A Vendor's Perspective on Duplicate ASIN Merges

Have you ever noticed how many duplicate listings for the same product float around the Amazon platform? This is the result of sellers setting up their own ASINs with their own product detail pages. While this might seem ideal for boosting competition between sellers, it actually detracts from the customer experience by creating confusion. So when you see that your ASIN has been merged with the manufacturer’s product page, don’t fret.

Conflicting Attributes

It’s easy for anyone who doesn’t know a product thoroughly to make a mistake on the detail page. Even an innocent error can be misleading or contradictory to another listing of the same product. As a vendor in the watch category, I tend to see customer questions like these when this situation arises:

What kind of metal is the watchcase made from, brass or stainless steel? I see both on different postings.

Are these two different products? This says it has a silicone strap, the other listing says rubber.

You can understand why customers would be confused when listings conflict with each other. Unless the customer works in the industry or happens to be a collector, he or she won’t know why the information differs and may not want to spend additional time researching the product. Worse yet, he or she could simply move on to another brand’s product where the description and attributes are clear and concise, making the purchase easy.

Lack of Details

Another common issue in multiple listings is the varying amounts of details available about a product. One listing’s product description might state the obvious - basically, the same details anyone can discern from the product photos. Meanwhile, another listing could give an in-depth explanation of all of the product’s features and functions, essentially answering every possible question an interested customer would have.

Best practices in eCommerce recommend providing comprehensive product information so customers can make an informed purchase. This helps mitigate customer frustration and potential of product returns while delighting customers. Minimal descriptions leave consumers scratching their heads and feeling like they’re taking risks in buying the product. Not good.

Duplicate Merges Benefit Everyone

Enter duplicate merging. You might be wondering what it means if you haven’t spent time on the vendor side of selling on the Amazon marketplace. Simply put, duplicate merging is the practice of combining several sellers’ ASINs for the same product into one detail page. Each listing still exists as a separate option in the Buy Box.

Duplicate ASIN merges are designated by the vendor/manufacturer of the product. This enables all merged listings to benefit from the source’s authoritative descriptions and attributes. Customers can feel assured that the information they are reading is accurate no matter which seller they choose to buy from. Your detail page content won’t be live anymore, but all of your seller information, pricing, shipping, and warranty offers will remain intact.

Use the Merge Advantageously

So, the next time you notice one of your ASINs is now attached to the manufacturer’s product page, ride the wave. Use this ASIN merger to your advantage by focusing your resources on other benefits you can offer as a seller, such as an extended warranty, competitive retail price, free shipping, or a battery replacement program if applicable.