Whoever said there’s nothing wrong with a little healthy competition clearly wasn’t an Amazon FBA seller — it’s tough out there. And with more sellers entering the market everyday, sometimes it feels impossible to get ahead of the competition.
But with the right strategy, the right tools, and the right advice, outsmarting your competitors is a cakewalk. Here’s what you’ll learn inside:
You can’t outsmart your competitors if you don’t know who they are. So before you do anything else, head over to Amazon and start searching for them — here’s how:
The point is to narrow down the search results until there are only a few major players left. And the remaining products should be very similar to yours. This identifies your direct competition — or the brands that share key characteristics like your:
For example, if you sell expandable garden hoses at $30 per unit, your direct competitors might look like this:
Pro Tip 💡
If you don’t want to search for competitors by hand,
try using an app or browser extension like Zoof.
Either way, you’re going to need a list of your direct competitors (with links to each product!) so you can keep an eye on them.
For this step, you’re definitely going to want an app or browser extension. We recommend Zoof again because it’s got literally everything you need to sell on Amazon (it’s not limited to just competitor research tools). But you can also use Ahrefs, MerchantWords, and so on — whatever works best for you.
Regardless of which platform you choose, go back to your list of direct competitors. Plug one of them into the tool you’re using and record these data points:
Pro Tip 💡
Reserve ASIN lookup is the easiest way to do this.
Collect the data above for each direct competitor. As you go, take note of anything unique about the products your competitors offer. For example, a competitor may carry an additional color variation or provide special sizing options.
After you’ve collected competitor data, it’s time to analyze it. Answer the questions below to start uncovering insights:
As you answer these questions, be on the lookout for patterns. The key here is finding out what your competitors are getting right, and what they’re getting wrong, so you can adjust accordingly.
For example, let’s say a competing product (garden hose) has high-performing keywords. But the product also has few sales and poor reviews. You review their product page and notice the following:
Here’s how to break it down:
| What your competitor got right |
What your competitor got wrong |
How to use this to your advantage |
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Now, if you’re not in a place to make serious product changes (like changing the packaging or adding new colors), there are other ways to pivot.
The closer someone is to buying something, the more specific their search terms get. These are called long-tail keywords and here are some examples:
| Regular Keyword | Long-Tail Keyword |
| shorts | plaid shorts for women |
| hose | ten foot green garden hose |
| bike | stationary under desk bicycle |
Use your Amazon tool to help identify long-tail keywords. Even though they get less traffic than regular keywords, they’re just as valuable (if not moreso). This is because long-tail keywords target customers who are towards the end of the buying journey — they’re ready to make a purchase.
If you sell a product that’s highly competitive, try pricing out your competitors. First, set up alerts in your Amazon tool to notify you when competing products change price (Zoof can do this for you).
Then when you get an alert, check the new price and note whether it went up or down. And price your product just below the competition. When customers compare their options, if all else is equal, they usually choose the product that’s more affordable.
Whether you’re a new seller or you’ve been in the FBA game for years, there’s always a way around your competitors. Here’s a recap of how to build an effective, competitive strategy:
Don’t let your competition steal your hard-earned sales. Instead, beat them to the finish line by exploring all our free Amazon FBA resources. Check out our guides, profit calculators, and online courses to get ahead today. What are you waiting for?