StarTech.com
Their Story
StarTech.com has been solving technology challenges for IT professionals since 1985. What began as a focused B2B offering has evolved into a global organization supporting over 200 technologies—from legacy systems to the latest innovations—through a wide range of connectivity accessories.
The Challenge
As work-from-home behaviors accelerated during the pandemic, StarTech needed to evolve its Amazon advertising strategy.
Historically focused on IT professionals, the brand aimed to expand its audience to include SMB customers. This shift required:
- Reaching new audiences without losing existing customers
- Adapting messaging to resonate across both B2B and SMB segments
- Maintaining profitability while driving year-over-year revenue growth
Any change at this scale required a structured testing plan and strong measurement framework to mitigate risk.
The Insights
- Expanding beyond a purely B2B audience required reaching users earlier in the purchase journey and across more touchpoints
- AMC analysis revealed that conversion rates and revenue were highest when AMS Sponsored Ads were combined with Amazon DSP
- A full-funnel approach was essential to both generate new demand and convert high-intent users
- Testing across ad formats and placements was critical to identifying what resonated with both IT professionals and SMB audiences
The Strategy
Rise developed a data-driven, full-funnel Amazon strategy focused on systematically testing audience targeting, ad formats, and product mix.
Working closely with StarTech and Amazon, the team leveraged both Amazon Marketing Services (AMS) and Amazon’s Demand Side Platform (DSP) to create a cohesive approach—reaching customers at multiple stages of the purchase journey.
To validate performance and understand customer behavior, Rise utilized Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC) to analyze customer pathing and measure the impact of combined tactics.
The Solution
Rise executed a comprehensive, full-funnel Amazon strategy:
Full-Funnel Activation
- Expanded coverage across upper, mid, and lower funnel tactics to drive awareness, consideration, and conversion
Ad Type Expansion
- Scaled use of Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, Sponsored Brand Video, and Sponsored Display
- Increased investment in video and custom image formats to test performance across placements
Audience & Targeting Strategy
- Introduced new audience segments, including SMB-focused and B2B audiences
- Leveraged DSP prospecting to expand reach and awareness
- Implemented DSP remarketing to re-engage high-intent users and strengthen brand loyalty
- Tested emerging audience opportunities such as Twitch integrations
Measurement & Optimization
- Used AMC insights to guide investment decisions and optimize cross-channel performance
- Continuously refined tactics based on performance data and evolving customer behavior
The Results
By evolving its Amazon strategy to include both B2B and SMB audiences, StarTech successfully expanded its reach while maintaining strong performance. The full-funnel approach, supported by AMC insights, enabled more efficient media investment and improved conversion outcomes.
The integration of AMS and DSP proved especially effective, driving higher conversion rates and revenue while positioning StarTech for sustained, long-term growth on Amazon.
