Is an Amazon store worth the effort? Over&Back says yes

NEW YORK –Tableware company Over&Back is promoting its latest tableware collection on its Amazon store by combining products from different categories into one bundle, making it easier for consumers to shop — and buy more of them.

The line includes 300 SKUs of hand-finished stoneware, hand-forged flatware, hand-blocked linens and mouth-blown glass, designed to mix and match. Three different color tones are available.

“We designed each product category using the same color palette to ensure seamless coordination across all categories,” said Laura Cassell Fischer, vice president of merchandise and product development.

Noticing the increase in people dining and entertaining at home, the company said its latest collection will work well for both social gatherings and simple, informal meals.

The goal is to showcase gorgeous tablescapes in the storefront that are inspiring and educational, executives said. There are no collection names, although products are grouped by themes, such as “California casual” or “the hostess with the mostess.”

“Amazon is a very specific product marketplace. It’s not a place where people come to get inspired. We’re really trying to change that paradigm,” Fischer said.

“Amazon is a very specific product marketplace. It’s not a place where people come to get inspired. We’re really trying to change that paradigm,” Fischer said.

Challenges and Benefits of Owning an Amazon Store

over&back has been in the tabletop business for 40 years, specializing in private label work in the early days. It recently hired Fischer, a former longtime Williams Sonoma Tabletop executive, and Rachel Dietrich, who has a background in marketing and e-commerce for consumer goods companies, to grow over&back’s e-commerce business.

“We fundamentally want over&back to be a consumer-facing brand,” Fischer said, quickly adding that the company is fully focused on its wholesale business (one of its largest customers is Costco).

“We heard, ‘Yes, you have to have an (Amazon) store, but it doesn’t generate a lot of volume, don’t spend a lot of time on it,’” Fischer said.

But spending time with consumers online—doing the work for them by pointing out what goes with what—has resulted in larger basket sizes, which is one of the company’s primary goals for its storefront, Dietrich said. Bundling increases basket size; you don’t want to sell just one set, you can also buy a matching platter or bowl. That’s classic upselling.

“The revenue generated by our store represents a very high percentage of our total sales on Amazon,” she added.

“I personally think the Amazon store has been an absolute success for us, it has helped us grow and continue the brand story we started a year ago,” Fischer said.

Tips for Maintaining a Successful Amazon Store

Dietrich explained that ninety percent of Over&Back’s sales on Amazon come from two tabs: Home and Dinnerware & Serveware.

What advice did she give on how to maintain a successful Amazon store?

“Don’t assume they’re going to go to every page,” she said. “You have to hit them over the head when they go to your home page. We’re as specific as we can be: ‘We’ve got everything you need for the table.’ We want 100 percent of people to see that.”

On its product pages, over&back tells its brand story and communicates all the products it offers and how it cross-shops them. The company also promotes a “follow” button on its storefront, which increases its visibility on Amazon’s homepages and in search.

“Some stores don’t have the flair or the interest,” Fischer added. “For us… consumers may know our name, but this is our big push in front of them. It builds credibility. We can be sure that we are educating and telling Down consumer, rather than treating him or her from above.”

Dietrich admitted that the initial costs of running a store on Amazon are high, but “in the long run, the opportunities are greater.”