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If you are a startup or emerging brand, it’s not easy to launch on Amazon. Starting a business is never easy. It takes courage to put yourself out there. If you intend to sell innovative and modern goods, but don’t know how to do it, Amazon is going to support you.
They’ve always supported cutting-edge high-tech. Amazon wants its shoppers to have the unique and most creative ideas and designs. Therefore, if you have one of those products, the e-commerce giant welcomes you onboard.
Back in 2015, Amazon initiated a partnership with the largest crowd-funding platforms, venture capital, and startup accelerators to help talented startuppers make their way in sales. The program is called Launchpad.
The sellers who enroll in the Amazon Launchpad program, get access to a variety of marketing and business support tools. Amazon will give you pre-launch guidance, assist with account setup, product detail page optimization, and more.
However, you should bear in mind that the program comes with a cost.
Read further to find out everything you need to know about Amazon launchpad and take an informed decision if Amazon Launchpad is worth it.
What Is Amazon Launchpad?
Launchpad is a dedicated storefront on Amazon for the sellers and buyers of innovative products. It is a service on Amazon that allows startups and brands to showcase their products and make them highly visible to customers.
In addition, the Amazon Launchpad program helps merchants start and scale their sales. It specifically supports small businesses that want to bring innovative products to the market.
As a matter of fact, Launchpad Amazon is a no-lose game for all players. On the one hand, to the tech buyers, it offers a variety of cutting-edge reliable products of proven quality.
On the other hand, to the ambitious startuppers, it suggests ready-made access to the audience of potential customers with high buying intent. In addition, Amazon provides sellers with onboarding assistance, marketing support, and brand promotion tools.
Meanwhile, Amazon attracts new shoppers and increases customer satisfaction. Also, don’t forget that every successful seller is a source of profit for Amazon.
However, to become a member of the Launchpad program, you need to go through an approval process. Also, it associates with additional costs.
Amazon Launchpad page
Who Can Qualify for Amazon Launchpad?
Merchants and brand owners who want to sell a unique and innovative product can apply for participation in the Launchpad program. In fact, to enroll in the program, you have to meet a number of requirements for sellers.
To apply for Amazon Launchpad, you should:
- be a new or existing merchant with a professional seller account;
- list your products on Amazon for less than four years;
- generate less than $5 million in gross merchandise sales on Amazon annually;
- be the brand owner of products you list in Amazon’s store.
Note: Amazon also encourages to apply for the program Climate Pledge Friendly products and Black-Owned businesses.
During your participation in Launchpad you have to:
- fulfill customer orders using Fulfillment by Amazon or Seller Fulfilled Prime;
- sell under a Professional selling plan;
- have an account in good standing, with:
- Order Defect Rate of 1% or less;
- Cancellation Rate of 2.5% or less;
- Late Shipment Rate of 4% or less.
To be able to participate in Launchpad marketing events, your products must:
- maintain at least 3.5 stars;
- have at least 5 reviews;
- be enrolled in Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) with Prime Badging.
What Are the Launchpad Benefits?
Amazon launchpad is designed to assist startuppers in launching their products fast and helping them grow sales. To secure a smooth start, Amazon gives merchants onboarding guidance and provides them with training materials. In addition, a dedicated Launchpad webpage ensures improved product discoverability. This helps potential customers easily find your item and buy it.
Increased visibility
Amazon Launchpad’s primary goal is to help buyers discover your products on a dedicated webpage. This is achieved through additional placements, category-focused ad campaigns, and email campaigns. You can also participate in lightning deals or 7-day deals.
Launchpad Shop by Category section
Additional placements
Launchpad allows its participants to showcase their items on the Amazon Launchpad category, Featured products, Featured deals, Shop what’s popular, and Discover what’s new sections. This helps increase exposure and brand awareness.
Category-focused ad campaigns
If your product matches the category which falls under Amazon’s marketing campaign, they will display it on a relevant page.
Email campaigns
This feature promotes your product to the buyers of the Launchpad program. Amazon includes your item on the mailing list.
Lightning deals and 7-day deals
You can increase discoverability with placement on Amazon Launchpad’s own Deals page for one Lightning Deal or one 7-day Deal per week.
Launchpad Featured Deals section
Enhanced listing content presentation
Launchpad program members have an access to the A+ content feature usually available to only premium sellers. A+ content format of your product detail page allows you to create a differentiated listing with visual and detailed information. In addition, Amazon Imaging Services Team can help you create professional, high-quality images of your product.
A+ content includes:
- wide screen formatted content;
- video;
- carousels;
- hotspot images;
- enhanced comparison tables.
Seller Tools and Support
Amazon provides Launchpad members with personalized guidance on pre-launch support, account setup, listing optimization, configuring PPC campaigns, enhancing Amazon SEO, etc. Merchants get access to webinars, quick-start guides, AWS credits, and Benefit Support.
The Brand Portal helps Amazon Launchpad brand owners grow their brands.
Selling Globally
Launchpad members can sell their products internationally to other countries. For the moment, there are 9 Amazon Launchpad locations: USA, UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Australia, India, and the Netherlands. Amazon Launchpad assists with launching products in each region.
What Products Are Good for Launchpad?
If you want to understand whether your product idea is good for Launchpad or not, look into if it helps solve an old problem from another angle. It should bring in an innovative and fresh approach. For example, it can be a life improvement product or a useful life hack. It can be also a stylish or trendy item. It can be anything, even an Amazon Launchpad chair.
Amazon Launchpad product example: chair
A good Launchpad product should:
- have a unique selling point;
- be highly innovative;
- solve a problem or fill a need;
- be easy to understand or practical.
You can look for Launchpad product ideas on crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter. Search the items that generate the most demand. Also, go through Shop what’s popular@AmazonLaunchpad section.
Shop what’s popular@AmazonLaunchpad section
The top Launchpad product categories:
- Electronics;
- Home;
- Sports & Outdoors;
- Toys;
- Clothing & Accessories;
- Beauty&Health;
- Kitchen;
- Grocery;
- Pet Supplies.
How Much Does a Launchpad Cost?
If your seller account is approved for a Launchpad Program, a 5% premium will be added to the referral fees that Amazon charges every merchant. The referral fees vary depending on the product category.
If it happens so that during your participation in the Launchpad, your trailing 12-month gross merchandise sales exceed $1 million, Amazon may lower your 5% premium to 3%.
Minimum program term
The minimum term to participate in the program is 12 months. For the same period, Amazon will charge you associated fees.
Amazon calls this period ‘minimum commitment’. This is because 12 months give brands a chance to participate in all major Amazon sales events like Prime Day and Holiday gift giving. Also, the program and benefits help businesses grow over time.
After 12 months, you may cancel your participation by giving 30 days’ notice to Amazon.
How to Enroll in the Launchpad Program?
In order to file an application for the Launchpad, go to the Amazon Launchpad program signup page and fill in a registration form.
Amazon will request you to fill in the details about your company and business.
After you’ve submitted your application, Amazon will review it and come back with an approval or rejection.
Typically, you will get a response within 7-10 business days.
Amazon Launchpad program signup page
Wrap Up
Promoting your startup is not an easy task. Especially, if you think about a crowdfunding campaign. Since Amazon is a highly innovative company, they welcome sellers with original product ideas and give them support. They have designed a dedicated Launchpad program to assist startuppers with onboarding and product promotion.
Though successful product launch is a big part of your business on Amazon, it’s paramount to constantly keep track of your products’ performance efficiency. To maximize your sales volumes, it’s necessary to constantly keep track of all your product’s metrics. By doing that, you can control your sales indicators and overall store profitability.
Amazon monitoring software is an efficient way to stay on top of your sales. SellerSonar offers instant Amazon alerts to protect your sales. With us, you are aware of all listing changes, Buy Box hijackers, new/deleted reviews, keyword rank history, and product suppressions.
Try SellerSonar now. Register for our 90-day trial and boost your incredible journey of running your business on the platform.
