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To ensure the happiness of its customers, Amazon has very strict criteria for which products qualify as Prime. Therefore, to be approved by Amazon, your seller reputation will be tip-top.
Before applying for the Prime badge, you must optimize sales performance and eliminate any blemishes on your record. This means everything must be optimized to the fullest, whether it be your
Amazon Product Photography, listing advertisements, or pay-per-click campaigns.
While not everyone can enjoy these benefits immediately, and some businesses may have more difficulty getting them due to certain restrictions, there is always hope. This guide has everything you need to know before getting that Prime badge and excelling on Amazon.
What Does Amazon Prime Entail?
The Amazon Prime membership is a great way for shoppers to save money and time on their favorite online retailer. With this special account, they receive more bonuses than just the free version of the marketplace, such as early access for pre-orders or deals with no additional shipping fees.
Here is a list of every perk Amazon Prime members can enjoy:
➔ A free book download every month on Kindle First.
➔ Access to all Amazon elements products.
➔ Early access to lightning deals on Amazon.
➔ Free shipping.
➔ Different free in-game loot and games on Twitch Prime.
➔ In 2022, Amazon added another bonus for Prime members of access to free Grubhub+ for a year.
➔ In the US offers free access to Prime Music, Prime Photos, and Prime Video.
➔ FreeTime Unlimited for only $2.99 per month.
➔ Access to all Prime day sales.
➔ The Prime membership allows the usage of two adults and four children, so a family can enjoy one membership.
➔ Money-back deals and access to Amazon Prime Visa Card.
➔ In early 2022, Amazon introduced a new service called "Buy with Prime." This allows retailers outside of Amazon to offer Prime shipping on their products.
➔ The same day, or 1-2 day fast delivery time.
➔ Access to books on Kindle Owner’s Lending Library.
➔ Up to $10 worth of credit on selected video games.
➔ Various Whole Foods discounts even for in-store purchases.
The Amazon Prime membership is a great deal at $139 annual charges or only $14.99 monthly fees. This is a bargain considering all its benefits and that it can be used per household by a family.
What Is The Significance Of Prime Day?
Amazon Prime Day has become an occasion where customers can shop from all over without worrying about status or price range because they're getting access to deals that normal members don't, making it one of the most sought-after dates each year.
With Prime Day sales regularly surpassing Amazon's Cyber Monday and Black Friday combined, it has become the most monetarily successful day of the year for both buyers and sellers. To take advantage of this lucrative market more than ever, competitors are now offering deals to match up with these promotions around the same time so they can share some profit margins too.
How To Be Eligible For Amazon Prime?
To be eligible for Prime, you must have FBA, SFP, or Vendor Central credentials and an excellent seller reputation.
FBA (Fulfillment By Amazon):
The FBA program is the best way to market your products on Amazon. It's easy, seamless, and has a lot of pros that make it worth using! For example, you can store items in the Amazon fulfillment centers, and Amazon takes care of all shipping and customer care responsibilities. This way, customers will receive their orders quickly without you having to worry about any shipping costs or delays.
With FBA's Multi-Channel Fulfillment feature, businesses can still take advantage and use Amazon as a general 3PL for all orders coming from any source. This might be worth considering if you don't have your shipping operation staff to handle it or just want an easier way forward when fulfilling smaller batches with higher profitability.
FBA is a great option for those with little or no sales through other channels and who want Prime badges. It's also good if you have your shipping operations covered but need some time to ensure everything will work out before applying as an SFP (Shared Fulfillment Prime).
SFP (Seller Fulfilled Prime):
Seller fulfillment is a program that allows sellers to ship their products themselves and still receive the benefits of Prime shipping. Regardless, for membership in SFP, the seller must maintain rigorous standards.
Despite the strictness, those who take on this role will find rewards most rewarding when fulfilling orders from websites or other marketplaces as they can save on all third-party providers with all the benefits of a Prime Seller Badge.
Some items are particularly well-suited for an SFP program, like bulky or heavy goods not allowed by Amazon's policy. If your company already has a warehouse full of employees handling shipping operations, then with the SFP license, you can leverage existing systems and avoid the risk of additional inventory building up.
Vendor Central:
With this B2B business model, you can sell directly to Amazon as a wholesale supplier rather than through third-party marketplaces.
The Vendor Central program is a great way for brands that lack the capacity or know-how to sell directly on Amazon. But keep in mind that this program is invite-only.
Seller Reputation And Prime Badge Acceptance:
While it is not publicly known what factors Amazon uses to accept or reject Prime sellers, you can follow general guidelines that will improve your chances:
➔ Your
Amazon Product Photography must be high quality and optimized to the top.
➔ Your customer reviews and feedback ratings must be stellar.
➔ Your customer support must be outstanding and responsive.
➔ Your inventory management must be exceptional: you must always restock on time lest your ranking suffers.
➔ Your product return rate must be as low as possible.
➔ Your visibility and sales must be high (for this, you can utilize PPC campaigns).
➔ New sellers must build their reputation by proving themselves on the site before they go after the big fish with higher standards like Prime membership.
Conclusion:
Amazon Prime is a major benefit for customers, and it can also be a great perk for sellers. In this post, we’ve outlined what Amazon Prime is, the significance of Prime Day, how to be eligible for Amazon Prime, and the differences between FBA, SFP, and Vendor Central.
If you’re looking for more information on Amazon Prime or want to know how to get your products accepted into the Prime badge program, give us a call!