Are you ready to expand your current line of products?
Do you have the next big thing on Amazon?
Is that item you’ve been holding off on selling, really worth stocking up on?

Whether you’re a seasoned Amazon seller or brand spankin new to the marketplace, conducting competitive research can be vital to your long term success.

So, instead of talking about what to do once you’re ready to launch… let’s back it up a bit and discuss those initial steps of getting there, shall we?

Don’t worry – I will not be giving an in-depth analysis on data points, financial gains, or competitive research tools. Heck, I don’t even know what a couple of those things are. Okay, I do. But I have no interest in writing a dissertation regarding any of those subjects. Each of which has been covered ad nauseam by the “experts.”  And just like the Amazon marketplace, we don’t really need to keep adding stuff that’s excessively accessible… do we?

Great!

My goal is to take a practical, yet informative approach to conducting your initial groundwork. This is not a guide on how to do Amazon research. Instead, I will simply pose a few questions that could very well save you both, time and money.
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​Whether good or bad, there’s really no better place to start...

Did you know that Google and other search engines do not index most of your Amazon listing content?  

Nope!

Truth is, Google’s job is to direct web users to an assortment of eCommerce options, and not just Amazon.  Amazon’s job is to keep their customers shopping within the Amazon marketplace.  This includes not allowing sellers/ vendors to promote their own sites.  Which is why the A9 (Amazon algorithm) is unique and quite different from Google’s algorithm.  And it's also why creating optimized content for both differ.  

As an Amazon seller… that may be frustrating news to you. 

But it doesn’t have to be.  There’s a bright side to it all.  Why else would I be writing this?

What if you could use the power of Google (and other search engines) to attract more customers to your listings?  What if you could control what content shoppers are seeing online?  Or if you could influence their decision by showcasing your value or authority in the marketplace, for your specific product niche.  

Well… there is a way.  And all you have to do is simply answer a question.  

The QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS section to be specific.  

I get it!

Your brand … your line of products are the greatest thing since sliced bread.

But why?

No. Really… I (we) are all asking… why?

​This very inquiry is one of the few standard questions that I consistently insert within each of my customized creative briefs when working with new clients. Usually, the answers sound something similar to:

• “Because there is no other product on the market like our {INSERT ITEM HERE}.” (What does that have to do with the prospect?)
• ​“Because we offer a money back guarantee.” (You’re suggesting that I’m going to want to return it… and that’s supposed to make me want to buy your item?)
• “Because we’ve been in business longer than any of our competitors.” (Eeeew… so you’re old? Joking… sort of.)

Oh, and my personal favorite... 

• "Because we’re the best.”

​To which I usually respond, “Well then, why didn’t you just say so. Problem solved.” And everyone goes on to make billions of dollars while riding unicorns atop the shiny bright rainbow.

Okay, that last part was unnecessarily sarcastic and quite false.   My apologies.

Truth is, I almost expect these types of responses from newer clients. Heck, most businesses believe that their true value lies in their product or service offers...

• Buy one – get one free
• New customers get 40% off
• Existing members receive reward points with each purchase

Those all sound enticing, but as a business owner or marketer, if you’ve spent more time developing individual product or service offers, you may want to reconsider their scalability of importance.