New Amazon policy allows third-party resellers to ‘win’ Buy Box

A new Amazon policy introduced on 1 March allows third-party sellers to compete for the Buy Box usually reserved for the publisher, reports the Huffington Post.

‘Starting in late Q1 2017, eligible sellers will be able to compete for the Buy Box for Books in new condition,’ said Amazon on its seller forum. The Buy Box refers to the display on Amazon’s product detail page that features the Add to Cart button. For resellers, being listed in the Buy Box increases their chances of selling that item.

Amazon said: ‘To compete for the Buy Box, both your selling account and your listed item must be eligible. Becoming eligible to compete for the Buy Box doesn’t guarantee that you will win it. You can increase your chances by pricing your items competitively, offering Prime and free shipping, providing great customer service, and keeping stock available.’

According to publisher Brooke Warner in the Huffington Post, ‘the impact this policy has on publishers’ backlist is potentially devastating, especially because consumers don’t understand what’s going on here.’

Category: International news