Amazon BSR: How to Improve Your Best Seller Rank on Amazon

Do you want to take your performance on Amazon to the next level and further increase your sales figures? Do you want to see the bestseller badge on your product, which is undoubtedly one of the most powerful on Amazon? Then you should definitely understand how the Best Seller Rank (BSR) works on Amazon and how you can positively influence it.

In this article, we will show you the most important steps to improve your Amazon BSR and successfully scale your Amazon business. From optimizing your product listings to using advertising campaigns - we provide you with the information you need.

What is Amazon BSR and why is it important?

The Amazon BSR is an important indicator of how well a product is selling on the platform. The lower the Amazon BSR, the better the sales and visibility of the product among Amazon customers. The Amazon BSR is calculated in relation to all other products in the same category, which means that a product with a low Best Seller Rank in its category sells better than those with a higher Amazon BSR.

A low Amazon BSR can help a product be found more easily. The lower the Best Seller Rank of your product, the higher the likelihood of it appearing in bestseller lists, "Recommended for You" sections, or Amazon newsletters. All of this can help generate more sales and revenue.

Example: Let's say you are selling a shoe polishing brush and the product is listed in the category "Shoe Brushes".

You are consistently generating sales with the product and have a bestseller rank of 30 in this category. On the other hand, one of your competitors has an Amazon BSR of 1. This means that your competitor not only sells more but also holds the bestseller badge in this subcategory.

If you manage to achieve higher sales and conquer the number 1 bestseller rank from your competitor, you will earn the badge. This will significantly increase both the click-through rate and the conversion rate for your product!

What influences the BSR on Amazon?

Before we start thinking about optimization, we first need to understand how the Amazon BSR is determined. Unfortunately, the information available on this topic is rather scarce, as Amazon understandably withholds specific details.

Nevertheless, based on our experience and associated analyses, we can say that the bestseller rank is likely calculated solely based on sales figures. Other factors probably do not have an impact on the Amazon BSR, except for the time period.

Because Amazon does not only consider sales for the BSR, but also relates them to the time period.

We know that recent sales do not have as much impact on the Amazon BSR as historical sales. This includes considering time periods of the last 24 hours, 90 days, 180 days, or 365 days.

If you, for example, achieve a short-term increase in sales, then your Amazon BSR can rise relatively quickly. Usually, the effects are visible within a few hours. However, if you perform worse compared to your competitors in the last 90 days, this will slow down the increase.

How do you achieve Amazon BSR No. 1?

What conclusions can you draw from this information now? Put simply, you just have to sell more. At least more than everyone else in your category if your product is to rank 1st in Amazon BSR.

Of course, that is easier said than done. Nevertheless, we would like to list the most important measures that can help you to take the pole position in Amazon BSR.

Optimize your listing

While the conversion rate or images do not affect the Amazon BSR, it is still recommended to review your listings and work on optimization. A listing that does not convert will not make it to the top.

About the topic Amazon Listing Optimization We have already published a guide on our blog. There, we show you how to get more out of your listing and improve your conversions.

Because, as mentioned, the most important thing for Amazon BSR are the long-term sales. So, when optimizing, you also need to think long-term.

Choose the correct category

As you already know, the Amazon Best Sellers Rank (BSR) is based on the sales numbers of all products within a category. Amazon not only knows the classic main categories such as Electronics, Sports, or Home Improvement, but also numerous subcategories.

It often happens that a product does not fit into just one of these subcategories, but possibly into two or even three or more. So take a close look at your product and consider which category you want to classify it in. The less competition, the better for your bestseller rank.

Example: Assuming you are selling a dog toy that consists of both a ball and a rope. Amazon lists the subcategories Balls, Chew Toys, and Ropes under the main category Pets → Dogs → Toys. The product fits into all of these. Therefore, you choose the category with the least competition. This way, you have a higher chance of getting the Bestseller Badge!

But also keep in mind that it often happens that Amazon automatically reclassifies products. This means you have to keep an eye on your category and react in such a case.

We also want to point out that categorizing your product incorrectly can have a negative impact on its visibility. For example, if you were to categorize dog toys in a category for cats in the above example just because you see less competition there. The category should still definitely match your product.

Keep an eye on your competition

Since your Amazon Best Sellers Rank (BSR) does not depend solely on your performance, but also on that of your competitors, you should always keep an eye on them. After all, you are not the only one interested in selling your products.

If your competitor takes measures to outperform your product, you must react. Has he adjusted the price to be cheaper than you? Or has he launched a special promotion to surpass you? Has he adjusted his PPC campaigns to rank higher?

There are many possibilities. Some are more recognizable than others. But only through continuous observation of your competition, do you have a good chance of conquering the bestseller rank number 1!

Optimize your PPC.

In the Amazon BSR ranking, only sales will move you forward. And you can only sell if you are seen. One of the best ways to do this is to make use of all the opportunities that Amazon Ads offers you.

Optimize your keyword strategy and aim for broad exposure. Also, engage in retargeting and place your products on your competitors' listings. Run automatic campaigns to discover areas of untapped potential that you may have overlooked.

Bring external traffic to your listings as well. This can be done through Google Ads, Meta Ads (Facebook & Instagram), TikTok videos, comparison websites, YouTube, and much more. Think carefully about where there is still potential for your product and make use of it. It will help you achieve a better Amazon BSR.

Conclusion: Sales are the most important factor for Amazon BSR.

You have seen the various possibilities there are to improve your bestseller rank. Take a close look at both your own listings and those of your competitors. This way, you can identify where you can make improvements based on our tips.

If you follow the steps mentioned above and regularly monitor the performance of your product, you have a good chance of positively influencing the Amazon BSR and improving your performance.

Now that you know how you can work on your Amazon BSR, we have one more hot tip for you on how you will improve your analysis of all relevant metrics. Check out our Amazon Analysis Tool Use Sellerfox to keep an eye on your performance at all times.