There’s no debating that Amazon has revolutionized the way the world buys things—literally, just about anything. If for no other reason, this is 
true for the sheer size of their inventory. However, Amazon has also been a trailblazer in offering their customers affordable versions of the products they want, sold by third party vendors. If you’re one of those merchants, though, you have your work cut out for you. Winning the Amazon Buy Box, for example, is paramount.
The Buy Box just refers to the portion of a product detail page on Amazon where customers can elect to add an item to their shopping cart. “Winning” it refers to the fact that you’re not the only vendor offering the same product for sale. So just because a customer is interested in the item you’re selling, doesn’t mean you get the sale.
Winning the Buy Box comes down to a number of factors. It begins with getting Featured Merchant Status—otherwise the Buy Box is as good as a mirage. Amazon only awards this to those who have sold for a bare minimum of three months and have sufficient customer satisfaction metrics.
To earn this, you’re going to need Amazon shipping software. With Amazon shipping software on your side, you’ll have a much easier time hitting your numbers, because it will allow you to sell more merchandise by making it simpler to manage. Amazon shipping software also means you’ll be able to sell more items and ship them out on time. This is a huge piece to the customer satisfaction puzzle.
All right, so let’s say three months have passed, you’re a Featured Merchant and you’re now eligible to compete for Buy Box real estate. The first thing Amazon is going to do is look at how much your product will cost, including shipping. Obviously, Amazon is going to give credence to the most affordable sellers. However, price is not the only thing the website considers—though it is the most important aspect.
The other thing Amazon will want to see is that you have sufficient inventory. Obviously, if you’re pricing something at a penny, it’s going to fly off the shelves and you may not be able to meet your demand. Consider Fulfillment by Amazon for this. Basically, you ship Amazon your products prior to any sales. When you win the Buy Box, Amazon ships on your behalf. This way, the company knows exactly where your inventory stands.
Although the above tips may seem simple, they’ll go a long way in helping you win the Buy Box. Start off by amassing an inventory and using Amazon shipping software to your advantage. Then consider Fulfillment by Amazon down the line.
Sources:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=200401830