As an Amazon seller, you cannot ignore one of the key ways to show you how your products perform and sell on the platform, that is, Amazon's Choice. It is a feature that many buyers have come to rely on for quick decisions while shopping on Amazon. Initially introduced in 2015, this badge is intended to help consumers find highly rated, well-priced products available for immediate shipping. However, its criteria and implications are more nuanced than they might appear at first glance. This blog post explores various aspects of Amazon's Choice, including its benefits, how it works, and the surrounding controversies.
What is Amazon's Choice?
Amazon's Choice is a badge that Amazon awards to certain products based on several performance measures. These include customer reviews, price, and shipping speed. Products with this badge are typically highly rated and well-priced products that are available to ship immediately. And they usually rank high in customers' specific keyword search results, which undoubtedly act as a huge traffic-driving tool for sellers improving their sales and brand awareness.
There are mainly 3 types of sublabels within Amazon's Choice. Let's search for the keywords "outdoor bird feeder" on Amazon as an example.
The first search result displays as Overall Pick. As the most selected item under the searched keyword, it can consolidate the best seller position under the word and make the hot sale product continue to sell well.
The second is Popular Brand Pick. This label indicates that the item is the brand with the widest vertical coverage and the most excellent data under the search term, encouraging the seller to build a vertical brand.
And the third one is shown as New Arrival Pick. It is an encouraging sign for new releases, aiming to help promote the newly launched product in the market.
How Amazon's Choice Benefits?
Amazon's Choice is a feature that not only assists customers in making purchasing decisions but also provides significant advantages for sellers on the platform. Here’s how it benefits both parties:
For customers:
- Time-Saving: Customers often feel overwhelmed by the vast number of options available on Amazon. The Amazon's Choice badge acts as a quick reference to help customers make confident decisions, indicating that the product is well-reviewed, reasonably priced, and of good quality, which helps them save time on struggling for a choice.
- Quality Assurance: Since products labeled as Amazon's Choice are typically well-reviewed and highly rated, customers can expect a level of quality and satisfaction from these products, reducing the likelihood of disappointment.
- Speed and Convenience: Products with the Amazon's Choice badge often come with benefits such as Prime eligibility, which includes faster shipping. This is particularly appealing for customers needing quick delivery.
For sellers:
- Increased Visibility: Products awarded the Amazon's Choice badge gain enhanced visibility through prominent placement in search results and sometimes on the product category pages. This increased visibility can drive higher traffic to the item and potentially lead to more sales.
- Enhanced Credibility: Having a product labeled as Amazon's Choice can enhance a seller's credibility and reputation on the platform. This badge acts as an endorsement from Amazon, which can encourage trust and confidence among potential customers.
- Boost in Sales: The increased visibility and credibility often result in a direct increase in sales. Customers are more likely to purchase a product that has been vetted and recommended by Amazon, especially when faced with a multitude of similar options.
- Competitive Advantage: In competitive marketplaces, having the Amazon's Choice badge can differentiate a product from numerous similar offerings. It provides a competitive edge that can attract more customers to a seller's product over others.
How Does Amazon Choose These Products?
According to Amazon's rule, the Amazon's Choice badge cannot be obtained by payments from brands or sellers, nor is there a process for them to submit or nominate their products for this highlight. Amazon uses algorithms to determine whether a product is worth recommending as an Amazon's Choice. The algorithm likely considers factors like:
- Customer reviews and ratings
- Return rates
- Price competitiveness
- Inventory levels
- Shipping options
- Accurate keywords in listings
How to Get Your Product Awarded as Amazon's Choice?
Earning the Amazon's Choice badge is a goal for many sellers because it can significantly boost visibility and sales. While Amazon does not explicitly state how to get the Amazon's Choice badge, several factors are known to influence whether a product is selected for this designation. Here’s how you can improve your chances of obtaining the Amazon's Choice badge:
1. Optimize for High Relevance and Quality
The Amazon's Choice badge is awarded to products that have a high relevance to the search terms associated with them. This means your product must be a close match to what customers are searching for. Ensure your product titles, descriptions, and keywords are optimized for relevance.
At this point, SellerSprite offers Amazon sellers powerful tools to optimize your keywords and listings.
2. Maintain Competitive Pricing
Ensure your product with a competitive price. This doesn't necessarily mean the cheapest, but it should reflect good value within its category.
You can ultilize SellerSprite's Competitor Lookup tool to analyze your competitors' pricing strategies and adjust yours as needed to remain competitive.
3. Achieve High Customer Satisfaction and Ratings
Products with high customer ratings and low return rates are more likely to be awarded as Amazon's Choice. So remember to focus on delivering excellent product quality and customer service to maintain high ratings and positive reviews.
4. Ensure Prime Eligibility
Products that are eligible for Amazon Prime are more likely to be labeled the Amazon's Choice badge. This is partly because Prime products usually offer fast shipping, which is a key factor that some customers may consider when making their purchases.
5. Keep Products Well-Stocked
To maintain or achieve the Amazon's Choice badge, it's critical to keep your products consistently available by actively managing your inventory and forecasting future demand. This proactive approach helps prevent stockouts, which can adversely affect your eligibility for or retention of the badge.
6. Focus on Fast and Reliable Shipping
The efficiency and reliability of delivery are crucial. Taking advantage of Amazon's logistics by implementing Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) facilitates to maintain the superior customer service standards associated with Amazon Prime products.
7. Monitor Performance Metrics
Always keep a close eye on your seller metrics. High-performance metrics can influence your eligibility for the Amazon's Choice badge. This may include factors like on-time delivery, customer feedback, and order defect rate.
Controversies and Criticisms
Despite its apparent benefits, Amazon's Choice has faced its share of criticism:
- Obscure Criteria: A significant problem is the lack of clarity regarding the criteria for selecting Amazon's Choice products. Amazon has not disclosed the exact metrics it uses, sometimes can lead to speculation and distrust about the authenticity and reliability of these recommendations.
- Manipulation Concerns: There are worries that some sellers might be gaming the system by artificially inflating ratings and reviews to secure the Amazon's Choice badge. This manipulation can deceive customers concerning the actual quality of these products.
- Quality Inconsistency: Some users and consumer reports have pointed out that Amazon's Choice items do not always live up to expectations, questioning the reliability of the badge as a mark of quality assurance.
Conclusion
While Amazon's Choice offers a quick and easy way to identify popular and well-rated products, it shouldn't be the only factor considered by buyers when making a purchase. Consumers should use it as a starting point and also look at detailed customer reviews and compare other products before making a final purchase. For sellers, the pursuit of the Amazon's Choice badge should align with the core principles of quality, customer satisfaction, and transparency.
In essence, Amazon's Choice serves to streamline the shopping process and highlight products that perform well, but both consumers and sellers should approach this feature with a critical eye, recognizing its benefits while also considering other essential factors to make the most informed decisions on the platform.
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