What Is a Good Amazon Buy Box Percentage?

Winning the Amazon Buy Box is one of the most important factors for success on the marketplace. For any Amazon seller, especially those with a professional seller account, securing the Buy Box is essential to access advanced selling features and meet Amazon's eligibility criteria. It’s the gateway to the majority of sales, especially for products with multiple competing offers. Bottom line: Winning the Buy Box leads to increased sales and more sales opportunities for sellers.

If you’ve been selling on Amazon for any length of time, you’ve likely come across a performance metric in Seller Central called the Buy Box Percentage (sometimes referred to as “Buy Box Wins” or “Buy Box Ownership”). But what exactly is a good Buy Box percentage? And how do you improve it?

In this guide, we’ll cover:

• What the Buy Box is and why it matters
• How Amazon calculates Buy Box percentage
• What’s considered a “good” Buy Box percentage
• Factors that impact your Buy Box percentage
• Why your percentage may vary over time
• 9 point optimization checklist to win and maintain the Buy Box

What Is the Amazon Buy Box?

The Amazon Buy Box is the prominent “Add to Cart” and “Buy Now” section that appears on the right-hand side of a product detail page. Amazon's Buy Box is a critical feature for both Amazon and third party sellers, as it directly impacts sales and visibility.

When multiple sellers offer the same product, these are often third party sellers competing to sell the same products. Amazon’s algorithm chooses one seller’s offer to display in the Buy Box at any given moment. Amazon determines the Buy Box winner using a complex algorithm that considers factors like price, seller rating, and fulfillment. There can be multiple eligible sellers for the same listing, and the Buy Box may rotate among them based on their performance metrics. While customers can click “Other Sellers on Amazon” to see more offers, most don’t. The majority of shoppers simply buy from the seller featured in the Buy Box.

According to Amazon, over 80% of sales happen through the Buy Box for products with multiple offers. On mobile, that percentage can be even higher because “Other Sellers” links are less visible. Unauthorized sellers can sometimes interfere with Buy Box rotation and negatively impact brand reputation.

What Is Buy Box Percentage?

Buy Box Percentage measures the amount of time your offer is featured in the Buy Box compared to the total time your listing was active.

For example:

• If your offer was in the Buy Box 12 hours out of a 24-hour period, your Buy Box Percentage is 50% for that day.
• If you consistently hold the Buy Box, your percentage will be closer to 100%.

Formula:

(Total time your offer held the Buy Box ÷ Total time your offer was active) × 100

In Seller Central, you can view your Buy Box Percentage for individual products in the Business Reports section. Amazon Seller Central provides basic tools to analyze Amazon metrics and track Buy Box performance over time, helping you optimize your strategy. However, many successful sellers choose third party tools to quickly view changes in their Buy Box Percentage and spot trends automatically.

What’s Considered a Good Buy Box Percentage?

There’s no single “magic number,” but in general:

• 90%+: Excellent — you are dominating the Buy Box for that product.
• 70–89%: Strong — competitive position, but room for optimization.
• 50–69%: Average — sharing the Buy Box with other sellers frequently.
• Below 50%: Needs improvement — competitors are winning more often.

For private label sellers (who are the only seller on their product listing), your Buy Box Percentage should be close to 100%, assuming you’re always in stock.

For resellers or wholesale sellers, percentages vary widely depending on competition, pricing strategy, and fulfillment method. Even 60–70% could be good in highly competitive niches. Achieving a higher sales volume can also help improve your Buy Box Percentage.

Note: Only sellers with a professional seller account (also known as a pro merchant account) are eligible for the Buy Box.

What Affects Your Buy Box Percentage?

Amazon’s Buy Box algorithm is complex and takes many factors into account. The Amazon Buy Box algorithm evaluates various seller metrics and pricing strategies to determine which seller wins the Buy Box. Understanding these factors will help you diagnose why your percentage is where it is and what you can do to improve it. Maintaining a competitive edge and focusing on seller performance are key to improving Buy Box Percentage.

Here are the main elements that influence Buy Box ownership:

Price Competitiveness

• Amazon favors offers with competitive landed prices, considering the total price (item price plus shipping and handling) when evaluating offers.
• Even a few cents difference in total price can affect your chances, especially if your metrics are similar to competitors.
• Maintaining price parity across all your sales channels is crucial. Violations can lead to Buy Box suppression.
• Dramatic price increases may trigger Amazon’s Marketplace Fair Pricing Policy, potentially resulting in loss of Buy Box eligibility.
• Keep in mind that Buy Box doesn’t always go to the cheapest price—Amazon also weighs performance metrics heavily.

Tip: Use an automated repricing tool to stay competitive and avoid racing to the bottom.

Fulfillment Method (FBA vs. FBM)

• Amazon considers various fulfillment methods, including Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), Fulfillment by Merchant (FBM), and Seller-Fulfilled Prime (SFP), when determining Buy Box eligibility. The choice of shipping method and offering multiple shipping options can improve your chances of winning the Buy Box, as Amazon values reliable fulfillment and a great customer experience.
• Seller-Fulfilled Prime (SFP) can also compete well if your performance matches Amazon’s standards. SFP enables high-performing FBM sellers to reach Amazon Prime members, increasing product visibility and sales potential within the Prime customer base.
• Standard FBM offers may win the Buy Box if they have excellent metrics and a lower price, but it’s harder to maintain a high percentage without strong fulfillment methods and competitive shipping options.

Shipping Speed

• Prime-eligible offers are preferred because they meet customer expectations for fast, free shipping, and Amazon evaluates both promised and actual shipping times when determining Buy Box eligibility.
• Non-Prime offers with slower delivery estimates or longer shipping times are less likely to win.
• Orders shipped after the expected ship date can negatively impact seller performance metrics and reduce chances of Buy Box eligibility.

Seller Performance Metrics

Amazon evaluates your account health and customer service record, including:

• Order defect rate (ODR)
• Cancellation rate
• Late shipment rate
• On-time delivery rate
• Customer feedback rating
• Negative feedback rate
• Valid tracking rate
• Pre fulfillment cancel rate
• Feedback score
• Seller feedback

A high negative feedback rate filed or frequent customer complaints can hurt Buy Box eligibility. Maintaining a fast customer response time is also essential for strong seller performance.

Consistently strong performance increases Buy Box eligibility and ownership.

Inventory Availability

• If you run out of stock, your Buy Box percentage will drop to zero until you replenish. Maintaining sufficient inventory depth is crucial to meet customer demand and improve your chances of winning the Buy Box.
• Frequent stockouts signal unreliability to Amazon’s algorithm. Sellers should regularly manage inventory in Seller Central to avoid stockouts. Additionally, maintaining high product quality helps prevent stockouts caused by returns or defects, supporting a positive seller reputation and consistent Buy Box eligibility.

Product Condition

• New condition items typically have an advantage over used ones.
• For used items, the Buy Box is separate (“Used Buy Box”), and the competition works similarly.

Geographic Location of Inventory

• Amazon may rotate the Buy Box based on buyer location to minimize delivery times.
• Sellers with inventory strategically located in Amazon’s fulfillment network may see higher percentages in certain regions.

Time-Based Rotation

• On competitive listings with multiple high-performing sellers, Amazon rotates the Buy Box among them to provide a fair distribution.
• Your percentage may fluctuate daily or hourly based on this rotation.

Why Buy Box Percentage May Vary Over Time

Even if your pricing and metrics stay consistent, you might see swings in Buy Box percentage. Common reasons include:

• Increased Competition: If new sellers enter the listing with competitive pricing and FBA, your share will drop.
• Seasonal Demand Changes: During peak seasons, competition intensifies, and Amazon may rotate the Buy Box more frequently.
• Stockouts: Even short periods of being out of stock will reduce your overall percentage.
• Price Adjustments by Competitors: If competitors drop prices and you don’t adjust, you may lose the Buy Box until you match or beat them.
• Performance Metric Changes: A sudden spike in late shipments or a negative review can temporarily hurt your eligibility.

How to Improve Your Buy Box Percentage

Providing excellent customer service and focusing on customer experience are key strategies for increasing your Buy Box Percentage. Excellent customer service can lead to better reviews and higher Buy Box eligibility.

If your Buy Box Percentage is lower than you’d like, there are several actionable steps you can take to improve it:

Maintain Competitive Pricing Without Killing Margins

• Use a smart repricer that considers both your profit margins and Buy Box rules.
• Avoid manual price changes that can cause slow reaction times to competitor moves.
• Consider bundle offers or value-adds that allow slightly higher prices while remaining competitive.

Leverage Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA)

• If you’re not already using FBA, switching can dramatically improve your chances of winning the Buy Box.
• Amazon prioritizes FBA offers for their reliability, Prime eligibility, and customer service.

Keep Your Inventory Stocked

• Monitor inventory levels closely, especially for top-selling products.
• Use restock alerts and forecasting tools to avoid going out of stock.

Optimize Shipping Performance (for FBM Sellers)

• Offer fast shipping speeds—ideally matching Prime.
• Use reliable carriers and provide tracking on every order.
• Keep your Late Shipment Rate as low as possible.

Improve Seller Performance Metrics

• Keep your Order Defect Rate below 1%.
• Respond quickly to customer inquiries.
• Resolve issues before customers leave negative feedback.

Stay Buy Box Eligible

• Check your Buy Box eligibility status in Seller Central.
• If you become ineligible, review Amazon’s policy and address performance issues immediately.

React Quickly to Competition

• Monitor competitor activity daily.
• Use alerts to know when prices change or new sellers join the listing.
• Save time and automate these tasks with modern Amazon seller software.

Build a Strong Feedback Profile

• Solicit reviews ethically and follow Amazon’s guidelines.
• A higher positive feedback rating can make a difference in tight Buy Box battles.

Amazon Buy Box Percentage Optimization: 9 Point Checklist

Ready to improve your Buy Box share and maximize sales on Amazon? Review this checklist monthly to ensure consistent Buy Box ownership and adapt to Amazon algorithm changes.

1. Monitor Your Metrics

• Check Buy Box Percentage in Seller Central → Business Reports → Detail Page Sales & Traffic by ASIN
• Compare current percentage to your target (95–100% for private label; 60–80% for competitive resellers)
• Track changes weekly to spot trends

2. Maintain Competitive Pricing

• Track landed price (item price + shipping) for competitiveness
• Avoid price wars that erode margins—consider value-add strategies instead
• Use an automated repricer to react quickly to competitor price changes: Aura's AI-powered Amazon repricer will dynamically optimize your pricing and improve your Buy Box Percentage.

3. Choose the Right Fulfillment Method

• Enroll products in FBA for Prime eligibility and faster delivery
• If using FBM, aim for Seller-Fulfilled Prime (SFP) or match Prime delivery speeds
• Keep shipping costs competitive

4. Keep Inventory in Stock

• Set restock alerts in Seller Central or inventory software
• Forecast seasonal demand to avoid stockouts during peak sales
• Maintain safety stock for top-performing ASINs

5. Improve Seller Performance Metrics

• Keep Order Defect Rate below 1%
• Maintain a Late Shipment Rate under 4% (preferably 0%)
• Respond to buyer messages within 24 hours
• Actively resolve customer issues before they lead to negative feedback

6. Maintain Buy Box Eligibility

• Check Buy Box eligibility status regularly in Seller Central
• Resolve any flagged performance issues immediately
• Avoid policy violations that could affect eligibility

7. Optimize Shipping Performance (for FBM)

• Offer fast delivery options
• Use reliable carriers with tracking
• Ship orders on or before the promised handling time

8. Strengthen Feedback & Reviews

• Request feedback and reviews ethically using Amazon’s “Request a Review” button
• Address negative reviews quickly and professionally
• Maintain a high positive feedback rating (above 95%)

9. Monitor Competition

• Track new sellers joining your listing
• Watch for competitor price drops or changes in fulfillment method
• Adjust strategy as needed to maintain Buy Box share

Final Thoughts

There’s no universal “perfect” Buy Box percentage—but understanding the benchmarks for your selling category and model is critical.

For private label sellers, anything under 95% should trigger an investigation into stock levels, pricing, or performance. For competitive resellers, your goal should be to maximize your percentage within a realistic range for your niche.

By optimizing price competitiveness, fulfillment speed, inventory availability, and seller performance metrics, you can increase your Buy Box share—and with it, your Amazon sales.

Key Takeaways:

• The Buy Box drives the majority of sales on Amazon, making Buy Box percentage a key metric.
• What’s “good” depends on your selling model—private label sellers should aim for near-100%, while competitive resellers may see strong results in the 60–80% range.
• Price, fulfillment method, inventory, and seller performance all impact Buy Box ownership.
• Continuous monitoring and optimization are the keys to long-term success.

FAQs

What is a good Buy Box Percentage for Private Label vs. Wholesale Seller?

Your “good” Buy Box percentage target depends on your selling model:

• Private Label / Exclusive Brand Owners: Aim for 95–100%. Anything lower indicates stockouts or eligibility issues.
• Wholesale / Arbitrage Sellers: In highly competitive listings, 60–80% may be a strong result.
• High-Turnover Seasonal Products: Expect more fluctuation due to rapid competition changes.

How can I track and measure my Buy Box percentage?

You can monitor Buy Box percentage in Seller Central under Reports → Business Reports → Detail Page Sales and Traffic by ASIN. Track percentage trends weekly, not daily, to avoid overreacting to short-term fluctuations. Correlate Buy Box changes with pricing changes, stockouts, or performance metric shifts.

How can I find out my Buy Box competition?

Aura provides you with real-time insights into competitor offers across all your listings. Get up-to-the-minute data, so you can adjust your approach and secure the Buy Box more consistently. Understanding the competitive landscape allows you to set the optimal price, enhancing your strategy and boosts your chances of owning the Buy Box. Stay ahead of the game and make informed decisions that drive your Amazon business forward with Aura.

What is a suppressed Buy Box?

A suppressed listing can occur if your pricing or policies violate Amazon's standards, resulting in the 'Add to Cart' button being replaced with 'See All Buying Options'.