Nowadays, it is easy to get information on product launch and post-launch maintenance online. Years ago, when we first started selling on Amazon we had to find out how it works on our own. It took a lot of time, energy and resources until we were able to smooth every step of the process. However, when we first started helping clients get their business on Amazon, we realized they all made the same rookie mistakes, based on their preconceived idea how selling on Amazon works:
1. I have this! I read it online/saw a tutorial/attended an Amazon crash course
Bless the Internet as it gave us access to information, networking, and more cat videos than we could possibly consume in 9 lives. It is only natural that the more companies and people start selling on Amazon, the more information about selling on Amazon would pop up online. Heck, we do this too. The problem with it is that a great deal of this information is outdated, unreliable or just spam.
Often our rookie clients try to impress us by citing Amazon guru sellers and workshops. Some get stuck at the prep stage and never get to test any of these strategies, let alone get their product out there or build their own experience. You can’t just stand on the sidelines if you want to make the next Amazon bestseller or develop your own brand. You need to start somewhere!
2. Go big or go home is the wrong mindset, to begin with. Start humble!
Amazon is one of the top 3 retail markets worldwide and the next step for traditional businesses with physical outlets, home office entrepreneurs and family businesses. A lot of them are eager to storm the Amazon market but they forget that they can’t run their Amazon account the same way they run their shops. They often forget Amazon clients have their own shopping habits and preferences.
Last year, we worked with a guy who had a successful chain of bedding stores. He wanted to put the whole range of varieties for his product on Amazon convinced they would all sell. We gave him the models Amazon clients went for. He was convinced otherwise but agreed to reduce their number. After a year he finally pulled out the ones not selling, which cost a small fortune in FBA taxes.
3. Fishing for ideas on Reddit or one of those 101 Amazon product ideas pdf files
We love Reddit as much as you do. There is a lot of good stuff there but r/Entrepreneur is not the best place for finding your first product. You may get some idea what other sellers struggle with or test some ideas but that’s it. Finding the right product to sell takes time and resources so it’s natural you and other sellers would protect your product idea from potential competition.
Another common practice is sifting through pdf files of 101 Amazon product ideasour clients got for free (in exchange for their email). While this is a good example of how email marketing works it also shows how sourcing shouldn’t. In other words, the products you highlighted are products all rookie sellers would go for. This means no profit and lots of sellers. The products are also outdated.
4. Once I launch the product Amazon takes it from there
Another side effect of all Amazon courses on is that it would often give you the wrong impression that selling on Amazon is all about the product launch when it is only the beginning. When we first started consulting clients we made product launch and product listing our priority because we thought that they worked with their own in-house marketing specialists. Practice proved us wrong.
One of our clients who had developed a special hanger for bags asked us to set up an Amazon listing. We compiled an eye-catching listing with all the relevant keywords and images so it could stand out. Initially, they let us run some ads and campaigns but they didn’t want to invest much after the launch. As a result, the product and sales gradually tanked. They blamed it on Amazon.
5. In order to make it all work I need to be personally involved in every stage
We have all heard that if you want something done right you have to do it yourself but selling on Amazon can put this to the test. Take product launch for instance. It’s a multi-step process with potential pitfalls at every step of the way. If you are new and you work all by yourself you can imagine that if anything goes wrong, at any time, it may just end up killing your product and dream.
At Hyperzon, our team of specialists aims to guide you on the path to successful product launch and post-launch maintenance on Amazon. Our experience will help you deal with potential threats before they become setbacks, while our resources will help you get the most out of selling on Amazon.