It’s said that a smart person learns from their own mistakes, and a wise person learns from the mistakes of others. At FeedbackExpress, we want you to be the best seller you can possibly be, so here are the top 5 most common mistakes to avoid on Amazon.
Mistake 1: Not Following Amazon’s Policies and Terms & Conditions
This one is probably the easiest mistake to avoid but seems to be made because sellers don’t take the time to read through Amazon’s policies thoroughly and clearly. One of the biggest violations sellers make is selling counterfeit items, which Amazon clearly states as not being allowed. This particular area can get a little fuzzy when sellers list items made with generic parts and pieces to mimic certain items, which Amazon can claim is a counterfeit of something else. It’s not against Amazon’s rules to sell generic items, but you should double check for each category you sell in to make sure it’s okay to do so.
You can check out more of Amazon’s policies here. Although it might seem onerous to take the time to read everything, it’s better than having too much time on your hands to read it if your account gets suspended or permanently blocked.
Mistake 2: Falling Behind in Key Metrics
One of Amazon’s biggest selling points is its dedication to great customer experiences. For sellers, that means they have to achieve certain targets in a number of metrics, like Order Defect Rate, Late Shipment Rate, Cancellation Rate, and more. Even seemingly small issues, like not responding to customers’ questions quickly enough, can affect your account health negatively.
If it seems overwhelming to keep track of how to score well in all the metrics, pretend you’re a buyer in all transactions for a certain period of time. Track yourself for things like the number and quality of reviews, shipping time, customer service and support, and the quality of products. Speaking of one of those…
Mistake 3: You Don’t Ship Quickly Enough
We don’t just mean guaranteeing overnight or two-day delivery (although making yourself Prime-eligible is a really good idea). We’re also referring to how fast a product gets to your shipping provider within the first 48 hours of an order being placed. Amazon gives you two days to process the order, pick it from your storage place, pack it (and pack it well), and send it to your shipper for delivery. If you fall outside that 48-hour timeframe, then your minimum efficiency rate takes a hit.
One of the easiest ways of avoiding this Amazon mistake is to use FBA. There’s a fee involved, but it takes all the worry off your hands so you can turn your attention to other areas, like…
Mistake 4: Not Maintaining an Efficient and Well-Stocked Inventory
If you consistently run out of items, buyers are going to look for sellers who have that item available. Plus, not having an item in stock means you’re automatically out of the running for a Buy Box.
But the converse of that, overstocking your inventory, is also a mistake. For one, you’re increasing your costs in the way of inventory carrying costs, which can range from 10-30%. Two, you’re out-of-pocket for items you’ve paid for but haven’t sold in return, so there’s no revenue/profit being made from them. If your overhead is going up over time, you need to take a closer look at why that is and what you can do to trim the fat.
Mistake 5: Nobody Knows Who You Are
Even if you don’t read it, you know of the New York Times. But chances are, you haven’t heard of Tiny Cartridge, What I Wore, or Stereogum. All are well-curated, quality sites but with one thing in common: they don’t really have a big marketing and advertising strategy in play.
To rank highly in Amazon’s search algorithm, you need to score well in things like account activity, account health, good reviews, and proficient use of keywords. Start by making your product descriptions as awesome as possible, then spread the word by gathering as many good reviews as possible. Finish off by getting involved in social media, making use of tools like influence marketers to really cast a wide net.
