Competition sub-score
The Competition sub-score answers “how crowded is this niche?” on a 0–100 scale where higher = less crowded (less competition is generally a good thing for a new entrant).
In this guide:
- What goes in
- Reading the score
- When competition data is misleading
- How weights interact
What goes in
Three signals combine:
1. Review counts on the top listings
The top N listings in the category for the keyword. If the average review count is in the thousands, you’re competing with established sellers; if it’s in the dozens, the niche is young.
2. Average ratings
A category where the top listings average 4.6+ is harder to break into than one averaging 3.8. The 3.8 niche has either bad products that you can outshine, or bad supplier quality that affects everyone (a structural issue).
3. Listing density
How many active listings exist for the keyword/category. More listings = more candidates competing for the same buyer.
Combined into a single 0–100 sub-score. The math weights review counts most heavily because that’s the strongest predictor of how hard a niche is to crack.
Reading the score
| Score | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 80–100 | Very low competition. Few listings, low review counts, you can plausibly dominate. |
| 60–79 | Moderate. Established but not crowded. Realistic to compete on quality / margin. |
| 40–59 | Crowded. Top listings have thousands of reviews; entry is hard. |
| 20–39 | Saturated. Top listings have tens of thousands of reviews; brand-driven category. |
| 0–19 | Locked. Effectively a duopoly or category-defining brand has it. |
When competition data is misleading
High score on a new category
A genuinely new product category may show 80+ competition score because there aren’t many listings yet. That’s not a guaranteed opportunity — the niche may be small. Always cross-reference the demand sub-score.
Low score on a small niche
A small but cluttered niche (lots of listings, none with significant reviews) gets a low competition score because density is high. The score is technically correct but the niche may simply be too small to bother with regardless. Cross-reference demand again.
Score doesn’t reflect Amazon-vs-3rd-party dominance
Amazon Basics or Amazon’s private-label products in a category act differently from third-party sellers — they outrank, get prime placement, and don’t accept margin pressure. The competition sub-score doesn’t (yet) detect Amazon’s own brand presence as a separate signal. The AI brief on the product detail page usually flags this when it’s relevant.
How the weight interacts
Default competition weight: 20%.
Bump it up (to 30–35%) when:
- You’re new to selling and need a low-saturation entry point.
- You don’t have a unique angle and are competing on parity.
Drop it down (to 10–15%) when:
- You have a strong brand or unique angle and can compete in saturated niches.
- Demand is overwhelming enough to support new entrants.
→ Filters & weights for preset weight bundles.