What is an Amazon Storefront?
Have you ever wished for a way to build your brand and stand out among competitors on Amazon? Well, wish no more! With Amazon Storefronts, you can create your very own customized store on the Amazon website. This feature is available to all sellers with Brand Registry approval, meaning you need to be a brand owner with a registered trademark. Let’s delve into everything you need to know about Amazon Storefronts, from creating your store to monitoring its performance.
How do I create an Amazon Storefront?
Creating an Amazon Storefront is a simple and visual process. Through the “Store builder” design tools in Seller Central, you can build your store without any coding involved. The main components of an Amazon Storefront are:
- Pages: These are the webpages of your store that define the navigation menu.
- Templates: Predefined layouts to kickstart your page designs.
- Header: A prominent section featuring a large “hero image,” your brand logo, and navigation bar.
- Sections: The horizontal areas or “rows” where you add content tiles.
- Tiles: Widgets to showcase text, images, videos, and products.
To create your store, you start by designing your pages and adding modules using templates as a starting point. Then, you can customize and modify these pages to suit your brand’s needs. The Store builder also offers a preview function, so you can see how your pages will look during the design process.
What are the benefits of an Amazon Store?
Having your own Amazon Storefront brings numerous benefits to your brand. It not only presents a professional image to buyers but also enhances the customer experience. Some of the advantages include:
- Up-selling opportunities: Guide customers towards higher-priced or larger pack size options.
- Cross-selling potential: Highlight accessories and complementary products.
- Brand storytelling: Communicate your brand’s story to a wider audience.
Although having store pages may not directly impact search rankings, they can significantly improve conversion rates. With a well-designed store, you can expect a 5-15% increase in conversion, leading to more sales and better return on investment, especially if you run Amazon sponsored products PPC ads. Additionally, your Amazon Storefront comes with its own customizable Amazon URL, making it easy to direct customers to your products and brand.
What are some good examples of Amazon Stores?
To inspire you, let’s take a look at some exceptional Amazon Stores:
Sony
Sony’s Amazon Storefront brilliantly showcases their diverse product range. They utilize a combination of videos, imagery, and product links to engage customers. Sony’s store also features interactive elements, such as a wireless headphones comparison table implemented as a “shoppable image” tile, offering customers a dynamic and informative browsing experience.
Mother Dirt
Mother Dirt effectively employs clear and captivating imagery to tell their brand story and promote their product range. They hav
e dedicated pages, like “The Science,” that delve deeper into their brand’s knowledge and expertise. This exemplifies one of the key benefits of Amazon Stores – the ability to customize pages and truly showcase your brand’s strengths and unique selling points.
Two Keys
Two Keys showcases both their high-quality product and their commitment to supporting wildlife charities. By focusing on visually conveying their brand’s core values, they establish a connection with potential customers. Two Keys also utilizes a dedicated “story” page to further build their brand on Amazon.
Approval Process and Requirements
Creating an Amazon Storefront involves submitting your initial store design and any subsequent changes for approval. Amazon maintains strict guidelines to ensure high-quality standards throughout the platform. Some key requirements and reasons for rejection include:
- High-quality images and videos.
- Proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
- Avoiding direct communication with customers (using “you” or “your”).
- Maintaining clear image visibility without obstructing important elements.
- No specific pricing or discount references.
- Substantiated product claims.
- Restricting customer reviews to those generated within Amazon.
Amazon’s moderation process typically takes between two and seven days. It’s crucial to ensure your store design complies with all creative acceptance policies to avoid delays or rejection.
Is an Amazon Storefront worth the investment?
While an Amazon Storefront can provide an effective ecommerce presence, it does come with a few considerations. It’s important to evaluate where Amazon fits into your overall strategy and determine whether it aligns with your business goals. Some factors to consider are:
- Amazon fees: Although creating a store is free, there are associated referral fees, FBA fees, and other costs.
- Brand dependency: By selling on Amazon, your marketing options are limited, and you may not have direct access to customer information.
- Platform popularity: With over 150 million Prime members, Amazon is a highly frequented ecommerce site, offering quick and convenient access to a vast customer base.
Ultimately, the decision to invest in an Amazon Storefront depends on your specific circumstances and broader business strategy.
Conclusion
Amazon Storefronts provide an incredible opportunity for brand owners to create a dedicated, customized space on the Amazon website. By designing a store that enhances the customer experience and highlights your brand’s unique story, you can differentiate yourself from competitors and boost sales. Remember, when creating and designing your store, adhere to Amazon’s guidelines and take advantage of the analytics tools available to improve performance and track customer engagement. Embrace the power of Amazon Storefronts and take your brand to new heights!
This article was written by Chris Turton, an ecommerce and Amazon consultant with extensive experience in helping businesses achieve success on Amazon platforms. Chris offers a range of services, including ecommerce strategies, pricing and data analysis, eBay and Amazon listings and marketing, SEO, PPC, and Magento web design and development.