In the past several weeks, we have received a large number of notices from Amazon that entries belonging to one or more dealers in the FBSW program have been merged into a single listing. Amazon has made these merges because their automated systems identified multiple listings as being, essentially, the same product. As such, they will display a single listing in the marketplace, with one vendor chosen to be associated with the “buy box,” and the remainder listed as additional vendors.
We have spoken at length with Amazon on this strategy, as we know it may significantly impact the visibility of some listings. As these merges are in line with Amazon’s goal of creating a highly efficient process for its customers, the listings will remain merged, and future listings are subject to being merged as well.
How will this impact you?
As mentioned earlier, merged listings provide a more efficient experience for the customer, by grouping together all merchants selling the same product into a single listing, and then choosing the best price / most favorably reviewed dealer as the primary seller, then displaying additional purchasing options below.
As one of those dealers, your first option is to continue to compete in the new environment. Big Commerce has an excellent article on the Buy Box and what you need to do to be the featured seller. (https://www.bigcommerce.com/blog/win-amazon-buy-box/#what-is-the-amazon-buy-box)
Unfortunately, there’s only one Buy Box, which means you may not have the option to simply compete. Your other option, then, is to create product descriptions for your products that are unique enough that Amazon’s algorithms will not combine your products with other dealers’.
- If your listings have not yet been merged, you should be able to accomplish this by personalizing your content above and beyond what was provided to you in the Amazon template. This means adding a significant amount of your own wording into the product description and the bullet points- even to the point of rearranging the order of the bullet points. The goal of these changes are to make sure your listings are absolutely your own- that a customer understands what sets your listings apart from the listings of your competitors’.
- If your listings have been merged, changing the contents will no longer suffice. You will need to, instead, delete the existing listing, and then add a new listing using the suggestions above- your entry must go well beyond the basic information provided to you in the Amazon template to distinguish your entry and convince Amazon’s algorithm that the experience the customer will receive when ordering from you is unique to you.
While we understand that neither of these options may be particularly palatable to you, your success as a seller in the Amazon Marketplace hinges on your ability to adjust your strategies as Amazon adjusts its direction.