Indiana Lee, Author at Viral Launch

Supply Chain Technology: Innovations to Benefit Your Amazon Store

Revolutionize Your Amazon eCommerce Store with IoT, 5G Networks, and Green Tech Supply Chain Innovations

Running an Amazon eCommerce store can offer significant advantages, such as access to a global marketplace of consumers drawn to the well-known brand. However, simply having a connection to Amazon doesn’t guarantee success. Many business owners have found that an Amazon storefront is not enough to protect against external threats. This is evidenced by the struggles that many eCommerce businesses still face years after the pandemic first impacted the economy. To safeguard your business, it’s important to adopt tools and strategies that enable you to run operations in a way that appeals to consumers and encourages repeat engagement.

While many eCommerce businesses focus on marketing campaigns to generate a good reputation, it’s the logistical elements that truly impact customers’ experiences with online shopping. Implementing technologies that streamline the journey from production to the consumer’s hands can be crucial to your success.

The Internet of Things

Whether your Amazon eCommerce store is small or large, it is crucial to maintain efficient operations. Reducing areas of wastage and lapsed productivity in the supply chain can make a significant difference to your bottom line. The internet of things (IoT) offers increasing opportunities for stores to improve operations and mitigate losses.

The IoT is a connected system of devices that collect data and influence supply chain functions directly or through recommendations to human collaborators. Currently, the IoT is invaluable for Amazon eCommerce stores in supporting inventory management throughout the supply chain.

Sensors on each product mean that devices in the production line, warehouse, and shipping system provide real-time data on the location and condition of inventory. This enables sellers and consumers to see where items are at any given time. Moreover, the IoT data can connect to artificial intelligence (AI)-driven inventory management software to make more agile decisions about restocking or warehouse layouts.

In warehouses, sensors connected to smart devices can automatically control the temperature and other ambient conditions of the space. This is particularly important when supplying perishable or sensitive goods. The use of devices onboard vehicles to monitor item conditions during delivery can prevent potential issues by allowing drivers to make necessary adjustments to the storage compartment.

Therefore, Amazon eCommerce stores can benefit significantly from IoT technologies in improving supply chain operations and achieving more significant financial gains.

5G Networks

Some of the most important innovations in supply chain technology are not just limited to devices or software. The infrastructure of technological systems is just as important. Currently, the 5th generation of network connectivity is being introduced in a growing number of areas. It’s becoming apparent how essential it could be to the supply chain as it’s incorporated into eCommerce fields.

The main impact of 5G on the supply chain is its potential for reducing disruptions. Its low latency and greater bandwidth capacity ensure that devices and software platforms remain connected to each other while maintaining high-speed connections. This is critical for supply chains that depend on data transfer technology, such as the aforementioned IoT devices, to operate at their maximum capacity.

In addition, 5G is invaluable for maintaining communication systems between supply chain partners. It enables lag-free video, audio, or text contact between businesses, which can be especially helpful in high network traffic areas where previous network generations would experience disrupted connections. Logistics managers can track route conditions and provide immediate journey adjustments to drivers to mitigate delivery issues. Moreover, 5G can also be vital for customer service, as more eCommerce businesses are relying on chatbots as initial contact points that require fast data transfers to be most effective.

Green Tech

The importance of eCommerce stores committing to eco-friendly operations is becoming increasingly evident. Not only are there ethical obligations to minimize the impact of climate change and protect local ecosystems, but there is also a commercial imperative to consider. More and more consumers are basing their purchasing decisions on a company’s environmental practices. Using green supply chain technology and promoting it through marketing efforts can significantly benefit your Amazon store.

To start, energy-efficient practices using smart technology can help reduce resource consumption during operations. Connecting production and inventory equipment to smart utility management applications can ensure that minimal resources are utilized. Additionally, utilizing smart lighting and HVAC systems is essential for ensuring that these elements only operate when necessary. These tools can be programmed to automatically shut off lighting and temperature controls when unoccupied spaces are detected.

The adoption of renewable energy in the supply chain is also increasing. Specifically, solar power is transforming the industry. With more affordable and reliable solar technology available, more companies can install solar panels on their premises. This not only reduces utility expenses but also reduces the environmental impact of traditional energy sources. In the future, solar panels may even be used to power vehicles. This could benefit your Amazon eCommerce store by enabling greener and more cost-effective last-mile deliveries.

Conclusion

Regardless of the size of your Amazon eCommerce store, utilizing effective supply chain technology can have a positive impact. Incorporating devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) can enhance inventory management and ensure the quality of perishable products. Implementing 5G networks can provide a stable infrastructure to build your operations on. Investing in eco-friendly technology such as solar panels and energy-efficient tools can reduce costs and enhance your brand reputation. With an effective supply chain being crucial to the growth of your business, utilizing the right technology can give you a competitive advantage.

Selling Medical Supplies on Amazon

If the last few years have taught us anything, it’s how very precious and fragile good health really is. And what that means is that consumers of every age, ethnicity, gender, and social status are looking for new, better, and more affordable ways to cultivate long-lasting wellness. That also means that there has perhaps been no better time than now for clinics, healthcare facilities, and purveyors of medical products and services to consider selling medical supplies on amazon.

However, marketing your facility or your products on Amazon is likely going to require a markedly different approach to promotions than your business is used to. This article examines strategies medical practices and suppliers can use to achieve success selling medical supplies on amazon.

Making Money Selling on Amazon

It doesn’t seem to matter anymore what your industry is — if you’re not selling on Amazon, you’re missing out. In fact, reports show that 89% of Amazon sellers are profitable, and that 37% saw profits increase throughout 2022.

As more of the population become comfortable operating online, many of our needs previously defined by brick-and-mortar or in-person experiences are being revolutionized. Telehealth, for example, is facilitating long-distance connections between doctors and patients across the globe. In the same way, medical service and product providers are seeing success using the Amazon marketplace as well.

restricted categories on amazon: Getting the Appropriate Permissions

Amazon is, literally, the largest marketplace in human history. It enables sellers of every stripe to reach a truly global customer base.

Perhaps not surprisingly, though, access to medical products and service providers has traditionally been quite limited and subject to extensive federal and international regulation. That does not mean, however, that medical product providers and practices cannot avail themselves of Amazon’s tremendous market reach.

What it does mean, though, is that if you want to market your medical practice or product on Amazon Stores, you’re probably going to need to jump through some hoops. For instance, if your product or service is regulated by the FDA, as many health-related ones are, then you’re going to fall into a restricted category.

That will require you to meet certain conditions before you’re permitted to market your business, product, clinic, or service on Amazon. In most cases, this will require you to receive FDA approval, adhere to FDA standards, and comply with certain labeling requirements as defined by Amazon.

Using Data-driven Marketing

Once you have received the appropriate permissions and met the relevant requirements for marketing on Amazon, you can turn your attention to defining a platform that works. If you are a local medical practice or a smaller-scale manufacturer of medical products and devices, you aren’t likely to have much experience in marketing to a global audience.

The prospect may, indeed, be daunting, but don’t despair. Marketers today have more and better tools than ever before for understanding and reaching their target audience. The key to reaching your ideal client on Amazon is data.

Data-driven marketing enables you to understand who your target client is, what they want, what they need, and what they require. But these aren’t the only insights to be gleaned through data. Data can also help you define patterns of behavior in your target audience, including identifying the types of online content that pique their interest and generate the most clicks.

Once you’ve defined what kind of content your target audience is looking for regarding medical services, devices, and products, you can craft your Amazon marketing materials accordingly.

Marketing Your Practice Through Online Relationship Building

One of the most important things to bear in mind when you’re learning to leverage the power of Amazon to market your medical practice is that your goal is not to advertise. Your goal is to build relationships.

Marketing your medical practice, product, or service is, fundamentally, about starting an ongoing conversation with your target customer base. The Amazon Store is only one prong of a larger strategy in which you cultivate an engaging and engaged online presence in order to connect with your target audience.

Thus, linking your Amazon Store with your business’s website is an ideal way to take your business relationships from merely transactional to truly transformational. You might use blogs, discussion forums, and even online events to help your target clients learn about your practice, your company, and the products and services you provide.

In the process, you will be building a sense of community in your client base. The more audience members connect with you and with one another, the better able you will be to identify and respond to their evolving health needs.

The connected Amazon Store, then, is the domain where you endeavor to meet those needs. Your Amazon Store becomes the locale where you are able to respond to the conversation you are having with your clients through your product and service innovations featured there.

Selling Medical Supplies on Amazon: The Takeaway

The provision of medical products and services is truly a labor of love and, now more than ever, medical practices and health product companies can serve a global market. Unleashing the tremendous power of Amazon Stores is an ideal way to access this international customer base. However, doing so effectively requires strategy, calling on stakeholders to improve their marketing strategy for a new, more diverse, and far larger target audience. This requires marketers to ensure they have the appropriate permissions and adhere to relevant guidelines for marketing on Amazon.

This also requires marketers to tap into the tremendous power of data to define the target audience, understand their behavior, and align their marketing strategy accordingly. Finally, improving marketing through Amazon Stores means integrating Amazon into a more comprehensive and compelling digital strategy. Cultivating a robust digital presence enables medical practices and product purveyors to engage in an ongoing conversation with the target audience, building client relationships that can last a lifetime.

Viral Launch’s accurate data coupled with our powerful tools, provides Amazon sellers with everything they need to succeed. Create an effective marketing strategy, boost visibility, and see sales skyrocket with Viral Launch. Sign up today and get your first 14 days free!

Amazon Sellers – How to Protect Against Cyber Attacks

As the digital landscape continues to offer exciting and enriching opportunities for entrepreneurs, the risks involved grow as well. This begs the question: How to Protect Against Cyber Attacks? Choosing to expand your eCommerce business through Amazon empowers you to engage more meaningfully with a global marketplace. Not to mention that in a tough economic climate for small businesses, capturing a wider range of consumers can help to push your company toward success.

Nevertheless, this isn’t to say expanding with Amazon eCommerce is always smooth sailing. One of the most common hurdles you’ll find is the prevalence of cybercrime. Even a single serious breach of security could cause devastating financial and reputational damage to your business. Not only could this disrupt your expansion, but it can leave your company unable to recover entirely.

While you can’t eliminate risk entirely, you can put your company in a better position to minimize your exposure. So, let’s look at how to protect against cyber attacks while still expanding your Amazon eCommerce business.

How to Protect Against Cyber Attacks

Recognize the Risks

One of the most important steps in protecting against cyber attacks occurs before you implement your expansion protocols. Your company can’t just set a blanket set of basic cybersecurity tools in place. Each business has its unique set of risks. It’s important for you to perform thorough risk assessments at the beginning of and throughout your growth to identify and prepare for them.

The risks to information technology (IT) security for small businesses are varied and growing. Some of the most prevalent cybercrime methods include the use of malware, phishing, account takeovers, and distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. Gaining an understanding of how these attacks are performed can empower you to better identify which are likely to be problematic for your eCommerce business moving forward.

You should then take both a short- and long-term approach to your risk assessments. Consider what cybercrime you’re vulnerable to both now and as you start to bring on new tools, staff, and processes in the future. It can be wise to gain insights from cybersecurity professionals with a background in eCommerce here. They should also know the ins and outs of Amazon’s platform. They’ll be able to implement effective ongoing assessment methods specifically matched to your business model. Indeed, it’s worth considering either a full-time expert or an occasional consultant to be among your first resource investments.

Adopt Targeted Tools

When you first start a small eCommerce business selling on Amazon, you may find that generalized security tools are sufficient. However, as you start to develop further, these tend to be less suitable. The bigger you get, the more sensitive and valuable data you’ll handle. You’re also likely to become a more attractive focus for a range of cyber criminals. As such, it’s important to adopt specialist protective tools that target particular issues.

This may include artificial intelligence (AI) driven threat management software. This automatically scans your business’ systems for signs of any suspicious behavior or potential breaches. It could involve adopting virtual private networks (VPNs) for staff to maintain security when operating in public places. As your staff numbers grow — particularly if you’re using remote operations — identity management software can be appropriate for keeping multiple accounts secure and visible.

Nevertheless, it’s also worth considering that not all targeted tools are pieces of software or hardware. In some cases, having access to knowledge is a powerful resource. As your small business grows, it can be vital to identify threat intelligence tools that can keep you up-to-date on security issues your company needs to look out for. This is vital given that many businesses are unable to withstand even a single attack. Open-source intelligence-sharing platforms tend to be free to utilize and are regularly updated by both security experts and other businesses.

Market Mindfully

Any successful eCommerce growth is dependent on effective digital marketing techniques. Your business faces a significant amount of competition in a truly global commercial space. This means that you have to understand how to use digital marketing tools like Google Analytics and responsive HTML emails to capture your demographic’s attention. Not to mention that gaining skills in web design and graphic design can give you better control over asserting your brand voice in the market.

In many ways, this represents a key benefit to moving to and growing your business on Amazon. You have opportunities to take advantage of some of the most accessible and impactful marketing tools around. With some knowledge and consistent effort, you can develop successful campaigns.

However, despite the prospect of enhanced engagement, it’s vital to understand how digital marketing can represent a cybersecurity risk. Some of your online materials — particularly websites and applications — may offer gateways to your networks when insufficiently secured. Indeed, popular online content you make may become a target for DDoS attacks or hackers seeking to piggyback on your web pages to infect consumers with malware.

It is, therefore, vital that you approach your digital marketing strategies mindfully. Consider the potential cybersecurity risks during the planning of every campaign. Build protective measures into the design of your materials, such as posting content only on Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) pages. This both helps to keep your company secure and boosts confidence among consumers.

Strengthen Your Workforce

When you’re expanding your Amazon eCommerce business, this usually means you’ll need to invest in more staff. This is a valuable opportunity not just to gain the technical skills of professionals but to work with diverse contributors to your success. The choices you make here can lead to a range of unique perspectives and talents that may result in innovation.

That said, adding staff can also widen the scope of cybersecurity risks. One recent study found that 88% of data breaches are caused by human error. As such, the behavior and security knowledge of your growing workforce has an impact on your company’s vulnerability. It’s vital to make certain that your staff has the skills to prevent potential breaches.

At the most basic level, this means you need to provide solid security training to all staff members. This should include helping them understand different types of cyber attacks and how to recognize them. Some of the focus should also be on communicating how their behavior is a key influencer of risks. Pass on cybersecurity best practices and provide clear protocols for data handling. Training should be reiterated and updated at least annually.

Maintain Encryption Protocols

A key part of growth as an Amazon seller tends to include investing in new equipment and software. Usually, this is geared toward making certain you can maintain efficient operations as your prospects expand. You might implement project management software to ensure effective collaborations between remote staff. Increasingly, eCommerce businesses that choose Amazon merchant-fulfillment are also investing in devices in the internet of things (IoT) to streamline warehousing processes.

That said, introducing this new equipment can also provide additional gateways to those who seek to breach your business. A key part of the solution here is to make certain you maintain stringent encryption protocols on new and existing tools. This is not necessarily difficult to do. Many devices come with built-in encryption tools, but these need to be manually activated. A mistake too many companies make — particularly with items in the IoT — is as simple as neglecting to switch these on.

On devices that don’t have built-in encryption capability, it’s worth investing in reliable encryption software. Nevertheless, it’s important to remember that encryption tools are often only as strong as the passwords you utilize with them. It may seem basic, but be sure to change from the default passwords your device is loaded with. Utilize a complex password that you’re not utilizing on any other accounts. Change this regularly, too. Wherever possible, utilize multi-factor authentication on these devices and indeed any other password processes you use.

Conclusion

How to protect against cyber attacks?

Implementing cybersecurity protections can help to ensure your Amazon eCommerce expansion continues on solid footing. Commit to regularly assessing specific risks to your operations and utilizing tools most suited to your needs. Build security protocols into your marketing materials and ensure your growing workforce is well-educated on best practices. Alongside strong encryption methods, these steps can help reduce vulnerabilities and influence your trajectory toward success.

Accessibility in Digital Marketing: Amazon Advertising

Accessibility is an integral part of a fair and just society; this does not exclude the online experience. Accessibility in digital marketing is frequently overlooked.

Without accessible goods and services, millions of people will be cut off from the products they need. In the US alone, 61 million Americans live with a disability that impacts their shopping and buying experience.

You can incorporate accessibility in digital marketing by accounting for the diverse needs of all users and consumers. This will improve your reach, strengthen your brand image, and ensure that all users can buy from your eCommerce site.

Common Mistakes

Offering accessibility in digital marketing isn’t just the right thing to do — it can save you from expensive litigation fees, too. Even major brands like Netflix and Nike have been sued for failing to provide an accessible web presence. As a growing brand, the last thing you need is legal battles and fines.

When developing your Amazon advertising, try to avoid common accessibility mistakes like:

Missing alt-text on images;
Using non-descriptive text for links;
Embedding non-accessible documents;
Using a low color contrast.

Avoiding these mistakes will ensure that most users can use your web content. However, you may still need to complete an accessibility audit with a licensed web developer to ensure that your content meets today’s standards.

Accessible Listing

As an Amazon seller, the listing is the most important piece of the marketing puzzle. Your Amazon listing has to double as a point of sale and a marketing opportunity. As such, you must ensure that your listing is fully accessible to all users.

Fortunately, Amazon itself is an accessible website. This means that you don’t have to worry about the code behind your listing or headline advertisement and can focus on the visual and written elements of your Amazon listing.

Ensure that you provide multiple images of your product so that visually impaired users have the best chance of seeing your offering. Fill out the keywords field, as this will be used as your alt-text for your product. While alt-text doesn’t need to be grammatically correct, it should make sense for users who are using screen readers.

Use a color-blind simulator to ensure that color-blind users can see your products. Keep your descriptions short and ensure that any anchor text you use is descriptive of the link’s destination.

You should also account for neurodiverse users who will come across your Amazon listing. Neurodiversity is an umbrella term that “covers multiple diagnoses” like autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, and ADD/ADHD. You can help neurodiverse users interact with your Amazon listing by avoiding unnecessarily explosive language and metaphors and using better organization.

If you’re looking to increase traffic and convert more visitors into customers, we can help. Our listing optimization software tools will compile a comprehensive list of keywords for your product and title, helping you to reach new audiences and drive more traffic to your product listings. Assuring you’re able to produce high-quality, vivid product descriptions that highlight specific product information not located elsewhere on the listing – helping potential customers find and buy your products faster.

Social Media

Social media is an invaluable tool for Amazon eCommerce sites. A successful social media strategy can improve your reach and drive traffic toward your Amazon listing. However, you need to ensure that your social media posts are fully accessible before you begin your next campaign.

Start by choosing the right social channel for your business. Choosing the right platform will simplify your approach and make it easier to craft effective, accessible marketing. If you’re new to social media, consider creating a business page on Facebook and working with an influencer on Instagram or TikTok. These platforms will help build your brand awareness and gather vital customer reviews.

Make your Facebook page accessible by following social media accessibility guidelines. Caption all of your video content before you post it, and give context for animated GIFS. This will ensure that visually impaired users can understand and interact with your content. If you use emojis on Facebook, be aware of how screen readers will present the emoji to users.

Work with your chosen influencer to create accessible branded posts on Instagram or TikTok. Encourage them to capitalize each new word in their hashtags, as this will improve the screen reader’s effectiveness. A short description of the content can also help users understand the context of the post.

Websites and WCAG

If you host a website in addition to your Amazon listing, you need to meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) standards. WCAG 2.0 is designed to help all users navigate web-based content with ease and independence. WCAG has four major indicators for accessibility:

Perceivable: can users tell that your content exists? Is your content perceivable to folks who are color blind, deaf, visually impaired, etc?
Operable: can users navigate your content? Is your website keyboard accessible? Do users have enough time to navigate the site before they are timed out?
Understandable: do you use unusual words or explosive language? Will all users be able to understand the abbreviations you use?
Robust: will your content be accessible in five years? Is it compatible with new models of screen readers?

Meeting these WCAG 2.0 standards ensures that your website is authentically accessible. This will drive more traffic toward your Amazon listing and will improve your digital brand presence.

Conclusion

Accessibility in digital marketing, specifically in Amazon ads, is an important part of your Amazon advertising strategy. Start by reviewing WCAG 2.0 guidelines and work with influencers who already understand how to create branded, accessible content on social media. You can also rewrite your alt-text and double-check your anchor text to ensure that your marketing is understandable and operable for all users.

If you’re still having trouble boosting traffic to your Amazon listings, you can also compare it to your competitors with the Viral Launch Google Chrome extension. You can also analyze which keywords you’re striving to rank for, and other Google trends.

Turn Amazon Customer Reviews Into Marketing Success

Successful Amazon sellers know how critical customer reviews are. They can help build your brand’s reputation. They can deepen trust with current and potential customers. Not to mention help you increase sales and generate more profit.

Amazon customer reviews can strengthen your marketing too. Not only do reviews better your Amazon search engine optimization (SEO) efforts, but they can also boost the traffic coming to your listings from external sources.

You can and should use your reviews in your marketing to accelerate a thriving Amazon e-commerce operation. Whether the reviews are positive or negative, here’s how to turn them into successful marketing initiatives.

Find Out More About Who’s Buying Your Product

Collecting, processing, and analyzing data is necessary if you want your marketing and store to succeed. Customer reviews are a critical source of data for any Amazon seller.

You can learn:

The overall impression of your product
Details about your brand perception
What customers love about the product
Any specific complaints about it
Suggestions for improving the product or overall experience
How the logistics experience is (i.e., shipping, packaging, etc.)

Customer review data is also crucial for quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC). Quality assurance focuses on establishing quality standards and ensuring future products meet them, while quality control focuses on whether products meet and have met those standards in the past.

Your customers discuss quality in their reviews and can share with you whether or not that quality standard has changed (in a good or bad way) over time, thus assisting you with QA and QC.

You can use all the information you get from customer reviews to determine who’s buying your product, how they’re using it, whether they’re enjoying it, and how you can improve.
The key is to be transparent about how you collect and use customer data. Give your customers some say in the process. And only gather and use data absolutely necessary and relevant for your marketing or e-commerce store duties.

Use Customer Reviews on Social Media

Social media might be the best place to get genuine product reviews outside Google and Yelp. These platforms are also goldmines for marketers. Millions of people go to social media daily to learn more about if a product is good and where to buy it.

Whether a customer writes a review on your Amazon product page or does a video review of the product on their social media page, use them on your social media platforms. Screenshot the written review and post it on your page and in your stories. Or ask to use any user-generated content on your platforms.

Then, you can put a link in your bio directing those interested in buying to your Amazon store to purchase.

Turn Customer Reviews into Ads

Have you ever seen those ads on Amazon, television, Youtube, or social media that are video reviews from actual customers? Well, you too, can take advantage of turning your customer reviews into ads.

Paid ads should be a part of your marketing strategy when you can afford them. Ads can supplement your organic marketing strategies and drive traffic to your Amazon store and other digital marketing channels.

Sit down and define a strategy for paid ads first. Then, ask for permission from customers who send you video reviews to use them in various paid ads on Amazon and social media. Finally, consider automating your ads with our Kinetic PPC Tool.

Share Reviews on Your Website

If you’re putting in some intentional effort to build your brand outside your Amazon e-commerce store site, you probably have your own website. If that’s you, be sure customer reviews are on it. Anywhere you talk about the products in your e-commerce store, include customer reviews.

You can create a separate page on your website that houses all of your customer reviews. You can include your best reviews for each product on your individual product pages. You can also include a link to the actual review on your Amazon store product page to drive traffic to the listing.

Create an Email Marketing Series From Them

You may or may not have an email list for those that follow your brand. However, if you do, you can use your customer reviews in your email marketing strategy in two main ways.

Create an after-purchase email series that thanks customers for their purchases and encourages them to leave a review.
Use reviews in various promotional emails to generate interest in your products and invite anyone who hasn’t to leave a review so they can be featured in emails like this, on your social media page, or website.

However you decide to use your reviews in your email marketing, consider offering an incentive attached to the request for a review, like a discount or free shipping on their next purchase to persuade customers even more.

Turn your customer reviews into an email series to not just encourage new customers to leave a review, but also to show them what they have to look forward to with their purchase.

Conclusion

Amazon shoppers’ purchases are influenced by reviews. So, take them seriously, whether negative or positive, and channel them into successful marketing initiatives to further their impact on your customers.