Is Amazon losing its search bias?

HOT TOPIC

"For whatever reason, there is now a change in the extent to which Amazon's search rankings give preference to their own products," said Joel Waldfogel, professor of applied economics at the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management.

In his email to The Register, Waldfogel discloses his study of eight million Amazon search listings across 22 Amazon domains in the US, Europe, and elsewhere, between late June 2023 and March 2024. His research was titled "Amazon Self-preferencing in the Shadow of the Digital Markets Act".

Quick Recap

In September 2023, the US Federal Trade Commission sued Amazon, alleging biased search results – among other things. 

Amazon has denied the allegations. "Our ranking models do not differentiate on the basis of whether the product is sold by Amazon Retail or a Seller or whether it is an Amazon product or a third-party product," Amazon reported. 

Europe’s Digital Marketers Act (DMA) called Amazon a gatekeeper. They urged them to comply with new policies.

Key Findings

• First, Amazon gave its own products search ranks that were, on average, 24 positions better. These are searches based on criteria like star ratings, prices, and other product characteristics.
• Second, the Amazon rank differential gap is huge compared to the 142 brands included in the study.
• Third, the rank of Amazon products in Amazon search results changed substantially: the Amazon rank differential fell from a 30, to a 20 rank advantage, while other brands' search ranks did not change. This was after DMA's warning.

What does it mean for sellers?

For now, Amazon has lessened its self-preferencing tendencies. But the competition to rank remains the same. It’s still open for debate if this change will do harm or good to both buyers and sellers alike.

TOGETHER WITH WALMART MARKETPLACE

Sell Big, Save Big: Launch your business on Walmart Marketplace

Sell Big, Save Big: Launch your business on Walmart Marketplace

Tired of limited reach and high fees? 

It's time to tap into millions of eager customers with Walmart Marketplace! 

For a limited time, new sellers on Walmart Marketplace get: 

• Up to 50% off on referral fees for three months; 
• Up to 50% off on Walmart Fulfillment Services*; and 
• Instant access to powerful sales tools like advertising and competitive pricing!

Be the next success story on Walmart.com!

How did Miko grow by 115% GMV in just one year?*

By leveraging the 2-day shipping of Walmart Fulfillment Services to increase GMV by 1573%* on items that did not previously have 2-day shipping!

Ready to be the next Miko? Start selling now and get up to 50% off on referral and fulfillment fees.**

Unlike other platforms, Walmart Marketplace offers:

• ZERO monthly or setup fees
• Unmatched transparency—clear, competitive fees with no hidden costs.
• The unique omnichannel advantage that lets you tap into millions of customers across their online and physical stores.

Sign up today and claim your exclusive savings!

Start selling on Walmart.com.

*Source: Walmart first-party data, 2021-22

**Conditions apply.

BITES OF THE WEEK

• Facebook Fail:Facebook Marketplace ranked the lowest for anti-scam measures.
• Recommending Success: The Fulfillment Insight Dashboard just got updated with personalized recommendations.
• Unlikely Return: The logistics sector may not return to previous stability.

SOCIAL PULSE

3 New TikTok controls for brands

3 New TikTok controls for brands

TikTok has announced 3 innovations to keep their promise of creating a “brand-safe environment for advertisers.”

Updates on TikTok Inventory Filter

The Inventory Filter launched in 2022. It allowed advertisers to control where the content will appear in the For You feed. Now, it has expanded to include additional controls. Advertisers can choose from three inventory tiers—Expanded, Standard, or Limited—based on sensitivity or risk levels.

• Category Exclusion allows you to control ad placement next to non-standard content categories like Gambling & Lotteries, Violent Video Games, Combat Sports, and Youth Content.
• Vertical Sensitivity enables you to excludevertical-related content that does not align with their brand positioning.
• Verified Third-Party Results. TikTok works with third-party measurement partners to make sure the content next to your ads is brand-safe and suitable.

Unified Hub in TikTok Ads Manager

Brand Safety Hub has also launched. It aims to streamline brand safety and create cohesion for advertisers.

All these updates give you more control and confidence when showcasing your brand via TikTok Ads.

SELLER REFRESHER

6 steps in producing quality product photos

6 steps in producing quality product photos

Product photos influence customers' purchasing decisions by providing visual information about your product. High-quality photos can enhance customer satisfaction, maintain brand reputation, and reduce return rates.

Amazon offers 6 tips to help you give customers the best visuals possible. 

• Highlight key features. You can do this through composition and styling. Try framing your product in different positions and camera angles. Style your photos by experimenting with lighting, colors, textures, and additional elements.
• Use a white background. White creates a clean, focused look that enhances product details. Best practice: Have white background images and consider additional backgrounds.
• Put your product in the best light. Quality lighting accurately represents product colors, textures, and details. Experiment with natural and artificial lighting to find what works best for your product.
• Set up your product shot. Place the product on a chosen background, ensuring it's centered and flat. Set up properly with a tripod and adjust settings for sharp, focused images. Remember to take multiple shots – some for safety and backup.
• Edit and enhance your photos. Don't skimp on retouching to ensure attractive shots. Just make sure to adhere to product image requirements.
• Optimize ecommerce photos. Consider using JPEG, GIF, and PNG formats for compression and quality. Utilize alt text for visually impaired customers and SEO. Also, you should offer mobile and responsive images for improved user experience across devices.

By following these tips and utilizing available resources, brands can create compelling product photos that attract customers and drive sales in any ecommerce marketplace.