Amazon Vendors deal with a different beast than Sellers, especially when it comes to direct API integrations with Vendor Central. But that doesn’t mean you’re screwed. You just have to be a bit more crafty when using tools like Helium 10, yep, the suite I’ve reviewed, recommended and even collaborated on as a Helium 10 Seller Solutions Hub Partner, blog contributor and podcast guest.
Table of Contents
Let’s check out some Helium 10 tools you can still use even if you're a Vendor and don’t have access to the SP-API:
Market research with Black Box and Trendster
Black Box is still your go-to for market research. It helps you dig into product ideas, keyword trends and competitor moves without needing any API access. You can explore niches, see what’s selling and get ideas for what to pitch on Vendor Central.
Why? Because Black Box pulls data for both 3P and 1P sellers. Yep, it’s got your back.
Pro tip: Want only 1P data? Use the fulfillment filter and select “Amazon”. Easy win.
Trendster shows you when a product is heating up or dying down. Super handy for planning launches or timing promos and purchase orders.
Keyword and listing optimization: Cerebro, Magnet, Scribbles and Listing Builder
Cerebro and Magnet are keyword machines. Research? Check. Spy on competitors? Check. Long-tail gold? Absolutely.
Scribbles feels a bit old-school and might get replaced soon, but it still does the job. Use it with Listing Builder to load up your Vendor listings with keywords and prep them for conversions. Just remember: no one-click sync since Vendors don’t have API access. Annoying but workable.
Optimize product listings with Listing Analyzer
Once you've done your keyword homework, Listing Analyzer gives your listing a quick health check. It compares your content with the top listings and shows what needs a fix, titles, bullets, images, all of it.
Check A9’s indexing with Helium 10 Index Checker
Need to confirm your product is actually showing up in search? Index Checker does just that. It tells you if your keywords are indexed by Amazon’s A9. If not, time to tweak that copy.
Monitor market trends with Market Tracker 360
Market Tracker 360 gives you the big picture on your category. Who’s killing it? Who’s tanking? Are you gaining share or getting steamrolled? Super useful for Vendors who need to back up their strategy with real data.
Implementation strategy for Vendors
If you're a Vendor using Helium 10, awesome, you’re in good company. We work with a bunch of Vendors and hybrids, and use Helium 10 to audit performance. Here’s the usual playbook:
- Track market and keyword trends: We rely on Cerebro, Black Box and Market Tracker 360 to stay sharp.
- Listing optimization: Listing Analyzer gives us the insights to polish Vendor listings.
- Off-Amazon traffic: Using Portals (yeah, Helium 10 has a landing page tool) we build QR campaigns to boost brand presence outside Amazon.
Pro tip: Vendors can use up to 11 bullet points in their listings. That’s gold, don’t waste it.
Even without Vendor Central API access, you can still get a ton of value from Helium 10. From research to listings to branding, it’s all doable. Just gotta adjust your flow a bit, and I say that as someone deep in the trenches with Helium 10.
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About the author
Jordi Ordonez
I’m an independent eCommerce and Amazon consultant.
Clients
I've worked with brands like Estrella Damm, Intersport, Bella Aurora, Lladró, Textura Interiors, Nice Things Palomas, Castañer, Due-Home, and many others.
Lecturer & Teacher
I’ve spoken and taught at events such as Meet Magento, PrestaShop Day, SEMrush, Cambra de Comerç Barcelona, ClinicSEO, EcommBeers, EcommBrunch, Ecommercetour.com, EcommFest, EOI, ESIC-ICEMD, Foxize, Generalitat de Catalunya, Inesdi, Quondos, and The Valley. I’ve also delivered in-company training sessions for major brands like Orange and Adidas.
Writer
I regularly contribute articles to the Helium 10 blog, Shopify, SEMrush, La Vanguardia, eCommerce News, Marketing4ecommerce, and others.
Partner
Helium 10, Jungle Scout, Avask, Helium 10 Seller Solutions Hub Partner, SaaS4Marketing, H10-wp.com, FBASuite.com, and a Trusted Partner of Tracefuse.
Social
LinkedIn, Twitter, Wikipedia, YouTube, Quora, ISNI 0000000513224289, About Jordi Ordonez