Launching a product on Amazon can be exciting. The idea of reaching millions of potential customers and generating significant revenue fuels many entrepreneurs’ ambitions. Unfortunately, not every product achieves immediate success. If your Amazon product isn’t selling or has outright failed, don’t panic. You’re not alone, and you have options. In this guide, we’ll walk through practical, actionable steps to recover, pivot, or strategically move forward from product failure on Amazon.
Step 1: Identify the Reason for the Failure
The first critical step is to understand why your product failed. Here are common reasons why Amazon products struggle:
Poor Product-Market Fit
Your product might not meet customer needs effectively or might be positioned poorly in the market. It could be due to inadequate research, incorrect assumptions about customer demand, or market saturation.
Weak Product Listing
Even excellent products can fail due to poorly optimized listings. Issues might include weak titles, unclear descriptions, unappealing images, lack of targeted keywords, or insufficient product reviews.
Pricing Mistakes
Pricing too high can deter potential buyers, while pricing too low can erode profits and create perceptions of inferior quality.
Insufficient Marketing Efforts
Without adequate promotional activities, even great products can remain unnoticed. Ineffective PPC campaigns, lack of social proof, or limited external traffic sources often contribute to poor performance.
Step 2: Gather and Analyze Customer Feedback
If you’ve managed to get some sales but not enough, carefully analyze customer reviews, ratings, and feedback. Customer input is invaluable for understanding product shortcomings. Look specifically for recurring complaints, unmet expectations, or perceived product flaws.
How to use customer feedback effectively:
- Address negative reviews directly with product improvements.
- Improve product images and descriptions to manage expectations clearly.
- Leverage feedback to revise your product’s marketing messaging.
Step 3: Optimize Your Product Listing
Your Amazon listing is your digital storefront. Improving your listing can dramatically enhance performance:
Title Optimization
Ensure your title contains primary, high-intent keywords and clearly highlights the main benefits.
Enhanced Images and Videos
Invest in professional images and lifestyle photos that illustrate the product’s use clearly and attractively.
Bullet Points and Description
Clarify benefits, features, and differentiate your product from competitors in a compelling way. Highlight unique selling propositions.
Backend Keywords
Include highly relevant keywords in backend search terms to enhance discoverability.
A+ Content
Utilize enhanced brand content (A+) to tell your brand’s story and present your product professionally, boosting trust and conversion rates.
Step 4: Rethink Your Pricing Strategy
Review your pricing thoroughly against competitors and market trends:
- Experiment with limited-time discounts or coupons.
- Test different price points to identify the optimal pricing strategy.
- Use dynamic pricing tools if possible, adjusting prices based on competitor changes and market demand.
Step 5: Enhance Your Marketing and Promotional Efforts
A good product won’t succeed without robust marketing. Revise and strengthen your promotional strategy:
Amazon PPC Advertising
- Run targeted campaigns focusing on high-intent keywords.
- Continuously optimize your PPC efforts, cutting wasted spend and doubling down on converting keywords.
External Traffic
- Leverage social media platforms, influencer partnerships, and email marketing to drive external traffic.
- Use Amazon Attribution to measure the impact of external marketing efforts.
Review Generation
- Utilize Amazon’s Vine program or request reviews through follow-up emails.
- Positive reviews significantly boost conversion rates and credibility.
Step 6: Inventory and Fulfillment Optimization
Assess your inventory management and fulfillment strategy. Poor inventory management can lead to out-of-stock issues or overstocking, negatively impacting sales and rankings:
- Regularly monitor inventory levels and sales velocity.
- Utilize FBA effectively for faster shipping and higher rankings.
- Consider merchant-fulfilled options or third-party logistics (3PL) as backup solutions.
Step 7: Consider a Product Pivot or Redesign
Sometimes, the best approach is to pivot your product or even relaunch it:
Product Improvement
- Make necessary design or functionality improvements based on customer feedback.
Product Bundling
- Create bundled offerings with complementary products to increase value and differentiate from competitors.
Rebranding
- Refresh product packaging, branding, or positioning to better resonate with your target market.
Step 8: Knowing When to Cut Your Losses
Not every product can be rescued. Sometimes, the smartest business decision is to move on:
- Evaluate whether further investment (time, effort, money) is justified based on potential return.
- Liquidate remaining inventory to recover costs.
- Learn from the experience and apply these insights to future products or strategies.
Real-Life Example: Bouncing Back From Failure
Consider an Amazon seller who initially struggled with their product—a set of eco-friendly reusable food containers. After receiving negative feedback about durability and confusing packaging, they took action:
- Revised the product design, addressing durability.
- Improved the packaging for clarity.
- Relaunched the product with a targeted PPC campaign and influencer partnerships.
Within months, their revamped product saw significant sales increases, better reviews, and improved organic rankings.
Conclusion
A failed Amazon product is challenging but not insurmountable. By carefully analyzing the reasons behind failure, optimizing your product and marketing strategies, and knowing when to pivot or cut losses, you can turn setbacks into valuable growth opportunities. Success on Amazon often comes from resilience, adaptability, and a commitment to continual learning.
Remember, many successful Amazon sellers have faced failures along the way. What differentiates successful sellers from the rest is their ability to respond proactively, learn from mistakes, and consistently optimize their approach.
Stay positive, adapt quickly, and leverage your learnings to position your future Amazon endeavors for success.
