What can Amazon sellers learn from brands like Apple & Anker?

TL;DR

• Without a brand, you're constantly chasing customers, convincing them multiple times. 

• Brand success starts with an emotional connection. You’re not just selling a product—you’re selling an experience.

• Find your audience. Everything depends on this—your content, ads, and even pricing. Get it wrong, and you’ll waste time and money.

• From packaging to customer service, the little things create the big picture.

• Underpromise and overdeliver. 

• Clean, simple pages like Apple’s win trust and attention. Clutter just confuses customers.

• Why choose you? Answer this clearly, and your customers will choose you over others.

There are two ways to sell on Amazon:

1) You can grind it out daily—running campaigns, updating listings, and adjusting every time the algorithm shifts.

2) Or, you build a brand so strong that nothing can shake it.

If you're sourcing cheap products from Alibaba and flipping them here, then the first option is your best bet. But if your product has real potential and can stand out, then option two is the way to go. 

When you don’t have a brand, you’ll find yourself working overtime just to get a customer’s attention. First, you have to reach them, then convince them, and then convince them again because they’re unsure. 

But when you have a brand, you just need to let people know about your new product, and they’ll come running like loyal fans to their favorite show. It’s the difference between constantly chasing and having customers eagerly waiting for your next move!

Every great brand started from nothing. At first, nobody knew their name, but they had something powerful: great products and an even better marketing team. If they could rise from scratch and build something iconic, you can too. 

Below, our Amazon selling consultants have gathered the key lessons from brands that have been through it all—the ups, the downs, and everything in between. These are the brands that made it, and here’s what we can learn from their journey!

Quick guide

• Branding lessons Amazon sellers can take from the big players

  • Lesson 1: Build an emotional connection that sticks

  • Lesson 2: Find out who you are associated with

  • Lesson 3: Every little detail counts (even the packaging)

  • Lesson 4: Underpromise, overdeliver

  • Lesson 5: Less is more—cut the clutter

  • Lesson 6: Find the answer to “Why choose you”?

Branding lessons Amazon sellers can take from the big players

Lesson 1: Build an emotional connection that sticks

I know you’ve heard this a million times, but it’s true: you’re not just selling products—you’re selling experiences. Take a simple coffee brand, for example. You’re not just offering caffeine; you’re giving people that warm, comforting start to their day or that moment of relaxation during a hectic afternoon.

Nike inspires athletes and non-athletes alike with its “Just Do It” mantra, turning its products into symbols of perseverance. 

Image ref: Nike

Dove connects by championing self-esteem and body positivity, making their customers feel valued beyond just the product.

Image ref: Dove

These brands succeed because they understand that emotion drives loyalty!

Tips to build a connection

• Highlight benefits, not just features: If you sell cleaning products, focus on the relief and satisfaction

• customers feel when they have a spotless home, not just the product’s strength.

• Tell the product’s story: A brand selling handmade candles can share the craft and care that goes into each one, building a connection based on mindfulness and relaxation.

• Create a relatable brand voice: If you’re selling kitchen utensils, make the experience about making home-cooked meals special, tapping into feelings of warmth and family time.

Lesson 2: Find out who you are associated with

It’s important to identify your target audience because everything you do depends on it—your keywords, content, and even the creatives like Amazon A Plus Content you design must align with who you’re trying to reach. If you don’t, your efforts won’t resonate.

For instance, imagine selling a premium skincare product but targeting budget shoppers. No matter how great your product is, it won’t click. 

Take Glossier for example, which pinpointed millennial women as its core audience, focusing all its advertising and messaging toward them. Or consider Amazon sellers like Ring, which knew its target was homeowners focused on security. By honing in on this audience, Ring created campaigns that directly addressed their needs, leading to massive success on Amazon.

But if you get the audience wrong, everything goes wrong. Remember Pepsi’s infamous ad with Kendall Jenner? They missed the mark with their target, and it backfired, causing a PR nightmare. 

Even on Amazon, targeting the wrong audience can mean wasted ad spend, poor conversions, and low engagement. Knowing your audience isn't optional—it's the foundation of every successful campaign.

How your target audience affects everything

• Creatives: The style and visuals matter. For example, if you’re targeting Gen Z, you might use bold colors and trendy designs, like ColourPop does with its vibrant, Instagram-worthy packaging.

• Content: The tone of your messaging should align with your audience. Dollar Shave Club uses casual, witty content to connect with budget-conscious men.

• Keywords: Your audience influences keyword selection. A brand selling to tech enthusiasts, like Anker on Amazon, uses more technical keywords compared to a lifestyle brand.

• Pricing strategy: Apple prices as a premium option, catering to an audience willing to pay for top-tier technology.

• Product features: Fitbit markets health tracking features for fitness enthusiasts, emphasizing what matters most to them.

• Advertising platforms: Lululemon targets fitness communities through Instagram and yoga blogs, ensuring ads are shown where their audience spends time.

Lesson 3: Every little detail counts (even the packaging)

Top brands know that success isn’t just about the big picture—it’s about the tiny, often overlooked details that create a flawless experience.

Ever wonder why Pringles has that signature crunch? It’s not just luck; it’s science. Pringles are designed in a hyperbolic paraboloid shape (basically a saddle-shaped curve) that prevents breakage in the canister while giving the perfect crunch with each bite. This intentional design makes the snack both stackable and enjoyable.

Even small things like the unboxing experience can have a huge impact. Fitbit, for instance, has streamlined packaging that’s easy to open but also feels high-end, adding to the user’s excitement.

Brands that focus on these fine details—from how a product is presented online to how it feels when it arrives—are the ones that stand out and win customer loyalty. So remember, every small aspect contributes to the bigger picture.

Lesson 4: Underpromise, overdeliver

One of the biggest mistakes brands make is starting with a flashy sales pitch and promising the moon, only to fall short. It’s easy to say, “We’re the best!” but unless you can back that up, you risk losing trust. Say only what you can deliver—nothing more. 

A classic example of overpromising and underdelivering? Fyre Festival. Billed as a luxury music festival on a private island, it promised lavish accommodations, gourmet meals, and A-list performances. Instead, attendees were greeted with FEMA tents, cold sandwiches, and a disaster of an event. The backlash was immense, and the festival’s organizers faced legal consequences and destroyed their credibility.

On the flip side, Anker is a brand that underpromises and over delivers. They advertise their products simply—no grand claims—but when customers receive them, they’re often impressed with the quality and durability, leading to high reviews and repeat business.

The lesson? It’s better to exceed expectations than to fall short of them. When you make promises you can keep, and then go above and beyond, your customers will stick with you for the long haul.

Lesson 5: Less is more—cut the clutter

Ever walked into an Apple store? You notice how clean and minimalistic it is, right? There’s no overwhelming signage, no chaos. Everything is displayed with plenty of space around it, giving you room to breathe and focus on the product. The same goes for their Amazon store—clean, uncluttered, and simple. You won’t find a flood of information, just clear descriptions and crisp images that make it easy to shop.

On Amazon, brands like Sony and Bose have perfected this approach. Their product pages are clean and well-organized. You won’t see walls of text or unnecessary graphics. Instead, they focus on high-quality images, concise bullet points, and easy-to-navigate content. This allows customers to find what they need without feeling overwhelmed.

So why no clutter? It’s simple: clutter creates confusion. When customers are bombarded with too much information, they get frustrated or distracted. A clutter-free page helps them stay focused on what matters—the value of the product. Plus, clean pages build trust, signaling that you’re a professional brand that respects the customer’s time and experience.

Remember, in a world full of noise, simplicity stands out!

Lesson 6: Find the answer to “Why choose you”?

Among a dozen other products, why should a customer pick yours? What makes you different? This is the core question you need to answer, and everything about your branding should reflect it.

Look at Native, the natural deodorant brand. They knew people were looking for healthier, natural alternatives, and they built their brand around that. Every bit of their Amazon presence screams “clean, simple, and effective,” making it crystal clear why customers should choose them over conventional brands.

So, ask yourself: what makes your product special? Is it better quality? Does it solve a unique problem? Once you find that answer, build your messaging around it. When customers can immediately see why you stand out, you won’t need to work as hard to convince them!

See you next week!

Every brand is unique, but the secret sauce to success? It’s always the same. The basics never change. Think about Nike—whether they’re pushing new tech or classic kicks, they’re always nailing the fundamentals: clear messaging, a strong story, and delivering what their audience craves. It’s not magic, it’s consistency.

So, if you’ve got a killer product, don’t let its potential go down the drain just because the branding missed the mark. eStore Factory is here to help you unlock that potential. From strategy to execution, being an expert Amazon seller consulting agency, we’ve got the tools to turn your product into a brand people can’t resist.