How the Buy Box Works

The Buy Box is the box on a product detail page where customers can begin the purchasing process by adding items to their shopping carts.

A key feature of the Amazon website is that the same product can be sold by several sellers. If several sellers offer the same product in "new" condition, they may be eligible to compete for the Buy Box for that product (as long as it can be shipped to the customer's selected address).

To give customers the best possible shopping experience, sellers must meet performance-based requirements to be eligible to compete for Buy Box placement. For many sellers, Buy Box placement can lead to increased sales.

Product placement

When you place your products in the Amazon catalog, anyone browsing Amazon can find and buy them. When customers find what they want, they can put the product into their shopping basket (and ultimately purchase the product) using one of three methods:

• By clicking the Add to Basket button in the Buy Box.
• By browsing seller offerings in the More Buying Choices box and then clicking the Add to Basket button next to the seller from whom they want to purchase the product.
• By clicking the "used & new" link, browsing all offerings for the item, and then clicking the Add to Basket button next to the seller from which they want to purchase the product.
  Note: If there are no used listings, the link will say "# new".

After the Buy Box winner is selected, offers from up to three further qualifying sellers are displayed in the More Buying Choices box on the product detail page. The remaining seller offers are available to customers who click the new & used (or new) link at the bottom of the More Buying Choices box to go to the offer listing page.

How sellers can increase their chances of winning the Buy Box

Since seller performance requirements can vary by category and are subject to change, we do not disclose specific targets needed to become an eligible seller; however, becoming an eligible seller requires meeting very high standards, and excelling in the qualifying criteria is the best way to work toward achieving this status. If you are an eligible seller, you can increase your chances of winning the Buy Box by following these guidelines:

Pricing

• Since we look at the price the customer will pay (price + shipping), make sure that you price your products competitively, including the delivery rates. The lowest price doesn't guarantee winning the Buy Box, as pricing is just one factor that is evaluated.
• On the Manage Inventory page, you can view the price of the offer that is currently winning the Buy Box. In order to view the Buy Box price column, go to the Preferences page and enable display of the column. Buy Box prices are only displayed for "New" listings.
• Business customers on Amazon tend to base their buying decisions on VAT-exclusive prices. That is why for these customers we are comparing the VAT-exclusive prices, where available. To enable your selection, enrol into the free VAT Calculation Service.

Availability

• Keep stock available: If you have no current stock for a product, you cannot win the Buy Box. Use Seller Best Practices to keep your popular products in stock.
• Update your inventory: Customers who submit orders for products that are not in stock are likely to leave negative feedback, especially around the holidays. To ensure that buyers cannot place orders for out-of-stock items, keep your inventory updated.

Fulfillment

Offer multiple shipping options on your products, including free shipping. You can manage your available shipping options on your Current Delivery Rates and Settingspage in Seller Central.

Customer Experience

• ODR (Order Defect Rate)—ODR is based on customer feedback, A-to-Z claims, and chargebacks.
• Other metrics related to seller performance.
• Shipment experience offered on a product, including speed of shipment, handling time, and your participation in FBA.
• Time and experience selling on Amazon.

The Customer Metrics page in your seller Account can help you track your performance.