Imagine your older product is gradually losing competitiveness while its upgraded version struggles with insufficient traffic. Amazon's "Newer Model" feature is designed to address this exact challenge. It allows sellers to display a link to the new product directly on the older product's detail page, ensuring seamless traffic transfer and improved conversion rates. This article provides a comprehensive guide to Amazon's "Newer Model" feature, covering its concept, setup requirements, and step-by-step implementation.
What Is Amazon's "Newer Model" Feature?
The "Newer Model" feature is a traffic association tool that helps sellers promote upgraded or improved versions of their products. When a seller launches a new SKU that represents an enhanced version of an existing product, this feature enables them to display a link to the new product on the older product's listing page. This directs potential buyers to the newer version, increasing conversion rates. Unlike previous methods that required Vendor Central accounts to list related SKUs, sellers can now set this up directly in Seller Central, and the feature is currently free to use.
How the "Newer Model" Feature Appears on Amazon's Frontend
When customers view the detail page of an older product, they will see a traffic box resembling an ad placement below the bullet-point descriptions. This box displays the title, image, and price of the newer product, along with a direct link to its detail page. This intuitive presentation effectively captures buyers' attention and boosts visibility for the upgraded product.
Requirements for Setting Up the "Newer Model" Feature
To successfully configure the "Newer Model" feature, sellers must meet the following conditions; otherwise, they may encounter error messages:
- Product Relevance: The new and old products must be related—meaning the newer version is an upgrade or improvement of the older one. Both should belong to the same product category, with enhancements in functionality, performance, or design. If the products lack this relationship, the system will display an error: "These two ASINs do not meet the required product attribute criteria and cannot be linked as newer models."
- Brand Consistency: Both products must share the same brand, and the seller must have completed brand registration. If the brands differ, the system will show: "Request cannot be processed—the brand names for these ASINs do not match."
- No Variant Relationship: The feature cannot be used to link variants under the same parent ASIN. Attempting to do so will trigger the error: "Request cannot be processed—these ASINs already have a variant relationship." Variants are inherently linked and do not require this feature for association.
Step-by-Step Setup in Seller Central
Once the above conditions are met, sellers can follow these steps to enable the "Newer Model" feature in Amazon Seller Central:
- Access the Help Page: Log in to Seller Central and click the "Help" button in the top-right corner.
- Request Support: At the bottom of the Help page, select "Need more help" followed by "Get Support."
- Choose "Selling on Amazon": From the options, select "Selling on Amazon."
- Browse for the Issue: Click "Browse to find your issue in the menu."
- Navigate to Product Listings: Under "Products, Listings, or Inventory," select "Add or remove newer model associations on detail pages," then choose "Add newer model."
- Submit ASINs: Enter the ASINs of the older and newer products and click "Submit." Amazon will review the request, and upon approval, the newer product link will appear on the older product's detail page.
Benefits and Considerations
Advantages:
- Improved Conversion: Directing traffic from older listings to newer versions enhances sales opportunities.
- Cost-Free: The feature is currently free, reducing promotional expenses.
- User-Friendly: The setup process is straightforward and manageable without external assistance.
Key Considerations:
- Verify Product Relevance: Ensure the new product is a genuine upgrade to avoid rejection.
- Monitor Approval Status: Track the submission's progress and address any issues promptly.
- Regular Checks: Periodically confirm the feature is functioning correctly and displaying accurate information.
Conclusion
Amazon's "Newer Model" feature is a powerful tool for sellers looking to promote upgraded products and maximize traffic conversion. By understanding its requirements, setup process, and best practices, sellers can leverage this feature to stay competitive in fast-evolving markets. In an era of rapid product innovation, mastering tools like "Newer Model" can provide a critical edge in attracting and retaining customers.