Why Sales Rank Matters

Today's consumers are confronted with a huge selection of product choices and an even larger collection of information on these products. There are many ways to rank or rate products. Consumers can leave stars for those products they own. Experts can review and rate those products within their field of knowledge. A more real world and democratic method is to review how well products are selling. While aggressive marketing may kick-start sales, in the age of the Internet a champion and a lemon are equally hard to hide. In addition, a critical mass of users force a company to focus attention on a product.

In the age of Internet and mobile social media, word of a disappointing product gets out almost instantly. In turn, when many consumers buy a given product and the buzz remains positive, that product has survived the sometimes brutal social media litmus test. Any consumer with decent following on his or her social tools should place fear and accountability in the hearts of manufacturers and retail outlets. A simple twitter on a cell phone could start a landslide.

A large user base also strengthens a manufacturer's support of a product. To maintain positive branding and ensure additional purchases of related products, the manufacturer has a built-in incentive to provide a positive customer experience. The effort and expense of reselling or upselling to a current customer is almost always less than the effort and expense of engaging a new customer. Likewise the risks of a disappointed and disillusioned population of customers leads directly to negative word of mouth and financial losses.

A large user base strengthens a manufacturer's long-term commitment to a product. The consumer can be confident that years down the road support and accessories will still be available. No matter how much experts love a new offering to the market, companies are going to allocate support dollars to those items that give the greatest return in customer satisfaction and dollars: in other words, to top-selling products.

Product ratings and reviews do play an essential role in making purchasing decisions. However, they should be taken in tandem with how consumers are voting with their dollars. It is desirable to be in front of the curve on a product, but not too far in front. Sales rank provides a good first tier filter in a product search. Once the consumer has a manageable group of competing products, other consumer resources can be applied for a final decision. This will ensure that the best product will be backed with support for the short-term and the long-term.