Amazon customer journey is more than just a buzzword – it’s a crucial element that can make or break your sales strategy. By mapping out the stages from search to purchase, you can identify key opportunities to optimize your product’s visibility and conversion rates. This blog breaks down the customer journey into actionable steps, focusing on search visibility, optimizing the Product Detail Page (PDP), and improving conversion rates. Drawing on my experience as an E-Commerce expert and former Amazonian, I guide you with practical tips and strategies to help you enhance every stage of the customer journey and increase your sales.

What is the Amazon Customer Journey?

The customer journey is the path your customers take from the moment they realize they need something to the point where they hit the “Buy Now” button – and beyond. In an e-commerce context, this journey is often broken down into several stages:

• Awareness: The customer realizes they have a need or a problem
• Consideration: They start exploring options and gathering information
• Decision: The customer narrows down their options and decides on a product
• Purchase: They complete the transaction
• Post-Purchase: The experience after the purchase, including customer service and product satisfaction

Mapping out this journey helps sellers identify opportunities for improvement, ensuring that at each stage, the customer’s needs are met and they are guided seamlessly towards making a purchase. This is especially relevant on Amazon, where the customer journey can be slightly different due to the platform’s unique ecosystem. In my experience, understanding each step has been the key to turning casual browsers into loyal buyers.

The Path of a Customer on Amazon

Understanding how customers navigate Amazon is essential for any seller aiming to improve their conversion rates. Let me share some insider knowledge on the typical path of a customer on Amazon and how you can make sure your products are the ones they choose.

1. Starting Point: Search Query

It all starts with a search – with a customer typing a specific query into Amazon’s search bar. Whether it’s “wireless headphones” or “best coffee maker for small kitchens,” this is where your product needs to shine. This is where the customer’s intent is first expressed, and understanding it is crucial for your product’s success. Amazon’s auto-completion feature provides valuable insights into what customers are searching for, revealing popular and relevant keywords. For example, if a customer searches for “headphones,” Amazon might suggest “headphone stand,” “headphones with mic,” or “headphones Bluetooth.”

My tip? Use these auto-completion suggestions as a guide for optimizing your Amazon SEO and advertising strategies. This simple tool can provide a window into customer needs and search volumes, helping you position your product more effectively in the marketplace. Using these insights strategically can enhance your product’s visibility from the very start.

2. Search Results Page

Now, let’s talk about the search results page – Amazon presents a list of products that it deems most relevant to the search query. Amazon’s algorithm prioritizes products that it believes will convert. This means your product’s click-through rate (CTR) and conversion rate (CVR) need to be strong. Amazon doesn’t just want to show any product – it wants to show products that sell, as that’s how a marketplace like Amazon earns money, alongside other revenue streams like advertising. Data shows that products with a proven track record of attracting clicks and conversions consistently perform well. Here are some key points to keep in mind:

• Products ranked on the first search result page have the highest visibility
• Products ranked in the top third of the page perform even better
• Your goal as a seller is to rank highest for desired search terms and convert consistently
• Conversion is key—if your product doesn’t convert, its visibility diminishes, impacting future rankings
• Be strategic with your keywords. For example, avoid targeting ‘headphones with mic’ if you sell headphones without a mic, as customers won’t convert, which negatively affects your ranking
• Ranking on the search results page is driven by multiple factors—conversion is critical, but shipment speed, performance rating, and price also play significant roles

Curious about how Amazon’s search engine operates? Imagine a customer walking through a street full of shops, deciding which store to enter. In the online world, your product must stand out among countless others to attract that customer. Use our Amazon Customer Journey Checklist to evaluate opportunities and identify tasks that will enhance your products’ performance on Amazon.

3. Product Detail Page (PDP)

If a customer clicks on your product, they land on your Product Detail Page (PDP) – your chance to seal the deal. The PDP is where the conversion magic happens, or doesn’t. Think of it like a customer stepping into your physical store, ready to make a purchase. If they leave without buying, it’s like a missed opportunity where you no longer have any influence. The PDP is your final chance to convince them to complete the transaction, so make sure it’s optimized to close the deal.

Over the years, I’ve seen what works and what doesn’t. High-quality images, clear descriptions, and competitive pricing are just the basics. What really makes the difference is how well you connect with the customer’s needs. Your PDP isn’t just a sales pitch – it’s where you earn your customer’s trust.

Key elements of a high-converting PDP include:

• High-quality images that showcase your product from multiple angles.
• Compelling product descriptions that clearly explain the benefits and features.
• Competitive pricing that aligns with customer expectations and competitor offerings.
• A+ content that provides detailed information about your product and brand.
• A brand store to keep customers engaged with your offerings, rather than sending them back to the search results page.
• Customer reviews that build trust and validate the quality of your product.

The Seller’s Role in the Customer Journey

As a seller, your role in this journey is to make sure your product stands out and converts. Let’s explore how you can achieve that by focusing on two critical areas: search visibility and conversion rates.

1. Optimizing Search Visibility

Getting your product to appear in search results is just the beginning. Keyword research is crucial—understanding which keywords are relevant to your product is the first step in Amazon SEO optimization and advertising. You need to convince Amazon that your product is a winner for those specific search terms. Consistent sales and positive customer feedback are key indicators. Amazon wants to highlight products that generate revenue, so demonstrate that your product is worth showcasing to customers.

Here are some strategies to boost your search visibility:

• Keyword Optimization: Use relevant high-traffic and long-tail keywords in your product title, bullet points, description and backend search terms.
• Consistent Sales Performance: Use targeted advertising to proactively boost conversions and the sell-through rate on specific, high-value keywords.

2. Improving Conversion Rates

Conversion rate is a critical metric that Amazon uses to assess how well your product is performing. If your product isn’t converting, it’s not going to stay visible. I always recommend my partners to focus on the basics first: guiding your customers clearly with well-structured text, showcasing great images and ensuring competitive pricing. But don’t stop there – use A/B testing to find out what really works. As an Amazon expert, I constantly see how small changes could lead to big improvements in conversion rates.

Need a starting point? Download my Amazon Customer Journey Checklist here.

Analyzing and Improving Conversion Rates

Now that you understand the importance of conversion rates, it’s time to dig into the data. Amazon Seller Central provides valuable insights into your product’s performance, allowing you to identify areas for improvement. But don’t stop there—use external tools like Helium10 to gain even more detailed data and have better accessibility to key metrics.

1. Accessing the Conversion Rate Report

To access your conversion rate data:

1. Log in to your Amazon Seller Central account.
2. Navigate to the Business Reports section.
3. Select Detail Page Sales and Traffic by Child Item under the By ASIN category.

These reports are goldmines of information that can help you pinpoint exactly where your customers might be dropping off.

2. Key Metrics to Monitor

These metrics will guide you in making the right adjustments to keep your product performing well. Make sure you’re keeping an eye on them:

• Click-Through Rate (CTR): How often do people click on your product after seeing it in search results? If it’s low, it might be time to tweak your title or images
• Conversion Rate (CVR): This tells you how many people actually buy after landing on your PDP. Low conversion? Look at your product description and pricing
• Buy Box Percentage: Winning the Buy Box is crucial. If your percentage is below 100%, it’s worth investigating. Even as a brand owner, a 100% Buy Box isn’t always guaranteed. A lower percentage can indicate that Amazon has removed the Buy Box, possibly because a better price for the same product is available on another website

3. Practical Steps to Increase Conversion Rates

Improving your conversion rate is an ongoing process. Here are some tips that I’ve found work well, both from my time at Amazon and with Boom Commerce clients:

• Upgrade Your Images: Make sure your product images are top-notch. Customers need to see exactly what they’re getting.
• Refine Your Texts and Descriptions: Be clear and concise. Focus on the benefits, not just the features.
• Use A+ Content: Take full advantage of Amazon’s A+ content features to make your PDP stand out.
• Use A/B Testing: Experiment with different product titles, images, and descriptions to see what resonates best with your audience.
• Optimize Pricing: Regularly review your pricing strategy to stay competitive.
• Leverage Customer Reviews: Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews and address any negative feedback promptly.

Conclusion

The Amazon customer journey from search to sale on Amazon is complex, but by understanding and optimizing each stage, you can significantly accelerate your sales. Understanding the customer journey on Amazon isn’t just about getting more clicks – it’s about making every click count. From ensuring your product is visible in search results to creating a PDP that converts, every step is crucial.

To help you get started, download my free Amazon Customer Journey Checklist here and start implementing these proven strategies today. If you’re looking for personalized guidance, don’t hesitate to book a free consultation with me. Together, we can develop a tailored strategy that accelerates your success on Amazon.