Editor’s Note: Originally published on Sep 3, 2019, updated on June 1, 2023.
It’s the one way Amazon sellers know what sells and what doesn’t. But what exactly is the elusive Amazon sales rankThe sales rank of products on Amazon ind… More? Let’s shed some light on the matter and find out how to get closer to the coveted #1 spot.
Amazon sales rank is an indicator. It shows the number of sales a product has, as compared to others in the same category. Also called Amazon Best Sellers Rank or Amazon BSR, it can go from 1 to over 1 million. By convention, #1 is the top selling product in its (sub)category.
Every product listed on Amazon comes with a sales rankThe sales rank of products on Amazon ind… More, except for Amazon’s own ranges (e.g., Echo, Ring). You’ll find it scrolling down the product page, either in the “Product details”, “Product information” or “Additional Information” section.
The first 20 products in Amazon’s 6 most popular categories are displayed on the Best Sellers page. Buyers can then drill down to specific subcategories, and each one will display the top 100 items. The same product can be the #1 best seller in two different subcategories.
7 Facts About Amazon Sales Rank
The formula for the Amazon Best Sellers Rank is a secret. So, trying to quantify the sales rankThe sales rank of products on Amazon ind… More is not an exact science. But there are a few things we know about the Best Sellers Rank:
- based on the number of orders, not units.
- only includes orders successfully paid for.
- updates hourly, so it can fluctuate throughout the day.
- based on how recent orders are, as well as how fast.
- also a measure of popularity, so it can be an incentive for buyers.
- not affected by the number of searches or page views, but by conversions.
- affected by seasonality, so popularity and utility should be factored into restocking efforts.
10 Tips for a Lower Amazon Best Sellers Rank
- When scouting for things to sell on Amazon, use a specially designed app like Profit Bandit. It gives you a historical record of a product’s sales rankThe sales rank of products on Amazon ind… More, sales data, and prices.
- Search data doesn’t affect sales rank. But knowing which products sell well enables you to focus on them. So, find the most common search terms using Google Trends and other tools.
- When you’re close enough to the #1 spot for your targeted keyword, improve sales velocity, and maintain ranking stability with consistent sales.
- A lot of Amazon sellers are tempted to buy their own products to improve their sales rankThe sales rank of products on Amazon ind… More. Obviously, that’s against the rules, and it won’t necessarily lead to more orders.
- Price your items competitively using a real-time repricer like BuyBoxBuddy or Sellery. The latter features a sales rank column as standard, helping you choose items worth repricing for better sales and margins.
- Product reviews can sway undecided buyers. Bearing in mind that a string of 5-star reviews looks suspicious and some readers only focus on negative reviews, work on your product’s image.
- An order of 1,000 units won’t improve your sales rankThe sales rank of products on Amazon ind… More the way 1,000 orders of a single unit will. Encourage single-unit orders with low prices and get rid of bulk buy discounts.
- For an order to be factored into Amazon sales rank calculations, the payment must pull through. It may be worth checking bounced payments.
- Try not to click on your competitor’s products. While it won’t affect their sales rank, it may improve their page view metrics and search rankings, ultimately improving sales and Amazon BSR.
- The formula for sales rank is one of Amazon’s best-kept secrets. So, take information from tools like the Amazon Sales Estimator with a grain of salt.
And so it is that we round off this month’s blog posts with a piece on Amazon sales rankThe sales rank of products on Amazon ind… More. Hopefully, we’ve satisfied your hunger for information on Amazon Best Sellers Ranks. But don’t go anywhere, because we’re cooking up a fresh batch of blog posts, and Prime DayPrime Day was initially a one-day sales … More is on the menu.
Melanie takes an active interest in all things Amazon. She keeps an eye on the latest developments and keeps Amazon sellers up to speed.
