As an Amazon seller, staying on top of your account health is crucial for long-term success. Just like you would track your fitness goals with an Apple Watch, keeping a regular check on your Amazon seller account can help you spot small issues before they turn into big problems. In this blog post, we’ll explore key areas you need to monitor, actionable tips to maintain your account health, and why it’s important to build healthy habits for your Amazon business.
Why You Should Regularly Monitor Your Amazon Seller Account
Running a successful Amazon business is much like maintaining your health—you need to be proactive. Small issues, if left unattended, can lead to bigger problems, like inventory restrictions, additional fees, or even suspensions. By regularly checking your account health, you can ensure your business operates smoothly and grows without unnecessary setbacks. We recommend doing this at least once a week, though more frequent checks may be necessary if you’re experiencing a lot of activity.
Key Areas to Monitor in Your Amazon Seller Account
There are several critical areas that you need to review regularly. Each of these areas can impact your sales, visibility, and overall account health:
- Performance Notifications
Performance notifications are like the red phone in the movies—when it rings, you pick it up immediately. Amazon uses this to communicate issues like policy violations or listing problems. Make sure these notifications are set to go to an actively monitored email, and respond to them quickly to avoid more serious consequences. - Account Health Dashboard
The account health dashboard provides an overview of potential issues, such as policy violations or warnings. While not every notification may be accurate, it’s essential to address anything that could harm your account’s standing. - Listing Quality Dashboard
Your product listings need to be in top shape. Amazon tracks metrics like image quality, missing descriptions, and other details that could affect your product’s search visibility. Poor listing quality can lead to suppressed search results, which in turn affects your sales. Regularly review your listings and fix any issues promptly. - Buy Box Ownership
If you don’t own the Buy Box, your products won’t sell well—and you won’t be able to run ads. Owning the Buy Box is critical for driving sales, and Amazon gives you tools to track your Buy Box percentage. Anything below 95% is cause for concern and needs immediate action. - Seller Feedback
Seller feedback reflects your performance as a seller, not the quality of the product itself. Keeping your seller rating above 95% is essential, as anything lower can turn potential buyers away. You can request Amazon to remove negative feedback if it’s related to fulfillment issues or product dissatisfaction, as these aren’t relevant to your performance as a seller. - Voice of the Customer (NCX)
The Voice of the Customer (NCX) score measures customer satisfaction with your products. If your score is poor, it could lead to product suspension. Regularly review customer feedback to identify issues and improve your products or resolve fulfillment errors. For instance, if customers are consistently receiving the wrong product, request a bin check to ensure your inventory is correctly classified in the fulfillment center. - Inventory Performance Index (IPI)
Your IPI score, which should be above 400, reflects how efficiently you manage your inventory. Slow-moving products can lower this score and restrict your ability to stock high-demand items. Monitor your inventory closely to ensure that fast-selling products are always in stock and that slow-moving items aren’t taking up valuable warehouse space.
Actionable Steps to Keep Your Amazon Account Healthy
- Set Up Alerts: Make sure performance notifications are directed to an email that you check frequently, so you can act quickly.
- Monitor Listings Regularly: Use the listing quality dashboard to spot and resolve issues that could suppress your product’s visibility in search results.
- Track Your Buy Box: Keep a close eye on your Buy Box percentage. If it falls below 95%, dive into the details and take corrective action.
- Respond to Seller Feedback: Aim to keep your seller rating above 95%. For negative feedback that isn’t related to your performance, request removal from Amazon.
- Review Customer Feedback: Check the Voice of the Customer dashboard to catch recurring product issues or fulfillment problems. Take steps to improve where necessary.
- Manage Inventory Efficiently: Keep your IPI score above 400 to avoid inventory limitations that could hurt your sales.
Final Thoughts: Make Account Health a Habit
Maintaining a healthy Amazon seller account requires consistency and attention to detail. By regularly checking performance notifications, monitoring your Buy Box percentage, and keeping tabs on inventory levels, you can prevent minor issues from escalating into larger problems that hurt your business. Make account health a routine part of your business operations, and your Amazon store will run like a well-oiled machine, primed for growth and success.
