July 6th, 2023
Forget swimsuits and sunblock, it’s time to break out the notebooks and backpacks! Time is ticking for parents, students, and teachers as they scramble to find all the essentials for the upcoming school year. From tablets and thermoses to snacks and socks, shoppers are flocking to Amazon to prep for the year ahead. For sellers, this is the time to strategize and maximize your back to school potential.
No matter what you sell, it’s time to think outside the box. With so many shoppers eager to stock up and spend, now is the time to rethink your tactics and showcase your goods. Despite widespread concerns about the U.S. economy, shoppers still plan to spend approximately $377 per child this year, a 21% increase from 2022. As buyers search for discounts, deals, and sales to offset rising prices, they're likely to expand their search and consider purchasing from new brands.
For many consumers, Prime Day kicks off the Amazon back to school selling season, with many people looking to stock up on apparel, office supplies, classroom supplies, and electronics.
For sellers, it’s time to find a creative way to show shoppers how your products can simplify and improve their lives. Since most will be looking for price, quality, and convenience, it's crucial that your listings and marketing efforts cater to their search.
Back to school is the second-largest season for retailers. Many consider it an indicator of how they will perform during the traditional holiday season, with the late summer setting the stage for the months to come.
With the rise of inflation, it will be more important than ever to appeal to shoppers with a tight budget and high expectations. Now is the time to ramp up your content optimization and advertising and marketing efforts to appeal to a vast group of shoppers. You can never be too prepared, and these efforts can yield tremendous results.
The Ultimate Back to School Guide for Amazon Sellers
There’s no doubt about it - back to school shopping is big. As the second-largest season for retailers, many consider it an indicator of how they will perform during the traditional holiday season.
With inflation on the rise, it is now more crucial than ever to attract shoppers on a tight budget by emphasizing the quality and value of your products. Now is the time to ramp up your content optimization and advertising and marketing efforts to appeal to the vast group of shoppers that will be preparing for back to school sales and expanding their search on Amazon.
Attract New Customers with Discounts and Deals
In 2023, around 69.5% of shoppers will be in search of discounts and deals to help them save money. To stand out from the competition and increase sales, it is a perfect time to offer Amazon back to school sales that attract new and repeat customers.
Set up coupons, discounts, and promotions to draw more attention to your products. Amazon offers several different types of deals and discounts:
Coupons
Amazon Coupons allow shoppers to click and “clip” your discount before they add your product to their cart. These digital promotions are visible on your product detail page.
Promo Codes
Amazon Promo Codes can be applied automatically on your product detail page or redeemed on the “Select Payment” page in a customer’s cart.
There are several different types of Amazon coupons:
- Percentage Off Promo Codes
- No Code
- One-Time Use Codes
- Group Claim Codes
- Buy One/Get One
- Social Media Codes
Lightening Deals
These deals can be found on Amazon on the Today's Deals or Prime Day page. Those deals are available until the promotion period for the deal ends or all deals are claimed. Lightening Deals are limited to one per customer.
Social Media Promotions
These promotions are available on your social media landing page. You can offer special prices and/or advertise your Amazon product promo codes and coupons. Users can click on your social media landing page to find your Amazon listing and share it with family and friends.
Demonstrate Your Worth
With limited funds this season, many shoppers are open to switching brands to save money on back to school supplies. This opens the door for less popular and new brands to engage shoppers and boost sales.
While price is the primary concern for many, quality is also a significant consideration. When shoppers make a purchase for the back to school season, they want it to last. After all, value is more than just the cost. Poorly made items may require frequent replacements and are less cost-effective than high-quality items.
Focusing on quality, value, and convenience can help shoppers feel confident about their purchases. To stand out from your competitors, consider how your products can benefit customers throughout the busy school year. When optimizing your product detail pages to boost Amazon back to school sales, consider these unique selling points:
- Warranties/guarantees
- Easy upkeep/cleaning
- Durability/craftsmanship
- Customer satisfaction
- Compatibility with other products
Show shoppers how your products save time, money, and frustration as they navigate the daily grind. Consider optimizing your listings and dedicate a few of the image slots to show how your product is used by school-aged kids. Don’t forget about the college students who are starting from scratch! They will need all the home basics, from towels and sheets to microwaves, cutlery, and fun décor.
Get Creative with Bundles
You don’t have to sell conventional back to school supplies to take advantage of this profitable season. From daily food prep to jewelry and home decor, adults and college-age kids are looking to update, upgrade, and organize. Show them how they can look good, feel good, and save money in the process.
When it comes to the back to school season, time is just as valuable as money. Parents and teachers are perpetually seeking ways to simplify their shopping, making it a great chance for sellers to provide just what they're looking for.
Consider offering product bundles to boost sales and upgrade the shopping experience for your customers. Bundling items that are commonly used together can be appealing to customers who are looking to buy multiple items and save.
The requirements for bundling on Amazon:
- Your bundle must consist of items that are highly complementary.
- The primary product cannot be books, music, videos, DVDs, or video game products (this can be added as a secondary item in your bundle).
- Bundles cannot consist of duplicate products or pre-packaged kits.
- Bundles cannot include generic products without a brand name.
- Your product title must include the word “Bundle” and the number of items that are included.
- Your first bullet point must indicate that the product is a bundle and list each individual item.
- Your description must mention that the product is a bundle and identify all products and specifications.
- The main image must include all the products included in your bundle.
Keep Inventory Ready to Roll
The back to school season seems to start earlier every year, but your window of opportunity is limited. If you are selling via Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), it's crucial to ensure that you have inventory in stock and ready to go. The back to school selling season is fast-paced but can be lucrative.
Check Your Inventory
Carefully monitor your inventory and estimate what you may need for back to school. If you’re storing and shipping your products, be sure that you have enough space to organize and store the new inventory. If you’re selling via FBA, regularly check and restock your inventory. It can take time to label and send your products to Amazon, so you don't want to miss out on potential sales because your inventory wasn't available.
Review Your Sales Data
Review which items sold well during the back to school season in 2022 as well as the items that did well during Prime Day. Use this data to anticipate this year’s best sellers and trends.
Understand Your Shipping Options
If you have inventory, you want to make sure you can move it. In 2023, customers have come to expect fast shipping times. Anticipate that consumers will be making last-minute purchases and will want and need those items quickly. If you are able to sell FBA and have that Prime badge, it can work to your advantage and help garner those last-minute sales.
Prepare for Savvy Shoppers
With a vast audience frantically searching for the perfect products at the right price, it’s time to make sure your product listings and ads are ready to go. No matter how great your product is, you need to captivate shoppers quickly and provide them with the information and incentives they need to choose you over your competitors.
Channel Your Inner Wordsmith
Make sure your title, bullet points, and descriptions are well-crafted, free from any spelling and grammatical mistakes, and speak directly to parents and students. Help them understand how your product can help their back to school life and simplify their daily routine.
Create Captivating Visuals
Create infographics and share lifestyle photos that showcase your product being used by students, teachers, and parents. Make images informative and descriptive, and do your best to capture the most important benefits of your products and how they relate to back to school.
Target Interested Shoppers with PPC Ads
Make sure that you are taking full advantage of this shopping period by targeting the shoppers who are most likely interested in your products with the right PPC advertising options.
Create Brand Store Versions
If you have an Amazon Brand Store, use it to your advantage. You can now create multiple versions of your Brand Store on Amazon. Add back to school pages that include back to school themed copy and lifestyle images and schedule them to run through September before reverting to your default version.
Time is Ticking!
It’s time to prepare for selling back to school on Amazon! In 2023, many buyers are scouring sales and promotions for early holiday gifts, back to school deals, and classroom supplies. It's best to plan ahead and optimize your listings to appeal to parents, students, and teachers. By analyzing your data from previous years and Prime Day, you can get a good feel for what consumers are likely to purchase. This will help you have the right amount of inventory on hand.
Make sure you optimize your listings with content that showcases your products, answers customer questions, and demonstrates how parents and students can benefit from buying your product. Don’t forget to budget for advertising. It is the fastest way to move up in the search results and boost those back to school sales.
Not sure where to start? Let us help! Our team of dedicated ecommerce experts understand the intricacies of Amazon and can give you the support you need for back to school and beyond. From advertising to listing optimization and creative content creation, we equip you with the tools you need to grow your Amazon brand and boost revenue. To get started, simply sign up for a free consultation.