August 18, 2022

Back to School Sales Guide for FBA Sellers 

Back to School Sales is well established in brick-and-mortar stores. ‍Read on as we show you how to increase the conversion rate on Amazon by taking advantage of the Back to School season. 
Back to School Sales Guide for FBA Sellers 
Back to School Sales Guide for FBA Sellers 

Back to School Sales is well established in brick-and-mortar stores. However, over the years, it has now spilled over into the world of ecommerce. 

Online shoppers and consumers expect to see special Back to School deals on various online marketplaces. 

According to the National Retail Federation, the total Back to School spending was expected to reach an all-time high of $37.1 billion in 2021. 

With students out of school for the summer, now is the best time for online retailers selling on Amazon to prepare for the Back to School season. 

Read on as we show you how to increase conversion rate on Amazon by taking advantage of the Back to School season. 

What is the Back to School season about? 

Every year, new students join schools and colleges in large numbers. These students need school supplies like bags, stationeries, and so on.  

Students in the United States specifically get a long vacation in summer and schools reopen from August to September. This may vary depending on the state in the US.  

However, shopping for school supplies starts around June/July and increases at a high pace in August. Parents and teachers begin to look out for the best Back to School deals on the Amazon marketplace. 

As an Amazon seller, this is a lucrative opportunity to increase sales on Amazon. With the huge traffic during this season, it is important to craft a strategic plan to boost traffic to your store and increase Amazon sales. 

Popular Amazon Product Categories - Back to School Sales 

Some product categories enjoy a sales boost during the Back to School season. Let's highlight a few of these categories: 

Office supplies

The Office Supplies category, also known as school supplies, experiences a significant increase during the Back to School season for obvious reasons. 

Students need to restock school supplies like backpacks, pens, pencils, binders, and so on. 

Teachers also need to restock their school supplies. 

Amazon Business allows schools to place bulk orders for school supplies. 

Apparel 

The Apparel product category also benefits significantly from Back to School sales. Kids may outgrow their clothes during summer and parents may need to buy new clothes to replace the old ones before the new school year begins. 

Arts and Crafts 

School art projects are common during the Back to School season. Kids may need art supplies to complete their art projects. Parents and teachers begin to shop for supplies like paintbrushes, pallets, pencils, crayons, and so on. 

Toys and Games

The Toys and Games category begins to gain some spotlight as the summer season comes to a close. However, The Toys and Games category gains full flight during the end of year holidays. As an Amazon seller, it is important to finalize your Amazon FBA marketing plan in preparation for the holiday season. 

5 selling tips to increase Amazon Back to School sales 

 selling tips to increase Amazon Back to School sales 

Let's look at a few Back to School selling tips that will help you attract the right customers, increase sales and grow revenue with Amazon

  1. Choose the right products to sell 
  2. Ensure your product listing is top-notch
  3. Keep an eye on inventory levels 
  4. Invest in Amazon Ads 
  5. Create product bundles and offer Amazon deals

Choose the right products to sell 

The first thing you need to consider when preparing for Back to School sales is the products you want to sell. 

Thankfully, Back to School products are fairly predictable. Students usually want to restock on school supplies. 

To ensure you put up your best products, you can consider looking at your sales metrics from your previous Back to School sales. Look out for products that had high ratings and reviews. You can also investigate the competition. Look out for products sold by other Amazon sellers. You can go as far as looking at other online marketplaces like Walmart to know what types of products are in demand. This will help you come up with your own sales plan. 

Lastly, you don't have to limit yourself to school supplies. You can sell products for college students moving away from home. This includes home decor, personal care products, electronics, and so on. 

Ensure your product listing is top-notch 

The quality of your product listing can impact your Back to School sales. Before putting out your brand, you want to ensure your product listing is in great shape. Here are a few things to review on your product page: 

  • Optimize your product title: Your product title is the first thing online shoppers see when searching for an item. You want to make sure your product title contains relevant keywords customers are searching for. You also want to make sure it highlights the major features of your product. This can increase your click-through rates. 
  • Use high definition images: Ensure your product images come in high-resolution and are properly captured at different camera angles. This will give shoppers a vivid idea of what your product looks like and give them the confidence they need to make a buying decision. 
  • Update your product description: Your product description should provide online shoppers with enough information on your product. You can check your customer reviews for any knowledge gap or misunderstanding about the product. This will help you provide a clear and detailed product description. 
  • Create themed pages on your Amazon store: Amazon stores allow shoppers to create different pages for different product catalogs. With your Amazon store, you can create a Back to School-themed page displaying various Back to School products. The best part is Amazon stores come with a unique URL that you can share with your customers. To create your Amazon store, you must be registered under the Amazon Brand Registry. This gives you access to various features including the Amazon A+ content. 

Keep an eye on inventory levels 

Nothing spells bad news like going out of stock during a peak period. Inventory management is an important component of success on the Amazon marketplace. 

Ensure you have enough products in stock. You can do an estimate of how many products you need during the sales period by going through previous sales. 

If you sell with fulfillment by Amazon, ensure your products are well packaged and sent to fulfillment centers in advance. If you are using other fulfillment methods, you need to ensure everything from storing, packaging, shipping, and customer service are in place. 

Also, as you sell products during the Black Friday season, keep an eye on your inventory levels and ensure products are readily available. Be ready to restock products when needed. 

Amazon FBA Small & Light program

FBA Small & Light program reduces the fulfillment fees on products priced below $10 and sold via FBA. The program gives you access to offer free shipping to Amazon Prime customers and the standard shipping for Non-Prime customers. 

This can be helpful while selling school supplies that are both lightweight and inexpensive. This is a great way to reduce costs and maximize sales. 

Invest in Amazon Ads

With a well-optimized product listing and best-selling products, you need to let online shoppers know what you are offering. One way to do this is through advertising. The more visible your products are, the more you are likely to make sales. 

You can run Amazon Ads like Sponsored Product Ads to gain higher visibility on search engines. Resist the temptation to create general ads. Instead, work to create specific ads using the right keywords and images to increase conversion rates and sales. 

Also, it is important to note that Amazon ads take some time to build up. This is why we recommend starting your ads early. Review your budget and ensure your ads stay visible throughout the Back to School season. 

Create product bundles and offer Amazon deals 

One way to boost your sales during your Back to School sales is to create product bundles. You can put up a bundle including a pen, notebook, and other basics and offer it at a discounted price. 

Product bundles can be especially appealing to parents and shoppers who don't have the time to shop for products individually. 

You can also run Amazon deals. These deals include Lighting Deals, Deal of the Day, and 7-day Deals

These promotions are effective during peak periods and can increase your sales velocity. 

However, you may want to consider Amazon deals for products that have a strong performance. This is because you have minimal control over these types of promotions. Amazon decides the deal price, duration of deals, and deal fees, among other factors.  

Conclusion 

Back to School season is a peak period that gives you the opportunity to boost your sales and profit. Online shoppers are on the lookout for special deals that provide the most benefits on Amazon. To make the most of this opportunity, it is important to consider selling tips as mentioned above to ensure you put your best foot forward. 

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