Amazon is a titan in the world of ecommerce. Its reputation, scale, and popularity puts it in a class with very few rivals. With so many people turning to this giant of an online marketplace to sell their goods, Amazon breeds an arena ripe with competition and profitability.
Here are some tips you can use to increase your own profits on Amazon and pave the way to success!
1.) Reviews are king!
Reviews are one of the most important aspects of selling on Amazon. They have the biggest impact on your reputation as a seller, so emphasis should be placed on them!
The vast majority of Amazon patrons fail to review their products or services after buying. Since Amazon places a heavy emphasis on seller performance, this can prove problematic. What are some ways you can earn some reviews for you and your products?
- Some programs can help remind consumers to leave the necessary feedback you need to survive and thrive as a business.
- Reaching out to other sellers outside of Amazon can not only help get your reviews, but also valuable feedback on you and your product.
Unfortunately, along the way you are bound to pick up some negative reviews eventually. The best thing to do is to deal with them promptly and reasonably. Check out our post devoted to the topic of dealing with negative Amazon reviews for more information.
2.) Giveaways!
While yes, this method does warrant some mild caution and evaluation to see if it would work for you, it can greatly benefit you.
While Amazon currently doesn’t allow for a full 100%-off discount, you can provide customers a one-shot opportunity for 99% off their item in exchange for a review. Not only will this increase your rep with Amazon, but it will also build faith and trust with your customers.
Giveaways can also work to empty out old and stale inventory. This can free up space for your business and help everything run smoother.
3.) SEO!
SEO is a vital concept to understand in the ecommerce world (so important, in fact, that we have an entire post devoted to it that you can check out here).
While getting reviews and building customer relationship are extremely important, nothing helps more on the technical side of things than quality SEO. Without it, your products and online storefront as whole would never see the light of day!
We have an entire article focused on SEO within Amazon, but we’ll summarize some of the finer points:
- Make sure your Titles have plenty of keywords in them
- Optimize your images and provide alt text
- Make use of backend search terms
4.) Aim For The Buy Box!
As mentioned at the outset, Amazon’s well-known for providing an environment of healthy competition for its merchants. One of the ways it does this is with the Amazon Buy Box.
The seller who holds the Amazon Buy Box for their product changes constantly from day-to-day. Make it your aim to strive to feature in the Buy Box. Once again, you can check out our post on the matter for more detailed information.
5.) Advertise!
If you’re looking to kickstart your visibility on Amazon, then Amazon sponsored products is a great way. Your product will be featured in ads on the results or details pages of searches.
And since Amazon gives you a free credit to get you going, there’s really no reason not to take advantage of this!
6.) Make Regular Use Of Discounts!
Whether as a daily rotation or a loyalty reward, discounts will keep your customers coming back. They also have the potential to generate huge traffic for you and your product. Having good discounts increase your ranking for the product as well as get you the chance to land on the “Hot Deals” or “New & Noteworthy” pages.
7.) Market Outside Of Amazon!
While directing people away from Amazon is prohibited, there’s still plenty you can do outside of Amazon to draw customers to you. Something as complex as a regular blog that draws people to your store or even something as simple as a promotional slip or coupon stuck in their box can bring people back to your store.
8.) Don’t Underestimate The Power Of FBA!
Fulfillment By Amazon (or FBA) is a powerful tool Amazon offers to those who qualify. It essentially means Amazon ships and stores your products for you. This can free up a significant amount of your time and energy to devote to other important areas of your business, as well as get your products out faster!
Our article on Amazon's FBA feature explains in greater detail what FBA does and how you can qualify.
Amazon provides a vast, competitive, and profitable environment for countless sellers to take advantage of. Following the guidelines above can act as a huge boost towards a successful ecommerce business on Amazon.
If you’re considering selling on Amazon or another online marketplace, or want to take your ecommerce business to the next level, we at Gapstow Design would love to help you. We’re an ecommerce consulting firm based in Cleveland, Ohio specializing in ecommerce web design and SEO. We’d love to hear from you and see what we can do for you!
