Branded Joins Frenzy of Startups Acquiring Amazon Merchants, Finds Profits

Michael Ronen recently learned more than he ever thought he’d know about soap. Ronen runs Branded, a startup that buys up successful small businesses who sell their wares on Amazon. He was courting the American proprietor of a profitable online soap merchant, a business he was considering acquiring.

“He can just talk to you all day about soap, even down to how many bubbles you need to make the right children’s soap,” said Ronen, who said he is still negotiating with the soap seller.