How to Use Amazon for Niche Market Research
Have you run out of ideas for a market niche? Are you wondering what to create? Do you know what business to go into? There is so much data on Amazon and you can use it to your advantage. You don’t need to pay for it, if you know where to look.
You can get information such as what your customers wish for, keyword ideas, title ideas, cross selling possibilities, needs that should be met, problems to be solved, micro-niches in markets and trending topics. Here you will learn about seven ways through which you can discover niches using Amazon, get ideas for your business and gather more information on tour niche.
As you conduct your searches, get a notebook and use it to keep track. Everything is sold on Amazon and they do a great job. For this reason, Amazon must give their shoppers an easy time when looking for products. They, therefore, greatly categorize topics which can help you discover niche opportunities.
If you still don’t know where to start, try the beginning and check out bestsellers on Amazon. When you see a topic that appeals to you, select it to get more information on its major category. Focus on one topic at a time to avoid going down the rabbit hole.
While holding on to that link, check the top tabs for the following categories:
- Gift Ideas
- Most Wished For
- Top Rated
- Movers & Shakers
- Hot New Releases
To know what is trending in a market, filter the results by department.
Get Niche Ideas
The categories are already broken down into the niches that people look for a lot.
Find a department that is associated with your market. For instance, if you coach or sell information, go to Books.
Check Bestsellers to see the niches that are most sought after.
Next, go through sub-categories in a larger category for niche ideas.
Check Out Potential Competitors
If you are eyeing a big market, understand what awaits you. Who will be your competitors? What are they espousing or teaching? Go to your categories and check out top sellers then find whoever is selling. For books, check out what they are teaching or writing about.
Brainstorm Title/Content/Service/Product Ideas
As you surf through a category, you will get more ideas. You will have a long list by the end of your research.
You can look for ideas in:
- Table of Contents (top selling books)
- What’s Hot
- Most reviewed products
- Top Sellers
- Sub-categories
Find Niche Phrases and Keywords
It is safe to assume that people use the phrases and keywords on Amazon in their searches. You can use these keywords in your content (product descriptions, blog posts, etc.). How many products are in your category? Check the number of sub-categories under the main category.
If the number is too low, your idea may not be profitable. Check repeat purchases, recommended upsells and different price points. Top selling product reviews can tell you which needs are unmet. Browse through poor reviews, Most Helpful reviews, trends and top rating reviews.
For lucrative businesses, exporting and importing are important elements. While international shipping comes with bigger opportunities, it can be overwhelming.
Shipping abroad means excess work and complexity. Freight forwarding is your key to shipping internationally without logistics issues. A freight forwarder, also referred to as a forwarder, forwarding agent or Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier (NVOCC), is a person or company that helps arrange shipments for individuals or corporations to get products from one point (producer or manufacturer) to the final destination (market or customer).
To put it simply, a freight forwarder is a company/firm that arranges your exporting or importing of goods. A freight forwarder acts as a middleman between the distribution point and the shipper. They are not involved in moving the freight exactly, but they organize or arrange various transportation services such as:
- Expedited shipping (air freight)
- Ocean shipping
- Road transport
What a Freight Forwarder Offers
Freight forwarders are very important when it comes to freight transportation. Their key services include:
- Collecting freights
- Dealing with cargo insurance
- Booking warehouses
- Negotiate freight charges
- Preparing export and shipping documents
- Ensuring on-time drops and pickups
- Tracking transportation
- Taking care of custom insurance, documentation and clearance
When delivering locally, it is easy to directly deal with transport carriers. The case is different, however, when it comes to international transport and trading. Other than guidance, advice and paperwork, here are other benefits of a freight forwarder:
- Cost-effective
- Knowledgeable about customs
- Better control
- Special services
Knowing the exact costs of freight forwarding services is not easy because a lot of elements are involved. When you get a quote, seek to know what is included.
These are the common shipping elements:
- Carrier cost
- Container cost
- Cargo type
- Cargo weight and volume
- Packaging and palletization
- Insurance
- Documentation cost
- Destination cost
- Administration cost
- Additional surcharges
- Additional services
Carry out extensive research to get the best freight forwarders and make a list. Go through their websites to understand their services better. Call a service provider and confirm the following:
- Delivery destinations
- Available insurance options
- Amazon FBA experience
- Tracking system
- Packaging services
The Key Stages of Freight Forwarding
- Export haulage (moving products from the source to the warehouse of the forwarder)
- Export customs clearance
- Origin handling
- Import customs clearance
- Destination handling
- Import haulage (moving a product to the destination)
Documents Provided by a Freight Forwarder
Make sure you are given these vital documents:
- Shipper’s export declaration
- Export packing list
- Inspection certificate
- Origin statement certificate
- BOL (Bill of Lading) contract
- Commercial invoice
Amazon has terms and conditions in place as far as freight forwarding and hand carrying services are concerned. Make sure you go through them.
Customs, Duties and Taxes
When shipping outside the U.S, the orders are subject to:
- Fee levied by the destination country
- Import taxes
- Customs duties
Note: customs policies are different, and you should seek clarification from the local customs office.