11 Tips to Increase Your Amazon Sales

 September 29, 2020

Amazon drives sales for many businesses, so it’s not surprising that companies take the opportunity to prioritize it over other sales avenues. Amazon themselves are always working towards improving sales as of course, it means more money in their pocket, but that also means more money for your business!

If you’re looking to increase sales and take advantage of what the platform has to offer, take a look at these handy tips to get started.

1. Make it your number one

If it’s not already taking center stage, make it the priority. To maximize your sales in this area, you need to focus on making it work for your company. It’s not enough to just list some products and hope for the best. Competition is fierce, and everyone wants a slice of the pie. If you’re going to get ahead, then utilizing expert help is a great way to harness the power of Amazon. Marketing agencies are specialists in this area can develop strategies that include everything from Amazon listing optimization to pay-per-click advertising. The opportunities to grow on the platform are there for companies that know how to get the most out of the tools available.

2. Research your target audience

Much like traditional SEO practices for your own website, you will have an audience you want to target on Amazon. To ensure you reach these customers, research is critical. Looking at factors such as wants and needs, including demographics, are essential areas to consider. Once you understand your customer, you can use keywords to help bring them to your products.

3. Who’s your competition?

Amazon is open to all types of sellers, so there is a lot of competition out there. You will probably see that many sellers have similar if not the same products as you, so how do you stand out. Analyzing what they’re doing and what they’re not doing is crucial. This will help you see any loopholes that you can take advantage of.

There are vital things to look at on competitor listings such reviews and feedback. If customers have gripes with particular aspects of the product, revisit your offering to ensure you don’t get the same issues. If customers always ask the same questions, as they are not covered in the product description, make sure your copy answers them.

4. Stand out branding

While customers are shopping under the Amazon name, they are also aware that sellers exist within the platform. However, to distinguish yourself from the competition, branding is essential. There are over 5 million sellers on Amazon, so there’s a significant job to be done to make yourself known among these businesses. Branding build trust and helps customers return to you rather than opt for a competitor. Branding also includes how you respond to customers and the language you use in product copy. Plus, any imagery on the product listing. If you want people to take you seriously, make those first impressions count.

5. Win the Buy Box

Amazon has a Buy Box feature that only appears on certain products depending on several factors. It is said the Buy Box accounts for more than 80% of sales. So, when a customer goes to a listing, they can add to cart and don’t opt to look at other sellers for the same product. To get this feature, you have to get your account in good standing and focus on maintaining many things, including:

• Ensure stock levels are sufficient
• Respond to customers within 24 hours
• Use FBA (Fulfilment by Amazon)
• Set competitive prices
• Meet shipping times
• Minimize order defect rates

Once you have the Buy Box, it doesn’t mean that you keep it. To ensure you don’t lose it, maintaining the above areas will give you the best chance of beating competitors to the box.

6. Categorize and optimize product listings

Optimizing product listing gives you a better chance of gaining visibility in the right places. An element of this is targeting keywords relevant to your listing and audience searches. Like most search engines, Amazon displays the most pertinent to the search, and customers are more likely to click on the top results for their query.

It’s also important to remember that while some keywords are suited to your products, they may also be highly competitive, which can mean even if you use them, competitors could pip you to the top spot. To improve your ranking, opt for long-tail keywords that are specific to user intent. These terms include a high search keyword but also include other relevant terms such as what the product can be used for.

However, it’s not just about keyword stuffing; the copy quality matters too. Avoid copying and pasting supplier content to your Amazon listing as duplicate copy doesn’t fare well in results. Make your sales copy unique and concise to give customers exactly the information they need, so they don’t have to ask lots of questions.

Categorizing products using Amazon’s Product Classifier tool also helps to place products in the right area. Categories and sub-categories can be used to ensure the user experience is clear and defined. Put the product in the most appropriate place. If there are several choices available, think about where competitors have placed their products. If the category is not relevant, it’s unlikely Amazon will show it to potential customers.

7. Use good quality imagery and media

The picture of a product is something that most people see first. First impressions count, and if you have low-quality imagery, customers will skip your listing. Amazon has guidelines and high standards for images. This includes using high resolution so that images can be zoomed in on without losing the detail. If images are poor quality or not useful to the customer, this can also give the wrong impression about the overall quality of your brand.

There is also the option to showcase several images of a product. This is a good idea, especially if you can show the features from a different angle. Customers prefer to see what they are buying to make an informed choice, and if you can give them a good reason to choose you, you’re more likely to get the conversion.

8. Play by the rules

To make a success of your Amazon listings, you have to play by Amazon’s rules. The platform has strict guidelines to follow to adhere to the numerous rules and regulations surrounding products and legalities. It doesn’t take kindly to anyone flouting these guidelines and trying to get one up on the competition in an inorganic way. As a seller, you need to be clued up on what is allowed and what is not when listing products. This can be confusing and time-consuming, so using an experienced Amazon marketing agency can help. As experts, they are specialists in everything Amazon. They can help you not only stick to the guidelines but optimize your listings to improve sales. They understand the balance required to get the most out of the platform and can help maximize your potential without compromising your business.

9. Add inserts in packages

Some businesses will lose customers after the purchase is complete. However, if you want to draw them back, give them an incentive. While email marketing can help with this, adding inserts into the parcel is also a great option. You could include a brochure or a small card with a call to action on it. For example, money off the next order or encouragement to leave a review can boost your business further.

10. Turn negative feed around

It’s natural to get negative feedback now and then. One of the biggest mistakes if you do receive it is to ignore it. While it may be a dent in your pride, every business can learn from the experience. Be active and engage with all feedback and try to resolve issues to avoid future problems. Amazon uses feedback to help bring up the most relevant and useful products, so if you’re not actively addressing issues, Amazon will favor competitors over your listings. There is a chance you can turn negativity around, and other customers will see your efforts in the responses. A company that cares about its shoppers is more likely to have a loyal following.

11. Use the Fulfilment by Amazon service

A great way to boost your sales is to use Amazon’s fulfillment service. While this solution comes with additional costs, it can help you fulfill orders quickly and efficiently from Amazon’s warehouses. By using this service, you also earn badges such as the Prime badge and Fulfilled by Amazon badge. This indicates to buyers that they can trust the product will arrive quickly. Plus, Prime members also get free delivery, so they will be more inclined to buy from you.

There are lots of ways you can improve your Amazon sales, and these are some of the ways to get started. Why not try some out today and see how they could work for your company.

Author

Ryan Flannagan is the Founder & CEO of NuancedMedia, an international eCommerce marketing agency specializing in Amazon. Nuanced has sold $100s of Millions online and Ryan has built a client base representing a total revenue of over 1.5 billion dollars. Ryan is a published author and has been quoted by a number of media sources such as BuzzFeed and Modern Retail. To connect with Ryan, check out @Ryanflannagan on Twitter or via Linkedin