You Already Have Amazon "Sellers". So, you're good...Right?

https://www.goprizmatic.com/bloghttps://www.goprizmatic.com/blog

The short answer…probably not.

The better answer…it’s very likely you don’t know whether things are going well or not, and if you don’t know how things are going…well, that’s a problem, isn’t it?

Because not knowing how you’re doing on the marketplace where over 50% of all U.S. online sales happen…at a time when brick and mortar stores are dwindling and online sales are growing by leaps and bounds…is simply not a good long-term strategy.

What you should know about Amazon...

Doing well on Amazon is also not as easy as just listing your products and calling it a day. Success on Amazon requires focus, know-how, and strategy. You actually need to understand the ins and outs of building listings that lead to sales, running in-market ads to bring in new customers, responding to negative customer reviews, and a host of other potential issues.

Are your current sellers developing your product listings? Are they running ads to get you more customers and brand awareness? Are they responding to customer questions, requesting positive reviews, and mitigating bad ones? Are they providing you with sales data and customer insights that help you make better decisions? Are they providing you that same information on your competition? The list of “Are they doing X?” goes on and on. What are your current sellers doing for you?

If you have more than a couple of sellers, then the answer again, is probably not much. That’s because most Amazon sellers are just middle men. They don’t bring any value beyond getting your products listed. If your product is selling well, they make some money regardless of their lack of effort. If it does poorly, they just move on to another product. Like a parasite…Yes, I said like a parasite. Because sellers who only sell, only take, and then they move on to the next unfortunate host. The very definition of a parasitic relationship. Taking from and causing harm to its host (your business) and providing nothing in return.

What can you do?

1. You could do nothing.

I probably don't need to tell you that doing nothing is almost never a good long term strategy. Yet we find many businesses are doing just that when it comes to Amazon. It's really no one's fault that this happens. There's so much misinformation and noise surrounding Amazon that most don't even know there are problems let alone what to do about them. Other businesses have become so frustrated with the issues they've encountered that they've decided to just ignore the market altogether. The opportunity being missed cannot be overstated. Because with the way Amazon works, the companies that are carving out the lead now will keep it for a very long time. Anyone coming to the game late will need to have some serious brand recognition and capital to catch up.

2. You can do the selling yourself.

No one understands your business as well as you do. No one knows your customers better than you. No one cares as much about your business as you do. The problem is that Amazon is not your business. It’s not one of your core competencies. It’s a sales channel. One that requires daily attention and constant learning. There certainly is value in doing it yourself but be prepared to go all in or don’t bother. You’ll only be doing yourself and your business a disservice otherwise.

3. Get the right person to do it for you.

In brick and mortar retail the right partner is usually someone that operates a retail business specific to the products from your industry. Alta sells makeup. If your product is makeup then Alta is a great fit. Home Depot sells building supplies. If you make electrical sockets you could do worse than partnering with Home Depot. Those examples make sense because no one is going to Alta looking for a gardening tool or Home Depot for blush.

Amazon is different. People shop on Amazon for everything all at once. They show up to the same place looking for makeup and shop towels. And they do that not by walking up and down aisles or asking store associates for help but by typing in the name of the thing they want into a search bar. Having a partner that knows the technical portions of keywords and search, in-market advertising, and listing creation is what determines whether or not your product shows up on page one of that search or gets buried on page 14 among a thousand other products no one will ever see.

This is what sets a professional Amazon seller apart from everyone else. Without that kind of know-how and support (unless you have some serious brand recognition) you’ll be fighting a battle with pitchforks against an entrenched enemy that has tanks. In other words, the chance of being successful is slim to none.

---

Thanks for taking the time to read out article. For more helpful information you can find additional articles by clicking here for our EDUCATION page or if you're thinking of getting some help with Amazon you can reach out to us here: OUTSOURCE AMAZON TODAY