You’ve thoroughly researched your market, you’ve sourced the perfect product. But DISASTER… it’s not selling!
If this has happened to you, don’t worry. It happens to all Amazon sellers, beginners and veterans.
And yes, it sucks.
But the important thing is to figure out why it’s not selling and either change your tactics and hope it does better, or write it off as experience and learn for the future.
Here are 5 questions to ask yourself when your product isn’t selling.
- Are your competitors doing a better job than you?
Search for your target keywords and take a look at the sellers who’re selling the same, or very similar, items as you. Are they cheaper? Do they have more reviews? What about their images and descriptions, are they better than yours?
Your competitors are often the reason you’re not making sales – they’re making them all! Put yourself in the shoes of your target audience, why would they choose to buy from them over you? How could you change that?
- Have you differentiated your product?
If you’re not making your product different to your competitors’ then why would they buy from you when they could get it cheaper elsewhere? – And there’s ALWAYS someone selling it cheaper. For example, a seller based in China selling Chinese-made products is going to have lower prices simply because they are in the country that produces the product.
How can I differentiate?
Depending on your product or category, there are several ways. You could differentiate by:
- Size
- Packaging
- Origin
- Added features or ingredients
- Branding
- Offering a ‘bonus’
- Have you optimised your listing for terms people are actually searching for?
It’s easy to get this one wrong. A common error is optimising your listing for terms people use when they’re researching, rather than buying.
It might be necessary to go back to square one and make sure those keywords are 100% right.
- Have you checked your product is indexed for your search terms?
If your listing is indexed for a keyword it means it will show as a result when a customer types that term into the search bar. By checking your keyword indexing you can verify which words your product will be shown as a result for.
You always want to be on page 1 of the search results, preferably in the top 6. If you’re not, it may be due to your indexing.
How can I check if my product is indexed?
First, take your ASIN (found in the URL or the product information)
Paste the ASIN into the search box along with the keyword you want to be indexed for.
One result and it’s your product – so it’s indexed.
TOP TIP: If you’re not indexed, the fastest way to get indexed is through Amazon PPC.
- Are you too early to the market?
It’s also possible you’re ahead of the curve. You’ve launched your product, maybe in a new category, and nobody is searching for it. The demand doesn’t exist… yet. Stick with it!
It’s beyond frustrating when your product isn’t selling but don’t fret! Find out why it isn’t selling and then figure out how to fix it.
But sometimes you’ll just have a dud. This is why I suggest making your first order SMALL. A hundred units as opposed to a thousand. That way you’re not as financially invested in the success or failure of your product. Plus, it’s way easier to sell off a hundred units than a thousand.
I hope this has helped some of you. If you’re having any issues with selling on Amazon, please check out all my articles. You just might find the answer 😉
See you all soon!
Big hugs
Stacey xx