It’s time to ratchet up your sales on Amazon. Whether you’re just getting started in e-commerce or are a long-time third-party retailer, learn more about winning the Buy Box. This step is one of the most important factors in successful selling on this platform, so explore its importance and how to avoid losing it today.
Winning the Buy Box
The Buy Box is that small, all-important feature that includes the Buy Now and Add to Cart options. If you don’t own the buy box, then it will instead have a See All Buying Options button.
The Importance of the Buy Box
- What’s the big deal about winning the Buy Box? In 2020, Amazon had a net revenue of $386.06 billion, according to Statista. A full $320 billion of those sales were through the Buy Box.
- This feature gives you a serious advantage over other companies selling similar items. If you want to grow sales and expand your offerings on Amazon, you need to understand how to win and retain this feature.
- The Buy Box is even more important during mobile shopping. The prominence of this button on mobile view gives you an incredible edge over the competition. As mobile shopping continues to increase, so will the importance of this feature on your listing.
How To Win the Buy Box
Not all seller accounts and items are eligible for the Buy Box. Check your eligibility with these steps:
- Be sure you have a Professional Seller account.
- Provide 24/7 customer service, premium shipping options and fast deliveries. These can be achieved by participating in Fulfillment by Amazon.
- Ensure a low order defect rate, which is calculated using A-Z Guarantee claims, customer feedback and chargebacks.
- Meet other performance metrics set by Amazon.
- Set a competitive price.
These steps make you eligible, but don’t assume you will win it immediately. The system is based on Amazon’s A9 algorithm. Like other proprietary algorithms, it’s a closely guarded secret in the e-commerce giant.
There are a few features that seem to be included in the algorithm. Here are some key factors that can improve your chance of winning this coveted e-commerce feature:
- Maintain high inventory levels
- Seek Prime eligibility
- Maintain competitive profit margin and high sales volume
- Price inventory competitively
- Maintain a low order defect rate
These won’t guarantee you win the Buy Box, but a lack of one or more of these features seems to negatively affect a product’s chance of winning it. Missing a single item may not prevent you from winning it, but a competitive marketplace means you should strive to keep up in all of these areas.
How To Keep the Buy Box
The Amazon Marketplace is a competitive place. Just when you think you’re the leading seller for a particular item, you may wake up one day and realize you’ve lost the Buy Box. The fight isn’t over once you win this feature, so check out ways to keep it in your grasp.
Ways You May Lose a Buy Box
Review the ways to win the Buy Box to see the most common ways to lose it. Even if you already have this coveted spot, a dip in inventory levels, lack of sales volume or other factors can cause it to be removed from your listing.
Another way it can be removed is if an unauthorized seller begins selling counterfeit items. Dealing with unauthorized sellers and hijacked inventory can be a stressful situation, but you need to clear up these issues if you’re going to restore the competitiveness of your listing.
Recover the Buy Box
Go back to the basics and be sure you’re still eligible for the Buy Box. You may need to alter your price or inventory levels or deal with a counterfeit listing, but you can recover the Buy Box on your best-selling items. Grow your e-commerce empire or expand your sales options with this competitive sales strategy.
Don’t give up if this is an ongoing process. The most successful products are likely to have stiff competition for the Buy Box, so be prepared to continue to refine your sales strategy to become the best seller in your particular category.
Turn to ScaledOn
At ScaledOn, we have the resources you need to grow your e-commerce success. Contact us today to enjoy e-commerce growth and see what you can do to boost lead generation. Find out how our team can help you hit the next level in sales and e-commerce success starting today.