Challenges with Amazon’s AI Altering Product Titles and Impact on Returns
- When managing brand listings on Amazon, be aware of recent challenges with Amazon’s AI system. SwitchEasy’s experience, where their product title was altered by AI, leading to misinformation and a spike in returns, highlights the need for vigilance. Amazon’s current process seems to bypass prior approval for title changes, impacting seller control.
- Key takeaways include:
- 1) Regularly monitor product listings for any AI-induced changes;
- 2) If managing a Brand Registered product, utilize the ability to revert unauthorized changes;
- 3) Maintain persistent and clear communication with Amazon’s seller support, including requests for calls to address specific issues;
- 4) Explore options to opt out of future AI interventions. This awareness will be crucial in ensuring accurate product representation and maintaining customer satisfaction for the brands we manage.
Leveraging Brand Tailored Promotions in New International Markets
- Amazon’s expansion of Brand Tailored Promotions to the UK, Germany, Spain, Italy, France, Mexico, and Canada offers a significant opportunity for brand owners to engage with high-intent customers through customized promotional codes. This program allows for discounts ranging from 10% to 50% on brand catalog products, targeting diverse customer groups such as repeat buyers, high-spenders, recent customers, and cart abandoners. This strategic approach is especially beneficial during holiday seasons to maximize traffic and sales and to convert potential customers, particularly cart abandoners, into actual purchasers. You should leverage this expansion to enhance sales strategies and customer engagement in these international markets, drawing on resources like the Brand Tailored Promotions help page and success stories like Luminara’s for guidance.
Important Changes to Amazon Listing Document Types Effective February 2024
- Amazon is implementing changes to standardize product listings and improve customer access to product information. Effective January 29, 2024, certain document types will no longer be supported for upload or editing on product detail pages. This includes 2D CAD, 3D CAD, Application Guides, Brochures, Comparison Charts, Compatibility Guides, FAQs, Size Guides, Specification Sheets, and Product Documentation. While existing documents of these types will remain viewable to customers until February 26, 2024, they will be removed from product detail pages and Seller Central after this date. Our team is advised to update any affected listings by either transferring content from unsupported document types to the product description or re-uploading it under one of the 14 supported document types. For detailed guidance and a complete list of supported document types, refer to the About Product Documents section on Amazon. This change necessitates prompt action to ensure our product listings remain compliant and informative for customers.
New Multi-Seller Image Display on Amazon Product Pages
- Starting January 31, Amazon will display images from multiple selling partners on product detail pages for hardlines product types. This aims to provide customers with a more comprehensive view of products, aiding in their purchase decisions. Each product page is now required to feature at least three images: one showing the product against a white background, another displaying the product in use or in an environment, and a third detailing size and fit information. This is a shift from the previous practice of showing images from only one selling partner. In cases where required images are missing, Amazon will supplement the page with images from other selling partners or its own database. Selling partners can contact Selling Partner Support to remove any incorrect images. For a deeper understanding of the new image requirements, adding images, and troubleshooting image-related issues, you should refer to the resources provided by Amazon under ‘Product image requirements’, ‘Add product images and video’, ‘Images not appearing on the detail page’, and ‘Image issues’. This change underscores the importance of high-quality, diverse product imagery in enhancing customer engagement and informed purchasing. Amazon Sellers are not happy as you can see on the Seller Forums post comments.
Ensuring Security and Compliance with Amazon-Vetted Third-Party Apps
- Amazon underscores the importance of using third-party apps that are vetted and approved by them to ensure the security and compliance of business operations. The key considerations include: ensuring that apps comply with Amazon’s Acceptable Use and Data Protection Policies for transparency and regulatory compliance, verifying data security in line with Amazon’s guidelines, and recognizing that Amazon continuously monitors and audits these apps for adherence to policies, including the accuracy of information regarding pricing and functionality. Apps failing to meet these standards are removed from the Selling Partner Appstore. To access Amazon-approved apps, visit the Selling Partner Appstore, and for more information on Amazon’s vetting process and data protection measures, consult their ‘Protecting your account and data’ section. This highlights the importance for our team in selecting secure, compliant third-party apps for business activities on Amazon.
Updated FBA Shipment Closure Policy Effective February 2024
- Amazon’s new automatic closure policy for Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) shipments, effective February 1, 2024, mandates that domestic shipments from the US arrive within 45 days and international shipments within 75 days of the shipment creation date. For multiple-destination shipping plans, shipments must arrive within 30 days after the first shipment. The policy, aiming to enhance shipment reliability, will consider shipments ‘arrived’ once their status changes to in-transit, checked-in, delivered, or receiving. Exceptions are made for delays due to unforeseen events like weather or port congestion. This change underscores the importance of timely shipment processing for efficient FBA operations.
New ‘Reduce Customer Returns’ Recommendation in Amazon’s Growth Opportunities Tool
- Amazon has introduced a ‘Reduce Customer Returns‘ recommendation within the Growth Opportunities tool, designed to help sellers decrease returns and enhance customer experiences. This feature provides insights based on return comments, customer questions, and reviews. It offers an estimate of the financial impact over 90 days if certain improvements are made to a product detail page. Recommendations for enhancing detail pages, identifying customer issue trends, and comparing listings with top-selling brands are also included. Additionally, it advises on the most impactful content placement within the title, bullet points, or product description. This tool is accessible to sellers with the Growth Opportunities tool and is a strategic asset in optimizing product listings for better performance and customer satisfaction.
Amazon’s Strategy and Challenges in Streaming Ad Market
- Amazon’s entry into streaming ads with Prime Video marks a significant move in the digital ad industry. Despite being a top ad seller, Amazon faces challenges in attracting nonendemic brands and proving ad effectiveness to traditional advertisers. Success hinges on high-quality content and strategic advertising approaches, like competitive pricing and leveraging detailed consumer data. Amazon’s focus shifts from performance marketers to broader brand awareness, requiring them to navigate a competitive market with established players like Disney and Netflix.
Backend Search Terms Expanded From 250-500 Bytes
- Amazon has recently doubled the backend search term limit for product listings from 250 to 500 characters. This expansion allows for more comprehensive and targeted keyword inclusion, enhancing the visibility and searchability of our brands on the platform. It’s important for our team to update the backend search terms to fully utilize this new limit. By strategically incorporating relevant keywords, we can improve product discoverability, align more closely with customer search behavior, and potentially increase sales. This update is a significant opportunity to refine your SEO strategy on Amazon, making our products more accessible to a wider audience.
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