So you’re doing your research on Amazon FBA, huh? Tell me, what have you found so far? Do the reviews mostly have positive comments? Or perhaps they tell you negative ones? Reading reviews is one way we can validate information. Or maybe, gain more knowledge about something we’ve taken some interest in. Either way, we consult reviews to affirm or deny notions we have come to associate to a certain object, person, or subject.
But really, reviews aren’t all that reliable – especially when you know they’ve been written by human hands too.
What do I mean by this? Reviews are written and conceptualized by actual people. And you know people. It is not at all times that a reviewer’s objective in making reviews is simply to impart the knowledge or experience they have on a particular subject. People who are well-versed and articulate are often offered a side income just to come up with positive (or negative) reviews about a certain product or company. Knowing this, it is only natural for us to harbour some degree of doubt towards reviews and the intentions behind them.
Before I say this, let me just clarify that I’m only thinking about this hypothetically:
Who’s to say that Amazon isn’t paying people to create positive reviews about their FBA or Fulfilment By Amazon program?
If you are not too familiar with it, the FBA program was launched by Amazon to help rising entrepreneurs introduce and advertise their products on a bigger stage – or as you all know, is the whole wide world in Amazon’s case. So the process will mostly involve you storing your products in Amazon’s fulfilment centers and Amazon will basically do the rest (e.g. packing, shipping, customer service, etc.). What happens is that you pay Amazon a certain fee to gain access to the rest of the world (click here to get redirected to Amazon’s FBA page). Sweet deal, isn’t it?
This deal may be too good to be true – especially for aspiring entrepreneurs like you (probably). However, it is also important to note that everything in this world is a two-faced coin. There is always going to be a downside to things. Or, maybe you’ll just decide on something of a lesser benefit. In Amazon’s FBA program’s case, I believe the downside would be the opportunity – the opportunity to gain a more compelling presence in your industry.
When you contract your product to Amazon, it will be lumped in together with products of the same nature or industry. Although Amazon gives you the benefit of having more people see your product, it also limits your potential to separate your product from the rest of its competitors – to establish a distinct identity in the market or something along those lines. If you think your product is fine in this type of setup then that’s good. The FBA program will surely have something going for you. But if you’re looking into ways to establish a brand of your own, there are certainly better marketing strategies you can take other than joining the FBA program. Lead generation being one of them.
Don’t just take my word for it though. I am certainly not discouraging you from visiting Amazon marketing review sites. However, I am encouraging you to look for these qualities in the reviews you read:
Do A Background Check On The Person Who Authored The Review
It is important to know where or who the review is coming from. Oftentimes, wide-scale programs such as the FBA are evaluated by marketing experts and gurus so that they can publicize their own impression of it. If the review is coming is coming from a reputable source, then it’s most probably an honest review.
A Justified Argument Is Established
When reviews are overvaluing or over-devaluing a certain product or service, then you should raise your suspicions. A good review establishes a balance between the negative and positive aspects of the product it is evaluating – although, one aspect will most likely be considered a bit favourable over the other. After all, someone who’s honestly giving their opinion about a product or service won’t just focus on the glitter and shine. They will openly discuss what they don’t like about the item they’re reviewing as well.
