Everybody wants the Buy Box but only one seller can have it at a time. No wonder it’s so popular, as it’s one of the most important factors when it comes to actually making sales on Amazon.
But what is the Buy Box? Who or what determines who wins it? And what can be done if you are struggling to win it?
Read on to find all the answers!
What Is the Amazon Buy Box And Where Can I Find It in My Listing?
The Buy Box is the section on the right side of the product page with the “Add to Cart” or “Buy now”- button.
It is one of the most powerful if not THE most powerful features when it comes to making sales on Amazon – as more than 80 % of all Amazon sales come from it. In other words: If you are not featured in the Buy Box, it’s quite unlikely that you will be making a lot of sales.
The Buy Box is not some kind of award you win and can keep forever. It is rotated between multiple sellers – and the Amazon algorithm is in charge to decide who is up next.
Where Can I See My Buy Box Percentage?
Because of this rotation for most products you will only be featured in the Buy Box for a certain amount of time. There is a metric that puts this into numbers: The Amazon Buy Box percentage. It shows how often your product shows up in the Buy Box. So for example if a product is viewed 100 times and your product shows up 60 of those times, then your Buy Box percentage is 60.
If you want to find out the current buy box percentages of your products, proceed as follows:
- Log-in to Amazon Seller Central
- Click on “Reports” → “By ASIN” → “Detail Page Sales and Traffic by Child Item”
How Do I Win the Buy Box And Which Factors Determine Who Wins It?
As mentioned before, there is an algorithm that analyzes each offer and evaluates it on the basis of the seller history, price and many other factors. After carrying out the analysis, the algorithm will give the Buy Box to whoever Amazon thinks has the best buying options for Amazon’s customers.
In order to win the Buy Box, a seller must be Buy Box eligible for the product. Buy Box eligible sellers are professional sellers who have met performance-based requirements.
While some of these factors will be out of your control as a seller, there are things you can do to maximize the chances of winning the Buy Box.
Of course Amazon doesn’t give out specific performance metrics for the Buy Box but at least you can predict from experience what they are. Here are some of the most important ones:
- Fulfilment Method – Both FBA (fulfillment by Amazon) and SFP (Seller-Fulfilled Prime) have the best chance to win the Buy Box – with Sellers enrolled in the SFP program even having a slightly higher chance.
- Shipping Time – As Amazon wants to make sure every customer gets the best products as fast as possible, the shorter the shipping time the better!
- Landed Price – The landed price is the price including shipping (and VAT for European sellers). It’s not necessarily the lowest price that will win the Buy Box. It’s the lowest price offered by the seller with the best seller performance!
- Stock Availability – Only products that are in stock can win the Buy Box. There is only one exception to this rule: Products listed as “backordered” will have a chance, too. However, products that are available right away will be favored.
In order to win the Amazon Buy Box, you need to improve your seller performance and keep an eye on these metrics.
Why Do I Never Win the Buy Box? 5 Causes and What to Do to Change It
But even after knowing these criteria, some sellers are struggling to win the Buy Box on their listing. Why is that and what can be done about it?
1. You Are Not Winning the Buy Box Because You Are New to Amazon
If you’ve only recently become an Amazon seller, your products will probably not have the Buy Box before your first month is over. Why is that? Because the first 30 days are somewhat like a testing period where Amazon wants to find out whether you are are reliable seller and know how to handle Amazon’s requirements.
What can you do to get the Buy Box?
In this case, you don’t have a choice but to wait until this testing period is over.
2. You Are Not Winning the Buy Box Because Your Product’s Price Isn’t Ideal
As mentioned before, the price of your products plays an important role when it comes to winning the Buy Box. Here are some factors that could be part of the reason why you are not winning the buy box:
- Your product is less expensive on a third party site
- a product similar to yours is less expensive than yours
- your price is higher than the suggested retail price
What can you do to get the Buy Box?
But it’s not necessarily about having the lowest price – it’s about having the right one. Finding the right price for your product is a science in itself. You want to find the sweet spot – having a good price without reducing your profits too much. Offering the best customer experience gives you the opportunity to raise your prices while still maintaining a good Buy Box share.
3. You Are Not Winning the Buy Box Because Your Product Is Not Selling Enough
Another reason why you are not winning the Buy Box may be that your sales volume is too low. Apparently there are sales volume thresholds in place for products to receive the Buy Box. However, it’s hard to tell how high this sales volume needs to be in order to even be able to receive the Buy Box and the numbers may even vary depending on the product or the product category.
What can you do to get the Buy Box?
Try to improve your sales volume if you are not able to win the Buy Box and have ruled out other causes. Of course this is easier said than done.
4. You Are Not Winning the Buy Box Because Your Seller Rating Has Dropped
But it’s not only about your sales, also your seller rating is important when it comes to winning the Buy Box. It’s not uncommon that sellers who have performance issues lose their Buy Box eligibility. The critical percentage is around 90% – So that means if your seller rating drops below that, you might not be able to get the Buy Box, even when you are the only one offering a product.
What can you do to get the Buy Box?
Obviously it should be your priority to always keep your ratings up. The only thing you can do if you are not happy with your seller rating is to check if some of your seller ratings are actually product-related ratings. In this case you can contact Amazon’s customer service to help you out.
5. You Are Not Winning the Buy Box Because of a Glitch
In very rare cases new listings just never get the Buy Box even though they should be eligible for it – and you just can’t seem to find the cause for it. Maybe there is a glitch and Amazon is the one in charge for it.
What can you do to get the Buy Box?
In this case you need to contact seller support and ask for a review of your product’s Buy Box eligibility.
Conclusion: Keep an Eye on the Metrics and Constantly Improve Your Seller Performance
Winning the Buy Box is crucial for your success on Amazon. But some sellers are struggling to get it. Luckily, there are things you can do! Make sure you know your metrics and constantly improve your seller performance. If all else fails, don’t hesitate to contact Amazon’s seller support.
