# #225 -  Amazon vs. Your Own Website: The Great eCommerce Debate with Daybreak Agency and Gawronski Media

- Show: [The Startup CPG Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast)
- Published: 2025-12-02
- Length: 52m
- Episode: 223
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-12-02-225-amazon-vs-your-own-website-the-great-ecommerce-debate-with-daybreak-agency-a
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/5abd05ef

## Summary

Host Daniel Scharff moderates a debate between Rugved Nakadi of Daybreak Agency (Amazon specialists) and Kevin Gawronski of Gawronski Media (DTC paid media experts) on whether emerging CPG brands should prioritize Amazon or their own Shopify website. Rugved argues that Amazon offers faster validation, high-intent purchase traffic, and quicker path to revenue for new products, while Kevin champions DTC for owning customer data, building lifetime value, and maintaining brand control. The discussion covers the economic trade-offs, including Amazon's rising fees and review challenges versus DTC's creative demands and customer acquisition costs.

## Outline

1. Introduction and Guest Intros
2. The Case for DTC: Data Ownership and Control
3. The Case for Amazon: Speed to Market and Validation
4. Economics and CAC/LTV Breakdown
5. Platform Risks: Reviews, Copycats, and Operations
6. Entrepreneurial Advice and Closing Thoughts

## Topics

- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Daybreak Agency (company)
- Gawronski Media (company)
- Amazon (company)
- Shopify (company)
- Triple Whale (tool)
- Klaviyo (tool)
- Meta (company)
- TikTok (company)
- Google (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [195: Ensuring Profitability on Shopify and Amazon](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-09-28-195-ensuring-profitability-on-shopify-and-amazon) (Product Startup)
- [022: Ecommerce Strategy & Customer Persuasion, Chloë Thomas of eCommerce MasterPlan](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-10-11-022-ecommerce-strategy-customer-persuasion-chloe-thomas-of-ecommerce-masterplan) (Product Startup)
- [078: Selling Products Direct to End-Users via Shopify](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2021-06-02-078-selling-products-direct-to-end-users-via-shopify) (Product Startup)
- [Advice Line with Peter Rahal of RXBAR](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-04-10-advice-line-with-peter-rahal-of-rxbar) (How I Built This)
- [231: Selling Your Invention on Your Own Website Starting from Zero](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2024-06-20-231-selling-your-invention-on-your-own-website-starting-from-zero) (Product Startup)

## Citing this page

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