Being a business owner comes with many complications – from marketing to product design, being in charge comes with vital decisions and a lot of pressure. Part of the territory is looking for appropriate avenues of expansion- and the world’s largest online marketplace, Amazon, presents an excellent opportunity for small business owners and well-recognised brands alike.
Of course, with every large marketplace comes an enhanced sense of competition. So, how can business owners give themselves an edge over the competition?
Look at Competitors
How can you compete effectively without knowing what you are competing against? The simple answer is that such an endeavour is impossible. Instead, business owners must study their competitors– what products do they sell? What keywords do they use in their product titles and listings? How can your business position itself as a unique part of the same niche?
Of course, it is vital not to copy what competitors are doing. Rather, one should aim to improve upon what competitors are doing, learn from their mistakes, and operate in a distinct way in all business dealings. Just as you study competitors on Amazon, don’t forget to utilise the unique selling points (USPs) of each product you sell.
Use Amazon FBA Services
Following Amazon’s terms of service is the bare minimum that any business owner should do in order to find success on the platform. Indeed, Amazon has a great many services that can benefit those looking to sell on their marketplace.
With Amazon FBA services, the basic parts of selling are taken care of. This includes shipping, storage (in an Amazon fulfillment centre), access to a market of millions of consumers, returns, and much of customer service that can be taken care of by Amazon. It’s also worth mentioning that any products listed with FBA may also be part of Amazon Prime, meaning that they will show up in search results with the Prime badge and are typically eligible for next-day shipping- a major selling point for many of Amazon’s consumers.
Ensure You Receive Good Reviews
A high number of customers base their final decisions on the reviews a product has- or, crucially, the reviews it does not have. Without reviews, a product is far less likely to be purchased. Therefore, it’s crucial to do all one can in order to gain favourable reviews.
Amazon typically sends an automatic prompt to consumers who have recently purchased your products, which can result in an increased amount of reviews. However, for best results, business owners should ensure this message is personalised and thank the customer for purchasing from your business. Ensure that customer service is top-notch and that any complaints are responded to both promptly and professionally.
Hire an Amazon Marketing Agency
If selling on Amazon is both appealing and daunting, it may be worth considering hiring an Amazon agency to help with all manner of dealings with the platform. Amazon marketing agencies can help to optimise SEO on the platform, meaning that your products rank higher when customers search for related keywords. They can even help with customer service and marketing- essentially, they can help to ensure your business succeeds on Amazon as well as it can.
