More Pro Tips
Here are some pro tips to make knowing how to sell on Amazon even easier!
Overshare
When listing products on Amazon, always provide as much accurate information as possible. Provide clear and comprehensive photos. This is especially important with homemade items. “Oversharing” will help prevent buyers from getting the wrong idea, purchasing the product and being unhappy with it, and then heaping negative feedback on you.
What Others Think Matters
Get buyers to review your products and you as a seller. Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback. Here are a few ideas to solicit reviews:
Send a post purchase email.
Once the product has had enough time to arrive, email the buyer and ask for a review. Make the email as friendly and concise as possible.
Ask on your packing slip.
When you ship merchandise out, include a packing slips that tells a little bit about you and the product and asks for feedback. Be specific here in telling the customer how to provide feedback. Don’t make them think about it or have to hunt for how to do it.
Go above and beyond.
Include some kind of personal touch (such as drawing a smiley face on the inside of the box) or include a little freebie to inspire people to review you. If you can stand out and be memorable not only are customers more likely to review you, they are more likely to buy from you in the future.
Bundle Up
If you find yourself with a product that has suddenly become very commonplace (low price) or competitive, set yourself apart on Amazon by bundling. Sell the item as part of a set with a similar or complimentary product.
Your Ad Here
While Amazon already does some great advertising, you can always do your own advertising to step things up. You can advertise on Amazon or launch a social media campaign (paid or organic). Again, if you’re treating selling on Amazon as a business, you need to be prepared to do some marketing!
The Customer is Always Right
One thing people love about Amazon is the customer service. If a customer reaches out to you with a problem or question, be sure to respond within 24 hours. This also helps keep your account in good standing!
Good news: If you use FBA and the customer’s problem is with the product (ex. it doesn’t work) or with shipping (ex. it hasn’t arrived), you’ll merely need to refer them to Amazon’s customer service department.
If you are using FBM, be sure to ship products promptly. I think Amazon’s guidelines are within 48 hours. Sure, it’s a pain to head to the post office (or UPS or FedEx) but this is your job now! 🙂
Okay, the Customer isn’t Always Right
While providing superior customer service is important, you’ll definitely want to keep an eye your reviews.
Sometimes customers get confused and review the wrong thing. If you see a negative review that shouldn’t apply to you, you’ll want to contact Amazon’s support team. They’ll review the review and remove it if it doesn’t fit their guidelines or is inaccurate.
In addition, if you use FBA and a customer gives you a negative review for something that is handled by Amazon (ex. packaging, shipping times, etc), you can contact Amazon and they’ll ensure the review does not count against you and provide a reply to the customer that this was Amazon’s fault (not yours).
Utilize Just In Time Inventory
Just in time inventory refers to only having as much inventory at Amazon as you need. You replenish your levels right before you run out. This keeps you from incurring storage fees at Amazon. Utilize Amazon’s many tools (such as replenishment alerts) to make knowing when you need to send more products even easier!
I hope this article gave you a good start on understanding how to sell on Amazon. You’ll notice that this was not a step-by-step guide (push this button, click here) on how to sell on Amazon. That’s because the process is always changing. Amazon is always refining how you sign up, how you get approved for certain categories, and how you list items to make it easier for the seller. Don’t worry though, their interface provides a step-by-step guide and helpful tips. Furthermore, if you have a question about how to sell on Amazon you can always reach out to the seller community or Amazon’s support team.
As with everything, there’s always more to learn. If you want to further your “how to sell on Amazon” studies, here are some additional resources:
And, if you think you’re ready to start selling on Amazon NOW, you can get started here!
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