Selling Lego on Amazon.com

[cladner]

5 hours ago, cobrakai said:

I'm thinking of switching to 75-80% FBM.  The only thing stopping me is the "pending orders" system on Amazon.  I like to travel and have my own schedule, but it seems like I always have to be paranoid about my Amazon FBM orders that are stuck pending and might go through when i'm not available to ship.  At least with Ebay you know you can shut things down 4 days ahead of time and then anything unpaid will auto-cancel.  Last week I had a pending Amazon order for like 6 or 7 days.  It does seem like most of these orders end up cancelling if the payment does not go through within a couple hours.

just open a case and say that you think your competition is tying up your inventory and that there are other amazon shoppers eager to purchase this item.  In a hour or two the pending order will disappear.  works every time.  no ding to the metrics.

 

Edited December 12, 2023 by cladner

[vasp]

Amazon taking away more and more buy box from listings.

They promote - how to get buy box all the time to improve sales and when you have buy box they remove it.

Sometimes even lowering the price by 30-40% doesn't bring the BB back again.

Aren't they loosing sales?

[cladner]

41 minutes ago, vasp said:

Amazon taking away more and more buy box from listings.

They promote - how to get buy box all the time to improve sales and when you have buy box they remove it.

Sometimes even lowering the price by 30-40% doesn't bring the BB back again.

Aren't they loosing sales?

No, they aren’t losing sales. You really think people only buy stuff based on the buybox? My sales are booming on listings with no buy box because I have my shipping settings optimized so that buyers can see my stuff is going to get there before Christmas. At this point in time people are buying based upon arrival time, not price.  buybox is kind of irrelevant because many listings the buybox seller is not going to get there before Christmas so who cares.

[landphieran]

2 hours ago, cladner said:

No, they aren’t losing sales. You really think people only buy stuff based on the buybox? My sales are booming on listings with no buy box because I have my shipping settings optimized so that buyers can see my stuff is going to get there before Christmas. At this point in time people are buying based upon arrival time, not price.  buybox is kind of irrelevant because many listings the buybox seller is not going to get there before Christmas so who cares.

This is absolutely not true. Anecdotally speaking: My fiancé who has helped me sell on Amazon for the past 4 years still gets confused when she goes to a listing and there is no direct offering or price listed. I've watched my grandma shop on Amazon and if there isn't an "add to cart" she moves on. These are both people who go to Amazon first to buy stupid stuff.

My profession is in software engineering and I guarantee Amazon has strong metrics around the efficacy of the buy box. Amazon has numerous "automated" policies in place to dissuade sellers from selling stuff for a "high price", forcing the use of undercutting to take the buy box, and enforcing quality metrics. They do anything they can to make it difficult as a seller to get top $ for your items because it's disadvantageous to Amazon's image as well as throughput.

Many of these policies are relatively new. Less than 3 years ago the buy box rotated amongst sellers in a nearly uniform manner. Now its based on seller volume, first to the price, quantity in stock, quality of stock and location. The introduction of the gouging mechanic has functionally killed hundreds of viable lego listings that weren't truly gouged.  Removal of buy box is another and is part of the anti gouging mechanic.

The only mechanic that is advantageous for sellers that was recently more broadly implemented is the discount mechanic which has been a great help.

[landphieran]

On 12/8/2023 at 8:46 AM, vasp said:

Had BB at $124.99 and now the bots want me to sell at $59.99. wtf

I've been trying to sell my fire mario's and cat suit mario's for two years. I will create a listing at a reasonable 30-40$, everything will go great for 3 weeks with constant sales, then it will be deactivated and reduced down to 16$. I had to create a removal order because my loses at that rate would be too much.

[cladner]

32 minutes ago, landphieran said:

This is absolutely not true. Anecdotally speaking: My fiancé who has helped me sell on Amazon for the past 4 years still gets confused when she goes to a listing and there is no direct offering or price listed. I've watched my grandma shop on Amazon and if there isn't an "add to cart" she moves on. These are both people who go to Amazon first to buy stupid stuff.

My profession is in software engineering and I guarantee Amazon has strong metrics around the efficacy of the buy box. Amazon has numerous "automated" policies in place to dissuade sellers from selling stuff for a "high price", forcing the use of undercutting to take the buy box, and enforcing quality metrics. They do anything they can to make it difficult as a seller to get top $ for your items because it's disadvantageous to Amazon's image as well as throughput.

Many of these policies are relatively new. Less than 3 years ago the buy box rotated amongst sellers in a nearly uniform manner. Now its based on seller volume, first to the price, quantity in stock, quality of stock and location. The introduction of the gouging mechanic has functionally killed hundreds of viable lego listings that weren't truly gouged.  Removal of buy box is another and is part of the anti gouging mechanic.

The only mechanic that is advantageous for sellers that was recently more broadly implemented is the discount mechanic which has been a great help.

Sales don’t lie.  I’ve been selling thousands on listings without anybody having a buybox. Had my second best day ever selling $6000 FBM on Sunday 112 orders in less than 24 hours. Most of those are on listings without buy boxes at this time of year, I’m able to run rings around fba sellers because I am able to provide 1 to 3 day shipping to any buyer within 500 miles of me and my listing on Amazon reflects this quick shipping advantage.

[gmpirate]

22 minutes ago, cladner said:

Sales don’t lie.  I’ve been selling thousands on listings without anybody having a buybox. Had my second best day ever selling $6000 FBM on Sunday 112 orders in less than 24 hours. Most of those are on listings without buy boxes at this time of year, I’m able to run rings around fba sellers because I am able to provide 1 to 3 day shipping to any buyer within 500 miles of me and my listing on Amazon reflects this quick shipping advantage.

I would suggest you both are right.  Buy Box absolutely does affect the sell through, and I'm sure having good shipping metrics does improve the situation for those buyers who actually do know how to still make the purchase.  I would therefore suggest that @cladner 's sales would even be greater with a buy box.

Just like @landphieran said, I talk to many people who think Amazon is out of certain products when they do not see a buy box.  Nothing related to Lego, just in general when they are shopping they will tell me Amazon is out of something.  

[tk79]

why are some of these images so blurry, did they add a high res photo fee? seen a few listings like that lately https://www.amazon.com/LEGO-Helmet-Building-Collectible-Character/dp/B083JX5M79 

 

 

[brickolodon]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B097KNSR3W?ref=myi_title_dp IS vs JW

Edited December 15, 2023 by brickolodon

[Sozial]

7 hours ago, brickolodon said:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B097KNSR3W?ref=myi_title_dp IS vs JW

How the heck is the price so low? 

Edit: okay I see -wrong image

Edited December 16, 2023 by Sozial

[gmpirate]

11 minutes ago, Sozial said:

How the heck is the price so low? 

Edit: okay I see -wrong image

ha!  almost purchased.   Was wondering why it did not come with search 

[legorunner]

Here is a strange one, I'm assuming its user error on my end somehow but thought I'd check in with the group: I was looking at my inventory in the Amazon seller app today and noticed that the lowest price on an item dropped from $179 to 178.99, so I hit the match price button in the app. I was very surprised to see that my item then sold for...$24.80....? 

I certainly did not type in that price on my own, and its not like I was manually adjusting it to $248 or something and just forgot a zero, so just trying to figure out what happened here...

[river41]

23 minutes ago, legorunner said:

Here is a strange one, I'm assuming its user error on my end somehow but thought I'd check in with the group: I was looking at my inventory in the Amazon seller app today and noticed that the lowest price on an item dropped from $179 to 178.99, so I hit the match price button in the app. I was very surprised to see that my item then sold for...$24.80....? 

I certainly did not type in that price on my own, and its not like I was manually adjusting it to $248 or something and just forgot a zero, so just trying to figure out what happened here...

there is a price match buttton next to the competitive price. Did you accidentally hit that button instead of the price match to the lowest price?

[cladner]

24 minutes ago, legorunner said:

Here is a strange one, I'm assuming its user error on my end somehow but thought I'd check in with the group: I was looking at my inventory in the Amazon seller app today and noticed that the lowest price on an item dropped from $179 to 178.99, so I hit the match price button in the app. I was very surprised to see that my item then sold for...$24.80....? 

I certainly did not type in that price on my own, and its not like I was manually adjusting it to $248 or something and just forgot a zero, so just trying to figure out what happened here...

the price match doesn't take into whether shipping is free or there is a separate shipping cost and it also does not discrimiate between new, like new, used state of the item.  kind of like random number generator imo.   i always adjust my price based on what the actual instock fba price is currently at .  not what amazon is telling me it should be lol.

[legorunner]

Thanks for the follow up. In the app it only shows Low Price with a Match option, not competitive offer. I too usually go with whatever the lowest FBA price is, and in this case, FBA was also the lowest price on this particular item anyway. 

Oh well, I probably did something dumb, was just hoping it was a glitch on Amazon's end...

[Bricklectic]

Never saw the warning on the bottom before, appears to be new. smart.

[I am Niko]

Anyone been getting inaccurate UPS delivery dates through Amazon Buy Shipping?  I bought a UPS label and sent it out, since Buy Shipping said it would get there on Friday, the 22nd via UPS Ground (if shipped today).  I just checked the tracking, and it looks like it's scheduled for the 26th now, when I was specifically trying to get it there in time for Christmas.  When doing a quote through the UPS site, it also estimates the 26th.  Now I don't know whether to try and get the package back before it leaves the UPS Store and change it to a different service or what to do.  I'm well within the delivery date Amazon says I should have it to the customer, but I told the customer I'd upgrade it to a method that should get there before Christmas when they asked if I had a faster shipping option available.  Thanks for making me look like a liar, Amazon.

Edited December 18, 2023 by I am Niko

[exciter1]

21 minutes ago, I am Niko said:

Anyone been getting inaccurate UPS delivery dates through Amazon Buy Shipping?  I bought a UPS label and sent it out, since Buy Shipping said it would get there on Friday, the 22nd via UPS Ground (if shipped today).  I just checked the tracking, and it looks like it's scheduled for the 26th now, when I was specifically trying to get it there in time for Christmas.  When doing a quote through the UPS site, it also estimates the 26th.  Now I don't know whether to try and get the package back before it leaves the UPS Store and change it to a different service or what to do.  I'm well within the delivery date Amazon says I should have it to the customer, but I told the customer I'd upgrade it to a method that should get the before Christmas when they asked if I had a faster shipping option available.  Thanks for making me look like a liar, Amazon.

I see everything messed up for UPS on Amazon right now.

[I am Niko]

24 minutes ago, exciter1 said:

I see everything messed up for UPS on Amazon right now.

Thanks, I found this thread from 1-2 months ago, but it got diluted into a few different issues as most threads there do:
https://sellercentral.amazon.com/seller-forums/discussions/t/f68838e4-2632-4568-aef4-6fe314c0a595

I'm going to just let it go and hope UPS delivers it early and/or might shoot the buyer a "sorry, I tried" message if it doesn't look like it will get there by Xmas.  Wish Fake Niko luck.. 😬

Edited December 18, 2023 by I am Niko

[Jackson]

I am shipping several packages via USPS Ground Advantage today because Amazon's Buy Shipping is showing that all the delivery dates for that service are by December 22. I have doubts, but we'll see.

[rreee123]

I have two returns ship to my ups box,shows delivered but went to the store they do not have it. Amazon has applied the refund automatically. Is there anything I can do to get money back? Thanks


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Jackson]

52 minutes ago, rreee123 said:

I have two returns ship to my ups box,shows delivered but went to the store they do not have it. Amazon has applied the refund automatically. Is there anything I can do to get money back? Thanks


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Did you speak with the clerk? Was this at a UPS Store?

[tk79]

pushing more sellers to fbm  https://www.valueaddedresource.net/amazon-star-only-feedback-cannot-request-removal/

 

Quote

As part of this change, Amazon is notifying sellers that star-only ratings are not eligible for removal and will not even have a "request removal" option displayed.

 

[NIevo]

Not sure if this is the right thread or not but here goes. 

Is there any possible way for a person to get ungated with LEGO on Amazon anymore?  I know all the videos you see out there are BS in regards to sending in receipts and order forms from big box stores.  I've tried many different way's but always get rejected. 

I've been selling on Bricklink and eBay for years but with the amount of inventory I have Amazon would help me immensely.

 

[Bold-Arrow]

This popped up on my app today 

41 minutes ago, NIevo said:

Not sure if this is the right thread or not but here goes. 

Is there any possible way for a person to get ungated with LEGO on Amazon anymore?  I know all the videos you see out there are BS in regards to sending in receipts and order forms from big box stores.  I've tried many different way's but always get rejected. 

I've been selling on Bricklink and eBay for years but with the amount of inventory I have Amazon would help me immensely.

 

Werent ppl trying t shirts or something from distributors