Amazon has become the leading platform on which to sell physical products. While nationally recognized brands also use Amazon, most of its sellers consist of small and midsize businesses (SMBs). In recent years, however, SMBs have criticized the e-commerce platform for its lack of customization.
With more than 5 million sellers on Amazon, many SMBs struggle to stand out from their competitors. All sellers have the same generic product page featuring their respective product’s name, description, images, customer reviews and other relevant information. Amazon isn’t expected to change the layout of its product pages, but the company is helping its SMB sellers by showcasing their business with Storefronts.
According to TechCrunch, Amazon has updated its homepage to showcase SMBs that sell products on its platform. The new Amazon homepage now features a special tile called Storefronts. Upon clicking this tile, visitors will be directed to a page for a specific SMB seller on Amazon. The page reveals the story behind the SMB while also displaying links to some of its most popular products for sale.
What is Amazon trying to accomplish with Storefronts? The idea behind Storefronts is to create a more personalized selling experience. While online retail sales continue to increase, many consumers prefer the brand-specific experience of shopping for products at a local store. Storefronts allows SMBs to create a similar experience by showcasing their brand and telling their story.
Furthermore, SMBs can use Storefronts to make their business stand out. Amazon says that half of all products sold on its platform are offered by SMBs. With such stiff competition, SMBs struggle to attract loyal customers who return to make future purchases. Storefronts can help these SMBs by increasing their brand recognition and distinguishing them from their competitors.
Amazon has announced plans to showcase about 20,000 U.S.-based SMB sellers with Storefronts initially. Assuming shoppers and sellers respond positively to the new feature, however, Amazon will likely expand the feature to other sellers.