Duplicate listings on Amazon occur for various reasons, often unintentionally. Sometimes, several sellers make individual listings for the same item rather than collaborating on a single one, leading to divided product reviews and decreased visibility. Minor adjustments in product titles, descriptions, or codes (such as UPCs) can also create duplicates because Amazon's system might interpret them as separate products. At other times, private-label sellers rebrand the identical product, generating new listings with distinct names. Bundles and multi-pack choices can further complicate the issue, as sellers create individual listings for different package sizes. All these problems result in a complex shopping experience and complicate the process for consumers to discover the best choices.

Demerits of duplicate listings

Duplicate listings on Amazon come with various disadvantages:

Decreased Sales and Ranking Erosion: Sales and reviews are distributed among listings, lowering visibility and ranking potential.

Confusion and Trust Problems Among Customers: Various listings featuring different prices or descriptions may bewilder customers, affecting their trust.

Consolidation of Lost Reviews and Ratings: Fragmented reviews diminish social proof, potentially lowering conversion rates.

Risk of Violating Amazon Policies: Duplicate listings breach Amazon's rules, leading to potential penalties or account suspension.

Inventory and Advertising Inefficiency: Overseeing inventory and promotions among duplicates is complicated and inefficient, leading to resource wastage.

Should I Merge Duplicate Listings On Amazon?

Combining duplicate listings on Amazon is advantageous, though its significance differs depending on the role. A manufacturer should always consider merging duplicate listings as a single listing will increase the ranking on Amazon and generate more sales. Merging duplicates offers the same benefits to wholesalers except when permitting white labelling. However, a retailer must assess the situation thoroughly depending upon the circumstances. If both listings are neatly arranged and there are no concerns with the Minimum Advertised Price (MAP), combining them might be a wise choice. But, if you are the sole Prime seller on your listing and possess a high Ranking for products, merging might not provide any significant advantages for you as a retailer. Here are some benefits of merging duplicate listings:

Higher Product Ranking (BSR): A unified, combined listing usually achieves a higher position on Amazon, enhancing the product's visibility to prospective buyers.

Improved Social Proof: Combined listings merge reviews and ratings, increasing trust and promoting conversions.

Optimized Inventory and Ad Administration: Handling inventory, pricing, and ads within a single listing streamlines processes, conserving time and resources.

Enhanced Buy Box Stability: Having a single primary listing simplifies the process of keeping a steady Buy Box presence, leading to increased sales.

Enhanced Brand Image and Consumer Confidence: A consolidated listing reduces confusion, aiding customers in locating trustworthy product details and strengthening the brand’s reputation.

How Do I Merge Duplicate Listings?

Identify Duplicate Listings: Examine your inventory for possible duplicate entries. Search for products that have similar titles, descriptions, and images.

Go to Seller Central: In Amazon Seller Central, access the Help menu and look up "Merge Duplicate or Split Product Pages." Choose the Merge Duplicate feature from the menu.

Respond to the Three Mandatory Questions: You will be asked these three questions:

Which ASINs for products should be kept? Select the ASIN you wish to maintain as the primary listing (generally the one with higher reviews, sales, or superior performance).

Which ASINs should be eliminated? Locate the duplicate entries (ASINs) that need to be deleted. These are the ones that are unnecessary and ought to be combined with the main listing.

What is the reason for discarding these items? Give a short reason for why the chosen ASINs are duplicates and need to be removed (e.g., identical products, different listings, or mistakes in product identifiers).

Send the Application: Once you finish the questions, send the request to Amazon for evaluation. Amazon will assess your submission and, if all is correct, will move forward with combining the listings.

Monitor Your Listings: After the merge is finished, keep tracking your listings for correctness. Ensure that the product information is uniform and that reviews, sales figures, and ratings have been aggregated under the primary ASIN.

Conclusion

In conclusion, handling duplicate listings on Amazon is essential for sustaining a thriving and effective business. For producers and distributors, combining duplicates guarantees improved product visibility, unified reviews, and enhanced brand consistency, which ultimately results in increased sales. Retailers need to thoughtfully assess their circumstances before merging, especially regarding aspects such as Buy Box rivalry and Prime Seller position. By adhering to the correct method for consolidating listings, sellers can minimize confusion, streamline inventory management challenges, and enhance their product performance. Being vigilant and proactive in handling duplicates ensures a tidy catalogue, enhances customer satisfaction, and safeguards the integrity of your Amazon listings.