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The Featured Offer on Amazon (formerly known as the Buy Box) is the section on a product detail page where customers see the “Buy Now” and “Add to Cart” buttons. While it’s possible to make sales without the Featured Offer, up to 90% of purchases on Amazon and other major marketplaces go through this section, making it a critical driver of sales and visibility for most sellers. This article explains how the Featured Offer works, its eligibility requirements, and which sellers should prioritize winning it.
Can Product Listings Appear Without a Featured Offer?
Amazon can suppress the Featured Offer if none of the current offers meet its standards for price competitiveness, seller performance, or listing quality. As illustrated in the example screenshot below, when this occurs, the “Add to Cart” and “Buy Now” buttons are removed, requiring shoppers to click “See All Buying Options” to make a purchase. This extra step can add friction to the buying process and potentially reduce conversion rates.
What Are the Eligibility Requirements for the Featured Offer?
- Professional selling account: Only sellers on the Professional plan are eligible; Individual plan sellers are not.
- New condition: The product must be in new condition; used or refurbished items are not considered for the main Featured Offer slot.
- Competitive prices: The Featured Offer strongly favors listings with lower prices. To check how your pricing stacks up against the current Featured Offer, use the ‘View reference prices’ option under your product listing in Seller Central.
- Free shipping: Sellers providing free and quicker shipping options have a higher chance of winning the Featured Offer.
- Stock availability: Products must be in stock; stockouts immediately disqualify offers from the Featured Offer.
- Customer service: Low order defect and cancellation rates, on-time shipments, and high feedback ratings are crucial. Monitor your Account Health page in Seller Central for insights on your customer service score.
Why the Featured Offer Is Critical for Sellers Competing on Existing Listings?
The Featured Offer is especially crucial for third-party Amazon sellers who are competing to sell the same product as others—meaning their listings share the same ASIN. When multiple sellers offer the identical item, Amazon’s algorithm selects one offer to feature as the default option for shoppers, based on factors like price, shipping speed, seller performance, and inventory. As a result, when customers click “Add to Cart” or “Buy Now,” their purchase goes to the seller currently holding the Featured Offer, while all other sellers are listed under the ‘Other sellers on Amazon’ section.
Is the Featured Offer Less Important for Exclusive Distributors and Brand Owners?
Brand owners and exclusive distributors, who are often the only sellers of their products, typically receive the Featured Offer automatically due to lack of competition. However, they must still comply with Amazon’s Marketplace Fair Pricing Policy, which prohibits misleading reference prices, excessive shipping fees, or prices significantly higher than those off-Amazon.
What to Do If You Lose the Featured Offer?
If you lose the Featured Offer on Amazon, you should take several steps to regain eligibility and improve your chances of winning it again.
- Start by optimizing your pricing to ensure it is competitive, as even small differences can impact your Featured Offer status.
- Consider switching to Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) or Seller Fulfilled Prime (SFP) if you are not already using these methods, as Amazon strongly favors fast shipping.
- Maintain adequate inventory to prevent stockouts, which can disqualify you from the Featured Offer.
- Improve your seller performance metrics by reducing order defect rates, late shipments, and cancellations, and focus on providing excellent customer service and addressing negative feedback promptly.
- Additionally, audit your product listings for compliance with Amazon’s policies and correct any inaccuracies.
Do Other Marketplaces Have a Featured Offer Like Amazon?
Several other marketplaces have features similar to Amazon’s Featured Offer, where the platform highlights a single seller’s offer as the primary purchase option on a product page. For example, Walmart Marketplace uses a Buy Box system that automatically selects the best offer based on price, shipping, and seller performance, much like Amazon. Similarly, Newegg presents a single main offer for each product, chosen by the platform’s algorithm, while additional sellers may be listed elsewhere on the page.
Final Thoughts: Make Winning the Featured Offer Your Top Priority
If your products are missing the Featured Offer, finding a way to resolve this should be your top priority, as it is the fastest way to boost sales. Securing the Featured Offer is essential for most Amazon sellers, especially those competing on popular listings. To maximize your chances of winning and keeping this valuable position, focus on competitive pricing, fast fulfillment, excellent seller metrics, and effective inventory management.
