SmartScout has a Chrome extension that you can use for product and competitor research. You don’t have to pay extra for the Chrome extension once you subscribe to a SmartScout plan. Furthermore, you can’t get the Chrome extension without an account, like you can with AMZScout.
I’ve downloaded and used the SmartScout Chrome extension for a while. It’s good and has shown continuous improvements since its initial beta phase.
Let’s explore how to get the extension, its benefits, shortcomings, and alternatives you may consider for now.
Key Takeaways
- You need a SmartScout account to access its Chrome extension.
- The SmartScout Chrome extension effectively supports product and competitor research.
- You can enjoy the SmartScout Chrome extension during your free trial.
How to Get and Set up the SmartScout Chrome Extension?
You’ll automatically get access to the full version of the SmartScout Chrome extension once you pay for a plan. However, it’s not automatically downloaded.
Hence, here’s how to get it and set it up for your Amazon business:
- Go to the SmartScout website. Follow this discount link if you want some savings.
- Click “Start Free Trial.”
- Fill in your details. Then, click “Submit.”
- A verification code will be sent to the email address you provided. Go to your email to find it.
- Copy the code and enter it on the open SmartScout registration page. Then, click “Verify.”
- Choose a payment plan on the next page. Don’t worry, you’ll get 7 days of SmartScout free before paying the first charge.
- The next page requests your payment details. Fill them in.
- Enter the coupon code “REVENUEGEEKS25” to get 25% off the first three months of your chosen plan.
- Click “START MY 7-DAY FREE TRIAL.”
How to Download the SmartScout Chrome Extension?
Once you’ve got your account, you can log in (if you’re not automatically logged in yet).
The 7-day free trial should have also kicked in, and you can use this time to set up the Chrome extension.
Here’s how:
- Visit the Google Chrome Store on your Chrome browser.
- Search for “SmartScout.”
- Click the extension from SmartScout in the results.
- Click “Add to Chrome.”
- Click “Continue to install” if a prompt asks you for that.
- Next, click “Add extension.”
How to Set up the SmartScout Chrome Extension
After the download, the next step is to set up the extension to ensure it works correctly for your Amazon business. Here are the proper steps to follow:
- Click the Google Chrome browser extensions icon.
- Click the pin icon next to the SmartScout Chrome extension. This ensures easy access next time you want to use the extension.
- Then, click the SmartScout extension itself.
- Click “Sign In.”
- The extension is also automatically signed in if you’re still signed into your SmartScout account (from the steps above).
- Otherwise, enter your SmartScout login credentials (email and password) to activate the extension.
- Next, go to Amazon. We’re not using the extension yet (below); we’re still setting it up.
- Search for a random product. I’ll search “binoculars” for this example.
- Click on any product from the search results page.
- Now, click the SmartScout Chrome extension icon. Sometimes, the extension automatically activates once you’re on the product page.
- Enter your storefront name and choose the market you’re selling in. This corresponds to the region where you’ve opened a Seller Central account.
- Click “Complete on Amazon.”
- Complete the sign-in to your Amazon Seller Central account.
- You can now use the SmartScout Chrome extension.
What Features Ship With the SmartScout Chrome Extension?
The SmartScout Chrome extension features extended product and competition research tools to simplify your Amazon business operations. However, the extension can only be used for product pages, not broader niche and market research.
In comparison, other robust Chrome extensions like Helium 10’s allow you to do such niche research.
Looking past that, you get a ton of other unique features in the SmartScout Chrome extension, such as
- Opportunity Score: Helps you quickly decide where a product is on the demand-competition scale. Hence, allowing you to make faster business decisions.
- Quick Product Details: You’ll see the product selling category, seller’s name, ASIN, and UPC immediately.
- Snapshot: This gives you a quick overview of the product’s FBA sellers, BSR, 30-day sales margin, and any listing issues currently affecting the product or listing category.
- Financials: The Snapshot includes financial details such as unit cost, sales price, maximum cost, potential profit, and profit margin for any product you’re researching.
- Brand analysis: Shows you other products from the same brand/seller and their Opportunity Scores. This allows you to start product research at a point and expand into other potential bestselling opportunities.
Each one of these features is designed to offer in-depth data where needed.
For example, any product that turns up listing issues informs you of those issues.
These could be that Amazon is selling the same product, that the product is listed on a variation page, or that it has a Hazmat hazard.
Another thing I love about the SmartScout Chrome extension’s transparency is how it calculates profits.
For this, most Chrome extensions assume Amazon fees rather than use actual costs, and they don’t tell you. That might push you to sell a product, only to discover its fees are higher than you thought. Or pass up a good selling opportunity to avoid fees.
SmartScout’s Chrome extension gets most of its fee data directly from the Amazon API to counter this. But when that’s not available, the extension lets you know, then it assumes standard fee calculations for you. That way, you know to do further research and take the numbers you get with a grain of salt.
Finally, the extension includes an advanced Amazon FBA calculator that can help you determine your initial product investment and expected revenue. The calculator also estimates your ROI and neatly presents the information to aid your decision-making.
How to Use the SmartScout Chrome Extension?
The SmartScout Chrome extension can be used for brand and product research, but it currently doesn’t work for keyword research.
Here’s how to get the best data out of the software:
- Go to Amazon.
- Search for a niche or product idea you’re interested in. I’ve searched “nut crusher” for this demo.
- Click on a competitor’s product. To get more data, select the top competitor in the niche.
- Your SmartScout extension is automatically launched.
- Watch the video below to use SmartScout to evaluate the product and competition best.
Best SmartScout Chrome Extension Alternative
The SmartScout Chrome extension is still in beta, meaning you might not be able to trust all the data you get from it. Likewise, it might struggle to get data via the Amazon API.
I also found that it requires a Seller Central integration, and some sellers might not like to share that information with a tool. Furthermore, it offers no insights on the search results pages, only on product pages.
If these are dealbreakers for you, I’ve tested and used other Amazon seller tool Chrome extensions for a few months now and recommended the best alternative below.
Helium 10 Chrome Extension
The Helium 10 Chrome Extension offers A LOT MORE than you get with SmartScout, starting with the insights it provides on niche/keyword search pages.
Once you enter a search term into Amazon, Helium 10 shows you the niche summary that includes the niche’s
- Average BSR
- Average selling price
- Average rating
- 30-day revenue
- 30-day units sold
That lets you know whether to continue researching the niche. Scrolling down the page, Helium 10 shows data on the BSR, number of sellers, fulfillment type, and selling category of all the products featured on the search page.
This makes your research more efficient as you don’t need to click on a product (like SmartScout) to get that data.
On clicking on any product, Helium 10 allows you to get the seller’s current stock levels, harvest the best-performing keywords for the product, calculate profits, and even find suppliers on Alibaba.
In addition, there’s a review insights tool that instantly scans all the reviews and presents you with the typical positive and negative themes. You can use this information to source your product and improve your listing for more sales.
Finally, you’ll get other relevant metrics like Listing Health while enjoying the opportunity to compare that product’s performance across multiple Amazon marketplaces.
This is best suited for sellers who want to estimate how a product will perform in another marketplace.
Given that Helium 10’s least expensive plan costs $10 less than SmartScout’s entry plan and still offers access to the Chrome extension, it’s a good value.
Grab my Helium 10 discounts below to save even more on your first subscription!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the SmartScout Chrome Extension Available With the Free Trial?
The SmartScout Chrome extension is available with its free trial. Hence, you can download and set up the Chrome extension during the 7 days of free usage to see if it’s to your taste. However, you’ll need an active Amazon Seller Central account to access the Chrome extension’s features.
Scout Products and Competitors Better
The SmartScout Chrome extension is becoming one of the most potent product and competitor research tools. While it currently lacks niche research capabilities, it works best for sellers who want to reverse-engineer what a successful Amazon FBA seller is doing.
However, for more extensive features like review analysis, niche research, and keyword research, you may consider robust alternatives like Helium 10 (get discounts here).
Otherwise, sign up for SmartScout today (save 25% for 3 months), set up the Chrome extension, and improve your Amazon FBA research prowess!