How to be successful on Amazon
If you’re wondering how to be successful on Amazon in a quick and easy way, you’re in the wrong place. You’ll hear all about Gen Z making their millions and insisting that you can too! Don’t be fooled. Like anything, to be successful on Amazon takes time and effort. It’s not a simple get-rich-quick scheme to make you a millionaire overnight. But if you’re excited by the prospect of becoming a successful Amazon seller, take a look at our how to guide below – it might be just the inspiration you’re looking for.
1. Find a niche market
A lot of categories on Amazon are saturated with the same products, meaning there’s a lot of competition out there. A common occurrence is sellers will often buy products in bulk for a cheap cost and then resell them just below retail price. However, if 20 people are selling the same product, what do sellers do to stand out?
Customers are always looking for the cheapest price.
They try to win customers by lowering their prices of course, which in turn hurts their profit margins. The more niche your product, the less competition you’ll have so you won’t have to drop your prices so much to keep up.
You’ll also need to invest in a range of items rather than just one. If you’re lucky you might find a one-hit wonder, but realistically you’ll need a wider offering to become successful with more regularity.
2. Don’t ignore the copy
If you think rushing your product copy or writing the bare minimum will get you selling faster…well, you may be right. But it’s not going to get your product ranking in the search.
Think of Amazon like a search engine. What would your customers search for if looking for your product? Take some time to look at potential keywords, the Amazon algorithms, and use all of the bullet points and product description available. Be specific and accurate, especially in the title. That’s the first thing a customer will see after all. Once they’re in to your listing, you need to make sure your copy really sells your product and solves your customer’s problem. Why should they buy your product instead of someone else’s? Take a look at our blog, ‘How to write a killer Amazon listing‘, for some tips.
The copy is your chance to really sell your product.
3. Consider registering your brand
It’s not essential for you to join the Brand Registry to be able to sell on Amazon, but it does open up a wealth of extra goodies to help your business. Not only will you be able to set up a Brand Store (your own homepage on Amazon that looks similar to a website), but you’ll also be able to create A+ Content to go on your product listings. With a bunch of templates to choose from, you’ll be able to elevate the look of your product descriptions with extra images, copy and infographics all in a professional, sleek design.
A+ Content makes a listing more inviting and easier to read.
4. Watch the competition
Even if you do pick a niche market to sell in, always keep an eye on what your competitors are doing. Check out how they’re pricing their items, what their listings look like and how often they upload new products. Also take a look at the reviews. Customers are always very honest, so seeing the positives and negatives may help you tailor your own product or service accordingly.
5. Customer Service
Some are under the impression that once your listings are on Amazon the hard work is done. Customer service is so important. With a little care and attention customers are more likely to use you again and recommend you to others.
If you’re an FBM seller (Fulfilled by Merchant), make sure your items are all packaged up correctly and securely. Alternatively, you can choose to be an FBA seller instead (Fulfilled by Amazon) which will take off the pressure of posting items yourself (though bear in mind Amazon will of course take a cut for this option).
A little care and attention will help your business soar.
If your customers leave feedback, make sure you read it – it could be useful or, at the very least, validating. If you receive any returns or negative feedback, use the tools available to contact the customer to resolve any issues. People appreciate sellers being open and honest. It builds trust which is incredibly important for customers when online shopping.
6. Take advantage of the seasons
Amazon has a huge range of seasonal sales that you should take advantage of. Just like traditional retailers, online shopping has its peaks. The Black Friday event, for example, is a huge opportunity for sellers to make a profit. Applying 7-day deals or lightning deals on your products during these events gives you an opportunity to be boosted in the search results and potentially make a lot of sales. Just remember to set your limit so you don’t overpromise.
The seasonal sales are a perfect opportunity to push your products.
7. Market your products outside of Amazon
Don’t just plonk your products on Amazon and think your job is done. The more proactive you are, the more successful you will be. Amazon highly favours click-throughs from social media sites, so get sharing your Amazon product listings over on your Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
It doesn’t need to be an obvious clickbait post. You don’t have to just say ‘Hey, come buy my product over on Amazon!’ Why not try posting a picture of your product, a relevant quote or a gif, and then get quirky and creative with your copy, subtly popping a link to your product at the end. It’s less demanding of your audience and the social media algorithms currently prefer posts to be less sales-driven.
Time to start planning!
Don’t be disheartened if you get off to a slow start – success won’t happen overnight. It can take anything between three months to one year to start seeing some success on Amazon, and only a small percentage of the millions of sellers on Amazon actually break the $1 million mark. Comparing your business with others fairytale journeys isn’t economical or achievable. It’s important to remember your own goals and business journey and focus on that. With the right determination, you’ll soon see those profits start to roll in.