Rumours that Amazon will be making an entry into South Africa next year have retailers eager to take advantage of the world’s biggest marketplace. However, there’s plenty more to selling on Amazon than creating a storefront for your product and hoping for the best.
So says Russell Ball, managing director of RT7Digital, a specialist agency with more than 10 years’ experience in this highly specific area.
As Ball explains, advertising on Amazon may well be driven by excellent creative and a strong brand story, but true success relies on the rigorous criteria on which its algorithms are based.
“Amazon’s aim is to create the consummate consumer experience, which means that your brand is evaluated on factors ranging from stock to pricing, quality, content and conversion rate, among many others,” he says.
Brands which fall short in any of these areas are penalized with a suppressed listing, which is why it is critical to ensure that they are aware of the criteria – especially since they are frequently subject to change.
This is where the assistance of an experienced expert pays dividends. Since inception, RT7Digital has worked with more than 150 clients across categories, including the likes of Cadburys, Rubix and Peugeot, to get the most of digital advertising on this complex platform.
The agency has experimented and conducted split testing until its understanding of the benefits of various approaches is unrivalled, as demonstrated not only by the growth enjoyed by clients, but the evolution of the agency itself: From the time it decided to concentrate solely on Amazon advertising, four years after its establishment as a digital agency in 2012, RT7Digital’s staff component has increased from eight people to a team that comprises different departments overseeing marketing, sales, campaigns and operations.
More than this, its hard-earned expertise has seen RT7Digital nominated as a finalist in the 2022 Amazon Ads Partner Awards in Brand Building for its work with UK chocolate brand, Monty Bojangles. Ball says that this special accomplishment is all the more valued given that the agency was founded in South Africa, and while it occupies a prominent position in the global arena, it continues to operate out of Cape Town, with sales teams based in the UK. What’s more, it is one of very few local agencies to focus on Amazon.
“Our decision to specialise on this platform will certainly give us an advantage when the brand comes to South Africa, because it takes a long time to learn the nuances that affect advertising in this marketplace and, even more, to apply them,” Ball comments.
He adds that RT7Digital has reached a point where it is able not only to advise clients on creative issues – from the images that may prove most impactful to the keywords which are not allowed in terms of Amazon’s algorithms – to managing ‘behind the scenes’ challenges which may affect their standing as an Amazon seller.
These challenges range from ensuring that packages are the right size and that distribution takes place as per Amazon’s regulations, to advising on tax and import-export requirements. RT7Digital can even assist in cases where brands need to retrieve funds as a result of a penalty imposed by Amazon, perhaps because of late delivery or incorrect packaging. And, all the while, RT7Digital works hard to ensure that at times of peak events, like Black Friday or the festive season, clients’ brands are the first noticed by consumers.
“The diversity of our offering means that we don’t offer a single solution for a single client – we tailor our services according to their needs, and according to their location, because selling in, say, the UK is very different to selling in Germany,” Ball says. “Essentially, our job is to manage the entire ecosystem, and while making your advertising look good may be part of that job, we’re really here to solve your problems.”
‘Tailor’ is a key word here: RT7Digital is highly cognizant of the different requirements of each client, and is therefore able to offer a number of models, either working with a brand directly or plugging into the services already provided by their existing agency.
The agency is, moreover, geared to helping clients find the right Amazon model for them, whether that’s appearing on Amazon as a sponsored product, or a sponsored brand, or choosing to take a seller-centric approach, a consumer-centric approach, or a hybrid of both.
“There’s no doubt that Amazon’s entry into South Africa is going to revolutionise our markets,” Ball says. “From greater choice and variety to same day delivery, South African consumers are about to experience shopping as never before. And while that certainly means exciting opportunities for our sellers, they need to be aware that this is a long-term strategy that requires a lot of upfront preparation.”
His ultimate advice for sellers eager to explore the platform? Get ready now: ensure that your brand is registered in South Africa, and that documents like proof of residence are in order – because you can’t open an Amazon account without them. Once that’s done, seek out the assistance of an expert.
Ball says, “We’re very excited about this upcoming chapter, and look forward to working with brands that have the resources and commitment to turn their Amazon adventure into a success.”
