Modifying Listing Content – Amazon Seller Central vs Vendor Central 2/6
When it comes to enticing customers to buy, its all about creating content that customers can touch. That means images that are drool worthy, content that is correct, and descriptions that enhance the value of your product. Getting in that information is the difference between having a sparse product page and a product page that can convert window shoppers into buyers. To fully give your potential customers the power to choose your product, it is important to understand how that content can be managed. Here are the differences in working within the Seller versus the Vendor Central portals.
| Vendor Central | Seller Central | |
| Bulk Uploads of Listing Data | Product uploads are based on the information that is input onto your templates. In Vendor it is difficult to modify the content after the initial upload. If you input the minimum amount of data you leave your consumer under-informed. The trick here is to be very careful in managing what information goes up. Try a few test samples out first so that you know what information ends up where. | Bulk uploads allow you to upload the information you need and ‘build’ a product. You have the ability to modify the content of your product even after you’ve uploaded them. You can modify the listing, see how the change look in 15 minutes, and then modify them again. |
| Grouping Products | Amazon chooses how to group the products you’ve given them. Companies can request groupings, but ultimately it is chosen and grouped according to Amazon. | Choose how to group your listings so that they cross sell and follow customers’ buying logic. Amazon limits the variations to ‘size’ and ‘color’. |
| Images and Descriptions | The images have to be labeled according to ASIN or Product Identifier and then uploaded into the Amazon system. Once you’ve uploaded the images, Amazon’s system can take a few days to make the photos go live. To upload photos, go to ‘Item’ the ‘Upload Photos’. All images are uploaded here. To change descriptions you can upload an excel doc. If a product is under 12 months old, you can modify it, to a limited extent, in ‘Items’ then ‘Edit Products’. Be careful with experimenting. Placing information in the wrong place can mean that an PO won’t be fulfilled. |
The Seller Central portal makes it clear which bullet points will show up and where the information will live on each product page. To modify text and images go to Manage Products, find your product, and hit edit. Images are in the images tab. Most images that are uploaded, are visible within a few hours. On occasion it might take a day to see the uploaded images. All images are uploaded in their individual product editable pages. Try experimenting with the “More Information” tab. Some of that information is used in searches, and for filtering. Information like Fabric and Care Instructions show up as bullet points too. |
| Modification Request/ Amazon Response Times | All listing changes go through the Vendor Central team. Vendor Central takes approx. 24 – 48 hours to respond to your requests. Outsourced Vendor representatives may have difficulty fixing the issue the first time it is explained so that you go back and forth a few times before the issue is even acknowledged. Moral of the story: take the time to get your content correct the first time. | There are some things you cannot modify once they’ve been uploaded, for example: a variation color name. Open up a case with Seller Central, they have a response time that is under 24 hours. If there is not satisfactory resolution, you can call Amazon and speak to representatives. It may take a few tries, but you’ll get a response. Personally, Tech & Bowery has established a rapport with the Seller Central team. Together, we fix things quickly. |
If you’ve been invited to Vendor Central, consider how your business works so that you can effectively plan whether you should stick to Seller Central, migrate to Vendor Central, or use a mix of the two. Either way, when it come to content, remember to cultivate listings with rich content, long descriptions, and vivid photos, that entice customers.
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