Using Amazon Market Basket Analysis to Identify Cross-Sells

Market Basket Analysis acts as a window into the consumer purchase behavior on Amazon. It is accessible to registered brand owners who have access to the Brand Analytics portal. The data presented in this report highlights which products customers are adding to their carts in the same transaction as your own items. This information is based on confirmed purchase patterns, giving you a reliable baseline for understanding how your product mix interacts with the broader Amazon marketplace environment.

In a typical account, you will see a list of products that appear alongside your items. This list includes both your own brand’s products and items from competitors. Understanding these relationships is helpful for brand owners who want to see if their items are being bought as a set or if customers are opting for a competitor’s alternative instead of a secondary product from your own catalog. This feature is intended for strategic planning rather than real-time campaign management.

The report provides a clear view of the ‘Customer Purchased Together’ metric. When you view this table, you see the parent ASIN, the associated product, and the frequency with which they are bought together. If you see your own products appearing as a secondary purchase, it indicates that your current cross-selling efforts or product page configurations are effective. However, if you see a competitor’s product consistently appearing, it serves as a sign that you may have a gap in your product line.

For example, if you sell high-end kitchen knives and the report shows that a specific brand of knife sharpener is frequently purchased alongside your set, you have identified a strong candidate for a future product launch or a bundle. Conversely, if you sell the sharpener, you might consider creating a sponsored product campaign that targets customers who are looking at your main knife sets. This data helps you make decisions based on what shoppers are already doing.

Creating virtual bundles or physical kits is a practical way to increase your average order value. By using the Market Basket Analysis report, you can identify products that have a high affinity for one another. Instead of guessing which products might appeal to the same customer, you use the data to construct bundles that reflect actual purchase behavior. This reduces the risk of creating a bundle that has no interest from your target audience.

• Identify frequently purchased pairings to form new product bundles.
• Spot competitor items that shoppers choose instead of your accessories.
• Inform your inventory stocking levels based on high-frequency pairings.
• Refine your Amazon Ads strategy by targeting top-associated items.

At Alien Road, we use the Market Basket Analysis report as a foundational step for audit and strategy. When we onboard a new client, we look at the Brand Analytics report to see if their product ecosystem is self-contained. For example, in a typical engagement for a home goods client, we examine the report to see if they are missing out on cross-sell opportunities. We then use this to inform the creation of Virtual Bundles, which allows the client to sell multiple items under one ASIN without needing new packaging.

We also use this data to adjust advertising bids. If we notice that a specific item is frequently bought with a client’s product, we move to secure ad placement on that specific detail page. This approach ensures that the client is staying visible during the entire shopping journey. By keeping the strategy aligned with real customer activity, we help avoid wasted ad spend on products that do not actually result in a secondary purchase.

No, this feature is restricted to brand owners. You must have a registered trademark and be enrolled in the Amazon Brand Registry program to access the Brand Analytics suite, which contains the Market Basket Analysis report. If you are a reseller without brand ownership, you will not see this specific report in your dashboard.

It is good practice to review this report monthly. Because consumer trends can shift based on seasonality or changes in product availability, checking the data once a month allows you to stay informed without becoming overwhelmed by minor daily fluctuations. This frequency is usually enough to spot meaningful patterns that require a change in your strategy.

While the report does not directly change your search rank, it informs your content strategy. If you see that your product is frequently purchased with a specific accessory, you can mention that accessory in your bullet points or A+ content. This helps shoppers understand why the two items work well together, which can improve your overall conversion rate.

The report shows actual customer purchase behavior, not just your brand’s data. Seeing a competitor’s product in your report is normal. It shows that customers are considering that item alongside yours. You can use this to understand what features your competitors have that your customers value, or you can use it to target those products with your ads.

No, the report does not show individual customer names or private information. The data is aggregated to protect user privacy. You will see product-level relationships, which are helpful for brand strategy, but Amazon does not share data that could be used to track or identify specific individual shoppers who purchased your items.

Keep reading: Amazon Ads · Amazon