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Today, over two million sellers are active on Amazon, and this number is only growing with time. Amazon’s returns are also increasing every year. The e-commerce giant registered annual revenue of around $470 billion in 2021 against the previous year’s $386 billion. Today, Amazon has more than half of the US e-commerce market share, and its stake in the global market is also increasing.
All these upward trends mean the overall sales volume on Amazon is increasing and a significant chunk of this volume comes from third-party sellers.
However, the sales of many of those two million sellers don’t reflect this tremendous Amazon growth. From non-existing optimization to poorly planned PPC and misfired promotions, various factors stall the growth of Amazon sellers.
However, there are ways to boost sales on Amazon the way the platform itself is improving its annual revenue and gross merchandise volume.
Here, we will walk you through eight measures and strategies to help you increase your sales volume on Amazon in 2022 and in the years to come.
If you wonder how to increase organic sales on Amazon, the answer is simple: optimize your listings.
Amazon has become a very competitive marketplace for almost every product category. These days hundreds of listings compete against each other to get ranked on the first search page for relevant keywords. Since most users get to a listing through Amazon search result pages, you must optimize your listing for Amazon’s search algorithms.
Besides algorithms, you also need to optimize a listing for the consumption of the users clicking on your listing. After all, it’s customers who will make the purchase.
You can take these measures to optimize your listings to evade bottom slots on Amazon SERPs.
Amazon SEO works pretty similar to how Google's search engine optimization works. Therefore, you first need to develop a list of keywords with which you want to populate your listing. You need to research and find the list of phrases that buyers usually search for when they look for a product like yours.
You can do manual research where you will run multiple iterations to shortlist search queries relevant to your listing. However, the manual analysis may not find you the best keywords list for optimization. The reason is you can’t get many crucial KPIs associated with a keyword/search query through manual research.
Therefore, it is better to use an intuitive keyword research tool that can give you the most suitable keywords for your listings. For instance, keyword research tools can help you shortlist keywords based on monthly search volume, conversion rates, PPC bids, the number of competitors, and various other performance indicators. All this data enables you to optimize your listing with keywords that guarantee results.
Contrary to manual hustle, keyword research through a tool doesn’t take more than a couple of minutes.
A listing incorporated with the most rewarding keywords won’t matter much if you don’t use them the right way. For instance, stuffing all the keywords in your listing without considering how the content reads and sounds won’t pay you the optimization dividends you’re looking for.
Customers like product pages where they can quickly go through the listing content. Therefore, you need to incorporate keywords in your listings intelligently. It means using keywords in context so they can make sense while the language remains easy to consume.
The aim is to keep the bullet points and product descriptions of your listing as skimmable as possible.
The importance of visual content is uncontested since humans are more likely to retain information presented in visual form. You can leverage this human tendency by adding visual content to your Amazon listing.
High-definition product shots in your listing can persuade and convert a large number of visitors. Therefore, always add real pictures to your listing that illustrate all the product details most aesthetically rather than blurry shots or computer-rendered illustrations.
Moreover, the limited number of images on the listing may not cover the product inside out. In that case, a video will come in handy. Adding product video can also distinguish your listing from competitors.
Video has become the most consumable content on the web. Around 88% of internet users spend most of their online time on platforms with video content. Thus, a listing with a video demonstration of the product will work well for most visitors.
If you are a private-label seller with Brand Registry enrollment, you must take advantage of A+ (A plus) Content. It is an exclusive listing feature that brand owners can use to narrate their brand and product stories through additional text placements and images. A+ Content is like an online brochure or pamphlet with catchy pictures and brief product details that add authenticity to a listing.
Bullet points and product description on a listing appear in simple text format. In contrast, A+ Content comes with all the bells and whistles. You can use enhanced layouts, charts, and fonts to create an A+ content carousel. A listing that features A+ Content stands unique among regular listings.
Amazon also recommends the use of A+ Content and acknowledges that using A+ Content helps sellers improve traffic and conversions on listings.
If you want to get to the apex of optimization, do the A/B testing of your listing. A/B testing entails experimentation with title, text, and images to see which combination works better. You can use page views and sessions as the metrics to identify whether Listing A or Listing B yields better results.
To do A/B testing, you need to make two sets of listings (of the same product) and make them live one after the other. Each set must have a different title, set of images, description, bullet points, and A+ Content carousel design. First, observe how both sets of listings perform for a fortnight. Then, compare their sessions and number of orders and stick to the version that has put up a better performance.
Takeaway
A listing that features well-thought-out keywords with easy-to-scan bullets and descriptions, high-quality images, a video, and A+ Content will be considered fully optimized. As a result, such a listing will perform well on Amazon SERPs.
Moreover, it will produce better engagement for all the driven clicks. Better organic visibility and engagement will eventually translate into increased conversions and Amazon sales.
Increasing sales while competing with other sellers for the same ASIN is one of the most challenging tasks on Amazon. Doing this is almost impossible without winning the Buy Box. Buy Box is a call-to-action widget on the top right of a listing. Customers can add the product to the cart, buy it right away, and see the seller and shipping details in that widget.
When more than one seller sells the same item, Amazon has to choose a single seller for the Buy Box for every purchase made. Amazon usually picks different sellers for the same Buy Box at different times. Nonetheless, some sellers are chosen more often than others for reasons Amazon hasn't officially revealed.
Experienced sellers have listed a couple of measures that may move Amazon’s Buy Box algorithm in your favor.
You are more likely to win the Buy Box if you sell to Prime members. You can sell to Prime customers if you are part of Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), or Seller Fulfilled Prime (SFP). You automatically qualify for Prime selling if you’re an FBA seller. FBM sellers can also become Prime sellers and win the Buy Box after enrolling in SFP.
Amazon asks sellers to keep their listing prices close (preferably low) to the current Buy Box price. This is because it increases their chances of winning the Buy Box. So, instead of increasing your margin, try increasing your sales volume by keeping the lowest possible prices that help win the Buy Box.
Use a good repricer tool if you always want your listing prices suitable for winning the Buy Box. A repricing tool enables sellers to automatically compare their item prices to competitors’ and adjust them accordingly.
Listing prices on Amazon are pretty dynamic. Sometimes a listing undergoes pricing changes within minutes. So, you may not be able to manually track all those price changes all the time and adjust your offer accordingly.
A good repricer tool will keep tabs on your competitor’s prices in real-time. It will then adjust your listing price accordingly, making it an eligible candidate for the Buy Box.
We don’t know how the Amazon algorithm factors in the seller performance while choosing a seller for the Buy Box. However, sellers with poor performance and mostly negative seller feedback are less likely to win that prized widget on the listing. So, maintain good performance as a seller, and you may win more Buy Boxes.
Inventory volume might also affect your chances of winning the Buy Box. Amazon may not assign you Buy Box more frequently if you have low inventory volume. It can happen because low inventory indicates a seller’s inability to fulfill an overwhelming number of orders. With high inventory volume, you can ensure the Amazon Buy Box algorithm that you’re able to fulfill any number of orders that come your way.
Takeaway
It's a simple mantra with the Buy Box: the more you win it, the more Amazon sales you make.
You don't have to worry about winning the Buy Box as a private-label seller. However, it doesn't mean you can set any listing price to generate sales. When buyers choose among similar private-label items, their focus remains on the pricing. In fact, price is often the primary reason a buyer picks one product over the other.
So, you won’t be able to attract more customers if you put a higher price tag on your listings. You need to be very crafty with your listing pricing if you want to increase sales. Here, we will share some tips on how to go about the pricing.
It is an open secret that the best pricing strategy is to keep the prices low. The majority of customers strive for low prices. If an item is available on many listings and you sell it at a lower price, you’re likely to get more sales even if your listing has fewer reviews and ratings.
However, don’t just drop the prices without considering other factors. For starters, only lower your price if your margins allow. You won’t like to sell on breakeven, or worse, in a loss. Moreover, certain items can’t be sold below a specific price. You have to find that floor/base price for your product class. Always price your products near that price so that your margins don’t get too thin.
Increasing sales on a brand-new listing also has to do with pricing. Keep your product at the lowest possible price if you have no reviews and ratings. You may get some sales due to the extraordinarily lower price. And if your product boasts quality and offers the desired utility to consumers, it will eventually receive ratings and reviews.
Once you get the required traction on the listing, you can readjust the price to make it competitive with other similar listings.
Note: Don’t get too aggressive with lowering the price where it starts looking like undercutting. It can lead to a never-ending price war with competitors that might not fare well for your revenue and margins.
Non-Prime Amazon buyers have to pay for shipping for items below $25. This additional cost may act as a deterrent for many buyers. Therefore, try to create your product portfolio with items that cost more than $25, especially if you want to increase your sales among non-Prime members.
If you’re selling low-value items with single-digit price tags, try to bundle them together. For example, you can offer a discount on the bundle and simultaneously increase the price above $25. People will gravitate more towards buying a discounted bundle with no shipping fee rather than going for individual low-value items that cost delivery charges.
Mentioning a price a cent or two lower than the round figure works for businesses worldwide. It is called psychological pricing, and all of us have been subjected to it. Psychological pricing works due to how we do math in our heads. The way we learn to do calculations, our brain is biased toward the digits on the left side of the decimal point. Therefore, we tend to remember $19.99 as $19 instead of $20.
You can also use this psychological ploy while pricing your products on Amazon. You may get some sales solely because your price seems lower than what your competitors offer.
Takeaway
Pricing has a direct but inverse connection with sales. Low prices lead to higher sales. Therefore, you need to keep your prices low while keeping the margins and breakeven points in mind. And when you can’t lower the actual price, try to make it “look” like a low price.
Pay-Per-Click (PPC) is one of the most effective methods to boost Amazon listings. PPC lets you promote your listing for a set of keywords on SERPs, product pages, and even off-Amazon places. Almost every Amazon seller knows about PPC advertising campaigns and runs them too. However, many don't get the most out of their budget spent on those paid listing promotions.
If run effectively, PPC advertising can significantly boost your sales. A good PPC strategy can make your listing stand out among hundreds of other similar listings. If you want to run PPC campaigns that boost sales, you need to take these measures.
Like listing optimization, PPC optimization also starts with choosing the best keywords for the task. A good PPC keyword is one that boasts a good search volume, relatively low competition, and a reasonable bid. You can find all those PPC-related attributes of a keyword through a tool. You can also find the most suitable keywords for your ad campaigns and groups through automatic targeting.
In automatic targeting, Amazon algorithms promote a listing for the keywords it deems most relevant. The algorithm’s decision-making is derived from shopping trends and consumer behavior over time. Therefore, you can find some of the best keywords from the ad reports of automatic targeting.
It is worth mentioning that automatic targeting doesn’t provide as good results as manual targeting when it comes to conversions and ACOS (Advertising Cost of Sales). Therefore, an optimized PPC campaign primarily relies on manual targeting.
Manual targeting allows you to handpick keywords for your PPC campaigns. This way, you're in more control of the results of your PPC campaigns. In addition, in manual targeting, you can add and remove keywords from the ongoing campaigns, depending on how they’re performing. In short, you don’t have to bleed your PPC budget on keywords not bringing in required conversions.
You can also do negative keyword targeting to improve the performance of your PPC campaigns. Negative keyword targeting enables you to pick search phrases you don't want your listing to appear for. For instance, you may not want to promote your wooden chair listing for the keyword “upholstered chairs”.
Amazon also allows you to either go with fixed or dynamic bidding. As the term suggests, dynamic bids keep changing based on Amazon’s assessment of how likely it is for your ad to make a sale. So, for instance, when Amazon concludes that the conversion probability is low for your listing for a particular keyword, it will automatically lower your bid so that your budget doesn’t get spent on unnecessary impressions and clicks.
Similarly, when Amazon senses that there are strong chances for your listing to experience more sales for the given keyword, it increases the bid accordingly.
You can improve the return on your PPC investment through dynamic bidding because you make more sales while spending lesser money.
You can’t run an optimized PPC campaign without continuous supervision. Once your PPC campaigns are two weeks old, start their weekly reviews by downloading the ad report from Seller Central. Then, look at every ad group's seven-day total sales, cost per click, and ACOS. By weighing these three metrics, you can determine how your PPC campaigns perform for different keywords.
Low sales, higher CPC, and ACOS indicate a poorly performing keyword. You can replace that keyword with some other relevant search phrase to maintain the overall ACOS of your PPC campaign.
Takeaway
PPC campaigns can significantly improve sales for private-label sellers that can’t cash on their brand names. However, it is only achievable if you run optimized PPC campaigns where every dollar spent is attributed to increasing sales volume.
Increasing sales on Amazon is about innovating and doing things others don't. For instance, most sellers fixate on the traffic they can get on Amazon. However, you also need to look beyond that. From Google to Social Media platforms, there are many other avenues from where you can get considerable traffic with a large chunk of qualified leads.
Amazon Affiliates run websites and pages powered by digital marketing where they refer to relevant Amazon listings in the published content. As a seller, you pay them a referral fee when a user clicks the listing link they have embedded in their posts and makes a purchase.
Besides improving sales, referral traffic also improves your SEO performance on Google. Suppose your listing is featured on multiple high domain authority affiliate websites. In that case, this top-quality backlink profile may also improve your visibility on Google for the same keywords you’ve optimized your listing for.
In short, referral traffic can also improve Google traffic for your listing in the long run. Since both traffic streams stem from relevant content/search queries, they also lead to conversions and sales.
Social Media platforms have become very integral to promoting and selling things online. You can also leverage them as an Amazon seller to boost your sales. If you are a brand owner on Amazon, you can create relevant pages on Instagram and Facebook to push your brand story.
Turn to daily posting where you can tell users how your product(s) address their pain points. However, try to post content that offers value and doesn’t just pitch your product. For instance, if you sell door draft stoppers, you can put posts regarding the eco-friendly outlook of insulation, the perils of noise pollution, etc. Then, you can position your product as a solution and add your Amazon listing link in your posts.
In short, you should use social media to convince users to buy your products instead of doing the hard sell. The traffic from those platforms will be like qualified leads with higher chances of conversion.
Contrary to popular belief, email marketing is far from dead. For the e-commerce landscape, it is as critical as any other marketing channel. Statistics suggest that around 15-20% of e-commerce activity stems from email marketing.
Amazon doesn’t allow sellers to send marketing emails to customers. Therefore, the email addresses of your existing customers (that you can get from your sales report) are of no use. Nonetheless, you can get customized mailing lists of the demographic you want to target with your product from reliable mailing list companies.
Create a persuasive email with CTA containing the link to your listing. Follow the golden email marketing principles to increase the open rate and click-through rate of your emails. You can create a separate stream of sales through your promotional emails with the right execution.
Takeaway
There is a whole lot of listing traffic that you can get from platforms other than Amazon. And the more footfalls you get on your listing from different channels, the more sales you will make.
Amazon allows sellers to use several promotions to boost their sales. If you are new and not getting enough sales on Amazon through listing optimization and paid advertising, those promotions can help you improve your numbers. There is a list of Amazon promotions with different features that you can use to boost your sales.
Promo codes are great when you’re trying to bring customers from off-Amazon avenues. You can get many clicks and conversions outside of Amazon due to the promo codes you offer.
As the name suggests, this promotion is about giving a flat discount on the actual price to every customer landing on your listing.
If you want to generate more sales through your social media engagement, use this mode of Amazon promotion. In this promo code, Amazon essentially creates you a separate landing page with an already applied discount (that you select on Seller Central). Users clicking on this link can quickly make a purchase and check out.
You can also offer a discount on your listings through coupons. The primary benefit of using coupons is they are shown with your listings in search result pages as well, resulting in better CTR for your listings. One other benefit of coupons is they don’t apply automatically to every sale. Buyers have to clip the coupon to avail of the discount, and many of them don't do that.
If you want to improve sales among Amazon Prime members, offer Prime Exclusive discounts. However, these special discounts are at least 10% of the item price. Prime Exclusive discounts are shown in search results and Buy Box with strikethrough prices and saving details. These tags can also improve the click-through and conversion rates of your listing.
Takeaway
Incentives always attract customers, and the same is true for those shopping on Amazon. You can use different promotional incentives to draw more customers and increase your sales.
Online shopping and purchase decisions rely heavily on social proof available on the web. The review section on an Amazon listing provides that proof to potential buyers. A highly optimized or an accurately targeted PPC listing might not offer the desired sales if it falls short on reviews. Many visitors may turn away from your listing if there’re not enough reviews.
On the other hand, a high number of reviews with more than four-star ratings always make a good impression on visitors.
You can take these measures to improve the number of reviews on your listings.
To pull together a reasonable collection of positive reviews, deliver according to buyers’ expectations. There is no shortcut. If you continue to deliver quality and usability through your product at reasonable prices, you will keep getting good reviews.
Many sellers believe they’re done with an order after the completion of delivery processing. However, that’s not the case. Once it’s been at least five days after the order delivery date, you need to go to the order detail page and click on the Request a review button. This will send a standardized email to buyers to leave product and seller feedback.
For unhappy customers, you don’t have to do much. They often leave scathing reviews themselves. In contrast, happy customers usually don’t care much about leaving a review. However, they write a review (and a good one) when reminded.
So this request acts as a reminder and brings you reviews that don’t exist otherwise.
If you already have too much on your plate and are unable to do this manually, you can automate this process by using ZonGuru’s review automator tool. The tool automatically sends review requests to only those customers who haven’t complained or showed any signs of regret after the purchase. On top of that, the tool is 100% in line with Amazon’s Terms of Services.
Amazon allows sellers to add “product inserts” inside the product box or packaging. You can use them to remind buyers to leave a review. You can add a QR code to those inserts for making it easier for buyers to leave a review.
You can also tell them about the other products and services you offer through those insert cards. While asking for a review, don’t incentivize customers (e.g. offering a free product or gift card). It is against Amazon’s TOS.
Takeaway
Customers are more likely to purchase an Amazon product with 100 reviews rather than an item with 10 reviews, even if both listings offer the same item at the same price. So, always try to improve the review rate of your listing if you want to expand your sales volume.
Last but not least, you need to track how the most popular listing in your niche operates if you want to improve your sales numbers. Whenever you enter a product category, you can see the best-performing listings through search results and BSRs.
See how the sellers behind those listings have crafted their listing content. Try to infer the optimization strategies they have used for their listings.
There are some tools that can particularly assist you in the surveillance of your competitors. Case in point: Product Pulse lets you see what changes your competitors make to their listings. Once you put the ASIN you want to track in the tool, you will be notified whenever there is a tweak in its price or listing content.
You can also see how your competitor has done their optimization through another tool called Listing Optimizer. You can see how your competitor has used the most relevant keywords in their listing content. On top of that, you also get to know the backend keywords they’ve used for the optimization.
Takeaway
A thorough study of listings of successful competitors can show you a path that leads to improved sales.
Despite being a tough place to compete, the above discussion makes it clear that a seller can improve their sales in many ways on Amazon. Full listing optimization, intelligent PPC management, proper use of discounts/coupons, and bringing in external traffic can collectively help to increase sales on Amazon.
Do you want tools to increase Amazon sales and get ultimate success for your private-label company?
ZonGuru has got you covered.
From keyword research to listing content optimization and keeping tabs on competitors to jacking up the number of reviews, you can perform various tasks through the ZonGuru seller toolkit that can help you increase your sales on Amazon.
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