Amazon’s Multi-channel Fulfillment (MCF) – What, Why, and How?
What would you do if your child asks you something you have no idea about?
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Impact of COVID-19 on Online Shopping – Useful Insights on the Changing Behavior of Online Consumers
“The E-commerce industry will be the likely winners of the COVID-19 pandemic”. “COVID-19 will rapidly change online consumer habits”. These are some of the headlines we come across today. As an e-commerce or Amazon seller, despite the many challenges you face during this crucial period, you can be on the profitable side if you think smart. Imagine a world without the internet during the pandemic. I know I can’t. Thanks to the digital revolution, people can comfortably work from their homes and students can attend online classes. Most importantly, thanks to the e-commerce industry, all basic essentials are delivered to customers’ locations with just a single click. E-commerce has brought a significant change in shopping behavior and COVID-19 has added fuel to the fire. The pandemic was a time when consumers most explored e-commerce sites. As social distancing became the norm, people avoided crowds and spent most of their waking hours shopping online instead of heading out to their local retailers. For an Amazon seller to ride this wave of opportunity, it became essential to understand customers changing demands and analyze their behavior in order to supply the right products to suit their needs. Analyze and understand buying behavior of consumers The prime necessity of the current situation is to collect the data, update your profile, and portfolio in the product categories that are in high demand. This includes office supplies, fitness equipment, cosmetics, kitchenware, home improvement, toys, and hobby-related products. A shift in consumers’ requirements and priorities showcases the need for e-commerce brands to promptly react to maximize organic traffic and revenue. Even after reverting from the pandemic, consumers may adopt their new habits in the future. You need to be sharp and smart enough to know the sales strategies and pay attention to the data. Prior analysis of the demand for products can help you choose and select the most purchased products and optimize them in your product listing. For example, working from home has become imperative and more organizations are planning to provide their employees with an option of working from home which could mean that the demand for tables, chairs, laptops, and other work essentials is likely to increase. So, make sure you stock up the future essential goods according to their needs. It’s time to update and optimize your Product Listing Apart from selecting essential selling products, optimizing your product listing, and Amazon SEO plays a significant role in your product being on the first page of Amazon Search results. The images and description of the product should be engaging to the customer. For instance, your product on Amazon is coffee powder. Apart from other information, specify the names of trending recipes with the coffee powder, like Dalgona coffee, which has become quite a popular and trending recipe on social media. Also, it comes in handy to mention that your product’s safety and packaging are done under strict surveillance. This is indeed a time for Amazon and other online platform sellers to keep a close track of data to quickly make changes, if necessary, and reap the benefits of online selling. BIE is well-trained to provide a range of services for Amazon Sellers. From creating A+ content for your products to optimizing your Product listing, don’t miss out on this opportunity to get professional help for your brand. BIE is a Vancouver, British Columbia-based agency providing human resources to manage all things Amazon. BOOK A FREE CONSULTING CALL
Work from Home – Safety Hacks to make your Life New Normal
At a time of heightened demand for food, medicines, cleaning supplies, and personal care products on Amazon, Amazon’s Human resources are the need of the hour. Behind every successful order placed by a customer, it’s the dedication and hard work of Amazon sellers and Human resources that make it happen. For improved product listings and leads, Amazon’s Human resources work hard to ensure the survival of brands in the marketplace even during difficult times. Some of us were excited to work from home thinking that there would be enough time to spend with the family. Do you feel that same excitement today? Probably not! You might have experienced a lot of problems while setting up your workspace. You might have got bored and tired of staying at home and spending long hours in front of your computer. Household chores might have interrupted your work schedule. Not to mention, the kids. Now, you eagerly await to get back to the office, meet friends and have parties. But, to prevent the deadly corona, we may have to continue to work from home for some more days. It sounds sad, but it’s true. Here are a few tips and best practices for Amazon Sellers and Human resources to manage your work-life balance smartly. Set up your physical workspace: Most of us make use of sofas or beds or sit on the floor due to space constrictions. Some of us might have set up a comfortable workspace. If not, it’s time to set up your workspace for many reasons. A comfortable and safe workspace not only helps you focus on work by minimizing distractions but also increases your productivity and keeps you fit and strong, both physically and mentally. Choose a safe and secure space with good ventilation and lighting. Get comfortable furniture. The right chair, and a proper table work wonders. Also, do ensure your computer is at eye level. Maintain Regular Hours: Set a work schedule and stick to it. Make a ‘To-Do List’ each day as it helps you manage your time and establish the hours of work. Stay Connected to each other: Spending long work hours before a computer at home gets you frustrated and anxious. Connect with all your colleagues and stakeholders and share your work-from-home moments. For example, create a team WhatsApp group and share pictures of your birthday celebrations, your home workspace, your kids, the food you cook, and more. Schedule a 10-minute break every 2 hours. Make space for some fun along with work. Protect your Physical Health Follow the 20-20-20 rule. Your eyes are more prone to damage because of long hours of work in front of a computer. Take a 20-second break and look at something 20 feet away every 20 minutes and blink your eyes 20 times. This 20-20-20 rule comes highly recommended by ophthalmologists as an effective way to keep eyes protected. Move your body around every hour and stretch your arms. Walk around while you are on the phone. Drink a lot more water and eat healthy food. Get a good night’s sleep. Sound sleep makes you more focused and increases productivity. Protect your Mental Health: Long work hours staring at a computer screen not only affect your physical health but you are also likely to experience high-stress levels. Poor mental health may result in misinterpretation of e-mails and tasks before you which affects your productivity. It may also affect family life. Move around a bit or go out and get some fresh air. Try Yoga or breathing exercises to keep yourself motivated. Some Don’ts during your Work Don’t make your living space a workspace. Don’t do the household chores randomly throughout the day as it is a distraction. Don’t charge electrical items on sofas or beds and keep your electrical equipment away from kids and water. Don’t avoid your lunch break. Last but not the least, every day, at the end of the work Do pleasurable activities that elevate mood, like reading, or listening to music Spend quality time with your family. Play with your kids and have fun with them. Make time to do your household chores. Conclusion: Working from home is great, but if not well managed, it can be problematic. It’s super hard to separate work and life when they happen in the same place. Physical health and mental health are equally important for work-life harmony. Follow these simple tips and manage your time. Make sure to socialize with friends and spend quality time with your family. Get in touch with us if you require professional assistance. BIE is a Vancouver, British Columbia-based agency providing human resources to manage all things Amazon. BOOK A FREE CONSULTING CALL
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Sourcing Products to Sell Wholesale on Amazon: 2020 Guide For Selling Wholesale on Amazon
You would be surprised to know that the number of third-party sellers on Amazon exceeds the 2 million mark. It is through these sellers, that a consumer can order a variety of different products on the Amazon platform, oceans away. Among the sellers on the Amazon platform, around 26% of them use the wholesale sales model. Wholesale basically refers to buying branded products in bulk from a different manufacturer, distributor, or supplier and then reselling them to the consumers. Selling products brought in bulk on Amazon may seem like a lucrative opportunity. However, there are a few concepts and processes involved in following such a sales model that need to be understood first. In this article, you will learn how to implement a wholesale sales model on Amazon. How is wholesale different from the other sales models supported by Amazon? When you hear the word wholesale, you might think it is similar to the other types of sales models on Amazon. This is so not so as there are huge differences in each type of sales model supported by Amazon. Arbitrage is a sales model wherein products are purchased at a discounted rate from certain retail or online sites and then resold on Amazon. The similarity of this sales model with wholesale is that both of them involve the purchase of branded products. There are two types of arbitrage, retail arbitrage and online arbitrage. In retail arbitrage, sellers look for retail or outlet stores and look to make a profit by reselling the liquidations, clearance stock, and reduced stock. However, in online arbitrage, the products for reselling on Amazon are obtained from online sources. In online arbitrage, you can generally buy the products in bulk. The private label sellers have their own individual brands that they market and sell on Amazon under their own brand names. However, wholesale sellers purchase existing products from different brands. Private label selling involves building a brand from scratch and that is not the case when it comes to wholesale. Also, private label sellers do not want or would not allow any wholesalers to buy their products and resell them on Amazon. Dropshippers are third-party sellers who sell products that they do not own on Amazon. Dropshipping is not limited to product acquisition but also involves product fulfilment. In dropshipping, the buyer gives you the order and the order is processed by you on behalf of the supplier. The product will then be packed and shipped to the buyer by the supplier. The main difference between dropshipping and wholesale lies in the way the product inventory is handled. Since products are bought in bulk when it comes to wholesale, product inventory plays a major role. However, this is not the case with drop shipping. Reasons to sell wholesale Here are a few reasons why Amazon wholesale is popular and opted for by several sellers online. The products from existing brands can be sold through this method. This takes away the burden of marketing and advertising the products that you are selling online. In the case of wholesale, you would not have to go through the laborious process of manufacturing a product and shipping it to the customer. It is much more profitable to sell products as a wholesaler on Amazon. This claim is supported by a report which suggests that wholesalers on Amazon took under three months to turn a profit and private label sellers took about six months for the same. It takes minimum time to get your business up and running when it comes to Amazon wholesale. With not having to bother about brand identity and marketing, you can dedicate your time to growing the business and building a team. However, in order to sell on Amazon as a wholesaler, you would need brand approval. Basics of Amazon wholesale There are several steps involved in wholesale selling on Amazon. There are certain business setup practices entailed by Amazon that need to be followed, if one wishes to sell wholesale on Amazon. If you wish to adopt wholesale selling on Amazon, you will need an LLC and sales certificate. This is required when you are purchasing products from distributors for wholesale on Amazon. This can be in the form of a tax-exempt form or a business form as well and this depends entirely on the existing rules and requirements for reselling on Amazon in your country. Before commencing your journey as a wholesale seller on Amazon, you need to check the license requirements for wholesale selling on Amazon in your country. Once you have these legalities in place, you can proceed to the next steps. The main steps that are involved in Amazon wholesale selling include the following: Seller account setup Selecting the product you wish to sell Product sourcing Bundle, optimized listing creation, PPC Launch and promote the selected product Management and development of your business Finding a suitable product to sell on Amazon When you select a product for wholesale selling on Amazon, the first thing to make sure of is that the product is not already selling under a private label seller or Amazon. Generally, the products under Amazon’s brand are already at a competitive price and as a wholesaler, you cannot compete with the same. Also, many of the private label sellers will not allow the wholesalers to place offers on product listings that are similar to theirs. While picking a suitable product, try looking for well-established brands. Such successful brands would speed up the success of your business as a wholesaler on Amazon. You also need to check the demand for the product prior to making the selection. Amazon has many products that fall under various categories. We recommend you pick products that fall under the following categories. Arts, crafts, and sewing Books Baby Electronics Home and Kitchen Home and Garden Home Improvement Kitchen and Dining Music Instruments Office Products Pet Supplies Patio, Lawn, and Garden Sports and Outdoors Toys and Games Video Games Ensure that the BSR
Amazon Competitor Analysis – Key Competitor Metrics to Track in 2020
Do you know why Amazon is the largest e-commerce marketplace in the world? This is a platform where 87% of customers actually shop for products and thousands of sellers sell their products. Whether you are a new seller or an established one on Amazon, the main goal is to drive traffic to your products, maximize your reach, and increase sales. The competition in the Amazon marketplace is so intense with thousands of sellers on Amazon. There are millions of similar products from different sellers that are listed and ranked by Amazon which gives customers a choice to buy quality products. Since every product has hundreds of different vendors, the time is now, more than ever, that Amazon sellers carry out better analyses of their competitors to stand out from other merchants. It’s no easy feat to maintain a competitive advantage on Amazon, especially when you’re not keeping track of your competitors. A comprehensive study of your rivals is one of the most successful ways to stay ahead and survive in the largest competitive marketplace. Why is Amazon Competitor Analysis important for Amazon Sellers? Amazon is a giant marketplace and is only getting bigger. And just because it’s crowded and highly competitive doesn’t mean all is lost. Evaluating competitors’ products and marketing strategies help in identifying gaps between what your competitors offer and what customers need. Bridging the gaps and finding new opportunities to make your products stand out from the competitors is what the game is all about. The quantitative and qualitative data of competitors give valuable insights for Amazon sellers to make better decisions, optimize advertising campaigns, and more effectively, track performance and profitability. Use competition as leverage and carve out a spot in the marketplace for yourself. 5 Key Competitor Metrics Every Amazon Seller Must Essentially Track 1. Analyze the targeted keywords of your Competitors Keywords are the search terms entered by shoppers on Amazon’s search box to find a product. Shoppers can easily find your product only when it appears on the top pages of Amazon search results with their search terms. The most critical step in Amazon’s competitor analysis is researching your competitors’ keyword strategies. Competitive keyword analysis helps evaluate specific keywords used by your competitors in the product listing page and identifies whether they are using evergreen keywords or trending keywords to improve their product’s ranking. With this data, you can adjust the relevant Amazon keywords in the product listing page to optimize product visibility and conversions while also gaining a competitive advantage over other sellers. 2. Audit your competitors’ Product Listing Figure out your competitors first and compile a list of their products. Compare all the features of your competitors’ product listings from the title and product description to images with your listings and check how well your competitors have optimized their listings. Look at what other sellers’ product listings on Amazon have that attract customers, like the product title, quality images that showcase the key benefits of the product, description of the product in bullet points, use of optimized keywords in the title, and product content. This gives a clearer picture of what needs to be done to improve your product listings. Auditing your competitors’ product listings is a simple strategy that boosts your products’ rankings and sales with less time and investment. Pay attention to all forms of the product content like your product title, product description, tags, and meta-tags. Order content in a fashion that places the most relevant keywords first. Not only does this improve your product’s ranking and visibility, but it also helps customers better understand the details of the product being sold. 3. Know your Competitor’s Price It’s a known fact that customers compare the prices of products between sellers before purchasing a product. This doesn’t mean that only a product with a low price gets sold. Better availability and the faster shipping time also play a key role in differentiating sellers from other competitors. However, assessing the competitor’s prices is also an important factor for an Amazon seller to make sure that the pricing strategy is robust and stays competitive in the highly saturated Amazon marketplace. As a seller, you need to be aware of your competitor’s pricing strategies to identify hot-selling items and how fast your competitor’s products are being sold out, based on which you can work and improve your sales strategies. 4. Check the Reviews of your Competitors Reviews not only indicate the number of sales but also give valuable feedback on the products, either positive or negative. More the number of sales, the higher the rank of your product. Analyzing product reviews of competitors reveals a wealth of information about buyers like what product features make them happy, and what they don’t like about the product. This helps you address the specific issues of your product. Feedback on the products of your competitors also provides useful insights to position product descriptions to attract customers who shop in comparison. 5. Evaluate your Competitors’ PPC Strategies An in-depth evaluation of competitors’ ad campaigns helps Amazon sellers to consistently structure their ad campaigns and leverage the untapped keyword potential to generate more traffic for their products at a low cost. Keeping track of different strategies of your competitor’s ad campaigns helps you to understand and analyze the keyword choice of your competitors and helps in optimizing your Cost-Per-Click over time. This enables you to get more out of your Sponsored Products campaign than your competitors do and allows you to win high-value top sponsored positions. Leverage the advantage of Amazon Competitor Research Tools – It’s worth your time and money. There are many amazon competitor research tools like Sonar, Helium 10, Sellics, and Keyword Scout, that make it simple for you to compare your product listings to your competitors’ listings, show the type of keywords (Short or long-tail) used by your competitors, search volume, cost per click, and other valuable information and help you discover your competitor’s advertising strategy. These tools give you an actionable Amazon
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Quick Insights Into Inventory Management for Amazon
Are you an Amazon seller? If yes, these are some of the most popular marketing factors that you probably gave importance to in order to ensure the growth and success of your business – Amazon Rankings – Product listing Optimization – Ad Campaigns. Every Amazon Seller wants their products to be ranked on the top of the Amazon search results page to increase the product’s visibility and boost sales. While many factors do help achieve this higher rank, inventory management is one of the more important factors that play a crucial role in the success of your business. Effective implementation of inventory management helps rank your products at the top of all other search results and helps raise your revenue. What is Inventory Management and Why is It Important for Amazon Sellers? Inventory management is all about monitoring the product’s weight, size, quantity, and supply, and keeping track of the stocked goods from time to time based on the demand. It’s not just stocking and tracking the goods but building an efficient strategy focused on customer satisfaction and optimum level of inventory that helps in the growth of your business. Maintain the optimum level of inventory – Save the Costs Ensure that your inventory is not too high or too low. Too high an inventory may result in dead or spoiled stock and unnecessary costs on the rent of occupied space. Too low an inventory may result in late delivery to the customer which may lead to bad reviews affecting your sales. Inventory Management – Customer Satisfaction Today, customer expectations are soaring. You can build the trust of customers with the timely delivery of your products. Amazon users have become accustomed to a one or two-day delivery and to meet their expectations, you need to make sure that the products are ready for shipment and reach the customers on time. Timely deliveries also lead to positive feedback and increased ratings of sellers, boosting sales in the bargain. Advantages of Inventory Management Improves Amazon Search Rank Increase Customer Satisfaction Boost sales Saves money How Inventory Management impacts Amazon’s Search Rank? Amazon’s algorithm relies on several factors to rank a product listing on the search results page. Two important factors related to inventory management that affect Amazon’s Search Rank are: Product Availability Typically, if your products are out of stock for a long time, they do not show up in the Amazon Search Results. Users do not wait for your products if they are out of stock. They just go to other players in the market, unless of course, your product is exceptionally unique and better. Similarly, if your products are frequently found out of stock, your listing likely gets knocked down in the Amazon rankings, even when your products are available. Positive customer experience is necessary to avoid losing sales, your product’s organic ranking, and your Ads visibility. Reviews and Ratings Every review on your product, whether positive or negative, counts in a product’s ranking. Product availability has a direct impact on reviews and rankings. Continuous feedback on a product from customers is vital for an Amazon seller, as it boosts search results. Moreover, fresh reviews that specify the benefits of the products attract more customers and increase conversion rates. No inventory implies no new product reviews from the buyers which in turn implies no sales, thus directly affecting the product’s visibility in the Amazon search results. How to effectively manage Inventory? Effective inventory management is the key to ensuring the smooth running of your business. Keeping track of stock is no easy task. You need to be mindful of inventory management, as it can make or break your business. Here are 6 tips for effective inventory management Plan and Prioritize Prioritize your inventory based on the demand for the products. This helps you understand what products need to be ordered or manufactured more frequently to fulfil customers’ needs and wants. Analytics can help you plan your business and inventory more efficiently. You can plan for seasonal sales fluctuations, forecast the demand for products, identify trends, monitor costs, estimate profits, and concentrate on shipments and products that require immediate attention. Avoid Dead and Spoiled Stock Deadstock is the inventory that doesn’t get sold and has been stored in the warehouse for an extended period. Spoiled stock is the stock that may have reached the expiry date or defective products that do not meet the intended specifications of the customers. A huge quantity of either dead or spoiled stock harms your business in more ways than one. Invades valuable warehouse space which could have been used to store high-demand and revenue-generating products. Drop in the sales of a product. Unnecessary wastage of money on storage and maintenance of products that are not profitable anymore. Therefore, maintaining a steady level of inventory on Amazon is a crucial piece of a business’s profitability. Keep an eye on your inventory turnover rate Inventory turnover is the number of products you sell in a given period. How fast the inventory sold is the Inventory Turnover rate. A high inventory turnover rate indicates strong sales which suggests you promptly replenish the products of high demand and keep track of the stock. Inventory turnover rate is important to estimate the amount of stock you need to order so as to maintain optimum stock levels. Use Inventory Management Software It’s a common fact that most Amazon sellers to date, use documents or spreadsheets to keep track of their inventory. Though this could work for small businesses with small inventories, it is time-consuming with a high margin of error and inefficient in the long run. Inventory management software automates different aspects of inventory management with more accuracy and efficiency. It allows you to manage shipments and returns and interact with customers easier than ever. It also helps keep track of inventory levels in real-time so you can map trends to determine required inventory levels for your products over different periods, which is key to making sound purchasing decisions. Make
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Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) – The Metrics Every Amazon Seller Should Know
Are you successful as an Amazon Seller? Did your sales rise? Have you accomplished your objectives and goals? These are questions you might face that make you question yourself. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) help answer all these questions. What are KPIs? Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are the quantifiable measures that help you track and assess the performance progress of your business. Simply put, they are just like a progress report that helps you identify the pressure points of your business and gives useful insights to analyze best practices and effective strategies to foster your business growth. KPIs provide an actionable plan to achieve your overall business objectives and goals like driving customer traffic to your Amazon product listing page, improving the ranking of your products, and boosting your sales. Why Should You Track the Performance of Your Business? Imagine you have put a lot of effort to establish your store on Amazon and spent a lot on PPC campaigns to market your products. If you are unable to accomplish your targets, what’s the use of putting in a lot of time, effort, and money? You might face a situation when all things are going well, but you end up losing the game. For example, you may be happy with a greater number of shoppers visiting your Amazon product listing page, but if they don’t buy your product, all your efforts are in vain. Tracking essential KPIs helps you analyze the progress of your business strategies in every aspect like customer service, sales, ratings, reviews, repeat purchase rate, shopping cart abandonment rate, and conversion rate. This can help you decide on the right path to take to accomplish your targets and goals. What Makes an Effective KPI? There are many KPIs that help Amazon sellers improve productivity and lower process costs. But it takes time and effort to identify the essential KPIs for your store, gather data, and review the results. With appropriate metrics in place, you can recognize the root cause of the challenges you might face. Here are the four characteristics that help you choose the right KPI: Simple and easy to understand Accurate Access to real-time results Actionable 5 Simple and Essential KPIs to Track Your Amazon Store’s Progress Monitoring the progress of an e-commerce store is essential for the growth and success of Amazon sellers. But it is also important that you identify the right KPIs that measure your business growth. Here are five simple and essential KPIs that help Amazon sellers measure the progress of their business, evaluate what strategy works and what doesn’t, and constantly refine, and develop their marketing approach. Product Ratings and Reviews Have you ever bought a Mac or an iPhone without viewing its ratings and reviews? You wouldn’t. Every shopper before purchasing a product inquires about the quality of the product because customers trust each other more than they trust brands. In today’s digital world, as 80% of shoppers opt to purchase online, it’s quite common for an Amazon shopper to compare the ratings and reviews of a product before purchasing it. This makes product ratings and reviews, the most important KPI for Amazon sellers to build the brand and increase sales. Regular auditing of your product’s ratings and reviews helps you to know what your potential customers are thinking about your product’s quality, what are their needs and other valuable information, which you could use to focus on increasing customer satisfaction. Generally, products with no reviews give shoppers a perception that they are the first to buy a product and may not show much interest to purchase. Also, terrible reviews and fewer ratings badly impact your product’s organic rankings and ultimately affect your sales. Total Pageviews Pageviews are the number of visits to your Amazon Product listing page. The total number of page visits gives the Amazon algorithm an idea about the popularity and demand of your product among shoppers. It is a simple and effective metric that demonstrates how efficient your current organic and paid marketing campaigns are to lead customers to your Amazon product detail page. A higher number of page visits means more traffic to your product listing page on Amazon which indicates good SEO practices. In general, more clicks to view your listing means more conversions. More conversions directly translate to higher search and product rankings. More visits but limited conversions to sales probably indicate a problem with your product listing that needs to be focused on. Conversion Rate Not all visitors to your product listing page buy your product. They may click on your Ad to view your product or just add it to the shopping cart. The conversion rate is the percentage of visitors that buy your products in a specific period. It measures the effectiveness of your business strategy in converting a potential visitor to a buying customer. Monitoring the conversion rate in every stage of the marketing and selling process allows you to: Understand how your sales funnel is performing Identify multiple pressure points Evaluate which marketing strategies are giving the greatest return on investment (ROI). Many tools like Google Analytics help you to know the conversion rate of your website. Amazon has tools, especially for PPC, which you can use to get your conversion rate report. The end goal of any marketing strategy is to increase revenue. Conversion rate is one of the important metrics you cannot lose sight of to achieve the estimated revenue. Shopping Cart Abandonment Rate Many visitors add your products to the shopping cart but exit the shopping cart without completing the purchase. This might be due to reasons such as unexpected shipping costs, not being able to find a coupon code, and the non-availability of express shipping. The shopping cart abandonment rate is when a prospective customer begins a check-out process for an online order but drops out of the process before the transaction is completed. It can be calculated by dividing the total number of completed
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Can Amazon Super URLs Still Boost Seller Ranking?
As an Amazon seller, achieving a best-seller rank often feels like a mystery. Most sellers credit Amazon’s A9 algorithm, but there’s much more behind the scenes that influences ranking. Super URLs, once a hot tool in the seller’s toolbox, have become a controversial subject. Are they still effective, or are they a risky shortcut to avoid? In this post, we’ll dive deep into Amazon Super URLs, their role in product ranking, and the evolving debate on whether they are still a viable strategy. What Are Amazon Super URLs? An Amazon Super URL is a customized link that sellers generate by searching for a product using a specific keyword, clicking on the product, and then copying the URL from the browser’s address bar. These URLs often include the search term and additional parameters that make it appear as though a customer found the product organically. For years, sellers have used Super URLs to “trick” Amazon into boosting their product’s ranking for specific keywords, aiming to improve visibility and sales. But, as Amazon’s algorithms evolve, is this tactic still effective? Do Super URLs Still Work in 2024? The short answer: Super URLs can work, but with significant risks. We scoured the web and from Reddit sellers with years of experience to Amazon specialists, opinions are divided. Some sellers report short-term success in keyword ranking using Super URLs, while others warn that Amazon has wised up to the tactic. There’s growing concern that using Super URLs might lead to keyword suppression or even account suspension due to manipulation of search rankings. One Reddit seller shared a case where their product ranking skyrocketed from #14 to #3 after using a Super URL, only to plummet later due to changes in Amazon’s algorithm. The key takeaway? Super URLs may offer short-term gains, but they come with increasing risks. Amazon’s algorithms have evolved, and they now focus on factors like sales velocity, customer reviews, and organic interactions. Manipulating the system can trigger penalties, and in some cases, accounts have been banned for search manipulation. Why Super URLs Are Losing Their Charm The debate over Super URLs has intensified as Amazon has tightened its grip on ranking tactics that attempt to game the system. A few years ago, sellers could rely on Super URLs to improve keyword rankings effortlessly. Today, the A9 algorithm is more sophisticated, and relying solely on Super URLs might hurt your product listing in the long run. Amazon now tracks search patterns closely. According to some Amazon experts, Super URLs no longer generate the same results because Amazon can detect when a link is created artificially to boost rankings. Sellers who continue to use them may face penalties, including losing keyword rankings or having reviews flagged as manipulated. Risks of Using Amazon Super URLs Ranking Penalties: Many sellers report short-lived boosts in keyword rankings followed by a drop in visibility. This is because Amazon can now detect manipulated links, and penalizes products that rely on them. Account Suspension: Amazon explicitly forbids any attempts to manipulate their metrics. If detected, using Super URLs can result in account suspension or product delisting, which could severely impact your business. Review Removal: Super URLs may also be linked to Amazon’s review removal system. If Amazon suspects that a Super URL is being used to generate biased reviews, it may automatically remove those reviews. This is particularly concerning for sellers who rely on positive feedback to drive sales. Ineffective Long-Term: While some sellers report short-term gains, Super URLs are not a sustainable strategy. As one Reddit user put it: “Super URLs work until they don’t, and then your ranking plummets.” Amazon’s algorithm favors organic search and customer interactions over manipulated links. Should You Use Amazon Super URLs? Given the risks, sellers need to ask themselves: Is the short-term ranking boost worth the potential long-term consequences? Many experienced sellers now avoid Super URLs in favor of white-hat techniques that align with Amazon’s guidelines. These include: Optimizing product listings with relevant, high-quality keywords. Driving external traffic from platforms like Google Ads, social media, and influencer partnerships. Using Amazon PPC to build a steady, organic sales velocity. Driving external traffic, especially through Google Ads, has been particularly effective in boosting rankings without resorting to potentially dangerous shortcuts like Super URLs. According to recent Reddit discussions, sellers who drive organic search traffic using external sources are more likely to see sustainable ranking improvements. Alternatives to Amazon Super URLs Amazon Associate Links: These are safe, Amazon-approved links that don’t include keyword tags or time stamps, making them a great alternative to Super URLs. Plus, you can earn a commission through the Amazon Associates program. Search Find Buy (SFB): While SFB has also faced scrutiny, it’s still a more organic approach compared to Super URLs. Be cautious with this method, as Amazon is increasingly cracking down on manipulation tactics. Google Ads and Social Media: Instead of manipulating Amazon’s algorithm, focus on driving high-quality traffic to your product page. Platforms like Google, Facebook, and Instagram allow you to target specific audiences and keywords without the risk of penalties. Influencer Marketing: Building partnerships with influencers who can drive traffic to your Amazon listing is a proven way to generate authentic sales. This also helps build credibility with your audience. Best Practices for Amazon Sellers Focus on Organic Growth: Build a strong foundation by optimizing your product listings, encouraging customer reviews, and ensuring your product images and descriptions are top-notch. Amazon rewards consistent, organic sales growth. Leverage External Traffic: Use platforms like Google, Instagram, Pinterest, and even YouTube to drive potential buyers to your listings. This not only increases your sales but also signals to Amazon that your product is gaining attention from multiple sources. Maintain a Healthy Sales Velocity: Instead of relying on short-term hacks like Super URLs, invest in long-term strategies that keep your sales momentum going. This includes running timely PPC campaigns, offering limited-time rebates, and optimizing your pricing strategy. Where can you create Super URLs? Use these sites and URLs at your
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European Fulfilment Network For Amazon Sellers
If you’ve heard about the European fulfilment network for Amazon sellers, then you’re probably aware of Amazon’s global program and FBA services. Becoming a global seller on Amazon is not an easy task and this undertaking comes with its own set of problems. Selling your product in an international market can be intimidating, however, with the help of Amazon FBA and Amazon Global services, this process has become a tad bit simpler. If you’re planning on selling your products offshore, there are three basic types you can consider. European Fulfillment Network (EFN) With European Fulfillment Network (EFN), you ship your products to Amazon’s fulfilment centre, which will then be held in one country. Once an order is placed by a customer, the items will be picked, packed, and shipped by Amazon. You pay only local fulfilment fees on domestic orders. With Amazon’s EFN Network, you can sell on Amazon’s other European marketplaces with cross-border fees. Pan-European FBA With Pan-European FBA, you ship your products to Amazon’s fulfilment centre in your home marketplace. The order fulfilment process is done by Amazon. Amazon distributes your products throughout Europe based on anticipated demand without any cross-border fees. You can also save up to 52% in fulfilment fees. Multi-Country Inventory (MCI) With Multi-Country Inventory (MCI), you can choose which countries you want to ship and store your products. You have to pay local fulfilment fees for sale in the marketplaces you store products. With Multi-Country Inventory (MCI), you can sell on other marketplaces too with cross-border fees. European Fulfillment Network Typically, sellers can choose between FBA & FBM while deciding on the kind of carrier they want to choose for boarding their products offshore. EFN is part of the Amazon FBA program that dictates Amazon cares for the transport and delivery of your packages using one of its local warehouses. If you have a European marketplace seller account that’s registered under FBA, you can store your inventory in Amazon’s warehouses (also known as fulfilment centres), across Europe, and manage orders coming in from your European marketplace using the same local inventory pool. The reason why EFN is beneficial is that it keeps your stock stored in a single space, also known as the local pool, in a single fulfilment centre so that you gain maximum control and flexibility for marketing your goods. Now if you’re planning on selling your goods in a certain country in Europe, EFN allows storage of inventory in multiple fulfilment centres in one country to complete your local and trans-border orders. There are precisely only seven countries that allow the storage of goods within their fulfilment centres. United Kingdom Germany Spain France Italy Poland Czech Republic Pay Cross Border EFN fees When you sell your products to customers of other marketplaces via the European Fulfillment Network (EFN), you have to pay a cross-border fee for each order shipped. Let’s say for example you want a 600g Standard Parcel (non-media item) product across all five European marketplaces and ship your inventory to UK fulfilment centres. The cross-border EFN fee would be €4.39 for orders placed on amazon.de, amazon.fr, and amazon. it, and amazon.es. Standard Parcel 600g Fulfilment Fees Sale on amazon.de Sale on amazon.fr Sale on amazon. it Sale on amazon.es Fulfilment fee for EFN (fulfilling amazon.de, amazon.fr, amazon. it, amazon.es orders from UK inventory pool) €4.39 €4.39 €4.39 €4.39 There is no need to separately register for Amazon EFN because you automatically get this service under the FBA program but it’s important to choose your marketplace. Whichever European marketplace you select enables you to use EFN for all marketplaces as your listings are uploaded with the same SKU. What’s the benefit you ask? Single VAT number that eliminates financial stress for a chunk of your inventory. EFN gives you the flexibility of enlisting your products on all European marketplaces under a single VAT number and you also become applicable for Prime status. The storage fees are higher and it’s apt for a small business, however, if you’re thinking large scale, there are better options under FBA for selling your goods in the international market. But just like the EFN has its benefits, it comes with a set of disadvantages. EU) 2019/1020 Regulation needs most non-EU businesses to have an authorized representative located in the EU. You can read more about this here, a full guide on having an Authorized Representative by Instrktiv. FBA European fulfilment network functions under Amazon, which means you don’t need to worry about setting up your inventory at the warehouse or supervising third-party logistics. However, the downfall is that you will need to pay cross-border fees applicable from the home country to other shipping countries, which can weigh down on your expenditure. Conclusion While EFN provides fast shipping in Europe, it might take three more days for the shipment to get delivered if your product is to be delivered outside the home country. You must also have a VAT registered number in your home marketplace to be applicable for EFN. Though this option offers Prime delivery, fast shipment works when you’re delivering your product within your home. However, EFN is an excellent option to consider since FBA fees are much lower as compared to using third-party logistics services. There is a lot of work and there isn’t a whole lot of time. 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