Amazon Buy Box eligibility is defined as Professional sellers who have met Amazon’s performance-based requirements. There is no additional fee for being Buy Box eligible but sellers must maintain their performance levels in order to retain the status of Buy Box eligible.
Sellers with Buy Box eligible seller status (previously known as Amazon Featured Merchant Status) gain placement advantages for their listings on Amazon. Their listings are eligible to compete for the Buy Box and listings that do not win the Buy Box are eligible for placement in the More Buying Choices box.
Customers can find listings that do not win the Buy Box or placement in the More Buying Choices box when they click the “used & new” link at the bottom of the More Buying Choices box.
What is Buy Box Eligible Status
According to Amazon:
Buy Box eligible sellers are Professional sellers who have met performance-based requirements. There is no additional fee for being Buy Box eligible, and sellers must maintain their performance levels in order to retain the status of Buy Box eligible.
Sellers with Buy Box eligible seller status gain placement advantages for their listings on Amazon.com. Their listings are eligible to compete for the Buy Box and listings that do not win the Buy Box are eligible for placement in the More Buying Choices box and Buy Box eligibility. Amazon does not guarantee placement in either of these locations.
Note, Amazon makes it clear that just because you’re Buy Box eligible, this does not guarantee that you’ll win the Buy Box.
Buy Box Eligible Status Qualifications
Amazon evaluates sellers based on carefully chosen factors in an effort to give customers the best shopping experience, including the following criteria (subject to change):
- Order Defect Rate (ODR)—calculated using customer feedback, A-Z Guarantee claims and chargebacks.
- Other seller performance metrics.
- Customer shopping experience offered on an item, such as the speed of delivery, shipping options, price, and 24/7 customer service (including through the seller’s participation in Fulfilment by Amazon).
- Time and experience selling on Amazon.
- Status as a Professional seller.
- Price.
A seller’s Buy Box eligibility to win the Buy Box may change over time based on the seller’s performance against the eligibility criteria mentioned above.
Sustained seller performance and a low Order Defect Rate will help achieve and preserve a seller’s Buy Box eligible status. Specific performance metric targets can vary by category and are subject to change.
Earning Buy Box eligible status in one category does not automatically qualify a seller for Buy Box eligible status for all categories.
Some categories do not offer the benefits of Buy Box eligible status.
Monitor Buy Box Eligibility
Since seller performance metric targets can vary by category and are subject to change, Amazon does not disclose specific targets needed to qualify for Buy Box eligible status.
Buy Box eligibility requires meeting very high standards. Excelling in the qualifying criteria is the best way to work toward achieving Buy Box eligible status.
If your listing has not won the Buy Box and is not in the More Buying Choices box, click the “used & new” link at the bottom of the More Buying Choices box to go to the More Buying Choices page.
If your listing is displayed under the Buy Box eligible heading, then that item has met the requirements for being listed under the Buy Box eligible heading in that category.
If you are not currently Buy Box eligible, you can work toward becoming one by improving your Order Defect Rate and your other seller performance metrics. These metrics can be improved by maintaining high standards over time, which helps develop customer trust.
The following best practices can help you build customer trust:
- List accurately: Carefully title, describe and categorize items and their conditions to avoid customer confusion.
- Ship accurately: Build reliable fulfilment and shipping procedures to avoid customers receiving the wrong item.
- Ship on time: Ship orders with enough time to meet or beat the estimated delivery date, especially around the holidays. And then confirm shipment to avoid unnecessary cancelled orders. If you are not going to make the estimated delivery date, notify your customer right away, even for issues outside of your control (for example, a natural disaster or carrier issue).
- Communicate with customers: Notify customers when an order is delayed and respond quickly to customer contacts requesting order updates. The right communication at the right time can help build trust between you and the customer.
- Provide excellent customer service: Provide post-transaction support (refunds, returns, and exchanges) to help ensure customer satisfaction.
Related: 5 Factors That Contribute to Getting the Amazon Buy Box in 2024
Final Thoughts
One of the biggest myths surrounding Amazon’s Buy Box eligibility is that having the lowest price makes you a certainty for winning a Buy Box. By always having your prices at rock-bottom prices, you’ll reduce your profit and customers may perceive your product quality to be low.
However, optimising the price of your product will almost certainly increase your chances of winning the Buy Box. With price optimisation, your prices and subsequent profits will increase when a competitor runs out of stock.
Repricing software such as Repricer can save you huge amounts of time and effort as well as helping you win the Buy Box. Repricer works within your defined pricing rules, ensuring your prices are optimised within your min and max price settings.
Interested in finding out more… you can start 14 days of Amazon repricing for free (no credit card required) today. See what our customers have to say!
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