Amazon is about customer experience. As a seller, it's your job to ensure a great customer experience every time, and this article has five ways you can continue to do just that.

1. Make your listings better

The first and most immediate change you can make is to improve your listings. This is the buyer's first point of contact with you and the first opportunity you have to make a good first impression on them. Use this small checklist to see key areas to focus on:

Product Information: Is everything accurate? For example, if you sell a used product in very good condition, do you mean it's used? Or are you saying it's new?

Description: Describe the product in as much detail as possible, such as its features, dimensions, how to use it, how to care for it, any potential risks of using it, etc.

Images: We often stress the importance of having great images. Shoot from different angles, shoot in RAW, and shoot the product in real life.

Video: It would be even better if you could add a video showing your product.

2. Maintain a Balanced Inventory

The most important rule is to avoid out of stock . Use inventory management software so you can clearly understand the relationship between your Amazon inventory and fulfillment center inventory, and take steps to ensure you have a steady flow of cash so you can replenish inventory as needed.

3. Make your brand noticeable and liked

All the really big brands are very successful in getting people to understand who they are and what they do. Apple = stylish, easy-to-use phones, tablets, and computers. Walmart = variety of low-priced items. Lego = fun bricks that hurt as hell if you step on them. Starbucks = "good" coffee where the experience matters.

All of these brands have perfected the art of associating the name with the product, which is something you should strive to do as well. If you have questions about this, here are some questions to get you started.

Who are your (target) customers? Once you've identified the demographics you want, you can start making images that work for them. If you're reaching out to seniors, you'll want large fonts, clean designs, and a focus on how to make their lives easier and safer. If you're going to sell to millennials, you're probably going to want the opposite.

Which products and /or categories are right for you? Maybe you're passionate about books and intimidated by the sheer number of items in the category, or maybe you've settled on an easier category to sell but don't know anything about products. Find products and categories that interest you and that don't have a lot of competition, and you'll be better able to deliver a great customer experience.

What are your competitors doing? The more you understand what others are doing, the more you can tailor your approach to better serve customers. If 99% of sellers in your category offer free shipping, you probably should too, so you can keep buyers happy.

4. Get a lot of positive reviews

Bad reviews are a serious problem , and good reviews can be the final factor in sales. To increase your chances of getting as many of the latter as possible, here are some small extras that can make a difference.

Use your buyer's name in the shipping confirmation email.

Include a handwritten (or typed) note with their order thanking them for their purchase and how they can contact you if they have more questions.

Follow-up emails after the order arrives, giving them a link to leave a review.

5. Keep your seller ratings high

Amazon considers many small metrics when determining your overall seller rating, and your level of attention to detail often determines the type of customer experience your buyers have. If your return rate is high, check why. Is it because you are inaccurate and honest with your listing? Or your late shipment rate may be high. If this is the case, make your buyers happier by switching to FBA or more coherently expediting shipping speed and efficiency.