Winning the Amazon Buy Box is critical for increasing sales and gaining a competitive edge. With over 82% of Amazon sales going through the Buy Box, sellers who don’t prioritize it miss out on significant revenue.
Winning the Amazon Buy Box is critical for increasing sales and gaining a competitive edge. With over 82% of Amazon sales going through the Buy Box, sellers who don’t prioritize it miss out on significant revenue.
But securing the Buy Box isn’t just about having the lowest price. Amazon considers multiple factors, including fulfillment method, seller performance, and pricing strategy.
In this guide, we’ll break down:
✅ What the Amazon Buy Box is and why it matters
✅ How Amazon decides who wins the Buy Box
✅ Key strategies to improve your chances of winning
✅ Common mistakes that can cause you to lose the Buy Box
If you’re an Amazon seller looking to boost sales and outrank competitors, this guide is for you.
The Amazon Buy Box is the white box on a product page that contains the "Add to Cart" and "Buy Now" buttons. When multiple sellers offer the same product, only one seller gets the Buy Box at a time.
Winning the Buy Box means your offer is the default option when a customer makes a purchase, significantly increasing your chances of selling.
If you don’t win the Buy Box, your product appears under "Other Sellers on Amazon," where fewer customers browse.
✅ Professional Sellers – Only Professional Seller accounts (not Individual Seller accounts) are eligible.
✅ Buy Box-Eligible Sellers – Amazon assigns eligibility based on seller performance, order defect rate, and fulfillment metrics.
✅ Products in New Condition – Only new products are eligible for the Buy Box. Used products have a separate "Used Buy Box."
Winning the Buy Box isn’t permanent—Amazon constantly rotates it between sellers, favoring the best-performingones.
Amazon uses a complex algorithm to determine which seller wins the Buy Box at any given time. The key factors include:
Price is one of the biggest factors in Buy Box eligibility. However, having the lowest price isn’t always necessary—Amazon also considers shipping costs.
Tip: Use automated repricing tools to stay competitive while maintaining healthy profit margins.
Amazon favors sellers who use Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) because it guarantees Prime shipping and better customer service.
Buy Box Ranking (Best to Worst):
✅ FBA (Fulfilled by Amazon) – Highest preference
✅ Seller-Fulfilled Prime (SFP) – High preference if seller meets Prime delivery requirements
✅ FBM (Fulfilled by Merchant) – Lowest preference, unless seller has exceptional performance
Tip: If you’re selling via FBM, consider switching to FBA for a higher chance of winning the Buy Box.
ODR measures negative feedback, A-to-Z claims, and chargebacks. Amazon prefers sellers with a low ODR (below 1%).
Tip: Proactively handle customer complaints and respond to negative reviews to maintain a low defect rate.
Customers expect fast and reliable delivery, so Amazon prioritizes sellers who offer fast shipping with tracking.
✅ For FBA sellers: Amazon handles shipping, so this metric is automatically optimized.
✅ For FBM sellers: Ensure on-time shipping rates of at least 97% to remain Buy Box eligible.
Amazon evaluates how quickly and effectively you respond to customer inquiries and resolve issues.
Key Performance Indicators:
Response Time – Answer customer messages within 24 hours.
Negative Feedback Rate – Maintain a rating above 95% positive feedback.
Tip: Automate responses using Amazon Seller Central messaging tools or a third-party chatbot.
Amazon doesn’t always reward the lowest price, but pricing still plays a major role.
✅ Use Competitive Pricing: Monitor competitor prices and adjust accordingly.
✅ Consider Total Cost: Amazon factors in product price + shipping cost, so offer free shipping if possible.
✅ Automate with a Repricer: Dynamic repricing tools like RepricerExpress and Feedvisor help keep your price competitive.
Using Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) is the fastest way to improve your Buy Box eligibility.
✅ Switch to FBA if possible, since Amazon favors Prime-eligible products.
✅ If using FBM, offer fast shipping with tracking and ensure on-time delivery.
Amazon prioritizes sellers with excellent order management and customer service.
✅ Keep your Order Defect Rate (ODR) below 1%.
✅ Maintain a positive feedback score of at least 95%.
✅ Respond to customer inquiries within 24 hours.
Running out of stock immediately removes you from the Buy Box. To avoid this:
✅ Use Amazon Inventory Reports to track stock levels.
✅ Set up automated restocking alerts to avoid stockouts.
✅ If using FBA, monitor Amazon warehouse delays and plan ahead.
High cancellation or return rates negatively impact your Buy Box ranking.
✅ Ensure accurate product descriptions to prevent returns due to unmet expectations.
✅ Use high-quality images to give customers a clear view of your product.
✅ Improve packaging to reduce damage-related returns.
Go to Seller Central → Inventory → Manage Inventory.
Look under the "Buy Box Eligible" column to see if your product qualifies.
If your product isn’t eligible, focus on improving the key Buy Box factors.
🚫 You ran out of stock – Always monitor inventory levels.
🚫 Your price is too high – Competitors undercutting your price can remove you from the Buy Box.
🚫 Your seller performance dropped – Negative feedback, late shipments, or high return rates can cause you to lose eligibility.
🚫 Amazon itself is selling the product – If Amazon is a direct seller, it’s much harder to win the Buy Box.
Winning the Amazon Buy Box is the key to maximizing sales and outranking competitors.
To improve your Buy Box eligibility:
✅ Optimize pricing and consider automated repricing tools.
✅ Use FBA or offer fast and reliable FBM shipping.
✅ Maintain low order defect rates and high customer satisfaction.
✅ Monitor stock levels to avoid running out of inventory.
If you need expert help optimizing your pricing, fulfillment, and seller metrics, our Amazon account management team can assist. Contact us today to take control of your Buy Box strategy!
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