Listing optimization that converts for Amazon’s Algorithm AND prospective shoppers positions your product to be found. Building out a highly effective Amazon advertising strategy pushes your product to the top of search results and sets your brand apart from the competition. 

Both are pivotal guideposts of online selling success. 

Product listing optimization, including compelling copy, high-quality images, and relevant keywords, enhances visibility and conversion rates, making it easier for shoppers to find and purchase products. 

A well-planned advertising strategy further amplifies this by driving targeted traffic to listings, maximizing exposure, and increasing sales. 

This post isn’t about either of those two elements . . .

Instead, it’s about understanding the less sexy, hidden factors that can make the difference between thriving and merely surviving on the platform. 

This post will explore three critical areas that Amazon sellers need to fully understand: 

• Hidden costs of selling on the platform
• The importance of Amazon review management
• How to use external traffic to multiply ecommerce sales

The Less Obvious Costs of Selling on Amazon

Most Amazon sellers are aware of basic fees such as the subscription, referral and FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) fees. The true costs of operating on Amazon’s marketplace are often more extensive and complex.

These hidden costs can significantly impact profit margins if not carefully managed.

Storage Fees

Amazon charges monthly storage fees for inventory stored in its fulfillment centers. Importantly, these fees increase dramatically during the holiday season (October to December), making it crucial to manage inventory levels efficiently. 

Additionally, long-term storage fees apply to items stored for over 365 days, which can rapidly erode profits if inventory management isn’t optimized. You will want to implement inventory turnover strategies to minimize these costs, such as regular inventory audits and dynamic pricing to move slow-moving products.

It’s 2024, artificial intelligence is your friend. You can use AI-based tools to help manage your overall inventory strategy.

Returns

Amazon returns can significantly impact sellers’ profits through various fees and charges. When an item is returned, sellers face a refund administration fee, which is either $5.00 or 20% of the referral fee, along with losing the original shipping cost. 

Certain fees, like the FBA shipping fee based on product size and weight, are non-refundable. Starting June 1, 2024, Amazon introduced a return processing fee for products with high return rates (excluding apparel and shoes) to cover operational costs. 

Returns can consume up to a third of a seller’s monthly profit, especially if the items returned are damaged or unsellable, resulting in further losses.

Miscellaneous Fees

Other expenses include removal orders (when sellers want Amazon to return or dispose of inventory), labeling services (if sellers don’t label products themselves), and potential account suspension appeal costs.

All these expenses must be considered when calculating the true cost of selling on Amazon. Sellers should regularly review their fee structures and seek ways to minimize unnecessary costs.

The Critical Importance of Review Management

Not all costs are directly translatable to dollars and cents. Product reviews on Amazon play a crucial role in influencing customer purchasing decisions and determining your product’s overall visibility. 

At the end of the day, that’s going to have a lot to do with your search ranking, social proof, and degree of customer engagement. Success – or failure – will be reflected in your sales. 

Here’s why review management is vital:

Search Ranking

Amazon’s algorithm, which determines search rankings, considers both the quantity and quality of reviews. Products with a higher number of positive reviews are more likely to rank well in search results, leading to increased visibility and sales. At the same time, products with few or negative reviews may struggle to gain traction, regardless of their quality or competitive pricing.

Social Proof

Reviews are one the things that Amazon shoppers look at when trying to make a final decision. They have long served as social proof, building trust with potential customers. In the absence of physical interaction with products, customers rely heavily on the experiences of others to make purchasing decisions. A product with numerous positive reviews is much more likely to convert browsers into buyers. 

To make sure you’re compliant with their policies, use Amazon’s Request a Review feature that offers you a safe way to ask customers for product reviews and seller feedback.

Customer Engagement

Review management involves actively engaging with customers, addressing negative reviews promptly and professionally, and continually improving products based on customer feedback. 

This ongoing process of engagement and improvement leads to better products, increased customer satisfaction, and ultimately, more positive reviews. Take advantage of the advances in artificial intelligence to implement a systematic approach to monitor and respond to reviews. This will help you to turn potential negative experiences into positive ones.

The Power of External Traffic

Simply relying on the power of Amazon’s internal traffic and advertising tools is an easy mistake to make. While these are undoubtedly powerful, they overlook a strategy that in-the-know entrepreneurs are using to give their listings the extra boost they need to rise to the top of the rankings. 

External Amazon traffic refers to potential shoppers directed to an Amazon listing from sources outside of the Amazon platform itself. This might include traffic generated through Google ads, social media promotions, blog posts, email marketing, and influencer referrals.

Here’s how this strategy benefits sellers:

Reduced Reliance on Internal Traffic

If you’ve spent money on PPC advertising recently, you know that Amazon’s internal traffic can be highly competitive and expensive to capture through advertising. By diversifying traffic sources, you’re better able to reach potential customers who may not have found their products through Amazon’s search results. This reduces dependence on Amazon’s ecosystem and spreads risk across multiple channels.

Boost Your Organic Ranking

Amazon’s algorithm favors listings that convert well. When external traffic leads to sales, it signals to Amazon that the product is popular and in demand, potentially boosting its organic ranking within Amazon’s search results. By expanding your marketing outreach beyond Amazon, you’re more likely to gain an edge in the competitive marketplace.

Sometimes, a little edge is all you need. 

Brand Building

When you’re selling on Amazon’s marketplace, it’s easy to be overshadowed by many of the 80,000 pound ecommerce gorilla’s own inhouse brands. External marketing allows you to build your brand outside of Amazon, and leads to increased brand recognition and loyalty. 

This can translate into repeat purchases and positive reviews on Amazon. Take the time to invest in creating a strong brand presence across social media, websites, and other online platforms, then watch the sales come in. 

Audience Diversification

Have you experienced suppressed Amazon listings or account suspensions recently? If so, this one might hit close to home. 

By building an audience outside of Amazon, you’re better able to create a valuable asset that can be leveraged across multiple sales channels, reducing dependence on any single platform (I’m talking to you Amazon). 

This diversification provides stability and growth opportunities beyond Amazon’s marketplace.

How to Implement External Traffic Strategies

Driving external traffic requires skill and investment. You need to understand various marketing channels, create compelling content, and continually optimize your campaigns for the best results. Here are some effective strategies:

Social Media Marketing

Utilize platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest to promote products and drive traffic to Amazon listings. Engaging content, influencer partnerships, and targeted ads can help reach a broader audience.

Google Ads

Running Google Ads can capture high-intent customers searching for products similar to yours. Effective keyword targeting and ad copy are crucial for driving relevant traffic to Amazon listings.

Influencer Partnerships

Collaborating with influencers – of any size – can amplify your reach and credibility. Influencers can showcase your products to their followers, driving traffic and potential sales.

Email Marketing

Building an email list allows for direct communication with potential customers. Regular newsletters, promotional offers, and product updates can push traffic to Amazon listings and build customer loyalty.

How Canopy Management Can Help

Success on Amazon requires more than just listing products and fulfilling orders. By having a better understanding of these less obvious costs associated with selling on Amazon, you’ll have an easier time creating a sustainable path forward. 

Embracing these strategies not only help you achieve immediate sales goals, they also contribute to building a strong, recognizable brand that can thrive in the ever-changing marketplace.

Want to take advantage of a shortcut that many of Amazon’s top sellers have used to rise to the top? Reach out to the Amazon experts at Canopy Management. 

Ever wonder what adding 67% more organic sales might mean for your brand?

Turns out that when you combine the massive experience of Canopy’s Amazon Experts with smart tools and tech, you get industry-leading results like this:

• 84% Average Year-Over-Year Profit Growth for Our Partners
• 2.7 Billion in Revenue Managed
• 99.1% Partner Retention Rate

Canopy Management is a full-service marketing agency for Amazon and Walmart sellers. Our team consists of former Amazonians, multi-million dollar sellers, and award-winning experts.

When you consider the many ways that Canopy Management can help you grow your business, you’ll see why selling on Amazon is much easier “under the Canopy.”

• Strategic Growth Planning
• Listing Copywriting Optimization
• Listing Photography
• Product Videography
• Advertising Management
• Customer Service
• Demand Side Platform (Amazon DSP)
• Amazon Posts
• Full Service Management
• Amazon Review Aggregation

The post Beyond the Obvious: Uncovering Hidden Amazon Success Factors appeared first on Canopy Management.

However, there’s another component of a successful Amazon product that can easily be overlooked – Amazon reviews. Amazon reviews offer valuable information that give you a clear understanding of what really matters to your prospective customers. 

Just think! These are customers in your selling niche that have stopped what they’re doing to write about an Amazon product.

That is pure gold to an Amazon seller, and in this case, music to the ears of an Amazon agency.

After detailing four strategies that Amazon sellers can use to build reviews for their own brand, this post recounts a (digital) conversation a Canopy partner recently had with Clutch, an important B2B research, ratings and reviews firm about their own experience with the Canopy Management team.

Top 4 Strategies to Get Amazon Product Reviews

1. Ask for Reviews

Obvious as it might seem, this is a simple way to get reviews for your Amazon business. Amazon’s “Request a Review” button in your Seller Central account allows you to send a standardized review request email to customers. To speed up the process, you can use review automation software to send custom review requests in bulk, while at the same time, making sure that you are staying on the right side of Amazon’s rules and regulations. 

2. Use Product Inserts

Long a favorite of digital marketing pros, product inserts are a great – and low pressure – way to do your Amazon advertising. Make sure to say thank you for the purchase and detail how helpful reviews are to your quality control and overall Amazon marketing. 

3. Sell a Great Product, Then Follow Up with Exemplary Customer Service

This might feel like another obvious one, but it’s clear that a positive customer experience inevitably leads to a better product review. Be clear and concise with your product listing, provide accurate information, and follow that up with high-level customer service. 

4. Leverage Social Media

You can – and should – request customer reviews through your social media platforms. Influencers don’t need to be Kardashian sized. Micro influencers and their smaller follower counts are widely known for a highly engaged base of committed, grass-roots connections. It’s a great way to build social proof AND expand your customer base.

(These strategies should be employed in compliance with Amazon’s terms of service to avoid any potential issues)

Amazon Customer Reviews are Canopy Management’s North Star

Regardless of how often it happens, as an Amazon Marketing Agency, Canopy Management is always thrilled to receive another great review. We know how busy our partners are and the time involved in sitting down at a computer to make this happen. 

Over the last several years, we’ve been able to amass an incredible number of extremely positive reviews on the Clutch platform. 

Clutch is a B2B research, ratings and reviews site that identifies leading IT and marketing service providers and software. They have established a reputation for evaluations that help entrepreneurs and ecommerce companies meet very specific needs. 

We recently received a new review on Clutch from a satisfied customer and it reminded us – once again – of the power and significance of a customer review. 

Here are responses from Kylie, from Primal Health, a Canopy Management partner, on the Clutch review platform:

Please describe your company and your position there

Kylie/Primal Health – I’m the point person for Canopy, our Amazon agency, as the manager of our Amazon project.

For what projects/services did your company hire Canopy Management?

Kylie/Primal Health– Canopy helped us get new products listed on Amazon as well as manage current listings – all with the goal in mind of having another organic revenue stream.

The plan is to grow our PPC and over time our organic sales as well, on Amazon. We hired them for their full service option, where they manage our listings, ads, do reporting, help with any suppressed listings on Amazon, etc.

They are phenomenal at it!

How did you select this Amazon Agency?

Kylie/Primal Health – Recommendation to our company’s owner.

Describe the scope of their work in detail

Kylie/Primal Health – We have weekly calls with our own personal account specialist, ads director, those helping with creative, reporting, etc.

From the beginning they helped list all new products we wanted on Amazon, which required everything from producing creative copy, going back and forth with us with our legal reviewing listing for compliance, then running ads on these new listings as well as a few we already had running.

They also provided weekly updated reporting to help us know what inventory to send in, how sales did each week, where we’re doing well such as keywords and products leading the way in sales.

Canopy also offered insight into boosting sales on the lower performing products, implemented ad strategies to ensure continued growth, and worked quickly and very efficiently with us when Amazon suppressed any listings to help ensure they were running smoothly. 

Again, they do a stellar job with all of these aspects for Primal Health. We have a channel of open communication where we can ask anything and they are ON TOP OF IT!!! 

I always feel like we’re Canopy’s only client because of how well they take care of us.

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Kylie/Primal Health – Our PPC revenue was 30% over last month. We have over doubled our growth since this time last year. We just broke 100k/mo on Amazon this month due to all of their hard work.

Every week for the last 4 weeks I’ve gotten to relay to our leadership within the company that we’ve had yet another “best sales week yet on Amazon”.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Kylie/Primal Health – Flawless. 

Like I mentioned above, they take such great care of us, are always advocating for us, and are so efficient we feel like we’re they’re only client – even though we know they’re quite popular

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Kylie/Primal Health – Canopy is one of those companies that shows up to the plate with an impressive team and a strong pitch. What they offer sounds really good. But they are the opposite of a smoke and mirrors company that sells a big promise and doesn’t deliver.

Canopy has delivered results (again we just surpassed our 100k/mo mark and keep passing our best sales records each week), as well as how they show up each week.

They are just impressive in every aspect from overall achieving of goals to excellent communication, to making us feel special and like we’re their only client, and ensuring we understand all of the progress along the way.

Is there any area for improvement or anything that could have been done differently?

Kylie/Primal Health – Honestly if there was, they’d be on top of solving it.

They want to hear your feedback and then they implement it. They’re a machine in how they work together as a team, with the goal of always ensuring we’re happy. And they have very much succeeded.

How was the quality of Canopy Management’s work?

Kylie/Primal Health – 5/5 Stars – Our favorite company to work with!

How was scheduling with Canopy Management?

Kylie/Primal Health – 5/5 Stars – Easy and it’s always clear we’re a priority

How likely are you to refer Canopy Management to a friend?

Kylie/Primal Health – 5/5 Stars – We’ve already referred many and will continue to do so!  We adore Canopy, and think everyone deserves a Canopy on their side.

Give Canopy Management an overall rating

Kylie/Primal Health – 5/5 Stars – One of my favorite companies I’ve ever worked with – Canopy has an A+ rating from us all the way.

Real Sellers, Real Success

We believe you should be the hero of your own story and under the Canopy, you will be!

Take a moment to read the success stories of real sellers we’ve helped. Just like You!

How Canopy Management Can Help YOU! 

What would adding 67% more organic sales mean for your brand?

Turns out that when you combine the massive experience of Canopy’s Amazon Experts with smart tools and tech, you get industry-leading results like this:

• 84% Average Year-Over-Year Profit Growth for Our Partners
• 2.7 Billion in Revenue Managed
• 99.1% Partner Retention Rate

Canopy Management is a full-service marketing agency for Amazon and Walmart sellers. Our team consists of former Amazonians, multi-million dollar sellers, and award-winning experts.

When you consider the many ways that Canopy Management can help you grow your business, you’ll see why selling on Amazon is much easier “under the Canopy.”

• Strategic Growth Planning
• Listing Copywriting Optimization
• Listing Photography
• Product Videography
• Advertising Management
• Customer Service
• Demand Side Platform (Amazon DSP)
• Amazon Posts
• Full Service Management
• Amazon Review Aggregation

The post (Amazon Agency) Reviews So Bright, You Gotta Wear Shades appeared first on Canopy Management.

In this post, we take a close look at reasons why your products may be sold by others on Amazon, the potential impact on your brand, and steps you can take to address the issue.

Here’s how it might play out. 

How Brand Piracy Impacts Your Brand

Not all brand piracy is of the black hat variety. As detailed later in this post, though certainly not harmless, some eventual sellers might not even realize the brand owners haven’t authorized the sales. Still, there’s a significant component of outright deception going on. 

What is true is that the effects of brand piracy can snowball. 

According to research from Michigan State University, nearly seven in 10 people were deceived into buying counterfeit products online at least once in the past year.   

Accounting for up to 2.5% of world trade, counterfeiting is one of the most pervasive and troublesome forms of brand abuse for large brands. It’s not just a temporary loss of revenue. It ultimately results in damages to the brand’s reputation and overall value. 

Social Media Helps Fuel the Fire

For brands with a social presence – particularly larger brands – the proliferation of social media and online marketplaces has intensified the challenges posed by brand piracy. These platforms provide counterfeiters with unprecedented access to global audiences, making it easier to sell fake products, spread misinformation, and impersonate legitimate brands. 

The rapid spread of content on social media can quickly amplify the damage caused by brand abuse, diluting brand messaging and eroding consumer trust. 

Brands of all sizes face significant difficulties in monitoring and addressing these issues across multiple platforms, struggling to maintain control over their online reputation and protect their intellectual property. 

Monitoring the incendiary potential of hijacked social media has become a full time job. This has created a complex environment where managing brand integrity requires constant vigilance, sophisticated monitoring tools, and proactive strategies to educate consumers and combat unauthorized use of brand assets.

Why Your Brand Might Already Be On Amazon

Finding your brand on Amazon (without your prior knowledge) can be a shock, and can happen for a number of reasons and through various channels including unauthorized resellers, legitimate distribution networks, and gray market sales. 

Let’s begin by addressing three reasons why you might find your own brand already sold on Amazon’s busy marketplace. 

1. Unauthorized Resellers

This is every entrepreneur’s nightmare and one of the primary reasons your products might appear on Amazon without your knowledge. Unauthorized resellers operate independently and often acquire products through various means including: 

Retail arbitrage: Some sellers purchase products at retail stores, often during sales or clearance events, and then resell them on Amazon at a markup. This practice, known as retail arbitrage, can lead to your products being sold by multiple unknown parties.

Liquidation sales: Liquidators often list surplus products on Amazon, often at prices below your recommended retail price. Sometimes this involves massive companies reeling from retailer bankruptcy such as the recent case of Bed Bath & Beyond. 

Counterfeit or knockoff products: In some cases, black hat sellers may offer counterfeit versions of your products, claiming them to be authentic. This not only impacts your sales but can also damage your brand’s reputation if customers receive inferior imitations of your own product.

2. Authorized Distribution Channels

Sometimes, it’s not out-and-out black hat sellers causing the problems. Your products may appear on Amazon through legitimate channels that you may not be fully aware of. 

Wholesalers or distributors: If you sell your products to wholesalers or distributors, they may choose to list these items on Amazon as part of their own sales strategy. This may be within their rights, but it can lead to unexpected competition and pricing issues.

Retail partners: Do you sell your products through brick-and-mortar retailers? If so, those that carry your products might choose to expand their operations to include online marketplaces like Amazon. 

Affiliate or dropshipping programs: If you have an affiliate program or allow dropshipping, some participants may use Amazon as part of their sales channel. That can easily lead to multiple listings of your products.

3. Gray Market Sales

Gray market sales occur when products intended for one market are sold in another, often at different prices.

Regional imports: Products manufactured for sale in other countries may be imported and resold on Amazon in your primary market. This can lead to pricing discrepancies and potential warranty issues.

Discontinued or older versions: Amazon sellers can sometimes acquire older versions of your products or items you’ve discontinued and continue to sell them on Amazon’s marketplace, potentially confusing customers and competing with your current offerings.

First Steps to Address the Issue

To regain control over your product listings on Amazon, consider implementing the following strategies:

Implement stricter distribution agreements: Revise your contracts with distributors and retailers to explicitly prohibit unauthorized Amazon sales or to control how your products are sold online.

Use unique product identifiers: Implement serialization or other tracking methods to identify the source of products being sold on Amazon.

Monitor and report unauthorized sellers: Regularly search for your products on Amazon and report any listings that violate your policies or Amazon’s rules.

Consider becoming an official Amazon seller: By selling directly on Amazon, you can have more control over your product listings and pricing. 

That leads us to . . . 

Selling On Amazon as a Defensive Strategy

Even if you haven’t discovered evidence of your brand on Amazon, in many cases it’s just a matter of time before the constantly increasing competition on Amazon brings a pirate to your doorstep. 

The best time to defend your brand on Amazon is BEFORE someone hijacks your product. That’s why it may be worth establishing an official presence on the platform RIGHT NOW!. 

This approach allows you to manage your brand’s representation directly, ensure consistent pricing, and provide the level of customer service that aligns with your brand values.

Enrolling in Amazon’s Brand Registry is a great first move. The robust program gives you more control over your product listings and to combat potential intellectual property infringements.

Having a controlled presence on Amazon can offer several advantages:

Direct management of product listings and pricing: As an official seller, you can ensure that your product information is accurate and pricing aligns with your strategy.

Ability to provide authentic customer service: By managing your own listings, you can respond directly to customer inquiries and concerns, maintaining your brand’s reputation for quality service.

Protection against unauthorized sellers: Amazon often gives preference to brand owners in disputes with unauthorized sellers, helping you maintain control over your listings.

Amazon’s Transparency Program creates brand guardrails: Amazon’s Transparency program protects your brand and customers using secure, unique codes that identify individual units. This stops counterfeits from reaching customers and helps ensure that every unit shipped is authentic. 

And, last but not least . . . 

Access to Amazon’s large customer base: Why not take advantage of Amazon’s massive user base to reach new customers and increase sales? There’s a good chance you’ll make enough money that the headaches of defending your brand turf might recede into the background. 

About Canopy Management

Finding your products sold by others on Amazon can be a disconcerting, but unfortunately common challenge in today’s ecommerce landscape. By understanding the various ways your products can end up on the platform – and perhaps building your own Amazon store – you might surprise yourself with a previously unexplored revenue stream. 

Addressing unauthorized sales on Amazon is an ongoing process. Stay vigilant by regularly monitoring the platform for unauthorized listings and be prepared to take action when necessary. By maintaining control over your brand’s presence on Amazon, you can protect your reputation, maintain pricing integrity, and potentially tap into a valuable sales channel.

If you’d like to take a shortcut that increasing numbers of Amazon’s top sellers have used to get to where they are now, reach out to the team at Canopy Management. 

Turns out that when you combine the massive experience of Canopy’s Amazon Experts with smart tools and tech, you get industry-leading results like this:

• 84% Average Year-Over-Year Profit Growth for Our Partners
• 2.7 Billion in Revenue Managed
• 99.1% Partner Retention Rate

Canopy Management is a full-service marketing agency for Amazon and Walmart sellers. Our team consists of former Amazonians, multi-million dollar sellers, and award-winning experts.

When you consider the many ways that Canopy Management can help you grow your business, you’ll see why selling on Amazon is much easier “under the Canopy.”

• Strategic Growth Planning
• Listing Copywriting Optimization
• Listing Photography
• Product Videography
• Advertising Management
• Customer Service
• Demand Side Platform (Amazon DSP)
• Amazon Posts
• Full Service Management
• Amazon Review Aggregation

The post Don’t Want to Sell on Amazon? Here’s Why Your Brand Might Be There Already  appeared first on Canopy Management.

With the allure of passive income, many are drawn to a variety of different get-rich-quick schemes that are going to be present whenever there’s a lot of money to be made. Still, there’s  one big reason why the idea of “Amazon automation” rings true. 

That’s the fact that automation is at the heart of many of the practices that Amazon – and sellers on its platform – use to be successful. 

For example, let’s take the Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) platform. Anyone who’s ever taken the (closely monitored) Amazon warehouse tour knows that it’s ground zero for the majority of Amazon sellers and a big part of their ecommerce success. 

It’s also home to a lot of diligent robot workers. 

FBA allows sellers to outsource order fulfillment to Amazon. When a customer makes a purchase, Amazon fulfillment specialists can pick, pack, and ship the order. Amazon also provides customer service and process returns for those orders.

What’s not to like?

Then there’s the automated processes that allow the Amazon advertising platform to systematically optimize bids for the new placements in order to improve conversion.

However, after looking closer at the search results, we quickly realized that there was something else going on, and it wasn’t all good.

Understanding (this Version of) Amazon Automation

Yes, this was something else altogether. In simple terms, it’s a hands-off approach to selling on Amazon. A third-party company manages every aspect of your store – from product research, sourcing, and listings to shipment and customer service. 

In return for this service, these companies typically demand an upfront fee and a share in the profits.

The promise? Sit back, relax, and watch the profits roll in. 

But can it be that easy?

After listening to just a few videos promoting “Amazon automation” services, here are some of the catchy ways that this program is presented:

• “Done for you” Amazon management 
• Data driven Amazon selling software
• Amazon FBA automation model
• Easily generated “passive income”

To be fair, let’s look at why more than a few would-be entrepreneurs have opened their wallets and tried this path to a passive income. There’s got to be something that’s driving all of this interest on the internet.

Why Amazon Automation is Trending On the Internet

There are four big reasons why Amazon automation has proven tempting to entrepreneurs: 

Passive income potential: Many of us are attracted to the idea of generating income with minimal ongoing effort. Amazon automation promises to set up and manage an online store, allowing owners to earn money without daily involvement.

Low barrier to entry: Compared to traditional brick-and-mortar businesses, starting an Amazon store requires less capital and infrastructure. In that way, a high upfront fee might be easily overlooked. 

Expert marketing: Companies offering Amazon automation services often use aggressive marketing tactics and success stories to promote their services, capturing the attention of potential clients.

Outsourcing appeal: The idea of having experts handle complex aspects like product sourcing, inventory management, and customer service is attractive to those who lack experience or time to run an online business.

For novices, Amazon’s ecosystem can be intimidating. Automation services promise to bring experts to your table. They claim to know the ins and outs of the platform, and theoretically, their experience should give you an edge.

Amazon automation also claims to speed up the process and free up significant time, allowing investors to focus on other ventures and carry on with their everyday life.

Big Amazon Automation Red Flags

Many promising ventures include associated risks. With done-for-you Amazon FBA business automation, the risks can be significant. 

Here’s a partial list:

High up-front fees: Amazon automation agencies charge high upfront fees. This can range from $10,000 to $30,000 or more. For sellers, this is a steep price to pay, especially with no guaranteed returns.

Lack of control: By outsourcing the entire operation, store owners have limited control over day-to-day decisions, product selection, and customer service. This can be problematic if the automation company makes poor choices.

Dependency on third parties: The success of the business relies heavily on the competence and integrity of the automation company. If they underperform or act unethically, the store owner bears the consequences.

Market saturation: As more people invest in automated Amazon stores – often targeting the same niche (or products) – competition increases, potentially leading to lower profit margins and difficulty in standing out.

Amazon policy changes: Amazon frequently updates its policies and algorithms. Automation companies may struggle to adapt quickly, risking account suspensions or reduced visibility.

Unrealistic expectations: Many automation companies promise high returns with minimal effort, which often doesn’t align with reality. 

Legal and tax implications: Store owners are still responsible for legal compliance and tax obligations, which can be complex, especially for those new to ecommerce.

Limited transferable skills: This is a big one. If the automated business fails, the owner may be left with little practical knowledge or skills in ecommerce to apply elsewhere. Many Amazon sellers celebrate early failures as pivotal lessons that made possible their ultimate success.

How You Can Strategically Automate Your Ecommerce Business Today

In recent years, the term “Amazon automation” has come to mean another thing altogether. It now represents a broader range of services and technologies, everything from AI-driven content creation and A/B split testing, to full-service account management offered by top Amazon agencies. 

These new automations can be game-changers for sellers, streamlining operations and optimizing sales. The continual advancements to artificial intelligence and machine learning have allowed Amazon sellers and agencies alike to save time, and boost profits by tailoring content to precise ecommerce niches. 

For example, AI can help sellers analyze enormous amounts of data in order to find out the search terms really driving sales and use that information to determine how to best appeal to a specific target niche. 

That results in a highly optimized, effective Amazon product listing.

Selling on Amazon – or on any marketplace – isn’t a static, set-it-and-forget-it exercise. It’s constantly changing. AI – particularly in the hands of a top Amazon agency – can continuously monitor listing performance and make adjustments to react to changing market dynamics or customer preferences.

As long as the machine (AI) serves the human, and not the other way around, automation can be a very good thing!

Choosing the Right Kind of Amazon Automation

Not every seller will benefit equally from AI-driven content creation or agency management. It’s essential to assess where automation can add the most value. For some, it might be optimizing listings, while for others, it could be comprehensive account management.

Automation doesn’t mean disengagement. To have the highest level of success, sellers should remain involved in order to understand what the AI or agency is doing and why, and then to regularly monitor the performance metrics.

Modern Amazon automation, whether through AI-driven tools or specialized agency management, offers sellers exciting opportunities to scale and optimize their operations.

Top Amazon Agencies Offer Accountable Automation

The increased popularity of Full Service Amazon Management has to do with the bespoke, or carefully handcrafted “personal” attention that individual Amazon sellers receive. 

After all, if success on Amazon’s marketplace was as easy as automating everything, there should be a leveling out of success on Amazon’s marketplace. 

But we’re not seeing that. Instead, individual Amazon experts – like Canopy Management – are strategically implementing automation in order to free up bandwidth so that they can hand craft individual strategies not just for individual Amazon sellers, but sometimes for micro events within an interlinked online sales and marketing strategy. 

The need to understand the Amazon platform’s constantly changing algorithms, policies, and recommended practices has never been greater. 

Artificial intelligence can only do so much. 

The heavy lifting will continue to be done by human experts with the Amazon IQ to leverage AI to stay in front of the mercurial changes endemic to ecommerce.

Looking for More Organic Sales on Amazon? 

What would adding 67% more organic sales mean for your brand?

Turns out that when you combine the massive experience of Canopy’s Amazon Experts with smart tools and tech, you get industry-leading results like this:

• 84% Average Year-Over-Year Profit Growth for Our Partners
• 2.7 Billion in Revenue Managed
• 99.1% Partner Retention Rate

Canopy Management is a full-service marketing agency for Amazon and Walmart sellers. Our team consists of former Amazonians, multi-million dollar sellers, and award-winning experts.

When you consider the many ways that Canopy Management can help you grow your business, you’ll see why selling on Amazon is much easier “under the Canopy.”

• Strategic Growth Planning
• Listing Copywriting Optimization
• Listing Photography
• Product Videography
• Advertising Management
• Customer Service
• Demand Side Platform (Amazon DSP)
• Amazon Posts
• Full Service Management
• Amazon Review Aggregation

The post Is Amazon Automation a Scam? A Seller’s Guide to the Latest Amazon Craze appeared first on Canopy Management.

By analyzing positive reviews, you can identify key features and benefits that resonate with customers. Then, you can strategically emphasize these aspects in your product descriptions and bullet points to attract more buyers. 

Negative reviews are just as valuable. You can pinpoint common issues or areas for improvement, then address these concerns in your listings through updated product details, improved images, and enhanced instructions. 

Additionally, reviews often contain relevant keywords that customers use in their searches, providing additional insights to refine your Amazon search engine optimization (SEO).

Now, advancements in artificial intelligence are making the process easier, and more effective. 

How AI is Making Life Easier for Amazon Sellers

AI has revolutionized the way Amazon sellers can do, well, . . . . pretty much everything.

Using AI, you can filter through customer reviews to optimize product listings, analyze vast amounts of review data, and quickly identify patterns that might be missed by manual analysis. 

These tools can categorize reviews based on sentiment, extract commonly mentioned keywords, and highlight frequently discussed features and issues. This makes it possible to understand – almost in real time – what customers love or dislike about products, then make precise, data-driven adjustments to your listings. 

By focusing on the most impactful feedback, you can enhance product descriptions, improve images, and refine your overall Amazon SEO to better align with customer preferences and search behaviors. 

As an Amazon seller, you know how critical it is to have niched-down, specific data when making adjustments to your listing copy. Wouldn’t it make sense to use Amazon’s own marketplace to source that specialized data? 

Getting Specialized Data from Amazon’s Rufus AI

Amazon’s own Rufus AI assistant is now accessible to all U.S. customers via the Amazon Shopping app. Launched as a beta version on February 1, 2024, Amazon’s AI assistant helps with a variety of shopping-related inquiries.

Key Features of Rufus:

• Understanding Product Details: Answer specific product questions using information from product listings, customer reviews, and community Q&As.
• Getting Product Recommendations: Provide tailored product suggestions based on customer needs.
• Comparing Options: Compare product features to differentiate between items.
• Getting the Latest Product Updates: Inform customers about the latest products and trends.
• Accessing Current and Past Orders: Track orders and access past purchase information.
• Answering General Questions: Handle a broad range of inquiries not directly related to shopping.

However, what’s particularly interesting to Amazon SELLERS is the way that you can use Rufus to hack into Amazon “insider” information to hyper optimize your product listings.

How to Source “Insider” Info to Optimize Your Amazon Product Listings

1. Go to Amazon.com or the Amazon Shopping App: Start by searching for any product on Amazon.com or the Amazon Shopping app. Click on an option that interests you to learn more about the product.

2. Click on Customer Reviews to Discover What Shoppers Think: On the product page, click the five stars on the top right. This brings you to the customer reviews section with an AI-generated overview of the reviews.

3. Check Out Common Themes by Clicking on Words or Phrases: Under the overview paragraph, you can explore specific product features that have been remarked upon by shoppers. Click on displayed words or phrases to see an overview of customer feedback on that feature. 

Positive feedback is indicated by a green checkmark, negative feedback by an orange minus, and neutral feedback by a gray color with no symbol.

4. See Positive and Negative Reviews About Specific Features: Clicking on a feature reveals how many times customers mentioned it, along with snippets from positive and negative reviews. This allows you to quickly assess the importance of each feature. These are the listing elements that you want to highlight in order to differentiate yourself from the competition! 

Amazon says that review highlights are searchable across a broad selection of products in the Amazon store, generated from text-based reviews by verified purchases. These highlights are available to customers in the U.S., UK, Australia, India, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates.

How Canopy Can Help

Amazon’s AI-generated customer review highlights help you get out in front of trends. Sometimes, that’s all it takes to establish a top rank and win the Amazon Buy Box. 

If you want to get a different kind of big head start, consider doing what increasing numbers of Amazon and Walmart sellers have done and reach out to the ecommerce experts at Canopy Management. 

Turns out that when you combine the massive experience of Canopy’s Amazon Advertising Experts with smart tools and tech, you get industry-leading results like this:

• 84% Average Year-Over-Year Profit Growth for Our Partners
• 2.7 Billion in Revenue Managed
• 99.1% Partner Retention Rate

Canopy Management is a full-service marketing agency for Amazon and Walmart sellers. Our team consists of former Amazonians, multi-million dollar sellers, and award-winning experts.

When you consider the many ways that Canopy Management can help you grow your business, you’ll see why selling on Amazon is much easier “under the Canopy.”

• Strategic Growth Planning
• Listing Copywriting Optimization
• Listing Photography
• Product Videography
• Advertising Management
• Customer Service
• Demand Side Platform (Amazon DSP)
• Amazon Posts
• Full Service Management
• Amazon Review Aggregation

The post How to Use “Insider” Knowledge to Take Your Amazon Listing Optimization to the Next Level  appeared first on Canopy Management.

According to the National Retail Federation, families with children in elementary through high school planned to spend as much as $890 on school supplies this year—an increase of more than $25 from last year’s figure. College students and their families anticipated spending an average of $1,366 on college or university items.

That’s certainly enough to move the needle for any Amazon business. Here are steps you can take to put your own brand in the best position to succeed: 

Understanding Your Target Audience

To maximize your back-to-school sales, it’s critical to understand your target audience. The primary groups include:

1. Parents of K-12 students: This group seeks a wide range of products, from basic school supplies to clothing and electronics.
2. College students: This gold-mine category typically needs dorm room essentials, electronics, and textbooks.
3. Teachers and educators: Often overlooked, this group purchases classroom supplies and teaching materials.

Top Back-to-School Product Categories

Focusing on niche markets is essential to capturing the attention of back-to-school shoppers. By honing in on specific needs and interests, you can strategically target your audience and drive more sales. The most popular Amazon categories for back-to-school shopping include:

School Supplies

This category includes a wide range of essential items such as notebooks, pens, pencils, backpacks, binders, and planners. High-quality, durable products with unique designs appeal to both students and parents.

Electronics and Gadgets

For most students, technology has become a big part of the process of going to school. Items like laptops, tablets, headphones, and calculators are in high demand. Products that offer educational side benefits, like e-readers and software, also perform well during the back-to-school season.

Apparel and Footwear

Most of us can remember the thrill of picking out new clothing and shoes for school. It’s always a significant part of back-to-school shopping. Popular items include uniforms, casual wear, athletic wear, and accessories.

Dorm and Apartment Essentials

For college students, setting up a dorm room or apartment is a major task. In many cases, they’re starting from scratch. This category includes bedding, storage solutions, small kitchen appliances, and decor items. Because of the relatively small spaces, functional and space-saving products are particularly popular.

Health and Personal Care

Products that help kids (of all ages) to stay healthy are crucial, especially during the back-to-school period. Items such as hand sanitizers, face masks, vitamins, and personal care products see a surge in demand.

Books and Learning Materials

Textbooks, reference books, study guides, and educational toys are indispensable for students. You can capitalize on this category by offering a wide range of materials that cater to different grade levels and subjects.

Marketing Strategies for Back-to-School Success

1. Start early: Begin your Amazon marketing efforts in July to capture early shoppers and build awareness.
2. Analyze past performance: Review data from previous years to identify top-selling products, popular promotions, and peak shopping periods.
3. If possible, create a dedicated back-to-school product detail page (or Store): Showcase your relevant products and deals in one easy-to-find location.
4. Monitor your competitors: Keep an eye on your competitors’ offerings and pricing to ensure your deals remain competitive.
5. Offer competitive deals and promotions: Consider bundle discounts, or gift-with-purchase promotions to entice shoppers. 
6. Optimize for local searches: Many shoppers look for “back-to-school sales near me,” so make sure your local SEO is up to par.
7. Implement email marketing campaigns: Send targeted emails to your subscriber list, highlighting your back-to-school offerings and exclusive deals.
8. Leverage social media to push traffic to your Amazon page: Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok can help you to reach your target audience with engaging ad content.
9. Capitalize on user-generated content: Encourage customers to share photos of their back-to-school hauls on social media, using a branded hashtag.
10. Partner with influencers: Collaborate with popular parent bloggers, student influencers, or teacher accounts to showcase your products authentically.

Learn from Walmart: A Back-to-School Sales Pro

Have you added selling on Walmart to your overall ecommerce pipeline? Either way, it’s worth taking a closer look at how the brick-and-mortar giant has established itself as a leader in back-to-school sales. 

By leveraging its extensive product range, applying competitive pricing strategies, and strong marketing campaigns, they’ve been able to attract a large share of the market. 

Here’s why Amazon sellers should closely monitor Walmart’s strategies to help prepare for the back-to-school season:

Extensive Product Range and Competitive Pricing

Walmart’s extensive product selection, from school supplies to clothing and electronics, caters to a wide range of customer needs. Their competitive pricing strategies often set the benchmark for the industry, forcing competitors to follow suit.

Early Adoption of Trends

Walmart is known for quickly adapting to new trends and consumer preferences. During the back-to-school season, they often introduce innovative products and bundles that set new trends in the market. You can stay ahead of the curve by monitoring these introductions and incorporating similar trends into your listings.

Optimizing the Amazon Shopping Experience for Mobile

In 2024, buyers are busier than ever before.. As more consumers shop on the go using smartphones and tablets, optimizing your Amazon listings for mobile devices can significantly enhance your sales performance. 

These specific strategies aren’t just for mobile shoppers. They work just as well for shoppers on laptops. It’s just that with the smaller screen real estate available on mobile devices, their importance is multiplied 10X. 

Here’s how to achieve mobile-friendly optimization:

Optimize Product Titles:

• Keep titles short and to the point, ideally within 80 characters.
• Include the most important keywords and product information upfront.
• Avoid unnecessary words or filler.

High-Quality Images:

• Use clear, high-resolution images that showcase the product from multiple angles.
• Ensure the main image is attractive and zoomable.
• Include lifestyle images to help shoppers visualize the product in use.

Bullet Points and Descriptions:

• Write concise and easy-to-read bullet points highlighting key features and benefits.
• Use short paragraphs and break up text with headings in the product description.
• Emphasize the product’s value proposition clearly.

Mobile-Friendly Formatting:

• Ensure text is readable on smaller screens; avoid long blocks of text.
• Use bold and italics sparingly to draw attention to important information.
• Avoid excessive use of special characters or symbols.

A+ Content 

• Leverage A+ Content to provide a richer shopping experience with additional images and text.
• Use mobile-optimized images and layouts that load quickly and display correctly on mobile devices.

Backend Keywords:

• Use relevant and high-traffic keywords in the backend search terms to improve visibility.
• Include synonyms and related terms that mobile shoppers might use.

Consistent Brand Voice:

• Maintain a consistent and engaging brand voice throughout the listing.
• Align the tone and style with your target audience to build a strong brand connection.

Post-Purchase Strategies

Turning one-time shoppers into loyal Amazon customers is crucial for long-term success. Try to implement these post-purchase tactics:

1. Follow-up emails with additional product recommendations: Suggest complementary items based on their recent purchase.
2. Encourage reviews and testimonials: Amazon sellers can use the “Request a Review” button to request reviews and feedback from customers for their products. (Amazon only allows sellers to request feedback once. You can choose between the Amazon Request a Review feature or Buyer-Seller Messaging. Be sure not to request reviews with both
3. Offer loyalty programs for repeat customers: Implement a points system or exclusive discounts for returning shoppers.

The back-to-school season is not just about driving short-term sales. It’s a perfect opportunity to build lasting brand loyalty. By providing a superior product, a positive shopping experience, valuable content, and excellent customer service, you can turn back-to-school shoppers into year-round ecommerce customers.

If you want to do what increasing numbers of Amazon’s top sellers have done, reach out to the team at Canopy Management. 

What would adding 67% more organic sales mean for your brand?

Turns out that when you combine the massive experience of Canopy’s Amazon Experts with smart tools and tech, you get industry-leading results like this:

• 84% Average Year-Over-Year Profit Growth for Our Partners
• 2.7 Billion in Revenue Managed
• 99.1% Partner Retention Rate

Canopy Management is a full-service marketing agency for Amazon and Walmart sellers. Our team consists of former Amazonians, multi-million dollar sellers, and award-winning experts.

When you consider the many ways that Canopy Management can help you grow your business, you’ll see why selling on Amazon is much easier “under the Canopy.”

• Strategic Growth Planning
• Listing Copywriting Optimization
• Listing Photography
• Product Videography
• Advertising Management
• Customer Service
• Demand Side Platform (Amazon DSP)
• Amazon Posts
• Full Service Management
• Amazon Review Aggregation

The post Parents Are Spending HOW MUCH on Amazon? – Don’t Miss Out on This Massive Profit Wave! appeared first on Canopy Management.

Early Prime Day Deals kicked off on July 15th, offering a preview of the main event. The spotlight was on Amazon’s own devices as they were featured prominently among the most heavily discounted items during this early access period.

New Amazon Prime Day Records Were Set

Amazon Prime Day 2024 set new records, demonstrating strong consumer participation and revenue growth. As reported by Adobe Analytics and others, key highlights include:

• Revenue reached $14.2 billion over the two days, up 11% from $12.7 billion in 2023.
• During Prime Day 2024, households spent an average of $152.33 with shoppers shelling out an average of $57.97 per order. 
• According to the research firm Numerator, best-sellers came from all over Amazon’s catalog and included Amazon Fire TV Sticks, Liquid IV Packets, Snail Serum, Premier Protein Shakes, and Glad trash bags. 
• Back-to-school and office supplies saw a dramatic 216% increase compared to average daily sales in 2024. 
• Children’s clothing led the apparel category with a 165% rise. Other notable increases included suits (36%), outerwear (19%), footwear (17%), and accessories (17%).
• The electronics sector experienced a 61% overall increase, with tablets (117%), televisions (111%), and audio devices (105%) seeing the most significant jumps. Other popular items included fitness trackers (88%), computers (80%), smartphones (71%), and cameras (60%).
• There was significant growth in the home goods category with small kitchen appliances the star performers, up 76%. Other home categories also saw increases: kitchenware and cookware (25%), mattresses (21%), home office furniture (14%), and bedroom furniture (11%).
• Third-party sellers outperformed Amazon’s own retail business, achieving their biggest sales day ever.
• The event spanned 24 countries, with increased global consumer involvement.

Mobile Shopping Continues to Expand

Mobile shopping reached new heights during Amazon Prime Day 2024, with Adobe Analytics reporting that 49.2% of all online purchases were made via mobile devices. This marks a significant 18.6% increase from 2023. This is one more reason why Amazon sellers need to focus on the importance of mobile-specific product listing optimization. 

Key points:

• Nearly half of Prime Day transactions occurred on smartphones or tablets, rather than traditional desktop computers.
• Amazon’s strategy of promoting its mobile app for Prime Day deals likely contributed to this trend. The app’s features, such as deal notifications and easy price comparisons, enhanced the mobile shopping experience.
• The substantial year-over-year growth in mobile purchases indicates a broader shift in consumer behavior, with more shoppers embracing mobile platforms for major sales events.

Canopy Partners Reached New Highs

Market-wide statistics are fine, but we’re here to help our partners grow. and, during Amazon Prime Day 2024, the Amazon sales of Canopy partners exploded!   

• The team saw a substantial increase in units sold and total sales across multiple clients, with some achieving up to 486% growth over daily averages.
• Year-over-year growth was a common theme, with partners seeing increases ranging from 20% to 250% in units sold.
• Social Commerce continues to be a force for (ecommerce) good with some partners attributing up to 7% of their sales from off-Amazon traffic. 
• Strategic ad spending kept TACoS low, often significantly below monthly averages, maximizing profitability. 

How Canopy Management Created Wins for Partners

Canopy Management’s Amazon experts demonstrated exceptional skills during Amazon Prime Day 2024. Combining custom-built data models, white-glove ad management, and SEO-friendly listing optimization, the impressive results were apparent throughout our large client base.

Key aspects of Canopy’s strategy included:

1. Targeted Ad Spend – Canopy Management strategically allocated advertising budgets across various ad types, including Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, and Sponsored Display ads. The custom-built, balanced ad campaigns ensured maximum visibility without overspending.
2. Dynamic Bid Adjustments – Canopy implemented real-time bid adjustments based on performance data, allowing the ad team to capitalize on high-converting keywords and placements while minimizing spend on underperforming areas.
3. Product Listing Optimization – In preparation for Prime Day, Canopy fine-tuned product listings to improve organic rankings and conversion rates, giving the paid advertising efforts a big head start.
4. Inventory Management – Canopy worked closely with clients to ensure adequate stock levels, preventing lost sales opportunities during the high-traffic event.
5. Performance Monitoring – Advanced analytics tools helped Canopy track performance in real-time, allowing for rapid adjustments to strategies.

Canopy Management: Next Steps For Ecommerce Sellers

As Amazon Prime Day 2024 comes to a close, it’s clear that this shopping event continues to grow in significance for both consumers and sellers. 

Canopy Management’s partner success during this event demonstrates the power of strategic planning, data-driven decision making, and agile execution. It also shines a light on what our teams of Amazon experts are doing every single day of the year to drive success for some of the biggest names on Amazon. 

If you’d like a little of the spotlight on your own Amazon brand, reach out to the team at Canopy. We love to help ecommerce sellers create the kind of sales velocity that can change a side gig into a full time, life-changing Amazon business. 

The post Amazon Prime Day 2024: How Next-Level Strategies Helped Fuel Partner Success   appeared first on Canopy Management.

You’ve put in a lot of effort to make sure that Prime Day was a big one for your brand. Canopy’s industry-leading team of Amazon experts provides the comprehensive support – from optimizing your listings to creating innovative advertising campaigns – to make sure that you can keep that momentum going forward.

Now that Amazon Prime Day is finished, here are eight strategies to keep your sales heading up and to the right.

Analyze Prime Day Performance

“You can’t manage what you can’t measure” is a quote that speaks to the importance of strategic data acquisition. Prime Day is one of the most significant events for Amazon sellers. The days following Prime Day offer an unrivaled opportunity to collect and study a wealth of data. Prime Day metrics are a crucial element in your understanding of what worked, what didn’t, and how to improve for future events.

Review Sales Data and Metrics

Start by taking a deep dive into your sales data. Closely examine metrics such as total sales, units sold, average order value, and conversion rates. Look for patterns and trends that can give you insights into your overall performance.

Compare Results to Previous Years and Expectations

Benchmark this year’s results against previous Prime Days and your pre-event calculations. This comparison helps you to identify growth trends, market shifts, and areas that need attention.

Identify Top-Performing Products and Categories

Highlight the products and categories that performed exceptionally well. Understanding which items drove the most sales can help you focus your efforts on these high-demand products in the future.

Assess Your Inventory 

It’s been a whirlwind 72 hours. Post-Prime Day inventory management is critical to maintain momentum and prevent stock outs or overstock situations.

Assess Remaining Stock Levels

Conduct a thorough inventory assessment to understand your current stock levels. Identify any products that are running low and those that have surplus stock.

Reorder Popular Items to Maintain Inventory

For the top-selling items, place reorders promptly to ensure you can meet ongoing demand. This is particularly important for products that continue to have high sales velocity post-Prime Day.

Consider Liquidating Slow-Moving Products

Identify slow-moving or unsold inventory from Prime Day. Consider strategies like discounts, promotions, or bundling to liquidate these products and free up warehouse space.

Optimize Your Amazon Listings

Now is an excellent time to level up your Amazon search engine optimization (or SEO). By optimizing your product listings – based on the feedback and performance data gathered during the Prime Day event – you can rank higher in search results and better connect with shoppers.

Update Product Descriptions Based on Customer Feedback

Review customer reviews and feedback received during Prime Day. Update your product descriptions to address common questions, highlight key features, and improve clarity.

Refresh Images and A+ Content if Applicable

Ensure your product images and A+ content are up to date and appealing. Over the last year, high-quality visuals continue to increase in importance as Amazon conversion rate levers.

Adjust Pricing Strategy for Post-Prime Day Market

Re-evaluate your pricing strategy based on post-Prime Day market conditions. Consider competitive pricing, demand trends, and profit margins when making adjustments.

Follow Up with Customers

Building strong customer relationships is essential for long-term success. Post-Prime Day is an ideal time to engage with your Amazon customers.

Analyze Customer Behavior and Preferences During Prime Day

Examine your customers’ behavior and preferences to understand what drives purchases. Use this information to refine your Amazon product catalog and marketing messages. Tailoring your approach based on customer preferences will lead to better results.

Consider Conducting Post-Purchase Surveys for Additional Feedback

Post-purchase surveys can provide valuable feedback on customer satisfaction and areas for improvement. Use these insights to level up your overall customer experience.

Respond to Customer Questions and Reviews Promptly

Shoppers that just spent their money do not want to wait for answers. Address any customer inquiries and reviews quickly and professionally. Timely responses can enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty. Offering excellent customer service can quickly turn a negative experience into a positive one.

Retarget Prime Day Shoppers

Prime Day shoppers who didn’t make a purchase or need a little nudge can still be converted into customers through retargeting efforts.

Use Sponsored Display Ads to Reach Previous Viewers

Leverage Sponsored Display Ads to target customers who viewed your products but didn’t purchase. These ads can remind would-be buyers of your offerings and encourage a purchase. Set up retargeting campaigns aimed at Prime Day visitors who didn’t buy.

Keep the excitement going by offering post-Prime Day promotions. Limited-time deals can help maintain sales momentum and attract customers who missed out on Prime Day.

Analyze Competitor Strategies

You probably weren’t the only one making a lot of sales in your Amazon niche. Understanding your competitors’ strategies can provide valuable insights and help you refine your approach.

Study Successful Competitor Tactics During Prime Day

Analyze the tactics used by successful competitors. Look at their pricing, promotions, product offerings, and marketing strategies.

Identify Areas for Improvement in Your Own Strategy

Use competitor insights to identify areas where you can improve. Whether it’s pricing adjustments, better marketing, or product enhancements, learning from others can be beneficial.

Consider New Product Opportunities Based on Market Trends

Identify market trends and potential new product opportunities based on competitor analysis and Prime Day performance.

Plan for Future Sales Events

What you’ve learned from Prime Day can easily be applied to future sales events to ensure continued success, particularly when the impressions are fresh. 

Use the insights gained from Prime Day to plan for other major shopping events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Adjust your strategies based on what worked and what didn’t.

Start Preparing Early for Next Year’s Prime Day

If you’re like a lot of entrepreneurs, you probably started planning for Prime Day a little later than you would have liked. Early preparation is key to success. Begin planning for next year’s Prime Day well in advance to ensure you’re ready to capitalize on the opportunity.

Set Goals and Strategies for the Rest of the Year

Define clear goals and strategies for the remainder of the year. Focus on maintaining growth and leveraging the momentum from Prime Day.

Amazon Advertising is a Difference Maker

This is a big one, and a separator between Amazon sellers heading up and to the right, and those ecommerce sellers just hanging on. Post-Prime Day is a great time to reassess and refine your advertising strategies.

Adjust Advertising Budgets Based on Prime Day Performance

You’ve worked hard to get your top-selling products to the top of the page. Make sure that they remain visible by continuing to invest in advertising. Evaluate your Prime Day advertising performance and adjust your budgets accordingly. Increase spending on high-performing campaigns and consider reducing spend on underperforming ones. Sustaining visibility can help maintain sales momentum.

Test New Ad Formats or Targeting Options

Experiment with new ad formats and targeting options. Testing different approaches can help you discover more effective advertising strategies.

How Canopy Management Can Help

Prime Day may be over, but the real work for Amazon sellers is just beginning. By closely analyzing your Prime Day performance, you can turn a single-day event into long-term success. 

At Canopy Management, we’re dedicated to supporting Amazon sellers in achieving success every day of the year. It’s a big part of Canopy becoming the quiet force behind many of the top brands on Amazon. 

Don’t navigate this journey alone—partner with Canopy Management and take your Amazon business to new heights.

What would adding 67% more organic sales mean for your brand?

Turns out that when you combine the massive experience of Canopy’s Amazon Experts with smart tools and tech, you get industry-leading results like this:

• 84% Average Year-Over-Year Profit Growth for Our Partners
• 2.7 Billion in Revenue Managed
• 99.1% Partner Retention Rate

Canopy Management is a full-service marketing agency for Amazon and Walmart sellers. Our team consists of former Amazonians, multi-million dollar sellers, and award-winning experts.

When you consider the many ways that Canopy Management can help you grow your business, you’ll see why selling on Amazon is much easier “under the Canopy.”

• Strategic Growth Planning
• Listing Copywriting Optimization
• Listing Photography
• Product Videography
• Advertising Management
• Customer Service
• Demand Side Platform (Amazon DSP)
• Amazon Posts
• Full Service Management
• Amazon Review Aggregation

The post How to Sustain Your Prime Day Momentum – Essential Steps for Amazon Sellers appeared first on Canopy Management.

By grouping complementary products together, you can offer added value and convenience, leading to higher conversion rates and increased order values. 

What are Amazon Virtual Bundles? 

Amazon Virtual Bundles are a feature of the Amazon marketplace that allows you to create a unique product offering by combining multiple related items into a single listing without physically packaging them together. Unlike traditional Amazon product bundling where products are grouped and shipped together, virtual product bundles are managed within Amazon’s system, offering flexibility and ease of implementation. 

Amazon’s eligibility requirements are:

• You must be the brand owner of the ASINs in Brand Registry
• The ASINs must have active FBA inventory in New condition (sorry, no Used or Renewed!)
• Although the bundle is virtual, the ASINs must be physical (no electronically delivered products like digital music, videos, and books)
• Gift cards cannot be part of Virtual Bundles
• Virtual Bundles can only be created in the US Amazon store

Key Features of Amazon Virtual Bundles

1. Digital Packaging: A virtual product bundle exists as a digital product offering, where the individual items are listed together on a single product page. Customers can see the combined value and purchase the bundle with a single click.
2. Individual Shipping: Each item in the bundle is shipped separately from your existing inventory. This means there is no need to repackage or reconfigure your products, making it easier to manage stock and logistics.
3. Complementary Products: Virtual bundles typically include complementary products that enhance the primary item. For example, a virtual bundle for running shoes might include a heart rate watch, and a training diary, providing a complete solution for an athlete preparing for an event.
4. Single ASIN: The bundle is assigned a unique Amazon Standard Identification Number (ASIN), which helps in tracking sales and managing inventory. This simplifies the listing process and makes it easier for customers to find the bundle.
5. Custom Pricing: With virtual product bundling, You can set a custom price that is often lower than the total price of purchasing each item separately. This creates an attractive value proposition for customers looking for a good deal.

Benefits of Amazon Virtual Bundles

• Enhanced Shopping Experience: Virtual bundling provide a convenient shopping experience by offering a curated selection of products that meet specific needs, saving customers time and effort in finding related items.
• Increased Sales and Average Order Value: By bundling complementary products, you can encourage customers to purchase more items in one transaction, increasing the overall order value.
• Better Inventory Management: Amazon bundles can help you move slow-selling items by pairing them with popular products, effectively managing inventory levels and reducing overstock.
• Improved Visibility: A bundled product will often rank well in search results and can attract more traffic due to their combined keywords and appealing value propositions.
• Competitive Advantage: Offering unique and thoughtfully curated bundles can help you differentiate your brand from competitors, attracting customers looking for comprehensive solutions and good deals.

Best Practices for Amazon Virtual Bundles

Implementing Amazon Virtual Bundles effectively requires a strategic approach. Here are some best practices to ensure your bundles attract customers and drive sales:

Choose Complementary Products Wisely

Selecting the right items for your bundle is crucial. Choose products that naturally go together and enhance each other’s value. Think about how the items can provide a comprehensive solution or fulfill a specific need for your customers. 

• Research Customer Preferences: Use customer reviews and feedback to understand what products are often bought together.
• Analyze Sales Data: Look at past sales data to identify popular combinations of products.
• Consider Seasonal Relevance: Create bundles that cater to seasonal needs or trends, such as back-to-school or holiday gift bundles.

Price Strategically

Pricing is a key factor in the success of your virtual bundle. Offer a discount compared to buying the items separately, but be mindful of your profit margins. The discount should be enticing enough to encourage purchases but not so steep that it cuts into your profits.

• Calculate Bundle Savings: Clearly display the savings customers will get by purchasing the bundle instead of individual items.
• Monitor Competitors: Keep an eye on similar bundles offered by competitors and adjust your pricing to stay competitive.
• Dynamic Pricing: Be prepared to adjust prices based on demand, inventory levels, and market trends.

Craft Compelling Descriptions

Strategic listing optimization and Amazon SEO can make a significant difference in attracting customers to your bundle. Highlight the benefits of buying the Amazon product bundle, focusing on convenience, savings, and added value. Use clear, concise language and bullet points to outline what’s included and any exclusive or limited-time offers.

• Emphasize Value: Explain how the bundle provides a complete solution or enhances the primary product.
• Use Keywords: Incorporate relevant keywords to improve search visibility.
• Highlight Unique Selling Points: Mention any exclusive features, such as limited-edition items or special discounts.

Use High-Quality Images

Visual appeal is critical for online shopping. Use high-resolution images to showcase all items in the bundle. Consider including lifestyle photos that show the bundled products in use, helping customers visualize the benefits.

• Consistency in Images: Ensure all images have a consistent style and background to maintain a professional appearance.
• Detailed Product Photos: Include close-up shots of individual items and the entire bundle.
• Contextual Images: Show the products in real-life scenarios to illustrate their use and value.

Promote Your Bundles

In addition to optimizing your bundle listings, actively promote them through various channels.

• Amazon Advertising: Use Sponsored Product, Sponsored Brand, and Sponsored Display ads to drive traffic to your bundle listings.
• Social Media: Share your bundles on social media platforms to reach a broader audience.
• Email Marketing: Include bundles in your email campaigns to engage existing customers and encourage repeat purchases.

How Canopy Management Can Help

For an Amazon seller, the key to success with an Amazon Virtual Product bundle lies in understanding customers’ needs and crafting offers that truly resonate with them. It’s about finding that sweet spot where customer value meets business growth.

Understanding the needs of our partners has been one of the reasons why Canopy Management has become the fastest growing Amazon agency in America. If you’d like to get a head start with your brand and take advantage of strategies that have fueled many of the top Amazon brands, you can find out more here.

What would adding 67% more organic sales mean for your brand?

Turns out that when you combine the massive experience of Canopy’s Amazon Experts with smart tools and tech, you get industry-leading results like this:

• 84% Average Year-Over-Year Profit Growth for Our Partners
• 2.7 Billion in Revenue Managed
• 99.1% Partner Retention Rate

Canopy Management is a full-service marketing agency for Amazon and Walmart sellers. Our team consists of former Amazonians, multi-million dollar sellers, and award-winning experts.

When you consider the many ways that Canopy Management can help you grow your business, you’ll see why selling on Amazon is much easier “under the Canopy.”

• Strategic Growth Planning
• Listing Copywriting Optimization
• Listing Photography
• Product Videography
• Advertising Management
• Customer Service
• Demand Side Platform (Amazon DSP)
• Amazon Posts
• Full Service Management
• Amazon Review Aggregation

The post Amazon Virtual Bundles: An Ecommerce Seller’s Secret Weapon  appeared first on Canopy Management.

And of course, all of us that have navigated the world-wide events over these last few years have seen how the pandemic and the economy have acted as an enormous lever on ecommerce.

However, it’s the way that Amazon casts a large, imposing shadow over their marketplace that has forced entrepreneurs to make the most frequent changes.

This post focuses on the tidal wave of Amazon listing suppressions that have plagued sellers over the last six months. It also explores strategic processes that Canopy’s Partner Success Management (PSM) team has used to reverse upwards of 90% of those sometimes fatal listing suppressions. 

Even if you’re not a Canopy Partner, this post will outline the challenges you’re facing, the best practices that might keep your seller central account out of trouble with Amazon, and the steps you can take to get your listing active again once it’s suppressed.

Amazon is On the Hot Seat

In late 2022, the FDA sent two separate warning letters to Amazon and Walmart regarding products that are sold on the companies’ online platforms. The FDA seems determined to encourage online retailers to better police their own ecosystems. 

What appears to have drawn the attention of the regulatory agency is the illegal sale of products known to contain prohibited drug ingredients or what they consider to be improper or overstated claims about the efficacy of supplements and other health-related products. 

To make the situation worse for Amazon (and other online retailers) recently, a stampede of legal action has been initiated that hints of possible responsibility for harm and damages being extended to any party that otherwise is involved in placing a product in the line of commerce.

Lawyers talk about following the money. Amazon is ground zero!  

Are you one of the many Amazon sellers that have suffered through the suppression of a listing these last few months? 

If so, in the next sections we’ll address steps you can take to move forward as strategically as possible.

Amazon Suspensions Are Ecommerce Business Killers

Much of the time, when someone is looking for something to buy, they begin their search on Amazon. Type in the most relevant keyword, and you’ve got thousands of possible products to choose from. 

Over 60% of product searches begin on Amazon. That’s why ecommerce brands have flooded Amazon’s marketplace as they attempt to use Amazon’s massive reach to enrich their bottom line. 

What many sellers fail to understand is that Amazon listings are not “set it and forget it.” Amazon product listings require constant attention. Listing optimization and Amazon SEO are moving targets. 

Experienced ecommerce sellers know that as the marketplace changes, so should your listings. That’s a large part of the reason why Amazon listings need to be constantly updated and maintained.

What Happens When a Listing Is Suppressed On Amazon? 

If any elements of a listing fail to meet Amazon’s guidelines, Amazon makes your listing disappear from potential searches. That’s a listing suppression. 

Even though the suppressed listing will still be present in your seller’s dashboard, Amazon customers can’t search for or find your product until you resolve the cause of the issue. If you don’t read the notification that you receive from Amazon, it might appear to you as if everything is normal. 

That is, except for the total lack of sales.

What Can Cause Amazon Listing Supressions?

Suppressed listings occur when a specific aspect of your product listing doesn’t meet Amazon’s standards. Amazon says that their (increasingly strict) guidelines are there to make it easier for consumers to locate, research, and actually purchase products on its platform. 

Remember, for Amazon, it’s the customers’ experience first and foremost. (That, and avoiding lawsuits from lawyers salivating at their seemingly bottomless bank account) 

An Amazon listing can be suppressed for several reasons.

The Following Factors May Lead to Your Amazon Listing Being Suppressed

1. Incomplete or inaccurate product information: Missing, incorrect, or misleading information in the product title, brand, category, or description can cause a listing to be suppressed.
2. Prohibited content: Listings containing content that violates Amazon’s policies, such as offensive or illegal items, can be suppressed.
3. Intellectual property violations: Selling counterfeit products, using copyrighted images or content without permission, or infringing on trademarks can lead to suppression.
4. Poor product images: Low-quality images, those that don’t accurately represent the product, or those that include watermarks, text, or logos can cause suppression.
5. Inappropriate keywords: Using irrelevant or prohibited keywords in the listing or hidden keyword section can lead to suppression.
6. Price discrepancies: Significantly overpriced or underpriced products, as compared to similar items on the platform, can cause suppression.
7. Safety concerns: Products that are deemed hazardous or have potential safety issues may be suppressed.
8. Restricted or regulated products: Listings for items that require special approval, are subject to sales restrictions, or are regulated by government agencies may be suppressed.
9. Multiple listings for the same product: Creating duplicate listings for the same item can lead to suppression.
10. Poor seller performance: Amazon may suppress listings from sellers with consistently low performance metrics, such as late shipping, high order defect rates, or poor customer feedback.
11. Inaccurate product condition: Listing an item in the wrong condition, such as selling a used item as new, can lead to suppression.
12. Non-compliant product bundles: Listings for product bundles that don’t adhere to Amazon’s bundling policies can be suppressed.

“Fixing” a Suppressed Listing

If you have a single Amazon ASIN, there’s a good chance you’ll be aware of the suppression almost immediately. Amazon will send you a notification. The problem arises when you are enterprise-scale and might have hundreds, if not thousands of listings. 

In that case, you might not be aware of the problem until it’s caused irreparable harm to your listing (and brand). 

Once you are aware of the problem, these are the steps that Amazon recommends that you take to identify and fix a suppressed listing: 

• In your seller account, click the Inventory tab, and select Manage All Inventory.
• Select Suppressed from the horizontal menu. (Suppressed” is only visible if you have suppressed listings to improve. If you do not have any suppressed listings, this option will not be visible)
• View all suppressed listings on the Fix your products page, or click Attribute to filter by specific type of issue.

If you are doing this yourself, there are two ways to fix a suppressed listing:

• Fix suppressed listings in Amazon’s Issue(s) to fix columns by entering the missing values in the editable cells or selecting missing values from the drop-down list then click Save.
• Fix suppressed listings that are not fixable in the editable grid (Option A) by clicking Edit and going to Amazon’s Edit product info page. In Edit product info, the missing product details will be highlighted and you will see informational messages that further detail the issue. For non-image issues, enter the missing value and click Save and Finish. 

(For image issues, follow the guidelines on Amazon’s Product image requirements page and then upload valid product images)

How Canopy Management’s PSM Team Can Help 

One of Canopy Management’s superpowers lies in our ability to quickly and successfully manage Amazon issues exactly like listing suppressions. In fact, we have an entire department dedicated to this, Partner Success Management (PSM). 

Canopy’s PSM listing suppression division is managed by a dedicated Amazon expert with 10 years of experience dealing specifically with Amazon listing suppressions. Over the last few months he’s been successful (sometimes within 24 hours) in over 90% of his listing suppression cases. 

We don’t just claim to be a Full-Service Amazon Management Agency, Canopy’s ecommerce pros are putting in the work every single day to make Canopy the first choice for increasing numbers of successful Amazon sellers. 

Canopy Management’s team consists of former Amazonians, multi-million dollar sellers, and award-winning experts. When you consider the many ways that Canopy Management can help you grow your business, you’ll see why selling on Amazon is much easier “under the Canopy.”

• Strategic Growth Planning
• Listing Copywriting Optimization
• Listing Photography
• Product Videography
• Advertising Management
• Customer Service
• Demand Side Platform (Amazon DSP)
• Amazon Posts
• Full Service Management
• Amazon Review Aggregation

The post Rule #1 – Don’t Lose Money: How to Avoid Amazon Listing Suppressions appeared first on Canopy Management.