The 14 Key Criteria for Winning the Buy Box on Amazon and How to Keep Your Metrics in Check
How is it that some offers are visible on Amazon while others do not appear in the Amazon Buy Box? The criteria for winning the small yellow button are the best-kept secret of the online giant, and qualifying for the Buy Box is not without its challenges. The Amazon algorithm decides based on certain rules which sellers are ideally suited for the field.
On Amazon, there are two types of sellers – Amazon itself and third-party sellers of branded goods and private label products. When multiple sellers offer the same branded goods, a competition arises for the field on the right side of the product detail page, where customers can add an item to their cart or purchase it directly using a yellow button.
Typically, there is only one Buy Box on each Amazon product detail page, and all sellers offering that branded good share this page. However, only the best of the best win the cart field. How? You will find out here.
What is the Amazon Buy Box?
Anyone who wants to become a seller on Amazon must know about it: the Amazon Buy Box, also known as the cart field in German, sometimes written as Buy Box or Buybox. The visually highlighted box on the product detail pages includes not only the price but also the yellow button labeled “Add to Cart.” Next to it is the “Buy Now” field, which allows customers to go directly to checkout. Essentially, it is the Amazon equivalent of the shopping cart in other online shops.
Since most customers do not take the time to check all offers for an item but simply click on the Buy Box to make a purchase, around 90% of all sales for a product go through the yellow button. The Buy Box thus guarantees a high sales rate for the respective seller’s items and optimizes sales figures on the marketplace.
Up to 90% of all sales occur in the Buy Box.
Given this prospect, placement in the small yellow box on the product detail page is as coveted as ever and is a primary goal for online sellers on Amazon to remain competitive. But what criteria influence the awarding of the Buy Box?
The Empty Chair
An Amazon myth states that Jeff Bezos always brings an empty chair to his meetings. He places it at the conference table like any other chair. However, throughout the entire meeting, no one sits in it.
The chair serves as a symbol – it represents the Amazon customer. The empty chair is meant to signify that the customer is essentially sitting at the table, reminding all participants that every decision is made for the benefit of the customer.
Whether this myth is true or not, one can easily imagine that the empty chair was present during discussions about the Buy Box algorithm. Therefore, it is no surprise that only the offers in the Buy Box promise the best customer experience.
If you want to win the Amazon Buy Box, you must primarily provide excellent customer service.
Overview of All Important Buy Box Criteria
| Metric | Definition | Winning the Buy Box |
|---|---|---|
| Shipping Method | Seller’s Shipping Method | FBA/Prime from the Seller |
| Final Price | Item Price plus Shipping Costs | The lower, the better. |
| Shipping Time | How long it takes for the goods to arrive | <= 2 days |
| Order Defect Rate | Negative Feedback Rate + A-Z Guarantee Claim Rate + Cancellation Rate | 0% |
| Cancellation Rate Before Order Fulfillment in % | Canceled Orders / Total Number of Orders | 0% |
| Rate of Valid Tracking Numbers | All deliveries for which the shipment status can be tracked | 100% |
| Rate of Late Deliveries | All deliveries that were delivered later than specified | 0% |
| Rate of On-Time Deliveries | Deliveries that were delivered on time | 100% |
| Dissatisfaction with Returns in % | Number of Negative Return Requests / Total Number of Return Requests | 0% |
| Seller Rating and Its Number | Total Number of Ratings Received by the Seller | The higher, the better. |
| Response Time | How long it takes for the seller to respond to customer inquiries | < 12 hours |
| Inventory | How often the seller is out of stock | The less frequently the seller is out of stock, the better. |
| Dissatisfaction with Customer Service in % | How often customers were dissatisfied with a response from the seller | The lower, the better. |
| Refund Rate | How often customers request a refund | The lower, the better. |
| Rate of Invoice Defects | Orders with Invoice Defects / Total Number of Orders from Business Customers | 0% |
Shipping method, offer price, shipping time, and inventory are not purely customer-specific metrics and are entirely in the hands of the seller. The remaining ten metrics for winning the Buy Box are closely tied to Amazon’s strategy and aimed at keeping customers happy. But let’s finally get into the details.
1. Shipping Method
To guarantee fast delivery, the processes surrounding the sale must be coordinated. Such optimization takes a lot of time and money. As an online seller, you know the amount of work involved in the processes surrounding the order:
The faster these processes run and shipping can begin, the more satisfied the customer will be, thereby increasing your chances of winning the yellow box.
Amazon has significantly advanced the optimization of internal processes for order fulfillment and has offered its own solution for several years with its “Fulfillment by Amazon” (FBA) program.
But what does FBA have to do with the Buy Box?
To do this, let’s compare the different shipping options on Amazon.
Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA)
The seller ships ready-to-ship goods to Amazon. Amazon provides storage capacity, handles packaging, shipping, and customer service. The items are labeled as Prime offers and marked with “Fulfilled by Amazon.” With Fulfillment by Amazon, the seller gains access to the most affluent customer group on Amazon, the Prime customers.
Shipping by Seller (Fulfillment by Merchant – FBM)
The seller is responsible for all processes related to shipping and customer service. Offers are not labeled as Prime offers. Since the entire fulfillment is in the seller’s hands, storage space, manpower, technology, etc., must be organized independently. Amazon acts here merely as a platform for offering products.
Prime by Seller / Seller Fulfilled Prime
In this shipping program, the seller’s goods are labeled as Prime offers. While Amazon selects the shipping service provider, it provides Prime shipping labels. The fulfillment and customer service are completely managed by the sellers themselves. This shipping method is particularly suitable for online sellers offering high-quality products, products with seasonal or unpredictable demand, fragile, or bulky items. However, the program is only accessible by invitation from Amazon and after thorough quality testing.
As you can see from the table above, the Amazon algorithm prefers products with Prime status – pure FBM offers often fall short in the battle for the Buy Box. This is intended to keep customer satisfaction at a high level.
And now?
Minimum Requirement and Ideal Value for the Buy Box
The minimum requirement for Buy Box qualification is shipping via FBM. To win the Buy Box, you should opt for FBA or Prime by Seller.
Tip: Weigh the Pros and Cons of Each Shipping Method
A fast delivery and excellent customer service are the most important prerequisites for winning the Buy Box, which are fully covered by Fulfillment by Amazon. Nevertheless, FBA is not suitable for all product groups. Therefore, weigh all the pros and cons of the shipping methods on Amazon and decide for yourself which shipping is best suited for which items. A competitive analysis can also help in making a decision. If you need more information about the different shipping methods on Amazon, you can read about it here.
2. Final Price
Sellers often confuse the final price with the product price when setting prices. The final price consists of the product price plus shipping costs. Amazon calculates the final price and displays the offers in the Buy Box in the corresponding order. Often, the lowest price has the highest share of the Buy Box. However, this is not only due to the price but also to the aggregation of other metrics that indicate which seller can provide the best buying experience.
Minimum Requirement and Ideal Value for Winning the Buy Box
According to Amazon, the price should be as low as possible. However, it is actually about the price-performance ratio. Therefore, do not try to compensate for the other metrics with the lowest price.
Tip: The Lowest Price Doesn’t Win
When you observe the offer prices on Amazon’s marketplace, you will notice that they change constantly. This is known as dynamic or rule-based price adjustment – the selling price is automatically adjusted to the market situation or competition, possibly in conjunction with a specific pricing strategy. You can read a comprehensive article on why dynamic repricing is crucial for winning the Buy Box in the price battle and how you can advance your price optimization here.
To put it briefly: With a rule-based adjustment in pricing – such as “My price must always be 5 cents below the lowest price” – the rule-based repricer takes into account the competition fighting for the small yellow button and pushes your prices down. In fact, rule-based repricers can also win the Buy Box (unless dynamic repricers are in play), but this comes at the expense of profitability. With dynamic repricing, the goal is to first enter the Buy Box and then play between the minimum and maximum offer price per item or product group. The price is automatically adjusted to the market situation and competition. This pricing strategy leads to the optimization of your margin.
3. Shipping Time
The faster the shipping, the better the reviews, and thus the chances of placing your offers in the cart field. The requirement for winning the Buy Box is therefore: the shipping time must not exceed two days. For qualification in the Buy Box, a shipping time of up to 14 days is sufficient, but these offers will hardly have a chance at the cart field in most cases.
Minimum Requirement and Ideal Value for the Buy Box
To qualify for the Buy Box, your shipping must not take longer than 14 days. If you want to win the field for yourself, the shipping should take less than two days.
Tip: Monitor Competition and Choose the Right Shipping Method
Delivery times often depend on the product category. Batteries or cosmetics are quickly packaged and shipped. In contrast, furniture or large appliances take several days to reach the customer. Monitor your competition to get an idea of the delivery times for certain product categories: if another seller promises delivery within two days for a similar product, that becomes the minimum requirement for you as well. However, do not stretch the delivery guarantee too far – late deliveries can negatively impact your seller rating on Amazon, which has consequences for your scoring and the placement of your offers in the Buy Box.
The Benchmark in Customer Service: Seller Performance
Seller performance consists of various metrics related to customer service. The importance of this composite value is highlighted by its English name: Account Health.
If the minimum requirements are not met, the seller account “suffers,” and Amazon feels compelled to restrict or even revoke the selling privileges. Thus, it is evident from the seller performance metric alone how important customer satisfaction is to Amazon. The customer service metrics included in seller performance are also the most important for determining the Buy Box.
Seller performance includes:
In the following, we will take a closer look at the individual metrics of seller performance.
4. Order Defect Rate
The order defect rate is influenced by negative reviews, A-to-Z Guarantee claims, and service-related credit card chargebacks. An order with a negative review OR an A-to-Z Guarantee claim OR a service-related credit card chargeback is considered a defect. This means that an order with both a negative review AND an A-to-Z Guarantee claim counts as only ONE defect.
The order defect rate is expressed as a percentage that relates to all orders in the last 60 days.
Formula: Order Defect Rate
Order Defect Rate in % = (Orders with at least one defect / Total number of orders) * 100
Minimum Requirement and Ideal Value for the Buy Box
The rate must not exceed 1%, as otherwise, the seller account is at risk of suspension. However, for winning the Buy Box, this value should be as close to 0% as possible.
Tip: How to Prevent Order Defects
For every eCommerce seller, optimizing shipping processes is extremely important. Therefore, you should invest sufficient resources in this area of your business.
Of course, you know that every order should leave your house in perfect condition. However, it is also clear that mistakes can happen, which you should address promptly.
To prevent both negative reviews and A-to-Z Guarantee claims, direct communication with customers is essential. In most cases, customers will seek contact with you before leaving a bad review or opening a guarantee case. This is your chance to turn an unhappy customer into a satisfied one by quickly and efficiently finding a solution to their problem.
Friendly and courteous communication gives your customers the feeling of being taken seriously and well cared for. And if you end up having to refund a few euros, it is still better than unnecessarily receiving a defect on an order.
However, be cautious of customers who try to deceive you. If the guarantee claim is unjustified and you can prove this to Amazon, the guarantee case will be rejected by Amazon and will not count as a defect.
5. Cancellation Rate Before Order Fulfillment
The second value that significantly influences seller performance is the cancellation rate before order fulfillment. This refers only to cancellations made by the seller.
This Amazon metric is important as it is an indicator of the seller’s inventory management. Amazon itself states:
“When a seller cancels a customer’s order before shipping, it is primarily due to the item being out of stock, according to our findings.”
Source: Amazon
In general, the cancellation rate is a percentage indicating how many orders were canceled by the seller within a specified period of seven days. By the way, it only applies to orders that the seller ships themselves.
Formula: Cancellation Rate
Cancellation Rate in % = (Canceled Orders / Total Number of Orders) * 100
Minimum Requirement and Ideal Value for Buy Box
The cancellation rate must not exceed 2.5%, otherwise, suspension is at risk. For winning the Buy Box, this value should be as close to 0% as possible.
Tip: How Can You Prevent Cancellations?
Inventory management is of great importance. Manage this work process with automated tools. Ensure automatic integration with Amazon to prevent overselling. Additionally, pay attention to purchasing trends and regularly check the inventory levels of the most popular items in your product range. Alternatively, you can also save resources by utilizing Amazon’s FBA service.
6. Rate of Late Deliveries
With Prime, Amazon has set standards for shipping in e-commerce in many ways. Customers want to receive their goods quickly and, above all, on time. Many customers rely on the estimated delivery dates. If these are not met, customers are disappointed and have a negative experience with Amazon. This can lead to guarantee claims and negative reviews, which should be avoided.
A delivery is considered late by Amazon if the shipping confirmation is sent AFTER the estimated shipping date has passed.
The rate of late deliveries is a percentage that reflects the portion of orders with late delivery compared to the total number of orders in the last 30 days. Like the cancellation rate, it only applies to sellers who handle shipping themselves.
Formula: Rate of Late Deliveries
Rate of Late Deliveries in % = (Number of Late Deliveries / Total Number of Deliveries) * 100
Minimum Requirement and Ideal Value for Buy Box
The rate of late deliveries must not exceed 4%. A rate above 4% can lead to account deactivation. To win the small yellow box, the value should be as close to 0% as possible.
Tip: How to Prevent Late Deliveries
The biggest lever when shipping from your own warehouse is the processes. Every additional action costs time. Manage all steps where possible with automated tools: from order processing in the back office to printing pick and pack lists as well as shipping labels, and updating the system once the goods have been shipped.
High employee turnover in the warehouse can also cause problems. Therefore, you should also focus on optimizing processes and employee satisfaction. A well-coordinated team that takes care of process optimization independently is invaluable.
If all of this seems too cumbersome or you want to save resources, simply use Amazon’s FBA service.
7. Rate of Valid Tracking Numbers
Tracking numbers are important for the customer. Once the package is on its way, the customer wants to be able to track where it is. Especially if the expected delivery date has passed, the customer wants to know why the package has not yet arrived. It is not uncommon for it to have been delivered to a neighbor without leaving a notification. By managing your shipping with tracking numbers, you can save yourself trouble and a lot of unnecessary communication.
The rate of valid tracking numbers is a percentage that shows the ratio of deliveries with valid tracking numbers to the total number of shipments in the last 30 days. This metric is also only relevant for sellers who handle shipping themselves.
Formula: Rate of Valid Tracking Numbers
Rate of Valid Tracking Numbers in % = (Number of Deliveries with Valid Tracking Numbers / Total Number of Deliveries) * 100
Minimum Requirement and Ideal Value for Buy Box
The rate of valid tracking numbers should be at least 95%. However, if it falls below 95%, the consequences are not as drastic as with the three previously mentioned metrics. Currently, Amazon does not impose negative consequences for non-compliance. For winning the Buy Box, the value should ideally be as close to 100% as possible.
Tip: How to Achieve 100%
All major shipping services, including USPS, FedEx, UPS, and DHL, offer free tracking. This should be automated to flow into your system and then automatically transmitted to Amazon. This ensures that no information is lost.
8. Rate of On-Time Deliveries
The transmission of valid tracking numbers to Amazon is important, as indicated by this metric. It shows how many of the deliveries shipped by the seller arrived on time for the customer. To measure punctuality, Amazon relies on information from the tracking data.
Amazon itself states:
“Customers repeatedly tell us that on-time delivery and the ability to track shipments significantly contribute to their satisfaction with an order.”
Source: Amazon
The rate of on-time deliveries indicates the percentage of on-time deliveries within a 30-day period. Since the tracking number is important for determining punctuality, Amazon only considers shipments that have this option for the calculation.
Formula: Rate of On-Time Deliveries
Rate of On-Time Deliveries in % = (Number of On-Time Deliveries / Total Number of Deliveries with Tracking Option) * 100
Minimum Requirement and Ideal Value for Buy Box
The threshold of 95% also applies to this metric. Although account suspension is not at risk here either, non-compliance will most likely cost you the Buy Box. To compete effectively in a contested Buy Box, the value should be much closer to 100%.
Tip: How to Prevent Late Deliveries?
Once the package has been handed over to the shipping service provider, it is outside of your control. Therefore, it is crucial to choose your shipping provider carefully. Even if one or the other is a few cents cheaper, consider whether you want to take the risk of late deliveries and the increased effort from customer inquiries. Our recommendation: it’s better to pay a little more for premium service. You might even save more resources this way than if you choose the cheapest provider.
9. Dissatisfaction with Returns in Percent
Of course, returns are not favored on Amazon, but the internet giant also wants to make the customer experience as pleasant as possible. That’s why Amazon measures dissatisfaction with returns.
The experience with a return is considered negative if a return request has a negative customer review, if inquiries about the return are not addressed within 48 hours, or if they are even incorrectly denied.
Dissatisfaction with returns in percent describes the percentage of all negative return requests relative to the total number of return requests.
Formula: Dissatisfaction with Returns
Dissatisfaction with Returns in % = (Number of Negative Return Requests / Total Number of Return Requests) * 100
Minimum Requirement and Ideal Value for Buy Box
No more than 10% of negative return requests should be made. While a higher rate does not pose a risk of account suspension, this metric still has a significant impact on winning the Buy Box. To have a good chance of securing the Buy Box, the value should tend towards 0%.
Tip: How to Keep the Numbers in Check?
In the returns process, Amazon is often very lenient towards its customers. Amazon’s customer service offers immediate contact, and often the amount is simply refunded. This is partly due to the desire to provide a perfect customer journey and to make returns as stress-free as possible. Additionally, the extremely high return costs associated with this return policy are reduced.
In the FBA program, Amazon’s customer service is already included. If you manage customer communication yourself, you should be aware that Amazon customers are accustomed to quick service and leniency from the marketplace, and they expect the same from you. Therefore, your primary goal in the returns process should be to respond to customer inquiries as quickly as possible. We recommend significantly reducing the 48-hour window set by Amazon. If a return request arises, it is in your interest to find a solution to the problem promptly and thus receive a good review.
If something went wrong with the order, an apology for the inconvenience is not only appropriate, but it also costs nothing and has a positive effect on your rating. According to a study by the University of Nottingham, customers prefer to accept an apology rather than compensation.
Customers often leave negative reviews unjustly. You can contest these directly on Amazon by clarifying that you addressed the customer’s concern as quickly and accurately as possible. If you can prove this, the negative review will not be counted in the dissatisfaction rate.
In this blog post, you will find more tips on how to sustainably reduce your return rate – guaranteed Amazon-compatible.
Additional Metrics for Determining the Buy Box Winner on Amazon
With the shipping method, total price, shipping time, and seller performance, we have covered the most important criteria for winning the Amazon Buy Box. You should also pay attention to the following criteria, even though they may not have as significant an impact.
10. Average Seller Rating and Number of Seller Reviews
First, we should clarify that seller ratings and product ratings are two different things. Product reviews reflect buyers’ experiences with a product. However, seller feedback pertains to the seller’s performance. This includes customer contact, shipping speed, product description, etc. – all points that the seller can influence. The seller rating is given by the customer after the purchase. On the “Leave Seller Feedback” page, the customer can express their satisfaction with the seller’s performance through a simple star rating. Additionally, the timeliness of delivery, the accuracy of the product description, and the performance in customer contact (if applicable) are also assessed. Finally, the customer can leave a comment if desired, which will be displayed on the seller’s page.
The average seller rating is calculated as the average of ALL seller reviews, with newer reviews carrying more weight than older ones. Therefore, if you have received more negative reviews recently, these will not be easily offset by older positive reviews.
Ideal Value for Buy Box
Seller ratings do have an impact on winning the Buy Box. However, there is no specific value that must be achieved. Instead, it should be your goal to keep the rating as high as possible.
For this reason, the total number of ratings is also important. With a low number of reviews, a few negative ones can significantly lower the overall rating profile. Therefore, you should aim to collect as many reviews as possible.
Tip: 3 Ways to Get More Positive Reviews
#1 Honesty and High Quality Set Standards
If you are honest with your customers, your product descriptions are accurate, and your product is of high quality, you are more likely to receive positive reviews.
#2 Go the Extra Mile
Bad experiences often leave a strong impression – or very good experiences. Therefore, you should do everything possible to make the experience for your customers as pleasant as possible. Leverage reciprocity. With small gifts and a personalized message wishing them much joy with the product, you can create a feeling in the customer that they “owe” you. You have given them more than they “paid” for. They will want to give back, hopefully in the form of a good review.
#3 Learn from Your Negative Reviews
Regularly review your ratings and proactively engage in dialogue with customers who have rated you poorly. Even if some criticism may seem unjustified, critics still provide the best opportunities for self-improvement. Utilize this potential, and your next customer will thank you.
11. Response Time
According to the Amazon Service Level Agreement (SLA), customer inquiries must be answered within 24 hours. If the response to inquiries takes longer or is completely absent, the online seller will be penalized by Amazon. The SLA stipulates that 90% of all inquiries must be answered on time. This applies even on weekends and holidays. Inquiries that do not require a response can be marked as such in your seller account, and these will not be counted in the statistics.
Update: In 2018, Amazon announced that the response time would be removed as a metric. However, this metric remains important as it influences the customer experience and thus also the feedback.
Ideal Value for Buy Box
The average response time is calculated based on the last 90 days and should not exceed 24 hours. However, to be competitive for the Buy Box, the value should ideally be around 12 hours.
Excursus: What Does the Future Hold?
Customers are becoming increasingly demanding when it comes to customer service. Customer support is moving more towards real-time support, and social networks have been setting trends for this for years. Therefore, Amazon might also reduce the 24-hour window, and sellers should be prepared for this.
Tip: How Can You Shorten Response Time?
The simplest method to speed up customer service is to use pre-written responses. Once written, they serve as templates for your customer support. Online sellers receive thousands of inquiries daily, which can be quickly answered using templates.
12. Inventory
If your inventory levels are low or the purchase cannot be completed promptly due to delivery difficulties, Amazon’s requirements are not met. The consequences are straightforward – sales go to your competitors, and you lose the Buy Box. If sales are even canceled due to low inventory, your cancellation rate before order fulfillment increases, and the buyer is likely to leave you negative feedback. Both of these factors lower your seller rating and thus your chances of placement in the Buy Box.
Tip: Inventory Management is Key!
How can you counteract this? It is crucial to have automatic inventory reconciliation. With your own warehouse and multiple sales channels, it is important that the inventory is managed centrally in one place and automatically updated across all channels. This prevents overselling. Additionally, pay attention to purchasing trends and regularly check the inventory levels of the most popular items in your product range.
13. Dissatisfaction with Customer Service in Percent
“Dissatisfaction with Customer Service” corresponds to the percentage of customers who were dissatisfied with a response in the buyer-seller messaging system. If you were unable to resolve the customer’s concern, your response may receive a negative rating from the customer with a “No.”
Tip: 3 Ways to Avoid Dissatisfaction
#1 Perfect Your Response
The written word has its pros and cons. The advantages are clear – you have enough time to think about your customer’s concern and write a message that answers all questions. Additionally, you can use this as a template for similar inquiries. The downside: the reader has a lot of room for interpretation. It is therefore your task to keep messages to your customers simple while equipping them with all necessary information. Read your own responses carefully. Are you using clear words? Do you describe all necessary steps to resolve the issue? When the customer knows what to expect next, they feel more secure and are less likely to impatiently send the next message or leave a negative comment.
#2 Personalize Your Response
Every customer is unique, and they should feel that way. Address them by name and sign off with yours. Consider the customer’s history so they know their concern is important and taken seriously. If you are also operating internationally with your products, add the finishing touch by informing them about customs and return policies, currency exchange rates, and delivery times.
#3 Be Proactive
You know the recurring issues with an order or the use of your items. Be proactive and answer all questions about your products directly on the detail page – this minimizes your support workload. Give the buyer confidence in choosing your items by providing all necessary information about the product.
14. Rate of Invoice Defects
In 2020, Amazon introduced the rate of invoice defects as a new metric. This metric applies exclusively to orders from business customers and describes the percentage of orders for which no invoice was provided in a timely manner. Invoices are considered to be provided in a timely manner if they arrive by midnight of the first business day after the day the shipment was confirmed.
Formula: Rate of Invoice Defects
Rate of Invoice Defects in % = (Number of Orders with Late or Missing Invoices / Total Number of Orders from Business Customers) * 100
Minimum Requirement and Ideal Value for Buy Box
This metric is currently relevant for Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.de, Amazon.fr, Amazon.it, and Amazon.es and must not exceed 5%; otherwise, there is a risk of account suspension. To win the Buy Box, the value should ideally be as close to 0% as possible.
Conclusion: High Requirements for Winning the Buy Box
Placement in the Buy Box on the Amazon product page has a significant advantage – your items are prominently positioned, which greatly boosts sales on the marketplace. To win the Buy Box, simply having the lowest selling price is not enough, as various factors come into play. Many of these factors share a common denominator – providing the customer with a perfect buying experience.
Amazon prides itself on providing the perfect customer journey – thus, high demands regarding customer service are completely understandable and, ultimately, contemporary. The more professionalism you display, the higher the likelihood that you will either be the sole winner of the Buy Box with your items or compete for a larger share of the coveted placement.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Amazon Buy Box refers to the visually highlighted box with two yellow and orange buttons displayed on every product page. These buttons provide customers with the easiest way to add an item to their cart or purchase it directly. Many products are offered by multiple sellers, which is why the algorithm decides which specific offer is placed in the Buy Box based on various criteria. Since around 90% of all customers shop through the Buy Box and do not consult the list of all other offers, the cart field, as it is called in German, is highly sought after.
For some time now, there has been a second Buy Box on certain product pages. Amazon introduced this measure in response to antitrust issues. However, the second Buy Box seems to be used rather rarely.
In the past, the algorithm could often be tricked with a very low final price. Nowadays, many different aspects are considered in the awarding of the Buy Box, so while price is an important factor, it is by no means the only criterion. Nowadays, poor seller performance cannot be compensated for by a dumping price. Additionally, you would ruin your margin. Instead, focus on good performance and dynamic repricing.
Not every seller on Amazon can win the Buy Box, as qualification is required first. This includes the condition that sellers must have been selling on Amazon for at least 90 days before they have the chance to win the Buy Box.
First of all: Don’t panic. The Buy Box often changes hands, especially for competitive products. It is quite possible that your offer will hold the yellow button again soon. If that is not the case, investigate the causes by reviewing your seller KPIs. Is there any value that stands out negatively? Have you perhaps been pushed out by a Prime offer? Or maybe you are simply not offering the optimal price (≠ lowest price). In that case, you should definitely consider dynamic price optimization, for example, with the SELLERLOGIC Repricer, specifically designed for Amazon.
Image credits in the order of the images: © Lukasz – stock.adobe.com
