What Is Amazon’s Honeymoon Period & When Does It Start?

The "Amazon honeymoon period" has been a hot topic of debate among online arbitrage sellers. Common questions include when this period begins, how long it lasts, why it occurs, and how sellers can take advantage of it. Some sellers who have already experienced the honeymoon period are looking for a second opportunity. In this article, we will explore these questions and provide insights into the Amazon honeymoon period.

What Is the Amazon Honeymoon Period?

The Amazon honeymoon period isn’t a concept officially defined by Amazon, and it isn't something Amazon created on purpose. Instead, it stems from how Amazon's product listing search algorithm works. The principles behind this phenomenon are closely guarded secrets by Amazon.

Amazon’s algorithm is designed to help shoppers find the best, most relevant products, thus driving sales. Sellers can optimize their listings by adding effective keywords to titles and descriptions, uploading high-quality images, and gaining positive reviews, among other things. Product sales history significantly influences search rankings—products with better sales histories are ranked higher. But what happens when new products are launched without any sales history?

New products have no sales data, making it difficult for Amazon’s algorithm to predict their sales potential or rank them based on conversion rates. To address this, Amazon uses a strategy to rank new products based on their keywords, images, descriptions, and other details immediately after launch. This ensures that new products receive enough exposure to attract customers.

When Does the Honeymoon Period Start and How Long Does It Last?

The honeymoon period begins once your products are received in Amazon's warehouses or your product listing goes live and is available for purchase. Therefore, it's crucial to optimize your listing before your items arrive at Amazon and are ready for sale. Studies have shown that it takes Amazon's algorithm approximately four weeks to assess a new product's sales potential, conversion rate, and sales history. After this honeymoon phase, your product is ranked based on its actual sales performance.

That’s why it’s important for sellers to prepare in advance to make the most of the honeymoon period. This preparation includes optimizing keywords, enhancing product images, requesting reviews, and ensuring you have sufficient inventory to avoid running out of stock.

How to Get a Second Honeymoon Period?

Some sellers may not be aware of the Amazon honeymoon period when launching their product listings and may wish to create another opportunity to boost their products. While it’s not exactly a "second honeymoon," it is possible to get a fresh start.

You can do this by relaunching or restarting your product listing. If you make significant changes to your listing (such as updating the title, images, keywords, and descriptions), Amazon's algorithm will reassess and rank your listing again. However, this comes with a risk: your listing will lose its sales history and previous ranking.

Another method is to create a new ASIN (Amazon Standard Identification Number) for your product, effectively relaunching it. Keep in mind that relaunching or restarting your listing may not be ideal if your product has already received positive reviews or a strong ranking, as this process would erase all the good reviews and rankings. However, if your product hasn’t performed well and you want a clean slate, relaunching can help eliminate any negative history, allowing you to benefit from the honeymoon period once more.

Final Thoughts

Our experience confirms that the Amazon honeymoon period is not just a myth; it’s a real strategy used by Amazon to rank new products. Sellers can take advantage of this period by preparing their listings in advance. While the idea of a "second honeymoon" may appeal to sellers with underperforming products, it’s not recommended for those with successful listings, as it can erase valuable reviews and rankings. To learn more about online arbitrage and related topics, be sure to follow our blog.