What Is Amazon Automation and Why Is It Controversial? 

There’s some confusion over what Amazon automation means, and some may even distrust the concept. Does it mean automating specific tasks and processes of your Amazon business? Or does it mean hiring an agency to build an Amazon business for you?

Well, it can mean both. Let’s dig into the two meanings and why you should be cautious when it comes to hiring an outside company to build the business on your behalf. 

Here’s what this article will cover:

• What is Amazon automation?
• Is Amazon automation a scam?
• Different ways you can automate your Amazon business

 

What is Amazon automation?

Amazon automation can have different meanings depending on who you’re talking to. It can mean hiring an agency to build and run an Amazon store for you, or it can mean automating tasks within your existing Amazon business.

Amazon automation agency 

When I hear “Amazon automation,” I think of some self-proclaimed Amazon guru trying to sell me a dream on a turnkey cash-flowing business. “All you need to do is give us $20,000, and we do the rest!” Hmm, not so fast. 

In the Amazon and ecommerce space these days, many people are trying to sell you on a course or service, so new sellers need to be wary of where they invest their money.

The thought of investing money in a profitable, hands-free Amazon business sounds great, but you need to be sure the company you’re thinking of working with is reputable and won’t lose all your money. 

Many Amazon automation services will claim to do the following for you: 

• Research a high-demand, low competition product
• Contact and negotiate with suppliers
• Handle shipping from the supplier to Amazon
• Set up your Amazon account
• Create and optimize your Amazon listings
• Manage PPC campaigns
• Manage the entire business 
• Share the profits with you

Do some deliver on this? Sure, but you need to be confident the company you work with really knows what they’re doing. If they try black-hat tactics to rank your products, choose a poorly performing product, or dropship items from other retailers, your Amazon account and investment could be lost. 

Before investing in a done-for-you Amazon business, research the company beforehand and look for honest, unbiased information about the service they provide. 

Automating tasks

Amazon automation can also mean automating specific tasks to improve efficiency, sales performance, or simply free up time. Automation allows sellers to focus on more high-level strategies to grow the business instead of wasting time on tedious jobs.

Running an Amazon business on your own is not always easy — there are many moving parts sellers need to focus on, so if I can automate certain tasks, sign me up! 

In fact, 68% of Amazon sellers are already automating a significant part of their businesses by using FBA. When sellers use Amazon’s fulfillment services, Amazon handles the entire fulfillment process. You send your products to an Amazon fulfillment center, and Amazon handles picking, packing, shipping, returns, and even customer service.

Some businesses can handle their fulfillment, but for many new and veteran Amazon sellers, automating the order fulfillment process is significant and worth the Amazon fees.

 

Is Amazon automation a scam?

No, Amazon automation is not a scam. If you are interested in a done-for-you type of service, you need to be sure the agency you invest with knows that they’re doing or won’t just take your money and run. 

Don’t be influenced by the high-pressure sales tactics that many of these companies use. Take your time and research a few different agencies to see which would be best for you. 

As mentioned above, look for honest and unbiased reviews on the service and be careful of videos or articles that look like honest reviews but are affiliate promotions. 

Building an Amazon business is a lot of work, but it can be done successfully by nearly anyone who wants to put in the time and effort. If you’d rather invest your money and not do any of the work yourself, then hiring an Amazon automation service may be a good option for you.

 

Different ways you can automate your Amazon business

As you’ve probably already gathered by now, automation is a good thing! Automating frees up your time, helps grow your business, and makes sure things get done. This can mean hiring help, using a service, or using software to handle some tasks.

So, what are some ways you can automate your Amazon business?

• Hiring virtual assistants to handle time-consuming tasks such as customer service, returns, or product research
• Working with freelancers to optimize your listings, take product images, or manage PPC campaigns
• Contracting an agency to manage your Amazon business for you, including order management, sales growth, and account health
• Hiring professionals to handle complex takes such as accounting or overseas shipments 
• Utilizing software to automate tasks such as PPC management, track sales and profits, or send review requests

Check out Jungle Scout’s Review Automation feature to automate your review requests and maximize your review potential.

 

Are you automating your Amazon business?

We hope this article helped clear up some confusion around the topic of Amazon automation. It can mean a complete done-for-you service or simply the practice of automating specific tasks within your business. 

Want to learn more about how Jungle Scout can effectively automate parts of your business? Click the button below! 

Do you have any questions about Amazon automation? Let us know in the comments!