With so many third-party sellers on Amazon, nearly 2 million, it can be difficult to stand out. The difficulty skyrockets when you are competing with massive household brand names that many shoppers tend to trust from the get-go and can also be found in physical stores. How do you convince ever-skeptical prospective customers that your brand will bring them the same joy and positive customer experience that an established brick-and-mortar store will? 

Selling online can be ruthless and requires a touch of intention that goes far beyond search engine optimization, PPC campaigns, and Google advertising.

You have to sharpen your competitive edge to stand. Unrecognizable online shops with a weak brand identity and minimal reviews are often perceived as a risk to their target market:

7 out of 10 potential customers will purchase online products from an established brand that they already know and trust. Shoppers will swipe right past a brand they don’t recognize, potentially yours, if you don't capture their interest with all the tools and tips at your disposal. 

You have around 20 seconds to grab the fleeting attention of your audience and command the direction of your sales. “Online is not much better, with the average consumer spending 19 seconds to purchase, and the majority spent less than 10 seconds.” You have a measly 10 seconds to make an impression that lasts long enough to secure a purchase!

Amazon third-party sales are growing at 52% a year, compared to 25% for first-party sales. This simply means that the online marketplace is bustling. Without the right content and/or a solid product offering, you could drown in the sea of similar products.

What is risk aversion and how does it impact your potential for a sale?

Risk aversion is the bias toward safety.

Your customers are much more likely to complete a purchase that feels foolproof. They want to know what they are getting and avoid the risk of a faulty product they ultimately need to return.

With that in mind, let's look at some golden sales strategies to mitigate risk aversion and ensure your customers know they won't be disappointed when they receive your product. The first step is to create Amazon product listings that are engaging, honest, and trustworthy—all while accounting for your competition.

How to Write an Amazon Listing to Avoid Risk Aversion

Tip 1: Sell More Online with Beautiful Branding and Images That Wow

Your brand identity might have a greater impact on your sales than you think.

As we learned earlier, online marketplace shoppers make a decision in just a few clicks, so hooking them in immediately with professional product photos is integral to your online sales strategy and longevity as an Amazon seller. Employ consistent, professional branding that tells customers who YOU are. More importantly, it tells customers that YOU know who you are. Because if you don’t know who you are, how do you expect a customer to trust you? To your target customers, the quality of your images will reflect the quality of your product and how solid you are as a brand.

Influence how your target audience perceives you and your online sales with the right image content.

From the moment shoppers see your main image, they have already made a snap decision—ensure it is a positive one. Make your product irresistible with lifestyle images that capture the emotion customers will feel when using your product. Research shows that customers are more receptive to photos that showcase the uses of your product. If you aim to sell stuff online, optimizing every aspect of your listing is crucial, from the overall brand image to the tiniest details like font selection and pixel size. Your online store is nothing without images that capture the attention of shoppers. Today's shopper is highly intelligent and aware of marketing tactics, so being honest and creating a compelling brand identity by using attractive images that are well edited.

Tip 2: Make Sure Your Grammar is Solid in Your Online Store

Grammar can make or break how your target audience perceives you. Make a positive impression by sounding professional and put together.

It may seem nitpicky, but there is a reason this tip is at the top of the list—it is all too often glossed over. Mistakes as small as incorrect capitalization or improper punctuation can create the impression that you didn't thoroughly review your product listing or website copy. This can lead your customer base to believe you didn't invest much effort or time into your product, or even worse, that you hastily posted something online just to make money. If your niche market thinks you're just out to make a few dollars, you're going to lose those sales faster than you think.

Make sure your online storefront is pristine from top to bottom. If grammar isn't your jam or English isn't your first language, you can always use programs such as Grammarly or a quick Google search to double-check that you're rolling out content you can feel proud of. Believe us, new customers will notice.

Tip 3: Let Customers Know Your Why and Who You Are

Create a real connection with your customers by telling them your story. They care if you're authentic.

People want to support small business owners with real people at the helm over a corporation, but the desire to stick with what they know and avoid risk takes over. Many third-party sellers are small businesses, and it is human nature to root for the underdog, the little guy. But you need to have a real story, a real purpose, and tell your customers what it is in a clear, compelling manner. That being said, avoid making up a brand image or story. This kind of dishonesty is what results in unwanted backlash such as returns and poor reviews.

Let them know your story. The real one. Get personal and demonstrate how the heart within a small company ultimately trumps the large company mindset. Share with them who you are, who your family is, the causes you support, etc. You may not be in their direct community, so tell them about yours and appeal to them as a person. Then, if you have a good product, these details will help it shine even brighter. 

One 2022 survey revealed that leaning into the small business mindset and brand image could give you an edge over larger businesses or corporations:

31% of Americans prefer to purchase from small businesses that have the same values as their own! Share your why and sit back as they buy! 

41% shop small because of the unique offering small business often have

54% will shop small for a positive customer service experience

Tip 4: Describe Your Product as Accurately as You Can

Offer your customers a quality product that delivers the levels of reliability they seek in an established brand.

Don’t over or undersell your product. Customers are not afraid to speak out if they receive a product that wasn't described accurately and is less than they hoped it would be. That is one of the worst types of reviews you can receive. Once a purchase is made, they are anticipating that product for days, hanging on the words you wrote about it, and thinking about how it will improve their lives.

Avoid triggering customers' natural aversion to risk by making a sale and then sending a product that doesn’t live up to the description. Here are some statistics to show just how important this is:

71% of customers said they would never purchase from a brand again if trust is broken (the product wasn’t described properly, received broken due to improper packaging, etc.). 

Positive shopper experience from start to finish is crucial, and dissatisfaction can end up having an immensely critical impact on the performance of your Amazon listing. Poor reception of your products results in negative reviews, lack of trust, fewer sales on your ecommerce store, and decreased ranking on Amazon.

Not sure how to tout your product with the right balance of accuracy and bravado? Let Marketing by Emma help you inject your listing with sale-spiking copy that paints the right picture and helps you avoid critical reviews and returns!

Tip 5: Find Your Competitive Angle

When you start a company online, there is a delicate balance you have to strike between selling a product that people want or need and tapping into a market that isn't already overly saturated.

You can't just slap a label on something and expect it to sell right away. Once you select a product to sell on Amazon, you then need to extend your lead out in front of the competition with branding that focuses on your unique target audience.

Your competitive angle on Amazon may be your branding. People are drawn to specific colors, fonts, and wording. It is essential to be conscious of that as you bring everything about your product together.

Your branding in tone, colors, and style should be consistent from top to bottom so your listing flows. The eyes should be able to easily scroll the page without anything out of left field or off-putting.

What makes your ecommerce store stand out?

It could be your story. If you began to sell products online by making crafts in your home with your kids, tell your audience! Personal stories and images of the actual creators of a product help you make a genuine emotional connection with your customers, which is something they want. When you don't typically walk into a store anymore, it is nice to find a seller on Amazon that feels real. Potential purchasers will be drawn to that authenticity.

Maybe your competitive edge is your packaging materials. In today's climate (pun intended!), sustainability plays a significant role in the purchasing decisions of many prospective buyers.

Your tone says a lot about you. Your competitive edge could be your fun or cheeky approach to a topic or, on the opposite end, how professional and knowledgeable you sound. This will depend on your audience, but a clear tone will go far when you're trying to stand out among competitors and other online shops!

Tip 6: Product Pricing, Shipping Cost, and Returns

If you sell online, then you know how crucial customer service and customer experience are.

In fact, they can make or break your business online. If you don't offer returns, competitive pricing, and reasonable shipping costs, you might drive your target audience to another online business that feels more established and able to provide the experience they expect. Failure to meet essential online selling standards makes you seem inexperienced, which negatively influences buyers' perception of your product's quality.

Amazon free shipping, subscribe and save, and Prime offerings really come in handy here. When shoppers discover a brand will deliver in a couple of days with free shipping, then things like sales tax don't seem like such a big deal. Additionally, Prime products, with their tacit "stamp of approval" from Amazon, feel legitimate in a way that others may not.

Have you researched your pricing strategy? You can guarantee that customers have and will compare pricing to similar products on Amazon in no time. When your product carries a higher price tag, it is crucial to clearly communicate the reasons behind it and highlight the unique value proposition that sets it apart from competitors. Be flexible and know that without the right price, you may not get any return on investment.

A price change could be the boost you need to get even more conversions.

Your ability to provide stellar customer service and the right price heavily contributes to the likelihood of people engaging and purchasing.

Tip 7: Wisely Manage Inventory

Going out of stock is an ill-advised move.

Something you hope for when you start selling products online is return shoppers who learn to really rely on your brand for their needs.

If your product goes out of stock, buyers will likely turn to a familiar brand they trust to be available for online purchases. As a result, you risk losing valuable sales opportunities. For potential buyers to become customers and then evolve into coveted returning patrons, you need to maintain your supply so they can come to rely on you.

Shoppers want to know that a product they love will be there when they need it. Keeping your products in stock and ready for online shopping and shipping can be pricy and time-consuming, but you won't end up making the profit you desire if patrons can't buy your product when they need it.

If you want to sell product online on Amazon, you have to be able to deliver.

Tip 8: Have Your Own Website and Build a Social Media Marketing Presence

As we've established, a sale could hinge on how legitimate you appear. There are multiple ways to solidify your validity in the eyes of the customer.

Many purchasers will leave Amazon seeking additional online platforms to confirm who you are. They will look for online marketplaces such as a brand's web store or social media channels including YouTube to uncover revealing customer reviews, information, and insight into your product.

A website, influencer marketing, or solid social media presence could be what lands you the sale over your competition. These ecommerce platforms, not to mention the green light from an influencer, bolsters the customer's trust in you and your products.

One study revealed that an astounding 71% of customers trust advertising and product placements from influencers when making a purchase. So, if you can land a feature on YouTube, TikTok, or even Amazon Live, you're in a good position to promote yourself.

Even if you plan to sell solely on Amazon, you can benefit from curating a home on a dedicated website. A simple, easy-to-remember URL could be better for promoting your brand than a complicated Amazon URL, and many customers will look for products online to double-check their validity and quality.

A Few Burning Questions About Customer Trust:

What does it mean to build trust with customers?

The key to fostering trust with the client is to respect and understand their needs throughout the relationship. You can maintain this relationship through emails, subscription services, package inserts, and more.

How do you increase customer loyalty and trust?

Know your clients and answer their questions directly when asked on Amazon. Address critical reviews quickly and without frustration. Here is information on how to handle negative reviews to render a positive outcome for everyone. Encourage customers to comment and leave reviews. Let them know that you are here to help them have a better life.

What is a practical example of risk aversion?

Let's say you sell athletic gear such as leggings and t-shirts. A customer heads to Amazon and searches the keyword "workout leggings." You have some solid SEO, so your leggings pop up on this first results page. The customer sees your main image next to a pair of Nike leggings, but yours are $10 cheaper, so they click. Your landing page has photos with no photo text, a short description that doesn't mention if your leggings are squat-proof, and only 10 reviews. They go to the effort to leave Amazon and look up your brand on Google and nothing appears. No results.

Your product may be cheaper, but without solid information, reviews, or a way to confirm your validity, they aren't going to risk getting a product they don't like. It is worth the money to receive a product they know they'll enjoy.

Even if your product is incredible, the customer can't know that unless you properly describe it and let them know with copy that paints a picture, eye-catching imagery, reviews, or a presence elsewhere on the web.

Seal the Deal and Score Online Sales

Write an Amazon listing that focuses on the customer, what they need, and how you can fulfill that need in a way that larger companies can’t. Get personal with effective brand building and win them over. 

Staring at a blank page or flat file is stressful. Trying to figure out how to balance keywords, prioritize details, and make it customer-centric all at the same time can be downright daunting. With our passionate team of writers eager to help you with your project and provide quality copy backed by dedicated research, Marketing by Emma has what you need to check all the Amazon boxes.

Need some help bringing all the elements of your listing together in a way that fosters customer-client trust? All you need to do is reach out.