Mohamed Aden

Mohamed Aden is the Director of Operations at Seller Interactive, an Amazon Marketing Agency. He has extensive experience in eCommerce, project management, and operations management. Mohamed has managed a portfolio of 80 client accounts generating over $10 million in yearly revenue. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Honours Political Science and Business Management from McMaster University. Mohamed is a certified Project Manager and has received certifications in Advanced Google Analytics and Ontario Ministry of Labour’s Supervisor Health and Safety Awareness. He is fluent in English and Somali. In his free time, Mohamed enjoys nature walks and other outdoor activities. LinkedIn Twitter
Amazon Approval Needed? Obtain Permission for Business Growth

Navigating  Amazon can be a complex endeavor, especially when expanding your business. One crucial aspect to pay attention to is getting permission when prompted with an "Amazon Approval Needed" message. Gaining consent from the ecommerce giant to enjoy its various programs ensures smooth and efficient purchasing and paves the way for your business to grow.

In this article, we'll discuss eight Amazon programs where you need to apply and get approval from the platform. These programs are some of the tools worth exploring to help you maintain and boost your sales and continue growing your business.

Why Is Amazon Telling Me “Approval Needed?”

Amazon may require approval for certain products or services to maintain quality , protect customers, or ensure compliance with specific regulations. This process ensures that sellers like you meet certain standards before you can list or sell products, thus enhancing the overall shopping experience of customers.

With that, here are the approval processes of the eight most essential programs that will help your business grow on Amazon.

1. Amazon Brand Registry

As an Amazon seller, you might have encountered instances that needed  approval  before listing  products under brands. This is where the Brand Registry plays a crucial role. Amazon Brand Registry helps brand owners protect their proprietary products. Through it, you  can skip the worry of selling alongside counterfeiters . By enrolling your brand in the Registry, 

Benefits of Joining Amazon Brand Registry

There are several benefits to joining the Amazon Brand Registry . Some of these include:

  • Brand protection: The Registry helps protect your brand from intellectual property violations, such as counterfeits or listings that infringe on your trademarks or copyrights.
  • Increased control: You will gain increased control over your brand's product listings, with the ability to manage content, monitor reviews, and address any potential issues your products might face.
  • Proactive measures: Amazon actively monitors and takes down listings that could harm your brand, helping maintain your reputation on the platform.
  • Additional tools: Registered sellers have access to various tools and resources that can help improve the visibility and sales of your products, such as Enhanced Brand Content and Brand Dashboard.

To apply and qualify for the Amazon Brand Registry, follow these steps:

Five Steps to Apply and Qualify for Amazon Brand Registry

  1. Trademark registration: Prepare your trademark registered text and image as they are proof that you are the brand owner and have legal rights to your brand.
  2. Create an Amazon Seller Account: Visit Amazon Seller Central to create a new Amazon account or log in to an existing one. 
  3. Enroll in  Brand Registry: Visit the Amazon Brand Registry enrollment page and provide the required and accurate details about your brand and trademark information.
  4. Verification: After submitting your application, Amazon will review your information and may require additional documents or verification steps. Approval waiting time may vary from a few hours to several days.

2. Fulfillment By Amazon (FBA)

FBA  helps  manage your inventory, shipping, and business customer service. When you sign-up for this service, you are entitled to store your products in Amazon warehouses, and have the Amazon crew  ship orders to your customers. Through FBA, you can focus on growing your business and let Amazon handle your orders.

Benefits of Using Amazon FBA

Here are some advantages to using Amazon FBA:

  • Access to Amazon's world-class customer service and distribution network
  • Prime eligibility for your products, making them more attractive to potential customers
  • Reduced shipping costs and prime shipping options for your customers
  • Simplified returns, as Amazon will handle customer service and return processing
  • Ability to fulfill orders from other sales channels through the Multi Channel Fulfillment (MCF) Program

Steps to Enroll and Leverage Amazon FBA

 Five Steps to Enroll and Leverage Amazon FBA

  1. Access Amazon Seller Account: Sign up or log in to your Amazon Seller account to enroll in FBA and manage your products.
  2. List your products: Add the items you want to sell on Amazon and specify them as FBA inventory while listing.
  3. Prepare and ship your products: Package your products according to Amazon's guidelines, then send them to the designated Amazon warehouse(s).
  4. Manage your inventory: Monitor your stock levels and track sales. Restock your products as needed to ensure uninterrupted fulfillment.
  5. Optimize your listings: Enhance product listings with keywords, high-quality images, and relevant product descriptions to increase visibility and boost sales.

3. Amazon Associates Program Approval

The Amazon Associates Program  monetizes content creators, publishers, and bloggers for bringing traffic and sales to Amazon stores. As an Amazon business owner, it pays to know the approval process for this program as through it, you can partner with popular individuals in advertising your products.

By using easy link-building tools provided by Amazon, associates can direct your audience to your products or store. When the associate's referred audience makes qualifying purchases, you get a sale and they  earn a commission.

Benefits to Sellers of Using the Amazon Associates Program

Some key benefits Amazon Associates Program brings to sellers are the following:

  • Increased exposure: By using the Amazon Associates Program, you can reach and engage  a wider audience. Affiliates promote products through their websites, blogs, and social media channels, driving traffic and potential customers to the seller's Amazon listings.
  • Cost-effective marketing: Compared to traditional advertising, the Amazon Associates Program offers a cost-effective marketing and advertising channel. You only pay a commission when a referred customer makes a purchase, reducing upfront expenses.
  • Leveraging influencer marketing: By partnering with relevant influencers with established patronage and strong credibility within specific niches as affiliates, you can capitalize on their recommendations and audiences’ trust to drive sales and brand awareness.
  • Improved SEO and ranking: When associates link to an affiliated seller's product on Amazon, it creates backlinks from reputable websites. These backlinks provide SEO benefits, improving search engine visibility and organic ranking for the seller's products, ultimately driving more sales.

Steps to Enroll and Leverage Amazon Associates

These are the simple steps associates do to enroll in the program:

Four Steps to Enroll and Leverage Amazon Associates

  1. Sign up: Associates must create an  Amazon's Associates Central account and provide necessary information, such as their website or other platforms that they'll use to refer their patrons, who are your potential customers.
  2. Create links: Associates must use Amazon's easy link-building tools to create and embed personalized product links within their content. This helps simplify referring their audience to the  products.
  3. Meet minimum requirements: To maintain an associates' account, they must refer to at least one sale through their links within 180 days of account creation. Once they have referred three qualifying sales, Amazon evaluates their application and informs them of their decision.

4. Amazon Handmade

Amazon Handmade is a specialized marketplace within Amazon designed for artisans to showcase and sell their unique, handcrafted products. To be eligible for selling on Amazon Handmade, your products must be made by hand or with the help of appropriate tools, and they should be unique or custom-made.

As a seller, this platform provides an opportunity to reach specific  customers who appreciate the  effort and craftsmanship  of creating one-of-a-kind products. If your business involves handmade items, Amazon Handmade is the perfect platform for growing your business.

Requirements and Benefits of Selling Handmade Products

By joining this platform, you can benefit from Amazon's vast customer base and additional support services like Fulfillment by Amazon, which helps you simplify shipping and logistics.

How to Apply and Become a Seller on Amazon Handmade

To start selling on Amazon Handmade, follow these steps:

Three Steps to Apply and Become a Seller on Amazon Handmade

  1. Set up a regular Amazon seller account, and apply to sell on Amazon Handmade. Prepare to submit details about your products and business as Amazon will check their compatibility with the program.
  2. Approval time for selling on Amazon Handmade usually takes a few weeks since the approval process involves evaluating your products and ensuring they meet the platform's criteria and quality standards.
  3. Once approved, you can begin listing your handmade products on the marketplace.

5. Amazon Custom

Amazon Custom  allows sellers to offer customizable products to their  customers. By joining this program, you can sell items like engraved jewelry, customized T-shirts, and unique home décor. This empowers you to cater to individual preferences, enticing customers to buy your products.

Benefits of Offering Customizable Products on Amazon

There are several benefits to offering customizable products on Amazon:

  • Attract more customers: Personalized products tend to be popular among consumers, and by offering customization options, you can attract a wider range of potential buyers.
  • Increase customer loyalty: When customers receive products tailored to their specifications, they're more likely to be satisfied with their purchase and return to your store for more purchases.
  • Differentiation from competitors: By offering customization, your products can stand out among  similar items on Amazon, giving you a competitive edge.
  • Expand your product offerings: Amazon Custom allows you to create and sell unique products that might not be available elsewhere, further diversifying your store's offerings.

Steps to Join and Participate in Amazon Custom

To join in Amazon Custom, follow these steps:

Six Steps to Join and Participate in Amazon Custom

  1. Sign up or log in to your Amazon Seller Central account.
  2. On the top left corner, go to the Inventory menu and click 'Add a Product.'
  3. In the search bar, type "Amazon Custom" and select the category that best fits your customizable product.
  4. Click the 'Sell Yours' button once you've selected the specific category.
  5. Fill in the required product information and enable the custom option, allowing buyers to personalize their orders.
  6. After completing the product listing, submit it for approval. Amazon will manually review your listing and notify you once it's approved.

6. Amazon Exclusives

Amazon Exclusives allows sellers to offer unique and innovative products exclusively on the Amazon marketplace, giving the products increased visibility and promotional support. 

To join the program, you must have an active seller account  in good standing with Amazon with a  history of providing high-quality products and excellent customer service. Since it’s exclusive, your products must only be available for sale on Amazon and your website.

Advantages of Selling Exclusive Products on Amazon

There are several benefits to selling exclusive products on Amazon:

  • Increased visibility: Your products will be featured in a dedicated Amazon Exclusives storefront, increasing exposure to potential customers.
  • Promotional support: Amazon will promote your exclusive products through social media and email campaigns.
  • Access to premium features: Exclusive sellers can add product videos to their listings, a powerful persuasion tool to help drive conversions.

Process and Requirements to Become an Amazon Exclusive Seller

To become an Amazon Exclusives seller, you must have an active Amazon Seller account and be in good standing with Amazon, with a proven history of providing high-quality products and excellent customer service.

Follow this  process for the approval:

Three Steps to Become an Amazon Exclusive Seller

  1. Application: Apply for the Amazon Exclusives program, providing detailed information about your products and business.
  2. Selection: Amazon will carefully review your application and assess your products based on their uniqueness, quality, and potential customer demand.
  3. Approval & onboarding: If your application is approved, Amazon will guide you through the onboarding process, including setting up your product listings, creating branded content, and optimizing your product detail pages.

7. Amazon Vine

To boost customers' trust in the products you sell on Amazon , you need reviews. Customer feedback and ratings serve as social proof of your product claims and promises. If you want to have insightful reviews on them , sign up for Amazon Vine.

This  invitation-only program  selects the most insightful reviewers in Amazon to serve as Vine Voices. Selected reviewers get products for free in exchange for honest feedback. Through their unbiased and genuine reviews of new and pre-release products, they can help customers make informed buying decisions.

By participating in the Amazon Vine program as a seller, you can attract more customers because your products will have reliable customer reviews. This drives more product sales and eventually expands your business.

Advantages of Using Amazon Vine for Product Promotion and Reviews

Using Amazon Vine for product promotion has several advantages:

  • Credibility: Vine Voices are trusted reviewers in the Amazon community, which means their reviews are more likely to be taken seriously by potential customers.
  • Visibility: Products reviewed by Vine Voices often gain increased exposure due to the prominence of their reviews.
  • Informed decisions: Vine reviews are best for listings who have a few reviews. Sincere and detailed feedback can help potential buyers make confident decisions.
  • Product improvement: Vine Voices' in-depth reviews can reveal areas of your product that need work, helping you better serve your customers in the long run.

Process to Participate in Amazon Vine Program

To join Amazon Vine as a seller, follow these steps:

Four Steps to Participate in Amazon Vine Program

  1. Apply for the Amazon Vine program: Visit the Amazon Vine page to apply. Ensure you have an active Seller Central account and eligible products.
  2. Wait for approval: During this time, Amazon manually reviews your account and products according to their quality standards and policies.
  3. Enroll your products: Once approved, you can enroll your eligible products. Remember, products in certain categories or from specific brands may require additional approval.
  4. Send your products to Vine Voices: Amazon will facilitate sending them to selected Vine Voices, who will then review and share their experiences with the Amazon community.

8. Amazon Business Seller

Being an Amazon Business Seller means you can sell products and services to other businesses on the Amazon Marketplace. This is important because it grants you access to a  diverse customer base, including organizations ranging from small businesses to large corporations.

Advantages of Offering Business-To-Business Products on Amazon

When you offer business-to-business (B2B) products on Amazon, you gain these advantages over traditional retail sales.

  • Cater to the specific needs of business customers, who often require large quantities of products or specialized items.
  • Take advantage of Amazon's powerful seller tools, and set spending limits for easier management of account finances.
  • B2B sales on Amazon can provide a steady stream of Amazon orders from repeat customers, helping to stabilize and grow your business.

Process and Requirements to Become an Amazon Business Seller

To become an Amazon Business Seller, you need to follow these steps:

Three Steps to Become an Amazon Business Seller

  1. Create an Amazon Seller account. The Amazon seller account approval process for becoming a business seller may vary depending on your product categories, location, and past behavior on the platform. 

However, some common scenarios that require approval include selling in restricted categories, being a brand owner, or selling specific brands.

  1. During the application process, you may need to provide your billing address, shipping process, and payment method. Amazon may also require that the account owner use a credit card from the same country as the seller account.

Remember that Amazon manually reviews applications and frequent Amazon order history and may contact you for additional information or documentation.

  1. Once approved, you can start selling to business customers on Amazon.

Amazon Approval Needed? Get Help From Seller Interactive

Navigating the various approval-requiring programs on Amazon can be challenging, but unlocking these opportunities could pave the way for significant business expansion. From gated categories to brand-specific restrictions, the Amazon marketplace has much to offer Amazon sellers willing to put in the effort required to get approved.

To ensure you're taking the right steps and using the best strategies to get approval, partner with us here at Seller Interactive. Our expert team can provide Amazon full account management, helping you navigate the approval process and offering guidance for your Amazon business expansion.

It would help if you had our expertise to break through barriers and access these exclusive opportunities. So why wait? Take the next step and contact us today to start unlocking the true potential of your Amazon business!

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What Does Amazon Do with Returns: A Deep Dive

Online shopping has dramatically grown in recent years, and with it comes the challenge of managing product returns. As the biggest eCommerce company today, Amazon handles a significant amount of customer returns daily. As a seller, you must be asking, “What does Amazon do with returns?” The answer lies in Amazon's return policy.

Amazon offers various options for returned items through this policy, including repackaging and restocking for resale, liquidating, and disposing of them. This approach highlights Amazon’s customer-centric mindset, focusing on cost analysis, return reduction strategies, and maintaining superb customer service. 

We'll discuss all these in detail to ensure that you know the ins and outs of Amazon returns. You can use the knowledge to minimize them to increase your profit and grow your business.

Understanding Amazon's Return Policies

Amazon's return policies are designed to ensure customer satisfaction and trust in the shopping experience. Online shoppers and store owners should know the general return policies for most items sold on the platform. Here are some details you should remember:

Return Window and Requirements

Product category and whether the seller uses Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) or Fulfillment by Merchant (FBM) dictate the return window and requirements. Nevertheless, Amazon generally accepts returns within 30 days after the product was delivered to customers.

Items you can’t return on Amazon - Gift cards, Digital downloads, and perishables

It's important to note that some items, like digital downloads, gift cards, and certain perishable items, cannot be returned. Additionally, third-party sellers like you may have your own return policies, which customers should review before purchasing.

Customer Return Options

Amazon offers a variety of return options to cater to customers' needs. They can return their items by mail, through an Amazon Locker, or in person at an authorized retailer. While shipping costs may apply in some cases, there are instances where Amazon covers the expenses, such as when the item is defective, damaged, or incorrect.

Amazon Locker where you can return your items

Returns Processing

Returned items are typically sent to an Amazon warehouse and may be available for purchase again if they meet the necessary requirements. Some items may also be refurbished and resold through the Amazon Renewed program. 

Other options for returned items include liquidation through e-commerce liquidation websites, donation to charitable organizations, or, in rare instances, disposal of items that cannot be reused.

What Does Amazon Do With Items That Are Returned?

When managing returns, Amazon aims to minimize costs for customers, third-party sellers, and the company itself. Amazon does the following steps.

Amazon Return Process Infographic

For more details about Amazon product disposal, check this video out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThfCyjPc5qk

How Amazon Repackages and Restock Returned Items

As an e-commerce giant, Amazon handles a significant volume of returned items. To minimize costs and maintain customer satisfaction, they follow a systematic process for repackaging and restocking these products.

Shipping label creation

When a customer decides to return a purchase, Amazon first provides them with a shipping label to send the item back to the appropriate fulfillment center. Upon receipt of the returned product, Amazon's team inspects it to ensure it complies with its return policy.

Repackaging returned items

Amazon employs strategies to give returned products a "like-new" appearance. The Amazon FBA Repackaging Service specializes in repackaging products to meet Amazon's requirements, particularly for items returned by clients that were in good condition but couldn't be directly resold.

Shipping contract checking to reduce shipping costs

It's essential to note that Amazon has distinct return policies for items fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) and third-party sellers. Return shipping costs are managed differently depending on your relationship with Amazon. 

For FBA sellers, Amazon handles shipping contracts and carrier agreements, offering significant savings. If you handle your products’ fulfillment, you can also save on shipping costs for returned items by effectively managing shipping contracts with carriers and contract carrier agreements.

Restocking

After repackaging and contract checking, returned items are evaluated and restocked in Amazon's warehouse. This process allows the company to regain inventory control and maintain pricing tiers.

A Look Into Liquidation and Reselling

The impact of returns on your business can be significant. Managing returns effectively is crucial for maintaining a successful online retail business. By employing liquidation and reselling strategies, you can regain control of your inventory and minimize the financial impact of returns. Let’s check how both work.

E-Commerce Liquidation Websites

E-commerce liquidation websites like B-Stock Solutions, Liquidation.com, Quicklotz, GenCo Marketplace, and Bulq, play a crucial role in the liquidation process. Websites like these allow third-party sellers and online retailers like you to purchase liquidation pallets containing returned items, overstock, and refurbished products at discounted prices. 

To recover some loss, sellers can then resell these items on their websites or other marketplaces.

Amazon Warehouse and Amazon Renewed

For returned items in good condition, Amazon offers these two reselling options. 

  • Amazon Warehouse: Where Amazon sells used and refurbished items at a discount. 
  • Amazon Renewed: A program through which eligible returned items are refurbished and sold with a guarantee, providing consumers with more affordable choices and giving products a second life.
Amazon Renewed Program - refurbished electronics on a shelf

Returns and Product Analytics and Customer Insights

When items are returned, Amazon uses this opportunity to gather valuable data that can be leveraged to improve your products and customer experiences. This section will explore how Amazon uses return data for product analytics and customer insights.

Return Data

Amazon leverages return data by analyzing the reasons for the returns. Some of the product issues you'll see here are defective items received and flaws on the product design. Addressing these concerns can refine your product offerings, please your customers, reduce return rates, and increase your sales.

Customer Insights

Customer insights from returns can also be instrumental in shaping your product selection strategy. By understanding what aspects of your Amazon products customers were dissatisfied with, you can adjust your inventory to prioritize items more likely to meet customer expectations.

Additionally, insights from returns can be used to make informed pricing decisions, ensuring that customers perceive the product's value to be in line with the cost.

Superb Customer Service in Handling Returns

Amazon's customer service and communication strategies around returns emphasize convenience, transparency, and support for you and your customers. The elements below create a seamless return experience and leave customers completely satisfied in the competitive e-commerce space.

Amazon's Dedicated Returns and Replacements Area

Amazon's customer service approach for returns includes a dedicated 'Returns and Replacements' area, making it easy to navigate and find answers to your questions. This allows customers to avoid emailing or chatting with support teams and have a seamless experience during the return process.

Smooth Communication with Customers

Amazon ensures fast and transparent communication between you and your customer during the returns process. They provide frequent notifications on the return status, helping customers stay informed about their refund or replacement. This transparency is key to maintaining trust and fostering a positive relationship between Amazon, who represents you, and your customers.

Return Options and Convenience 

Amazon recognizes the importance of providing customers convenient return options. Many products come with a prepaid, printed return label, while some can be returned without a box or label at designated locations such as Kohl's, UPS, and some Whole Foods stores. Moreover, the company offers free returns on eligible items, enhancing customer satisfaction.

Sellers and Amazon's Support

Another aspect contributing to Amazon's customer service is how they support sellers like you. Through FBA, Amazon handles everything from customer services, receiving the returned items, processing them, and deciding whether they are to be resold, refurbished, disposed, or donated.

Strategies to Reduce Returns for Online Retailers

Although returns are common when selling on Amazon, it still pays to keep it low to avoid additional costs. Here are some of the strategies you can do to minimize returns.

Informative Product Description

To reduce return rates, provide detailed product information to ensure you set the correct customer expectation. Be truthful with all your claims, and never include product characteristics customers will not see or have once they purchase your product. 

Here are more tips on how you can better optimize your listing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-Rnqb9idjM

Prioritize Customer Service

Prioritize customer service to reduce product returns. Ensure prompt and accurate communication with buyers and offer timely resolution to any issues or concerns. By addressing customer needs effectively, you can enhance customer satisfaction and minimize the likelihood of returns, ultimately promoting a positive shopping experience on the platform.

Create Shipping Contracts

Create shipping contracts that help manage the large volume of returned items. This not only ensures smoother operations but also leads to significant savings. You should consider establishing carrier contract agreements with shipping partners, like how Amazon does, as it can greatly reduce shipping costs.

Base Decisions on Data

Data-driven decisions play a vital role in optimizing return-related costs. Amazon's success in this area can be partly attributed to using tools like AWS Cost Optimization which can help you identify areas where adjustments can be made to improve cost efficiency. Incorporating data analysis and utilizing effective cost-management tools can also be a game-changer for your e-commerce business.

an area chart and bar charts with arrows and trends going on a descending and ascending paths

Utilize Returns Liquidation and Donation

Sell returned items that cannot be sold again to liquidation websites. As a business owner, you must explore this option to regain control over returned inventory or donate eligible overstock to charitable organizations, transforming a potential loss into a win-win situation.

Handle Your Returns With Seller Interactive

Understanding what Amazon does with returns and how to manage them effectively is crucial for Amazon sellers. When customers return items, various factors influence the handling of those products, including refurbishing, reselling, liquidation, donation, and disposal.

To ensure you stay in control of your inventory and returns, we here at Seller Interactive provide Amazon Reimbursement & Refund Services. By aiding in claiming reimbursements for damaged or lost items, we can ensure that you have the necessary evidence, such as inventory reports, images of damaged products, or proof of customer returns.

Book a call with us now. Let us help you regain control of your return process, minimize costs, and maximize your profits.

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How to Get Reviews on Amazon: 7 Legitimate Strategies for Sellers

Communicating a strong listing value is essential for Amazon sellers. One key factor influencing a product's sales on the platform is the number of reviews it receives. That's why, apart from learning how to create and manage listings, it is important to learn how to get reviews on Amazon and bring product management in full circle.

This blog helps you learn the impact of product reviews, Amazon's review rules, and ways to navigate them using legitimate strategies. From using Amazon's dedicated programs to leveraging organic methods, these techniques will help sellers like yourself boost their brand, improve customer trust, and ultimately increase sales on the platform.

How do I get genuine reviews on Amazon products?

There are many ways to do this, including using the Request a Review button, leveraging buyer-seller messages, building an email list, joining the Early Reviewer Program or Amazon Vine, etc. (more about these strategies later). Remember to still follow Amazon's rules to ensure your methods are acceptable.

A black and white photo of an adult man with a closed beard giving five star feedback using his smartphone.

Designed by freepik

The Impact of Reviews to Your Business

Product listing reviews serve a critical purpose that extends beyond just star ratings. It can impact your Amazon business significantly. That's why sellers must understand how reviews can make or break a product listing so they know how to manage it for better results.

Influence on Sales and Conversions

Positive reviews on Amazon can significantly influence conversions and sales. Customers often read reviews to make informed buying choices. A product with a higher average rating generally attracts more buyers, leading to increased sales volume. Meanwhile, negative reviews may discourage Amazon shoppers, resulting in lower conversions.

Relevance in Product Rankings

Amazon uses a review ranking algorithm for products in search results. Customer reviews, particularly their quantity and quality, play an important role in this process. Products with more positive reviews and higher ratings rank better in search results. A higher ranking helps in bumping up your listing so it gets better exposure, influencing sales.

Importance of Social Proof

Social proof is when people base their behaviors on what others have said or experienced. In the context of Amazon, customer reviews serve as social proof that the product did or didn't deliver the value that potential buyers are looking for.

When shoppers see a product with many positive reviews, they are more likely to feel confident in purchasing it. This effect further reinforces the importance of having a strong review base to support your business.

Understanding Amazon's Review Policies

Given the significant impact of reviews on a product listing, Amazon sellers may go beyond what's acceptable to steer reviews in a way that favors their online business. Amazon has established review policies to ensure a fair game for all sellers and give shoppers the desired experience.

Amazon takes its review system seriously. More than managing reviews, sellers and managers need to understand and follow its rules to continue doing business in the ecommerce platform. A violation of these rules can result in penalties, including seller account suspension.

A few key rules to keep in mind include:

Incentivized Reviews

Offering gifts, discounts, or free products in exchange for reviews is strictly prohibited. While this method can rapidly increase the number of reviews for a product, it poses a risk to the integrity and impartiality of what's supposed to be an ecosystem of honest reviews.

Manipulation

Review manipulation involves strategically altering or fabricating product reviews to deceive consumers and artificially inflate a product's positive rating.

The prohibition ensures that reviews authentically represent customer experiences, thereby maintaining a fair marketplace and safeguarding the reliability of product ratings and reviews.

Soliciting From Specific People

Reviews from close acquaintances, family members, and anyone interested in the product or the business are not allowed. Such reviews are often inherently biased and do not genuinely represent the product's quality or performance.

Other Examples of Prohibited Actions in Gathering Reviews

To give sellers more specific knowledge of what not to do when trying to get reviews, here are some examples of violations. Note that what's provided isn't definitive.

Other Examples of Prohibited Actions in Gathering Reviews
❌ Orchestrating campaigns to downvote negative reviews.
❌ Giving competitors negative reviews to pull down their ranking.
❌ Asking a customer to remove a negative review in exchange for a free product.
❌ A seller creates multiple consumer accounts to fake reviews of their products.
❌ Redirecting every negative review so it doesn't reflect on the product listing.
❌ Directing all positive reviews on the product listing to maximize the favorable impact.

Strategies to get reviews on Amazon

With your understanding of the impacts reviews can have on your listings and your awareness of the rules, you're now equipped to get them in every Amazon seller central order you receive. Equally important are the strategies to navigate your way into a clean and legitimate product review.

Note down these strategies and use them based on your needs. They will help your business, future customers, and Amazon create a mutual experience everyone benefits from.

An infographic showing the seven strategies a seller can use to get reviews on Amazon: Increase product sales, Use the request a review button, buyer-seller messages, Amazon early reviewer program, build an email list, enroll to the Amazon vine program, provide above and beyond customer experience.

Designed link here 

Increase Product Sales

Increasing product sales on Amazon raises the possibility of earning more reviews. The correlation is straightforward: more sales equate to more opportunities for customers to engage with the product, leading to a higher probability of garnering Amazon reviews.

As sales volumes rise, so does the product's exposure to a wider customer base, increasing the potential for genuine reviews. Employing an excellent PPC advertising strategy and managing your SEO are things you can do to increase sales. 

Use the Request a Review Button

Using the "Request a Review" button within Seller Central is one of the routes Amazon sellers can take to get more reviews on Amazon. This feature offers a direct and efficient means to initiate both seller feedback requests and buyer reviews from recent buyers.

By proactively seeking reviews and feedback through this channel, sellers can engage with their customer base in a professional and timely manner, ultimately leading to an increased number of reviews. This augments the visibility and credibility of products on the platform, thus facilitating the acquisition of more reviews and bolstering a seller's overall reputation on Amazon.

Buyer-Seller Messages

Communicating with customers through the Amazon messaging system is a more direct way to improve your product's review count. Sellers can send follow-up messages to customers post-purchase to express gratitude and request feedback.

Remember that these messages should not violate Amazon's communication guidelines, such as asking for positive reviews only or offering incentives in exchange for a review. Being professional, courteous, and respectful in all buyer-seller communications is crucial.

Amazon Early Reviewer Program

The Amazon Early Reviewer Program is designed to help sellers receive early reviews for their new products. When you enroll a product in this program, Amazon selects random customers who have recently purchased it and offers them a small gift card (typically $1-3) in exchange for sharing their honest opinions.

The goal of the early review program is to encourage unbiased reviews while ensuring compliance with Amazon's review guidelines. However, joining the Early Reviewer Program comes with a cost; Amazon charges sellers an enrollment fee for each participating product.

Build an Email List

Building and maintaining an email list offers numerous advantages when requesting product reviews from Amazon buyers. When you send personalized review requests via email post-purchase, you allow direct and personalized communication, increasing the likelihood of a positive review while managing negative reviews.

Maintaining an email list is also a cost-effective means of reaching your target audience, eliminating the need for expensive advertising campaigns.

In sum, leveraging your email list to request reviews from satisfied customers bolsters your product's visibility, reputation, and customer loyalty.

Enroll in the Amazon Vine Program

Amazon Vine, a program aiding sellers in obtaining honest reviews, selects trusted and reputable reviewers called Vine Voices who review new or pre-released products. This helps sellers garner genuine and credible product feedback, enhancing their overall visibility and credibility on the platform.

The value of Amazon Vine is in authentic online reviews. The program ensures that the reviewers remain impartial and transparent in their assessments, fostering trust and integrity that benefits both the seller and their potential buyers.

Provide Above and Beyond Customer Experience

Ultimately, the foolproof way to ensure you consistently receive positive reviews is to provide a positive and unforgettable customer experience. When successfully done, such an experience appeals to your customer's emotions, compelling them to leave reviews that reflect genuine satisfaction.

You provide above-par customer experience by ensuring your product delivers what the customer expects. From there, you can work on the quality of your product, the speed and care of fulfillment and shipping, and the responsiveness and empathy of communication. Do this consistently, and both new and repeat customers will eventually leave you with more positive reviews.

Getting Positive Reviews Starts With Excellent Account Management

Getting authentic five-star reviews starts with a great customer experience, and that experience depends on how well you manage your Amazon store and listings. Putting your products out for shoppers to see while delivering quality from the ground up requires expertise and experience. This is where Seller Interactive can help.

Our team can do full account management that involves ensuring optimal product visibility. We can also increase sales by managing PPC campaigns and optimizing your product listings. All of this work leads your offerings into the hands of the customers, allowing you to focus on delivering quality goods and empathy in communicating with your buyers. To know more about our potential, you can book a call now.

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ACoS vs TACoS vs ROAS: Which Amazon KPI Matters Most?

Digital marketing and advertising professionals often struggle to understand and distinguish specific key performance metrics. One common comparison is "ACoS vs TACoS vs ROAS," benchmarks frequently used to assess the effectiveness of paid ad campaigns.

As each of these KPIs provides a unique perspective on advertising performance, it is essential to understand their differences and applications. This knowledge will enable you to monitor and direct your digital marketing strategy and make more informed decisions regarding budget allocation.

Let Seller Interactive guide you on these critical metrics you must watch when driving your Amazon business's overall trajectory: the ACos, TACoS, and ROAS.

An infographic showing the following: ACoS, TACoS, ROAS

What is the Difference Between ACoS, TACoS, and ROAS?

ACoS, TACoS, and ROAS are vital in Amazon PPC advertising. ACoS gauges the ad spend ratio to attributed sales. TACoS calculates total sales from organic ads, and ROAS tracks revenue per ad dollar spent. All are crucial in optimizing ad performance

Understanding ACoS

Amazon ACoS, also called Advertising Cost of Sale, is a crucial metric for gauging the effectiveness of your advertising campaigns on the platform. It measures the efficiency of your ad spend by showing the percentage of ad dollars used to generate sales revenue.

A lower ACoS indicates that an advertising campaign is performing efficiently, showing that less money is being spent to generate revenue. Conversely, a higher ACoS signifies that more money is being spent on advertising for each sale, decreasing overall profitability.

Importance of The ACoS Metric

In Amazon advertising, ACoS is a key performance indicator that can help you boost campaign profitability. By continuously monitoring this metric, you can strategically use your ad budget more effectively and efficiently in pursuit of higher sales revenue.

It is also important for businesses to establish a target ACoS, which reflects both the objective of the advertising campaign and the industry benchmark. This helps e-commerce sellers optimize their campaigns by adjusting bids, keywords, and targeting methods to achieve the desired ACoS.

Calculating Your ACoS

To calculate the Advertising Cost of Sales (ACoS) in your advertising campaign, you must focus on two key components: ad spend and ad sales. Divide your ad spend by your ad sales to get the ACoS value. The formula to calculate ACoS can be represented as follows:

ACoS = (Ad Spend / Ad Sales) x 100

Example: Let's consider an advertising campaign with an ad spend of $1,000 and producing $5,000 worth of ad sales. By applying the formula, the ACoS is calculated as follows:

ACoS = ($1,000 / $5,000) x 100 = 20%

This means that 20% of the revenue generated by ad sales is spent on advertising costs. The ACoS value helps determine the effectiveness of your advertising campaign, comparing the costs of running ads to the generated.

Understanding TACoS

Total Advertising Cost of Sales (TACoS) is a metric that helps you determine advertising efficiency relative to the overall revenue performance. TACoS considers both the ad spend and total revenue generated from ad and organic sales.

When analyzing TACoS, it's important to remember that a lower percentage doesn't always signify better ad performance. Factors such as market competition, product life cycle, and revenue goals can influence the acceptable range for TACoS.

Importance of the TACoS Metric

An essential aspect of the TACoS metric is its ability to link advertising spend to both attributed and non-attributed sales. This feature provides a more accurate reflection of total business performance, which is particularly useful for businesses participating in the highly competitive landscape of online advertising.

Another advantage of using TACoS is its adaptability to various industries and advertising goals. By tracking TACoS over time, companies can identify upward or downward trends that give insight into consumer behavior in a given period. This information allows businesses to appropriate marketing budgets to manage campaigns effectively.

Calculating Your TACoS

To calculate TACoS, you must divide the total ad spend by total organic and paid sales. The resulting percentage measures advertising efficiency relative to the business's overall performance.

TACoS = (Ad Spend / Total Sales) * 100

Example: If your ad spend is $1,000 and your total sales revenue is $10,000, your TACoS would be:

TACoS = ($1,000 / $10,000) x 100 = 10%

A lower TACoS percentage indicates a more efficient use of the advertising budget, while a higher TACoS indicates a larger portion of your sales revenue being consumed by advertising costs. Monitoring TACoS can help you make informed decisions about your advertising strategy, allocate resources effectively, and identify areas for enhancement.

Understanding ROAS

Marketers and advertisers use Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) to determine their ad campaigns' performance, given the spending. It measures the monetary return generated from a specific advertising cost, helping businesses understand which campaigns drive the most revenue.

Businesses often establish a target ROAS reflecting their desired returns and help set benchmarks for optimizing campaigns. For instance, a company with a target ROAS of 4:1 aims to generate at least $4 in revenue for every $1 spent on advertising. Failing to reach the target may indicate that the ads are underperforming and require adjustments.

Importance of the ROAS Metric

Return on ad spend (ROAS) is a crucial metric that tells managers how well an advertising strategy works based on how effectively it generates revenue.

One key advantage of using ROAS as a metric is its simplicity. With only two inputs—ad revenue and ad spend—it provides a straightforward method for assessing the success of an advertising campaign. It's a speedy metric to use when analyzing the efficiency of their ad expenditures.

Calculating Your ROAS

Calculating ROAS is quite simple: Divide the generated revenue from the campaign by the total ad spend’s cost.

ROAS = (Advertising Revenue / Advertising Spend)

Example: If a company spends $1,000 on an ad campaign and earns $5,000 in revenue, its ROAS would be 5 (or 500%).

ROAS = (5,000 / 1,000) = 5 or 500%

When analyzing ROAS, it's important to consider the marketing objectives and overall return on investment (ROI). While ROAS focuses on the value generated by the advertising spend, ROI considers the entire marketing budget, including campaign expense costs, salaries, and overheads. Thus, a high ROAS does not always guarantee a strong ROI.

From the bottom left corner: Three cogwheels on yellow background each having different colors arranged from smallest to largest.

Designed by freepik

Optimizing Amazon Metrics

When maximizing your ACoS, TACos, and ROAS on Amazon, you can employ several strategies to maximize your advertising budget. Note these practices for better PPC campaigns moving forward.

Product Listing Optimization: Ensuring informative and engaging product listings is essential for maximizing your PPC ads metrics. High-quality product images, compelling titles, and informative bullet points can increase your product's visibility and conversion rates.

Keyword Research: It's important to identify the right keywords for your products to optimize your Amazon ad campaigns for better metrics performance. This includes targeting high-volume search terms and long-tail keywords with lower competition but still driving relevant traffic.

Adjusting Bids and Budgets: Balancing your bids and budgets is crucial for optimizing your ad spend. Keep a close eye on your campaigns and consider raising bids for high-performing keywords while lowering bids for underperforming ones.

Negative Keyword Implementation: Identifying and implementing negative keywords can prevent wasted ad spending on irrelevant searches. By excluding such terms, you can better direct your advertising budget toward the most profitable searches, thus improving your critical metrics.

Using Different Ad Types: Amazon provides various ad types, such as Sponsored Display, Products, and Brands. Each ad type serves different purposes and caters to different phases of the buyer’s journey. Testing various ad types and finding the best combination for your specific products can lead to better ACoS, TACoS, and ROAS figures.

The Verdict on ACoS vs TACoS vs ROAS: Which Metric Matters Most?

All of the metrics matter. Each tells something important about your ads’ performance. To succeed, learning how to read and interpret these metrics is essential. This way, you can keep track of your campaigns and delegate management to marketing professionals and account managers. 

Get Your Ideal ACoS, TACos, and ROAS Numbers With Seller Interactive

Understanding and managing the performance metrics of your Amazon advertising campaigns is crucial to achieving your goals. ACoS, TACoS, and ROAS are all key metrics you need to know to gauge the efficiency and effectiveness of your advertising efforts.

Diligently managing these metrics is easier said than performed. You'll need consistency and adaptability to make the most out of your Amazon advertising campaigns and achieve their desired results. You will have to work on evaluating and managing your PPC Advertising campaigns daily, even hourly, and adjust their many components to fine-tune them towards optimum performance.To ensure you stay focused on the big picture, you'll need a team of professionals with years of experience navigating the ecommerce landscape. Pros that have done the work and know how to succeed beyond what TACoS, ACoS, and ROAS can show you. If you're curious about how our specialists can make that happen, book a call.

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A Quick Guide To Amazon Aggregators and What They Mean for Your Business

Amazon aggregators are gaining prominence and influence. Through them, sellers like you can achieve your goal to widen your store's visibility and grow your sales. As an Amazon seller, you may have come across the term too and wondered what it means for your business.

This quick guide will shed light on these entities and delve into how they can potentially transform your business. By learning about aggregators, you can better position your business and continue to scale it to the size you've always dreamed of. So, read on!

What are Amazon Aggregators?

Aggregators, or acquirers or consolidators, are businesses that acquire and scale private label brands selling on Amazon. They bring abundant resources and expertise, from product listing and operations optimization, and they also have the capital to help scale brands, potentially taking them to new heights. 

Key Factors Considered by Aggregators

When aggregators evaluate potential brands to acquire, they consider various factors that can impact their decisions. This section will provide a brief overview of key aspects they check, helping you better prepare your business for possible acquisition in the future.

a list of the characteristics Amazon aggregators look for to the brand they'll acquire

Enrolled in the Amazon Brand Registry

Enrolling in the Amazon Brand Registry demonstrates a company's commitment to brand protection and provides additional tools to optimize product listings. Aggregators prefer registered businesses, as they can monitor and protect their intellectual property more easily and maintain better control over their brand image on the platform.

FBA Registered

Most aggregators prefer brands included in the Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) program. FBA allows for streamlined logistics, giving aggregators more assurance that orders will be fulfilled efficiently, improved customer satisfaction and sales. They can focus on scaling and optimizing the business rather than dealing with day-to-day operational challenges.

Product Niche and SKU

Aggregators look for quality brands operating within profitable and sustainable niches on Amazon. They generally prefer varied SKUs to minimize the risk of depending on a single product. Nevertheless, they still ensure there aren't too many products that can make management challenging. 

Proven success in a specific niche, backed by positive customer reviews and a well-rounded product offering, can make your business more attractive to Amazon brand aggregators.

Sales on Amazon

Your company's overall sales performance on Amazon is vital in attracting aggregators. Higher sales volumes, consistent year-over-year growth, and positive customer feedback can catch the attention of potential acquirers. Demonstrating the ability to generate significant revenue showcases your brand's potential for growth.

Profitability

Aggregators pay close attention to a company with strong profitability, typically targeting businesses with around 15-25% net margins. Higher profit margins and a proven track record of profitability showcase your company's ability to generate revenue and succeed in the competitive Amazon marketplace.

What to Look For In Aggregators

As an Amazon seller, evaluating potential aggregators is crucial before deciding to partner with them. You worked so hard to put your store to its current stance, so you'd want to entrust it to good hands. Here, we'll discuss a few crucial aspects when examining potential Amazon FBA aggregator companies.

three characteristics of reputable aggregators

Evaluate Amazon FBA aggregators' experience and reputation.

Ensure that your prospect Amazon aggregator has a solid track record in successfully acquiring and scaling similar FBA businesses. It is essential to examine their reputation for delivering on their promises, fulfilling acquisition terms, and providing continued support to sellers post-acquisition. 

Examine their business model, terms, and compensation.

Different Amazon FBA aggregators may follow distinct business models that impact the terms and compensation you'll get. Some may focus on acquiring and building brands slowly, while others may adopt a more aggressive approach to rapidly scale your brand.

Be sure to compare the pros and cons between different aggregators, paying particular attention to aspects like acquisition focus, annual sales requirements, and net profit expectations.

Assess their expertise in your specific product category.

It's crucial to partner with an Amazon FBA aggregator with experience and a successful track record in your product category, be it wellness brands, Amazon private labels, or any other niche. 

Some aggregators may specialize in certain product categories, giving them an edge to better understand and successfully grow your business. This expertise will help them implement winning strategies and maximize revenue generation for your brand.

Aggregators’ Impact on Amazon Sellers

By evaluating the potential benefits of working with aggregators, you can determine if this approach aligns with your long-term goals and the future vision for your business. Below are the benefits and impact of deciding to sell your Amazon business to aggregators.

Enhanced Access to Resources and Expertise

Aggregators typically have vast amounts of capital, making investing in areas like product development, marketing, and supply chain management easier. By selling your brand and store to an experienced aggregator, you can leverage their networks and knowledge to optimize and scale your business more efficiently.

More Streamlined Operations

Aggregators have developed sophisticated data analytics and operational systems to manage multiple brands. You can benefit from their streamlined operations when your business becomes part of an aggregator's portfolio. This can lead to optimized inventory management, improved customer support, and a better understanding of your product's performance in the market. Your sales and profitability will also improve.

Increased Brand Visibility and Market Reach

One of the main goals of aggregators is to scale the brands they acquire. With their vast marketing resources and in-depth understanding of the Amazon marketplace, these companies can increase your brand's visibility across multiple channels. In turn, this can expand your market reach, help you tap into new demographics, and boost your overall sales.

Smooth Exit Opportunities

Working with an aggregator can provide a smooth exit opportunity for you. When you decide to sell your business, partnering with an aggregator can ensure a seamless transition and deliver fair compensation for your hard work and success.

Key Players in Amazon Aggregation

Are you convinced that aggregators may be the way to go for your business? Below is a list of aggregators. We picked to discuss some of the most prominent aggregators you can contact in case you've reached a final decision.

Amazon Aggregators
10club
AccelClub
Acquco
Aim.group
Alpha Rock
Capital
Alphagreen
Altacrest Capital
Amazing Brands
Group
Ampire
Aterian
Benitago Group
Berlin Brands Group
Boopos
Brand1 Ventures
Branded
Cap Hill Brands
Centro Brands
Cinchona
Cling Capital
D1 Brands
Diverge Group
Dragonfly
Dwarfs
E-Brands
Elevate Brands
Evenflow Brands
Excite Foundry
Factory14
Flummox
Flywheel Commerce
Forest
Foundry Brands
Global
Bees
GOAT Brand Labs
Goja
Gravitiq
Greenhaus
Growve
Heroes
Heyday
Highfive Brands
Inflection Brands
Intrinsic
Mantaro Capital
Markai
Marketplace Powerbrands
Mensa Brands
Merama
Merx Brands
Monolith Brands Group
Moonshot Brands
Mothership
Nebula Brands
Negotiatore
Next Century Capital
Olsam Group
One Retail Group
Opontia
Orange Brands
Pearl West Group
Perch
Plus Ultra Group
Profound Commerce
Rainforest
Razor Group
Recontour
RTICA
Savitar
Scythia
Sorfeo
Spring Commerce
Stryze
Suma Brands
Tapuya Brands
TCM Digital
Telos Brands
The Fortia Group
The Stryze Group
Thrasio
Umbrella Fund
Una Brands
Unybrands
Upexi
UpScalio
Valoreo
Win Brands
Group
Wonder Brands
Yaba

Thrasio

Thrasio is one of the leading Amazon aggregator companies, known for acquiring high-quality FBA brands with focusing on customer satisfaction and product quality. The company aims to scale these businesses and generate higher revenue and profits by investing in marketing, operations, supply chain management, and data analytics.

Berlin Brands Group

The Berlin Brands Group is a Germany-based aggregator with a focus on acquiring and scaling up promising Amazon brands. With a strong presence in 28 countries, this company aims to help third-party sellers expand their market reach and optimize their performance marketing strategies.

Perch

Perch is an Amazon aggregator focusing on acquiring the top three brands in specific categories and those with established customer reviews. With a diverse acquisition strategy, Perch targets Amazon FBA businesses, offering a broader range of opportunities for successful businesses to grow and prosper.

Benitago

Benitago is a New York-based Amazon aggregator that offers a comprehensive solution for ecommerce entrepreneurs. With a proven track record in acquiring and scaling FBA businesses, Benitago provides sellers a hassle-free exit strategy, seamless transition, and access to expert resources.

Elevate Brands

Elevate Brands, led by seasoned experts from Wayfair, Amazon Web Services, and Amazon's 3P business development department, leverages its deep industry knowledge to transform the stores it acquires.

Their strategic focus spans North America, the UK, and the EU, with a keen eye on the pet, grocery, and supplement sectors. With a portfolio of 25+ brands, Elevate Brands consistently achieves an impressive post-acquisition growth rate of 100%, making them a prominent player in the ecommerce landscape.

Cap Hill Brands

Cap Hill Brands is a dynamic Amazon aggregator with a mission to unlock the full potential of consumer brands. With lightning-fast response times, they offer an offer within 48 hours and can close deals in as little as four weeks, ensuring a swift and hassle-free transition.

Their unique profit-sharing model allows you to share in future successes. They offer flexibility and partnership options tailored to your preferences. After the acquisition, they leverage their expertise in marketing, product development, brand management, distribution, supply chain, and international expansion to nurture your brand for long-term success.

Unybrands

Unybrands is an Amazon aggregator with a strong presence in Germany, the UK, and the US. Focusing on acquiring profitable Amazon FBA and third-party seller businesses, Unybrands aims to assist these companies in achieving accelerated ecommerce growth and increased revenue.

The Process of Selling to an Aggregator

When you decide to sell your Amazon FBA business to an aggregator, such as Berlin Brands Group, Elevate Brands, or Cap Hill Brands, the process generally involves three main steps: 

  1. Negotiating and signing a comprehensive agreement
  2. Transferring inventory and intellectual property
  3. Collaborating on marketing and advertising strategies
the three-step process when selling to an aggregator

Negotiating and Signing a Comprehensive Agreement

You'll need to negotiate and sign a comprehensive agreement with the Amazon aggregator. During the negotiation process, both you and the aggregator will discuss details such as the purchase price, which usually weighs factors like your business model, annual sales, net profit, and product quality.

Both you and the aggregator will agree on the expectations and responsibilities of each party post-acquisition. Thoroughly learn about the terms of the agreement. This document will be the basis of your compensation and future partnerships with the aggregator.

Transferring Inventory and Intellectual Property

After signing the agreement, you'll need to transfer your inventory and intellectual property (IP) to the aggregator. This includes trademarks, copyrights, patents for your brands, and inventory at Amazon fulfillment centers.

The aggregator will typically manage the transfer process to ensure a smooth handover. Provide necessary documents for ownership information updates on Amazon and other ecommerce platforms.

Collaborating on Marketing and Advertising Strategies

Lastly, successful aggregators often focus on scaling acquired businesses through strategic marketing and advertising. After the acquisition, you may be asked to collaborate on creating new marketing materials, optimizing your product listings, or implementing new advertising strategies to boost sales and visibility on Amazon.

As you work with the aggregator, your knowledge and expertise in your niche can help accelerate growth and generate revenue for both parties.

Partner With Seller Interactive

Entrusting your brand to aggregators is a strategic path to enhancing brand awareness, streamlining operations, and accessing valuable resources. Your journey to business growth awaits, and the key to success may just be in the hands of the right Amazon aggregator. It's time to explore the possibilities and bring your business to the heights you've always wished for.

Partnering with us here at Seller Interactive can significantly elevate your Amazon business. By leveraging our expertise and resources, you'll gain a competitive edge to help your brand flourish.

We offer a comprehensive Amazon full account management service that covers crucial aspects of your business. Our team of professionals will work closely with you to optimize your product listings, implement effective advertising strategies, manage your inventory, and more.

Book a call with us now to know more about our offers.

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What You Need To Know About Selling on Walmart vs. Amazon

Are you considering expanding your online business and wondering which marketplace is the right fit for you? The decision to start selling online is a significant step, and you’re probably thinking the age-old question: “Should I be selling on Walmart vs. Amazon?” 

This dilemma is common for many ecommerce entrepreneurs. But selecting the right platform makes a difference on someone's ecommerce journey. To help you make an informed decision, we’ll break down each platform’s key differences, benefits, and challenges in this article. 

Selling on Walmart

Walmart is a well-known retail giant with a significant presence in the ecommerce world. The Walmart marketplace allows businesses to sell their products on the platform alongside the marketplace’s own products. 

Is It Profitable to Sell on Walmart?

While it’s true that Walmart has been playing catch-up with Amazon in the ecommerce space, it’s still profitable to sell on Walmart. According to Jungle Scout’s State of the Walmart Seller Report, 95% of Walmart marketplace sellers thrive in their ecommerce businesses. More than half of these sellers earn over $100,000 in annual revenue.

a graphic showing pros and cons of selling on walmart, pros: no subscription fees, low competition, exposure to new audiences, easy checkout process, cons: lower profit margin, fewer shoppers, and limited fulfillment options.

Benefits of Selling on Walmart

Let’s start weighing the pros and cons of selling on the Walmart marketplace. Here are the benefits Walmart retailers enjoy from the platform.

No Subscription Fees

Like Amazon, Walmart Marketplace charges 8%–15% in referral fees to sellers. But, a key advantage of selling on Walmart is that there are no subscription fees. Unlike Amazon, which charges a monthly fee for professional seller accounts, Walmart allows you to sell on its platform without the burden of additional costs. 

This allows Walmart marketplace sellers to reinvest more of their profits back into their online business and enhance their growth potential. 

Low Competition

While Amazon has a much larger pool of sellers, Walmart’s marketplace is less crowded. Amazon has 1.5 million active sellers, while Walmart’s marketplace has a little over 150,000. This makes it easier for Walmart sellers to stand out and draw in customers.

When there are fewer retailers competing for attention, you can gain a higher market share. This can result in improved sales and better product visibility.

Exposure to New Audiences

Selling on Walmart allows you to reach certain customer segments that may not be shopping on Amazon. Since Walmart caters to a diverse audience, including those who prioritize low prices and convenient physical store locations, you can tap into a new segment of consumers who may not be browsing other online marketplaces. 

Easy Checkout Process

Walmart’s easy, streamlined checkout process can greatly benefit customers and businesses. With options like in-store pickup, Walmart Pay, and fast shipping through the Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) program, customers can experience a smooth and convenient shopping experience. 

According to Accenture, 87% of online shoppers leave their carts if the checkout process is complicated. So, since Walmart has a streamlined checkout process, it can help increase customer satisfaction and lead to repeat business. 

Drawbacks of Selling on Walmart

Now that you know the benefits, it’s time to familiarize yourself with the ecommerce platform’s downsides. Here are some disadvantages of selling at Walmart: 

Lower Profit Margin

Although Walmart has lower fees and no additional costs unlike Amazon, you may still experience a lower profit margin overall. This is due to Walmart’s focus on offering low prices to their customers, which might require you to decrease your product prices to stay competitive. 

Walmart may also unpublish the listings if the sellers don’t keep up with the competitive pricing. This can lead to sacrificing profits to stay visible in the Walmart marketplace.

Fewer Shoppers

While Walmart claims that its sellers receive 13 times more monthly visitors than Amazon sellers, it is essential to remember that Amazon still has a more extensive customer base. Despite its growing popularity, Walmart may not provide the same level of sales opportunity that Amazon can offer. 

The competition between sellers might be low, but you’ll also face fewer potential customers as a Walmart marketplace seller. 

Limited Fulfillment Options

Amazon offers the Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) program, while Walmart offers the Walmart Fulfillment Service. WFS is relatively new, while Amazon FBA was the first to provide this fulfillment service. 

While it’s good that Walmart is working to develop its fulfillment capabilities, it is not yet as comprehensive as Amazon’s FBA program. Walmart has 40 fulfillment centers in the United States, but Amazon has 110.

WFS is accessible only to experienced sellers, compared to Amazon FBA, which welcomes anyone. This means it could be challenging for newbie Walmart sellers as they will be responsible for managing their inventory and shipping to customers. 

The Amazon Marketplace

Now that you know the background, benefits, and drawbacks of selling on Walmart, let’s explore the Amazon marketplace. Like Walmart, Amazon has many benefits and drawbacks that you should consider before deciding if it is right for your business.

a graphic showing the pros and cons of selling on amazon, pros: large customer base, amazon fba option, plenty of marketing opportunities, higher profit margin, cons: higher selling fees, increased competition, complicated order management.

Benefits of Selling on Amazon

With a global customer base exceeding millions, Amazon provides unparalleled access to a vast market. Aside from this advantage, what factors make selling on Amazon worth it? Here are the benefits of selling on the world’s largest ecommerce platform.

Large Customer Base

Amazon has a large consumer base, which means that millions of potential shoppers visit the site every day. Amazon has 310 million active users, while Walmart serves 240 million customers. 

Amazon FBA Option

Amazon FBA allows sellers to keep their products in Amazon warehouses while Amazon handles the storage, packaging, and delivery. This can save you time and effort, allowing you to concentrate on other aspects of your business. Additionally, FBA products are eligible for Two-Day Prime Free Shipping, which appeals to customers.

Plenty of Marketing Opportunities

Amazon offers various marketing tools and opportunities to help promote your products and grow sales. These marketing tools include Sponsored Products, Amazon Lightning Deals, and other promotions. 

These features can:

  • Increase your product’s exposure
  • Drive traffic to your Amazon store
  • Improve sales

Higher Profit Margin

Amazon can provide a higher profit margin than platforms like Walmart. But it also depends on the product category and your pricing strategy. Since Amazon caters to over 300 million customers, there’s a bigger chance of increasing your sales than using platforms with fewer shoppers. 

Drawbacks of Selling on Amazon

Selling on Amazon has its perks, but there are downsides too. Aside from the challenges you'll face selling in a crowded marketplace, here are the drawbacks of selling on Amazon.

Higher Selling Fees

Selling on Amazon comes with its share of costs, and one of the primary drawbacks you may encounter is the higher selling fees. The fees on Amazon can vary depending on your seller account type. Take a look at the table below:

Selling PlanPricing 
Individual$0.99/item sold
Professional $39.99/month

Amazon also charges a referral fee that ranges from 8% to 15%, depending on the product category. Additionally, if you choose to use Amazon FBA, you will be subject to additional fees, such as shipping costs and monthly storage fees. These costs can reduce your profit margin, especially compared to platforms with lower fees, like Walmart.

Increased Competition

The higher number of sellers on Amazon compared to Walmart leads to increased competition on the platform. This means Amazon can be a challenging environment for your business to thrive in. 

With millions of sellers and products on the platform, it can be difficult for your products to stand out. As a result, you’ll need to invest more resources in advertising campaigns, product optimization, and competitive pricing to gain visibility and sales on Amazon. 

On the other hand, Walmart has a more stringent seller approval process, which results in less competition and higher sales potential for approved sellers.

Complicated Order Management

Managing orders on Amazon can be complex, particularly for new sellers. The platform offers various services such as FBA, Seller Fulfilled Prime (SFP), and the regular fulfillment method. Each has its own set of requirements and challenges. This can lead to increased workload while trying to meet strict performance metrics imposed by Amazon. 

Tracking inventory across multiple fulfillment methods and keeping your listings up to date can be time-consuming and resource-intensive. In contrast, Walmart has a more streamlined order management process and offers fewer fulfillment options, which simplifies the seller experience. 

Factors To Consider When Selling on Walmart vs. Amazon

You now understand the differences, benefits, and drawbacks of selling on Amazon and Walmart. Before you decide which of the two ecommerce platforms you’ll use for your selling journey, take a look at these factors you need to consider.

Fees

It’s important to understand the fee structure of Walmart and Amazon. Amazon charges more selling fees, but are they value for money? Walmart has no fixed monthly fees but also levies percentage-based referral fees.

Before you determine the most cost-effective option for your business, compare the selling fees, inventory storage, fulfillment costs, and any additional charges for advertising or other services of ecommerce platforms.

Profit Potential

Profitability is an important consideration when selecting an ecommerce platform. While Amazon dominates the market with nearly 40% of ecommerce sales, Walmart is the second most visited online marketplace in the US.

Consider the number of customers you might reach on each platform and the competitiveness of your category with each platform. These two factors will impact your profit margins.

Advertising Options

Advertising can increase the visibility of your products and drive more sales. Amazon and Walmart both provide paid advertising opportunities for sellers. Amazon provides advertising tools, such as Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, Sponsored Display, and more. 

Walmart marketplace offers a pay-per-click (PPC) advertising platform called Walmart Sponsored Search. They provide three types of advertising: Display Ads, Sponsored Products, and Sponsored Brands. Compare the costs, reach, and effectiveness of the advertising options on each platform to help you decide which is the best fit for you.

Ease of Use

Consider each platform's ease of use and seller support. Walmart has a more selective and rigorous application process than Amazon, which might be a barrier for some sellers. 

However, gaining access to Walmart’s Seller Center provides various features, including data and analytics for performance monitoring. Amazon’s Seller Central has many features and options, which might need a learning curve for beginner sellers. 

Evaluate each platform’s user interface, available tools, and customer support to see which best suits your business needs and resources.

Start Selling on Walmart With Seller Interactive

You have many options for selling online, but the two giants in the industry are Walmart and Amazon. Amazon has a larger customer base, which makes it a prime choice for reaching a wide audience. 

However, Walmart’s ecommerce sales have been consistently growing, and its fast growth rate presents an attractive opportunity for sellers seeking to enter a marketplace with less competition. 

Need help to get started with selling on Walmart? Seller Interactive can help. We offer comprehensive Walmart account management services to help you establish your presence and access a wider audience. 
Book a call with us today, and reach your brand goals!

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The 5 Best Ecommerce Marketplaces For A Thriving Online Business

With the ever-evolving landscape of ecommerce, selecting where to establish your online store is perhaps the most crucial decision for a guaranteed lucrative venture. There are plenty of ecommerce marketplaces to choose from, but only the most strategic decisions can help you achieve success.

Which platforms can propel online sellers forward? Let’s discover the five best online marketplaces and explore what each offers for online entrepreneurs and business owners like yourself.

Before heading to our list, it’s best to lay out the fundamentals by defining an ecommerce marketplace. How can it help digital entrepreneurs establish their business in the ecommerce world?

What Is An Ecommerce Marketplace?

An ecommerce marketplace is an online platform where various sellers can list their products for sale. It creates a space where buyers can conveniently browse and purchase items from different vendors in one place. An ecommerce platform significantly streamlines the digital purchasing process, making online shopping a breeze.

Online marketplaces began popping up during the rise of the internet and the proliferation of the technology we know today. As the digital age rolled into a new era of commerce, these platforms bridged the gap between sellers and buyers worldwide.

Selling on online marketplaces became more popular as the years flew by, skyrocketing even more when the pandemic struck in 2020. Today, more than 150 ecommerce platforms dot the internet, readily available to online entrepreneurs and customers worldwide.

You can classify online marketplaces into three primary categories:

  • Business-to-business (B2B) marketplaces - A B2B ecommerce site provides a space where businesses can offer their products and services to other businesses
  • Business-to-consumer (B2C) platforms - A B2C marketplace offers a platform for businesses and sellers to easily transact with online customers. It’s the most popular form of ecommerce platform.
  • Consumer-to-consumer (C2C) marketplaces - A C2C platform connects regular consumers who sell their products to other regular online customers.

Online Marketplace vs. Ecommerce Store: Are They the Same?

You might confuse an online marketplace with an ecommerce store. After all, they both fall under the online shopping umbrella, so they must be extremely similar, right? Unfortunately, online marketplaces and ecommerce stores are vastly different, serving different functions and operating in distinct ways.

Online MarketplaceEcommerce Store
  • Multiple sellers
  • Diverse product range
  • Sellers follow the platform’s rules
  • Single seller
  • Limited product offerings
  • Customization options
  • Scope

    For one, an online marketplace’s scope is significantly larger than an ecommerce store. The former hosts multiple sellers and their respective products, while the latter only houses a singular online vendor and their goods.

    Product Limit

    Customers of online marketplaces have plenty of choices, considering the number of sellers and goods on the site. Meanwhile, ecommerce stores only have a limited number of products to offer.

    Customizability

    Ecommerce store owners can arrange and design their sites based on their preferences. However, online marketplace sellers can only customize their store within their chosen platform's guidelines and requirements.

    The 5 Major Marketplaces in the Ecommerce Industry

    After learning the basics of ecommerce platforms, it’s time to introduce the sites that currently spearhead the ecommerce industry. Learn each of their unique advantages and opportunities. Here are five global ecommerce marketplaces to sell in.

    chart of ecommerce marketplaces’ total revenue in 2022

    Source: Statista.com

    Amazon

    Amazon boasts an average of more than 4 billion monthly visits and a robust community of nearly 2 million active sellers, making it the industry's leading online marketplace. Through the Amazon marketplace, sellers can sell their goods along with Amazon's own inventory.

    As a seller, you can benefit from Amazon's vast customer base and the trust it has built over the years. Its hybrid marketplace model promises a boost in visibility and ecommerce sales for sellers like you. 

    Amazon’s customer-centric approach enhances customer satisfaction by providing services like efficient fulfillment options and responsive customer support for a seamless customer experience. You can use these services to improve your ratings and sales opportunities.

    Most importantly, Amazon provides various tools and services to help you manage your online business efficiently, from comprehensive analytics to advertising solutions, allowing you to thrive in the Amazon ecosystem.

    eBay

    With close to 2 billion monthly visitors as of April this year and over 9 billion USD in total revenue in 2022, eBay's popular C2C online marketplace closely follows Amazon's lead. eBay functions as an auction house that sells merchandise from other third-party retailers, where buyers can choose from a wide range of products and bid for their desired items. 

    While it may not offer the same control level as Amazon, eBay still provides a reliable platform with flexible selling options. Its auction-style system can allow you to generate higher sales for your products. Moreover, eBay reportedly has lower marketplace fees than its competitors, possibly increasing your ROI.

    Like Amazon, the platform also provides various tools to help sellers. Seller analytics, marketing options, and a seller hub can easily address buyer concerns and promptly fulfill order actions.

    Most importantly, eBay sets strict seller protection regulations to protect sellers like you against fraudulent buyers and other transaction issues. 

    Walmart Marketplace

    As one of the biggest retail chains in the United States, Walmart Inc. recognized the rise of ecommerce and didn’t think twice about creating its own digital marketplace to keep up with the times. Hence, the Walmart marketplace was made.

    Like Amazon, the Walmart marketplace allows third-party merchants to sell their products alongside Walmart's inventory. 

    The platform offers increased brand visibility and product discoverability with its enormous customer base. Additionally, because Walmart is already an established and highly trusted brand, selling on this marketplace can lend credibility to your goods and brand. 

    You can also take advantage of the platform's fulfillment services, such as the Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS), for efficient and fast order fulfillment. However, like always, aligning your products with Walmart's guidelines and adhering to their policies is essential.

    Alibaba

    If you’re looking for a platform more focused on B2B transactions, China’s leading ecommerce marketplace might just be the right choice for your business. Alibaba primarily caters to businesses and wholesale buyers, suitable for manufacturers aiming for a wider reach and long-term B2B relationships.

    Because of its unique system, Alibaba offers a platform where third-party sellers can get product-sourcing services and procure a vast range of products and other merchandise in bulk

    You may be wary of using the sourcing platform because of its surrounding issues, like counterfeit branded items and the prevalence of fraudulent sellers. Fortunately, Alibaba consistently works against counterfeiting in its platform by verifying its sellers.

    Etsy

    Finally, if your brand and products are more craft-focused and unique, you could start your ecommerce business in niche online marketplaces like Etsy. Etsy is a niche ecommerce platform for handmade items

    If you're a creative entrepreneur or own a small business offering unique products, Etsy may be an ideal platform for you and your brand. With a dedicated community of buyers and sellers worldwide, you can showcase your products to a highly targeted audience and build a thriving business.

    Etsy also offers a close-knit and supportive seller community, where vendors can ask about their concerns and fellow sellers can help them and share advice on the matter.

    shot of a lady holding a mug and smiling at her laptop

    Source: Photo by Vlada Karpovich from Pexels.com

    Emerging Marketplaces

    Aspiring online sellers can start their ecommerce journey by building their business in the marketplaces listed above, depending on their target market and business needs. 

    However, if you’re a more established online entrepreneur, you may have to look out for other emerging online sales channels for sustainable business growth.

    One example is the Facebook marketplace, a growing platform where users can buy and sell products within their local communities. This platform is well-suited for small businesses and individual sellers, enabling them to reach a large audience without investing in a separate e-commerce platform.

    Another is Instagram Shopping. This feature lets businesses showcase their products directly on their Instagram profiles, turning the social media platform into a fully-fledged shopping experience. With shoppable posts, users can easily browse and purchase products without leaving the app.

    Integrating both Facebook marketplace and Instagram Shopping into your digital marketing strategy can help you reach a wider audience and drive more sales.

    How to Build an Ecommerce Empire

    Here are some tips you can practice to ensure a successful and lucrative ecommerce venture.

    graphic showing tips on how to set up an ecommerce business

    Team Up with Seller Interactive to Elevate Your Ecommerce Business

    Plenty of opportunities for success are available in the ecommerce industry. With the list of online marketplaces we’ve provided and tips we’ve shared, any aspiring online seller and entrepreneur can achieve prominence in the ecommerce world in no time.

    Looking for experts who can aid you in your Amazon selling journey? Try Seller Interactive!

    We offer full account management services for Amazon seller accounts to help sellers easily navigate the Amazon ecosystem. Contact our professionals today and start your ecommerce journey on the right foot with Seller Interactive!

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    What You Need To Know About Amazon Transparency Program

    As you navigate the world of online selling, the Amazon Transparency Program (ATP) is a crucial initiative you should be aware of. This program was introduced by Amazon in 2017 to curb the growing issue of counterfeit products. It aims to ensure a secure shopping experience for customers and maintain product authenticity across its platform.

    This article aims to help you gain a thorough understanding of the ATP and its impact on your selling experience. By the end, you will be equipped with the knowledge to confidently identify authentic products and make informed decisions when selling from Amazon.

    What Is The Amazon Transparency Program?

    The Amazon Transparency Program is a service offered by Amazon to help brands protect their products from counterfeiting and ensure authenticity through serialization. It involves applying unique codes to products, verified by both Amazon and consumers, using a mobile app to foster trust and transparency in the marketplace.

    How It Works

    Through implementing the ATP, you can protect your brand image better and ensure steady sales for your business. But how does this program work? We'll explain that here.

    the three main features of the Amazon Transparency Program

    Unique Transparency codes

    As a brand owner, you must apply unique product Transparency codes. These codes are generated for each item and associated with the product's Global Trade Item Number (GTIN). When your products are shipped to fulfillment centers, Amazon authenticates Transparency codes on each unit so that only legitimate products can enter the supply chain.

    Transparency Mobile App

    Customers can use the Transparency mobile app to scan codes and verify the product's authenticity. A green mark after code scanning signifies that the product is genuine.

    The app will also provide manufacturing dates and other relevant product information. By utilizing the Transparency app, customers can trust online reviews and be confident that they purchase genuine products.

    💡 The Amazon Shopping app also allows buyers to scan Transparency codes.

    Supply Chain Monitoring

    If counterfeit products from third-party sellers attempt to enter the supply chain, the unique Transparency codes on authentic products will prevent these fake products from reaching customers. This helps maintain your brand's reputation and gives you valuable insights into your supply chain, helping you optimize it further for a better customer experience.

    Amazon Transparency’s Benefits for Brands

    The ATP offers essential benefits for brands through counterfeit prevention, enhanced customer trust, and valuable data and analytics. Let's discuss these benefits individually.

    Counterfeit Prevention

    One of the main benefits of the ATP is that it helps prevent counterfeit products from reaching customers. The program provides unique Transparency codes to apply to your product's packaging.

    When the products reach fulfillment centers, Amazon personnel scan the codes using the transparency app to ensure you only ship authentic units to customers. If a potential counterfeit product is identified, the transparency team will investigate further and stop the item from reaching the customer.

    Enhanced Customer Trust

    Another significant benefit of using Amazon Transparency codes is the enhanced trust they offer customers. The green check mark confirming your product’s authenticity boosts brand credibility, engraving loyalty among your customers. This increased trust can result in better online reviews, improved brand reputation, and more sales.

    Valuable Data and Analytics

    The program enables you to access valuable data and analytics regarding your products. You can use unique Transparency codes to collect unit-level product details, such as manufacturing date and supply chain information.

    This data lets you to gain insights into your products' sales and distribution, helping you make better-informed business decisions. Furthermore, the data collected can be used to determine the prevalence of counterfeit products in your supply chain, allowing you to work proactively to address those issues.

    Eligibility and Enrollment

    You now know how the transparency program on Amazon works and the benefits you'll reap using it. So, let's get into the details of how you can enroll in this program.

    Application

    Registering to the Amazon Brand Registry is the first step to being eligible to use the platform's Transparency Program. This is essential to ensure that you control your brand and can protect it from counterfeit products. 

    Once registered, you can apply for the Transparency Program by providing information about your products.

    To know more about Amazon Brand Registry and its benefits, check out this video:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GETiSckCQ3w

    Verification

    After applying, Amazon will verify your eligibility by checking the authenticity of your brand and the unique codes provided. Amazon uses GTINs to validate Transparency codes and ensure they only ship authentic units.

    Onboarding

    Once your application is verified, onboarding is next. Here, the Amazon team discusses the program's benefits and limitations and explains the importance of product serialization through unique Transparency codes.

    Transparency Code Implementation and Integration

    After onboarding, you must apply unique Transparency codes to all eligible products. The Amazon team will scan these codes during manufacturing and shipping. Proper code implementation is crucial to ensure the validity of each product. You can work with a transparency service provider to properly apply and integrate the codes with your supply chain.

    Integration with Amazon Systems

    Finally, your product information and unique codes will be integrated with Amazon's systems. This allows for seamless scanning of Transparency codes in Amazon fulfillment centers and by customers using the transparency app.

    7 Tips for Maximizing the Transparency Program

    Now, you are all set to protect your Amazon store from counterfeiters. Once enrolled, here are the best practices you can implement to ensure you make the most of the program's offers.

    Tip #1: Implement Transparency Codes Consistently

    To make the most out of the ATP, apply unique Transparency codes on every unit of your products. Consistency is crucial to prevent counterfeit products from infiltrating your supply chain, so ensure all supply channels prioritize adding such codes to your products. 

    Tip #2: Integrate with Your Inventory Management System

    Synchronize the Transparency codes with your inventory management system for seamless tracking and logistics. By incorporating the GTIN information into your systems, you gain better control over the flow of your products and detect potential counterfeit units. Combine the Transparency Program with your business's rigorous quality control to ensure that only genuine and quality products reach your customers.

    Tip #3: Regularly Monitor Transparency Data

    Monitor the data gathered through transparency-enabled products in real time. By keeping an eye on the manufacturing date, shipping process, and scanning rates of your product's Transparency codes, you can identify issues and proactively address them to maintain the integrity of your brand. 

    You can also use the sales data from the Transparency codes to analyze consumer behavior, preferences, and brand insights.

    Tip #4: Stay Informed about Program Updates

    Amazon constantly enhances its programs and services. Stay informed about updates and improvements to the ATP so you and your team can adapt and use it to its full potential. And if you need clarification or assistance, Amazon customer service is just a click and call away.

    Tip #5: Use Transparency as a Marketing Tool

    Leverage the Transparency Program to convey customer trust and product authenticity by adding it to your marketing messages. Highlight your products' valid Transparency codes and the green check marks customers receive via the app after scanning. It's easier to gain new customers and keep them loyal when you assure them that your products are authentic.

    Tip #6: Track and Measure ROI

    Determine the return on investment (ROI) of the Transparency Program by comparing costs and benefits. Monitor key performance indicators, such as sales, online reviews, and brand reputation, to understand how the program impacts your brand.

    Tip #7: Stay Committed to Brand Integrity

    Maintaining the integrity of your brand is an ongoing process. Stay committed to ensuring only authentic units are shipped to customers, partner with trusted third-party sellers, and consistently apply Transparency codes to reinforce your commitment to providing genuine products.

    Use customer feedback, especially related to product quality and authenticity, to refine your transparency strategy. In persistent counterfeit issues, consult legal professionals well-versed in intellectual property cases and Amazon Brand Protection.

    You can check out this video for more information on how you can protect your brand on Amazon:

    Protect Your Brand With Seller Interactive

    As a brand-registered seller, enrolling in the Transparency Program can help you address counterfeit concerns and enhance your customers' shopping experience. It enables product serialization and authentication before shipment. You can proactively safeguard your brand's reputation on Amazon and maintain a high-quality product offering.

    To optimize your involvement in the Transparency Program, consider partnering with us here at Seller Interactive. We offer comprehensive support, from enrolling you for Amazon Brand Protection to navigating the program's requirements and processes. 

    By working together, we can ensure brand integrity and customer satisfaction on Amazon—empowering your business for continued success.

    Leverage the benefits of the ATP. Book a call with us now to protect your brand, improve customer experience, and enjoy the growth that comes with authenticity and trust.

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    Your Updated Amazon Posts Strategy for Improved Sales in 2023

    As technology evolves, social media adapts, and unique advertising strategies pop up in response to consumer behavior changes. Ecommerce platforms launch new features, like Amazon with Amazon Posts, to keep up with these developments. With an exceptional Amazon Posts strategy, sellers can increase brand awareness and achieve success. 

    How can an Amazon seller like yourself use Amazon Posts to your advantage, and what factors should you consider to create a winning strategy for your Posts campaign? 

    Let’s delve into the creative world of Amazon Posts and discover how to harness its potential efficiently. 

    Amazon Posts 101: What is The Purpose of Amazon Posts? 

    Amazon Posts is Amazon’s advertising innovation to help its sellers market their products and entice customers more creatively and engagingly. Launched in 2019, it is still in its beta testing phase, but it has shown much potential as the future of Amazon advertising. 

    sample annotated screenshot of Amazon Posts on desktop

    Who Can Use It? 

    As of writing, Posts is an advertising feature exclusive to Amazon sellers and vendors who are officially enrolled in the Amazon Brand Registry program. Registered sellers from the US can access and participate in Posts if they have an active Brand Profile. 

    A Brand Profile is a space where sellers can showcase their products and entire brand to their target audience. Sellers can display their Amazon business’s brand logo, brand colors, product line, company story, and other engaging content to attract customers. 

    Currently, enrolled sellers outside the US can’t use Posts. However, since it’s still in its beta phase, there is a high possibility that Posts will expand its reach and be open to Amazon sellers worldwide soon. 

    How Does It Work? 

    Posts features a personalized and shoppable feed, similar to other social media platforms, where customers can easily view and discover brands and where sellers can promote their products and share their brand story to audiences. 

    Customers can simply engage with and click on a brand’s feed to browse an Amazon store’s offerings and make subsequent purchases. 

    The Scroll Feature

    Like today’s most popular social media platforms (Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram), Amazon Posts have a specific UI/UX design contributing to their success: the scroll design

    In fact, two university associate professors in marketing attempted to explain why this scroll design works exceptionally well for social media platforms. 

    According to their study, the scroll design makes bite-sized content (another equally addicting and effective marketing tactic) more accessible, allowing users to browse their feeds and engage for hours endlessly.

    Amazon saw the potential behind this marketing tactic and incorporated these design principles to create a visually engaging and user-friendly experience for customers while they shop with Amazon Posts. 

    How Can You Create Amazon Posts? 

    Eligible sellers can follow these steps to create Amazon Posts:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebiu9iyde3s

    You may also follow these steps:

    1. Sign in to the advertising console with your Amazon Ads details. 
    2. Make a Brand Profile. 
    3. Select the Brand Home button and head to Go to Posts. 
    4. Make your first post by selecting the Create Post button. 
    5. Provide the post's essential details (e.g., captions, creative assets, ASINs, duration period, etc.). 
    6. Submit the post for review and approval. Amazon typically finishes reviewing posts within 24 hours. 

    Once approved, a brand’s Amazon Posts will be automatically displayed in various areas on the Amazon shopping mobile and web app and Desktop interface, including the following:

    • Detail Pages
    • Search feeds
    • Follow timelines
    • Various store feeds (brand feed, style feed, related post feeds, and category feeds)

    Why Should You Use It? 

    Amazon boasts the transformative abilities of its new advertising feature. Posts can significantly improve your business in various areas, from customer engagement and sales to even customer retention and sustained patronage.

    Brand DiscoverabilityThe interface and structure of Posts allow customers to easily engage with brands and their products, helping Amazon sellers and businesses improve their brand visibility. 
    Increased Store TrafficWith an eye-catching and engaging Amazon post, more customers will be encouraged to click, effectively bringing them to your Amazon storefront. Posts can boost brand awareness and store traffic when used correctly. 
    Improved Conversions and SalesEnhanced exposure can give way to a significant return on investment. If done right, Amazon Posts may skyrocket your conversion rate and boost your sales.
    Brand TrustAmazon Posts is a great opportunity to build brand loyalty. Consistently uploading valuable content allows them to instill confidence in your products and brand, fostering long-term customer relationships and encouraging repeat purchases.
    Cost-EffectiveMost importantly, Amazon Posts is free to use for eligible sellers. Unlike pay-per-click Amazon advertising, you won’t have to drop a single penny with Posts to advertise your brand.

    The Ultimate 2023 Amazon Posts Strategy: 7 Techniques

    After discussing the basics of Amazon Posts and knowing how they can transform your business, it’s time to learn how to harness the power of this advertising feature. How can one create a fool-proof and impactful campaign strategy for Amazon Posts? 

    Here are some factors, tips, and best practices to help you navigate the world of Amazon Posts. 

    short infographic showing the steps to creating an effective Amazon Posts strategy

    Use Suitable and High-Quality Images. 

    Since images typically catch the customer’s eye first, you must ensure your images are high-resolution and appropriately showcase your products. Photos can effectively perform their job if customers can see and distinguish the elements in them. It’s essential to review Amazon's guidelines for accurate product imagery. 

    Write Compelling Captions. 

    Besides images, another crucial factor for an effective Amazon Post is its caption. After getting the audience’s attention with your image, your post caption should keep the momentum and encourage your audience to click. 

    Captions must be short but pack a punch. Make them compelling by highlighting your product and brand’s unique selling points while keeping your tone light and conversational. 

    Embrace Variety. 

    Publishing your first Amazon Post is just the beginning of your journey. To maintain audience engagement, avoid posting several similar or related product posts. Instead, infuse variety into your content to keep people interested.

    Display a variety of products and offers within your catalog. Experiment and add interactive elements instead of simple image and caption posts. Besides keeping things interesting, product variety will allow you to expand your reach and appeal to a wider customer base. 

    Variety isn’t limited to showcasing what you can offer. You can also incorporate variety when interacting with your audience and customers. 

    Optimize Your Product Detail Page. 

    After clicking, your audience will be brought to the designated product detail pages where they can continue their shopping journey. By then, you’ve already captured your audience’s attention, and they may be interested in buying your product. 

    For this reason, keeping your product detail page optimized is key to hitting a home run. The product detail pages linked to your posts must have clear product titles and descriptions, high-quality images, and competitive pricing. 

    Keep Things Consistent. 

    Publishing several posts may not be enough to keep your audience and customers engaged. Implementing a consistent publishing schedule is essential instead of posting them all in one go, leaving your brand profile to waste away. 

    With an established and consistent schedule, you can keep your audience informed about your products while maintaining your brand’s visibility. Consider posting once or twice a week to keep the momentum going. 

    Check the Key Metrics. 

    Reviewing and analyzing certain performance indicators is the only way to know if your posts are performing optimally. By checking essential metrics, you can identify where your strategy is succeeding and lacking. 

    Some key metrics to focus on include: 

    • click-through rates (CTR), 
    • impression numbers, 
    • conversion rates, 
    • engagement metrics (followers, etc.), and 
    • audience demographics. 

    Monitor Constant Updates and Changes. 

    Amazon Posts is in beta, and Amazon will only continue to refine and develop the system. The ecommerce giant is expected to consistently update, change policies, and add new features to this advertising tool.

    Remember to watch out for these constant changes and updates so you can adjust your advertising strategies accordingly. 

    shot of a lady smiling at her tablet while in an office

    Source: Photo by Anna Shvets from Pexels.com

    Let Seller Interactive Aid You in Your Amazon Post Journey 

    Despite being in its infancy, the potential of Amazon Posts already exhibits a game-changing and limitless potential. With its effective and seamless incorporation of social media principles into the ecommerce field, it’s safe to say that Amazon Posts will be here to stay for a long time. 

    Let the Amazon experts help you as you embark on your Amazon Posts journey. Consider working with Seller Interactive! 

    With our exceptional product listing optimization services, we can ensure the success your Amazon posts get, transforming them into meaningful and profitable results. Aside from enhancing listings, we offer a range of Amazon services, including:

    • Brand protection
    • Amazon SEO
    • PPC 
    • Product launch
    • Account suspension appeal/reinstatement
    • Wholesale partnership
    • Reimbursement and refund
    • Amazon DSP
    • Walmart full account management

    Book a call now and create engaging Amazon posts today!

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    Your Guide To The Amazon Dynamic Pricing Strategy in 2023

    Setting prices manually can take up a lot of your time, and there's no guarantee it will match up competitively with prices from other sellers. This is where Amazon dynamic pricing strategy enters the picture. This strategy involves Amazon changing the prices of products multiple times to offer the best deals for its shoppers. 

    But as a seller, is it worth it to follow this strategy? In this article, we will explore this Amazon pricing model in-depth and provide a complete guide on implementing it in your store.  

    What Is Amazon’s Dynamic Pricing Strategy?

    Amazon’s dynamic pricing technique adjusts prices based on factors like demand and supply volume and competition. It enables sellers to remain competitive, optimize product prices, boost conversion rates, and generate more profit. This strategy uses algorithms and can be done through Amazon’s built-in Automate Pricing tool on Amazon Seller Central. 

    a graphic showing the factors amazon use in dynamic pricing, from left to right: demand volume, stocks volume, product visit, day and time of purchase.

    Factors Amazon Uses in Dynamic Pricing

    Amazon keeps the dynamic pricing strategy system confidential. Nowadays, experts even conduct Amazon pricing strategy analysis to know how the pricing model works. But despite keeping it a secret, it is evident that some parameters play a crucial role in implementing this pricing model. 

    Here are some of the factors that Amazon considers:

    Demand Volume

    If a product is in high demand and inventories run low, Amazon may raise the price to maximize profits. Meanwhile, if the demand is low, Amazon might lower the price to attract more potential customers. 

    Stock Volume

    Another factor that Amazon considers is the stock volume. When stock is low, Amazon may increase the price to prevent stockouts. Conversely, if there are too many stocks, Amazon may lower the price to clear inventory.

    Product Visit

    Amazon looks at how frequently customers visit a product through internet cookies. Cookies are little pieces of text a website sends to browsers to record each visit. They enable the website to collect details and utilize this information for marketing purposes.

    If a product is frequently visited but not purchased, Amazon may lower the price to entice customers to purchase. If a product is rarely visited, Amazon may increase the price to compensate for lower demand.

    Day and Time of Purchase

    Amazon also considers the day and time of purchase. Amazon identifies the specific days of the week and certain times of the day when customers have more time to browse and purchase products. 

    For example, Amazon may offer lower prices during off-peak hours to bring in more sales. Additionally, Amazon may offer more special deals and discounts on specific occasions like Cyber Monday or Black Friday.

    a graphic showing the benefits of amazon dynamic pricing strategy, from left to right: increased sales, competitive edge in pricing wars, enhanced customer experience.

    Benefits of Dynamic Pricing

    Now you know the factors behind Amazon’s pricing strategy. Next, let’s talk about how it benefits sellers like yourself on the platform. Here are the key advantages of dynamic pricing: 

    Increased Sales

    Dynamic pricing helps you increase sales by offering customers the most competitive product prices. 

    6 out of 10 customers prefer lower prices over the shopping experience. 

    This means offering low prices attracts more potential buyers, which can ultimately help you drive higher sales volume. 

    Competitive Edge in Pricing Wars

    Amazon's pricing model gives you an edge by adjusting prices to stay competitive in pricing wars. It helps you win over price-sensitive customers searching for the best deal. 

    However, note that competitive pricing also puts pressure on your competitors, which might force them to reduce their prices as well. 

    Enhanced Customer Experience

    The dynamic pricing strategy uses customer data to offer tailored prices based on a customer’s purchase history, location, and other factors. Offering tailored prices and products enhances the customer’s shopping experience by providing options that align with their preferences and needs. This raises their possibility of making a purchase. 

    The technique also lessens the time and effort buyers spend to find the best products and prices. 

    a graphic showing the drawbacks of amazon dynamic pricing strategy, from left to right: lower profit margin, privacy issues, negative customer perception. 

    Drawbacks of Dynamic Pricing

    Dynamic pricing has its benefits, but it also comes with some drawbacks. Here are some of its disadvantages:

    Lower Profit Margin 

    While dynamic pricing strategies can help increase sales of Amazon sellers, they can also lead to lower profit margins. As other sellers adjust their prices, you may often find yourself in a constant battle to match or undercut those prices, affecting profitability. 

    Additionally, the pressure to offer competitive prices limits the ability of Amazon sellers to recover higher costs or achieve their desired profit margins. 

    Privacy Issues

    Amazon’s dynamic pricing strategy is highly data-driven. The online marketplace analyzes customer behavior data to calculate a product’s optimal price. However, it raises privacy concerns among customers who do not prefer their data being used in this manner. 

    If you’re using dynamic pricing algorithms, you must be cautious not to engage in unfair or unethical actions that could break anti-discrimination laws or compromise your customers’ privacy.

    Negative Customer Perception

    Customers may feel they are being taken advantage of if they see frequent price fluctuations for the same product. When prices are inconsistent, customers might believe they are not getting a fair deal or that your brand lacks transparency. 

    If customers find your pricing strategy unfair, it can negatively impact their trust in your store and decrease brand loyalty. 

    Understanding the Automate Pricing Tool on Amazon

    Automate Pricing is Amazon’s built-in dynamic pricing tool on Amazon Seller Central. It’s free for sellers with a Professional selling plan on the platform. In Amazon’s Automate Pricing tool, you can control the prices by defining the rules, setting the price ranges, and automating pricing for selected product listings. 

    Here are two ways to set a pricing rule with this tool:

    Pre-Defined Automated Pricing Rule

    Amazon offers a pre-defined automated pricing rule that can be used to adjust your prices based on specific criteria. It involves matching the Buy Box price or setting it lower or higher by a certain amount. 

    💡 The Buy Box refers to the box located on the product detail page, which enables customers to add products to their carts easily. 

    Create a Customized Pricing Rule

    Amazon also allows sellers to use the "Create a Customized Pricing Rule" in addition to the Competitive Price Match Rule. You can choose from four sub-repricing rules:

    Competitive Buy Box

    If you want to keep an edge in the Buy Box spot, you may personalize your pricing tactic using this option. It lets you connect your price to the Buy Box, so whenever the Buy Box price changes, your price will change automatically.

    Competitive Lowest Price

    This repricing method runs similarly to the Buy Box technique. But instead of using the Buy Box price, it searches Amazon for the lowest price for a single product. Sellers can decide whether to set their price below, equal to, or above this pricing.

    Competitive External Price

    This rule considers prices on other online marketplace platforms like Walmart and Target.  Sellers can either limit their prices to match competitor prices or match prices on other platforms, allowing them to compete beyond the Amazon marketplace.

    Based on Sales Units

    If you’re launching a new product and aren’t sure about the best price, use this option to figure out how much to sell your private-label items for. With this repricing rule, you may define a price drop if you don't meet a set amount of sales within a certain timeframe. Likewise, you can automatically increase the price if you reach your sales goal quickly.

    How to Use Automated Pricing on Amazon

    Here are the steps to start using Automated Pricing:

    1. Log in to Seller Central

    Access your Amazon Seller Central account. Then, navigate to the "Pricing" tab and click "Automate Pricing." 

    an annotated screenshot of Amazon autopricing step 1

    2. Choose "Create a Customized Pricing Rule." 

    Pick the type of pricing rule you wish to create. You’ll find it in the drop-down menu.

    an annotated screenshot of Amazon autopricing step 2

    3. Name the rule you’re creating and fill in other necessary details.

    Select the pricing rule you want to establish in selected marketplaces. 

    an annotated screenshot of Amazon autopricing step 3

    3.1 Name your pricing rule (e.g., Black Friday Lowest Price), and proceed with market selection.

    an annotated screenshot of Amazon autopricing step 3.1

    3.2 Choose the marketplaces where you want to implement your pricing rule. 

    an annotated screenshot of Amazon autopricing step 3.2 

    3.3 After completing the details, choose “Save this rule in Amazon.com.

    an annotated screenshot of Amazon autopricing step 3.3 

    4. Select Your Products

    Click “Proceed to SKU selection” to choose the products you want to enroll in and the rules that apply to each of them. 

    5. Review and confirm your settings. 

    After checking your rules, click "Start Repricing" to begin using the automated pricing rule.

    Partner with Seller Interactive

    While Amazon’s dynamic pricing strategy can be powerful compared to manual pricing, it’s just one piece of the puzzle. Successful selling on Amazon involves managing various aspects beyond pricing, from optimizing listings to handling inventory. 

    Are you looking for expert support in navigating the complexities of Amazon selling? Seller Interactive can help. We offer full account management services to help sellers like you, from setting up Seller Central accounts to prep and logistics. Ready to increase sales and scale your Amazon brand? Book a call with us today to learn more about what we can offer!

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    How To Conduct Amazon Product Research The Right Way

    Conducting Amazon product research correctly is crucial for success on the eCommerce giant. Assessing various factors such as competition, pricing, customer reviews, and sales history will help you decide which products to sell. But due to the large and fast-paced environment of the marketplace, navigating through Amazon without a comprehensive guide can be daunting. 

    This is where our blog proves useful. We aim to provide a step-by-step approach to conducting product research correctly. It delves into various strategies and tools that can be employed to identify profitable product opportunities. 

    From evaluating competition and demand trends to analyzing customer reviews and using keyword research effectively, this guide will equip beginner and experienced Amazon sellers like you with the necessary knowledge to make informed decisions and excel in your product selection process.

    What Does Amazon Product Research Do?

    Amazon product research involves analyzing market trends, customer preferences, and competitor products to identify profitable opportunities. It helps sellers like you choose the right products to sell and market. Product research aims to maximize sales, customer satisfaction, and overall performance in the highly competitive marketplace.

    Amazon Product Research in 6 Steps 

    Navigating the vast marketplace of Amazon can be daunting, but you can simplify the Amazon product research process in six steps. Below is the step-by-step approach to help you identify profitable products, understand market demand, and outperform competitors, setting your store on a path to success.

    #1: Identify Your Target Market

    When conducting product research, prioritize identifying your target market, keeping up with emerging trends, and understanding customer preferences. This approach will help you select profitable products aligned to your audience's needs.

    Define Customer Demographics

    To conduct product research correctly, you must identify your target market. Begin by defining your customer demographics. Know their age, gender, income, and location. The deeper your knowledge about them, the more you can tailor your products for them.

    Analyze Current and Emerging Trends

    Stay ahead of the competition by analyzing current and emerging trends on Amazon. Use tools like Google Trends or other eCommerce platforms to investigate trending products. By tracking top sales, best-selling products, and sellers' ranks, you can identify opportunities that align with what your target customers like.

    Research Customer Preferences, Reviews, and Feedback

    Gain a deeper understanding of your target market by researching customer preferences, reviews, and feedback. Customer reviews allow you to determine a product's strengths and weaknesses and refine your selling strategy.

    Pay attention to the following:

    • Customer complaints
    • Repeat purchase patterns
    • Pricing strategies and price points
    • Shipping costs
    • Overall user experience

    By incorporating this feedback into your product research process, you'll increase your chances of success on Amazon. 

    #2: Conduct Product Research Using Amazon Tools

    To conduct product research correctly, you must utilize the right tools to help you find profitable products more efficiently. These tools offer various functionalities, such as:

    • Historical sales data
    • Keyword research
    • Competitor analysis
    • Data accuracy
    • Data projections
    • Potential profits
    • Shipping costs
    • Sales performance estimates

    Combine free tools like Google Trends and other popular tools below to efficiently do your research.

    Google Trends

    Google Trends is a free tool that provides data on the popularity of search queries in Google Search. It allows you to analyze and compare the relative search interest for specific keywords, topics, or terms over time, providing insights into search behavior and trending topics worldwide.

    This tool helps understand the popularity and search volume for specific products or niches. By tracking the search volume for keywords related to your product, you can identify trending products and make more informed decisions on what to sell on your online store.

    Amazon Keyword and Product Research Tools

    Along with Google Trends, you can also use Jungle Scout, AMZScout, and Helium 10 to complement your gathered data and have a more holistic, Amazon-focused view of your product research. 

    Jungle ScoutA software tool designed for Amazon sellers to analyze product trends, estimate sales data, conduct competitor research, and find profitable opportunities within the Amazon marketplace.
    AMZScoutA popular tool that offers a range of features for Amazon sellers, including product research, sales estimates, and competitor analysis, to help optimize sales potential and make informed business decisions.
    Helium 10A suite of powerful tools designed for Amazon sellers. It includes features for product research, keyword optimization, listing optimization, inventory management, and competitor analysis, among others.

    #3: Research Products Against Competition

    By dedicating time and effort to researching products against competitors and understanding seller rankings, you can confidently choose products with great potential to rise against the competition. Here’s how to do that.

    Assess the Competition Landscape

    To succeed in selling on Amazon, it's vital to assess the competition landscape thoroughly. This involves researching other sellers offering similar or the exact product and analyzing their pricing strategy, product listings, and overall performance.

    For a proper assessment, you can follow these steps:

    the five steps of competition assessment

    Understand Amazon Seller Rankings

    Amazon Seller rankings matter because it indicates products' popularity and sales performance. Higher-ranking sellers will likely have trustworthy and reliable products, making them favorable consumer choices.

    Seller rankings also help you identify potential niches with lower competition by analyzing the ranking trends. It can uncover underrated products or categories to explore and gain a competitive advantage, and it can also aid in evaluating the market's demand and saturation.

    #4: Evaluate Product Reviews and Ratings

    When conducting product research, it's crucial to thoroughly evaluate product reviews and ratings. By examining them, you can identify potential issues with the product and gauge customer demand. 

    Star Ratings

    Analyze the overall star rating of products similar to the one you're considering. These will give you a quick snapshot of the product's quality and performance. A higher star rating indicates better customer satisfaction, while lower ratings signal potential quality issues or unmet customer expectations.

    Product Reviews

    A product with many reviews and a high rating is likely well-loved and represents a stable market. Look for patterns in customer feedback, including recurring complaints or compliments on specific product features or aspects. Determine your competitors' strengths and weaknesses. This knowledge can help you bring products with equal strengths and no undesired weaknesses to life.  

    #5: Assess Product Ideas Through Pricing and Profitability

    The product you will sell should be profitable. Aside from sales, you can also check the pricing and profitability during your product research. Here's how you can do these.

    Calculate Product Costs and Potential Profit Margins

    Calculate the product costs and potential profit margins to ensure your ideas are profitable. Start by estimating the costs of manufacturing, packaging, shipping, and any relevant taxes or fees. 

    Consider direct costs like materials and labor and indirect costs like marketing or overhead expenses. Once you have a clear picture of your costs, calculate the potential profit margins by subtracting these costs from your anticipated sales price.

    Check the Pricing Strategies of Competitors

    Analyze your competitors' pricing strategies to determine the market average, identify price gaps, and seek more opportunities. Ensure to assess their pricing patterns, including discounts or promotions they offer. 

    By monitoring and comparing competitor prices, you can position your product competitively, adjust your pricing strategy accordingly, and maximize your chances of success.

    Analyze Pricing Trends

    Monitor the average price and any seasonal or holiday-related changes or other factors influencing price variations. This information will help you make informed decisions about your product's ideal selling price and timing in the online store.

    #6: Conduct Effective Keyword Research

    Effective keyword research is crucial when conducting product research. It helps identify high-ranking keywords and understand search volume and trends, ultimately increasing your product visibility on the platform.

    Tools for Identifying High-Ranking Keywords

    Skip the manual search for ranking keywords and utilize the available tools online. Some popular Amazon keyword research tools include SEMrush, AMZScout Keyword Search Tool, and Jungle Scout. These tools can help you analyze relevant keywords, search volume, and potential customers searching for products similar to yours.

    Strategies for Understanding Search Volume and Trends

    Understanding search volume and trends ensures your product stays relevant and visible to potential buyers. Some strategies to achieve this are:

    checked Track Amazon Best Selling Products: Identifying best-sellers in your niche and understanding their keywords can provide insights into the high-demand products and gauge their popularity.

    checked Focus on long-tail keywords: Strive to incorporate short and long-tail keywords in your product listings, but focus on long-tail terms as the target is more specific and the competition is less stiff.

    BONUS: Expert Tips for Effective Product Research

    Need more tried-and-true seller tips? Here’s a video on how to find the best product to sell on Amazon:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wUlRkO477g&t=1s

    Partner With Seller Interactive for Successful Product Research

    Conducting product research the right way is essential for success on the platform. We hope that this comprehensive guide providing step-by-step strategies, tools, and tips will help you make informed decisions about product selection. 

    To stay ahead of the competition, it is crucial to have a partner who understands these changes and can adapt accordingly. Here at Seller Interactive, we are one such partner that focuses on a range of Amazon management services, from Amazon listing optimization to brand protection. We identify pain points, boost your stats, and ensure a consistent top performance. Book a call with us now to learn more about our offers.

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    Buying in Bulk for Resale on Amazon: A Guide to Success

    Buying in bulk for resale is a standard business practice in the modern, globalized economy. From online marketplaces like eBay and Amazon to local flea markets and boutique shops, entrepreneurs are capitalizing on the price differences between wholesale and retail. 

    But is this practice always legal? This article sifts through the legalities of bulk buying and reselling, highlighting the key considerations for those looking to venture into this business model.

    The Concept of Buying in Bulk and Reselling

    Buying in Bulk = You purchase large quantities of products at discounted prices.


    By buying wholesale products, you resell the items to online retailers or directly to customers at a marked-up price, ensuring a profit margin.

    Reselling takes on many different forms. Some individuals or businesses focus on retail arbitrage, where business owners buy products on sale or at discounted rates. You sell them through other channels like online marketplaces.

    Resellers play an essential role in the supply chain. You’re a bridge between manufacturers and customers. Retailers, in particular, depend on resellers who can deliver consistent quality and timeliness. In turn, they can meet the needs and demands of their customers.

    Simply put, buying wholesale items in bulk and reselling them can be lucrative. All you need is a keen eye for good deals, a platform or place to sell, and understanding of your customers' needs. 

    Is It Legal to Buy In Bulk and Resell?

    Yes. This practice is generally legal. However, certain products may have restrictions or require licenses. Brand agreements, intellectual property rights, and regional laws can also influence what can be resold. It is necessary to research specific products and local regulations before engaging in this business model.

    Legal Considerations in Reselling

    Be compliant and updated on rules and regulations. Listed below are legal factors to think about for your reselling business.

    1. Intellectual Property

    Trademarks, copyrights, and patents are forms of intellectual property protecting the rights of the creators and owners. Don’t violate any of these legal components held by the original manufacturers or trademarks. Infringing on these rights can result in legal action against you and may include fines or other penalties.

    2. Licensing and Permits

    These papers may be necessary depending on the types of products you are reselling and the jurisdiction in which you operate. Obtaining the appropriate licenses and permits proves you’re conducting a legitimate business. 

    3. Consumer Protection Laws

    These laws often prohibit deceptive or unfair trade practices and are designed to curb the trade of counterfeit goods. Resellers are responsible for representing their products. Violating them can lead to legal repercussions and harm your brand reputation.

    4. Product Labeling

    It is legal to repackage bulk products into smaller packages for resale. But you must accurately disclose the product's origin and any modifications made to the original product. Labeling requirements vary by authority, so researching and adhering to the guidelines in your area is a must.

    A Step-by-Step Guide on Buying in Bulk for Resale on Amazon

    Now that we’ve established its legal aspects, venturing into this practice becomes a clear path forward. 

    The profit potential is enticing. But, like any enterprise, winning requires knowledge and strategy. From sourcing the right products to understanding Amazon's specific guidelines, there's a lot to navigate. It would help if you approached it methodically to succeed in the wholesale marketplace.

    Follow this step-by-step process to maximize your bulk buying endeavors on Amazon. 

    1. Research Products

    Target well-known brands with a solid market footprint and existing demand. Use tools like Jungle Scout for product research. Focus on sales rank, reviews, and market competition. 

    Remember, it's not just about finding a product; it's about seeking one that aligns with the market demand and offers a cutthroat edge.

    2. Find Wholesale Suppliers

    Search for a reliable wholesale supplier offering the products you aim to sell in bulk at an attractive cost. Online directories, trade exhibitions, and digital marketplaces are great places to discover such suppliers.

    Contact manufacturers directly to inquire about becoming a distributor for their products. Don’t forget to verify the supplier’s credibility, order minimums, and delivery timelines.

    3. Negotiate Prices and Terms

    Once you've identified potential products and their respective wholesale suppliers, the next crucial step is to initiate contact and begin negotiations. Engagement goes beyond price discussions; it's about forging a mutually advantageous relationship.

    Check out these factors when negotiating:


    Discount for Larger Orders
    📦➡️💰
    Many wholesale companies offer tiered pricing, with the per-unit cost dropping as you order more items. 
    This process can boost profit margins. But the quantities should match with sales projections to avoid overstocking.

    Exclusive Distribution Rights🌍🔒
    Gaining exclusive rights to sell a product in a particular region or platform is a privilege. 
    While this might come at a premium, the benefits of reduced competition can often outweigh the costs.

    Payment Options💳🕒
    Flexibility in payment can be a boon, especially for startups or businesses with cash-flow considerations. Discuss terms like net 30 or net 60, which allow you to pay the invoice 30 or 60 days after receiving the goods.
    Shipping Lead Times🚚⏳Determine the delivery time for the products. Lead time management can help you efficiently run inventory and fulfill customer demand without delays.

    Once you've ironed out the details, secure a written contract stating all terms and conditions. Aim to balance profitability and order quantities that won't result in excessive inventory.

    4. Place Your Order

    Place your bulk order with an agreed-upon price and terms. Opt for safe payment options like PayPal or direct bank transfers.

    If the supplier is overseas, factor in import duties, taxes, and shipping costs. Confirm the delivery date and shipping details. More importantly, keep close contact with the supplier to avoid any issues or delays.

    5. Inspect the Products Upon Receipt

    Examine the product for quality, accuracy, and completeness. Check for any inconsistencies or damages that might have happened during transit. Address any issues with your supplier before listing the products for sale on Amazon.

    Where Can You Find Cheap Wholesale Products?

    b2b wholesale marketplaces - alibaba, tundra, tradegala, salehoo

    Finding cheap wholesale products can be daunting. When reselling, you must secure items at low wholesale prices to mark them up to a higher price (retail price). Doing so can optimize the profit margin between the wholesale discount and retail prices.

    But here’s the good news. The best inexpensive wholesale products can be found in a B2B marketplace. These platforms cater to retail business owners looking to buy wholesale and offer a wide range of products from suppliers globally. 

    Not only do they provide a centralized location to discover and compare products, but they also have tools and resources to help buyers make wise decisions. From detailed product descriptions, supplier ratings, and reviews to secure payment gateways, B2B marketplaces streamline the buying process.

    Best Wholesale Products to Purchase

    B2B is where you can buy cheap wholesale products. But which of these products are ideal for resale?

    • Electronics and Accessories: These items are always in demand, from smartphones to earbuds and chargers.
    • Fashion and Apparel: Trendy clothing, shoes, and accessories can attract many customers.
    • Fitness and Health Products: As health consciousness rises, fitness bands, supplements, and health monitors are gaining traction.
    • Beauty and Personal Care: Cosmetics, skincare items, and grooming products have a vast market.
    • Home and Kitchenware: Popular choices include cookware, utensils, and home decor.

    How to Market Your Products on Amazon

    Understanding wholesale and reselling is just the beginning. Make your products shine on Amazon with these vital pointers:

    1. Set Up Your Seller Account

    This process is quite simple. Just visit the Amazon seller registration page and follow the steps provided. Select the account type that suits you—Individual or Professional.

    The Professional account costs $39.99 monthly and has more features, so consider it if you’re selling more than 40 items monthly.

    2. List Products 

    Create high-quality product listings. In your Seller Central account, go to the "Inventory" tab and pick "Add a product." You can search for an existing product listing to add your product or create a new one if your product doesn't already exist on the platform.

    3. Optimize Your Listings

    Attract potential buyers by writing unique and engaging product titles and descriptions. Use relevant keywords, but avoid keyword stuffing. Optimize your product images using high-resolution photos with a white background, showing different angles of your item and highlighting important features.

    4. Explore Amazon’s Advertising Solutions

    Sponsored Products ads promote individual listings, while Sponsored Brands ads help you advertise multiple products or your brand. Advertising can increase your visibility on Amazon and bring in more potential customers.

    4. Handle Shipping and Returns

    There are multiple shipping options for Amazon selling: self-service or Amazon's Fulfillment by Amazon. This service comes with additional fees but can save you time and resources in managing your inventory and shipping.

    Have a clear return policy in place for handling returns and exchanges. Familiarize yourself with these guidelines and be prepared to manage complaints and concerns. This way, you can maintain customer satisfaction.

    Amazon Selling Made Easy With Seller Interactive

    Selling on Amazon may have a big market, but there's also much to learn. It's not only about wholesale and reselling. It’s about knowing the nuances of the market, complying with legal requirements, and marketing your products to the right audience.

    But you no longer have to dip your toe into the unknown and rely on intuitive thoughts. Seller Interactive can make your journey smooth and efficient. 

    Why struggle with the steep learning curve of Amazon selling when you can have us? Our team can help you stand out in a crowded selling landscape, from full account management to product listings. 
    Book a call now!

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