Buybox abuse? Tactics?
Hello fellow sellers,
I suspect we have a competitor who doesn’t like us on the same listing as them.
We listed a small toy on a current listing and have been selling a few, nothing to write home about, but a decent enough profit.
Until three days ago, everything was fine, then we started getting cancelled orders for this item. We now have 6 cancelled orders in a row for this item.
It’s not that expensive, so I doubt it’s someone having remorse.
When our only item (at the moment) is in pending, the other seller obviously gets the buybox, but increases his price by several pounds.
Obviously, I know why this is happening, but is there anything I can do about it?
Buybox abuse? Tactics?
Hello fellow sellers,
I suspect we have a competitor who doesn’t like us on the same listing as them.
We listed a small toy on a current listing and have been selling a few, nothing to write home about, but a decent enough profit.
Until three days ago, everything was fine, then we started getting cancelled orders for this item. We now have 6 cancelled orders in a row for this item.
It’s not that expensive, so I doubt it’s someone having remorse.
When our only item (at the moment) is in pending, the other seller obviously gets the buybox, but increases his price by several pounds.
Obviously, I know why this is happening, but is there anything I can do about it?
Seller_77IcbQKVGdZo0
I am not so sure it is your competitor, they only have 6 left and have a wide range of other products. I am not sure why they would go to all the effort of placing and cancelling orders they would probably be used to not winning the buy box on every item. As others said it is also a UK seller and this doesn’t tend to be something UK sellers do (although it is not impossible)
The price increase by the other seller is probably automated.
It may just be someone who can’t make up their mind and keeps ordering then cancelling it. Or perhaps it is someone who has trouble with their card and can’t get the payment accepted.
I wouldn’t give up on the product just yet, I would just monitor the cancellations.
15 replies
Seller_7VbclcPFFRTnc
first question - does the actual product have a manufacturer barcode and brand on it ? did you look up that EAN number on ‘add a listing’ and have a match with the listing you are on - with the same Brand Name
Or did you find the product by looking at the pictures on amazon ?
Seller_PUgTge8LPB8FY
Were all the cancelled orders from the same buyer?
Seller_HRqRXH93OChIF
It’s FBA so we can’t see the name of the buyer, but it’s very suspicious.
Seller_7VbclcPFFRTnc
I can see you in the buy box and whilst it does happen, your competitor is also a UK seller and its not very likely they would use those tactics
if you just have 1 item, i wouldn’t worry about it but i also wouldn’t look to restock it if its not a profitable , well selling item
Seller_HRqRXH93OChIF
That was my thought as well. We have more going in, unfortunately, however, I think that may well be the last of them 
Seller_BS5lg2keRs2QO
Maybe i’m too risk averse, but i don’t think the listing does a good enough job of explaining what i’m getting. There are all kinds of colours and seemingly two distinct styles with no option to choose,. There are other listings for the same item which at least say you get a random one which i still don’t think is ok, but at least it is clearer.
Seller_77IcbQKVGdZo0
I am not so sure it is your competitor, they only have 6 left and have a wide range of other products. I am not sure why they would go to all the effort of placing and cancelling orders they would probably be used to not winning the buy box on every item. As others said it is also a UK seller and this doesn’t tend to be something UK sellers do (although it is not impossible)
The price increase by the other seller is probably automated.
It may just be someone who can’t make up their mind and keeps ordering then cancelling it. Or perhaps it is someone who has trouble with their card and can’t get the payment accepted.
I wouldn’t give up on the product just yet, I would just monitor the cancellations.
Seller_HRqRXH93OChIF
I did think maybe it was a child having trouble. Not beyond the realms of possibility. Thank you all for your thoughts. We’ll try not to get wound up by it 
Seller_KKcTTZzy6Jd6Q
While it has happened in the past where a seller was reserving other people’s stock, it’s extremely unlikely.
It’s far easier to leave an order pending for a week or two than it is to keep placing the order and cancelling it.
As a general tip, items such as this tend to sell much better when the customer can choose the colour they’re receiving. So if you have the manpower to split down the stock and create multiple new listings (and the brand isn’t locked to prevent new listings, which I know Zuru certainly never used to be) then it’s usually worth the time.
Pink and black are normally especially popular.
Just to add, I just checked and we had 11 cancelled FBA orders over 2 days (13th and 14th of this month) and have only had 2 others during the last 30 days. My guess would be issues with payment systems.
Seller_xUKHc5xSYJmI4
Naturally concerning 6 cancelled orders in a row. It appears like another anti-competitive move by your competitor? All you need to do is divide the number of orders to the number of cancellation to draw adverse conclusions.
Seller_JB8JywiyOJdnb
Same thing happened to us, again on an inexpensive item, but a Chinese seller. Essentially, bought and then cancelled in the 30 minute period - we had 6 in stock and they bought 6 times. We re-stocked, and they did the same thing again.
So unfortunately I can’t give you an answer, but I can concur with you that it is a “thing” !
