How do I review an Amazon seller’s product listings and their ranking history?

Start with the reports the account itself can export: sales by product, page views, conversion and returns. Match them to the seller’s financial statements. If a product shows strong sales on paper, the account data should agree with it. Differences deserve a plain explanation.

Then look at each listing as a customer would. Read the title, images, bullets and reviews. Ask who wrote them, whether they were changed recently and what happened to sales afterward. A listing that was edited shortly before the sale may be tuned for a good snapshot. Ask for the version history if the platform keeps one.

Finally, ask what drives the ranking. Does the seller advertise on every top product? What would sales look like if ads stopped? Check for products with a single competitor undercutting them, or a ranking that has jumped and dropped. Ask about the seller’s tools for tracking keywords. The aim is to know which products hold their position on their own and which are rented. Keep your notes by product, since each listing may tell a different story. Ask your advisers to check the sales figures against tax records before you lean on any of the performance claims. Ask for it in writing.

Key takeaways

• Export sales and traffic by product and match them to the books.
• Ask about recent listing rewrites and what changed afterward.
• Find out how much ranking depends on paid advertising.