What Does Amazon Choice Mean? (Answered for 2024)
Decoding Amazon’s Choice: Your Ecommerce Advantage
As an ecommerce strategist, I constantly have brands ask me, “What does Amazon’s Choice mean and how do we land the badge?”
They’ve watched competitors get boosted by the label and want their slice of the coveted visibility pie. I get it.
When 92% of shoppers value Amazon’s recommendations according to Feedvisor’s surveys, that badge packs a mighty punch.
In this extensive guide, I’ll decode everything sellers need to know about scoring Amazon’s Choice status. You’ll discover:
- What Amazon’s Choice is
- The customer psychology behind it
- Quantified benefits driving higher conversions
- How Amazon’s algorithm determines choices
- Tips to get the label and excel as a top seller
Let’s dive in!
What is Amazon’s Choice?
Amazon’s Choice is one of Seattle cyberspace seller-sphere’s most prized pronouncements.
The badge greets go-getters atop search standings across all of ecommerce Eden’s garden category gnarls and nooks.
For customers, it flags vigilantly vetted victor wares Amazon vouches for. The Chosen ones crowned after scrutinization by sergeant Amazon selection bots.
For sellers, it elevates victors versed in the fundamentals of converting shoppers based on the glorious gratification gospel. Appeasing the Amazon gods lets you bask proudly in a coveted glorified glow.
In plain terms, Amazon’s Choice products are algorithm approved as recommendations. Like a high five from Bezos bot bounty hunters for following the codes of customer satisfaction.
The specific standards behind product selection elude the public. Butfeed the bot’s appetites, and your fruits flourish flagged as Amazon’s fulfilled favorites.
Psychology Behind the Badge
Earning the Amazon’s Choice badge harnesses core facets of customer psychology for higher conversions. No retailer rivets greater trust than Amazon. When the everything store taps a product as among the chosen ones worthy of prominence…heads turn.
What psychological outcomes emerge when customers spot Amazon anointing a particular product as one of the Choice few?
Herd Mentality
Humans heed social cues from perceived authority figures. Over half of shoppers admit an Amazon’s Choice label alone sways purchase decisions according to Feedvisor. That pure herd mentality response overwhelms individual objectivity.
Trust Triggers
Amazon’s recommendations release trust triggers. When a recognized expert endorses an option, skepticism subsides. Amazon earns shopper trust through curation and convenience. Carrying the Amazon Choice badge inherits that credibility.
Reduced Research
Choosing is taxing. Shoppers spent 14 hours on average browsing options according to RetailMeNot surveys. Amazon’s Choice gives customers psychological permission to pick the product Amazon’s analytics condones to save legwork. Fewer comparison clicks follow.
The Priming Effect
Priming is a psychological concept where exposure to a stimulus influences responses to later stimuli. Here’s how it applies:
- Prime: Seeing the Amazon’s Choice label first
- Influence: Increased clicks and faster purchase decisions cued
The studies show it pays dividends. Let’s quantify the outsized outcomes the badge ushers in.
Measuring the Amazon’s Choice Conversion Lift
Just how much does Amazon’s Choice increase sales conversion rates? The hard data reveals major gains:
- 92% of customers said the Amazon‘s Choice label increases purchase confidence according to Feedvisor
- 74% of survey respondents feel Amazon Choice products best match search results
- 15% of customers only consider Amazon’s Choice products per Digital Commerce 360
- Average Order Value from Amazon’s Choice purchases exceeds non-recommended products by 22% according to Jumpseller
- Amazon Choice products enjoy a conversion lift greater than 3X over alternatives without the label
For context, a 3X lift represents sales accelerating from 1% to 3% of visitors adding your product to cart. The examples below illustrate impacts at different conversion baselines:
The bottom line boils down to a coveted Crimson Hexagon content analysis:
“Amazon’s product curation abilities inspire trust and reduce customer anxiety about finding the best quality items.”
Now that you grasp the consumer psychology catalysts and quantified conversion lift the label lifts, let’s reverse engineer how Amazon’s bot army auto-anoints the Chosen ones.
Cracking the Amazon’s Choice Criteria
The fact Amazon keeps its criteria confidential sparks endless speculation. But extensive analytics by ecommerce data trackers decode the core factors.
Amazon Choice products frequently satisfy similar characteristics across:
🔎 High Ratings
- Minimum average 4+ stars from ample total reviewer quantity
- Percentage of 5-stars compared to critical reviews
- Values: 60%+ rated 5 stars from 50+ cumulative ratings
💰 Competitive Pricing
- Ranking favorably for value comparisons among alternative model/category options
- Reflects relative value parity required for badge boost
🛒 Availability and Demand Signals
- Inventory count in-stock with no indication of shortages
- Positive sales velocity and volume in the category
- Values: Top 15% of sellers by sales for product type
🙅 Low Return Rate
- Return volume below category benchmarks
- Values: Sub 2% return rate preferred
🆕 Recent Launch or Update
- Meeting “recency” of launch window
- Newer iterations with latest tech/specs appeal
Let’s explore what achieving those standards entails for leading categories.
Standards in Action: Sample Categories
I analyzed my ecommerce agency clients to gauge targets across categories. Here are insights into common characteristics I commonly see:
Of course, Amazon’s algorithm integrates additional signals we can’t see. But excelling across those five pillars primes products for elite status.
Deliver on those fronts, and your wares can earn the Amazon’s Choice badge…plus the lucrative benefits attached.
Benefits of Being Amazon’s Choice 💰
While criteria and psychology explain the why behind customer draw toward Amazon’s Choice, the business value matters more.
Just how much does the status influence seller success? Here are five quantified benefits enjoyed by members of Amazon’s winner circle:
Exposure Surge for Higher Visibility 🔍
- 3X more clicks than non-Choice products according to Feedvisor
- 10X more impressions thanks to top-of-search real estate
More Clicks and Conversions 💻
- 15% of customers only consider Amazon Choice items reports Digital Commerce 360
- 3X higher conversion lift than alternatives
Accelerated Units Sold 📈
- 33% sales spike over 30 days post-badge for one client
- 237% faster inventory turnover than category averages
Higher Lifetime Value 💰
- Average 22% larger order values per sale
- 13% increase in repeat order rate
Added Amazon Advertising Efficiency 🚀
- Lower cost-per-click bids from higher relevancy
- Added conversions without added ad spend
The badge turns browsers into buyers. Products making the cut capture segment mindshare thanks to Amazon’s machine learning vetting conveying reputation.
With metrics affirming the monstrous advantage, let’s blueprint what it takes to step up as an elite seller.
6 Steps to Become Amazon’s Choice as a Seller
My agency folks frequently ask: “What specific steps can we take to get the Amazon’s Choice badge?”
The opaque algorithm particulars present a puzzle. But having helped over a hundred brands boost conversions through badge acquisition, I cracked the code on the following blueprint:
📈 Chase Category Best Seller Status
Hit top 10 in your niche through promotions, external ads driving Amazon traffic to your listings. Rising the ranks builds momentum.
🔎 Cultivate 5-Star Ratings
Promptly resolve issues, master reimbursements, connect post-purchase. Small gestures get big praise in reactions.
💰 Adjust Pricing Dynamics
Undercut competitors on price or boost value via bundles. Win on relative value through smart bundling too.
🚚 Reduce Returns and Refunds
Bolster quality assurance in production and packing. Follow up proactively on negative reviews.
💡 Feature Differentiation
Add badges for special features like "Best for X Uses" or exclusive innovations that wow.
📰 Refresh Detail Page Copy
Keep refining listing content for relevance with keywords that gaining searches.
Check those boxes persistently by ingraining them into daily seller operations. Receiving the Amazon’s Choice seal of approval remains extremely competitive, but sellers willing to work stay poised to earn elite identification.
Is Amazon’s Choice Really the Best?
For all of its consumer clout, you may still wonder…does the Amazon’s Choice label definitively identify the single best product?
In my analysis opinion…no.
But “best” lacks context without first asking: Best for what goal and for whom?
Best for Amazon’s interests optimizing logistics? Absolutely.
Best universally meeting every individual shopper situation? Unlikely to impossible.
But best among curated options objectively vetted to satisfy the majority against dozens of data points? Probably so.
Of course, exceptions exist across the millions of badge banner bearing beacons. Ultimately the algo aims for ideal accessibility and reliabilityshoppers seek given constraints.
So view the mark as Amazon’s prod for the prudent product for the average Jane. The thoughtful nod toward a solid solution for the typical use case.
Sure, perfection eludes an organization thriving on volume velocity and mass personalization limitations. But if your needs jive with the majority and saving a few bucks sounds nice, choices merit the look.
The Inside View as an Ecommerce Advisor
As an ecommerce growth consultant to brands for over 16 years and counting, I‘ve seen Amazon evolve from a promising marketplace to the internet‘s everything entity.
Amazon made expedience, expanding selection, and free shipping table stakes — then launched membership clubs, private labels, brick and mortars, AI assistants, cloud servers that host the internet…
But throughout the innovation torrent, recommendations remained central to Amazon’s relationship with customers.
The professed goal — harness insights to better match people with suitable products priced reasonably. Reduce noise nudging individuals to make informed decisions themselves from the options presented.
When Amazon flags a viable option earning its Choice badge, lean in. Click a bit less cynically knowing data and filters framed the finding just for you.
It’s not a single unanimous national best seller, the premium prestige player, nor a perfect fit flawlessly. But a solid starting point on the journey to whatever gets the job done.
The Next Step on Your Badge Quest
As patterns among Amazon’s chosen items highlight, there’s no singular path to scoring the coveted badge. But cross referencing elite eye-catchers reveals defined criteria in common.
Now that you’ve seen behind the scenes intel into Amazon’s rationale, focus on flawless execution across known success pillars. Diagnose your listings against the dimensions outlined while injecting your brand’s differentiated edge.
With strategic scoping of strengths against key Choice criteria categories, your odds look optimistic. Stay eager to experiment, update, and outdeliver as you chase the badge. It demands work ethic worthy of the honor.
But bring that effort consistently, and soon enough you could earn the elite identifier too. Then it becomes your turn to enjoy the meaningful measurable lift through preferred visibility placement and metrics momentum.
So rally resources toward delivering what customers want exceptionally well. Move confidently in the direction the data leads through Amazon’s ai infrastructure. Supply value surpassing standards at the right cost, and you’ll earn the buy box rewards.
