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Welcome! Our primary focus is to help you navigate the ever-changing and complex world of Amazon sales. Today, we’re going to discuss a common issue faced by many Amazon sellers – a sudden Sales Drop. This phenomenon can be puzzling and stressful, but don’t worry, we’re here to guide you through it.
In this blog you will learn, the steps to take when your product Sales drop:
- Check product category
- Check keyword indexing
- Check product Type at the Backend
- Check if listing has been bombarded by a competitor
- Check inventory levels
- Check search volume
What to Do When Your Product Sales Drop Suddenly
When the sales of your product suddenly dip, it’s natural to feel alarmed. However, it’s crucial to remember that this is not an uncommon occurrence. Various factors can cause this, including changes in market demand, increased competition, or modifications in Amazon’s algorithms. The key is to remain calm, assess the situation, and develop a strategic plan to recover your sales. That’s what we’re going to guide you through today.
The Step-by-Step Checklist
To effectively address a sudden drop in sales, we’ve developed a comprehensive checklist. This guide will help you pinpoint potential issues that could be affecting your product sales. By following it diligently, you can identify the problem areas, devise appropriate solutions, and hopefully, see your sales numbers rebound.
Check Your Product Category
The first step in our checklist is to verify your product category. Amazon’s system sometimes shifts products into different categories based on customer behavior and purchase data. While this automatic categorization can sometimes be beneficial, it can also lead to sudden sales drops if your product is moved to a less suitable category.
When you notice a significant drop in sales, the first thing you should do is check to see if your product category has changed. If it has, you may need to request a category change back to your original one. However, if Amazon has changed the category of all your competitors selling similar products, you may need to adapt to the new category and strategize accordingly.
Check Your Keyword Indexing
Keyword indexing is another vital area to explore when your product sales take a hit. Keywords play a significant role in determining how your product is discovered by potential customers on Amazon. If your product isn’t indexed correctly for relevant keywords, it’s visibility to customers searching for those terms may be reduced, leading to lower sales.
If you suspect that a keyword indexing issue could be behind your sales drop, you should check to see if your product is still indexed for the relevant keywords. If it isn’t, you may need to revise your product listing or consider using Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising to regain visibility for those keywords.
Enter your keyword and ASIN, like this:
For this example, we can see that the product is indexed with relevant keyword.
Check Your Product Type at the Backend
Beyond the product category and keyword indexing, it’s also important to check your product type at the backend of Amazon’s system. Sometimes, due to glitches or errors, the product type or category at the backend might change, which can impact your sales.
To check this, you need to go to the inventory reports section in Amazon Seller Central and request a category listing report.
In this report, look for the ‘product type’ column. If the product type listed there doesn’t match your actual product type, you will need to contact Amazon’s support team to rectify the issue. Remember, resolving backend issues could take some time and persistence, but it’s crucial to ensure your product is accurately represented in Amazon’s system.
In conclusion, a sudden Sales Drop on Amazon can be alarming, but by following a systematic approach and checking all the relevant aspects of your product listing, you can identify and rectify the problem. Remember, Amazon is a dynamic marketplace, and staying adaptable, vigilant, and strategic can help ensure your product’s success.
Check if Your Listing Has Been Bombarded by a Competitor
One of the factors that could be affecting your product sales is competitor activity. In an environment as competitive as Amazon’s marketplace, it’s not uncommon for competitors to target successful listings with aggressive advertising campaigns. This could lead to a situation where your listing is bombarded by a competitor’s ads, which can divert potential customers and lead to a drop in your sales.
So, how do you determine if this is happening? The first step is to carefully examine your product listing and the surrounding space. If you notice a sudden increase in competitor ads appearing near your listing, this could be a sign of a competitor targeting your product.
Take a look and see if you spot more than one competitor:
In such a scenario, building defensive campaigns is crucial. Defensive advertising campaigns involve targeting your own ASIN (Amazon Standard Identification Number) in sponsored product and display ads. This strategy can help prevent competitors from capturing traffic that you’ve attracted to your listing. However, keep in mind that this tactic requires a higher budget and strategic bidding to be effective.
Check Your Inventory Levels
Inventory management is a crucial aspect of maintaining steady sales on Amazon. Having low inventory levels can negatively impact your sales and product ranking. When your inventory levels are low, Amazon might suppress your listing in search results, leading to decreased visibility and fewer sales.
If you run out of stock consistently that could make your sales drop significantly
The key to navigating this issue is to maintain high inventory levels, especially for products that sell well. This not only helps maintain your product’s visibility on Amazon but also ensures that you can meet customer demand without interruption.
Remember, Amazon’s algorithm favors listings that consistently meet customer demand. Therefore, effective inventory management can lead to improved product ranking, increased visibility, and ultimately, higher sales.
Keyword Ranking
Keyword ranking is a fundamental aspect of Amazon SEO. The position of your product in search results for relevant keywords can significantly impact your sales. If your product ranks high for relevant keywords, it’s more likely to be seen by potential customers, leading to increased sales.
However, keyword ranks can fluctuate due to various factors. These might include changes to your listing, increased competition, or changes in Amazon’s algorithm. If you notice a sudden drop in your keyword rankings, it’s necessary to investigate these potential causes.
Once you’ve identified the issue, you can take the necessary steps to improve your keyword ranking. This might involve optimizing your product listing, running targeted advertising campaigns, or improving your product’s reviews and ratings.
Check the Search Volume of Your Keywords
Search volume refers to the number of times a specific keyword is searched for on Amazon. High search volume keywords can drive significant traffic to your product listings, leading to increased sales. However, search volumes can fluctuate based on various factors, including seasonal trends and changes in consumer behavior.
If you notice a sudden drop in sales, it’s worth checking to see if there’s been a decrease in the search volume of your keywords. Tools like Google Trends or specific Amazon keyword tools can provide insights into keyword search volumes.
Use Google Trends like this to see what the search volume should be like:
If the search volume for your keywords has decreased, you might need to adjust your SEO strategy. This could involve targeting new keywords that have higher search volumes or optimizing your product listing to better match current consumer search behavior.
The Ultimate Reason Behind Sale Drop
If you’ve followed all the steps in the checklist and still can’t identify the cause of your sales drop, there could be a more complex issue at play. In some cases, Amazon might have flagged your listing due to a perceived violation of its policies. When this happens, your product’s visibility can be significantly reduced, leading to a sudden drop in sales.
The solution in this scenario is to contact Amazon’s Seller Support to understand why your listing has been flagged. They can provide guidance on what steps you need to take to rectify the issue and restore your product’s visibility.
Explain your issue properly to gain a better insight:
Wrapping Up
Experiencing a sudden drop in sales on Amazon can be concerning, but it’s not insurmountable. By following the steps in this checklist, you can identify potential issues and take the necessary steps to restore your sales.
Remember, success on Amazon requires ongoing optimization and adaptation. Stay vigilant, monitor your product performance regularly, and don’t hesitate to make changes as needed. By doing so, you can maintain a strong presence on Amazon and ensure the continued success of your products.
If you found this guide helpful, please like, subscribe, and leave a comment below. We appreciate your feedback and are always here to help you navigate the complexities of selling on Amazon.
To identify if competitors are causing your sales to drop, follow these steps: 1. Monitor Changes in Search Rankings: Use tools like Helium 10 or Jungle Scout to track your product’s keyword ranking. If your product’s position has dropped and a competitor has moved up, it’s a strong indicator that they’re affecting your sales. 2. Analyze Pricing Strategies: Regularly check if competitors have lowered their prices, offered discounts, or introduced bundles that make their listings more appealing. Competitive pricing shifts can directly impact your sales. 3. Track Advertising Activity: Competitors may increase their ad spend, leading to higher visibility. Check if they’re outbidding you on high-performing keywords, which could cause your ads to lose impressions and reduce sales. 4. Evaluate Review Trends: Examine whether competitors are gaining positive reviews more quickly than you. A surge in positive feedback can boost their credibility and rankings, diverting customers away from your product. 5. Look for New Product Launches: Check if competitors have introduced similar products recently. New listings with aggressive promotions, enhanced A+ Content, or better features can attract customers who previously bought your product.
To determine if a listing suppression is impacting your sales: 1. Check for Notifications in Seller Central: Log into your Seller Central account and look for any alerts or notifications indicating listing suppressions. Amazon typically flags issues like missing information, unapproved images, or incorrect categories here. 2. Review Listing Status: Go to your “Manage Inventory” page and check the status of your products. Suppressed listings may be marked as “Inactive” or display a warning message requiring immediate action. 3. Use the Listing Quality Dashboard: Amazon’s Listing Quality Dashboard provides insights into any issues affecting your listings, such as compliance problems or required updates that could lead to suppression. 4. Monitor Your Product Detail Page: Visit the product detail page directly. If the listing is suppressed, it may not be visible to customers, or critical elements like the Buy Box might be missing. 5. Track Sales and Traffic Metrics: A sudden drop in sessions and sales might indicate a hidden suppression. Compare your sales data in the Business Reports section to identify any sharp declines that coincide with potential listing issues.
Yes, changes in Amazon’s algorithm can significantly impact your sales. The algorithm, known as A9, constantly evolves, adjusting how it ranks products based on factors like keyword relevance, listing quality, and customer engagement metrics. If there are updates in how Amazon prioritizes keywords or product features, it can lead to a shift in your product’s visibility and ranking. For example, if your listing isn’t optimized for the latest algorithmic preferences—like focusing on updated keyword strategies or enhanced content—your product may rank lower, resulting in reduced traffic and sales. Adapting quickly to these changes by regularly reviewing and optimizing your listings is key to maintaining consistent sales.
You should consider revising your pricing strategy on Amazon when you notice significant changes in market conditions, such as increased competition or shifts in customer demand. If competitors start offering similar products at lower prices, it might be necessary to adjust your pricing to stay competitive. Additionally, if your sales have dropped, and you’ve ruled out other issues like listing quality or visibility, reviewing your pricing could help regain momentum. Seasonal changes and holiday promotions are also key times to re-evaluate your pricing to match customer expectations and capitalize on increased demand. Regular monitoring and testing different price points can help optimize your strategy for both profitability and sales growth.
If your listing’s Buy Box win rate drops, first evaluate and adjust your pricing to stay competitive with rivals. Ensure you’re using reliable fulfillment options like Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) or Seller-Fulfilled Prime (SFP) to meet Amazon’s shipping standards. Improve your seller metrics by addressing issues such as low ratings or late shipments, and maintain healthy inventory levels to avoid stockouts. Additionally, address any negative feedback to enhance your product’s appeal and customer satisfaction. By focusing on these areas, you can increase your chances of regaining the Buy Box.