What is the Amazon Choice Badge?
The original Amazon Choice badge was exclusively for orders that came through Amazon Echo. This was because the Amazon Echo needed a way to distinguish which products to choose for the customer. For example, there are thousands of different toothbrush brands on Amazon.com, but when a customer orders a “toothbrush” through Amazon Echo, it needed a logical method to choose the best option for the consumer. Unless the customer says a specific brand, Amazon Echo would select the product with the Amazon Choice badge.
How Do You Get the Amazon Choice Badge on Your Listings?
Fast forward to today, the Amazon Choice badge appears on all Amazon platforms. Amazon chooses products for the Amazon Choice badge based on many factors. The criteria are not disclosed to the public, but there are a few ways to increase your likelihood of fulfilling the requirements.
1 — Target Keywords You Can Win
When it comes to the Amazon Choice badge, you must be very careful about which keywords you choose. Each keyword has an Amazon Choice badge attached to it. For example, both “toothbrush” and “two toothbrushes” have their own Amazon Choice badges. As you can see below, each keyword displays different products chosen for the Amazon Choice badge even though the keywords are incredibly similar.
Need help with keyword optimization strategies? Check out these posts to learn how create optimized Amazon listings:
- Writing for Amazon’s Algorithm AND Consumers
- Survey Results: The Most Important Listing Features for Amazon Shoppers
- The Ultimate Guide to Creating Amazon Listings
- Using Behavioral Economics Theory to Craft Great Marketing
2 — Generate Positive Customer Reviews
Another critical factor for acquiring the Amazon Choice badge is having excellent customer reviews. These badges are Amazon’s way of vouching for a product. Amazon will not vouch for listings that have too many negative reviews.
If your listings have negative reviews, spend time responding to reviews and adjusting the source of the problem. Oftentimes, negative reviews are the result of missed expectations. A simple fix is to revise your listing’s copy so it sets accurate expectations.
Amazon retired the Early Reviewer Program in April 2021. The program’s retirement coincided with Amazon’s suspension of large Chinese sellers who had participated in fake review schemes. Fortunately, there are still compliant ways sellers can encourage honest reviews, which we’ve shared in our post, “5 Ways to Get Amazon Reviews.”
3 — Work on Earning a High Seller Rating
Like having reliable customer reviews on your listings, Amazon will not back sellers that they don’t believe can provide a strong customer experience. Seller reviews reflect quality service, so Amazon is more likely to award the Amazon Choice badge to sellers with a strong history of positive seller reviews. Many factors determine the seller rating, including the return rate, whether products arrive to the customer on time, and how quickly the seller responds to customer inquiries.
Learn more about what factors effect product rank in “The Art & Science of Amazon Search.”
4 — Make Sure Your Products Are Prime Eligible
The Amazon Choice badge is about making the buying process easier. When consumers buy products with the badge, they expect it to have all the top features, including Prime eligibility. To accomplish this, sellers must either be using Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) or Seller Fulfilled Prime (SFP).
5 — Maintain Competitive Pricing
With Amazon obsessing over having the lowest prices available online (they enforce it through their Marketplace Fair Pricing policy), it makes sense that price would be a significant factor in which products get the Amazon Choice badge. If you hover your cursor over the badge, it says “well-priced products.” To get the badge, work with your internal teams and sellers to ensure that your margin allows you to maintain competitive pricing. If you have tight margins, you may need to invest in Amazon marketing services to increase volume and sales.
Learn More About Amazon Marketing Strategies
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