The sales go down and the pressure goes up. Sounds familiar? You are not alone. It happens to the best of us. Selling on Amazon is no short of a rollercoaster ride – the rules change overnight, Amazon never informs about the changing rules, and the competition always keeps you on your toes. But don’t sweat it – we’re here for you.
In this article, we’ll explore the reasons for why your Amazon sales might be slipping. We’ll talk about stuff like cut throat competition, sneaky algorithm changes and several other reasons for your sudden sales slump. But we’re not just here to list out the problems. We’ve got some actionable tips up our sleeves to help you turn things around and see the sales chart soaring again.
Amazon product sales slump: Causes & solution
1: You’ve recently changed your price
Let me clarify something here. Changing your price is not a bad thing but it can have a major effect, both positive and negative. Most sellers think that change in price is a discrete process but they forget that customers have an eye for everything. Before actually buying your product, they visit your detail page a lot. They look at your price, reviews, copy and images. Sudden change in price without an explanation can alienate loyal customers and affect their perception of your brand.
What you can do?
- Look at how your competitors are pricing their products and ensure your prices remain competitive within your niche.
- Find a way to communicate the reasons behind the price change to your customers. Whether it is a change in formula or use of premium materials, let customers know the reason for price change through social media, email newsletter, or product listings.
- Offer limited time discounts or promotions to offset negative reactions to recent price change.
- Consult with your Amazon ecommerce specialist to develop a price range that aligns with your business goals and market dynamics.
2: You’ve lost the Buy Box
You don’t get the buy box, you don’t get the sales. When multiple sellers offer the same product, Amazon’s algorithm decides who wins the Buy Box based on various factors like seller performance, shipping time, price, reviews and more. But, with our personal experience, we can confidently say that price is the most deciding factor when it comes to Buy Box.
What you can do?
- Analyze your seller performance metrics, such as late shipment rate, cancellation rate and order defect rate to identify any areas for improvement.
- Adjust your price and keep it competitive while maintaining profitability. Experiment with different prices and see what works best for your product.
- Optimize your product listings with high quality Amazon infographic images, effective copy and relevant keywords to increase visibility and conversion.
- Keep your customers happy. Offer excellent customer service and enhance their overall shopping experience to increase the likelihood of winning the Buy Box.
3: Your keywords are obsolete
When was the last time you updated the keywords in your listing? If you can’t remember, it’s probably time to check your product keywords. If your keywords are outdated or no longer relevant to your target audience, chances are that your products are not appealing in the search result pages. This results in decreased visibility following fewer sales opportunities.
What you can do?
- Find new, relevant keywords using third party Amazon keyword research One of the most underrated ways to do keyword research is by leveraging Amazon’s search bar autocomplete
- Fill the backend search term section in Seller Central. Just because your customers can’t see those keywords does not mean they are useless.
- Stay informed on the changes in customer search behavior, new trends and popular keywords within your category.
- Instead of relying only on high volume keywords, include long-tail and specific keywords in your copy to capture niche customer searches.
4: Your listing isn’t appealing enough
Your listing is your product;s salesman, and if it’s failing to grab the attention of shoppers that visit your detail page, it’s time to revamp things. There are a lot of reasons for customers to be turned off by your listing and some of the most common reasons are low-quality images, lackluster product description and uninspiring bullet points.
What you can do?
- Hire a professional photographer to get some HD quality images of your product. Using those raw images, make enticing infographic and lifestyle images for your listing.
- Leverage Amazon’s A+ Content / Premium A+ Content feature to create visually rich and immerse product description. According to Amazon, adding A+ Content to your listing can increase your sales by 3% to 10% on the platform.
- Check if your listing looks equally good on mobile devices. A significant portion of your shoppers make purchase from smaller screens, so it is imperative that your listing copy and images are optimized for it.
5: You got a bunch of negative reviews
Have you received a slew of negative reviews on your listing? Nothing compels shoppers to run the other direction than seeing negative reviews. Not only negative reviews can impact your product’s overall rating but they can also be detrimental to your sales efforts.
What you can do?
- Take proactive steps to minimize the likelihood of critical feedback. Ask your team to conduct thorough QC rounds and address any manufacturing defects or issues.
- Train your customer service team to provide prompt and helpful replies to customers who encounter issues with your product.
- Consistently review and update your product copy to ensure it provides accurate and detailed information about your product’s important features, specs and uses.
6: You’re not promoting your product
Only optimizing your listing isn’t enough. It never is. Although the ultimate goal of running Sponsored Ad campaigns is to have a snowball effect and eventually convert to organic ranking, we cannot entirely stop running ads. Without effective Sponsored Ad campaigns, your product may get lost in the shuffle, making it almost impossible for shoppers to find your product.
What you can do?
- Create Amazon Sponsored ad campaigns to increase your product’s visibility in SERPs and product detail pages.
- Create coupons as an incentive to convert shoppers who visit your detail page.
- To leverage off Amazon traffic, promote your products on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. This helps you reach a broader audience beyond Amazon’s platform.
- Collaborate with influencers and bloggers in your niche to promote your products to their followers.
- Use Amazon Live to showcase your products in action and engage directly with customers.
7: Your product’s delivery time is too long
No one likes to wait. Once they place an order, customers expect quick and reliable shipping. Lengthy delivery times can deter them from making a purchase or compel them to leave a negative review. To address this issue, sellers should optimize their fulfillment process and explore ways to reduce delivery time.
What you can do?
- Use Amazon’s FBA program. Leverage their fulfillment centers and benefit from their fast and reliable shipping options.
- Even if you use FBA, be sure to maintain optimal inventory levels to minimize the risk of stockouts or backorders.
- Ensure your products are eligible for Amazon Prime membership benefits.
- Ask your Amazon consultant to track key performance metrics, such as shipping speed, to identify areas of improvement.
8: Your listing is hijacked
Listing hijacking occurs when unauthorized third-party sellers piggyback on other seller’s product listing by undercutting their pricing and selling counterfeit or inferior products. This damages your brand’s reputation and also results in lost sales. To combat listing hijackers, take proactive and immediate action and asset your rights as the rightful seller.
What you can do?
- Create a ticket through Amazon Seller Central and report the hijacked listing. Provide evidence of your ownership so the seller support team can take immediate action.
- Consistently monitor your product listings for any unauthorized changes, such as altered product descriptions, images, or pricing.
- Enroll in Amazon brand registry program to get access to additional protection and tools for managing and protecting your brand on the platform.
9: Amazon’s algorithm has changed
Amazon’s A9 algorithm decides which products rank higher in the SERPs, which products should be displayed in recommendation and which products should be featured in the Buy Box. Even a minor change to the algorithm can completely ruin your product rankings, visibility and performance.
What you can do?
- Stay abreast of Amazon’s announcements and updates regarding the algorithm. Regularly check Amazon’s news page on Seller Central, Amazon Seller Forums, and Amazon’s official blog.
- Keep an eye on the changes in your sales data, search rankings and traffic. The sooner you know about any shifts or anomalies, the easier it will be to firefight the situation.
- Adapt your sales strategy in response to ongoing changes in Amazon’s algorithm and marketplace dynamics.
- Get expert guidance from Amazon experts who specialize in optimizing your product’s sales performance.
10: Your country’s economic situation has changed
It’s also possible that there’s nothing wrong with your product or your sales strategy. Sometimes, the changing economic conditions of a country can be the reason for a sudden decrease in your product’s sales. No economy stays strong forever. The cycle of recession and inflation keeps on running. These shifts can majorly affect customer spending, purchasing power and overall market demand. During periods of economic uncertainty or downturn, shoppers may get more price-sensitive.
What you can do?
- Keep an eye on key economic indicators, such as GDP growth, inflation rates and unemployment figures. This will help you assess the overall health of the economy and identify potential trends or patterns that are impacting your product sales.
- If possible, adjust your pricing strategy in response to changing consumer purchasing power.
- Diversify your product catalog to appeal to a broader range of shopper preferences and budgetary constraints.
- Practice prudent financial management. This can help your business withstand economic fluctuations and mitigate financial risks.
Change is the only constant
Now that you know the top reasons behind dwindling Amazon sales, you’re better equipped to deal with the sales slump. Whether it’s optimizing your pricing strategy or refining your PPC efforts, remember that every challenge presents an opportunity for improvement.
Don’t let stagnation hold you back— let a professional Amazon agency like Sipransh Ecommgrowth be your trusted partner in your Amazon selling journey.
