Major Changes for FBM sellers in last few years?
Hi
I'm potentially returning to Amazon after a few years - started selling here in 2015 as FBM before combining it with FBA for a few years before (circumstances) lead to me being FBA only. I ultimately stopped FBA due to listings being hidden because I would not match Amazon's price fixed suggestions.
However, I am now able to commit back to FBM and although i have been keeping a casual eye on changes that have occurred in the last 2 years or so I wondered if any helpful people could point out anything I may have missed.
The main ones I took in are:
1) The time lag between receiving payments - no longer able to draw down money every day.
2) Refunds being made before items are received - am I right in thinking that there is a system called Safe T if the customer misuses the returns system for labels, damaged goods etc.
3) Has anything changed in relation to if you send an item via stamp there was a work around you had to use (select that second class option not that one) or do you have to send everything via tracked method now? Are large letters still alright – I know you get a tracking number for them now, scan when delivered.
Have I missed any major changes other than the above and what are the current hot issues that are being left months to resolve 😉.
Im UK market only if that makes a difference.
Thanks if anyone takes the time to respond – I don’t expect a massive response but if you give me a heads up of anything I’ve missed I’ll go search it on the forums further.
Major Changes for FBM sellers in last few years?
Hi
I'm potentially returning to Amazon after a few years - started selling here in 2015 as FBM before combining it with FBA for a few years before (circumstances) lead to me being FBA only. I ultimately stopped FBA due to listings being hidden because I would not match Amazon's price fixed suggestions.
However, I am now able to commit back to FBM and although i have been keeping a casual eye on changes that have occurred in the last 2 years or so I wondered if any helpful people could point out anything I may have missed.
The main ones I took in are:
1) The time lag between receiving payments - no longer able to draw down money every day.
2) Refunds being made before items are received - am I right in thinking that there is a system called Safe T if the customer misuses the returns system for labels, damaged goods etc.
3) Has anything changed in relation to if you send an item via stamp there was a work around you had to use (select that second class option not that one) or do you have to send everything via tracked method now? Are large letters still alright – I know you get a tracking number for them now, scan when delivered.
Have I missed any major changes other than the above and what are the current hot issues that are being left months to resolve 😉.
Im UK market only if that makes a difference.
Thanks if anyone takes the time to respond – I don’t expect a massive response but if you give me a heads up of anything I’ve missed I’ll go search it on the forums further.
16 replies
Seller_ZVAz3d5lZuGid
Quote: "Has anything changed in relation to if you send an item via stamp there was a work around you had to use (select that second class option not that one) or do you have to send everything via tracked method now? Are large letters still alright – I know you get a tracking number for them now, scan when delivered."
You are obviously talking about the VTR metric. You do NOT have to send everything tracked, and not worth it for low value items (say under £20), and you cannot now use the 'Stamps/franking' option, even though it does still appear on the dropdown !!
To be sure your VTR metric remains good , you should use Amazon's Buy Shipping, they will validate all shipments even if not scanned on delivery. If you use other carriers, then just be sure you confirm shipment correctly.
Yes, you can still use large letter, but Letter size HAS to be bought via Amazon now.
Seller_ZJhFeE3tNKzfh
with regards to refunds on point 2 that is refund at first scan. So now, the majority of returns as standard are authorised and a return label is supplied and charged to your account WHEN the label is scanned
On that label being scanned, the customer normally also gets a refund, depending on the return reason, the refund will either be full, or the cost of the return label will be deducted from the refund.
If for any reason a return is damaged, materially different or you believe a return reason was used to get a free return, then you can open a safe t claim.
OR you can choose to exclude ASINs over £100 using a convoluted Excel sheet upload
OR you can contact seller support and rwquest to be removed from the prepaid return label system and you will then need to approve or reject returns, provide labels if needed and refund within 2 days of receiving a return.
Seller_FwDi7ESyrH7sh
|For the last 6 months its been a nightmare, continuous worry about account being closed...first it was account verification then VTR (if using Royal Mail/stamps you DO have to use recorded delivery, then proving you only trade in UK has just been a total nightmare, Seller support is non existant. I dont recommend you come back Im afraid, I would leave but for the fact I already have 1000 plus items listed
Seller_vfAM5VKq92lbU
Thank you to everybody who took the time to reply to my message. It has helped clarify the few things I was not 100% on.
Have a nice day.
Seller_tRuvBEHDedp4q
To be sure your VTR metric remains good , you should use Amazon's Buy Shipping, they will validate all shipments even if not scanned on delivery. If you use other carriers, then just be sure you confirm shipment correctly.
Yes, you can still use large letter, but Letter size HAS to be bought via Amazon now
As JillyB has said - if you want 100% VTR then yes use Buy Shipping
However, you can also use Royal Mail Click & Drop and send items with the CRL service which is not fully tracked but scans on delivery and valid for VTR. Your VTR metric will drop as not all items get scanned on delivery, but the important thing is that Amazon verify the tracking numbers in the background - they just do not update the VTR metric. No one has yet been suspended for a low VTR if they have supplied valid tracking numbers when marking dispatched. You get email warning about low VTR but as long as you have uploaded correct tracking then you have no need to worry.
You can also use Click & Drop to buy Large Letter size with tracking valid for Amazon.
Seller_tRuvBEHDedp4q
Amazon are moving everyone to a Delivery Date + 7 system before you can draw down any monies for the sale. It was due to be implemented end of last year, then got pushed back to March/April this year, now been pushed back to September.
Basically for any sale you will not be able to disburse the money on the sale until 1 week after either the actual delivery date (from scan) OR the Estimated Delivery Date (from order details) - whichever is earlier. New accounts are already on this system, but they plan on moving everyone to it at some point.
Seller_SnNztJIII3ZP5
I have a system of drawing down money every 24 hours without fail so when the automated bots make an error and block my account for no reason the minimum amount of money is blocked with them
Seller_IQo80d99W2DzP
There have been a lot of changes and more to come, all for the worse!
Lots more competition (mainly as a drive by Amazon to get a lot of Sellers from abroad, who are happy making low margins, so high profits for Amazon).
If I had a choice, I'd not sell on Amazon. Unfortunately, too much stock, building leases, investment, etc.
I'm always hoping that Amazon will realise and resolve issues, but they don't and usually make it worse. They need some decent competition, then I'm sure it would change. But, look positively, things change over the years, no more Comet, Woolworths, Debenhams, etc, that we all thought would be here ongoing back in the 1980's..
Just a note to say about being UK only, soon that will not be the case, even if that is all you want to do. From August if an item with a battery, and from December for everything, major change, you are selling to the EU effectively when sending to Northern Ireland, and according to Amazon everything currently sold will be removed unless the brand holder has an EU address, inc contact info (not just a UK address), and that must be on the items box by EU law. Which may just about be ok, BUT: Amazon make life impossible, as they are saying they must also have a photo of the box on the ASIN listing, even though a Seller often cannot add that, as Brand holder controlled. So, you are stuffed!
I wonder after millions of items are no longer on Amazon, if a change, but most Sellers in China, with made up brands, are conforming of course
In theory maybe the EU law is a good idea, have a real EU brand, with full support and ensures Conformity and Liability Cover, but, I wonder if any of the non EU Companies have a real address in the EU, and how much is known about the item to help, and more so, how much insurance is there if anything goes wrong, such as an injury by a Buyer.
Seller_5FDXsxtR9c2zC
Refunds being made before items are received - am I right in thinking that there is a system called Safe T if the customer misuses the returns system for labels, damaged goods etc.
Yes, Amazon tell you that if for any reason a return is damaged, materially different or you believe a return reason was used to get a free return, then you can open a safe t claim, but unfortunately the issue with this is that you are still dealing with SS who either cut and paste totally irrelevant replies or just side with the customer. The prime example is the last safe-t claim I made, The customer choose the return reason as Incompatible or not useful for intended purpose where according to amazons own rules the customer should pay the return, and it should still be resalable, but amazon charged me for the label and refused my appeal for the label and it was also sent back opened been used and the packaging completely destroyed making it impossible to resell and amazon refunded me £1.69 and again rejected my appeal for that as well, so please don't think that the safe-t system works.
Seller_ZJhFeE3tNKzfh
Do note that you are charged for ALL labels upfront - but where the return reason is buyer pays for return, the cost of the label should be deducted from the refund. It wasn't clear if that was happening or not.
