Council Post: Tips For New Sellers On How To Navigate Amazon

CEO at Product Launchers, a company that launches new products into retail, and Unscripted, a firm focused on creative business development.

For nearly every new seller of retail products, Amazon is considered the holy grail. It is, after all, the largest e-commerce retailer in the world and the second-largest retailer overall (right after Walmart). So listing a product on the site is a surefire way to sell products and make money, right?

Yes and no.

As the CEO of a company that specializes in Amazon and e-commerce optimization, I’ve seen that behind the simple interface that consumers see when they shop on Amazon is a complex system of rules, strategies, algorithms and other factors that can mean the difference between selling out of a product or selling no product at all.

What Makes Amazon So Complicated For New Sellers?

I’ve learned from Amazon optimization specialists at our firm that on the back end of every Amazon listing, there is a combination of data entry points and fields that vary by category, such as descriptions, images, titles, sizing specifications, search terms, intended use, target audience, subject matter keywords, style keywords and more. 

Amazon is the labyrinth of online platforms, and for new sellers, it can be intimidating. For example, those experienced with how Amazon works will know the specific style guidelines for titles, images, etc. First-time sellers, however, might not, and learning these guidelines by trial and error can be a time-consuming and lengthy process.

An established seller account must have a UPC code or equivalent before each new product can be set up. Many factors come into play when creating a listing, including:

• Product category choice, which can be challenging because choosing the right category and subcategories is not always obvious, and many categories on Amazon overlap.

• Title.

• Dimensions and weight of the product.

• Image size and quality.

• Method of fulfillment.

• Search terms and various types of keywords, of which the best might be counterintuitive or even obscure.

You’ll also have to consider reviews, pricing, seller feedback scores, shipping times, traction and even the method chosen for adding the product because all of these factors can affect a product’s searchability or sales.

To further make your head spin, the software that drives Amazon is constantly being modified. Each evolution makes the code more and more complex to prevent fraud and abuse of the system. Sellers who don’t keep up with these changes risk having their products getting lost in the vast online jungle. 

I’ve seen some say that Amazon is one of the leading companies in artificial intelligence. Everything a seller does is interacting with AI or advanced algorithms. In my experience, there’s little human interaction. If a seller has an issue creating a product, then depending on the issue, the seller might need to report the problem to seller support. Getting a response can take time, depending on the internal team from which the seller needs assistance or if you’re new to Amazon and aren’t familiar with the proper way to report an issue.

Tips For Success

New sellers, entrepreneurs and inventors who believe they can simply create a listing on Amazon and, just like that, sell their product need to be aware that this scenario rarely happens. New products start out with no reviews or sales momentum. Additionally, there are many different systems, procedures and processes occurring simultaneously at Amazon and almost infinite ways to optimize listings on the front and back ends.

Sellers can read every forum dedicated to Amazon selling and still struggle. You don’t just start selling; it happens over time and only with the right content on the front end and strategies in place on the back end.

On the front end, I recommend using high-definition images that are over 1,000 pixels on both sides and ensuring the main image shows the product being sold on a pure white background. Choose a clear and concise title that contains the most relevant keyword or keywords for the product. Research additional relevant keywords for the product, and put those keywords into the bullet points and description.

On the back end, be sure to fill out all the fields that apply to the product. Use the previously researched relevant keywords for the product, and use them on the back end of your listing in the appropriate places. Read any correspondence from Amazon about issues or errors thoroughly, and follow all instructions in the emails carefully to avoid additional delays.

As you can see, while Amazon can hold a lot of potential for sellers, it can also be challenging to navigate at first. By keeping these best practices in mind, you can help set yourself up for success when selling on the e-commerce site.


Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?


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