Amazon is the leading marketplace, something indisputable when you look at its numbers and its users. When a person enters Amazon, they go through a process that goes from looking for information about a product, comparing with others and ending up buying the best option.
Users do not enter only to buy directly, but rather there are many who enter this platform looking for the complete information that it offers about the products, these searches are generally transactional, which means that the person in question It is at the end of the purchase funnel. The power of Amazon is undeniable and it is considered the most valuable brand in the world ahead of Apple, Microsoft, Visa or Google. In addition, it is above the latter in terms of online product searches.
It is not surprising that Amazon is the digital showcase where all businesses want to be, because it allows you to reach numerous customers and potential customers, improves your visibility, increases confidence in your company, provides logistical support and allows you to internationalize your business. business and expand your market to other countries.
Amazon's figures
In Spain, 76% of Internet users between the ages of 16 and 70 buy online. The purchase itself is not only relevant, it is also necessary to highlight how the search process for a product is carried out. Here the marketplaces are especially important, which are positioned as product search leaders.
The numbers of digital consumers are growing every day compared to Amazon, 90% of them already buy in the leader of the marketplaces.
Compared to the rest of the marketplace, Amazon has a total of 5.7 billion visits worldwide, ranking first in countries like the United States and on the European continent. In the latter it reaches 1.6 billion visits. In Asian countries like China or Japan, Amazon enters the top 5.
Speaking of Spain and the marketplace, favorite consumption occurs in the categories of home, electronics, clothing and footwear, books, movies and music, and computers.
The consumers with the highest frequency of average spending per purchase are those in the categories related to electronics, movies, music, beauty or food.
In Spain, 52% of consumers shop more frequently, making between 12.3 and 13.0 purchases per month, and 46% have increased their spending, going from €50.5 to almost €65 per person . We observed a large increase, especially in the youngest between 18 and 30 years of age, both in frequency and in spending.
One of the great features of Amazon as a marketplace, which makes it a leader compared to others in its ability to attract 9 out of 10 visitors and even retain almost 9 out of 10 buyers, making these not a one-time purchase If not, they use Amazon again for the rest of the purchases.
The advantages of selling on Amazon
If you are still not convinced to start selling on Amazon despite the figures explained above, we show you that it is not difficult to sell on this marketplace and all the benefits of doing so.
Being present at Amazon is a very efficient way to gain visibility, facilitate its international expansion, gain customer trust and obtain valuable information.
Amazon boosts your visibility
We previously mentioned that Amazon receives billions of visits each month and that users prefer to use this platform as a product search engine over the giant Google. In addition, in the specific case of Spain, it is also the king of electronic commerce, being above AliExpress and El Corte Inglés.
Within the platform itself, you can carry out more specific actions that we will discuss later to increase the visibility of your business and improve its positioning, such as promotional offers of price reductions, discounts, optimization of images and keywords, and much more.
The moment you decide to open an Amazon account, you have access to the 8 European marketplaces (United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, the Netherlands and Sweden), as well as the possibility of reaching all the countries of the Union Europe, covering a whole new market of potential clients.
Amazon has specific programs so that you can sell to all of Europe in a simple and cheaper way than on your own. Depending on the specific needs of each company, the products can be stored nationally so that they can later be sent abroad or they can be directly in the warehouses of other countries so that they can be delivered from there more quickly. The latter is what is known as the Pan-European Fulfillment Program by Amazon.
If you are wondering about the management of taxes with this sales system, Amazon offers its Tax Services so that companies can face the management of their VAT registration and declaration obligations in Europe with greater efficiency and ease.
Amazon has specific programs so you can sell all over Europe
Amazon allows you to save on logistics costs
One of the main barriers that businesses face when exporting abroad is logistics costs. Sending a package, regardless of its weight or size, is sometimes too expensive and leaves no profit margin for companies. As we said before, the logistical help that Amazon offers in this regard is essential and breaks any type of limit, both when it comes to B2B and B2C sales. There is even the possibility of opting for the FBA (Fulfillment By Amazon) service and directly sending the products to an Amazon warehouse and distribution center close to the main customer base, so that the products can arrive in a short period of time ( between 1 or 2 days) and in this way they can count on the Prime seal.
Build trust almost automatically
Customers are more likely to feel safe buying online if this action is backed by a large firm like Amazon. Not only is this support important in the purchase process, it also offers the guarantee to the consumer that, in the event that there is a problem, it will be solved quickly thanks to its customer service. This customer service offered by Amazon will also save you time and money. Valuable information for your business Amazon goes beyond a sales channel, it is a market and competition research tool and a channel where we can listen and interact directly with our customers. All this can be achieved through the reviews and ratings that are generated naturally within the platform.
What do you need to start selling on Amazon?
Now, what we need to know as business owners before starting to sell on Amazon, very simple, we will explain it to you so that you can jump into the universe of this giant of marketplaces.
The main difference between the two is that businesses within the Amazon Vendor category sell their products directly to Amazon, and Amazon then resells them within the platform to its customers (1P model in which Amazon acts as a retailer and the seller becomes a retailer). directly at their provider), while under the Amazon Seller model, sellers are in charge of selling directly to customers themselves (3P model in which the seller is the retailer and sells directly to buyers within the Amazon platform ).
What is better?
Like everything, it depends on your objectives and the circumstances of your company. To be an Amazon Vendor you have to receive a direct invitation from Amazon, since you would become its supplier and sell your products wholesale. One of the main advantages is that Amazon will be in charge of the entire shipping management and customer service process, in addition to the fact that your product will appear labeled as “sold by Amazon” which is always an important attraction for the consumer. .
However, in this case you lose control of what is published since the prices are set directly by Amazon as well as the review of the catalog and detail sheets. This category of businesses works through the Amazon Selling Central platform. If you are an Amazon Seller, you will use Amazon Seller Central, and you will be in charge of everything related to the sales of your products. In addition, you will be the one who sets the prices and has control of the product catalog. Within this category there is the possibility of making shipments and customer service through the Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) program.
What products do I want to sell?
It may seem like an obvious question, but Amazon sorts the products sold on its platform into more than 20 categories. These categories may require prior approval. In that case, the product will have to adhere to Amazon’s specific permissions and the seller will have to be subscribed to the Pro Seller Plan.
This is Amazon’s way of limiting access to the sale of products in some categories (watches, jewelry, health and personal care, clothing and accessories, beauty, and food and beverages). The rest of the categories (Electronics, Books, Music, Home, Kitchen and many more) do not require special permits and are open for businesses to start selling. Even so, it is important to check if the platform gives any additional indication for the sale of the products.
You must adapt your catalog to the Amazon channel and its target audience, choosing the products well, in such a way that they have enough margin to support Amazon’s commissions and fees. Do not forget that there are a series of products that are subject to a series of severe restrictions or that their sale is not even allowed.
What is the most appropriate sales plan for my business?
Once you are clear about the catalog of products that you want to offer through Amazon, you will have to decide on the most appropriate sales plan. This sales plan is within the Amazon Seller category and there are two great plans to choose from: Individual and Pro. Both have different characteristics with the aim of adjusting to the needs of each seller who wants to start in the world of Amazon.
To sell on Amazon is essential to choose the most suitable plan
How to upload a product?
Once you have defined the product you are going to sell and which sales plan best suits your business, it is time to register and start publishing. To create an account on the Amazon Seller Central (ASC) seller platform, you will have to follow the indicated steps and have a series of documents at hand, among which are the details of the person who is going to make the sales, the company, if necessary, bank details and other mandatory information to carry out the different procedures.
Once you have made the complete registration, you will be able to access the Amazon Seller Central platform, from which you will be able to have full control over the stock, the catalog prices and a more accessible inventory management. Since ASC sells directly to Amazon’s end customer, you can also have control over the offer, information on user purchasing conditions, and greater visibility of transactions.
To start adding your products, it is important to take into account that, if you are going to sell a product that already exists on the platform, even if its data is common to all the sellers that offer it, your listing information will be different: status , preparation time, price, etc.
If you are going to sell a new product, you will have to create it by adding the necessary information:
Product identifier: each product has a unique identification code associated with it. Here we will have the option of adding different formats, including an EAN or GTIN code.
Offer details: product price, status, quantities sold and stock we have, as well as shipping offers. This is where we will have to configure the logistics that we use, whether ours as a seller (FBM) or Amazon’s (FBA).
Product Details: Product attributes, including product name or title, brand, category, description, and images. So you can give customers the information they need about the product.
It is very important to work on this part of the product in detail since all the information that we include will become our virtual showcase. Keywords and search terms: thanks to this you can make it easier for customers to find products and optimize organic positioning within the marketplace.
How to position within Amazon?
This is where the optimization of product listings comes into play, which will help you improve their quality and visibility, which translates into increasing customer traffic and sales. Like the Google search engine, Amazon uses a secret algorithm that aims to offer users suggestions for products that may interest them the most, prioritizing some over others based on the seller’s conversion metrics.
Amazon has never explained its algorithm, so there is no magic formula that automatically places your products in the first position, but you can carry out specific actions that will improve your visibility and, as a consequence, increase your sales
Optimize your detail sheets: SEO on Amazon has its own rules
SEO is not just a Google thing, at Amazon the techniques designed to optimize the organic positioning of products to place your product within the first results and gain visibility are also particularly important.
Of course, both search engines require different techniques, since Amazon, unlike Google, is purely focused on sales. For this reason, the marketplace takes into account issues such as product sheets, user comments, the evaluation of these or issues related to conversion.
The keywords are essential
First of all, we must understand what a keyword is on Amazon. In summary, it could be said that they are those terms that will help us position our products in the Amazon search engine. These terms can be made up of one or more words. We already know that Amazon is focused on buyers, so it is important to look for words that involve a conversion and are focused on the transactional. We have to look for keywords that are relevant and that will be used by potential buyers, otherwise our efforts will be in vain.
To find the right keywords, you will have to make a compilation of words that are related to the product you are going to sell. To get keyword ideas, you will have to do an exhaustive analysis of the keywords used by your competition, in addition to looking for information on different internet pages or even using specific tools for this task. These tools are generally paid but you can also use free resources such as Amazon’s own search engine or trial versions of these tools.
Once we have our list of keywords, we will have to study them, taking into account factors such as the volume of searches for each word, seasonality or the difficulty of the keyword. With these filters, you will see how your initial list of keywords is reduced, until it remains a set of terms that you will have to incorporate in the details of the products offered.
Work on product descriptions carefully
Product descriptions are, on many occasions, the reason why the user finally decides on a product. The customer or potential customer has already clicked on our product, so they have a clear purchase intention and seek more information about the product. As the title of the product is limited, it is in the description section where we can continue using the keywords with which we want to position ourselves. In this section, we have up to 2,000 characters that we can use to give details.
Try to make your description attractive and easily readable, since it is a text that, in general, will be quite long. The key is to structure the information, using spaces and separators. Once again, if you need ideas for your description, you can look at the descriptions of the top-ranked products in the category in question, to see what resources they use and get ideas.
And the bullet points?
In the bullet points we have to add those characteristics that we want to highlight from the product that we are offering. Each bullet point is separated by a symbol, which makes it easier to differentiate the benefits of the product and makes it easier for the user to read them.
The fundamental pillars of well-written bullet points are: keyword optimization, content optimization, and content personalization. If we manage to achieve a balance between these factors, we will be able to create an effective list of benefits that finally lead the user to purchase.
*Amazon requirements for bullet points
Begin each bullet point with a capital letter. Format bullet points as sentence fragments. Do not use final punctuation. Use semicolons to separate sentences within a single bullet point. Use between 10 and 225 characters per bullet point. Do not include company information or links to websites.
Tips for efficient bullet points:
- Find the balance between using previously selected keywords and writing a coherent sentence that provides information to the user.
- You have to write with the search engines in mind, yes, but without forgetting the customers.
- Bombarding with keywords can even end up being harmful.
- Try to keep the information brief, understandable and direct.
- Buyers won’t spend a lot of time reading, so get to the point. Convince the user that the product you offer will solve their problems.
- If you look at the bullet points of different products, you will see how in the first few sentences they focus on explaining how the product could be the solution to a specific problem.
- Be honest and avoid misleading or misleading information.
- Don’t forget to keep these bullet points up to date.
- As you write, keep your ideal client in mind, adapting the tone in which you would speak to them.
- Don’t be afraid to use emojis! Since Amazon allows you to use them, why not? It is another way to attract attention and keep the information structured.
The importance of a good image
It is clear that a picture is worth a thousand words, especially in the world of the internet, where it can mean the difference between whether or not the customer clicks on the link. In the specific case of Amazon, it is given special importance, so the platform prioritizes those products that have at least 7 images (the maximum is 9). The first image should be a photo of the product with a neutral background, without text or backgrounds that could distract attention. You can take advantage of the rest of the images to show the product from different angles, in the context of use and consumption, its corresponding packaging, infographics and even a video.
In summary, the images must follow the following guidelines:
- The size of the images must be at least 1000×1000 pixels with a maximum size of 10MB. square format. Use at least 7 images.
- The first image must be a photograph of the product to use, where what is offered on a neutral background can be seen well. Take the opportunity to show the product from different angles. If relevant, you can indicate the measurements of the product and even an infographic. Presents the product in its context of consumption, even giving advice or information for use.
Configure your logistics to sell on Amazon
It's time to decide how the distribution will be
Done, you already have your product catalog registered and optimized, now is the time to decide how the distribution will be and how you want these items to reach the final customer, will you send them directly? Will Amazon do it? To make this decision, it is necessary to carry out an analysis of your objectives and the pros and cons of the different forms of distribution.
As we have previously mentioned, the logistics service that Amazon offers to sellers on the platform is called FBA or Fulfillment By Amazon. It is a method of outsourcing both logistics and the entire order management process and also customer service. If you opt for FBM logistics and want to place the orders yourself, it is advisable to set free shipping and short deadlines. According to the IAB Ecommerce Study (2020), 78% of consumers consider that shipping conditions are one of the most important aspects when making an online purchase. If you decide to delegate this task to Amazon, your products will be shown as preferred to Prime Customers. Keep in mind that Prime Customers, on average, spend up to three times more than normal buyers.
In addition, you will be able to save time by not having to carry out customer service work directly, especially since this Amazon service is highly valued by consumers. In the event that your objective is to sell abroad, more specifically in Europe, it is possible that Amazon’s Pan-European Program will work out for you and it will be a relatively simple process.
Register your brand and create a store
Registering your brand on Amazon is one of the keys to being more reliable to consumers, as well as transmitting a more professional image and building a reputation around it. This in the end ends up translating into an increase in the followers of your brand and your sales. Not only that, it will also give you the security that no other seller will be able to make use of your brand, replacing or counterfeiting your brand.
Registration can be done through the Brand Registry tools:
If you register your brand on Amazon, the marketplace itself will give you a series of benefits. Amazon Stores are the perfect tool for creating creative content that allows brands to showcase their products and value proposition to shoppers. The ability to teach the consumer your brand story and product features, using rich text and images on the Amazon detail page. In this way, the positioning of your products will also be given a boost and traffic will improve.
You will be able to create Sponsored Brands campaigns that increase your brand awareness through ads that include the logo, personalized headlines and the possibility of including up to 3 products. You will have more information and data about customer behavior such as their search terms, this can help you make decisions based on more objective parameters. Amazon gives you the option to create your own “store” within the marketplace. This is what is known as “Store”. A store is a page within Amazon for a specific brand, which allows companies to get their own web address from amazon.com/brandname, helping to build brand awareness and gain visibility.
Tools to start selling on Amazon
Use the Amazon Advertising tool
In summary, Amazon Advertising is the platform that allows you to advertise within the marketplace and that has a pay-per-click system. The platform itself defines its service as a tool that helps companies and brands of all sizes grow, helping to create brand awareness, drive consideration, gain user trust, offer information from unique audiences and increase their sales. Amazon allows the advertiser to select the placement where our ads will appear and various audience segmentation possibilities.
When we talk about location, we mean that the ads may appear within the Amazon page itself, one of the main advantages being the fact that the audience in this case has a clear intention to sell, or target users who are in other places on the internet. In the latter case, Amazon allows you to segment users based on the information you have about them, that is, your ad will be shown to people who have previously searched for a product similar to the one we offer.
Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands and Sponsored Brands Video
Sponsored Products is one of the most popular marketplace formats and its operation is very similar to Google’s search system. Following the search for a keyword, some search results appear that will be sponsored posts or organic results. This type of ad can also be segmented by product, in which case, the seller may incorporate his ad into the product file of his competition.
In the event that it is an advertisement, it will appear indicated under the text “sponsored”. If the advertiser’s objective is to improve their visibility and highlight specific products, this advertising format that works with a keyword bidding system offered by Amazon is most effective.
Sponsored Brands allows the advertiser to insert a banner with the company logo, a headline and a series of featured products on the user’s search page. This type of campaign is available to sellers who have registered their brand on the Amazon platform and its main objectives are to drive brand awareness, increase its visibility, and connect buyers with the products.
Amazon Sponsored Brands Video is the new way of advertising that Amazon has integrated. The power of the image and, more specifically, the video when it comes to capturing the attention of the consumer is undeniable. With this new functionality, it is possible to position an ad in video format in the first search results, which will take the user to the product detail page or to the seller’s store where they will find more information and the possibility of purchasing. These ads are targeted by keywords or by product category.
The importance of getting reviews
Having positive opinions on your product can mean the difference between selling and not selling. How many times have you doubted between one product or another and in the end you have decided by reading the evaluations of each one of them? There you have the answer.
We have to start from the basis that the product we sell is of quality and desirable for the user. To get started, we recommend carrying out an advertising campaign of those recommended above, so you will gain visibility.
Although there is no magic formula to get good reviews organically on Amazon, here are a series of tips that you can carry out:
Offer the best service and product possible. As we said, it is the base. We cannot forget that it may also be the case that we receive negative reviews.
In this case, it is essential to review and analyze them in order to modify our product and improve it. Also, these reviews can be changed within 60 days, so it’s important to get the issue resolved with the buyer. Especially if you are starting, you can carry out promotions or special prices.
This will help, like advertising, to improve your visibility. Use the Amazon Vine program, through which you can send free samples to the most valued reviewers on Amazon so they can give their opinion about your product and help other users make the purchase decision
Go for the Buy Box! How can I get the Buy Box?
You may be wondering, what is the Buy Box? Basically, it is the “pack” that we can find on the individual pages of the products themselves and that allow the user to buy more quickly and easily. Basic information is also given here about the characteristics of its price and who sells it. As you may have guessed, not all sellers may have the Buy Box.
In fact, when several sellers offer the same product, only one can have it. Amazon, through its algorithm, will be the one that decides who will get the precious Buy Box. Therefore, depending on circumstances such as the price of the product, the sellers that appear in the Amazon Buy Box rotate.
There are a number of elements that you must take into account and take care of in order to win the Amazon Buy Box, among them are:
- The price: Amazon rewards those sellers who offer a more competitive price. It does not necessarily have to be the cheapest, since it is also taken into account that, apart from offering the best price, shipping costs are also taken care of.
- Logistics: as is somewhat to be expected, Amazon especially rewards those sellers who have decided to refer their logistics to them. In other words, sellers who are adhered to the FBA program will have more chances of winning the Buy Box, since it is understood that they will always comply with the shipping deadlines or with the availability of stocks.
- Positive reviews: having positive opinions on the product improves its positioning, which is highly valued by Amazon.
- Stock: it is very important to always have stock available. Customer service: for Amazon, customer satisfaction is a fundamental element, so offering them impeccable service will be valued positively.
How to increase sales on Amazon? Década Studio helps you throughout the process
At Década Studio,, with a multidisciplinary and multicultural team based in Barcelona, we capitalize on growth opportunities by managing the complete cycle of your online sales strategy. Specialized in the management of Marketplaces with effective experience in Digital Marketing services, we help you find high-level solutions to diversify and grow your online business.
We know that facing the world of Amazon first can be confusing, which is why we make all our resources and tools available to companies to make this path easier. We want you to be able to get the most out of the platform, which is why we offer comprehensive management of the entire sales process within the great Amazon marketplace.
We create a plan and help you define the catalog of products you want to launch on Amazon. In addition to managing inventory and optimizing product titles, descriptions, keywords, images and content in general so that organic positioning is as efficient as possible. We complement this with advertising strategies with Amazon Advertising and promotions, using the ad formats that best suit the objectives set.
From Década Studio we also carry out analysis and monitoring reports of the campaigns carried out using Amazon’s analytical tools. We want the user’s shopping experience to be perfect, but also for the start-up of the sale to be a simple process and as efficient as possible for the advertiser.
