Amazon is a Bully
Welp folks, I didn't last long... only 4 months, not even. I'm pulling my product from Amazon at the end of this month (waiting for my professional status to expire).
I'm a small business that had dreams of selling on Amazon and thriving, oh boy was I disappointed. My sales were great, especially as a product with no type advertising or marketing. However, I no longer will be bullied by Amazon. Amazon is the parent of the child that throws a tantrum in the middle of the store and the parent just gives the child some ice cream. They'll shut up, eat their ice cream, finish it, then start screaming again. Duh! Cause you didn't fix the issue, you just gave them what they wanted, when they wanted and now they think that's all they have to do to get WHATEVER they want. The Amazon customers are the child in this scenario.
I've seen multiple other accounts of how customers get refunded no matter what. Trying to appeal it doesn't work. Tracking Number? Denied. Signature delivery? Denied. Straight up photo of the customer opening the package? Not sufficient, denied! How is this legal? Oh wait, it's not! That's why Amazon is being sued. Many other sellers are leaving the platform and starting on their own, and I'm following suit. I know it will be tough but that's how fed up I am. I can't stand not being heard and constantly being rejected for something I had no control over, especially as a small, minority owned business. A lot of my expenses come out of pocket, so with Amazon always favoring the customer, I can no longer support my business on here. It's just a glorified drop-shipping site now anyway.
Amazon is a Bully
Welp folks, I didn't last long... only 4 months, not even. I'm pulling my product from Amazon at the end of this month (waiting for my professional status to expire).
I'm a small business that had dreams of selling on Amazon and thriving, oh boy was I disappointed. My sales were great, especially as a product with no type advertising or marketing. However, I no longer will be bullied by Amazon. Amazon is the parent of the child that throws a tantrum in the middle of the store and the parent just gives the child some ice cream. They'll shut up, eat their ice cream, finish it, then start screaming again. Duh! Cause you didn't fix the issue, you just gave them what they wanted, when they wanted and now they think that's all they have to do to get WHATEVER they want. The Amazon customers are the child in this scenario.
I've seen multiple other accounts of how customers get refunded no matter what. Trying to appeal it doesn't work. Tracking Number? Denied. Signature delivery? Denied. Straight up photo of the customer opening the package? Not sufficient, denied! How is this legal? Oh wait, it's not! That's why Amazon is being sued. Many other sellers are leaving the platform and starting on their own, and I'm following suit. I know it will be tough but that's how fed up I am. I can't stand not being heard and constantly being rejected for something I had no control over, especially as a small, minority owned business. A lot of my expenses come out of pocket, so with Amazon always favoring the customer, I can no longer support my business on here. It's just a glorified drop-shipping site now anyway.
49 replies
Seller_AXC06kcsKI1qG
No need to wait.
You can downgrade your account from professional to individual.
You will only be charged if an order is made.
You can then delete all your listings from Inventory Management.
Then put your account into Vacation mode.
That way if you ever change your mind in the future your account is still there ready to go.
Seller_2jflJ3k7eKwrA
For Americans, the profit from selling on Amazon is much lower compared to their regular wages. However, for Chinese people, it's a different story. Most Chinese workers earn around $700 USD a month, so despite Amazon's often unreasonable rules, the number of Chinese sellers continues to grow.
Seller_rI7BZIczK8iAC
That's exactly what it isn't. Dropshipping on Amazon is very difficult and 95% of the dropshippers got their account suspended forever.
Amazon is a great platform. Don't close your account but put it on vacation. THEN take 2-3 months to watch the videos in Seller University, read the forum daily and THEN make the step again. It's true that selling on Amazon is difficult and has to be learnt and each seller has to follow the news and announcements to always stay informed. BUT - if you get it once, you will make money, under the condition you don't just buy on Alibaba and resell the same things like thousands of other sellers.
Seller_jWPYG3FI8bskX
Unfortunately this is very true. and what you didn't mention is, they charge FBA fee when they send your product. Then for customers, its "FREE REFUND" but sellers pay the FBA fee, only referral fee is refunded by amazon. So as a seller, we will always pay more and more, pay FBA fee again when that product is returned and fulfilled, never know the reason as to why that product was refunded and much more. I am also a new seller, 4 months in and the amount of headache I have gone through ? the amount of times I have opened cases with amazon only to find incomplete information, paid a fortune in Storage fee whilst Incompetent staff or Bots responded to my every query. had products refunded simply because customers changed their mind or product not "needed anymore".
Seller_CW0P5hgbsiqWX
"I'm a small business that had dreams of selling on Amazon and thriving, oh boy was I disappointed."
You are looking at your situation from the wrong direction. You are not building a thriving business on Amazon; you are simply building a thriving business. Amazon would only be a small part of it.
Yes, Amazon does have its quirks, but sellers have to learn how to avoid them and when the occur, work them out. And it is common knowledge that Amazon always supports the buyer over the seller, and actually trained them how to scam sellers.
"Many other sellers are leaving the platform and starting on their own, and I'm following suit."
Is this a poor choice? Usually, people like to follow a leader, not those who fail. One can never second guess why, or what caused, other sellers fail. Most of them believe they could get rich selling on Amazon, not realizing to get rich, you have to know how to run a successful business first.
Seller_dkvNFPkFjSVLg
Have you thought of working with a partner who handles all of the Amazon issues? I know of some if that would help. We do everything ourselves but know a lot of companies that simply let an agent handle their sales on all platforms and get a check at the end of the month - no muss or fuss.
Amazon is not for the faint of heart. I liken it to running the hurdles and you dont know how High to jump until AFTER you have lept.
That being said, if you simply understand the issues and reset expectations, it is wonderful. I have been here almost 20 years selling and will never leave. Those issues you speak of are "cost of doing business" and it will cost you a LOT more to try to sell off of this platform. 99.9% of businesses can never drive the traffic needed to make it work.
I say to take the emotion out and think from a business perspective. Amazon is not easy. It is not fair. It is not a socialist entity where all are treated equally. Who cares - it is a cash machine!
Seller_dkvNFPkFjSVLg
After looking at your offerings, I would also like to add that selling a $5.99 and a $7.99 product on Amazon is a total loser of a financial situation. I understand why you are frustrated. You are living on razor thin margins.
I sell some DVDs for as low as 7.38 (my basement) and with those I am making $0.25 after fees.
Beyond that, you have a lot of issues with your listings that are in need of an update to really take advantage of this platform. You get out of Amazon what you put into it!
Seller_4K7eqIN4GuF2E
Don't delete your listings. ZERO the quantity out. This way if a buyer goes to the listing they get a message that the product is out of stock and "Amazon" does not know when or if it will be back in stock.
That hurts Amazon's reputation. It may be minor but when Amazon gives us a problem that's exactly what we do. Let the buyers find us on eBay (where they can get a better deal anyway).
