Amazon’s Best Seller Rank (BSR) is one of the best metrics to analyze Amazon products. It shows how well a product sells in its category. Understanding the significance of BSR can make all the difference for you as a seller.
What is Amazon’s Best Sellers Rank?
Amazon’s Best Seller rank is the rank of a product relative to other products in the same category. Also known as Amazon Sales Rank, BSR for a product is given after its first sale. It can range from #1 to #10,000 or higher depending on the number of products in a particular category.
The lower the number, the better the Amazon Best Seller rank is. For example, a product that scores #30 has a better BSR than one that scores #300.
Let’s look at an example. Here is a laptop stand for less than $20 with more than 5,000 reviews that’s available through Amazon Prime.
In comparison, this is a similar laptop stand, available through Prime for less than $20, this time with more than 20,000 reviews.
The second laptop stand is slightly more expensive, but has the higher Best Sellers Rank. BSR does not take into account price or volume of reviews.
Products on Amazon are ranked against each other only within the same category. For example, a product in the Home & Kitchen category will not rank against products in the Collectible Coins category. If a product falls under two categories, it will have a different BSR for both.
BSR Categories
Products may have multiple BSRs listed, generally for a broad category and a separate subcategory.
A good BSR in the general category is difficult as you compete with a large range of products. Subcategory BSR includes niche products similar to your product. Therefore, subcategory BSR is more relevant when analyzing competitors.
Where to Find the BSR
Amazon’s Best Seller Rank is shown in the product description section under “Item Details”. Your product’s BSR can also be seen on Amazon’s Best Sellers Page. That’s a more difficult route to find BSR, especially in larger categories. When a ranked product appears on the page, it usually has an orange badge showing the current BSR and category.
How is Amazon Best Seller Rank calculated?
Amazon has not revealed how it calculates Best Seller Rank but some experts believe it is through some sort of linear regression. What we know is that BSR is calculated based on sales, and fluctuates hourly depending on recent and historical sales.
Other factors include price changes, promotions, competition in the category, and sales consistency. Consistent sales produce better BSRs than peaks and valleys.
The principle behind BSR calculations is simple: the more products you sell, the higher your chances of a better BSR. For example, if you sell 15 product units and your competitor sells 5, your BSR will be better. If, in the next hour, you sell 3 units and your competitor sells 5, you’ll still have a better BSR.
Why? Amazon doesn’t just examine hourly sales, but also historical sales. Usually, the seller with more sales over a long period of time gets a better BSR.
What’s a Good Amazon BSR?
Like most things when it comes to Amazon, it depends. There is no rule for a “good BSR” though it’s understood that you want your number to be as low as possible. Some experts consider BSR of 2,000 or lower as a good benchmark. A better way to check for your category is through the Pareto Principle. If your product ranks within the top 20% of the category, it can be considered good.
Amazon Best Sellers Rank vs. Organic Rank
As BSR is correlated to sales, organic rank considers how a product ranks on Amazon search queries. You can find organic ranking position by using various tools.
The organic rank position of a product does not affect the Best Seller Rank. In addition, the BSR score of a product does not affect the organic rank of a product. BSR gives a score based on sales frequency, while organic ranking relies on keywords to determine the position of a product on the SERPs.
Best-performing products based on keywords get the black Amazon Choice Badge. Products with the most sales receive the orange Best Seller badge. If a product wins both awards, the Amazon Choice badge is displayed.
These two metrics do not influence each other. However, optimizing either can help you achieve or improve the other. For example, if you boost your organic listings, more sales will follow. More sales help you achieve a better BSR.
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How Sellers Use Amazon’s Best Sellers Rank
BSR matters for sellers who want to succeed on Amazon. Here are several ways to use the Best Seller rank to improve your sales.
1. Estimate Sales
The BSR can help Amazon sellers predict product sales. This data is helpful in several ways, including knowing which products to optimize and which to let go of.
Through some data modeling of sales and BSR, you can forecast sales for the next quarter. This can help you make better business decisions. Moreover, you can find out if you belong to the top 1%, 10%, or 50% of sellers in a particular category.
Simply by referring to BSR, you can get a clearer picture of your sales growth relative to the industry.
2. Product Research
BSR is also an excellent way to estimate demand for a product. This makes it a handy research tool when looking for products to sell on Amazon.
A good BSR shows that a particular product is selling fairly well and has decent demand. A poor BSR, on the other hand, could signify that the product is selling slowly and the demand is negligible.
Moreover, if your sales are low but BSR is good, you may be competing in a weak category. If your sales are great but your BSR is average, you may be competing in a more popular category.
3. Competitor Research
BSR can be an effective way to monitor competitors in your space. If a competitor’s BSR is better, they could be making more sales. You can review the competitors with the highest BSR scores, see what they are doing differently, and then implement the necessary changes to increase sales and outperform your category.
4. Build Social Proof
A good BSR can attract customers to purchase from you. A better BSR may indicate your product is better than your competitor as you sell more. The #1 Best Seller in any given category will always be more attractive than #500 in that same category.
How to Improve Your Amazon Best Sellers Rank
Best Seller Rank does not improve your organic ranking, but it can be powerful in influencing potential buyers to select a product.
Here are several ways to improve sales and boost Amazon BSR scores.
1. Advertising Through Amazon PPC
If Amazon sellers are not getting enough organic impressions, clicks, or sales on their products, the most common strategy to boost those numbers is through Amazon Ads. Advertising increases product visibility, boosts sales, and improves BSR, regardless of the product objective.
Additionally, keeping ads running can provide consistent sales, which is important for calculating BSR.
2. Ensure Your Categories Are Relevant
Proper categorization is critical when building your BSR. For example, marshmallow roasting sticks may rank poorly in Patio, Lawn, Garden but excellently under bar-b-que forks. Make sure you explore all the relevant categories and check category competition when listing your products.
3. Run Amazon Promotions
Another strategy to increase your BSR involves Amazon Seller Promotions. These promotions boost brand visibility which in turn increases sales. For example, a Limited 7-Day Deal creates a sense of urgency and scarcity, which are known techniques for persuading customers to buy. Other promotions available include Lightning Deals, Coupons, Prime Exclusive Discounts, and Promos.
4. Optimize Product Descriptions
Writing thorough product descriptions convinces customers to buy from you. Descriptions should include detailed features and benefits of a product. It should also utilize keywords to rank higher.
5. Increase & Improve Reviews
Shoppers are increasingly influenced by product reviews when making a decision to purchase a product. If you’re to increase sales, you must increase quality product reviews. These quality customer reviews are a by-product of fantastic products and excellent customer support. While sellers always want nothing but 5-star reviews, negative reviews will show authenticity and believability that your product is legitimate. Remember to take those negative reviews as a learning opportunity to improve your listing content or your product.
6. Consider Amazon FBA
Sellers can boost their sales by 30-50% through Amazon FBA. These services give customers more convenience and opportunity, which leads to higher sales velocity.
Optimize BSR with Trellis
Amazon’s Best Seller ranking is not just another vanity statistic. It’s a vital metric that can help you gauge competition, understand sales, impress customers, and know which products sell best in a particular category.
To improve your Best Seller Rank, you’ll need to focus more on boosting sales.
Trellis’ full-funnel profitability platform is designed to help you optimize sales volume and climb the BSR list. Book a demo to see it in action today!
