7 Biggest Mistakes Sellers Make on Amazon

Optimise your Amazon store and increase your sales

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If you are an Amazon seller, then this article is for you!

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Selling on the world's largest marketplace can be a lucrative business. However, there are many mistakes that sellers make which could cost them their business or income.

You will learn about the seven most common mistakes sellers make on Amazon in this blog post so that you don't make those same mistakes.

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1. Missing Product Details

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It is no secret that selling on Amazon can be a lucrative and exciting venture. However, it also requires attention to detail and an understanding of the platform's quirks. A common mistake sellers, especially the new ones, make is not listing their products correctly.

If you miss out important product details or select the wrong category you will lose out on sales. Making sure to accurately fill out every field that you can when creating your product listing will help to make them easy to find as well as improving conversions. This includes creating an accurate title, using the correct category and subcategories, adding product details, and including the right keywords in your listing.

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2. Poor Product Descriptions

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Closely related to a poor product listing setup is that of using poor product descriptions. The difference, however, is that while incorrect product listing makes it difficult for shoppers to find your product, poor product description can cause a shopper that has found your product to choose another option instead.

A good product description should include the key selling points and other details a shopper may want to know about your product, this is one of the best ways to sell your product's benefits over the other choices. Here are some tips:

• Focus on selling the product’s benefits, not its features. i.e ‘All day battery life’ vs ‘1000mAh battery’
• Make descriptions readable, break up big chunks of text, keep it short, and include bullet points
• Look at the descriptions for competing products and category best sellers to get inspiration

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3. Not making use of photos

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A shopper's first impression of your product will come from the image you upload, so they need to be able to see what they are buying. In a recent study conducted by Salsify, over 40% of respondents picked product images as what helped them most when deciding to buy.

If you want customers, especially ones who have never bought anything from you before, to trust your product, then the best way is by uploading high-quality images in addition to the product description.

• Your main product image should only display the item(s) that are included in the sale and needs to be set on a white background with no added text
• Include photos from different angles and lighting conditions
• Include a photo showing the product in use
• You can also include images of your product with overlaid dimensions or benefits
• Make sure to add all seven images to help show as much detail as possible

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4. Not Understanding Amazon's TOS

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If you want to do well on Amazon, then you must understand their Terms of Service. This includes knowing what types of products they allow, how you are allowed to list them, as well as restrictions on certain categories or brands.

It is common for Amazon sellers to lose business due to temporary suspensions from violating the TOS. For example, using a review or quote in your product listing is prohibited.

By understanding the platform’s TOS, you can avoid making mistakes that could cost your business or even get you banned from selling on their platform, which would be disastrous for any seller.

Familiarize yourself with Amazon's TOS as it relates to your business and this wouldn't be a problem for you.

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5. Customer Service Issues

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Poor customer service is another mistake that Amazon sellers make. While many online businesses are struggling to keep up with consumer expectations when it comes to excellent customer service, this problem is amplified on platforms like Amazon, where customers may be inclined towards buying products from established brands or companies rather than smaller ones.

While you can't control what your customers do, there are ways you can ensure that they have a good shopping experience with you. This includes checking your dashboard regularly to provide timely responses to customer inquiries, solving their issues promptly, and being available for them if, and when, they need you.

Customer service is mostly about empathy. Respond to customer issues timely and in a courteous manner and you'll be good on the customer service end. 

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6. Neglecting Customer Reviews and Feedback

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Customers are increasingly looking online to find reviews about products they want to buy. For example, according to the research shared in #3 above, over 62% of consumers said customer reviews influenced them most in their buying decisions and a further 38% said product rating (by customers) influenced them most.

While you cannot control the reviews and feedback your customers give, what you can do is create a shopping experience that encourages them to leave positive ones. This includes providing great customer service as mentioned above and a product that actually meets their needs.

By providing your customers with a positive shopping experience, you will not only increase customer retention, but also encourage others to buy your products.

Follow up and resolve customer complaints as soon as possible, this will keep you in their good books and make them want to buy from you again. 

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7. Poor Fulfilment Practices

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Sellers who do not actively try to offer the best fulfilment they can often end up losing a lot of business. Slow delivery times, high shipping costs, and not having a satisfactory return policy are some common pitfalls you should avoid.

Customers consider all these factors before placing an order. You also risk getting a negative review or a bad rating if a customer gets their order later than they'd anticipated.

An unsatisfactory return policy may also cost you business, as customers may be reluctant to place an order until they're assured that they can return a product if received in a bad condition.

Thankfully, you don't have to be an expert in fulfilment or have multiple warehouses to offer your customers speedy and affordable delivery as an SFP or MFN merchant. Fulfilment providers like Bezos exist to help you with that.

With a good fulfilment provider, you can offer your customers affordable delivery without compromising on speed. Plus, fulfilment providers like Bezos also help manage product returns, freeing up time for you to focus on other aspects of your business that are equally important.#

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Setting Up Your Amazon Store For Success

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We know that it can be difficult to run a successful business on Amazon. There are so many little details and nuances to take care of, from listing products correctly, having good product descriptions, providing high-quality photos on your listings, understanding the TOS for Amazon - all while running customer service issues off in the background.

So if you’re feeling overwhelmed with everything on your plate or simply need help getting started on tightening some loose ends, we'll gladly help.

Our simple & cost-effective ecommerce order fulfilment solutions help Amazon sellers offer their customers the best delivery experience without stress.

Get in touch today and we’ll help get your local fulfilment sorted.