Amazon has long maintained a reputation for being a “race to the bottom” marketplace, where commodity products dominate and brand differentiation is difficult. This traditionally presented a challenge for brands seeking to maintain their unique identity and avoid being commoditized while selling products on the marketplace.
At the same time, Amazon’s ambition to be the “everything store” for both B2C and B2B buyers necessitated that the company build an enormous selection of products, including those from well-known brands. Brands were concerned about the potential for commoditization, price wars, and the inability to differentiate their products, though, and held off developing an Amazon presence, as there was no way to showcase their brand differentiators and stories on the channel.
Ultimately, Amazon realized they needed to do more for brands in order to encourage them to sell directly on the marketplace.
The Introduction of Amazon Brand Registry
To respond to brands’ needs, Amazon launched its Brand Registry service in 2015, finally allowing brand owners to take control of their brand’s presence on the platform. This service enables brands to register their intellectual property with Amazon in order to control branded content, often posted by resellers, on the platform. Brand Registry was a significant step forward in addressing the concerns of branded manufacturers, as it provided them with the tools to protect and manage their brand on the site.
A few years later in 2018, Amazon introduced Storefronts, allowing companies to create a custom, branded presence within the Amazon marketplace. These dedicated, branded pages provide a space free from competitors and advertisers, enabling brands to showcase their products and stories without distractions. Since then, Storefronts have become an essential part of Amazon optimization programs that can be utilized by companies selling via Amazon Vendor Central (aka 1P or “First Party”), Seller Central (aka 3P or “Third Party”), or even if a company is not selling directly at all.
Key Elements of a Great Storefront
To create a storefront, brands must first register with Amazon’s Brand Registry. This process involves proving ownership of the brand by providing a US trademark (e.g. one registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office) or a similar internationally recognized certification. Once a brand is registered, they can deploy a storefront and begin showcasing their products and brand story.
So, what makes a storefront great, particularly for B2B brands or branded manufacturers? Here are some key elements that every brand should deploy to make them stand out among Amazon’s billions of products and millions of sellers.
Great Imagery: A well-structured storefront includes high-quality imagery that highlights what the brand is all about. This can include images of products in use that showcase points of differentiation within the imagery itself.
Product and Brand Videos: Storefronts allow sellers to display one or multiple videos within Amazon’s template. These videos can tell the brand story or highlight specific products, providing a dynamic way to engage with potential buyers.
Categories and Subcategories: Like an Ecommerce site, a well-organized storefront includes categories and subcategories of products that make it easy for buyers to find what they want, enhancing the overall shopping experience.
Search Functionality: Storefronts come with built-in search functionality, allowing buyers to search within the store. This feature makes it easier for buyers to find specific products quickly.
Top-Selling Products: Storefronts allow sellers to feature their top-selling products on the storefront homepage. This feature helps buyers identify popular products and make purchasing decisions directly from the storefront.
Additionally, Amazon allows Buyers to follow and share a storefront and its products with other Amazon users or through social media channels such as Facebook, Pinterest, and X (formerly Twitter). This feature helps brands build a loyal customer base and increase their reach.
Does Your Brand Need a Storefront?
Absolutely!
For any company with a brand, having a storefront on Amazon is a standard best practice. Even if a brand is not selling directly on Amazon, they can create a storefront and feature products being sold by authorized resellers. This helps brands protect and manage their Amazon presence in situations where they do not have the ability to directly sell on the channel. This ensures that the brand and its products are presented consistently and professionally.
Amazon Storefronts have revolutionized the way branded manufacturers can showcase their products and tell their brand story on the platform. By providing a dedicated space free from competitors and advertisers, Storefronts allow brands to maintain their unique identity and differentiate themselves in a crowded marketplace.
Want to make the most out of your branded storefront? Enceiba can help! Schedule a call with one of our trusted Amazon experts to discuss how to integrate a storefront into your Amazon strategy.
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