Amazon’s mission is to be “the most customer-centric business on earth”. That’s been key to their success; they learn from their customers. You, too, could probably benefit from leaving products and sales on one side for a moment, and starting to think like your customers.

For instance, think about why your customer has headed to Amazon in the first place, instead of shopping ‘bricks and mortar’.

•      Do they want to get a better price? Or to get a multi-pack?

•      Are they shopping for a specialized product that the stores don’t stock?

•      Do they want to see the full range of what’s available?

•      Do they want to do without the hassle of bricks and mortar shopping, for instance if they need a new pair of jeans that’s the same as they had before?

•      Do they want a bundle of products rather than just one item?

For instance if someone’s getting started out in a new hobby, if they have a friendly local craft store they might go there. But otherwise they might go on Amazon to see if there’s a “Get started painting” or “Beginner decoupage” kit they can order. Or if someone has a new puppy, they can go to Pets R Us, but they can also order everything on Amazon, and it’s less hassle, plus they can see the customer reviews.

Once you’ve thought about why your customer went online, you can tweak your offering to suit. For instance, for specialized products, how can you help them make their purchasing decision? What kind of information will be important to your customers? What do they need to know to make sure they’re getting the right product? If you sell a widget, you might have a video showing “how to measure your XYZ so that you know you’re getting the right size widget”.

Think about why your customer is getting this product on Amazon. They’re not looking for your product or ASIN, most likely, they’re looking for an idea they have in their mind. They want to fix a problem, to suit a mood, to find a present for someone or to treat themselves.

So they may not look for “yourproductname” as a keyword. They’re looking for “help, my tap’s dripping” or “that shocking pink handbag my friend’s got” or “what can I get my Dad for his birthday that’s not predictable?” Some customers will look for dehumidifiers, others will search for “stop damp and mold”.

And once they’ve got your product, what are they going to do with it? Can you help them get more out of it? So for instance if you sell a special lens attachment for phone cameras, have a short video showing clearly how to attach it, and with some ideas for the kind of photos your customers might want to take with it. Or with a set of barbecue skewers, you could include some recipes, maybe with some vegetarian and vegan recipes and a couple of salsas to go with the barbecues.

Another way you should think like a customer is to think about the unboxing experience. What is the customer going to feel when they open up the package? How can you present things to help or delight them? How can you exceed expectations? How can you minimize returns? You might include a small thank you slip as part of the package, or instructions for how to put the product together. For an art or aromatherapy bundle, including a simple leaflet with some ideas for using the different products will not add much to your cost but can really improve your customer’s experience.

This may not help you sell, but it really will help improve your reviews. And in the long run, that will also benefit your bottom line!