Amazon marketplace is the holy grail for sellers vying for a customer’s purchase. It is no donut but an undisputed market leader of eCommerce in India and across the globe. If you’re a seller on Amazon, you’re on the right path but it is not enough. To get consistent sales, your listing should have an Amazon Buy Box.
Winning Amazon Buy Box means you’re the seller that gets the sale, and it can boost your sales volume by up to 83%. But with so many sellers competing for this coveted spot, how do you win it? In this blog, we’ll share actionable tips and tricks to help you win the Amazon Buy Box and skyrocket your sales. So, whether you’re a seasoned Amazon seller or just starting, read on for insider strategies that can give you a leg up in the competition.
What is the Amazon Buy Box?
The Amazon Buy Box is a crucial feature on Amazon’s website that enables customers to quickly add items to their cart and purchase them directly from the seller. This box is located in the top-right corner of a product listing and drives over 83% of all purchases made on Amazon.
For customers, the Buy Box offers a simple and efficient way to make a purchase. It displays the different ways in which the product can be purchased, including options such as new or used, shipping speeds, and gift options. Once customers select their preferred variables, they can click the ‘Add to Cart’ button and checkout in just a few steps.
For sellers, the Buy Box is highly coveted, and winning it is crucial for maximizing sales on Amazon. When multiple sellers offer the same product, only one listing appears in the Buy Box at a time, and customers can purchase directly from that seller. The seller who wins the Buy Box earns the majority of sales for that product, typically around 90%.
It is important to note that the Buy Box is separate from the product listing itself, and sellers compete to own the widget. To be eligible for the Buy Box, sellers must meet certain criteria, including having a professional seller account, maintaining high seller ratings, offering competitive pricing and shipping options, and adhering to Amazon’s policies and rules.
What is Buy Box Eligibility on Amazon?
Amazon Buy Box eligibility is a set of criteria that Amazon uses to determine which sellers are eligible to compete for the Buy Box. If you meet the eligibility criteria, you’ll have a chance to win the Buy Box. The eligibility criteria include the following:
- Having a Professional Seller account
- Maintaining high seller metrics
- Offering competitive pricing
- Having inventory to ship
To check if your products are Buy Box eligible, log into your Amazon Seller Central account and go to the Inventory tab. From there, select Manage inventory and then Preferences. Next, select the Buy Box eligible tab in the column display list section and then click Show when available from the drop-down menu. Now, you’ll see a ‘yes’ beside any products that are currently Buy Box eligible.
But just because your products are Buy Box eligible doesn’t mean that you’ll automatically win the Buy Box. Amazon uses a complex algorithm to determine which seller is featured in the Buy Box. The algorithm considers price, shipping time, seller metrics, and customer feedback. So, even if you’re Buy Box eligible, you’ll still need to work on optimizing your listings and performance metrics to increase your chances of winning the Buy Box.
If you’re not currently Buy box eligible, don’t worry. Amazon provides tools and resources to help you improve your eligibility. For example, you can work on maintaining high seller metrics, offering competitive pricing, and providing excellent customer service. By doing so, you’ll be well on your way to winning the Buy Box and increasing your sales on Amazon.
Tips on Winning an Amazon Buy Box
Use FBA
One of the most important ways to win the Amazon Buy Box is to use the FBA service. FBA, or ‘Fulfilled by Amazon, allows you to store your products in Amazon’s warehouses, and they handle all the picking, packing, and shipping of your orders. This can give you a significant advantage over FBM (Fulfilled by Merchant) sellers.
One of the main advantages of using FBA is that it is highly favored by Amazon, which is why it is also known as Amazon’s preferred fulfillment method. Amazon knows that FBA sellers are more reliable when delivering orders on time and are also eligible for Prime shipping. Since Amazon always wants to provide the best service to its Prime members, it makes sense to have FBA sellers in the Buy Box.
Using FBA also makes it easier for you to qualify for the Buy Box. When you use FBA, you can be eligible for Amazon’s coveted Buy Box status even if you are a new seller. On the other hand, FBM sellers may have to work harder to gain the trust of Amazon’s algorithms and customers to win the Buy Box.
Set Prices Competitively
Your prices should align with your competitors’ prices, and the lowest price doesn’t always guarantee you will win the Buy Box. However, it certainly increases your chances. If your other performance metrics are low, you’ll need to reduce your prices to compete for the Buy Box. But, if you have outstanding metrics, you can feature in the Buy Box with slightly higher prices. Remember not to price your items too low because you must consider your base costs.
To win the Buy Box without ever putting yourself in the red, consider using repricing software. This can help you adjust your prices automatically to be competitive with other sellers, and it can help you win the Buy Box more often.
Ship as Quickly as Possible
Fast shipping and delivery are crucial for competing in the Buy Box. Amazon requires at least 96% of orders to ship on time, and sellers who fulfill their orders can’t afford to make mistakes if they want to compete for the Buy Box. Therefore, the faster you ship and deliver orders, the better.
As a seller, you can adjust your handling time to suit you by adjusting the settings in your Seller Central Account. If you don’t adjust your handling time, it will default to 1-2 days. As for deliveries, Amazon likes over 97% of deliveries to be on time. This means you should do everything possible to ensure your timely and reliable deliveries.
Offer Tracking Information
Offering full tracking information is important to maintain a good, Valid Tracking Rate. This recently introduced metric represents the percentage of your deliveries with full tracking information. To ensure that you can maintain a high Valid Tracking Rate, consider using shipping software tools like ShipWorks or ShipStation. These tools can help you provide customers with accurate tracking information and make it easier for you to manage your orders and shipments.
Put Customer Happiness First
Amazon is customer-centric. Even if you minimize shipping times and maximize value, this won’t make up for problems with your products or customer service. Amazon’s Order Defect rate highly influences your ability to win the Buy Box. This metric is based on your feedback scores, A-Z guarantee claim rate, and service chargebacks. To reduce returns and negative reviews, ensure your product listings are accurate. Listen carefully to feedback and always go above and beyond for customers.
Respond to Queries Quickly
Customer response time is also extremely important when winning the Buy Box. If you take too long to reply to queries, your customers and Amazon won’t be impressed. It’s important to respond within 12 hours if possible, as any longer than 24 hours violates Amazon policy. Make sure to mark incoming messages that don’t require a response.
Request Reviews
Positive reviews can greatly impact your Buy Box eligibility, so it’s important to request them from your customers. The algorithm looks at the number of reviews received and their positivity and recency. In addition, feedback tools can be used to automate the review request process.
Stay Stocked Up
While back-ordered items have recently begun to feature in the Amazon Buy Box, having products consistently and currently in stock is still looked upon more favorably by the algorithm. This indicates you can handle the influx of sales from winning this placement.
Keep an Eye on Your Account Metrics
Amazon Seller Central provides a wealth of knowledge on your performance across all areas. Therefore, it’s essential to frequently check your metrics to identify and address issues as soon as possible. This protects your reputation and allows you to invest resources in areas that will influence your Buy Box competitiveness the most.
Be Careful with New Metrics
Amazon recently introduced two new metrics, the Return Dissatisfaction Rate, and Customer Service Dissatisfaction Rate, to improve their data around customer experience. While these metrics don’t currently influence the Buy Box algorithm, keeping them in good shape is essential, as they may affect rankings in the future.
Conclusion
Winning the Buy Box means more than just increased visibility and potential sales; it signifies trust from Amazon and its customers. By implementing the strategies discussed, you can increase your chances of winning the Buy Box and skyrocket your sales. So, don’t wait any longer. Instead, start taking action now and watch your business grow like never before. Remember, in the ever-evolving world of eCommerce, the Buy Box is not just a destination; it’s a journey toward success.
