Selling Lego on Amazon.com

[Phil B]

Amazon's FBA ways are mysterious .....

Had a return on a set because "never received item". Needed to wait 60 days until after return notification before I could open a case. Case got closed because it wasn't 60 days after reimbursement yet (why?). Then item gets reimbursed into my inventory (they took it from someone else?), and promptly sells. Sale spends more than a week in "Pending" status, then drops from my list of sales and from my inventory. Opened a new case but did notice that it now says "Researching: 1" in the available inventory dropdown.

I can only guess, but did they reimburse me a non-existing item, and then couldn't find it when they needed to ship it? Or what?

[Mark Twain]

1 hour ago, Phil B said:

Amazon's FBA ways are mysterious .....

Had a return on a set because "never received item". Needed to wait 60 days until after return notification before I could open a case. Case got closed because it wasn't 60 days after reimbursement yet (why?). Then item gets reimbursed into my inventory (they took it from someone else?), and promptly sells. Sale spends more than a week in "Pending" status, then drops from my list of sales and from my inventory. Opened a new case but did notice that it now says "Researching: 1" in the available inventory dropdown.

I can only guess, but did they reimburse me a non-existing item, and then couldn't find it when they needed to ship it? Or what?

It sounds that way. I think the consensus is that "Researching" generally means lost in the warehouse or warehouse damage that requires a longer investigation. 

[landphieran]

I'm curious how people feel the current economic situation is going to impact sales this year?

I'm projecting a pretty difficult year this year. I don't think inflation is going to translate to Lego value increases in an appreciable amount to offset rising fees. Primarily due to increased competition on Amazon as well as lower overall volume due to inflation and people cutting back spending. I expect we see a lot of Lego sales the next few years as well due to demand dropping off. Based on reports I was seeing shipping demand from U.S. is still strong and we shouldn't have any shortage of Lego coming in.

[$20 on joe vs dan]

5 minutes ago, landphieran said:

I'm curious how people feel the current economic situation is going to impact sales this year?

I'm projecting a pretty difficult year this year. I don't think inflation is going to translate to Lego value increases in an appreciable amount to offset rising fees. Primarily due to increased competition on Amazon as well as lower overall volume due to inflation and people cutting back spending. I expect we see a lot of Lego sales the next few years as well due to demand dropping off. Based on reports I was seeing shipping demand from U.S. is still strong and we shouldn't have any shortage of Lego coming in.

a lot of discretionary income is being put into gas and travel expense...and folks are prioritizing travel more than buying things

all means less $ for LEGO...and as the economy struggles...more and more sellers enter the market and increases competition

all points to a down arrow in sales for the foreseeable future....anyone see any upside?

[jeff_14]

4 minutes ago, $20 on joe vs dan said:

a lot of discretionary income is being put into gas and travel expense...and folks are prioritizing travel more than buying things

all means less $ for LEGO...and as the economy struggles...more and more sellers enter the market and increases competition

all points to a down arrow in sales for the foreseeable future....anyone see any upside?

I see upside. Lots of recently retired sets going for good increases. Plus people spent money on Lego like crazy during COVID when they didn’t have jobs much less money. Lego is largely immune from economic conditions. It’s more about brand management and it’s putting four great and diverse sets right now, with shortages being the main problem most of the time. Shortages mean higher prices. I’m bullish still 

[Sozial]

30 minutes ago, landphieran said:

I'm curious how people feel the current economic situation is going to impact sales this year?

I'm projecting a pretty difficult year this year. I don't think inflation is going to translate to Lego value increases in an appreciable amount to offset rising fees. Primarily due to increased competition on Amazon as well as lower overall volume due to inflation and people cutting back spending. I expect we see a lot of Lego sales the next few years as well due to demand dropping off. Based on reports I was seeing shipping demand from U.S. is still strong and we shouldn't have any shortage of Lego coming in.

If the economic situation is really harming our revenue, the only the thing we can hope is that Lego will retire some sets earlier.

But I find that most buyers at least on Amazon are not price sensitive, either because they got enough money (which they will likely have this year as well) or just dont care when its a christmas present. The revenue of the Christmas buyers could take a hit, that is for sure. 

I once visualised all buyers from Germany on a map and saw that most customers come from higher income places.

[joesnow2005]

32 minutes ago, Sozial said:

 

I once visualised all buyers from Germany on a map and saw that most customers come from higher income places.

Are they buying low-priced lego sets or high-priced lego sets?

[$20 on joe vs dan]

46 minutes ago, Sozial said:

If the economic situation is really harming our revenue, the only the thing we can hope is that Lego will retire some sets earlier.

But I find that most buyers at least on Amazon are not price sensitive, either because they got enough money (which they will likely have this year as well) or just dont care when its a christmas present. The revenue of the Christmas buyers could take a hit, that is for sure. 

I once visualised all buyers from Germany on a map and saw that most customers come from higher income places.

stock market has been taking a hit...which obviously impacts wealthier consumers...I know that altho it's "paper losses", my friends who's wealth is tied to markets tend to self-perceive being "poorer" when the markets are down.

[Sozial]

14 minutes ago, joesnow2005 said:

Are they buying low-priced lego sets or high-priced lego sets?

Its Amazon so in my world high priced, but I only buy 15-50 USD/Euro sets

4 minutes ago, $20 on joe vs dan said:

stock market has been taking a hit...which obviously impacts wealthier consumers...I know that altho it's "paper losses", my friends who's wealth is tied to markets tend to self-perceive being "poorer" when the markets are down.

Well ye but I suppose that does not translate in not buying a 100-200 USD Set for xmas

[Captain_Obvious]

1 hour ago, landphieran said:

expect we see a lot of Lego sales the next few years

I miss Amazon circa 2019. It was common to get big retail sets like Ninjango City & Docks, Joker’s Manor, Apocalypesburg for 33% off.

Hope we see another price correction like this soon, but fear it will be another year. I will definitely be stocking up then.

[BrickLover80]

I expect a more challenging Christmas season due to less demand and increased supply (resellers and stores ordering too much). That in turn will set up a great buying season as newer resellers will get flushed out and stores having to discount more. 

[gmpirate]

Seems to me we could argue both sides of this pretty convincingly.  Hard to make sense of what is going on right now.  If it were purely market economics it would be one thing, but decisions are being made for other reasons so who knows.  Right now I'm at least being more choosy in what I buy.

[Bricklectic]

Im considering selling a european version of a set on amazon. 

Is there a concern that someone getting it might think its inauthentic because it looks a little different?

Has anyone does this consistently? I wouldnt think twice to sell a couple but to sell a hundred makes me think twice

[Bold-Arrow]

7 minutes ago, Bricklectic said:

Im considering selling a european version of a set on amazon. 

Is there a concern that someone getting it might think its inauthentic because it looks a little different?

Has anyone does this consistently? I wouldnt think twice to sell a couple but to sell a hundred makes me think twice

It is a risk if you are selling that many. Minimal, but it only takes a couple complaints for the wheels to come off 

[cobrakai]

18 minutes ago, Bricklectic said:

Im considering selling a european version of a set on amazon. 

Is there a concern that someone getting it might think its inauthentic because it looks a little different?

Has anyone does this consistently? I wouldnt think twice to sell a couple but to sell a hundred makes me think twice

I had some cases of Masters of the Universe Origins figures that came in the European packaging for some reason.  Only took one person to claim "Fake" in their return comments and it triggered an inauthentic complaint.  Got it removed with my invoice in a few hours, but you would probably not have an invoice for Lego.  Probably less than a 10% chance of someone complaining, but it is up to your risk tolerance.

[Thanos75]

Just make a note of it in the produc description. 

[chaozz]

On 5/15/2022 at 4:54 PM, Bricklectic said:

Im considering selling a european version of a set on amazon. 

Is there a concern that someone getting it might think its inauthentic because it looks a little different?

Has anyone does this consistently? I wouldnt think twice to sell a couple but to sell a hundred makes me think twice

Lot of Euro sellers on Amazon One of the bigger ones,Some how they get away with it, not sure how AZ vets the invoices, 
Some sellers from turkey now popping up also

Toys and video game trader (euro seller)

 

[I am Niko]

Latest Amazon Marketplace FBM nonsense.  I just sent out an order yesterday..it's still obviously in transit since it's going across the country.  Today, I get a return authorization notification for the order, with:

Quote

Return reason: Received extra item I didn’t buy (no refund needed)

Say what?  First of all, only 1 item was ordered, and I only sent 1.  Second of all, they haven't received anything yet.  Are they trying to just get a free prepaid return label so they can return it once it arrives?  This is the type of thing that I would never get before Amazon forced us to auto-approve every return.  And all over a $8 item.

[junkrigger]

FBA- Got a replacement order within 5 min of item delivered, sure why not. But no return initiated? Does this mean Amazon is sending out a replacement without requiring the original be returned? About $100 Lego item so I would think it requires a return of the original.


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[Bold-Arrow]

Just now, junkrigger said:

FBA- Got a replacement order within 5 min of item delivered, sure why not. But no return initiated? Does this mean Amazon is sending out a replacement without requiring the original be returned? About $100 Lego item so I would think it requires a return of the original.


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if it isn't sent back, you will be reimbursed within 60 days 

[I am Niko]

On 6/1/2022 at 2:51 PM, I am Niko said:

Latest Amazon Marketplace FBM nonsense.  I just sent out an order yesterday..it's still obviously in transit since it's going across the country.  Today, I get a return authorization notification for the order, with:

Say what?  First of all, only 1 item was ordered, and I only sent 1.  Second of all, they haven't received anything yet.  Are they trying to just get a free prepaid return label so they can return it once it arrives?  This is the type of thing that I would never get before Amazon forced us to auto-approve every return.  And all over a $8 item.

And today, the buyer decided to change his return reason out of the blue from:

Received extra item I didn’t buy (no refund needed)

to:

Didn't approve purchase

I wonder if this guy usually gets to keep <$10 items because that would be less of a loss to most sellers, and he's trying to pull that here.  The sooner I'm off Amazon, the better 😤

[Bold-Arrow]

Wonder how far this will go :

 

 

Amazon is launching an invite-based ordering option, starting with the PS5 and Xbox Series X

[Aisha Malik]/9:00 AM EDT•June 2, 2022/TechCrunch

Amazon is launching a new invite-based ordering experience for high-demand, low-supply products. The company told TechCrunch that the purpose of the new option is to help prevent inventory shortages and price gouging caused by robot traffic for high-demand items with limited quantities. Amazon says its goal is to ensure that genuine customers are able to purchase these sorts of products. The new program is launching in the United States, starting with PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X game consoles sold and fulfilled by Amazon.
…
In order to ensure that genuine customers receive invitations to purchase, Amazon will remove bot-like submissions and send invitations to remaining customers. The company will verify genuine customers by looking at a number of factors, including the account’s prior purchase history and when the account was created. If the customer’s invitation to purchase is granted, they will receive an email with instructions on how to purchase the item.
…
The new ordering experience should give Amazon customers a better chance at getting their hands on high-demand products with limited quantities because it aims to eliminate bad actors who buy products and then resell them at higher prices, which has been happening with [gaming consoles] over the past years.
…

Amazon takes on PS5 and Xbox scalpers with a new invite system

[Kris Holt] Thu, June 2, 2022/yahoo! engadget

…
Although requesting an invitation won’t guarantee that you’ll be able to buy a PS5 or Xbox Series X from Amazon, it could help. What’s more, it might mean you don’t have to participate in the rush to secure one whenever there’s a restock.

There are other ways Amazon could fend off scalpers too, such as limiting the price of items for Marketplace sellers. At the time of writing, a third-party seller is offering the PS5 disc version on Amazon for $999 — double the console’s retail price. Others are selling it for around $800.
…

[Mark Twain]

Wonder how far this will go :
 
 

Amazon is launching an invite-based ordering option, starting with the PS5 and Xbox Series X

[Aisha Malik]/9:00 AM EDT•June 2, 2022/TechCrunch
Amazon is launching a new invite-based ordering experience for high-demand, low-supply products. The company told TechCrunch that the purpose of the new option is to help prevent inventory shortages and price gouging caused by robot traffic for high-demand items with limited quantities. Amazon says its goal is to ensure that genuine customers are able to purchase these sorts of products. The new program is launching in the United States, starting with PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X game consoles sold and fulfilled by Amazon.
…
In order to ensure that genuine customers receive invitations to purchase, Amazon will remove bot-like submissions and send invitations to remaining customers. The company will verify genuine customers by looking at a number of factors, including the account’s prior purchase history and when the account was created. If the customer’s invitation to purchase is granted, they will receive an email with instructions on how to purchase the item.
…
The new ordering experience should give Amazon customers a better chance at getting their hands on high-demand products with limited quantities because it aims to eliminate bad actors who buy products and then resell them at higher prices, which has been happening with [gaming consoles] over the past years.
…

Amazon takes on PS5 and Xbox scalpers with a new invite system

[Kris Holt] Thu, June 2, 2022/yahoo! engadget
…
Although requesting an invitation won’t guarantee that you’ll be able to buy a PS5 or Xbox Series X from Amazon, it could help. What’s more, it might mean you don’t have to participate in the rush to secure one whenever there’s a restock.
There are other ways Amazon could fend off scalpers too, such as limiting the price of items for Marketplace sellers. At the time of writing, a third-party seller is offering the PS5 disc version on Amazon for $999 — double the console’s retail price. Others are selling it for around $800.
…

Consumer virtue signaling at its finest. I’m guessing they’ll take a page out of Walmart+’s playbook and plan to offer the perk to Prime members who spend big $$$ first. Pay to play is now the norm, so why not cash in?


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[gmpirate]

One of these days I'll figure out how to set FBM right.  I only offer ground but of course USPS is all I have to choose from.

What is EPH?  I almost didn't notice, but saw 14.97 for shipping but the total is 18.97.  Under details there is $4.00 EPH.

[Darth_Raichu]

10 hours ago, gmpirate said:

One of these days I'll figure out how to set FBM right.  I only offer ground but of course USPS is all I have to choose from.

What is EPH?  I almost didn't notice, but saw 14.97 for shipping but the total is 18.97.  Under details there is $4.00 EPH.

Is the mailing box longer than 22" ?  If yes, then it is the new USPS extra charge:

Quote

• Packages that exceed 22 inches but are not greater than 30 inches in length: Add $4.00 per package

If the mailing address is a PO Box then you have to use USPS.  You can remove PO Box from your shipping plans to avoid it going forward.

Otherwise, try again today and see if you can see the option for UPS.  Sometimes UPS is unavailable but shows up the next day