Reverse Product Search: Basic Tools

Ready to launch a fast reverse product search but don't know how to start? This is a simple way to get started.

Introduction

This article shows you how to source products on the Reverse Product Search portal using Basic tools. By the end of this article, you will know how to:

• input source resources
• use filters 
• launch a search and use the Search Manager tool

1.  Activating basic tools

The Reverse Product Search page has two states: Advanced and Basic.

This article shows you how to use Basic tools. For information about Advanced tools, see: 

• Reverse Product Search: Advanced Tools

To display Basic tools on the Reverse Product Search page:

1. Click Reverse Product Search on the side menu bar. The Reverse Product Search page displays.
2. In the top left corner, click the toggle towards Basic. Basic tools display on the page.

2.  Selecting a source country

Select a country to source products. That means you tell the platform to find products from a specific region. This choice affects the range of websites that display in the panel.

1. Click the box beside Country. A drop-down menu displays.
2. Select a country.

Generally, you'd select your home country.

3.  Using search tools

To run a reverse search, you first have to enter a product list. Your two options:

• Manual Entry
• Scan Bestsellers

Each option is described below.

3.1  Manual Entry

You can enter search data manually. Enter up 100 UPCs and/or ASINs.

1. Select Quick Search
2. Enter a UPC or ASIN in the search field.
3. For multiple entries, insert a comma between numbers.
   

3.2  Scan Bestsellers

You can also scan the Bestselling ASINS of Amazon product categories. This will search a list of the most popular Amazon products based on sales.

This search tool has several levels. If you select a product category on Level 1, the scan searches 100's of thousands of items.

If you want to narrow the search, select sub-categories in other levels. Once you go to Level 2 or beyond, the number of products searches is lower. Up to 9600 items in most cases.

To search Amazon's Best Sellers list:

1. Select Scan Bestsellers
2. Click the box beside Level 1. A drop-down menu displays.
3. Select a general category.
4. To narrow the search, go to the next level down.
5. Click the box and then select a sub-category on the menu.
6. Continue down the list to narrow the search, if desired.
7. Leave Start from # if you want the search to start at the default row number one. 

4.  Selecting site discounts

After entering a list of product codes or selecting a product category, the next step is to set discount thresholds. In Basic tools, there are three discount filters.

• Store discount - Enter an estimate or visit store websites and look for current promotions.
• Cashback - The reward you receive for each sale from cashback companies.
• Giftcard - The reward you receive for each sale from giftcard companies.
  
  Note: To get cashback and giftcard rewards, you need to become a member of the companies that provide those services. As a member, you will know the correct percentage to enter in these data fields.  

Using Advanced Search can be a better choice if using this filter as you can provide per-site discount automation, rather than a global estimate.

5.  Entering cost data

The next step is to enter cost data. The Tactical Arbitrage algorithm uses these figures to estimate your profit per sale and gross return on investment (ROI).

• If you live in a jurisdiction that charges sales tax (or your business doesn't enjoy tax-exempt status), enter a figure in the Sales Tax data field.
• The Prep $/Standard Item field is the cost to send a standard product to the Amazon facility you work with. This cost includes prepping a product and shipping Standard Items to Amazon.
• The Prep $/Oversize Item field is the cost to send an oversize product to the Amazon facility you work with. This cost includes prepping a product and shipping Oversize Items to Amazon.
• The $/lb to Amazon field estimates shipping costs to Amazon based on weight. It's a difficult number to capture accurately for new users. With experience, you develop a keen sense of this cost for your product range.
  
  Note: For most new users, it's a good to enter a number in all cost fields. These costs will give you a more realistic ROI estimate. 

6.  Running a search

The final step is to name the search and then start a search.

1. Click the field beside Name a Search and enter a unique title.
2. Click the SEARCH button.

You can run up to seven of any search at one time. 

6.1  Search Manager

The Search Manager tracks searches and search results. You can also look at search results using the View Data tool. 

1. Scroll up to the top of the Basic tools page and locate the green button.
2. Click SEARCH MANAGER. A new page displays.

For more information, see:

• Using the Search Manager