23 Amazon Statistics and How You Can Use Them To Improve Your Online Business
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Looking for Amazon statistics? You're in the right place!
Since its founding, Amazon has become one of the largest eCommerce platforms. It's one of the biggest marketplaces in the U.S., easily accounting for almost half of all sales online in the country.
To help you understand how you can use the platform, here are 23 Amazon statistics selected especially for niche, authority, and eCommerce site owners.
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Amazon Statistics You Need to Know
As one of the largest eCommerce platforms globally, there are hundreds of Amazon statistics that you may find interesting and valuable.
This includes everyone from niche website creators to authority site creators, eCommerce site owners, and other website owners.
Here are some of the more interesting statistics curated specifically to help you make better decisions with your website.
General Amazon Statistics
1. Amazon has an incredible level of popularity with over 2 billion monthly visits
As of 2021, Amazon registered over 2.45 billion average monthly visits to the website.
That is an incredible number when considering that the average website gets between 1,000 and 15,000 clicks.
This puts Amazon in the top 0.01% of websites in terms of traffic.
How You Can Benefit
eCommerce owners especially can leverage the traffic Amazon receives to increase sales and improve their brand recognition.
2. The name Amazon is synonymous with trust, with 89% of people preferring the eCommerce giant
Because so many people use Amazon, it has become the gold standard for eCommerce platforms, with over 89% of people preferring Amazon over other eCommerce platforms.
They've also invested a lot over the years to improve their reliability and trustworthiness to increase sales and keep customers happy.
How You Can Benefit
For newer eCommerce platforms and authority sites, you can use the halo effect to improve your trust rating by selling your products or using affiliate links from Amazon when first starting.
Check out our guide on how to effectively add Amazon affiliate links with WordPress.
3. Electronics is the most popular product category on Amazon, with 44% of consumers purchasing an electronic product on the platform
Electronics was the most sold product category on the platform, with over 44% of U.S. Amazon shoppers having purchased electronics on the platform.
There are likely many reasons for this, but the main one may be the ease of comparing prices.
How You Can Benefit
If you run an electronics niche or authority website or an electronics eCommerce store, you may be missing out by not selling on Amazon or having affiliate links from the Amazon marketplace.
4. Amazon is an excellent place to sell products, with an average of 4,000 items sold per minute by small and medium-sized businesses on the platform
Owing to its market share, the Amazon platform handles a vast number of transactions. It's estimated that, on average, over 4,000 items are sold per minute by small and medium-sized third-party sellers.
If you aren't already on the Amazon platform, you could be leaving significant amounts of money on the table.
How You Can Benefit
For eCommerce store owners, you should diversify the number of platforms you sell on outside of your website, and Amazon should be at the top of that list due to the number of shoppers on the platform.
5. Amazon is dominating the online retail market with over 39% retail share
One thing you can count on is that Amazon will likely be around for a long time. They currently dominate over 39% of the U.S. retail market and are actively working on expanding that number each year.
While no one can predict how much of the market they will inevitably capture, you can bet on and plan for that number to keep going up.
How You Can Benefit
While Amazon hasn't been the death of small eCommerce website like many predicted, it has taken a lot of market share from these websites.
If you have an eCommerce platform, you should think about improving your switching costs to retain customers better and avoid losing ground to Amazon.
Buyer and Seller Amazon Statistics
6. Price is essential, with 82% of Amazon shoppers stating it's an important factor when buying on the platform
One of the top things that people look for on Amazon is the item's price and whether they can find it cheaper elsewhere.
Over 82% of Amazon shoppers say price is one of the first things they look at and an essential factor when shopping on the platform.
Further, many shoppers will check Amazon before buying a product in-store or from another eCommerce platform.
How You Can Benefit
You can benefit from customers' price-checking on Amazon. Consider offering a loss leader item on Amazon that you can use to generate brand recognition and get people to your store.
For niche and authority site owners, consider writing price comparison articles that can rank well in Google to capture search traffic from people price shopping.
Check out our guide on how to write a product review. Many websites owners have also found Table Labs to be helpful. It's a tool that helps you create an Amazon product table that makes you more money.
Check Out Table Labs7. Competition on the platform can be fierce, with over 1.9 million sellers active on Amazon
As with almost all types of the best online business models, more and more people are getting involved, and the level of competition is growing significantly each year.
As of 2021, it was estimated that over 1.9 million people actively sold products on Amazon.
This number is likely going to continue growing as more brick-and-mortar businesses move online and begin to utilize Amazon as a selling platform.
How You Can Benefit
While no one likes greater competition, knowing that it exists and likely will worsen can help you prepare better for the future.
As an eCommerce store owner, you can diversify by selling on other less competitive platforms. For niche and authority sites, consider partnering directly with manufacturers who may want to move away from Amazon.
8. Buyers use Amazon for inspiration, with over 23% of buyers saying they visit the platform when they don't have a specific product in mind
When surveyed, 23% of consumers reported they regularly use the Amazon platform for inspiration when they aren't sure exactly what products they want to buy.
Many of these people know the type of item they want but aren't sure what brands are available or what options they have.
This means consumers have more options than ever before and can more easily get the exact products they want.
How You Can Benefit
For niche and authority website owners, this is a prime opportunity to capture search traffic for terms related to product research or “inspiration articles,” helping people who aren't sure what they want to buy (think “gift ideas for x type of person”).
eCommerce site owners can benefit by advertising on Amazon to make sure their products show up first when people search without a specific brand in mind.
9. Consumers use Amazon to price-check products, with 9 out of 10 saying they check the platform first
As noted above, price is a significant factor for most people searching for products on Amazon.
However, this is also true for people buying products in-store or on other eCommerce platforms, with 9 out of 10 people checking Amazon first for a better price.
It's now easier than ever before for consumers to find the lowest price available, and due to its size, Amazon is the first place people go to do this.
How You Can Benefit
As an eCommerce owner, it is impossible to compete with all of the sellers on Amazon in terms of pricing without getting into a losing race to the bottom.
However, you can offer things that Amazon doesn't have, such as personalized services, better customer service, loss leader products, etc.
Authority and niche sites can benefit from price comparison search traffic and should write articles tailored to these search terms.
10. Most sellers don't just use Amazon, with over 80% of sellers listing on multiple platforms
Diversification is one of the safest ways to ensure long-term stability and increase profits, and that isn't lost on Amazon sellers.
Over 80% of Amazon sellers say they list their products on multiple platforms to increase sales and capture a wider audience.
Platforms such as eBay, Walmart, and company websites were some of the top alternative platforms for selling products.
How You Can Benefit
For eCommerce sellers, it's important to sell on more than one platform in case something happens, such as if your Amazon account gets shut down.
Preferably, you will have your own eCommerce website that you can build traffic to and, over time, transition away from third-party platforms that charge you fees.
Fulfilled By Amazon Statistics
11. Amazon FBA is extremely popular with sellers, with around 92% of sellers using the service
Fulfilled by Amazon is a program where sellers can store their merchandise at Amazon warehouses to be shipped out by Amazon whenever orders are placed.
This is a popular program owing to the savings for sellers on warehousing space and logistics.
Around 92% of sellers use the FBA program due to the benefits such as Prime delivery and lower overhead expenses.
Check out the Amazon FBA success story of Spencer Haws, founder of Niche Pursuits: Amazon FBA in 30 Days.
How You Can Benefit
For eCommerce sellers, you can sign up for the FBA program to access Prime shipping and other benefits.
Niche and authority website owners can benefit by linking to sellers using FBA to ensure customers get their products faster.
12. Over 66% of the top sellers on Amazon are using the FBA program
As further evidence of the popularity and success of the Fulfilled by Amazon program, over 66% of the top sellers on Amazon use FBA to handle their orders.
This is a clear sign that the FBA program works and helps to improve customer satisfaction and cut costs for high-volume sellers.
How You Can Benefit
Again, eCommerce store owners can significantly benefit from the FBA program by improving their customer's experience.
Even if you don't sell on Amazon, you can use the FBA service to handle orders and potentially streamline your logistics.
Many Amazon FBA sellers have found Jungle Scout to be popular. It's a tool that helps you to know the potential market size and competition levels, and helps you make smart decisions in your Amazon FBA business (see how it compares with ZonBase in our review).
Check Out Jungle Scout13. It's estimated that third-party sellers that use FBA see an increase of between 30% and 50% in sales
The above numbers reveal just how widespread the Amazon FBA program is.
However, this popularity has to do with the sales increase that many sellers benefit from.
It's estimated that third-party sellers using the FBA program see a 30%-50% increase in sales.
For small and medium-sized businesses, that sales increase can be massively beneficial.
How You Can Benefit
Amazon has an incentive to direct traffic to sellers using FBA and who qualify for Prime shipping.
eCommerce store owners can benefit from this boost in traffic and sales and potentially lower overhead from utilizing the FBA service.
14. Around 54% of Amazon third-party sellers have a job outside of their FBA business
For most sellers on Amazon, the platform offers a side hustle on top of their other work.
Around 54% of sellers on the Amazon platform using FBA have another job outside their eCommerce business.
While this may not seem like a positive if you're looking to go full-time, it has the potential to inform your decisions better when choosing to sell on Amazon.
How You Can Benefit
Diversification is one of the most important things to protect your income, especially if you are an online business owner.
If you're looking to work full-time online, consider multiple revenue streams to secure your income better.
Amazon Prime Day Statistics
15. Amazon Prime Day is one of the best days for third-party sellers, with billions in sales and counting each year during the event
Amazon Prime Day is an annual shopping event similar to Black Friday and Cyber Monday in the United States.
It's one of the most significant shopping events globally and a huge opportunity for third-party sellers to earn revenue.
In 2021 alone, Amazon Prime Day led to over $11 billion in sales, with that number growing each year.
How You Can Benefit
eCommerce stores can prepare special advertising for Amazon Prime day to take advantage of the increased sales.
For authority and niche site owners, prepare unique content to try and attract traffic looking for the best Amazon Prime Day deals.
16. Amazon estimates that over 62% of shoppers use Prime Day to purchase one or more holiday gifts
Even though Amazon Prime Day falls in the summertime, it's one of the busiest times for holiday gift buying.
It's estimated that over 62% of people take the opportunity to save money on gifts they plan on giving during Christmas and other holidays.
For third-party sellers, this is a huge opportunity to generate income.
How You Can Benefit
Authority and niche site owners can tailor articles to inform people of the best holiday deals during Amazon Prime Day.
eCommerce store owners can use their holiday sales data to make strategic decisions about what they choose to place on sale during Amazon Prime Day to attract more buyers.
17. Electronics are the most purchased product on Prime Day, accounting for 32% of sales
As noted above, consumer electronics are an incredibly popular category on Amazon. For Amazon Prime Day, they make up one of the largest shares of sales, with over 32% of all sales conducted being in the electronics category for the sales event.
This can be an excellent opportunity for electronics sellers to increase sales.
How You Can Benefit
Niche and authority site owners focusing on consumer electronics should add articles to their content calendar covering the best deals on Prime day.
For eCommerce sites, think about how you can leverage advertising and your social media to direct traffic to your Amazon Prime Day deals.
Also, use your yearly sales data to carefully select products that will sell the best during the sales holiday.
Amazon Alexa and Amazon Echo Statistics
18. Businesses are working to utilize Alexa, with 63% of businesses having developed voice-enabled technology for the system
Voice technology is one of the fastest-growing search segments, with Amazon Alexa quickly growing to become the number one virtual assistant technology tool.
The tool has grown so large that 63% of technologies developed for voice-enabled technology were for Alexa.
How You Can Benefit
For eCommerce and niche or authority site owners, developing content around voice search can potentially help to drive traffic to your website and your products.
While this technology is still in the early stage, there is a lot of potential for voice searches to increase.
19. Amazon Echo is growing in popularity, with over 20% of US adults owning one of the various Echo Dot devices
Driving the rise in voice search is the expansion of voice-enabled technology and related devices.
While there are a few major players in the market, the Amazon Echo is quickly growing to be one of the top voice-enabled devices, with over 20% of U.S. adults owning one of the devices.
How You Can Benefit
For eCommerce and niche or authority site owners, you should be tracking what percentage of your traffic is coming from devices like Amazon Echo. This will help you understand how these devices impact your business so you can utilize these devices better.
20. 1 in 5 shoppers reported using a voice-activated assistant to order a product
As noted above, voice search is a quickly growing segment of search. Most of these searches are quick to answer queries such as ‘what's the weather.'
However, 1 in 5 shoppers has reported recently using tools like Amazon Alexa to order products. This should be something to watch for eCommerce store owners.
How You Can Benefit
For eCommerce store owners, voice search can be a solid emerging market to begin optimizing your website for.
Look into ways owners of devices like the Echo Dot can more easily find your products using search.
21. In 2020 alone, over 60 million Amazon Echo devices were shipped worldwide
While most searches on Alexa are conducted in English, there are many other languages spoken on the platform.
These languages include Spanish, French, German, Italian, Hindi, Japanese, and Portuguese.
With over 60 million Echo devices shipped globally in 2021 alone, the share of searches conducted in languages other than English is likely to keep growing.
How You Can Benefit
Consider optimizing your website for languages other than English. You can use your analytics data to see what opportunities there are to expand.
Amazon Marketplace Statistics
22. Amazon makes up almost 50% of eCommerce sales in the United States
While global growth for Amazon has expanded, the United States is still the leading country for sales.
In this country, sales are so dominant that Amazon accounts for 43.5% of U.S. eCommerce sales.
This number is expected to grow as the company puts resources into expanding its market share.
How You Can Benefit
For eCommerce store owners, you should offer some sales on Amazon to attract users from the platform.
Many users will search for brands they buy on Amazon and may begin purchasing through your site directly.
23. As of 2021, Amazon had 16 global websites with plans for further expansion
While the United States may be the number one country for Amazon in terms of sales, the company is looking to diversify.
They currently serve 16 countries, with that number expected to grow.
This presents an excellent opportunity for people in these countries to begin selling through the platform.
How You Can Benefit
For eCommerce site owners, you can use Amazon to target potential customers in other countries.
Use your analytics data to help make decisions about potential markets that you could expand to.
Amazon Statistics Final Thoughts
While we've covered quite a few Amazon statistics, there are likely hundreds more that you can find. However, these should help you better understand the platform and how you can benefit.
For niche and authority sites and eCommerce site owners especially, the platform doesn't have to be a source of frustration. Amazon can easily be a way for you to diversify your current offerings and bring in more income.
By understanding the above Amazon statistics, you should better understand the opportunities available. And hopefully, this will help you leverage the eCommerce giant to grow your business.
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