Which One Won? A simple way to add action to a product image

Modified: June 12th 2019 By Madeline Raynor

In this week’s Which One Won?, we’ll learn a trick for instantly adding color to a product that may not be very interesting to look at by itself.

In this poll, an e-commerce seller asked a targeted audience of Amazon Prime members which image they preferred for a smartphone tripod set.

Option A is a view of the tripod and accessories. Option B shows a smartphone attached to the tripod with a beachy photograph on the screen. On the left, a hand is using one of the accessories.

Can you guess which one won?

How to Advertise on Amazon with PPC Ads

Modified: June 3rd 2019 By Kim Kohatsu

Editor’s Note: Thanks to Zhané White of Sellozo for contributing this guest post on how to advertise on Amazon.

PPC, or pay-per-click advertising, means exactly what it sounds like: you pay every time a potential customer clicks on your ad. These sponsored ads may show up in search results when people look for a certain item. Below is an example of how sponsored ads look compared to the organic listings:

You should continually optimize your PPC ads. If you’re not, chances are they’re not performing as well as they could be. Let’s go over how to advertise on Amazon and improve your campaigns.

Which One Won? Choosing a brand name that people connect with

May 29th 2019 By Robyn Petrik

Choosing a brand name is a big undertaking. Brand names need to be clever and catchy but also instantly recognizable, especially to people who are discovering it for the first time.

One business owner considered two names for a brand that enables apartment dwellers to start an organic vegetable garden in their limited outdoor space. Using PickFu to test two different names, the business owner asked respondents which name represented the business idea better.

Respondents chose between PatioHarvest (Option A) and PorchFarmer (Option B). A clear winner emerged between the two. Which brand name do you think it was?

How to Encourage Customers to Write Reviews on Amazon

May 28th 2019 By Kim Kohatsu

How to encourage customers to leave product reviews with email marketing

Editor’s Note: Thanks to Henson Wu from FeedbackWhiz for the following guest post.

Product reviews are an important part of the Amazon marketplace. Almost everyone checks product reviews before making a purchase, and around 84% of people will trust a product review as much as a recommendation from a friend or family member.

Unfortunately, most customers do not leave product reviews. Product reviews are critical to your success, but they can be hard to come by. So what is a seller to do? How do you prompt customers to leave product reviews on Amazon without violating Amazon’s strict terms of service?

Which One Won? Ranking book cover design ideas

May 22nd 2019 By Laura Melchor

If you’ve written a book with an unusual subject, what book cover design ideas go best with it? An ordinary, traditional cover to offset the uniqueness of your content? Or a cover that hints at the surprising revelations readers will discover inside?

Author Mika Terry ran a ranked poll on PickFu to find out which book cover design ideas were most appealing. Out of eight potential covers, poll respondents chose their top three.

Option A shows a silhouetted bob haircut with the title and subtitle in a playful font.

Option B changes the colors and adds a snake to the bob. The font is thicker and looks more serious.

Option C is completely different from Options A and B, with a quirky yellow border boxing in a purple Medusa.

Can you guess which one won?

7 Important E-Commerce Metrics and Why They Matter

May 20th 2019 By Kim Kohatsu

Editor’s Note: Thanks to Charles Palleschi of Spark Shipping for the following guest post.

The saying, “What gets measured gets managed” (often erroneously attributed to Peter Drucker), shows that tracking key metrics is important. But it still leaves the question, what e-commerce metrics should we be measuring? These seven KPIs should top your list. Let me explain why.

Which One Won? In e-commerce product images, does sex sell?

Modified: June 12th 2019 By Madeline Raynor

“Sex sells” might be cliche, but the reason the phrase has stuck around this long is that it’s true. And it’s a good thing to keep in mind when selecting e-commerce product images.

In a recent PickFu poll, an online seller ran a split test asking respondents to choose between two featured images for an exercise belt.

Option A depicts a model wearing the belt with an inset showing the back view of the product. Option B shows a model wearing the belt, but with a different pose. An inset advertises that a wrist wrap is included. In Option A, the brand name on the belt is “posture.” In Option B, it is “GO4FIT.”

Can you guess which one won?

What Savvy Amazon Sellers Know About Currency Conversion that Others Don’t

May 13th 2019 By Kim Kohatsu

Editor’s Note: Thanks to PingPong for the following guest post.

If you’ve ever had to exchange money while traveling abroad, you know exchange rates are not all created equally. Exchange $100 at one bank, and you may get back what’s equal to $98. Exchange someplace else, and you may get more like $92.

A few dollars here and there may not be a huge deal while you’re traveling. But for Amazon sellers, when the amounts become larger, those tiny fees become giant holes in your company’s bottom line.

Let’s take a closer at the numbers.

Which One Won? How to write a mission statement that is on-brand

May 8th 2019 By Robyn Petrik

As you’re starting a business, the building blocks of its branding include your logo, tagline, and mission statement. A mission statement is a quick summary of the goals and values of a company. It acts as a compass to guide the organization as a whole. So when figuring how to write a mission statement, don’t create your mission in a vacuum. Get outside feedback to make sure the statement resonates.

Pawopolis, a store aimed at pet lovers, used PickFu to test two different mission statements to see which people find more appealing. The store’s owners arrived at the name Pawopolis thanks to another PickFu poll they ran to test their store name ideas.

When Is the Right Time for Outsourced Operations?

May 6th 2019 By Kim Kohatsu

Editor’s Note: Thanks to Connor Gillivan of FreeeUp for the following guest post.

While the earning potential of e-commerce is unquestionably good, running an online store isn’t as easy as it looks. When businesses need help, many entrepreneurs turn to outsourced operations. Help from the gig economy is usually easier and more cost-efficient than full-time staff.

The idea of outsourcing is exciting, especially for a startup just beginning to feel the need for it. If you’re reading this, you’ve probably considered outsourcing too. But when is the right time?

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