CATEGORY STYLE GUIDE: WINE, BEER, AND SPIRITS

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1 CATEGORY STYLE GUIDE: WINE, BEER, AND SPIRITS

2 About this document This Style Guide is intended to give you the guidance you need to create effective, accurate Product Ads in the Wine, Beer, and Spirits category. As an advertiser of alcoholic beverages on the Amazon platform, it is your responsibility to comply with all laws and regulations and with Amazon policies. Additional category-specific listing policies are described in the appendix of this document. We provide this material for informational purposes only and it is not intended as legal advice. We encourage you to consult with your legal counsel if you have questions about the laws and regulations concerning your products. Table of Contents Wine, Beer, and Spirits Introduction... 3 Title Style... 4 Brand & Manufacturer... 6 Browse & Search... 6 Product Type Specific Features... 7 Bullet Points of Key Product Features... 8 Product Descriptions Item Package Quantity Size Images Appendix: Additional Policies Related to Product Listings Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Page 2

3 Wine, Beer, and Spirits Introduction Regardless of product category, accurate data is crucial to offer matching and creation; product discoverability; and sales performance. To advertise your products in the Wine, Beer, and Spirits category, you will need to provide at a minimum: SKU, Title, Category, Price, Link, Recommended Browse Node, Vintage (for wine), Brand, Image(s), Size, and Item Package Quantity. These product attributes are critical for three reasons: 1. Matching and Creation Amazon creates a product detail page for each unique product based on the product and offer information submitted by sellers. This structure has allowed us to build a world-class shopping experience with customer access to offers from multiple retailers. 2. Discoverability Customers use a combination of search and browse refinements to discover your products among the millions of products available on Amazon.com. 3. Performance After a customer discovers your product, the product and offer information on the detail page is critical to driving high conversion and ROI. There is no charge for impressions; there is only a charge when a customer clicks on your ad. You can improve conversion and ROI by providing comprehensive product and offer data which further qualifies customers before they click on your ad. To maximize ROI, we recommend providing data beyond the required list mentioned above. The table below provides a summary of the key attributes related to matching/creation, discoverability, and performance. More detailed information about specific attributes is contained within this document. Attribute Description Attribute Type Matching/Creation Discovery Performance SKU Your product ID Required Yes No No Title Clear title containing only product details Required Yes Yes Yes Category While we determine the final match, you must suggest a category for your item Required Yes No No Price Your price Required No No Yes Link The URL for the product page on your website Required No No No Recommended Browse Node (RBN) Required to place products in the Wine, Beer and Spirits store Required Yes Yes Yes Vintage In YYYY format for wine Required Yes Yes Yes Brand and/or Manufacturer Influential data point in all cases Required Yes Yes Yes Images Only the product on a white background Required No Yes Yes Size Specifies the volume of the product Required Yes No Yes Item Package Quantity Number of units within an offer, such that each unit is packaged for individual sale, and has a scannable bar code Required Yes No Yes Keywords Search terms customers would use to find your product Strongly Recommended No Yes No Description Highlight the key features and benefits of your product Strongly Recommended No No Yes Bullet Points Articulate key features in bullet format Strongly Recommended No No Yes Body Description The type of wine. See valid values in the appendix. Strongly Recommended No Yes Yes Varietal Designation The dominant grape in the wine (>75% of total composition) or the name of the blend. Strongly Recommended No Yes Yes Varietal Composition The percentage of each grape and its respective varietal name that comprises the wine Strongly Recommended No No Yes Country of Origin Country where the grapes were grown and the wine was produced Strongly Recommended No Yes Yes Region of Origin US state or geographic region from which the majority of the grapes were grown Strongly Recommended No Yes Yes Appellation Geographical indication used to identify where the grapes for a wine were grown Strongly Recommended No Yes Yes Subregion of Origin More specific indication of where the grapes for a wine were grown (sub-appellation) Recommended No No Yes When advertising alcoholic beverages, ensure that your ads adhere to the following guidelines: Do not encourage over-consumption Do not refer to potential effects of consuming alcohol, including positive attitude adjustment, improved appreciation of food, or benign social lubrication or other illegal claims Do not target consumer segments that include persons under 21 Do not disparage a competing product Additional guidance is available from The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), The Wine Institute, Beer Institute and Discus.org Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Page 3

4 Title Style Product title is one of the first attributes viewed by customers in search results and on a detail page. Does your title provide customers with the right information? Will they continue looking at your product offer? Amazon uses the words in product titles to describe your products in search results. A concise and relevant title will drive traffic to your product detail page. Always check titles for consistent format and accuracy. Follow the guidelines below to create product titles that make a good first impression. Elements to Include in Title [brand] + [product type/region] + [style/flavor] + [vintage (if wine)] + [size/quantity (if applicable)] Examples: Brand Product/Region Style/Flavor/Vintage Size/Quantity Chateau Ste Michelle Cold Creek Merlot ml Silver Oak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ml New Belgium Fat Tire Amber Ale 12 oz. bottle, 12 pack Grey Goose Vodka 750ml Tips on how to create a great title Do Capitalize the first letter of each word (but see exceptions under Do Not) Use numerals (2 instead of two) If a bundled product, state value in parenthesis as (Pack of X) Keep it short, but include critical information, such as Vintage (for wine) and Size 50 characters maximum Note: Please include only standard text; Type 1 High ASCII characters (,,, etc.) or other special characters are not supported Do Not Do not include price and quantity Do not use ALL CAPS Do not capitalize these parts of speech: Conjunctions (and, or, for) Articles (the, a, an) Prepositions with fewer than five letters (in, on, over, with, etc.) Do not include advertiser-specific information Do not include promotional messages such as "sale" or "free ship" Do not use your display name for Brand information, unless your product is Private Label Do not include symbols in your listings (such as:! * $?) Do not include subjective commentary such as 'Hot Item' or 'Best Seller' Note: Do not include company information or offer messaging in product titles. Titles which include company or offer information will be suspended Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Page 4

5 Examples: Correct: Incorrect: 2011 ROSCATO ROSSO DOLCE 750ML Avoid using all capitals. Use Title Case Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Page 5

6 Brand & Manufacturer Brand information improves the accuracy of your product listings and help customers discover your products in search and browse. Brand A unique and identifiable symbol, association, name, or trademark which serves to differentiate competing products or services A name used to distinguish one product from its competitors; it can apply to a single product, an entire product line, or even a company A name or symbol used to identify a seller's goods or services, and to differentiate them from those of competitors Example: Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Browse & Search Customers shop for your products on Amazon.com in two ways: either using browse functionality and refinements, or using search terms. Most often customers use a combination of browse and search. Make sure customers can find your products either way. Drive traffic to your products by providing relevant keywords, the correct Recommended Browse Node (for browse), and appropriate refinements (e.g., Vintage, Body Description, Varietal Designation, Country of Origin). To participate in the Wine, Beer, and Spirits category, you must provide a recommended browse node for each SKU. Ads without browse nodes will result in ad suspension, account suspension, or both. Browse Recommended Browse Node Product Wine Beer Spirits Recommended Browse Node Search Search terms help customers find your products. Your product titles and company name are already searchable, so think about other words that describe your product. Think like an Amazon customer when choosing your search terms; use words that a customer might enter into the search bar, including synonyms. Make sure they can find your products! Think like a customer! Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Page 6

7 Guidelines for listing your Keywords Each product can have up to five keyword fields of 50 characters per field; that's 250 characters available for your search terms The words you choose are the terms our search engine uses when customers search the site The individual words of the title, seller, and brand are automatically included as search terms and you do not need to add them to the keyword field Any combinations of title words and search terms are fully searchable Note: The quality of the information that you provide about your product impacts search results. Search keywords are an important part of search discoverability, but not the only factor. The other part is the order in which products display in search results, which is impacted by factors including: sales history, customer reviews, and data quality. Providing relevant search teams along with high quality product data will lead to increased product traffic, higher sales, and more customer reviews which will lead to higher placement in search results. Product Type Specific Features Vintage Features Description Example Body Description* Varietal Designation* Varietal Composition Country of Origin* Region of Origin* Appellation* Subregion of Origin* The year the grapes were harvested in YYYY format or NV (for No Vintage) 2009 Classification as red, white, rose, dessert, sparkling, sake, or others The dominant grape in the wine (>75% of total composition) or the name of the blend Describe the percentage of each grape and its respective varietal name that comprises the wine Country where the grapes were grown and the wine was produced For US wines, specify the US state from which the majority of the grapes were grown; for other countries, specify the geographic region or territory Geographical indication used to identify where the grapes for a wine were grown More specific geographical indication used to identify where the grapes for a wine were grown (sub-appellation) red Cabernet Sauvignon 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot USA California Napa Valley Stags Leap District Alcohol Content* Decimal amount plus the valid alcohol unit 0.12 percent by volume * Indicates that there are valid values for this field (see the Wine Product Ads Upload Template) Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Page 7

8 Bullet Points of Key Product Features Key Product Feature bullets on the detail page give the customer more details about your product and can influence the customer s purchase decision. Highlight the five key features you want customers to consider Reiterate important information from the title and description Include only product-specific information; non-product-specific information can distract from a customer's purchase decision Content Features Features Features Features Features Example: Featured Bullets Moet & Chandon Non-Vintage Champagne Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier grapes Champagne Cork Fresh and fruity with candied sugar, ginger and vanilla favours and notes of brioche on the finish 750ml Customers use this section to get a snapshot of the product. They may finalize a purchase decision based on this information alone, or it may interest them enough to then read the full product description. Do Maintain a consistent order; if your first bullet point is country of origin, keep that same order for all your products Begin each bullet point with a capital letter Write with sentence fragments and do not include ending punctuation In bullets with multiple independent clauses, separate the clauses with semicolons Use numerals (2 instead of two) Spell out measurements such as quart, inch, and feet Do Not Do not use hyphens, symbols, periods, or exclamation points Do not write vague statements; be as specific as possible with product features and attributes Do not include promotional and pricing information Do not include shipping or company information; Amazon policy prohibits including seller, company, or shipping information Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Page 8

9 Examples: Correct: Product Features Red Wine Australia Screw Cap Very smooth with rich ripe fruit flavors Enjoy with red meat dishes Incorrect: Product Features Free shipping within the United States More information about this product can be found at HURRY WHILE SUPPLIES LAST Only capitalize the first letter of each word. Availability information is not permitted Shipping information is not permitted Seller URL's are not permitted. Your destination URL will be embedded in the product ad Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Page 9

10 Product Descriptions Product Description explains the product's features. Customers read the description to learn more about the product than is obvious from the Title, Image, or Key Product Features. Product Descriptions are limited to 2,000 characters. Do Describe the major product features and list product information, including ratings and scores, tasting notes, and defining characteristics Keep it short, but include critical information Use correct grammar and complete sentences Be sure that product claims are truthful and substantiated and comply with all laws Do Not Do not include your seller name, address, website URL, or any company-specific information Do not write about anything but the product for sale; this is your opportunity to tell the customer what they are buying Do not include promotional language such as "sale" or "free ship" (use the Manage Promotions tool instead) Correct: Product Description Product Description Jam Jar Sweet Shiraz is packed with fresh, juicy flavors of blueberries, blackberries and raspberries with dark chocolate undertones. Striking a perfect balance between sweetness and acidity, this refreshing and approachable wine is great to sip on its own and matches up equally well with meat dishes, cheeses, and desserts. Product Description Product Description The proven existence of Pisco can be traced back to 1871, and its original Appellation of Origin was reserved and approved by law in Pisco ABA is produced in the heart of the Elqui Valley, a long narrow oasis that winds its way through the Andes. A "boutique" type of distillate made by the Aguirre family. Produced with double distillation in copper pot stills. You can drink Pisco ABA in a delicious Pisco Sour (Chileans' favourite cocktail), or mixed with Schweppes, Tonic Water or Ginger Ale (called "chuflay" in Chile), or simply neat on the rocks. Awarded: Gold Medal - VinItaly 2002; Silver Medal - International Wine & Spirit Competition 2002 (London); Double Gold Medal - The San Francisco World Spirits Competition Incorrect: Product Description Product Description THIS IS A DELICIOUS, MUST BUY, SEE OTHER PRODUCTS AT WWW Destination URL should be provided in the feed and Amazon will embed it in the ad. Only capitalize the first letter of each word Doesn't provide descriptive information about the product Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Page 10

11 Item Package Quantity Item Package Quantity (IPQ) provides customers with information on the number of units within an offer, such that each unit is packaged for individual sale, and has a scannable bar code. The value entered for IPQ is dependent on the UPC being provided for the product offer. For example, a case of 5 boxes of 100 paperclips, with each box having a scannable bar code, would have an item package quantity of 5. For the same product, if the case UPC was provided instead of the individual box UPC, then the item package quantity would equal 1. Make sure you enter the correct IPQ in your listing data so your product will attach to the correct detail page. This value can be added in the "item package quantity" field. Examples related to the Wine, Beer, and Spirits category are provided below. Note: Most manufacturers create UPCs for products that are sold as a set (e.g., 2 packs of coffee sold as 1 unit). However, some sellers break up these sets and sell the products as single units. To minimize detail page errors and to provide helpful information to customers, it is important to always include the UPC and IPQ for products that could be sold either in a set or as single units. Your Product Your Product IPQ Why? Desperados, Tequila Beer, 330ml, 12 pack Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough, 750ml Cockburns Special Reserve Port 50ml Miniature - 15 Pack 12 The customer will receive 12, 330ml bottles 1 The customer will receive 1, 750ml bottle 15 The customer will receive 15, 50ml bottles Note: Enter the quantity of the items you are selling in your product listings to help avoid matching to detail pages for different quantities of the same product. Size Size provides customers with the volume of a single unit. This value can be added in the "Size" field. Your Product Your Product Size Why? Desperados, Tequila Beer, 330ml, 12 pack Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough, 750ml Cockburns Special Reserve Port 50ml Miniature - 15 Pack 330ml 750ml 50ml The customer will receive 12, 330ml bottles The customer will receive 1, 750ml bottle The customer will receive 15, 50ml bottles Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Page 11

12 Images Images are used in all Product Ads placements and are required for all merchandised placements. A professional image helps customers discover your product in search results and influences a customer s decision to purchase on the detail page. Show customers what they will receive in their shipment (and only what they will receive). Make it easy for them to identify your product with a clear, high-quality image displaying exactly what you're offering. Required Use simple and clean white backgrounds that do not distract from the product Create images with 300-dpi minimum; 1,000-dpi images are preferred Show the entire product; the product should occupy at least 80 percent of the image area Include only what the customer will receive; accessories that are not part of the product should not be shown If it is a bundled product, it is not necessary to show the entire LOT; a single image of the product will suffice Prohibited Borders, watermarks, text, or other decorations Colored backgrounds or lifestyle pictures Other products, items or accessories that are not part of the product listing; only include exactly what the customer is buying Image place holders (with text such as "temporary image" or "no image available") Images containing graphs of product ratings Promotional text such as "sale" or "free ship" (use the Manage Promotions tool instead) Images that alter or omit mandatory label information Note: Zoom Functionality When you submit an image of at least 1,000 dpi, customers can zoom in on your product image on the detail page. This provides a detailed look at your product and may reduce returns and negative feedback. Examples of correct images Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Page 12

13 Examples of incorrect images Difficult to read with reflecting light Not on a white background Difficult to read packaging Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Page 13

14 Appendix: Additional Policies Related to Product Listings In the Wine, Beer, and Spirits category, there are category-specific requirements that a seller must meet to be approved to advertise through product ads. These requirements are categorized as Seller and Customer Experience requirements. Seller Requirements: Wine, Beer, and Spirits is a gated category that requires category approval to list through Product Ads. To list in this category, a Product Ads seller must meet the following Seller requirements: Seller must be licensed by an alcoholic beverage authority in at least one state Seller must not have offers on their website that ship to the 8 states listed below; sellers may request a review of their authorization to ship to these states o Alabama o Arkansas o Delaware o Indiana o Mississippi o Oklahoma o Pennsylvania o Utah Seller must not purport to act as a shipping agent on behalf of customers or require customers to take responsibility for shipping alcohol products Seller must not have restricted alcohol products advertised for sale on Amazon, including but not limited to: o Moonshine or other homemade alcohol o Inhalable alcohol o Alcoholic energy drinks o Bottles shaped like weapons o Alcoholic whipped cream or ice cream o Alcohol packaged to look like non-alcoholic soft drinks or energy drinks o Alcohol club subscriptions Customer Experience Requirements: Due to the complex shipping restrictions in this category, advertisers must be able to ship to a minimum group of states to be approved for Wine, Beer, and Spirits product ads. This requirement helps protect the customer from clicking through to an external website that cannot ship to the customer s state. This also helps the advertiser that pays on a per click basis. At a minimum, advertisers must be able to ship to: California, Florida and 7 states out of the list below: Arizona Illinois Missouri Oregon Wisconsin Colorado Maryland Nevada Texas Connecticut Michigan North Carolina Virginia Georgia Minnesota Ohio Washington Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Page 14