1. The ALL-CAPS keyword structure
Amazon's convention — and best practice — is to start each bullet with an ALL-CAPS keyword phrase, followed by a colon, followed by the benefit explanation.
Format: KEYWORD: benefit sentence that expands on what this means for the customer.
Examples: • PFOA-FREE COATING: No harmful chemicals reach your food — safe for the whole family and fully compliant with EU food safety standards. • OVEN SAFE TO 220°C: Move seamlessly from hob to oven without changing pans — perfect for finishing frittatas, searing steaks, and baking dishes.
The ALL-CAPS keyword serves two functions: it's visually scannable for shoppers, and it signals to A9 what the product's key attributes are.
2. Benefits, not features
The most common mistake: listing specs without explaining what they mean.
Feature: "Double-wall vacuum insulation" Benefit: "Keeps drinks cold for 24 hours and hot for 12 — so your coffee is still warm at your 3pm meeting"
Every bullet should answer "so what?" If you can't complete the sentence "...which means the customer can/gets/avoids..." then it's a feature, not a benefit. Rewrite it.
The five bullets should collectively tell a complete story: what it does, who it's for, why it's better, what problems it solves, and what makes it trustworthy.
3. Character limits and formatting
Amazon officially allows up to 1,000 bytes per bullet (roughly 200 characters for standard Latin text). In practice, bullets over ~200 characters often get truncated in search results and on mobile.
Aim for 150–200 characters per bullet. This forces you to be specific and concise — which actually improves conversion.
Never use: • Markdown formatting (bold, italic) — Amazon strips it • Promotional language ("Best in class", "Award-winning") without proof • Subjective claims ("Amazing quality", "Perfect for everyone") • Price information — this violates Amazon's guidelines and gets listings suppressed
4. Keyword strategy for A9
Amazon's A9 algorithm indexes your bullet text for search. This means the keywords in your bullets directly affect whether your listing appears when shoppers search.
Best practice: • Include your primary keyword naturally in the first bullet • Spread 3–5 secondary keywords across the remaining bullets • Use long-tail variants (e.g. "non-stick frying pan" and "non-stick skillet" are different searches) • Don't stuff — A9 rewards relevance and conversion rate, not keyword density
Use Amazon's own search bar auto-complete to discover what variations buyers actually search for.
5. Addressing the top return reason
One of your five bullets should proactively address the most common reason people return this type of product. This reduces returns, improves reviews, and builds conversion trust.
For cookware: address durability or coating longevity For clothing: address sizing and fit For electronics: address compatibility For supplements: address taste or mixability
You can find your category's top return reasons by reading 1-star and 2-star reviews for your competitors. The most common complaints become your most powerful bullet reassurance.