When analyzing Amazon’s marketplace, it’s easy to focus on top-performing brands or luxury products that defy expectations. But what about the best-selling worst products?
I’m talking about products that generate millions in revenue on Amazon — without any coherent Amazon optimization strategy.
So, what’s the worst-performing product page that still rakes in over $1 million annually?
Meet the Texas Instruments BA II Calculator
The Texas Instruments BA II Calculator sells $250,000+ per month on Amazon. That’s impressive!
What’s shocking? It does so with a terrible product page score of just 3.2 out of 10.
For context, winning on Amazon typically requires a fully optimized product page, including:
🔹 SEO-Optimized Titles
🔹 A/B Tested High-Quality Images
🔹 Compelling Product Descriptions
🔹 A+ Content for Brand Storytelling
The BA II Calculator has none of these. It features only two low-quality images, a short title, and no product description — yet it still dominates its category.
Why Texas Instruments Doesn't Care About Amazon Optimization
Texas Instruments doesn’t follow Amazon’s best practices, and frankly, they don’t need to.
Why? Because legacy distribution strategies still matter.
Texas Instruments calculators are required by schools and universities across the U.S. Every September and January, students are told they need a Texas Instruments calculator — not just any calculator, but specifically this brand.
And that’s the power of offline demand spilling into Amazon sales.
Would Texas Instruments Sell More with Optimization?
Absolutely.
If they invested in better images, keyword-rich descriptions, and enhanced content, they could increase conversion rates and sell even more units. But their strategy isn’t focused on squeezing more out of Amazon — it’s about maintaining their dominance in the education system.
Key Takeaways for Amazon Sellers
🔹 Strong distribution strategies outside of Amazon create a “halo effect” on the marketplace.
🔹 Legacy brands with built-in demand can thrive — even with poor Amazon optimization.
🔹 SmartScout’s Page Score and Brand Score are great tools to evaluate content quality and investment — but they aren’t the only indicators of success.
🔹 For brands looking to scale on Amazon, proper optimization remains a critical growth lever.
Texas Instruments doesn’t need to follow the latest Amazon guru advice to win. But if you’re building a brand without decades of institutional demand, you’ll need strong optimization strategies to compete.
Curious about how your brand stacks up?
Use SmartScout’s Page Score to see how your content compares to top-performing listings — and start optimizing for growth.
