1. Amazon teams up with Meta for 1-Click social shopping
Hands up – who doesn’t think they spend enough time on Facebook and/or Instagram already? Well, brace yourselves, because Meta and Amazon are teaming up to fuse shoppers’ social media accounts with the marketplace, offering on-Amazon shopping without ever leaving their feeds.
According to CNBC, the goal is to keep users engaged in Insta or Facebook, removing the hassle of switching out to Amazon to shop.
“For the first time, customers will be able to shop Amazon’s Facebook and Instagram ads and check out with Amazon without leaving the social media apps,” explained Amazon’s spokesperson.
Similar to the Pinterest/ Amazon partnership we covered in May 2023, shoppers will be able to see real-time pricing, Prime eligibility, delivery estimates and product details on Amazon product ads shown within the feeds of Meta apps.
Will it work?
It would be hard to see it not working.
The partnership with Pinterest has already shown fantastic returns for the platform, with Pinterest reporting “better-than-expected” Q3 results – and of course, Meta’s apps have more active users than Pinterest.
Also, partnering with Meta opens avenues for brands to reach a new customer base.
Meta’s ads are delivered via interests and behavioural targeting rather than Amazon and Pinterest’s intentional, keyword search-based models, offering brands a whole new way to be “discovered”.
When is it coming to the UK?
Obviously, the partnership is being launched in the US – but, given the revenues on the table, we don’t think it’ll be too long before it gets rolled out to us.
Watch this space!
Why not hit the ground running? Speak to our award-winning Amazon Ads team and get your strategy in place ready for roll-out.
2. Unexpected Amazon Storage Charges on your account? Here’s what you should do…
Amazon’s storage charging structure can be mystifying at best, and we’ve seen a fair few of our client relationships begin with a cry for our help in unpicking unexpected invoices and bewildering amounts. So, with the Christmas stock season in full force, here’s how to deal with – and prevent – unforeseen storage charges cropping up.
So you’ve been charged. But what – exactly – have you been charged for?
The first step is to understand exactly what the charges relate to.
It’s easy to assume they stem from overages, but they could also be linked to peak storage fees or aged inventory surcharges.
Go to the Payments Dashboard in Transaction View and examine your Service Fees for a breakdown of your incurred expenses.
If there’s anything in there you don’t think is right, reach out to Seller Support to contest it and request a refund.
Prevention is better than cure…
Inventory management is one of Amazon’s biggest challenges, but poor stock management brings more than just the potential for heavy Amazon charges.
Tying up working capital to put massive amounts of stock into FBA is one of the key culprits for onerous charges.
On the other hand, going out of stock on items costs a lot more than just some missed sales – hitting your sales velocity, suppressing your placements and causing Buy Box issues.
And don’t forget, stockouts can also happen if you hit capacity limits!
In the first in our series of expert webinars, we looked at this topic in-depth, calling on the know-how of our friends at MerchantSpring, the brilliantly intuitive eComm Analytics platform.
The key to good stock management is to have accurate, real-time data at your fingertips at all times.
Software like MerchantSpring makes it far simpler to avoid surprise charges and out-of-stocks, with tools that let you set stock-level alerts and all the historical data you need to forward-plan.
Inside Amazon, you can also use your Restock Inventory report, checking them before you dispatch shipments.
The insights here are invaluable, with recommendations that are adjusted to factor in your capacity limits.
Need expert help to get your stock management on the right track? Speak to our team
3. Please Amazon, bring Buy with Prime to the UK – here’s why…
Still only available in the US following last January’s wider rollout, Amazon’s Buy with Prime is a brilliant initiative that brings all the benefits of Prime membership to a brand’s own online store. Here are the top 3 reasons we wish they’d get around to launching it here too…
It’s just so convenient for consumers…
And that means better conversion rates at checkout.
After all, there’s a reason why Prime membership has doubled since 2018, and it’s not just about the sport and the promotions.
In fact, Amazon’s internal data says that Buy with Prime increases shopper conversion by an average 25%, compared to checkouts where Buy with Prime wasn’t an option.
Fast, free shipping, easy returns, on-Amazon tracking and a seamless checkout – not to mention the trust bestowed by the Amazon name – add up to a heady mix that’s tough for consumers to ignore.
It’s especially great for brands looking to build D2C relationships
For brands who’ve seen their biggest growth to date through Amazon, there comes a point when it’s time to build a D2C relationship.
But moving from the ease of Amazon to a merchant site can be a tough ask for consumers used to effortless Prime purchasing.
The option to Buy with Prime removes that perceived friction from the path to sale, letting newer brands continue their growth on Amazon and beyond.
Brands can leverage their Amazon Reviews
For any brand seeking strong growth on Amazon, reviews are key and many businesses put much investment into nurturing customer feedback to consolidate their marketplace position.
Click here to speak to our experts about growing your reviews
So it’s such a shame that you can’t leverage their trustworthy power on your own site…
Unless you’ve got Buy with Prime!
Shoppers on sites using Buy with Prime can now see authentic Amazon reviews – including that iconic star rating – on off-Amazon product pages.
Now, we know that this can sometimes be a double-edged sword, what with fake reviews and bad actors still targeting Amazon products.
But we think the good far outweighs the potential of the bad – after all, brands should be active and vigilant in their fight against fake reviews anyway.
Read more about fake reviews in our 2 Nov edition – and speak to our specialists if you have any concerns about bad actors targeting your brand.
What do you think – is your brand hoping to use Buy with Prime when it does arrive at Amazon UK?
4. Coming soon to our Sector Insights…
What’s next in our Sector insights series? Well, we’re just about to publish our Garden and Outdoor whitepaper…
We’re just putting the finishing touches to our latest category deep-dive, this time exploring what makes Garden & Outdoor such an attractive proposition.
This competitive sector has exploded in recent years, driven by lots of factors – pandemic lockdowns, cost-crisis DIY, biophilic decor and social media trends among them.
What will we be covering?
- The four subcategories with the most promise for profits and growth
- Insights and opportunities to help your brand thrive
- Lessons from the leading brands
- Our teams’ expert tips for a standout Storefront; and
- Our top tips for success!
- And much more…
Want to get a sneak peek when it goes live?
Make sure you’re signed up for our email newsletter – it’ll be making its debut there early next week!
Want to explore how best to maximise any of these opportunities for your Amazon business?
