5 Amazon Seller Mistakes to Avoid

Amazon is an eCommerce platform that your small business can use to reach more customers and make more sales.   

Selling on Amazon, however, is not for the faint of heart. Since there's also a lot of fine print that you need to read before you can start selling and because it's very data-intensive, you will experience challenges along the way.

So, before you decide to sell on Amazon, it's important to know the ins and outs of being on the platform, including the common mistakes sellers make. 

Knowing how to avoid some of the most common mistakes new Amazon sellers make can help you optimize your profits and save you thousands of dollars in returns and refunds. 

In this post, our Florida SEO experts will look at some of the most typical Amazon seller errors and share how you can avoid them.

Let's begin!

The 5 Common Amazon Seller Mistakes

Mistake #1: Overlooking Keyword, Competitor, and Category Research

If you're a new Amazon seller, the first thing you have probably done is to list your products.

And then you wonder, "Why am I not receiving the traffic and revenues I should be receiving?"

Most of the time, it all boils down to the same thing: Amazon is a very competitive marketplace.  

If you want to succeed, you need to "fill in the blanks." and try to figure out what you lack in. 

What blanks?

The category, competitors, and the keywords you're going to target.

Remember that you must research before selling on any eCommerce site. We're not talking about any old research here; we're talking about SWOT analysis.

SWOT analysis in eCommerce evaluates a company's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT for short).

Running a SWOT analysis for an eCommerce company aims to identify strengths, minimize weaknesses, capitalize on opportunities, and avoid threats.

To learn more about SWOT analysis and how to do it for your eCommerce company, check out this blog post: How to Do a SWOT Analysis for Your eCommerce Store + 5 Tips & Tricks.

How You Can Avoid Mistake #1:

To help you out, here are a few things you should ask yourself, which you could also include in your SWOT analysis:

• Who ranks for keywords related to my product?
• How many reviews have they received?
• What is their pricing point?
• How am I going to defeat them?
• Is it possible for me to create a better listing?
• Can I get a lower price?
• Are my rivals' products available on Amazon Prime?

Doing research for your eCommerce business may be time-consuming, but it is necessary to avoid making errors.

Mistake #2: Listing multiple or duplicate products in your Amazon shop.

When you plan to create an Amazon store, there's always a strong possibility that somebody else is selling the same stuff that you are.

However, the problem with this is that you may end up using the same product name and description, which can lead to duplicate content. This is why it's vital to create unique product descriptions every time. 

These kinds of duplicate listings often result in two outcomes:

• First, Amazon will resolve them by combining or closing those listings. When this occurs, your account will get a listing violation.
• Second, the companies may attempt to shut the listings by submitting complaints against sellers who offer duplicates. As a result, you will very certainly get intellectual property objections, such as trademark or copyright, due to your placement on a replica.

So, whether intentional or not, you don't want to create a duplicate listing for a product.

How You Can Avoid Mistake #2:

To detect and avoid listing duplicates, it is critical to understand the factor causing this might occur. It will help you to identify duplicate content concerns in your own website. It will also make it easy to choose the best option.

The following are the reasons for duplicate content:

• Filtering and tracking URL parameters - If the content linked to by the two or more URLs is identical, Google will flag it as duplicate content. If you don't want to or can't edit your tracking code or page code to specify Custom Variables, you may instead use a View filter to extract dynamic-parameter values for Product ID and then distribute those values as Dynamic Attributes. ‍
• Crossover of product category pages - Many websites will have multiple category pages that feature the same items. If the product qualities are the same throughout the multiple product types in question, then the collection of product types should (usually) be implemented as filters. ‍
• Identical product descriptions - If you copied product descriptions from another website, Google would very certainly index that page rather than yours. To prevent duplication, be sure to provide your own distinct product description.

In certain circumstances, you should ensure that your listing has proper brand value and links to an authentic and approved brand shop website.

When they lead to a list of random items, it's generally assumed that the list is duplicated.

Mistake #3: Building a Poor Listing

Following on from mistake #2, you should also ensure that you're creating the most incredible product description pages possible by using all of the resources at your disposal.

Ignoring this is probably the most common mistake we see people make.

It's also a safe bet that the best-selling product in each category will check all of the following criteria, allowing you to get started without the need for costly technology.

How You Can Avoid Mistake #3:

An Amazon product listing is the product page for each item you sell on Amazon. Here's what you can do to complete your product listing:

• Create a descriptive product title - The most crucial keywords for your listing should be included in your title. Title length varies per product category: FBA product names may be up to 200 characters long, so don't be afraid to push that limit. (As a general guideline, front-load your keywords: the more essential the term, the closer it should be to the beginning of the title.)
• Curate a list of marketable bullet points - The bullets and title are read by Amazon's search. That is why it is critical to include top-performing keywords in your bullet points: ensure that you cover all of the sales aspects the buyer is searching for.
• Use high-quality and zoomable images and at least one video - Visuals are effective. Display your merchandise from every possible perspective.
• Use a competitive price - Take note that Amazon buyers are on the hunt for the best-priced items. Nowadays, consumers want value for their money. ‍
• Collect as many reviews as possible - Customers compare the number of reviews and 4 and 5-star ratings as part of the purchasing process. Continue to encourage consumers to leave them as much as Amazon permits. ‍
• Optimize your listing - As your product sells, revisit your keyword research and edit the description to reflect what you've learned.

You're ready to go once you've included these elements in your product listing. 

Mistake #4: Ignoring or Disabling Amazon Notifications

Like any other app, Amazon has the ability to give you notifications. And when Amazon's Seller Performance Team notices an adverse change in your performance metrics, it sends you a warning letter and suspends your account.

Claims that a product is prohibited might also trigger the warning.

In a 2021 update, these alerts were usually accompanied by a phone call.

So, let's say you're a seller who was so preoccupied with other things that you missed these messages. In such a case, this may be a concern for you.

Remember, it might be too late before you can do anything if your account gets suspended.

How You Can Avoid Mistake #4:

You may set up alerts to receive automatic text messages from or on behalf of Amazon regarding difficulties with your seller account. 

It could include orders, account security, or other customer support concerns.

If you're not quite sure how to set up your notifications, you can click here for a step-by-step guide. 

Mistake #5: Failing to Establish a Memorable Customer Experience

Given how competitive the Amazon marketplace is, you must set yourself apart from your competitors.

To do this, you need to provide your customers a one-of-a-kind shopping experience. 

Despite this, many businesses still fail to make an effort and just put their items in simple boxes and sell them without a second thought. 

To wow your customers, you can invest in aesthetic packaging, cute notes, and some freebies to win the hearts of your customers. You also want to be swift in responding to customer complaints and offer refunds or product replacement if necessary. 

If you want to expand on Amazon, you need to go the extra mile and show your clients that they are essential. 

How You Can Avoid Mistake #5:

A customized user experience is only possible if you have the appropriate data that tells you all you need to know about a customer, such as their expectations, purchase history, and hobbies.

Consider understanding the answers to the following questions as a starting point:

• What makes them prefer us over our competitors?
• Which websites do they spend the most of their time on?
• Which channels do they like to reach us via for customer service?
• Which channels should we employ to keep consumers informed and updated?
• How effective are our email click-through rates?

There are many ways you can collect customer data you can use to further personalize your product offering, services, and your overall customer experience.

Since third-party cookies are no longer available, try looking into Google Analytics, first-party data, market research, and AI to help you gather the information you need. 

In a world where people switch brands as fast as they flip channels on TV, customer experience has become the main differentiator in today's unpredictable business environment. 

Personalization is essential for brands to cut through the noise and cultivate genuine consumer connections.

Personalization is the only ammunition you need if the customer experience is the new battlefield.

Avoid These Common Amazon Mistakes at All Cost!

Have you made any unusual Amazon seller mistakes you'd want to share?

If that's the case, we'd want to hear from you. And we'd be delighted to work with you to help you avoid repeating the same mistakes.

At Digital Resource, we're here to help you with just that and more! 

Our Florida SEO experts will gladly help you with any Amazon shop optimization needs.

For a free consultation, please contact us today.