Selling on Amazon – Key FAQs

Amazon is a gateway to the world’s largest international online sales community that offers many exciting opportunities for businesses to grow and thrive.

Getting started can seem a little daunting. So, here are some frequently asked questions to help you navigate the world of Amazon E-Commerce.

Selling on Amazon – What Rules and Policies should I be aware of?

Selling on Amazon can often turn out to be more nuanced and complex than people first expect, especially if they are coming from a more public oriented platform like eBay and branching out. While it is not necessary to know everything, staying on top of the basic policies can save you time and money in lost revenue from falling foul of some less obvious rules and suffering temporary suspensions.

Prohibited seller activities and actions

Selling International Media Products

Product Detail Page Rules

Selling Policies

What is FBA (Fulfilment by Amazon)?

FBA allows you to sell your items through Amazon directly. It provides access to customers across Europe and also provides the buyer confidence that comes with an internationally renowned brand.

This is achieved by sending as little or as much of your inventory as you like to an Amazon fulfilment centre which store your items until they are purchased. Once sold, items are picked, packed and dispatched by Amazon themselves in exactly the same way they would do with their own inventory.

For a customer, this represents the best of both worlds. They get to enjoy the freedom of the marketplace while still getting the reliable service everyone has come to expect of Amazon. You can see why this would represent a very attractive option for customers, with many willing to pay more in some cases to choose an FBA seller over a regular one.

As a seller FBA also brings the advantage of access to Prime members, which will in turn improve your odds of winning the coveted Buy Box.

When selling on Amazon, why associate Products with those already listed?

The design of Amazon is that each product should have a single listing with multiple sellers all linking their stock to that one listing. It is against Amazon’s selling policy to create a product detail page for a product that already has one. Doing so will result in the page being deleted.

Rules aside, it makes sense to associate products with the pre-existing listing as this will make it more likely to be seen by customers.

How does the Buy Box work?

In 2015, Amazon’s Buy Box accounted for roughly 82% of their sales. Indeed, it is a huge number that simply cannot be ignored and it shows how mastering the Buy Box is a critical part of selling on Amazon.

The basis of Amazon is that there are usually multiple companies selling the same item, and the Buy Box represents Amazon’s way of showcasing the sellers with a long and proven track record of good customer experiences based on multiple criteria.

Whilst there is no clear cut list of things that pave the road to winning the Buy Box, it is clear that most of the things required are essentially best practice for E-Commerce sellers and represent Amazon’s core values.

Price – Offering competitive prices inclusive of shipping is a key factor to moving up the ranks within the Buy Box. That being said, offering the cheapest price alone does not automatically move you up either. In the example above, the cheapest price was actually at the very bottom of the seller choices.

Stock Availability – Simply put, having no stock means you will not be included in the Buy Box for obvious reasons. The best sellers use all the tools at their disposal to manage their stock effectively and ensure key lines are always available. Cloud Commerce Pro can be configured to manage and update stock levels so you never have to find yourself in the position of selling stock you do not have available, thus avoiding the inevitable bad feedback which can cast a shadow over your reputation for a long time.

Order Fulfilment – There are 3 main methods of fulfilment with Amazon, and the more of these you use, the higher the chance you will win the Buy Box. Unfortunately the criteria required to participate in certain fulfilment programmes is quite similar to what tends to lead to winning the Buy Box, but that is all the more reason to ensure best practices are being adhered to.

1. Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA) – As mentioned above.
2. Fulfilment by Merchant (FBM) – This is your basic market place fulfilment where an independent seller takes control of the fulfilment process.
3. Seller Fulfilled Prime (SFP) – Sellers can apply to Amazon to join their scheme that allows sellers to fulfil Prime orders. As mentioned above, there are some strict criteria to be met in order to qualify, but these are all things a good seller should be working towards anyway.

Customer Feedback – Seller reviews play a big part in the metrics that determine a Buy Box winner since Amazon place such high value on the overall customer experience.

You can read more about Seller performance measurement on Amazon here.

How do I increase the frequency of Reviews on my Amazon Seller Account?

Securing reviews is often a case of good customer engagement. However, it is strictly forbidden to pay for reviews and you can no longer offer incentives either, which used to be an alternative strategy.

The sellers that tend to inspire the best reviews are the ones that go out of their way to make a customer feel special. While this can be extremely difficult in an oversaturated market or simply not logistically possible for a company dealing in high volume sales, all it takes is to impress a few with impeccable customer service with a personalised feel and the reviews should start to pile up.

Why are all Shipping Methods not available?

As with the Buy Box and SFP fulfilment, some shipping methods need to be earned as well. Options such as two day shipping are held back until a seller proves their shipping reliability via the standard methods.

What sort of Businesses perform best when selling on Amazon?

Working out why one business succeeds over another on Amazon is often somewhat of a mystery. However, there are a few identifiable success trends:

Originality – Selling a unique product such as something you design and manufacture yourself tends to be one recipe for success. In fact, half of the battle when selling on Amazon is competing with other people selling the same thing as you. Therefore, anything you can do to reduce that pool of competition will increase your chances of finding one of those elusive market gaps that all sellers dream of.

Niche – Similar to selling a unique product, finding a niche is equally effective. Sometimes you might have access to a product that others don’t, allowing you to take full advantage of a niche market and use Amazon to reach the customers that are searching for it.

Second Hand – The used and refurbished market is booming, especially in such a price conscious market. As a result, customers are picking used more and more as they can still take advantage of item and seller reviews and various buyer protections.

Perception – In short, image is everything – and this is just as true in E-Commerce. Projecting the image of a successful and professional business can be difficult when selling on Amazon. That is, much of your visibility as a seller is hidden behind their branding. Still, many customers will actively research sellers by checking their websites, so having a professional looking website is imperative. If a company is succeeding on Amazon, they will likely find loyal customers may start using their website directly. This makes it even more of a priority. The companies that do the best on Amazon almost always have thriving sales through their home page as well.

Cloud Commerce Pro’s Multi-Channel E-Commerce Management Software can help you meet the standards of service required to be a successful Amazon seller and, if you sell on other channels such as eBay or Etsy, you can manage it all in one place.  If you’d like to know how Cloud Commerce Pro can help you manage your E-Commerce business, request a free demo to find out more.

We can also assist with Amazon Sponsored Advertising so if you’re already selling on Amazon and you want to boost your sales, get in touch with our specialist team to find out how we can help.

About Cloud Commerce Pro – Multichannel Order Management Software

Scale your eCommerce business with dedicated order management software and expert support.

Cloud Commerce Pro is a leading multi-channel order management software powering hundreds of UK brands, SMEs and retailers. Since 2003, we have supported entrepreneurs and business leaders to increase their profitability by simplifying the entire commerce journey. Today, we are led by some of eCommerce’s most renowned thought leaders and are proud to be a WPP company.

We embed our expertise and best practices in eCommerce throughout the onboarding process and through every interaction with our customers. Start scaling with Multi-Channel Order Management Software that includes access to dedicated shipping and data specialists and ongoing UK-based support. Seamlessly connect customer acquisition and multi-channel commerce, with warehousing, inventory, and third-party logistics providers (3PLs). Sell Direct to Consumers (DTC) by integrating Shopify, Magento and other eCommerce platforms with global marketplaces, such as Amazon and eBay, and multiple international couriers. Grow faster with Cloud Seller Pro with Agency Marketing and Web Development services.

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