EcomCrew - Get ready for more expensive Amazon ads

 Into the future

2 yes-no questions for sellers: Answer the poll here.

Added Ad Costs

After increasing its US digital ads share to more than 10 percent, it’s no surprise that Amazon ads are getting more expensive.

According to Marketplace Pulse, they now cost $1.20 on average, up from only $0.93 at the start of 2021.

We did an overhaul of our own 7-figure brands to look at how much we spent on PPC ads over a 12-month period. We also determined the best advanced strategies to lower ad spend.

Despite knowing the right techniques, however, Amazon ad prices are expected to increase further. This is because of the growing number of established brands and Amazon FBA acquirers that can afford and are willing to pay for them.

More Transparent

Amazon Transparency got an upgrade, and it’s great news for sellers.

If you didn’t know what the program is, here are three things it does:

• Provide unique codes to individual units of products to prevent counterfeits
• Allow customers to authenticate the products themselves
• Ensure that only authentic products are shipped out

The new features on Amazon Transparency allows brands to increase customer engagement. So this time, when a customer scans the unique codes, brands can

• Have customers submit reviews
• Offer marketing promotions

In addition, customers can share your brand’s content through social media—another great way to spread the word without breaking the bank.

Bert and Ernie

Do you love puppets?

Amazon apparently does because it has named its four newest warehouse robots after them. Now, you’ll see Bert, Ernie, Scooter, and Kermit helping out Amazon workers.

These robots are part of the company’s efforts to reduce workplace incidents and to become the Earth’s Best Employer.

Bert can move around Amazon Fulfillment Centers.

Contrary to what you might think, they don’t necessarily increase efficiency. Their main goal is to reduce workers’ strenuous movements. Here’s a summary of what they do:

• Bert
• As Amazon’s first Autonomous Mobile Robot, it can navigate the warehouse independently, even with people moving around.
• Ernie
• Helps remove products from robotic shelves
• Scooter and Kermit
• Pull carts around fulfillment centers

Amazon is investing $300 million in safety projects in 2021, so we can expect more advanced robotics from them soon. We wonder which puppet name they’re gonna use next. Miss Piggy?

Cashierless Grocery Store

Sure, Amazon is the king of ecommerce. But that doesn’t prevent it from making it big in brick-and-mortar.

The company just opened a new grocery store in Seattle that features its Just Walk Out technology. No cashiers needed. Just take what you want and go.

It sounds like the dream store for thieves, but you do have to scan your phone at the entrance or insert a credit or debit card so you can—you know—pay. Or if you really can’t be bothered, you can also just scan your palm.

This is the first time that Amazon is bringing its cashierless technology into a full-size grocery store.

It’s starting to look like the technologically advanced future we’ve been dreaming of. Anybody else thinking of Marty McFly?

Back to the Present

Remember what Mahatma Gandhi said: “The future depends on what you do today.”

Okay, that’s a lame segue taken from a valedictory address, but hear me out anyway.

How your Amazon listing will perform in the future will depend on what improvements you choose to make today. It’s not a set-it-and-forget-it kind of thing.

Your competitors are constantly optimizing their keywords. They’re thinking of ways to make their images better.

How about you?

If you’re unsure what else to do with your perfectly awesome listing, allow us to take a look. Premium members can sign up for the webinar and register their ASINs.

If you’re not a Premium member yet, sign up for the waitlist here.