“Amazon Updates Its Communication Guidelines” (Source: JungleScout)
Amazon recently announced updated Communication Guidelines to enforce protection for buyers, sellers, and Amazon.
The new guidelines make it clear that it is ok to ask for feedback/reviews, but you may only ask for a product review or seller feedback once per order and it’s best to avoid sending buyers repeat messages.
Amazon also makes it clear that it’s ok to use third-party software to send feedback/review requests.
The new guidelines provide detailed information about the types of permitted messages and proactive permitted messages that may be sent and details which types of messages are not permitted.
There are best practices for styling and a list of things, including attachments, external links, and tracking pixels which you may not send to buyers.
Amazon’s communication guidelines changed on September 8, 2020. Sellers have until November 3, 2020 to adopt the policy changes.
“What’s new with sponsored ads and Stores: August 2020” (Source: Amazon Advertising)
Amazon introduced new features in the advertising console to help you engage customers and more easily manage your campaigns. Here’s a roundup of the updates they rolled out in August 2020.
Sponsored Display product targeting ( previously only available in the US and Canada) is now available for vendors and sellers in the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates.
Advertisers can now add negative product targeting to Sponsored Products’ automatic targeting campaigns. You can use the search term report to find products to negatively target based on performance.
The return on ad spend (ROAS) metric, previously available in downloadable reports, is now viewable in the campaign manager in the advertising console.
Sellers with access to the advertising console can inspect and manage their brand-to-product mappings and request changes to remove misclassified products from their brand.
KDP authors can now use Sponsored Products ads to reach readers in Australia and Canada.
“Amazon launches Luxury Stores to separate the hoi polloi from the haute couture” (Source: The Verge)
It seems unlikely that shopping from your phone can be a luxury experience, but Amazon will attempt to get high-end brands onboard its platform by aiming to enter the luxury space with it’s latest unveiling of Luxury Stores.
Luxury Stores are a new way for brands to present their products on Amazon’s mobile app, with high-end ready-to-wear brand Oscar de la Renta as the first official partner.
This will allow brands to create what Amazon is calling a “store within a store” experience. That means giving companies more control over inventory, selection, and pricing while leveraging Amazon’s enormous reach to find customers.
The online retailing giant will also supply brands with the digital equivalent of fancy shop windows, giving them the option to display their clothes in interactive 360-degree views.
Browsing the new Luxury Stores won’t be an option for just anyone, though. Only selected Amazon Prime members in the US will be invited to browse the digital racks, with Amazon presumably targeting affluent customers. (You can also request an invitation.)
The feature is launching with just Oscar de la Renta, but other brands will be joining in the months to come.
“Amazon Live Is A Thing: Here’s How Your Brand Can Benefit” (Source: Entrepreneur)
As eCommerce shows no signs of slowing down, brands and influencers have a new way to boost awareness and sales.
Amazon Live and its new influencer program is quite the sales tool, as you can give live demonstrations, chat with customers in real-time, unlock extra benefits the more you stream, and grow your following on Amazon.
Amazon Live is free and simple to get started. You just need to be part of the Amazon influencer program with an active storefront, be a U.S. Professional Amazon Seller who uses seller central or a U.S. Vendor with an approved Amazon Store.
Live streaming is growing fast, with 47 percent of live-streaming viewers worldwide streaming more live video than the previous year — and all signs point to this number continuing to grow.
Influencer marketing budgets are a real thing, and the numbers show it works. Almost 90 percent of marketers say the ROI from influencer marketing is comparable to or better than traditional marketing channels.
With Amazon starting its influencer program, it’s a great opportunity for brands to work with influencers — especially live streamers with an established audience to help increase brand awareness and boost leads and sales.
