Retailers struggle for attention on Amazon

A Millward Brown study recently confirmed what most of us already knew. Shoppers don't browse on Amazon. Customers do research a head of time, then hop on Amazon at the end of their purchase journey for the lowest prices and ease of free shipping. This customer behavior makes life pretty hard for retailers hoping to get noticed. How hard? Well,

1) In September, 75mm people searched product on Amazon, only 30 clicked past the first page

2) 35% of customers click on the very first product featured in a search 

3) 17% of customers click on the second product that pops up in the search

Retailers should make sure they show up on page 1 then, right? Wrong. Amazon keeps it's algorithm secrets under lock and key, so retailers have a tough time identifying where they will show up. 

Seems like a tough outcome for retailers - customers come to Amazon having already made up their mind and forcing retailers to compete heavily on price only. Unfortunately, with Amazon commanding 22 percent of online visits - what choice do they have? 

This study further highlights some of what people like Paul Krugman seem to be citing as "unfair" and calling for some reform of the "Amazon monopoly". While I wouldn't go that far and agree with much of what is written in this TIME article http://time.com/money/3541591/amazon-monopoly-hachette/

there is something here that smacks of being an "unfair fight".

That being said - where will I buy the TSA locks I need for my trip to South Africa next month? Amazon. At the cheapest price possible.

Adweek article on the study: http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/why-its-so-hard-brands-get-noticed-amazon-161429