On Amazon, "Best Sellers" and "Featured" are different sorting options used to display products, and they serve different purposes:
Best Sellers Sorting
- Shows the top-selling products in a category based on recent and historical sales data.
- Frequently updated (usually hourly).
- Can be filtered by category.
- Useful for: Identifying trending and high-demand products.
Featured Sorting (Default sorting)
- Amazon’s algorithm decides which products to feature based on relevance, sales history, customer reviews, Prime eligibility, and sponsored listings.
- It’s not strictly based on sales volume.
- Can include promoted (sponsored) listings at the top.
- Useful for: Seeing a mix of bestsellers, high-rated products, and promoted items.
When to Use Which?
- If you want high-demand and proven products, check Best Sellers.
- If you want Amazon’s recommended mix, stick to Featured.
How to use this to make sales?
1. Using "Best Sellers" to Make Sales
What It Means for Sellers
The Best Sellers list ranks products based on actual sales volume. This means:
- It shows what customers are actively buying.
- It's updated hourly, making it useful for spotting trends.
- It helps you validate demand for a product before investing in it.
How to Use Best Sellers to Increase Sales
✅ 1. Find Winning Product Ideas
- Go to Amazon Best Sellers.
- Select a category (e.g., Clothing, Shoes & Jewelry > Novelty & More > T-Shirts).
- Look at consistent best sellers over several days (not just trending spikes).
- Check design styles, colors, and themes if you're in Print-on-Demand (POD).
👉 Example: If "Vintage Retro Sunset Hiking T-Shirt" is always in the Top 10, it means the design style and niche are in demand. You can create a unique variation and target the same audience.
✅ 2. Analyze Price Trends & Competition
- Look at the average price range of bestsellers.
- Avoid pricing too low or too high compared to competitors.
- Use tools like Keepa or CamelCamelCamel to track price trends.
👉 Example: If bestsellers in your niche are priced between $19.99 - $24.99, pricing your product at $21.99 may position it competitively.
✅ 3. Check Best Sellers Rank (BSR) Patterns
- Products with a lower BSR (<100,000) in a category sell frequently.
- If a product remains in Best Sellers over time, it's likely a long-term profitable niche.
👉 Example: A pet-themed t-shirt with a BSR of 50,000 means it's making multiple sales per day. If its BSR remains stable, it’s a good niche to enter.
✅ 4. Launch Ads on Best Seller Keywords
- Use Amazon search suggestions and best seller product titles for keyword research.
- Run Sponsored Ads targeting those keywords.
👉 Example: If "Funny Cat T-Shirt" appears frequently in Best Sellers, use that as a targeted keyword in your listing and ads.
2. Using "Featured" Sorting to Make Sales
What It Means for Sellers
Amazon's Featured sorting (default) shows products based on:
- Relevance to the search query
- Customer reviews and ratings
- Prime eligibility
- Sales history
- Sponsored ads
Unlike Best Sellers, this sorting does not always show the highest-selling items first. Instead, Amazon prioritizes what it believes the customer is most likely to buy.
How to Use Featured Sorting to Increase Sales
✅ 1. Optimize Your Product Title & Description for Search
- Use keywords that Amazon ranks highly in search results.
- Focus on clarity, benefits, and relevant features.
👉 Example:
Instead of "Cat Lover Shirt", use:
✅ "Funny Cat Lover T-Shirt - Cute Pet Gift for Cat Owners"
(Uses "Funny Cat Lover T-Shirt" which Amazon ranks better in search)
✅ 2. Get High Ratings & Reviews
- Amazon prioritizes products with more positive reviews in Featured sorting.
- Encourage reviews via follow-up emails or Amazon Vine (for new products).
👉 Example: If your competitor has 4.8 stars and 1,000+ reviews, but your listing has only 10 reviews, it’s less likely to rank highly in Featured sorting.
✅ 3. Win the Buy Box
- If you're competing in a category where multiple sellers sell the same product, Featured sorting prioritizes the Buy Box winner.
- Offer competitive pricing and fast shipping to increase Buy Box chances.
👉 Example: If you're an FBA (Fulfilled by Amazon) seller, you're more likely to appear in Featured sorting than an FBM (Fulfilled by Merchant) seller.
✅ 4. Use Amazon PPC Ads to Appear in Featured Sorting
- Sponsored products get placed at the top of Featured sorting.
- Run low-bid, high-volume campaigns to boost visibility.
👉 Example:
If you're selling a Camping Hammock, running ads for "Best Camping Hammock 2024" can help push your product into the first few results in Featured sorting.
3. Which Sorting Should You Focus On?
| Sorting Type | Best For | How to Use It |
|---|---|---|
| Best Sellers | Finding trending products | Sell proven, in-demand products |
| Featured | Getting long-term visibility | Optimize listings, get reviews, run PPC ads |
Final Strategy for Maximizing Sales
- Use Best Sellers to find profitable product niches.
- Optimize your listing with strong titles, bullet points, and descriptions.
- Encourage reviews to boost ranking in Featured sorting.
- Run ads on best-selling keywords to get seen faster.
