Introduction: From Corrections Officer to Creative Strategist
Not every successful Amazon creative strategist started with a traditional marketing background. John Aspinall’s journey from the harsh realities of Rikers Island as a corrections officer to becoming a leading voice in Amazon creative strategy proves that diverse life experiences can be powerful assets in ecommerce.
“Sales is very stressful,” Aspinall reflects on his transition from corrections work to the competitive world of Amazon selling. “Anyone that’s doing sales, any account execs, any God bless you. That is a hustle and a grind.” His three-year stint as a corrections officer taught him resilience, direct communication, and the ability to read people quickly—skills that would prove invaluable when analyzing customer behavior and crafting compelling product imagery.
What makes Aspinall’s approach unique isn’t just his unconventional background, but how those experiences shaped his perspective on creative strategy. Working in high-pressure environments taught him the importance of clear, honest communication and understanding human psychology—both critical when designing images that convert browsers into buyers.
His career trajectory from automotive restyling to wireless accessories, then through daily deal sites, corrections work, and ultimately to Amazon agencies like My Amazon Guy and Velocity Sellers, demonstrates how seemingly unrelated experiences can inform effective creative decision-making. The direct, no-nonsense approach he developed as a New York corrections officer now helps him cut through creative confusion for seven and eight-figure brands.
Understanding Amazon’s ecosystem requires more than just knowing the platform—it demands understanding human behavior, market psychology, and the ability to communicate value instantly. Aspinall’s unique background provides exactly that foundation, proving that the most effective Amazon strategists often bring unexpected perspectives to the table.
Today, as Chief Creative Director at Velocity Sellers, Aspinall leverages these diverse experiences to help brands navigate the increasingly complex world of Amazon creative strategy and merchandising.
From Experience
In our experience working with brands navigating the complex Amazon ecosystem, the strategies shared by John Aspinall—especially those that blend real-world psychology with creative execution—consistently make a measurable impact. We’ve tested similar merchandising tactics, such as tailoring imagery to specific audience segments and avoiding polarizing features, and found they can significantly improve click-through rates and conversions. Clients we’ve worked with also see better results when AI is used for mockups and ideation, but final asset creation and messaging are always most powerful when guided by seasoned human judgment. Real-world results show that focused expertise, both in creative and in content, drives authority and long-term success on platforms like LinkedIn and Amazon.
John Aspinall’s Journey Through Amazon’s Evolution
John Aspinall’s two-decade journey through ecommerce mirrors Amazon’s dramatic evolution from a secondary marketplace to the dominant force in online retail. Starting in 2006 when “eBay was the big platform and Amazon wasn’t really into automotive,” John began reselling automotive accessories like spoilers and dash kits, witnessing firsthand Amazon’s expansion into new verticals.
His career trajectory reads like a masterclass in adaptation. From wireless accessories distribution to manufacturing, John rode each wave of Amazon’s growth. A pivotal moment came during his stint as a corrections officer at Rikers Island—a complete departure from ecommerce that gave him perspective on what truly mattered professionally.
The COVID-19 pandemic marked his return to the industry, joining Canopy Management before making a calculated gamble with My Amazon Guy. Taking a senior account executive role with a $25,000 base salary plus commission, John transformed it into a $150,000+ annual income by focusing relentlessly on creative strategy during sales calls.
His evolution from salesperson to evangelist at Pikfu, then to Trellis in the adtech space, demonstrates how successful ecommerce professionals must continuously reinvent themselves. Each role built upon the last: sales taught him customer pain points, evangelism developed his thought leadership, and technical roles deepened his understanding of Amazon’s advertising ecosystem.
Now at Velocity Sellers as Creative Director and Chief Evangelist, John represents a new breed of agency leader—one who bridges strategy and execution. Unlike traditional agencies where “the person selling it to you is never the person actively in your account,” John delivers both the vision and hands-on implementation.
His parallel ventures with ASPI Creative and Ecom Ghost showcase the modern ecommerce executive’s approach: maintaining expertise focus while diversifying revenue streams, all while building authority through consistent LinkedIn content creation.
Creative vs. Merchandising: Why Strategy Trumps Design
The difference between creating beautiful images and driving actual conversions comes down to one crucial distinction: creative execution versus merchandising strategy. As John Aspinall emphasizes in his conversation, “The big thing with creative is not just design, it’s merchandising.”
While AI tools can now generate stunning visuals that look like professional photoshoots, they fundamentally lack the strategic thinking that turns browsers into buyers. The real skill lies in understanding your customer avatar and crafting images that speak directly to their psychology and pain points.
The Polarizing Elements Trap
One of the most overlooked aspects of Amazon creative strategy involves avoiding unintentionally polarizing elements. John shares a perfect example: “A lot of brands will try and be edgy and they’ll show a person using the product and they’ll have tattoos. They don’t realize it, but tattoos are very polarizing. If someone hates tattoos, they’re going to look at your product and be like, ‘That’s not for me.'”
This insight extends beyond tattoos to age demographics, lifestyle choices, and cultural references. Successful brands like Dude Wipes understand this principle, creating different image stacks for Amazon versus Walmart because they recognize that each platform attracts distinct customer profiles.
Beyond Surface-Level Beauty
The merchandising mindset asks deeper questions: Does your target customer see themselves using this product? Are you showcasing the right use case scenarios? Does your image hierarchy guide the eye toward conversion-driving elements like “Made in USA” badges or quantity counts?
Strategic keyword integration in your creative assets becomes equally important, as images need to support both human psychology and algorithmic visibility. This holistic approach separates agencies that simply execute designs from those that drive measurable business results through strategic creative merchandising.
How AI Fits Into Modern Amazon Creative Workflows
John Aspinall takes a refreshingly practical approach to AI integration—one that enhances human creativity rather than replacing it. “I use every AI tool that you could possibly think of,” he admits, but not for the reasons you might expect.
At Velocity Sellers, John has developed a sophisticated methodology where AI serves as a communication bridge between strategy and execution. When presenting concepts to clients or design teams, he creates visual mockups using AI-generated images alongside competitor examples on Canva whiteboards. “What doesn’t get lost in translation is a visual,” he explains. This approach eliminates confusion when working with remote team members across different time zones.
His process is methodical: analyze competitor A+ content, use AI to generate improved versions, then create prompts for visual mockups. Crucially, he includes the exact prompts alongside each mockup, ensuring full transparency with his nine-person creative team. This systematic approach helps maintain consistency while leveraging AI for strategic insights similar to how advanced PPC tools suggest optimizations.
However, John is clear about AI’s limitations for established brands. “For seven, eight-figure brands, those companies really have no interest in using AI” for final deliverables. While AI works for startups creating their first skin cream listing, larger brands require the nuanced understanding of merchandising that only human strategists provide.
The key insight? AI excels at bridging the gap between creative vision and execution, but the strategic thinking behind successful Amazon creative—understanding your avatar, avoiding polarizing elements like tattoos in imagery, and merchandising psychology—remains distinctly human. Smart automation tools can enhance workflows, but they can’t replace the merchandising expertise that drives conversions.
Building Authority: Growing from 3K to 25K LinkedIn Followers in Ecommerce
John Aspinall’s LinkedIn journey from 3,000 to 25,000 followers illustrates how focused expertise trumps broad coverage in building meaningful authority. When he started posting about PPC, SEO, and multiple Amazon topics, his message was unclear. “You had no idea why to follow John Aspinall,” he reflects. The transformation came when he narrowed his focus entirely to creative strategy and main images.
His daily posting strategy deliberately excludes weekends—maintaining strict work-life boundaries while showing up consistently Monday through Friday. The content formula centers on educational value over promotion. “I’m on LinkedIn, I want to learn something,” John explains, avoiding the common trap of posting video snippets that redirect audiences elsewhere.
The power of niche authority becomes evident in his positioning. Today, when asked about Amazon creative expertise, John confidently places himself “probably in the top five,” and for main images specifically, “probably in the top two.” This laser focus creates clear value proposition that followers understand immediately.
His approach mirrors successful Amazon PPC campaign strategies—instead of targeting broad keywords that get lost in competition, focusing on specific long-tail opportunities where you can dominate. John’s LinkedIn content operates similarly, targeting the specific pain points of Amazon sellers struggling with creative conversion rather than competing in oversaturated general marketing advice.
The business impact extends beyond follower count. His LinkedIn authority directly feeds his consultancy work through ASPI Creative and Ecom Ghost, demonstrating how consistent educational content transforms into tangible opportunities. For ecommerce professionals looking to build similar influence, John’s strategy proves that expertise depth, not breadth, creates the authority that converts followers into clients.
Sources
- Amazon Seller Central – Official resource for Amazon sellers, platform rules, and creative guidelines
- Pikfu – Tool for split-testing product images and gaining customer feedback
- Canva – Collaborative design tool widely used for creating and presenting visual assets
- LinkedIn – Platform referenced for authority building and professional content strategy
Written by Nassuf Mmadi, founder of PPC Assist. Nassuf is an experienced EX-Amazon seller who has mastered the ins-and outs of PPC through his extensive experience in the market.
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