3 Secrets to Selling Private Label Products on Amazon

What Are Private Label Products?

Private label is a great way to protect the products you sell from the ever-encroaching competition. Further below, I’ve listed three keys that sellers often miss or bumble their way through. Not you, however. Read on to find out.

With private label products, the manufacturer makes the product for you and places your company/product’s logo on the product and packaging.

It can be more complex than that, but it can also be just as simple.

Why Use Private Label for Your Products on Amazon?

Do private label products work?

Yes, yes, they do, but it needs to be done the right way to help you sell more on Amazon.

Private Label (Your Own Branded Products) Helps You:

• Protect your business.
• Be in control of your products and listings.
• Build value that lasts.

If you sell another company’s products on Amazon, it’s very likely that others will be selling that product as well. If that happens…

Stop! Your Business Is Unprotected Without Private Label

You’ll be competing on price, and the best price (along with a few other factors) usually gets the Buy Box on Amazon, and getting the Buy Box is what you want. It’s the default seller that receives the order when a customer presses the big Add to Cart button. It’s the top spot you want.

But if you’re competing against even one other seller of the same product, they can just keep lowering their price to try to get the Buy Box for that listing.

Freedom from Direct Competition

What you want is freedom. Freedom to set your own price and set the wording on your product listing pages. You can even apply for the Amazon Brand Registry and become the brand manager. It opens up a world of possibility.

As the brand owner, you can create A+ Content pages (formerly Enhanced Brand Content) on Amazon, which let you add large photos and formatted text to the description area of your products, giving you a better chance to tell your product’s and brand’s story compared to the default single big paragraph of text that you’re allowed without A+ Content.

Protect Your Product Price and Name

Without private label (a brand of your own), you’re open to price wars with merchants who are selling the exact same product because, on Amazon, those sellers all compete on the same listing page.

With private label, you can be the only seller. That doesn’t mean you can charge a ton for a product with your label on it (or could you…luxury watches, pens, etc.).

Keep in mind how buyers perceive the value of your product, and that’s how you get 99-cent pens and pens that sell for hundreds of dollars.

Building a Brand

Private label products allow you to build recognition for your own brand, and they differentiate you from the competition. That means you’re creating a much more sustainable business.

How Do You Sell Private Label Products on Amazon?

It’s very similar to selling other products on Amazon, with a few exceptions.

Once you’ve created your private label product (more on that below), you’ll want to create your Amazon listing.

In the Brand and Manufacturer fields in product setup, you simply put your brand for the products. Make sure to spell it exactly the same each time (this is important if you apply to Brand Registry).

It’s important that your products be differentiated from other products out there and not just the exact same as another product with a different brand/name.

It’s about creating value, and it doesn’t have to be complicated or difficult.

How Do You Make Successful Private Label Products?

A lot can go into making successful private label products.

Secret #1: Pick Products That Interest You

I can’t emphasize this point enough.

If you’re going to build a business around a product and around a brand, make it about something that naturally interests you.

It may seem simple, but a lot of sellers miss this point and end up with subpar products.

The more you know and care about the product and industry, the higher your standards of quality will be, and that will serve you in both the short and long run.

You’ll also be familiar, or become familiar, with what’s already out there, which will let you make your brand stand out.

Consider products or a market that you are interested in, where you can become an expert on the ins and outs. When talking with your sources, you’ll be able to identify what would be a good fit for your market.

Secret #2: Check Whether the Brand Name Is Already Being Used

You might be surprised how hard it is to be original. Check with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to see if the name you’ve chosen for your private label is already being used. You can use the USPTO’s trademark search tool to look for existing marks.

Note that in the US, trademark rights can exist even without registration. That’s why it’s also smart to do an internet search for the brand name you want to use.

Secret #3: Get Your Brand Name on the Physical Product

Too many sellers miss this point.

They find a manufacturer who is willing to do private label, but then don’t have them modify the product to actually have the logo (or brand name).

Getting your brand name on the product is crucial because it can help stop counterfeiters from selling under your same Amazon listing.

It also helps build your brand recognition. If the customer wants to purchase another of your products, you have your brand right there on the product for them to search on Amazon to be sure they get the right one.