MGR Amazon Weekly Update | November 19, 2019
Top News This Week
Harvard Conducted a Thorough Study of Why Some Listings Sell Better Than Others, Here’s What They Found
The whole report is worth a read, but here’s our quick summary and thoughts.
They found that the type of page design that will most resonate with your customers depends on two primary criteria: (1) the trustworthiness of your brand and (2) the degree to which customers can evaluate the product by reading about it rather than experiencing it (for example, by touching it or trying it on).
They also found that online customer experiences have four dimensions: informative, entertaining, social, and sensory. Which dimensions your listing should focus on depends on the product/brand.
They separated products in to two major categories in order for you to determine which dimensions would benefit your listing best: Search products, and Experience products.
Search Products: These are products that customers mostly buy based on factual information. Their example was that WiFi routers that sell best are ones that can most clearly convey the facts and specifications that the router has.
Experience Products: These are products that benefit more from a listing’s “warmth, sociability, and human touch.” These are products that customers would typically touch, feel, try-on, etc. in a physical environment that they can’t in a digital one.
They also get into more detail on how to specifically craft listings once you’ve accessed the best approach based on the info above.
Our conclusion: This report was very informative for those looking to increase on page conversion rates, but what it lacks is any mention of Amazon SEO or increasing click-thru-rates from the search page to the listing page. Definitely give the full report a read, but keep in mind there’s more to listings than just the conversion rate.
P.S. We will be releasing our own highly detailed listing guide that we use internally when auditing or creating new listings soon, so keep your eyes out for that 😉
Nike is Pulling its Products Off of Amazon
This is major blow to Amazon because landing Nike was a large victory for them in 2017 after years of trying. After two years of issues including Amazon’s rampant counterfeit problems, Nike has finally decided to leave.
Nike recently announced that they are bringing on ex-Ebay CEO, John Donahoe, as their new CEO, and this is his first major move. He was hired primarily for his eCommerce expertise, and this is a move that could send shock waves throughout the Amazon ecosystem.
Amazon desperately wants major brands to sell on their site, but brands like Nike know that they have enough pull that they can go direct-to-consumer and bypass Amazon completely.
The question for Amazon is how far does this trickle down? The biggest advantage small and upcoming brands get from Amazon is massive exposure and distribution. But, if those brands can build up enough of a reputation and loyal customer base they too may choose to leave Amazon to focus on their eCommerce sites instead.
Other Notable Links:
1. Amazon is opening a its own grocery store chain separate from Whole Foods in an attempt to compete with Kroger and others – THE VERGE
2. Running an eCommerce business can very hard at times, it helps to read a thoughtful piece like this every now and then – PAUL JARVIS BLOG
3. Where is eCommerce tech headed? Here are 5 trends on the horizon – HACKER NOON
4. Getting the most out of your Facebook ads (Part 1): A peak behind the curtain of Facebook ad auctions – MGR
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