Failing the right customer-focused goal at Amazon is better than succeeding at the wrong one An engineering manager on my team once proposed an audacious goal "we will reduce server latency by 20%." We owned the navigation elements of the website shopping experience - rendered on every page so a 20% latency improvement would be huge! I was a new leader to the team and wanted to learn as much as possible, asking "How much of that 20% latency reduction will customers see?" "Customers should see about half the improvement." A 10% speed up for navigation elements for all pages at Amazon.com would be still be great! After discussion (we couldn't do more without resourcing trade-offs) I was onboard: "Great! Set the goal for a 10% customer improvement and get started!" Immediate push back. "Wait! We're only confident in the server side improvement - we might miss this goal!" They were afraid to commit even if it meant taking a server goal that might not matter to customers. This resistance meant we didn't take any latency goal and invested elsewhere. I've seen this pattern repeated since then - leaders preferring to commit to what they know they can deliver and being afraid to outline the goal impact in customer terms that would truly matter. In some cases this means the goal proposed was easily accomplished (we engineers can be a pessimistic lot). In some cases these less-inspiring goals were missed, or simply dropped. Either outcome isn't necessarily great, but missing a tightly defined goal that had unimpressive benefit reflects poorly on the judgment of a leader. Better to aim too high and miss (but get close!) than aim low and fail to impress or achieve. Within reason - teams and people will rise to higher expectations. I am guilty of over-optimism in setting goals, sometimes dramatically so. In 2021 I set a 1-year customer-obsessed goal based on "what would need to be true" hoping to inspire and exceed. We didn't make it - the goal was so audacious that I lost trust with the team "it's red from the start!" Our 2022 goal was more reasonable, but still audacious (yes - we missed that one too). We did ultimately succeed in June 2023, 18 months late -- but crucially I didn't lose the trust of my leaders along the way. We made measurable progress and I provided updates on where we were, the problems we faced, and (more importantly) how we continued to de-prioritize other goals to make the more important work happen. I learned to both educate and simplify in my updates so my leaders could understand, give helpful feedback, and support us when necessary. I helped them appreciate how hard the problems that were trying to solve were - not to excuse the misses, but to explain them. This helped me continue to have the privilege of leading my team. I was promoted in the midst of red goals - the most critical one across my org. Why? Because failing the right goal is better than succeeding on the wrong one.
Setting audacious customer-focused goals at Amazon: a cautionary tale
More Relevant Posts
-
The 3 Most Common Mistakes New Amazon Sellers Make: 1. Guessing product ideas 2.Copying competitors blindly 3.Skipping research These slip-ups cost time, money, and momentum. Learn how to avoid them and build smarter from day one. Watch my Free lessons here: https://lnkd.in/ewDHcvdZ #AmazonFBA #EcommerceTips #ProductLaunch #LearnWithKelly #ThePerfectProductFormula
To view or add a comment, sign in
-
-
Most people think Amazon’s power comes from low prices and fast delivery. But the real advantage is subtler: they design decisions. Too many options? They label Amazon’s Choice. Too many reviews? They highlight Verified Purchases. Too many distractions? They show you Frequently Bought Together to guide your next step. Every click feels like your choice. But every click has been shaped by psychology. Here’s the takeaway for you: 👉 Make it easy for others to choose you. 👉 Provide signals of effort that build trust. 👉 Reduce overload by presenting yourself simply and clearly. Amazon doesn’t just sell convenience. It sells clarity. And clarity is what makes people act. What’s one way you can make choosing you effortless this week? Read more about the Amazon Effect in my weekly newsletter: https://lnkd.in/gtzWBbeN Watch my full-length video on this topic, here: https://lnkd.in/gMqVkKqi #AmazonEffect #ConsumerPsychology #HabitHacking #PersonalBranding #CareerGrowth
To view or add a comment, sign in
-
Amazon is the smartest place to start. It’s cheap to test a product, the traffic is already there, and shoppers are ready to buy. If your product is good, you’ll know fast. The problem comes later—when CPCs climb, fees pile up, and copycats show up. That’s when scaling gets tough. Amazon is great for impulse buys, but if your product needs education, differentiation, or premium positioning, you’ll hit a wall unless you take the story off Amazon. That’s where you control your message, build brand value, and show customers why you’re worth more. Start on Amazon. Scale off Amazon. That’s the play. Where are you right now, testing products or hitting that wall?
To view or add a comment, sign in
-
When researching products for Amazon, always check 3 things: demand, competition, and profit margin. This ensures you’re not wasting money on low-potential items. #ProductResearcher#AppointmentSetter#VirtualAssistant
To view or add a comment, sign in
-
Your Amazon PDP’s first 200 characters do most of the selling. If the opening line on your Amazon detail page doesn’t land, the rest of the page is homework. What keeps shoppers, not yawns: - Lead with the job it does, not the spec sheet. - Ditch filler (“premium,” “world-class”); add one proof point. - Make sentence two the “why now” for Amazon shoppers. #Amazon #ListingOptimization #Conversion
To view or add a comment, sign in
-
-
Amazon has launched an "Add to Delivery" feature for Prime members, enabling users to add items to upcoming orders with a single tap at no additional cost.
To view or add a comment, sign in
-
⚡️ 𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝐁𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞. Millions are adding items to their carts at the exact same second. Now imagine this: 👉 Only 100 iPhones are in stock. 👉 1,000 people try to buy them at once. How does Amazon prevent overselling? 🤔 This is one of the coolest problems in system design — and the solution is pure engineering magic: 🔹 𝐓𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐑𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐬) : When you add an item to your cart, it doesn’t hit the DB. Instead, a super-fast in-memory cache (with short TTL) reserves it. The DB stays safe from overload. 🔹 𝐀𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐜 𝐎𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 (𝐊𝐚𝐟𝐤𝐚) : Your order isn’t executed instantly. It’s pushed into a message queue for smooth, scalable handling. 🔹 𝐀𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐃𝐁 𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 : A backend service consumes from the queue and runs an atomic check: UPDATE product SET quantity = quantity - 1 WHERE product_id = X AND quantity > 0; No two people can grab the same last unit. 🔹 𝐎𝐮𝐭-𝐨𝐟-𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐜𝐤 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 : If the item’s already gone, you get the dreaded “Out of Stock” message (yes, like those iPhone flash sales 👀). 🚀 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 : Preventing overselling isn’t luck — it’s engineering. It’s Redis + Queues + Atomic DB Ops + Smart fallbacks = Happy customers. Thanks Sunchit Dudeja. #SystemDesign #Ecommerce #BigBillionSale #Amazon #DistributedSystems #TechStory #Flipkart
To view or add a comment, sign in
-
-
You don't have to reinvent the wheel when launching a product on amazon. → Just do something that exists, but better but... whats better? Something that is RELEVANT to your target customer, that improves the product. → Bigger → Better Materials → Different Use → More Pockets → Video Instructions And a lot of the times you don't even have to "figure it out", you just have to listen. Reviews is a way of listening. What are 4 star reviews about? What features does the end customer wish the product had? Speak to your customer, and they will tell you ↓
To view or add a comment, sign in
-
-
Amazon Now Delivers in 10 Minutes — Welcome to the Era of Instant Gratification 🚀 Amazon India has just unveiled a bold expansion of its ultra-fast delivery service: 10-minute delivery is now live in Mumbai, joining Delhi and Bengaluru. IN About Amazon What’s new & notable: Over 100 micro-fulfillment centres are already operational across the three cities to support this hyperlocal model. IN About Amazon Demand is surging — Amazon reports 25% month-on-month growth in order volume. IN About Amazon Prime users are placing orders more frequently after trying out the service. IN About Amazon Long-term plans include adding “hundreds more” micro-fulfillment centres as the service scales. IN About Amazon 💡 Why this matters: Consumer expectations are evolving — today, waiting minutes instead of hours or days is becoming standard rather than exceptional. Logistics & supply chain innovation is no longer optional. Hyperlocal infrastructure, inventory intelligence, and real-time dispatching are now table stakes. Competitive differentiation: In a crowded market, speed becomes a brand promise. Sustainability & efficiency: Closer fulfillment setups reduce transit distances, which can improve both cost and environmental footprint. This move is a compelling example of how retail and logistics are converging. Accelerated delivery isn’t just a convenience — it’s a competitive imperative. What do you think — will 10-minute delivery become table stakes everywhere? Or is it viable only in dense metros with strong infrastructure? https://amzn.to/3ZC0jRI #Amazon #Logistics #RetailInnovation #Hyperlocal #SupplyChain #CustomerExperience
To view or add a comment, sign in
-
That countdown timer on your Amazon Storefront isn’t there just to “look urgent.” It’s one of the most effective psychological tools for getting people to make a fast decision. But most brands misunderstand why it really works. It’s not just about showing a discount. It’s about triggering two deep, human responses: 1. Loss Aversion The fear of "missing out" on the deal is a far stronger motive than the desire to save 20%. It’s not manipulation. It’s motivation. 2. Cognitive Tunneling A live countdown creates a sense of pressure and focus. When the clock is ticking, shoppers stop browsing and start buying. Their attention narrows to one goal: complete the purchase before time runs out. The difference between smart and sloppy execution comes down to trust. If your timer isn’t connected to a real Amazon promotion like a Lightning Deal or Deal of the Day, it feels fake. Sync it with something real. Make the scarcity credible. You’re not adding a timer for aesthetics. You’re using time itself to help customers make a confident, timely decision.
To view or add a comment, sign in
Principal HCLS Solutions Architect | Technical Therapist | Builder | DevOps Cultural Transformation | Amazon Bar Raiser
2moI really needed to hear this! Thanks for the perspective!