A lovely Sunday morning and happy (almost) Prime Day to our U.S. sellers. This week’s weekly roundup falls special this weekend in anticipation of the biggest Amazon day of the year. For all you drowning in Prime Day prep, we’ve pooled together your last-minute, peace-of-mind-get-you-through-the-night resource.
Your Guide to Getting Through Prime Day 2021 Without Panicking
Don’t Waste Your Ad Spend on the Wrong Advertisement Type
How to Use the Small and Light Program to Cut Costs and Increase Profits
THE BIG IDEA
Here we are again, standing before the biggest Amazon event of the year, and we can't help but wonder… are we ready? Did we prepare enough? Obviously, it's a little earlier than usual, and the uncertainties of the past year are off-putting, but that doesn't mean we can't have a thriving Prime Day!
It's easy to get caught up in the worry of it all, but now it's time to pat yourself on the back. We've put together a simple and easy Prime Day 101 checklist to get you through the next 2 days. Are you ready?
▢ Inventory is well prepared: You're well stocked with enough inventory to last you through the event. This is especially important for electronics, apparel, appliances, and jewelry which did significantly well last Prime Day.
▢ Listings are optimized: Your images are high-quality, and your titles/descriptions are compelling with keywords relevant to your product.
▢ Backend Search Terms: Search terms are updated for Prime Day and are not repeated within the listing. They include similar and relevant words/terms to your product.
▢ Deals and Discounts: Your deals and discounts have been submitted and in line with your Prime Day objectives.
▢ PPC Campaigns Optimized: You've reviewed your campaigns and updated them up in preparation for increased visibility on Prime Day.
▢ Amazon Resources: You're taking advantage of Amazon features available to your brands like Amazon Live and Posts to help boost traffic and highlight specific products.
▢ External Traffic: Use your social media channels or website to build awareness and excitement for your sales and products on Amazon.
Just to give you a little insight, this is how Prime Day 2020 went last year:
And there you have it, folks, your pre-prime day scoop. Happy Prime Day!
THIS WEEK'S BITES
NEW ON AMAZON
For those who don’t want to admit it, here it is - Amazon advertising can be challenging. If it feels like everyone around you is grasping the idea so effortlessly, trust me, I get it. But, with all the strategies, tactics, and guides out there, how can you not get overwhelmed? As an Amazon seller, understanding the differences between ad types is critical, and if you want to run a campaign effectively, here's where to start.
Sponsored Products
Sponsored products are the most commonly used ad type on Amazon. They blend in easily with the rest of the search results (unless you know where to look) and essentially appear as an organic result with the best spot in the house.
Use Sponsored Products if you want to…
Sponsored Brands
The sponsored brand ad type is an attention-grabbing ad that appears above search results. It features your logo, multiple products, and a custom tagline. This ad type is available only to brand-registered sellers and is a great way to bring attention to your storefront. Of the 3 brand types, this had the greatest RoAS for 30 days. If you want to draw attention and showcase more from your brand, this could be the right ad type for you.
Use Sponsored Brands if you want to…
Sponsored Display
The sponsored display ad is the least used ad type; however, the number of brands using it is increasing. Like sponsored brands, the sponsored display is only available for those who are brand registered.
According to Amazon, the sponsored display ad is "a self-service display advertising solution that helps you grow your business and brand on Amazon by engaging shoppers across the purchase journey, on and off Amazon." Instead of targeting keywords, you target consumer behavior and retarget those who have already seen your listing. This ad type is great for reaching those who are already interested in your product and guiding them towards adding your product to cart, whether they are browsing on Amazon or not.
Use Sponsored Display if you want to…
Each brand has different objectives, so selecting the ad type that aligns best with your goals is best. Understanding the different kinds of advertising types available to you is essential, especially with the increasing competition in the marketplace.
TRENDS TO FOLLOW
If you haven't heard about Amazon's Small and Light program yet, here's your chance to take advantage of the benefits it has to offer - that is, if you're qualified. We all know that Amazon FBA costs and fees can add up, especially if your products are on the heftier side, but if they aren't, you might be paying more than you need to. The Small and Light program is designed to reward those who sell smaller, easier to handle, fast-moving products. Since smaller products typically sell for less, the program ensures that the fees still enable you to make a profit.
If you're qualified, the benefits not only reduce fees that would typically eat into your profits, the Small and Light program also offers free 3-5 day delivery to prime members, A-Z guarantee, and special promotions if your products are priced under $5.
Are you eligible?
The following requirements are required to qualify for the Small and Light program:
Additionally, there are 2 tiers your product could fall under for this program, small standard and large standard. Your products size and weight classify which tier it falls under:
Small Standard:
Large Standard:
If your products are qualified, this is an excellent opportunity to cut costs and increase your profits on Amazon. Why spend when you could be earning more with each sale?
ACTIONABLE ADVICE
Are you caught up with what's trending on Amazon, because the influencers sure know what's up! With increased social shopping, dynamic social platforms, and content sharing, people are regularly turning towards influential figures for advice and recommendations. Amazon's influencer program allows users with a loyal following to create their own storefront and recommended pages. Sellers could take advantage of this by connecting with existing Amazon influencers or recommending the program to people who could promote their products.