Amazon Implements Stricter Listing Requirements to Improve Buyer Experience

Amazon has changed its listing requirements. As a result, all new listings created by sellers must meet the new product attribute requirements, and existing old listings that need to be modified will also ensure that they meet the new requirements.

The platform is trying to improve the shopping experience for buyers in this way, but sellers seem unable to adapt to the changes for a short time. In the new year, Amazon listing will change a lot, so sellers need to pay extra attention to it.

Since December 11, 2023, Amazon has required changes to 1750 types of product listing information. Sellers must comply with the new product attribute requirements when creating Product listings for all products except those in the Media, Digital, and Handmade categories. Amazon has provided a spreadsheet showing which product types and attributes are changing.

Amazon's rationale for the changes is, "These updates will reduce the instances where sellers upload products with attributes that should have been filled out but weren't required. The new changes are also designed to make consumers more informed in buying decisions."

Amazon did not explain why it made the change during the busy holiday. The company said existing listings will not be affected, though sellers may be asked to provide additional information when editing existing ones to meet the new requirements. With the inventory management page or price and quality templates, sellers can update prices and inventory levels as usual.

Sellers Creating Listings Need to Meet New Requirements

According to Amazon, not all sellers will see the change immediately when creating a listing. The platform will gradually roll out the changes to all sellers between December 11, 2023, and February 1, 2024, which provides a cushion of time for sellers.

The new changes are as follows:

1. Add Product: As the changes roll out, sellers using the "Add Product" page will see updated requirements when creating or editing a listing.

Note: If the newly required product attributes are incorrect, the seller can hover over the "?" character next to the attribute to alert the platform and re-select the "Irrelevant Attributes" option next to the listing.

2. Add products via upload: Since December 11, all sellers using "Add products via upload" can choose to update a new listing template with new attribute requirements. When selecting a product category for a listing, the seller will see a banner with a link to download the new template. Amazon still accepts listings submitted using the old template (to download the previous template, click "Switch" at the top right of the banner). Before the updated template becomes the default, Amazon will notify sellers 30 days in advance on the upload and add products page.

One seller noted that this listing update is a headache and will waste much of everyone's time. He searched for liquids in the spreadsheet and found he needed to state if basketball hoops contain liquids and also what sport they are used for; for bike lights, a seller needs to describe the material, and for bottle openers, if they contain liquids. For drinking straws, drills, electric fans, fishing lines, and so on, the seller all needs to state if they contain liquid.

"I haven't been able to change any listing for years and can't get Amazon to change a listing with errors or misbranded ones. The products that I can't upload to Amazon can be uploaded to other platforms. Doesn't Amazon want to be the one-stop store that it used to be? If you are not a brand owner, maybe Amazon should notify you not to waste time trying to add or update incorrect information. Because only brand owners have editing rights for listings." Another seller stated.”

For new changes to listings, many peers believe that they are worse than ever. One peer described his experience: six months ago, he couldn't list shirts because the platform asked for waist sizes but not neck sizes. But if you replied, "I'll enter the waist size," it gave you the wrong feedback: "The shirt doesn't have a waist size. On the same day, the listing of swim trunks asked for a neck size, but if you fill it in, the system gives you an error because swim trunks can't have a neck size.

Some sellers can’t adapt to the new changes for a short time. In their view, Amazon's improvement of the shopping experience needs to start from the buyer's end. There are a lot of professional ways to solve this problem. For example, they can add the listing requirements after solving these problems.

The new version of the listing scoring standards

As far as the platform's recent policies are concerned, Amazon has increased its requirements for listings. Not long ago, it just released the 2024 version of its listing scoring criteria, which has taken effect since January 1, 2024.

Compared with the old version of the scoring table, the new version has added four new essential scoring items: key attributes are all filled out, the title length is between 10 and 200 characters, the title starts with the brand name, and the image information is perfect.

In the new version, a score of 80 or above (A grade) is considered a qualified listing.

The specific scores indicate:

As for ASIN with the same Grade A, the new version of the standard, compared to the old one, enjoys a substantial increase in traffic and conversion. Starting in 2024, if sellers don't make changes according to the new criteria, many ASINs that were initially rated A will become B or even lower.

According to the new version of the scoring table new four key scoring items, Amazon sellers need to make the following adjustments:

1. Enhance the quality of the listing title: control the title length between 10 to 200 characters. The title should start with the brand name. If it is a brandless product, this item does not score points.
2. Fill out the key attributes: the more key attributes are filled out, the higher the listing weight score. Full marks for all attributes filled out.
3. Perfect the picture information: at least upload four pictures to enrich the product's selling point, according to its category's characteristics. Ensure that the main and attached pictures are in line with the requirements of product categories.

As Amazon mentioned, the correct and complete listing can attract traffic and promote conversion. Traffic and order volume will be respectively 22% and 9.8% higher than those in the incomplete listing. Amazon has a set of scoring standards for the quality of its listings. The higher score indicates that the listing is closer to complete and satisfies consumer demand more.

The importance of listing is self-evident. The listings created in 2024 should ensure compliance with the new requirements, and the old listings should also be adjusted according to the scoring standards to ensure the smooth carrying out of business the following year.