What Can an Amazon Marketplace Account Manager Do For You?

You decided to join the great Amazon marketplace and found yourself struggling in the competition. You have been dedicated to growing your business since day 1. Still, it seems that your competitors are always ahead and out of reach. You tried figuring out what you might’ve missed or lacked in, but everything seems all over the place. 

You might feel like it’s all over for you, but don’t fret so early! There is a dedicated person who can help when you feel like you can’t manage your account independently. It might be a sign that you need some help from an Amazon marketplace account manager. 

However, brands tend to have different business strategies, so let’s get you started with this discussion first. What exactly does an Amazon account manager do? Does an account manager have the abilities that you need to step up in the marketplace? How will you know if having one is right for you? This article will answer all of these questions.

What is an Amazon Account Manager?

An Amazon account manager helps you set up, plan out, and execute an effective eCommerce strategy on the Amazon marketplace. He/she assists with any concern you have regarding your account and offers expert advice. Once you have communicated your business goals, the account manager creates a plan and helps you accomplish your objectives.

According to Amazon, account managers usually hold around 12-15 accounts. This number was measured considering the managers’ need to focus on each account and ensure they could help you with your business goals.

What Can an Amazon Account Manager Do For You?

Here’s a specific breakdown of what makes up the role of an Amazon account manager. 

Helps You Get Started in the Marketplace

Having an account manager when you’re just starting is a smart move. You might not be familiar with the Amazon marketplace yet, so having an expert explain how things work helps. You and the manager will discuss creating an Amazon account first, and then you will be asked about specific business information such as type, goals, preferences, and more.

• Amazon listing setup and management. This involves listing optimization, which consists of tasks that help your product get a high rank in the search results. Amazon search engine optimization (SEO) means understanding how the platform’s algorithm works, uses relevant search keywords and gets sales to achieve an excellent product ranking. 

• Google SEO. Premium services of account management in Amazon also include optimizing for search engines both in Amazon and Google.  This way, you can rank for both prominent platforms.

• Product preparation and release. An Amazon seller central account manager ensures you have everything ready before your long-awaited product launch. He/she ensures that campaigns are up and running for visibility purposes before the event. He/she also supervises the inventory and makes sure you have enough stock for your buyers.

Helps You Plan Comprehensive Strategies

As briefly mentioned earlier, an account manager creates an eCommerce strategy based on what you’ve discussed. This strategy helps you identify the gaps and opportunities to grow your eCommerce business. 

If you have an existing business plan in mind, you can discuss it with the manager and look for room for improvement. Account managers want to make sure all actions conducted from this point on will help you get closer to your goals. If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed as a newcomer in the marketplace, you can worry less now with the aid of an Amazon account manager.

Finds the Right Team for the Right Problem

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your Amazon account, the manager can communicate with a team of experts. These people are specialists in different critical areas of account management, such as optimizing listings, monitoring PPC advertising, content marketing, reputation management, stock and inventory issues, and more. Aside from directly assisting with account procedures, managers serve as a line of communication between the seller and a team of Amazon specialists.

Gives You Account Updates and Recommendations

Regular monitoring and updates can be a tough job if you’re trying to do all of them independently. Having an account manager ensures someone will keep track of your daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly goals. These are regularly checked to make sure you stay on the same page and control your strategy. You can speak with your account manager monthly as a minimum service, but additional meetings are possible if needed. 

The manager also provides expert advice on vital areas of the business plan. These areas are (but not limited to) the following:

• Fulfillment 
• Account health
• Inventory
• Selection
• Conversion growth 
• Advertising
• Shipping management
• International expansion

Through communicating important information about your business, the manager can identify what actions you’ll exactly need. For example, based on fulfillment methods, you’re recommended for Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA). Your Amazon FBA account manager lets you know how this can help you achieve your goals. Many sellers say that sending to FBA helps increase sales which might also get you a higher rank.

Is a Vendor Account Manager Different?

Unlike sellers, vendors on Amazon have account managers who are automatically assigned to assist them. An Amazon vendor account manager is usually in charge of choosing inventory and managing orders. 

• Vendor account managers are busybodies. They work on many categories with tight due dates and long hours, which you must understand.
• Their primary goal is to develop strategies to form solid relationships with collaborators. 
• Successful margin targets and continuously increasing sales are the main bases to show what they can do for you.
• Not all vendor managers are veterans. Some of them just started in a few months, following Amazon’s MBA program. Students are given an opportunity to experience working on a variety of roles in the company.

Amazon vendor managers are seen more as traditional collaborators, while seller central account managers are an option worth choosing. 

Final Word

Working with an Amazon account manager can benefit your business in many ways. These people are guaranteed experts who are willing to tend to any of your concerns, after all. However, do remember that you also have your responsibilities as a seller. 

As much as they try to assist on anything, they also specialize in specific areas. They’re not assigned to solve everything for you, so you have to cooperate reasonably. Build a good relationship with your account manager and look forward to a successful business together.