Foreign Amazon Sellers Are Closing the Competitive Gap with ChatGPT

For cross-border sellers, overcoming language barriers can be a challenge. Inaccurate translations, for example, may prevent them from being able to clearly get their messaging across or can create consumer distrust, leading to lost opportunities that impact conversion and sales.

However, with the recent arrival of modern communication technologies like chatbots and other AI tools, that could all be changing. One such AI application, which has been making the headlines recently, is ChatGPT or Chat Generative Pre-Trained Transformer. 🤖

What is ChatGPT?

ChatGPT is an AI-driven chatbot that uses Natural Language Processing (NLP) to recognize patterns in datasets harvested from the internet and use that information to generate meaningful human-like responses. And because it has the ability to comprehend human language, it can also provide users with coherent and grammatically correct content.

It has reportedly aided people in various tasks, such as composing poems, writing blog posts, crafting love letters, and even something as bizarre as coming up with instructions for removing a peanut butter sandwich from a VCR, King James Bible style.

How ChatGPT Can Influence Competition on Amazon

Amazon sellers are using ChatGPT to create titles, bullet points, and product descriptions for their listings. Foreign language sellers expanding into the US market in particular may find this tool useful for improving the quality and efficiency of their content marketing efforts. 

With fewer barriers to entry, however, it is going to make competition much more intense on Amazon. Cross-border sellers will start publishing better listing copy, and customers will not be able to distinguish as easily that they are not from the US.

For example, some buyers can easily tell when a seller is ESL (English as a Second Language). But ChatGPT changes all of that. Chinese sellers, for instance, are going to fare much better against competition with this strategy.

They can simply go to ChatGPT and type in a set of instructions (in English or their native language) for the tool to generate a description or sales copy for a particular product. It could be something as simple as “Please write 5 bullet points for an Amazon listing selling an air purifier.”

Here’s what ChatGPT came up with:

As you can see, the generated response is decent enough to describe what the product does. It offers a good start, but it doesn’t really make you stand out with those generic details.

To reel in customers, it may be necessary to tweak the prompt in a way that will allow the tool to write a more detailed product description. Consider plugging in relevant keywords or technical specifications, for example. Even then, you may still need to add a touch of artistic flair to your copy. 

This may sound like a lot of work, but ChatGPT is only supposed to make getting started with writing English copy easier, not to replace human creativity.

It’s also crucial to do some fact-checking to avoid disappointing buyers with misleading or inaccurate descriptions. Unfortunately, AI tools like ChatGPT can’t detect malicious intent or accurately distinguish falsehoods from facts so they don’t always provide truthful answers.

This is where US sellers can have some advantage as they are more familiar with the nuances of the English language and know the local market better.

Subtleties like colloquialisms and tones of voice unique to local customers typically get lost in translation. Therefore, foreign sellers may not be completely aware of them or at least know how to properly incorporate them into the text. If you’re a local seller, leverage those cultural insights to create a more compelling copy.

Related: FBA Sellers Can Use ChatGPT to Write Amazon Listings – But It Might Be Unethical, According to ChatGPT

Final Thoughts

ChatGPT could be useful at overcoming language barriers in cross-border selling. Foreign sellers can utilize it to quickly source ideas, get started with writing copy, or proofread and improve their existing Amazon listings to effectively communicate with US consumers.

However, the AI tool also has a few drawbacks. It may not accurately depict your product’s unique selling points, unless you spend a lot of time tinkering with the AI so that it can meet your specific requirements. Those who don’t bother modifying the generated responses even a little are less likely to stand out and thrive in a saturated market.

Suppose all air purifier brands start using the same prompt to generate bullet points for Amazon, they may end up having the same copy for those listings. After all, ChatGPT uses existing words and phrases from the internet to generate responses to user input.

So, there is a likelihood of having a competitor publish a listing quite similar to yours. The message is clear: you may have well-written product titles, bullet points, and descriptions, but don’t rest on your laurels. 

With its ability to write and proofread English copy like a human, ChatGPT is rapidly leveling the playing field for foreign sellers. You need to step up your Amazon game right now to stay ahead of the curve.

Take advantage of Amazon’s Listing Quality Dashboard to find areas in your listings that need improvement. Keep your copy relevant and discoverable with updated keywords and genuine customer reviews. Adding a little pizzazz (e.g., humor or visually compelling images) to the whole thing can do wonders, too! 😉

Related: 5 Easy Ways Amazon Sellers Can Use ChatGPT to Increase Profits, Marketing on Amazon