Amazon Retail Analytics Guide: Basic vs Premium Reports
When it comes to combining retail and data-driven decision-making, Amazon stands far ahead of the competition. The company has built its empire by deeply understanding customer behavior and leveraging analytics at scale.
Amazon’s product recommendation engine and email marketing systems are widely recognized as some of the most advanced in the eCommerce world. These tools rely heavily on data to predict what customers want and when they are most likely to buy.
In the early days, Amazon focused on basic analytics such as traffic measurement and simple tracking methods commonly used by beginners. Over time, these basic insights evolved into powerful analytical systems that now drive nearly every aspect of the platform.
In this article, we’ll break down what Amazon Retail Analytics truly is, explore the differences between ARA Basic and ARA Premium, and assess whether these tools can genuinely support your business growth.
Why Retail Analytics Matter on Amazon
In retail, knowing how many visitors browse your listings is only part of the equation. To succeed, brands must also understand deeper performance metrics that reveal buying behavior and revenue patterns.
Amazon closely monitors data points such as order volume, revenue, average order value, and even loss-leader products. These insights help Amazon make strategic decisions that go beyond immediate profit.
During an industry podcast, an interesting observation was shared: many products sold on Amazon would not be profitable if sold alone. However, when bundled or purchased alongside complementary items, they contribute to long-term customer value.
Amazon continues to offer such products because they drive repeat purchases and customer loyalty. The long-term gains often outweigh the costs associated with storage, shipping, and operational overhead.
By using advanced analytics, Amazon has successfully lowered cart abandonment rates, re-engaged shoppers who leave without completing purchases, and optimized upselling and cross-selling strategies. These data-driven efforts ultimately lead to stronger conversion rates.
Understanding Amazon Retail Analytics
Amazon Retail Analytics (ARA) is the main reporting system available to vendors selling directly to Amazon. Once a Vendor Central account is created, eligible vendors gain access to these reports.
Through Amazon Retail Analytics, vendors can track sales performance, inventory health, operational challenges, stock availability, and catalog quality. These insights help vendors understand how Amazon manages and sells their products.
Access to specific reports depends on vendor permissions and contract terms. While ARA may not be as comprehensive as the analytics available to third-party sellers, it still provides valuable insights when used strategically.
What Is Amazon Retail Analytics Basic?
Amazon Retail Analytics Basic serves as the core reporting tool for vendors. All vendors receive access to these reports once their Vendor Central account is active.
Sales and Inventory Reports
ARA Basic includes three main sales and inventory reports available across four timeframes. The Sales & Inventory Dashboard offers a high-level view of shipped Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) and inventory stored at Amazon.
The dashboard allows vendors to analyze data year-to-date, quarter-to-date, month-to-date, and week-to-date. It also displays shipped COGS, inventory quantities and values, and open purchase order volumes.
One of the most valuable tools within ARA Basic is the Sales and Inventory Product Details report. This report provides product-level performance data, helping vendors identify top-performing SKUs and uncover growth opportunities.
Demand Forecast Report
The Demand Forecast report assists vendors with inventory planning by estimating upcoming purchase orders from Amazon. These estimates are based largely on historical sales performance.
It’s important to note that demand forecasts are projections, not guarantees. While they provide helpful guidance, actual order quantities may change depending on market conditions and Amazon’s internal needs.
Vendor Catalog Report
The Vendor Catalog Listing report displays all products sold to Amazon that receive page views. Listings are ranked by page view performance, offering insights into product visibility.
This report also highlights inventory-related data and allows vendors to identify listings that are missing images or incomplete information, helping improve catalog quality.
Operations Reports
ARA Basic also includes six Operations reports that focus on purchase orders and operational efficiency. These reports offer visibility into key performance areas such as purchasing accuracy, receiving efficiency, and lead times. Vendors can also review inbound defects, fast-track in-stock performance, and other operational metrics. Each category includes detailed sub-reports for deeper analysis and optimization.
What Is Amazon Retail Analytics Premium?
Amazon Retail Analytics Premium is an advanced reporting suite available through Vendor Central. It expands on ARA Basic by offering deeper insights across multiple business areas.
ARA Premium reports cover customer behavior, sales trends, geographic performance, operations, market movements, and customer reviews, providing a more holistic view of performance.
How to Access Amazon Retail Analytics Premium
Vendors can gain access to ARA Premium in two ways. The first option is by subscribing to Amazon’s Vendor Premium Services package, which typically starts at around $30,000 per year.
Alternatively, vendors may request access by submitting a support case through Vendor Central. Approval depends on eligibility and Amazon’s internal criteria.
ARA Premium includes more than 20 pre-built reports tailored to specific product categories. These reports offer deeper competitive and market-level insights.
Key Amazon Retail Analytics Premium Reports
Some of the most notable ARA Premium reports include:
- Amazon Top 100 Search Terms
- Amazon Search Terms
- Sales Summary
- Category Sales Performance
- Weekly Sales History
- Page Views and Conversion Rates
- Competitive Category Comparisons
- Fastest-Growing Amazon Products
The Amazon Top 100 Search Terms report is especially valuable, as it shows the most popular search queries by category across global marketplaces.
The Amazon Search Terms report helps vendors identify which ASINs receive the most clicks for specific keywords. Vendors can also reverse-search ASINs to uncover keywords where they rank among the top clicked products.
With Amazon Retail Analytics Premium, vendors gain access to actionable insights that can guide content optimization, advertising strategies, and product positioning.
Final Thoughts
Amazon Retail Analytics may not provide a perfect snapshot of your entire business, but it offers a powerful lens into how Amazon operates internally.
ARA Premium, in particular, delivers valuable insights into Amazon’s expectations, allowing vendors to improve operations, inventory planning, and listing optimization.
Amazon operates by its own rules, and understanding those rules through data is essential. The more you learn about Amazon’s analytics ecosystem, the better positioned you’ll be to succeed and scale your business on the platform.
