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The world of online shopping has created a phenomenon unlike anything we have ever seen. The downside to all of this is that there are so many choices consumers might feel overwhelmed. Amazon Choice aims to help with this. But, can you trust the system behind it?
Amazon Choice was first introduced in 2015 for Echo with voice purchases in mind. The concept was to create a seamless shopping experience where you could just give your device a voice command such as “buy new plates” and the device would be able to make the shopping choice for you based on your purchase history.
However, if this was your first time buying such an item, Amazon needed a default product to suggest without the need to sort through and display thousands of options.
It only took a simple command, and Amazon would suggest the best option.
In 2016, this feature was migrated to desktop, and it has since become the black badge we know today.
The badge is awarded to only one item per category (or search term) and its purpose is to help shoppers when choosing products. This reduces the problem of choice overload.
Dealing with Choice Overload
Yes, it’s a thing, and it has become an increasing problem over the last couple of decades.
Why? Because it creates a feeling of remorse on consumers who may be left wondering if they made the best purchase; specially when talking about similar items with very little distinction between them.
Take a charging cable for example. Unless we’re talking brand name versus generic, you would have to be a real expert to know, or even understand, the differences between two identical cables.
The Amazon Choice badge aims to help reduce the negative experience of choice overload by providing an indicator of which product has an advantage over others in a similar category based on what the algorithm selects through a series of variables.
In case that last sentence didn’t catch your eye, products awarded with the Amazon Choice badge are selected through an algorithm. It’s not like there’s a human personally testing each one of the products, but we do have the next best thing: a computer!
Before you feel overwhelmed thinking about how complex algorithms can be and how hard it is to understand them, it’s actually simpler than you think.
How Does the Algorithm Select the Products?
There is still a wide debate surrounding the exact mechanics behind the Amazon Choice badge and how it gets awarded to certain products.
The company says the badge gets awarded to “highly rated, well-priced products available to ship immediately.”
But that is a very vague description that could apply to a lot of products in the same category, so a lot of researchers have made it their vendetta to figure out these inner workings.
The general consensus points to it being a series of variables that determine whether a product gets chosen or not, most of these having to do with the reviews, the returns, and the availability of the product for shipping.
Fulfillment by Amazon
When it comes to selecting a product for this badge, Amazon seems to have a preference for products that are handled by them.
As you may know, there are programs that allow you to fulfill your orders through Amazon. This means you ship your products to an Amazon warehouse and they take care of everything; from storage and inventory, to logistics, shipping, and handling.
Amazon Choice products tend to be ones that are handled directly by the company. This guarantees that the product will be delivered on time and with the utmost care for all the details that come with the fulfillment process.
This may sound biased, but if you think about it, it’s a way to ensure that they’re recommending a product that will create a positive customer experience.
Specific Keyword Search
As you may already know, keywords are important. Specially in today’s digital market!
But the reason why they are so relevant for the Amazon Choice badge is because the algorithm seems to choose very specific words as categories. For example, a search for “brush” may not show the same product recommendation as a search for “brushes”.
Top selling brands may benefit from this feature. If their brand is searched often enough, it may become its own category; thus, it could be awarded the badge more easily.
Customer Experience
The way clients respond to items seems to play an important role in getting this badge.
The algorithm appears to take note on which products are least returned within the same category as well as which are the best ranked. This adds a bit of a human factor into the selection process. However, this is still done through an algorithm.
The whole idea behind this badge is to create a simpler experience for the shoppers while providing more resources for them. Also, to make the best choices when purchasing an item without the huge hassle of having to research.
Amazon has been aiming to integrate the product research process into the shopping experience. The main goal is to provide shoppers with everything they need to make an educated decision instead of needing to go to Google, search engine, or forum to read customer reviews and product rankings.
This also helps reduce the number of shoppers that abandon their shopping carts. When customers get distracted searching for reviews, the purchase process gets disrupted. This of course can cost you a couple of sales.
Therefore, having all the resources inside the Amazon platform is a big benefit for both the customer and the seller.
Closing Thoughts
It’s important to note that the Amazon Choice selection is always changing. Since it is picked algorithmically, it may switch products from one moment to another and then switch back.
The “Amazon Best Seller” badge, on the other hand, chooses its products on a very clear line of metrics and is almost certain to recommend an excellent product. The Amazon Choice badge, however, it appears to be a bit more erratic and unpredictable.
That’s not to say that it doesn’t recommend some good products, but it may not be as reliable as other indicators or resources. This has led a lot of people to question how much they should rely on this feature for decision making.
If you find yourself shopping for something that doesn’t require that much thought or research you might benefit from taking a look at this feature. You can always take a look at the reviews and other markers that can help you make the best and fastest choice on your purchase.
Guest Author:
AMZ Advisers is a full-service eCommerce consultancy focused on creating growth opportunities for brands, manufacturers, and private labels across the US, Europe, Canada, and Asia.
The AMZ Advisers team has been able to achieve incredible growth on the Amazon platform for their clients by optimizing and managing their accounts and creating in-depth content marketing strategies.