Amazon Category Style: Automotive Parts and Accessories User Guide

Amazon Category Style: Automotive Parts and Accessories User Guide

About this document
This Style Guide is intended to give you the guidance you need to create effective, accurate product detail pages in the Automotive Parts and Accessories category. In addition to using this document, we encourage you to take advantage of the wealth of information
available in our Help pages. Click “Help” on the upper-right side of the Seller Central home page.

Automotive Style Guide
Accurate data is crucial to discoverability and sales. How you present your products will greatly influence the customer’s purchasing decision when shopping on Amazon.com. Providing a clear and concise listing while following a consistent format will better inform customers and enhance the discoverability of your products. This can result in increased traffic to your product listings. Please review the following information in detail and make the appropriate adjustments to your product listings. This document covers the following guidelines for setting up your product detail pages:

Title Style| Get customer attention with great titles. Clear and concise titles will improve your search results and catch the customer‟s attention.
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Brand & Manufacturer| Improve discoverability by entering accurate brand and manufacturer information.
Images| Show customers what they’re buying. Professional images on white backgrounds will add selling power to your product.
Key Product Features| Highlight the key features and benefits of your products.
Product Descriptions| Elaborate on the features and uses of your product.
Item Package Quantity| Indicates how many items are in the package. Use if there is more than one identical unit in the package of the product you are selling.
Variation Relationships| Make choices easy: Display multiple size, and color options on a single detail page.
Browse & Search| Improve discoverability, traffic, and sales through search terms and item-type- keywords.

Listing Automotive Parts & Accessories

About the Automotive Part Finder
The Part Finder helps customers find the right products by filtering Amazon’s selection to show only the products that are relevant to the customer‟s vehicle. The Part Finder creates a home page for each vehicle that presents the customer with parts categories to browse. The Part Finder is more authoritative and dynamic than using search or title keywords and handles variables such as engine type, transmission, and trim level. Amazon sources large amounts of vehicle fitment data for use by merchants like you, but we can accommodate vehicle fitment data directly from merchants as well. Items in the Part Finder perform better than items outside the Part Finder, so we strongly encourage you to work with your data and ensure your application- specific products are in the Part Finder.

Automotive Homepage featuring the Part Finder stripe

The Part Finder

Example of a Part Finder Results Page

Because the Part Finder tells the customer which parts will fit their vehicle, DO NOT put year, make, and model information in the titles if you are listing application-specific parts.*** Review the following information in detail and make the necessary updates to your product listings.

Title Style

Capitalize the first letter of each word (see exceptions under Do Not)

Use numerals (2 instead of two)

If a bundled product, state the value in parenthesis as (pack of X)

Keep it short, but include critical information

Spell out units of common measurement (inches, feet, etc.)

Measurements comprising a number and a unit of measure are hyphenated before the noun, like this: 20-by-27-inch

50 characters maximum

Note: Please include only standard text.

Type 1 High ASCII characters (®, ©, ™, etc.) or other special characters are not supported

| Do not include year/make/model on application-specific products

Do not capitalize:

–      Conjunctions (and, or, for)

–      Articles (the, a, an)

–      Prepositions with fewer than five letters (in, on, over, with, etc.)

Do not use ALL CAPS or end the sentence with a period

Do not use quotation marks or apostrophes for units of measure, such as “ (inches) or „ (feet)

Do not include price or quantity Do not include your company information

Do not include promotional messages such as “sale” or “free ship” (use the Promotion Manager tool to include messaging)

Do not use your company name for Brand or Manufacturer information, unless your product is a Private Label

Do not include symbols in your listings (such as ! * $ ? ® ™ ~)

Do not include subjective commentary such as „Hot

Item‟ or „Best Seller‟

Titles must be accurate and consistent. A concise and relevant title will drive traffic to your product. Always check titles for consistent format and accuracy. To ensure that your title creates a good first impression, follow the guidelines below.

Core Elements of Automotive Product Titles
Regular Parts & Accessories: [Brand]+[Model #, if applicable]+[Product Package Title*/Multiple Product Package Titles for Combo packs]+[Item Package Quantity for Multi-packs] Product Package Title” is what the item IS according to what’s listed on the package (i.e. floor mat, steering wheel cover, battery charger).

Items with Variations

• Parent – [Brand] + [Model] + [Product Package Title]
• Child – [Brand] + [Model] + [Product Package Title] + [Variation Size] + [Variation Color]
• Crash Parts/Replacement Parts: [Brand] + [Part Number] + [Make*] + [Model**] + [Style] + [Color] + [Heated (if applicable to product type)] + [Manual] – OR – [Power] + [Replacement] + [Folding (if applicable to product type)] +
• [Position (Driver or Passenger)] + [Product Package Title]
• Only use if all fitments are for the same Make
• Only use if all fitments are for the same Make and Model

Note

1. DO NOT include Year/Make/Model on application-specific products, except for those Crash Parts and Replacement Parts that fit only one Make or only one Make/Model combination.
2. If your product has variations (size, color, etc.), please see the Variation Relationships Help page for more information.
3. If you include your company information or sale messaging in your product titles, your account will be at risk ofbeing suspended.

Examples of Good Titles

Examples of Bad Titles

Brand & Manufacturer

 A unique and identifiable symbol, association, name, or trademark that serves to differentiate competing products or services

A name used to distinguish one product from its competitors; it can apply to a single product, an entire Product Package Title, or even a company.

A name or symbol used to identify a seller’s goods or services, and to differentiate them from those of competitors

Example:Fram

| A business engaged in manufacturing a product Someone who manufactures something.

Example: Honeywell International Inc.

Brand information allows the Amazon.com customer to determine the model and brand of the product they may purchase. These fields improve the accuracy of your data listings and help customers discover your products. Typically, a Brand is the best identifier for a product, but occasionally Manufacturer is used. We request that you fill out both fields.

Note
DO NOT use your company name for Brand or Manufacturer information, unless your product is a Private Label.

Key Product Features

 Highlight the five key features you want customers to consider in terms of feature/benefit, such as materials, dimensions, ideal conditions for the product, skill level, contents, country of origin, etc.

Maintain a consistent order. If your first bullet point is material, keep that same order for all your products.

Reiterate important information from the title and description

Begin each bullet point with a capital letter Include warranty information if applicable Write with short sentences

|  Do not include your contact information, such as “Call 1-800-XXX-XXXX”

Do not exceed 200 characters per bullet point

Do not include promotional and pricing information Do not include shipping or company information.

Amazon policy prohibits including merchant, company, or shipping information.

Do not include ending punctuation.

Do not include irrelevant information. The bullet points help customers evaluate a product, so any non-product-specific information can decrease your chances of a sale

Elements of Regular Featured

Bullets

|

Featured Bullets Example:

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Features| Fits most bucket seats
Materials| Made of waterproof wetsuit fabric
Place of Origin| Made in USA
Warranty Information| 1-year warranty with proof of purchase
Dimensions and Weight| 30 by 20 inches, 12.5 lbs
Care instructions| Easy care; machine washable
Other| Protects and stylizes your interior
Elements of Crash/Replacement Featured Bullets|

Featured Bullets Example:

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Direct Fit, OE Replacement| OE replacement mirror
Country of Origin| Made in China
OEM Part#| OE #21112690
Glass type (flat vs. convex)| Flat glass mirror
Warranty information| 1-year limited warranty

The Key Product Features bullets on the detail page tell the customer about the details of your product and can drive the customer’s purchase decision. Customers use this section to get a snapshot of the product. They may use this section to finalize a purchase decision or it may interest them enough so they will then read the full product description.

To improve readability
Write all numbers as numerals
Separate phrases in one bullet with semicolons Spell out measurements such as quart, inch, feet, and so on

Do Not:

• Do not use hyphens, symbols, periods, or exclamation points
  NOTE: DO use hyphens if you are describing a measurement, like 3/8-inch by 50-foot

• Do not write vague statements; be as specific as possible with product features and attributes

• Do not enter company-specific information; this section is for product features only

Examples of Good Feature Bullets

Product Features
Special wax-treated cotton fiber strands lift dust without scratching paint Includes 2 clay bars, Showtime Instant Detailer, Microfiber towel Steel- reinforced frame for durability

Safe to use on paint
Regular use provides a long-lasting benefit to your vehicle

Product Features

• Only capitalize the first letter of each sentence
• Do not include application data
• Do not end the line with punctuation
• Do not use all-caps
• Do not include pricing or promotional language
• Do not include contact informationAbsorbs up to 2 gallons of hazardous or non-hazardous liquids
• Leak-resistant rubber backing keeps the undersurface clean
• Works under cars, trucks, motorcycles, golf carts, and more
• Can be cut with scissors or a utility knife into any size and will not fray
• Measures 35-by-84 inches long

Examples of Bad Features Bullets

• Do not include promotion/sale information
• Only capitalize the first letter of each sentence
• Do not include information that does not describe the product
•  Do not use special characters like

Product Descriptions

Describe the major product features and list product information including size, used-for and style

Keep it short, but include critical information Include accurate dimensions, care instructions and warranty information

Use correct grammar and complete sentences Spell out common units of measurements (inches, feet, etc.)

Use by instead of x when describing measurements, such as “113 by 2 inches”

Be sure to spell-check before you submit

| Do not include your company name, e-mail address, website, or any company- specific information

Do not include links to external sites

Do not write about anything but the product for sale; this is your opportunity to tell the customer what they are buying

Do not include promotional language such as “sale” or “free ship” (use the Manage Promotions tool)

Do not include extra spaces, HTML code, or symbols (® ™ ©, etc.)

Do not use “ (inches) or „ (feet); spell these out

Include some key features listed in your bullet points. However, go beyond a simple to-the-point description. Product descriptions must be well-written and concise. Incorporating information about the feel, usage, and benefits of your product can fire the customer’s imagination. This is as close as you can come to creating an in-store experience.

NOTE: Product Descriptions are limited to 2000 characters.

Examples of Good Product Descriptions

Product Description
The Auto Expressions Tree Frogs Bucket Seat cover features innovative fabric and design for both fashion and fit. This seat cover updates the appearance of old or dirty seats and protects against splits, stains, fading, dirt, and pet hairs. Made from strong, sturdy fabrics, the unique design features the “Superfit” flap for a snugger, wrinkle-free fit. The seat cover is easy to install and fits most bucket seats. Each package contains one bucket seat cover.

Product Description
Mothers High-Performance Car Care Accessories are a complete line featuring unique microfiber products, lightweight, ergonomic brushes, and finishing products. The brushes feature non-slip comfort grips, lightweight ergonomic designs, and protective rubber bumpers. “It‟s all in the details” Getting the body clean and shiny is one thing, but you don’t want to overlook the details. Perfect for trim, emblems, and more, the unique rubber seam cleaning tip and extra-soft scratch-free bristles of the Mother’s Detail Brushes will help one hit every nook and cranny. Mother’s High-Performance brushes are the choice for enthusiasts everywhere.

Product Description
Air Lift adjustable air helper springs level your load and give your truck, van, or SUV a safer, more comfortable ride. Air springs are easy to install between your existing springs and the vehicle frame. Just add air when towing or hauling a heavy load, and reduce air pressure when unloaded; they are fully adjustable for a great ride. Air Lift air springs eliminate sag, sway, and bottoming out. They are made with rugged, durable components for long, reliable service.

Examples of Bad Product Descriptions

• Not descriptive
• Do not use all-caps
• Doesn’t provide a compelling reason to purchase the product

Product Description
SILKOLENE OIL ATV 10W40 GALLON 65136101055

• Quotes imply that the item is not actually new
• Only cap the first word of the  sentence
• Do not include application data
• Do not include information that is not about the product

Product Description
“Brand New” Coolant Bottle for 92 93 94 95 96 Toyota Camry 4 Cylinder or 6 cylinder model. Thank you for shopping with us, we appreciated your business!

• Do not include links to external sites
• Do not include HTML  code (bold, colored fonts, etc.)
• Check spelling

Product Description
CIPA original style replacement mirror Replaces OE #10113834 If you cannot find your mirror, click here for complete application data Usually ships in 3-5 business days

Item Package Quantity
The Item Package Quantity (IPQ) is required. It provides customers with information on the number of units within an offer. For example, if you are selling a case pack* of oil filters where there is ONE (1) pack containing EIGHT (8) oil filters, the IPQ is one (1). Each case pack MUST have its own UPC. If the UPC is the same for a single item and a case pack, the IPQ should be the same as the number of units. (Example: 1 case of 10 safety kits). Make sure you enter the correct IPQ in your listing data so your product will attach to the correct detail page.
Note: Most manufacturers create UPCs for the lowest-selling scannable unit.

for 1 unit
Item XYZ (Pack of 2, broken and sold as individual units)| 1| Scanable UPC is only for a 2-pack unit. In this case, leave the UPC field blank AND ensure that titles accurately reflect the number of items the customer will receive

How to Set Up IPQ for a Product
Text-file Feed Template
If you are selling more than one of the same products with the same UPC in “packs” (e.g.. “Pack of 2”), enter the number of items in the bundle into the “Item-package-quantity” field of the Automotive template.

XML
Using the product feed use the ItemPackageQuantity element to specify the quantity for a given UPC.

Images
Images are displayed on the product search page and the product detail page. A professional image helps customers discover your product and can drive traffic to your detail page. Show customers what they will receive in their shipment (and only what they will receive). Make it easy for them to identify your product with a clear, high-quality image displaying exactly what you’re offering.

Do (Required)|  Use simple and clean backgrounds that do not distract from the product; ideally, the background is pure white

Product images should be at least 300-dpi 1,000-dpi images are preferred Product images should be in color, not black & white

Show the entire product; It should occupy at least 80 percent of the image area Include only what the customer will be receiving: Accessories that are not part of the product should not be shown

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Don’t (Prohibited)| Do not include borders, watermarks, text, or other decorations like a company logo Do not use sketches / drawings of the product – real images only

Do not use colored backgrounds or lifestyle pictures. Do not show other products

Image place holders (i.e. “temporary images” or “no image available”); Amazon has a default placeholder image if you do not have an image for your product. If you do not have an image DO NOT load a placeholder

Image containing graphs of product ratings

Do not show a picture with multiple colors of your product; only the product color you are offering should be displayed in the image

Do not include promotional text such as “sale” or “free ship” (use the Manage Promotions tool)

Do not include website information, phone numbers, or other contact information

Note: Zoom Functionality
When you submit an image of at least 1,000 dpi, customers can zoom in on your product image on the detail page. This provides a detailed look at your product and may reduce returns and negative feedback.

Examples of Good Images

Examples of Bad Images

Note: Be sure to provide the correct image for each child product when using variation relationships (discussed in the next section). If the product varies by color, provide the image of the product, in the designated color, for each child product as the Main Image.

Variation Relationships

Variations allow customers to choose the desired color and size of your product from a single detail page, which you create using parent-child product relationships. Variations provide a cleaner customer buying experience. The parent products are the initial display on the detail page. The child products are the products that are related to each parent and display when the variation is selected by the buyer. The relationship of parent to child is the variation theme: Size, Color, or Size-Color.

There are three Components to a Parent/Child relationship

• Parent product: Non-buyable products when a variation has been created, such as Suede Driving Shoe
• Child products: Buyable products related to the parent product by size and/or color, such as Suede Driving Shoes, Size 40, Black
• Variation theme: Defines how the product differs from each other, such as size-color.

When to use Variation Relationships
Variations should be used in Automotive to minimize the number of similar items listed separately. By using variations, sellers can increase conversion and sales rates and improve the customer experience. Use variations if you are listing items like apparel, protective gear, floor mats, steering wheel covers, or other items that come in different sizes and/or colors.

Use Single

Variations…

| …if the product is one-size-fits-all, but with a variety of colors|
---|---|---
Use Size – OR –

Color Variations…

| …if the product is available in a variety of colors

…if the product is available in different sizes

…for a product that varies by size or color ONLY, use single

variations for size or color

|
Use Double

Variations (Size- Color)…

| …if an identical product comes in a variety of sizes and colors

…if you are selling the same products another seller varies by size and color, such as seat covers or protective gear

|
---|---|---
DO NOT use variations…| …if the product has no different sizes or colors

…if the product is slightly different based on year, model number, quantity, or brand

…if the product is an

accessory or from a collection

|

When creating variations, you must provide information in these required fields:

SKU

• Parentage (identity for that SKU, either “parent” or “child”)
• Parent SKU (for child SKUs only, enter the parent SKU for that child)
• Relationship Type (enter “variation” if the product is part of a variation set)
• Colormap* – if appropriate
• Sitemap* – if appropriate
• Variation Theme (Size, Color, Size-Color)
• Valid mapping values are available in the text file template.

Note: If you enter the Relationship Type and fail to enter the color or size, you might receive an error when uploading your data or your product might not display properly on the website. Make sure you have entered all required variation fields for your products. If you fail to enter any of the required fields, your products could be suppressed from the website.

Required| Fully describe each child product, so they will be included in browse and search results; treat each child like a normal offer, with feature bullets and a product description

Add the size and color to the child product title

Use SKUs to build relationships using field for SKU and ParentSKU List the Child offers under the Parent SKU in the flat-file or XML

---|---
Prohibited| Do not include price and quantity values for parent products The parent title should not include size or color

Do not link any products that are not a variation of size or color to the parent product

How to Set Up Product Variations
To properly set up your variation theme and product relationships, see Creating Variations with a Flat File. For additional information on using XML, see XML & Data Exchange and Sample XML Feeds.

Browse & Search
Customers find products on Amazon.com using two primary methods: either using the Browse option or using Search Terms. Most often customers use a combination of browse and search. Make sure customers can find your products by providing Search Terms and Item Type Keywords (for Browse).

Classification: Browse
To help customers find products easily, Amazon developed a detailed product hierarchy or browse-tree structure. Customers refine by category and subcategory links until they reach the most specific product type. If your items are not in the deepest possible browse node, they will be much more difficult for customers to find. (Sometimes, a browse node may not yet exist for your specific product type. In that case, classify the item to the deepest node that makes sense.) Amazon uses your Item Type Keywords to classify your products under the correct browse nodes.

For your products to continue to appear when customers refine their category options, they must be classified correctly to the deepest level. Item Classification Guides (ICGs) are category-specific documents that provide valid values for setting up your products. These values take advantage of the browse structure for categories on Amazon.com. Please see the latest Item Classification Guide.

Examples of the Browse Tree Category Structure

Sample from the Automotive ICG

The attributes below are used for browsing classification

most specific item types. This is the most important value, and determines browse category structure.| Select an item type value from the ICG, such as automotive-backup- alarms, automotive-oil-filters, or automotive-glass- cleaners.
Color| The color of the product. If color is sent, then colormap is required.| Select from the Valid values tab of the Flat.File.AutoAccessory.xls file found in Seller Central.

Example: Eggplant

Colormap| The standard color that corresponds to the color of the product (e.g. for the color “Eggplant” the colormap would be “purple”.

Colormap MUST be a valid value.

| Select a value from the Valid Values tab of the Flat.File.AutoAccessory.xls file found in Seller Central.

Example: purple

clothing-type| The apparel category that best describes the class of product.| Select a value from the Valid Values tab of the Flat.File.AutoAccessory.xls file found in Seller Central.

Example: Shirt

department| The department of clothing (mens, womens, etc.) in which the product is found.| Select a value from the Valid Values tab of the Flat.File.AutoAccessory.xls file found in Seller Central.

Example: unisex-adult

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style-keyword| A word or phrase the best describes the product. This will help Amazon.com locate the product when customers perform searches on our site.| Select a value from the Valid Values tab of the Flat.File.AutoAccessory.xls file found in Seller Central.

Example: insulated

model-name| The model name for the product.| Example: 8100
UsedFor| Further clarifies how and what the item can be use for, such as seasons or events.| Select other-item attribute values from the ICG, such as “sport-utility-vehicles” or “hot-rod-vehicles”

ItemType is the most important attribute for getting customers to your product and in the most granular browse node. Find the specific browse keywords that best describe your product in the Automotive Item Classification Guides. For more information, see Using the Online Item Classification Guide.

Note
The Item Type must have the same spelling and formatting as listed in the ICG. Make sure all of your products have item-type keywords for the most specific subcategory possible.

Classification: Search
Amazon automatically gives you default search terms: Anything in the standard- product-id (eg. UPC/EAN), product-title, brand, manufacturer, and manufacturer-part number are already indexed as a search term. In addition, you can add five optional search terms to your products through separate entries for the five “search terms” fields. Each field can contain up to 50 characters, separated by spaces. (For example, the word seat cover is a different search term than seat cover.) Search terms help customers find your products. Your product titles and company name are already searchable, so think about other words that describe your product. Think like Amazon customers when choosing your terms; use words they might enter into the search bar, including synonyms.

Example: Ed Hardy’s “Love Kills” Bucket Seat cover

• Other Possible Search Terms: Universal fit designer accessories ed hardy luv kills

Guidelines for Listing Your Search Terms
Do NOT use competitive brands as search terms, i.e. Magnaflow as a keyword for a Flowmaster product. Doing so can create a negative customer experience Each product can have up to five search lines of 50 characters per field; that’s 250 characters available for your search terms . The words you choose are the terms our search engine pulls from when customers search the site.

The individual words of the title, merchant, and brand are also automatically included as search terms and do not need to be repeated in your search terms Any combination of title words and search terms is fully searchable.

Text–file feed

If you are using an inventory text file, the template fields for search terms appear as search-terms1, search-terms2, and so on. For more details about how to create effective search terms, see Using Search & Browse.

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