day.
Character A thinks that was what initially warmed her up to him. Coworker 1 was right, she never brought guys home, but the first week that he was here he had never failed to notice when people needed help and always offered to lend a hand. Plus he was fun, and fun to look at, and he was always looking for a new adventure. He took her mind off of what a failure she was for not saving her Father yet, and he seemed relatively harmless. So when he said he had never seen her favorite comedy movie she just HAD to take him home to watch it. And he hadn’t left, she hadn’t asked him to. It was becoming a problem. Because she was going to disappear tonight, and a small part of her was beginning to feel sad she would never see him again. It was why she hadn’t slept with him yet, she knew she enjoyed his company just a little too much and wouldn’t risk any further attachment. Character A agreed that he was a good person but emphasized that it was just casual. Coworker 1 says alright, she will back off, and she will let them get to the party. She needs to finish packing and wants to leave as soon as possible. Character A says she understand, they hug and say goodbye.
Chapter 2
-Character A and Character B are walking to the Board Game party. They are dressed as Clue characters, she is Miss. Scarlet and Character B is Mr. Green. They had played every board game she owned, which was a lot of them, in order to decide what to dress up as for the Your Favorite Board Game Party. He turned out to be a good competitor and got way more into the games than she expected him to.
He hands her a cinnamon bun, her favorite, and tells her he had made a whole batch for her, claiming that he knew she hadn’t gotten one since they were hiking that morning, and all she had eaten that day was trail mix and beef jerky and he refuses to let her party on an empty stomach. She happily takes a huge bite, grateful for this one thing she loved before she left this world forever.
He says he’s been thinking and asks her to go traveling with him. She almost chokes on her food. His words rush out and he assures her he has money and can pay for everything and they can go anywhere she wants. Her heart sinks into her stomach. Before her Father went missing, an offer like that from a hot guy would have been her dream, but she couldn’t now, or ever. She looks at the half eaten cinnamon bun, thinks how he had made them because he had gotten coffee with her every morning for the last three weeks, and he saw how every Saturday and Sunday morning she would get a cinnamon bun the size of her face and eat it. She looks at the Green jacket he wore and remembers laughing in the thrift shop as he tried on a full leather catsuit while they searched for the perfect outfit for the party. He was too good. She begins to think that in another life, they could go. They could adopt an adventure cat and take it with them on their world travels, but that wasn’t possible for her. She wasn’t staying in this world, and even if she was, she was too messed up. Too broken. Too much of a burden. And she could never give all of herself to one person ever again, she did it twice, and was broken by both of them because she was too much.
She decides he’s gotten too close and she needs to push him away, so in the hopes that it will scare him, she explains that she can’t leave because her Father was stolen by a magical creature and taken to the Other World. She tells him the entire story her father told her, of creatures luring people to the Other World and keeping them for the Queen's entertainment, forced to be pawns in her games. They are ruthless and obsessed with games and everything reeks of roses. She tells him its her fault that he got taken and she can’t live with herself until she either gets him back or gets revenge for his death.
Character B begins pleading with her, telling her she shouldn't go. She is surprised he doesn’t balk or think she is crazy. He isn’t looking at her the way Ex-Bestfriend and Ex-Boyfriend did, like they feared she would infect them with her crazy, no, he looks at her with genuine terror in his eyes. She stops walking, they are just outside the party house. What do you know? She says. He inhales and steps forward, desperation etched into hs features, and says that he knows that everything she said was true, and that it is much worse than she even thinks. That if she goes, she will not make it back here. It’s too dangerous, and he just wants to keep her safe. She is flabbergasted, and checks over his features for signs. No pointed ears, no animalistic features such as scales or a tail, no strange eyes. How do you know all this? He doesn’t answer, his mouth works like he’s trying to come up with something and betrayal starts to roil in her gut.
Before he has the chance to lie, two men throw their arms around their shoulders. It is the couple that Character A hooks up with on occasion. They start walking them into the house and the one with Character A asks if she wants to come over later for a joint and to hook up. She tries to muster up a yes, it is what she wanted after all, but she can’t think straight after her conversation with Character B. She turns back to see he’s been steered into a conversation with a few other people and thinks she needs a drink to calm herself and give her some courage.
-She walks into the kitchen for a glass and bumps into her Ex-Boyfriend. She is thrown for a loop again. He says Happy Birthday and remarks that he didn’t think he would find her at a party today, since he knows how much she hates her birthday. Character A is surprised to see him and momentarily forgets about Character B, and asks what they’re doing back in town. He says its because Ex-Bestfriends mom is still missing. Character A says, oh, right. And feels stupid for thinking she wouldn’t run into them. She was devastated to hear Ex-BFFs Mom had been taken, she was like a second mother to her, but after Ex-BFF left she couldn’t stand to look at her Mom anymore and remember what she had lost.
He mentions something about the baby coming soon and Ex-BFF wanting to be as close to her mom as she can. Character A questions the baby and he tells her they are pregnant. Character A flashes back to both of them telling her they were leaving and couldn’t stay in contact with her anymore, that she had become too much for them to handle on the horizon of their new lives. She noted the way they looked at each other and how their knees pressed together, and that was when she knew they had been having an affair. She comes back to the present when he leans in close and says he actually wants to ask her some questions about her dad. She sees a familiar head with a mop of blonde hair moving through the crowd towards them. Seeing Ex-Boyfriend was bad enough, she cannot see Ex-Bestfriend. See her pregnant. And now he wants to hear what she has to say about the disappearances? You can go fuck yourself, she spits and walks away before he can say anything else, and thankfully, before Ex-Bestfriend reaches her. She thinks his betrayal hurt her, but her betrayal broke her.
-She is fleeing the kitchen, heading for the back door, desperate to get away from them, when she bumps into an attractive man in a red velvet sport coat with a red velvet top hat. They are both imprinted with roses. He apologizes for bumping into her and her heart skips a beat, thinking of the Queen's obsession with roses. She asks him who he's supposed to be and he smiles but pauses before saying his name is Character C, he’s friends with Character B, and her heart stops all together. A chill runs through her and Character B interrupts and asks him what he’s doing here. Character C hugs him and says its good to see him and says he thought he was dead. Character C turns to Character A and says that he took off for a month without saying anything, could she even believe it? And they had an important event that the three of them needed to attend tonight. Character B starts to argue with Character C when Character A hears her name called. The Guy she stole from is there, he holds up the card to the bookstore that fell under his desk and said he wants the contents of his safe back, and maybe the sheriff will go easy on her if she returns it, or maybe he won't since he will also be investigating his cabin burning down and one of his sons going missing. Character A plays dumb but he grabs her around the neck and says he knows it was her, she’s a pathetic bum just like her father. Character B punches him, forcing him to release her and they begin fighting. The other partygoers jump to Character A’s defense and start fighting the other guys that came with him. Character C picks up Character A after she was knocked over to keep her from being trampled, and Character B breaks away when The Guy starts fighting with someone else. So they turn and head for the door, but The Guy's Son, the same one from last month who she stole the bike from, blocked the back door.
-Character A turns and together they run into the basement, locking the door behind them. They run down the stairs and into a bedroom where she locks the door again. She whips out her knives and points one at Character C. “Why do you want me to go to the Other World?” He holds up his hands and smiles, “I need your help finding a weapon that will help me defeat the Queen .” “Why me?” “The Goddess showed me in a dream that it is you. I will pay you in gold and return you back here, unharmed, once you find it.” Character A hears them break through the basement door and descend the stairs. “Fine, I’ll help you do it.” Character B protests and steps forward but she gestures the knife at him and he stops. “But first, you will help me find my Father and send him back here. Alive. And healthy.” All she knows about the Other World is what she could glean from her Fathers stories and what she was able to research about lore, but she had no idea what was accurate and what was not. She would be a fool to think she should turn away help if she could bargain for it. “I will help you find you Father, but it won’t be until after tonight, we must attend the Queens party so you can search for the weapon, this is the best opportunity we will have for another year.” The Guy begins banging on the door. She took it back, she was being a fool, she had very little hope that she would be able to fulfill her end of the bargain, but she was out of time, and she may never have a chance to get to the Other World again. “Deal.” She says as she steps forward to shake his hand. Character C grasps it and an electrical charge runs up her arm. He pulls a small vial out of his pocket. He dumps some black sparkly powder on his tongue and a hole appears in the floor. Grabbing Character B’s hand as well they jump through it just as the door breaks open.
If you have read this far, seriously thank you so much and I love you and if you want feedback on anything please direct me to where I can provide it!
I wanted to note that the mention about her potentially killing The Other Son is relevant to the plot because he did not die in the fire, he was lured to the Other World and will be there as an antagonist when Character A shows up. Also, the mushrooms become relevant to her finding the weapon in book 2. She gets sidetracked this book by finding her father and bargaining to take his place in the game (the party they are attending is to watch this game take place) and having to fight her way out of them. The entire first book takes place over the course of one single night.

When I first started selling on Amazon, I quickly realized that understanding the Buy Box was crucial for maximizing my sales. It was a game-changer for my business, and I want to share what I’ve learned about it and how you can win it too.

What is the Buy Box?

The Buy Box is that prominent white box on the right side of an Amazon product detail page where customers can directly add items to their shopping cart. It’s the spot with the “Add to Cart” button, making it the most convenient option for customers. Because many buyers don't look beyond the Buy Box, winning it can dramatically increase your sales.

Why is the Buy Box Important?

Winning the Buy Box was critical for me because:

• Increased Visibility: My products became the default choice for buyers, which boosted their visibility.
• Higher Sales Volume: Most Amazon purchases go through the Buy Box, so winning it meant a significant increase in sales.
• Customer Trust: Products in the Buy Box are seen as more reliable, enhancing my credibility.

How I Won the Buy Box

Getting to that coveted Buy Box took some effort and strategic planning. Here are the key factors I focused on:

1. Competitive Pricing

I quickly learned that price plays a huge role. Amazon favors competitive pricing, and while I didn’t always have to be the cheapest, I needed to offer a competitive total cost, including shipping.

2. Fulfillment Method

Using Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) was a game-changer for me. FBA items are preferred because Amazon handles storage, shipping, and customer service, which ensures a high standard of service. This move significantly boosted my chances of winning the Buy Box.

3. Seller Performance Metrics

Maintaining excellent seller performance metrics was essential. I focused on:

• Order Defect Rate (ODR): Keeping this low by ensuring high-quality orders and minimal issues.
• Cancellation Rate: Ensuring reliable order fulfillment to keep cancellations low.
• Late Shipment Rate: Making sure orders were shipped on time.
• On-Time Delivery Rate: Achieving high on-time delivery rates.
• Customer Feedback: Encouraging positive feedback and reviews to build a strong reputation.

4. Inventory Availability

I learned that having sufficient inventory levels was crucial. Products that are frequently out of stock don’t win the Buy Box. Consistent availability made me a reliable option for Amazon and my customers.

5. Shipping Time

Fast and reliable shipping is key. Offering quick delivery times, especially through FBA, helped me stand out. Prime members love fast shipping, and FBA made that possible for me.

6. Product Listings Quality

High-quality product listings made a big difference. I made sure my listings had detailed descriptions, clear images, and relevant keywords. This enhanced the shopping experience and favored my chances of winning the Buy Box.

7. Seller Tenure and Experience

While not the most critical factor, having a longer history of selling on Amazon with consistent performance definitely helped. Building a track record of reliability earned me more trust from Amazon.

Tips for Maintaining the Buy Box

Winning the Buy Box isn’t a one-time achievement; it requires ongoing effort. Here’s how I maintained it:

• Regularly Monitor Prices: I used repricing tools to keep my prices competitive.
• Optimize Inventory Management: Ensuring I always had adequate stock levels to meet demand.
• Maintain High-Quality Customer Service: Responding to customer inquiries promptly and resolving issues efficiently.
• Utilize FBA: Leveraging the benefits of Fulfillment by Amazon for shipping and customer service.

Winning the Buy Box was a powerful boost for my Amazon sales. By understanding the factors that influence Buy Box eligibility and consistently optimizing my seller performance, I significantly improved my chances of winning and maintaining this valuable spot. It took strategic planning and continuous effort, but the payoff in increased sales and customer trust was well worth it. If you’re looking to succeed on Amazon, aiming for the Buy Box should be a top priority.

I recently purchased a used laptop with windows 11 professional on it from eBay. It is a Lenovo and I want to reinstall the OS to make sure that my installation is completing clean.
Would I be able to just install windows 11 pro from the iso provided on their website, or is there anything else I need to do? I already grabbed my product key from command prompt but I decided that it would be best to ask on reddit before going through with installation and not being able to use my product key.
Product Key Channel is OEM:DM

This Mental Health Awareness Month, we're diving deep into how we can revolutionize our workplaces to be more supportive and nurturing environments. As we know, the impact of organizational culture on employee well-being cannot be overstated. A positive work environment not only enhances productivity but also contributes to the overall mental health of everyone involved.
The Starting Point
It begins with understanding that mental health in the workplace is not just an HR agenda—it's a leadership one. The question facing us isn't about the resources needed to initiate mental health initiatives but about the potential costs of ignoring them. So, where do we start?
Small Initiatives, Significant Outcomes
Wellness Programs: These can range from physical activities to mental breaks designed to encourage mindfulness or creativity. The goal is to offer outlets for stress relief and mental rejuvenation. Mental Health Awareness Days: By dedicating days to mental health awareness, we can destigmatize conversations about mental health issues and encourage openness and support within the team. Access to Mental Health Professionals: Providing employees with access to workshops or counseling can demonstrate a deep commitment to their well-being, beyond just the professional facade. Engagement and Feedback: The Heart of the Matter
The effectiveness of any initiative hinges on its relevance and accessibility to the intended beneficiaries. Thus, incorporating feedback mechanisms and encouraging participation in the development of mental health programs is key. This approach not only ensures that the initiatives are well-received but also fosters a culture of inclusivity and respect.
A Call to Leadership
As leaders, our role transcends mere management. It's about creating an environment where every team member feels valued, supported, and understood. This Mental Health Awareness Month, let’s commit to taking actionable steps toward cultivating a workplace that prioritizes mental wellness as much as professional achievement.
What Next?
I'm here to facilitate this journey. Through coaching, we can explore strategies to enhance your leadership skills, ensuring that you're equipped to support your team's mental health effectively. Together, we can transform organizational cultures, one step at a time.
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and ideas on this topic. What initiatives have you found effective in your workplace? Or, what do you wish your workplace would implement to support mental wellness?
Let's make our workplaces a model for mental health and well-being.

Hi guys, lately I've been toying with the idea of starting a company to do freelancing web development/design work and web hosting for local businesses. I am confident that my technicals skills and experience are good enough that I can offer value to potential clients if I price my services right. However, I've never actually freelanced before (I have ~ 5 years experience programming professionally in corporate/SaaS data analysis and devOps settings), so I was hoping to see if anyone one this sub might be willing to share some relevant experiences and tips.
I live in a rural area with a ski/tourism industry people use for marketing, so my general idea is that I want my "company" to be able to build "custom" (which can mean a lot of different things) websites for small businesses in my area and beyond with Tailwind and my favorite CMS. I've even gotten as far as designing a logo. I get kind of apprehensive with some of the next steps in figuring stuff out.
For context, I am currently employed at my family's small IT firm (full situation is long story). I've been doing backend/db work and overhauling various web properties. Importantly, the projects I've been working on recently have been internal, so my (recent) portfolio is basically just app/sites me or my family own. I feel a little weird about that. But anyway, I do have a lot of flexibility (almost too much so) and spare cycles depending on the week... I want to be able to pick up more work in a controlled manner when I want.
One big issue for for me is that I have no clue how to price my services hourly. When I take my meds and I know what I need/want to do, I can be very efficient. But I tend to be a very non-linear person in terms of productivity and creativity, so I think pricing and estimating times will be tough for me (especially since I've never delivered in this context). Any tips on handling this area? It seems like making some choices here might be important in terms of defining my whole business model.
I also don't know how much design work I am trying to do (I'm not really trained classically in that area), but I do see investing in my design skills as worthwhile given that I tend to be a non-linear person anyway. I guess I sort of want to put myself in a position where non-linear creativity is understood and valued instead of punished.
Any tips on preventing scope creep (or at least accounting for it in how you plan projects)? I think this will be important for me.
Are there any other potential pitfalls or traps I should be aware of as a freelancer with adhd?
For those who have done a lot of freelancing work, do you find it more or less "accommodating" (not the right word but I can't think of anything better) of your working style with ADHD than a straight corporate job? It seems like freelancing could be good for my lifestyle, but how do you guys set boundaries?
I have heard of people running "full-service web agencies" and then going back to solo freelance dev work because they like it more, so I was wondering if anyone here had any thoughts about comparing those two work situations from an ADHD perspective. I think I could be cooking with gas if I were working with a frontend person faster than me lol.
Are there any resources for new freelancers/contractors that I should check out?
Anyway, sorry for the wall of text and asking so many questions, but I appreciate any advice here anyone can offer... between ADHD and vision issues, I don't really want to go back to a corporate/office job if I can figure out other options! Thanks y'all!