Amazon is the largest and most successful online retailer in the western world. Over 30% of all retail sales occur through Amazon and that number is steadily increasing. There really is no competing with Amazon, only working with it.
Selling as a third party retailer on Amazon is one of the best ways to succeed as a retailer, but it does require working within the specifications that Amazon sets and that includes the legendary Amazon buy box.
In this article we talk about why you should care about the coveted and mysterious Amazon buy box.
- What is the Amazon buy box?
- Why do I want the Amazon buy box?
- How do I get the Amazon buy box?
So, let’s chat buy box.
What is the Amazon Buy Box?
Add To Cart vs See All Buying Options
The term “buy box” refers to the white column on the right side of an Amazon product description that houses the Add To Cart button and the Buy Now button.
These buttons are the quickest, easiest way to get from listing to completed purchase as they require the fewest clicks. If there are multiple listings for the same product, only the top one–the one Amazon decides–will have the buy box. Because the buy box is only given to one seller per item, it is highly coveted.
All the sellers that did not win the buy box for this product are featured lower down on the listing.
Why do I want the Amazon Buy Box?
The Buyer’s Experience
In order to streamline the customer’s experience, Amazon chooses the best listing for every product and gives them the buy box, making it easier for buyers to find the best version of a product quickly. This streamlining of the buyer’s experience is what has kept Amazon at the forefront of online retail for so long.
The buy box allows you to shorten your sales funnel significantly. Every seller knows that decreasing the distance between first impression and purchase is the best way to increase sales. Amazon creates one of the best methods for this with the buy box.
Beat The Competition
If you are listing a product on Amazon, would you rather have a button that sends viewers directly to a purchase or to a list of all your competitors? It’s that simple, really. If you have the buy box you are significantly more likely to land sales.
If the intuition isn’t enough for you, perhaps the numbers will be. A whopping 82% of Amazon purchases are done via the buy box, and that percentage is even higher with mobile purchases. Winning the buy box directly impacts sales on Amazon. That’s why it is imperative for competitive sellers to understand how to land the buy box.
How do I get the Amazon Buy Box?
Eligibility
First and foremost, you must have an Amazon Professional Seller account. An Individual Seller account won’t cut it.
The thing that makes the buy box so tricky is that the criteria for eligibility is subject to change and can vary depending on the category. Because of this, there is no one checklist a seller can follow to become buy box eligible. However, there are a number of standard ways a buyer can improve their chances of eligibility. Professionals suspect that these are some of the top ways you can improve your buy box eligibility:
- Sell new items rather than used items. While used items can win the buy box, Amazon prioritizes products in new condition.
- Offer competitive pricing. As you know, lower prices mean happier customers. Often Amazon will choose the lowest competing price to award the buy box. A good standard is to choose a price within 5% of the current buy box winner.
- Become a Prime seller. Non-Prime sellers can win the buy box, but Amazon prioritizes Prime sellers. You are automatically awarded Prime status if you use fulfilled-by-Amazon (FBA).
- Maintain your inventory. Even if you meet all the other qualifications, Amazon is likely to award the buy box to another seller with a higher inventory. Show Amazon that you can fulfill your orders by keeping a large inventory and avoiding backlog.
The Customer Is Always Right
Your customer feedback can have a huge impact on your buy box eligibility. Keep your customers happy, and their reviews will keep you happy.
- Accuracy: Make sure your listing is completely accurate. Carefully select your title, description, and categorization so that customers are not confused or unsure.
- Shipping Fulfillment: When you give a time frame for shipping, make sure you keep it. It is better to be honest and give a longer shipping time, then to promise a shorter shipping time and to disappoint.
- Communicate: People are way more forgiving if you communicate with them. The best way to improve your selling reputation is to build trust. Notify customers of changes in their orders or shipping times.
It Takes Time
If you don’t land the buy box right away, don’t give up. The length of time and frequency a seller uses Amazon will affect their eligibility. Just hang on and continue optimizing your listings and account.
- Pro Merchant: Your seller’s status can influence your eligibility for the buy box. Sign up for a Pro Merchant account and meet the criteria by selling a minimum of 40 products each month and paying the fees required.
- Seller Metrics: Your seller rating is calculated based on performance metrics related to customer service. This includes Order Defect Rate (ODR) of less than 1%, a pre fulfillment cancellation rate of less than 2.5%, and a late shipment rate of less than 4%.
- Seniority: Amazon prioritizes accounts that have been on the platform longer. Simply using your seller account for longer can affect your buy box eligibility.
Private label brands and the Buy Box
When you start a private label brand, you work with a manufacturer to develop a brand new product. As you know, the buy box is about competing with other sellers over the same product. If you have your own version, Amazon will almost always award you with the buy box because your product is unique.
EcomRanx specializes in starting from scratch to build a fully flushed out private label brand that thrives on Amazon. If you are even a little interested in online retail, give us a call at 801-769-6277 or set up a free consultation here.