1. Are your products eligible for the Amazon Small Business Search Filter?
We love the Amazon Small Business badge, the mighty little icon that brings Big Seller energy to up-and-comers, challengers and maker brands on marketplace.
And so the news that Amazon is testing a dedicated Small Business search filter was happily welcomed here at Venture Forge HQ!
As part of their efforts to keep supporting smaller enterprises, Amazon is testing the filter across a number of country sites – including the UK and US.
The filter will appear under the “Business Type” category in customer search results, allowing shoppers to separate out those products made by small business brands and artisans.
Are our products eligible?
Basically, if your products carry the Small Business badge, then yes.
To qualify for the Small Business badge, your business must be either:
- A brand owner registered with Amazon’s Brand Registry; or
- Part of the Handmade programme.
You also need to fall within Amazon’s definition of a small business, which was explained to Forbes as being those with “fewer than 100 employees and total annual revenues of less than $50 million” by Keri Cusick, Director of Small Business Empowerment for Amazon.
If your business is eligible, all products within your registered brands are included.
What are the benefits of displaying an Amazon Small Business badge?
Studies show that Amazon badges can significantly influence customers’ purchasing decisions, bringing an extra layer of trust and credibility that boosts your listings – and your sales.
In fact, stats from SaaS giants Semrush showed that:
“91% of the time, consumers will choose small businesses when convenient, and 74% look for ways to support small businesses even if it’s not convenient.”
In short, displaying the Small Business Badge:
- Can boost your sales
- Enhances product performance
- Optimises your listings for better visibility
- Allows you entry to Amazon special events and promotions
How do we apply for the Amazon Small Business Badge?
You just need to be enrolled in Brand Registry or the Handmade programme.
To confirm whether you’re eligible or not, contact Seller Partner Support with your brand name, company details, business address and designated merchant token ID – or click here to speak to our expert team.
2. Evri are here – but how do you use them for your SFP brand?
The UK’s biggest parcel delivery company were added as an Amazon-approved carrier for Seller Fulfilled Prime (SFP) last month. But how do you make use of their vast delivery network for your brand?
Delivering more than 700 million parcels every year, working for 80% of the UK’s top retailers and with 30,000+ couriers and 10,000+ ParcelShops and Lockers, there’s no denying the power of Evri’s ever-growing network – and now you can access it for your own SFP brand.
Wait. What’s SFP?
Seller Fulfilled Prime is where you deliver products direct to domestic Prime customers from your own warehouse and are able to display the Prime badge for those products.
To qualify, you must commit to fulfil Prime orders with approved Prime delivery carriers and with no extra charges for Prime customers.
Because Prime is a high bar, Amazon approve a fixed range of couriers based on an assessment of their efficiency and reliability – and now Evri has attained a high enough rating to join the list.
Why would you use SFP over FBA?
Actually, our fulfilment specialists say they’re best used together.
FBA is great for products which you know have a quick turnaround and strong demand.
But, for those items that are slower-moving or experience hit-and-miss purchase patterns, SFP can be a cheaper and more manageable option.
How do I use Evri for my SFP brand?
Best to check out Evri’s rates first – so head here to make sure they work for you before you go any further.
Once you’ve qualified for Seller Fulfilled Prime and your trial period is successfully completed, simply…
- Stock up your own warehouse with your SFP inventory
- Process your orders
- Choose Evri as your approved carrier when you buy your shipping labels
- Pick, pack and ship the same day with your Evri courier
Need expert help? Click here to speak to our specialists
More useful links:
3. Amazon tasks Artificial Intelligence with spotting damaged goods
Amazon is turning to AI in its fight to reduce the number of damaged items being shipped to customers.
Is this a big issue?
It might not seem so at first glance, but when taken in the context of the billions of items Amazon ships every year, the reported figures of 1 damaged item in every 1,000 shipped begin to add up.
With improving customer experience top of the charts for Amazon, reducing the number of damaged items they ship is vitally important.
How will it work?
Amazon says the AI process is 3x more likely to spot damage than an employee (who has hundreds of wildly varying items to pack and targets to meet).
Scanners will check products placed into bins, and identify those the AI recognises as potentially damaged.
Those products are then physically checked by Amazon workers, who make a final decision on whether the item should be classed as faulty stock or shipped.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Amazon hopes that the technology will not only help its human warehouse workers to screen damaged goods, but also result in even speedier picking and packing times.
But the biggest return is over the long-term, where Amazon ultimately sees AI and robotics playing a key role in their move towards a more automated fulfilment system by taking over these sorts of physically/ mentally demanding and repetitive tasks.
Is this good news for Sellers?
Yes absolutely – if performance improves as Amazon hopes, then happy customers = more sales = happy Sellers.
Currently live in two warehouses and set to be rolled out to 10 more across the US and Europe, watch this space!
See also:
- “Introducing Sparrow, Amazon’s new fulfilment robot”, Venture Forge update on 1 December 2022
4. Do you want to revolutionise your Amazon business? We’ve got just the thing…
Next week (at 10am on 22 June 2023, to be precise), join us as we launch our all-new series of Amazon Experts webinars…
Each one a power-packed, 30-minute deep dive into the world of Amazon, this first session sees us welcome industry-leading experts Andy Banks and Paul Sonneveld as they reveal the untapped potential of using accurate, real-time Amazon data to drive profitability and growth for your Amazon business.
As always, this must-see event will be packed with value – and it’s free!
But, with limited spaces available, time is of the essence.
Click here to sign up now, and access:
- Exclusive insights from Andy, an Amazon agency owner who oversees £44m in annual Amazon sales.
- A chance to explore the brilliantly user-friendly analytics platform, Merchant Spring, with Paul.
- The opportunity to unlock the secrets to Amazon success!
