The Complete Beginner's Guide to Onboarding Your Brand on Amazon, Flipkart & Other Marketplaces

So you've decided to sell your products on Amazon or Flipkart. Great decision - as these are marketplaces where a large percentage of India's online consumers already shop and are ready to pay.

But how to get your brand listed correctly? What to do so that your brand can beat other similar products in a price war? Let's talk about what steps need to be taken for correct onboarding in marketplaces and what mistakes beginners usually make.

1. Preparing documents and account settings (the boring but necessary stage)

Marketplaces require specific steps to be taken before a seller account can be opened. First of all, this includes providing documents: PAN, GST, details of the bank account where the funds from sales will be transferred, and other data specific to a particular marketplace. For example, some marketplaces require additional approvals for certain categories of goods (beauty, electronics, food).

A small typo in the PAN or GST details can delay the entire account opening process for several weeks. Therefore, it is crucial to carefully check the provided information against the documents.

Another common mistake is that the company name is indicated differently in the PAN and GST certificates. Although this seems like a minor detail, the marketplaces' automated systems are very strict about this, and applications are often rejected because of this.

2. Listing creation and optimization: product description

The description of the product is made up of five key elements, which perform specific functions and must be optimized:

1. Title: it is the name of the product, which appears in search requests. It should include the "main keyword", the brand name, and specify at least two or three additional characteristics (for example, size, color, material).
2. Photos: a picture speaks louder than a thousand words, so this element is extremely important. The main photo should be of high quality, preferably on a white background, and there should also be photos showing the features of the product (waterproof zipper, adjustable straps, and so on). It is better to use 5-6 photos so that the buyer gets an overview of the product.
3. Bullet points: here, a marketer needs to describe the benefits (and not the characteristics) of the product, using relevant keywords. An example: "Waterproof zipper" can be described as "Waterproof zipper - protects phones and documents from rain."
4. Description: this is the place where the seller can convince the buyer of the quality of the product and highlight any advantages that the competitor's product may not have. This is especially important if, for example, the product is of average quality and the competition is high.
5. Keywords in the back of the description: Many sellers ignore this element, thinking that no one will see these words. However, these are the search terms that the marketplace uses to find relevant products for buyers, so it's worth using them.

3. Keyword and catalog optimization: finding the right keywords

Many sellers make a cardinal mistake when selecting keywords for their catalog: they do not study demand and the search engine of the marketplace. However, it works roughly similar to Google: if a buyer searches for a particular term, the marketplace has to find products that match this term. Therefore, choosing the right keywords for the description of the product is crucial.

How to do this? Simply type the name of the product (or the desired keyword) in the search engine of the chosen marketplace, and look at the suggestions that appear. These are real search terms used by buyers, so it makes sense to use them in the product description.

4. Price: how to fight for the "buy box"

On Amazon, and other marketplaces, there is a mechanism called the "buy box", which is a default option when a buyer can purchase a product. Different factors affect it, including the seller's rating, product price, delivery speed, and stock. On Amazon, it is often the price that affects the "buy box": if two sellers have roughly the same characteristics but one has a lower price, buyers will choose them.

However, this does not mean that the cheapest product always wins. Sometimes a seller with a higher price but excellent ratings and faster delivery can beat the competition.

5. Reviews: how to encourage buyers

Unlike a personal website, on a marketplace, a seller cannot directly communicate with a buyer and tell them about the amazing quality of their product. Here, product reviews come to the fore as a tool for conversion. In most cases, a product with 50 reviews with a rating of 4.3 will beat a product with 0 reviews and a 5.0 rating.

Therefore, based on this, we can conclude that buyers choose products based on reviews rather than just price. However, it is essential to know that most marketplaces prohibit sellers from paying for reviews or requesting them directly. Therefore, it is best to contact buyers personally and ask them to leave a review after the product has been delivered.

6. Paid advertising: what to do and when

Many sellers make the mistake of launching advertising campaigns right after they create their listing. However, there is nothing to advertise if there are no photos, description, or reviews. Therefore, it is essential to optimize your catalog first and then spend money on promoting it.

Conclusion

When choosing a marketplace for selling goods, entrepreneurs should understand that the onboarding process consists of many steps. Some of them are long-term and boring, like optimizing product listings. However, this is the only way to achieve sustainable sales growth. The most critical aspect here is the listing itself, which is the basis for increasing sales.

Many beginner sellers try to attract customers using only their knowledge and skills, without the help of professionals. However, this approach is usually not very fruitful, given the complexity and specificity of the task. Fortunately, companies like Braniva offer e-commerce management services and take care of cataloging and product listing optimization so that the entrepreneur can focus their efforts on the development of the product itself.