Why Your Brand Can’t Afford to Ignore Amazon Any Longer

It’s probably a pretty good guess to say that there isn’t a brand, company, or product innovator that hasn’t heard of Amazon by now. The e-commerce giant has been shaking up the retail industry for years, and is continuing to make waves across all industries and markets. The Amazon platform is connecting brands and products to consumers like never before, and retailers of all sizes are reaping the benefits.

It’s not uncommon, however, for brands to be a little wary at first when it comes to moving product via Amazon. While this uncertainty is not unwarranted (after all, how can such a huge retailer pay individual attention to the best interests of small to mid-size brands?), Amazon’s incredible growth has brought on a slew of changes that have made it irresponsible for brands to ignore the value of the platform.

As your brand takes the first steps toward selling on Amazon, there are few things to take note of:

Amazon is Growing Rapidly

If there are any questions in your mind about whether or not selling on Amazon is a good idea, let the numbers speak for themselves:

• Amazon sold more than $43.7 billion in the first three quarters of 2017.
• The platform will account for more than 50% of all online purchases made in the U.S. by 2021.
• More than 300,000 U.S.-based small and medium-sized businesses started selling on Amazon in 2017.
• Almost 64% of all U.S. households have Amazon Prime (with free two-day shipping included).

This rapid growth is only continuing, and Amazon’s market share is rising exponentially. If your brand isn’t on board yet, what are you waiting for?

An Incredible Opportunity for Third Party Sellers

It might be hard to believe, but nearly half of all products on Amazon are managed by third party sellers. While many of these products are distributed through Amazon warehouses, the product descriptions, photos, and other details are controlled by the sellers. This means that third party sellers have unprecedented control over products, presence, and overall sales in the Amazon marketplace.

If You Don’t Sell It, Someone Else Will

While Amazon presents an amazing opportunity to third party sellers, it also opens the door to other non-verified sources. If your brand isn’t fully in control of your Amazon presence, another seller (or even Amazon itself) has the ability to sell your products without your involvement. Brands must take a step forward to reclaim their product positioning and ensure brand credibility on Amazon.

The Hassle Might Not Be Your Brand’s Cup of Tea

Selling your products on Amazon is a great idea—but the hassle involved might be a little overwhelming for small and midsize brands that don’t have significant supply chain resources. Leveraging a trusted seller can streamline the process, from inventory storage to go-to-market strategy to shipping and even post-sale analytics. With a trusted seller, brands don’t have to spend time worrying about their Amazon presence and can instead focus on critical decisions and strategy.

Get Started on Amazon with SupplyKick

Taking the first step towards selling your products on Amazon can be daunting, but SupplyKick makes it easy to sell, track, and manage online inventory without the hassle. Get started today.

Photo by Piotr Cichosz