{"id":31798,"date":"2024-05-17T05:56:42","date_gmt":"2024-05-17T05:56:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/?p=31798"},"modified":"2025-10-03T08:53:51","modified_gmt":"2025-10-03T08:53:51","slug":"how-to-sell-your-board-game-on-amazon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/marketing\/how-to-sell-your-board-game-on-amazon\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Sell Your Board Game on Amazon"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
While we all like to buy games from our local tabletop gaming shop, Amazon\u2019s presence in the board game retailing industry is undeniable. Amazon is a huge marketplace, and its sheer size alone makes it the largest market in the world for board games and card games.<\/p>\n
As such, as a board game designer, understanding Amazon is critical if you want to bring your game to a large audience and generate plenty of sales.<\/p>\n
Amazon is designed specifically to make selling easy for you, as a product creator. However, it is a\u00a0big<\/em>\u00a0platform that can be intimidating at first, and there\u2019s plenty to learn before you\u2019ll be able to use it to your advantage to sell your game.<\/p>\n The good news is, we\u2019re here to help. From setting up your first listings to understanding exactly how Amazon\u2019s search engine works (helping you get your game to the top), we\u2019ve covered all of the basics of Amazon for board game sellers below.<\/p>\n Got more questions about selling on Amazon (or marketing your game in general)? Contact our team and we\u2019ll answer your questions and help you accomplish your goals.<\/p>\n Large audience.\u00a0<\/strong>Amazon has an absolutely massive customer base, giving you access to millions of potential buyers worldwide, increasing your reach and sales opportunities.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n High degree of consumer trust. <\/strong>Amazon’s reputation for reliability and great customer service builds lots of trust with buyers, making them more likely to purchase from you via Amazon than directly from your website.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA).\u00a0<\/strong>By using FBA, Amazon handles all storage, packing and shipping for your game, as well as customer service, allowing you to focus on the other aspects of your business and ensuring quick, reliable delivery.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Marketing tools.\u00a0<\/strong>Amazon offers lots of advertising options, like Sponsored Products and Amazon Stores, helping you increase visibility and drive traffic to your listings.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Analytics and insights.\u00a0<\/strong>Amazon offers highly detailed sales data and helpful insights, which enable you to optimize your listings and marketing based on real-time metrics.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Global reach.\u00a0<\/strong>Amazon covers many countries, not just the United States, allowing you to port your successful listings to other markets and expand your reach.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Reviews.\u00a0<\/strong>Amazon\u2019s built-in review system works well, can help you rank higher in the search results, and makes it easy to build your game\u2019s reputation on a platform with a very high level of consumer trust.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n Here are the fees you can expect to pay if you sell your game on Amazon:<\/p>\n Referral fee: $0.30 or 15% (whichever is higher)<\/strong>. This fee is charged whenever your product sells via Amazon\u2019s marketplace. All products in the \u201cToys and Games\u201d section pay the same 15% referral fee. Fees may vary for products in other categories.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Refund fee: $5 or 20% of referral fee (whichever is lower)<\/strong>. If you accept a return for your item, Amazon will refund you the referral fee minus this fee, which is either $5 or a 20% share of your original referral fee.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Fulfillment costs.\u00a0<\/strong>If you use Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) you\u2019ll also pay fulfillment fees for each item you ship. Fulfillment costs can vary based on your game\u2019s size and weight, outbound shipping method and average storage duration.\u00a0One thing to note is that you can use external fulfillment services to fulfill your Amazon sales (for example, we offer our own in-house fulfillment service in the USA that you can use as an Amazon seller).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Advertising fees<\/strong>. Amazon has its own ad platform, which you can use to generate sales for your game and improve its visibility in search. Amazon ads are quite expensive, and it’s often cheaper to promote your game off Amazon by driving traffic from social media.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Amazon has a\u00a0fee estimator<\/a>\u00a0that you can use to calculate an approximate value for how much you\u2019ll need to pay Amazon per sale.\u00a0<\/p>\n Creating an account is simple. You can register with Amazon\u00a0here<\/a>\u00a0and access Seller Central to manage your listings. Amazon\u2019s\u00a0Seller University<\/a>\u00a0is an excellent place to learn how the platform works and gain the skills you need to set up listings for your games.\u00a0<\/p>\n Board games fall under the Toys & Games section on Amazon. As a seller, getting access to the Toys & Games section is generally simple, but there are specific requirements that you will need to meet if you want to sell your game during Q4.<\/p>\n Jungle\u00a0Scout has a great guide to Amazon\u2019s selling requirements in Toys & Games\u00a0here<\/a>\u00a0that you can use to check if you\u2019re eligible for selling in Toys & Games during the holiday season.\u00a0<\/p>\n Most sales on Amazon occur via its search engine. Amazon is one of the largest search engines in the world. Unlike Google, which handles a mix of informational and commercial queries, all of the searches made on Amazon are commercial in nature.<\/p>\n This means that understanding how Amazon\u2019s search engine works and optimizing your product page to show up for specific, gaming-related keywords can be incredibly valuable.<\/p>\n Amazon\u2019s search algorithm is called A9. Unlike Google, which determines which pages are best matched for each search term using a mix of on-page content and links to the website, A9 uses a more broad range of factors to determine which product is best for each search.<\/p>\n These include:<\/p>\n Product titles, descriptions and backend search terms (explained below)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Each product\u2019s sales history, conversion rate and customer review ratings<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Each product\u2019s availability (how many units are in stock relative to sales)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n By optimizing your product listing to score highly on each of these factors, you can make your game more visible on Amazon. This drives more sales, generates more revenue (allowing you to fund new games) and strengthens your game\u2019s reputation.\u00a0<\/p>\n Below, we\u2019ve shared some tips you can use to make the most of your Amazon listing and work your way up the rankings:\u00a0<\/p>\n Don\u2019t just include your game\u2019s name — instead, make sure to include primary keywords that act as descriptions for your game. Think about what makes your game special (for example, is it an area control game, or a social deduction game), then include this as a key\u00a0phrase in its title.<\/p>\n Many people search for specific types of games on Amazon (for example, \u201cworker placement game\u201d). Having your game show up in the top 10-20 results due to a descriptive title can work wonders for getting people to take notice and consider it while shopping.\u00a0<\/p>\n Can\u2019t think of keywords to use in your title? SellerApp has a\u00a0free keyword tool<\/a>\u00a0for Amazon that you can use to identify frequently-searched keywords related to board games.\u00a0<\/p>\n After you\u2019ve listed the type of game you\u2019re selling, use the rest of the title space to mention its name, list what makes it special, and talk about the factors that make it fun.<\/p>\n Craft a compelling product description that tells the story of your game. Describe the gameplay, objectives, and unique features in an engaging way. Try to\u00a0get into your target audience\u2019s mind<\/a>\u00a0and think about the words you can use to make it clear your game matches their needs.<\/p>\n Use this section to connect with potential buyers and give them a reason to choose your game over others. Is your game perfect for parties? Mention it. Is it a great way to deal with boredom at college, or on a plane? Tell them! Describe exactly what makes your game fun.\u00a0<\/p>\n Amazon allows you to enter additional keywords in the backend search terms section. Use this space to include any synonyms, related terms and long-tail keywords that didn\u2019t fit naturally into your title or description. This helps your game appear in more search results.<\/p>\n High-quality images are crucial for attracting buyers. Provide clear, high-resolution images that show different aspects of your\u00a0game, including its box, its components and its gameplay. Visual appeal can significantly impact a buyer’s decision to purchase your game.<\/p>\n Positive reviews can greatly enhance your game\u2019s visibility and credibility on Amazon. Reviews play a key role in Amazon\u2019s search ranking algorithm, as they act as a direct indicator that your customers are satisfied and your product is good quality.<\/p>\n This means that a lot of good reviews can make your game more appealing to customers, and make it more visible on Amazon. It\u2019s a win-win combination that can drive lots of sales.\u00a0<\/p>\n Encourage customers to leave honest reviews by following up after their purchase. Respond to customer feedback quickly, addressing any concerns and thanking customers for their positive comments. This engagement shows potential buyers that you value their opinions.\u00a0<\/p>\n If you\u2019re struggling to get reviews, you can try encouraging reviews. Amazon has strict rules for encouraging customers to leave reviews. By working within these rules, you can get customers to leave reviews for your game without putting your listing at risk.<\/p>\n Amazon’s Guidelines for Requesting Reviews<\/p>\n Do not incentivize reviews<\/strong>. Offering compensation, discounts, free products, or any other incentives in exchange for reviews is strictly prohibited.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Avoid review manipulation<\/strong>. You can\u2019t ask for positive reviews specifically or suggest that negative reviews should not be posted.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Use approved communication methods<\/strong>. You can request reviews via Amazon tools such as the “Request a Review” button in Seller Central. You can also send follow-up emails, but these must be compliant with Amazon’s Communication Guidelines.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Be neutral and honest<\/strong>. Any request for a review needs to be neutral and mustn\u2019t put any pressure on the customer. Simply ask for their honest feedback and accept that it will reflect their opinion, not yours.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n When selling board games on Amazon, particularly those intended for children, it\u2019s essential to meet certain safety standards.\u00a0<\/p>\n Here are the key certifications and regulations you need to be aware of for Amazon USA:<\/p>\n ASTM F963 (Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Toy Safety)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n CPSIA (Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Children\u2019s Product Certificate (CPC)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n General Certificate of Conformity (GCC)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n If your game contains an electronic device, you may also need to get an FCC ID to show that it doesn\u2019t cause electromagnetic interference.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re selling in the European Union, you\u2019ll need to verify that your game complies with EN71 (European Standard for Safety of Toys) and has a CE mark before going on sale.<\/p>\n If your game has markers, powders or other items that may be considered hazardous for transport or storage, Amazon will also ask you for the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) and\/or a TRA (Toxicological Risk Assessment) certificate.<\/p>\n Beyond safety certificates, Amazon is\u00a0really<\/em>\u00a0strict about the labeling of your game.\u00a0This guide<\/a>\u00a0goes into detail about the importance of proper labels and barcodes for Amazon and explains how you can check that your items are compliant before shipping them to Amazon’s fulfillment centers.<\/p>\nReasons to Sell Your Game on Amazon<\/h2>\n
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How Amazon Works for Sellers<\/h2>\n
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Selling in Amazon\u2019s Toys & Games Section<\/h2>\n
Amazon SEO Tips for Board Game Creators<\/h2>\n
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Include Primary Keywords in Your Title<\/h3>\n
Tell a Story Using Your Game\u2019s Description<\/h3>\n
Use Keywords in Your Backend Search Terms Section<\/h3>\n
Choose High Quality, High-Resolution Images<\/h3>\n
Prioritize Reviews and Feedback from Players<\/h3>\n
Encourage Reviews (Within Amazon\u2019s Terms of Service)<\/h3>\n
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Legal & Compliance for Selling on Amazon<\/h2>\n
Safety Certificates Required for Selling on Amazon<\/h3>\n
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Intellectual Property Protection<\/h3>\n