Selling Lego on Amazon.com

[redcell]

I just finished loading my last freight shipment.  Check-in time has varied pretty widely...freight shipments have been taking longer.  Ground shipments to the closest FC have taken a few days to a few weeks.  Ground shipments to farther away FCs have taken more than a few days to a few weeks.  No real rhyme or reason.

[brickology101]

FBA sent in.  Received next day.  Items show as inbound in Seller Central.  Product page shows late January delivery if a customer orders.
So my question is, how long is it taking people to see their items go live with normal delivery times.

Hi, product pages initially showed late December (past Christmas) for a shipment made 10/11. In my case the issue was with a nearby fulfillment center that always get 60%-80% of all items on a large shipment plan. So, I started adding items on a shipment plan one by one to control better the quantities going to different fulfillment centers. It is expensive, I cannot completely remove the slow center and I am not sure it really makes a difference in the end. However, My items are coming in (qty > 0) and delivery dates on product pages have become reasonable. I am still shipping that way today.

[Phil B]

My last shipment (2 weeks ago, 250+ MSKU) surprised me: Instead of the usual 3-4 FCs, I just had 2, both just 1 state over. One for the standard size items and one for oversized items. They arrived the day after I shipped, check-in process started within 24 hours.

Most of my inventory has been moved to "FC Transfer" though, which might have happened to others too, which could explain the "expected ship date" delay shown on the customer side of Amazon.

Still missing 5 random items from my big shipment that haven't been checked in. All single sets in lots of multiples. I hope it wasn't some worker getting his kids some free early X-mas gifts. 

[gmpirate]

The Moreno Valley FC in CA that receives small items seems to be a sticking point.  It used to be years ago I could count on really quick turnarounds to market but the last few years there have been issues.  I remember having to have all my Valentine's sets shipped back to me because they did not become available until a couple days before the holiday last year or the year before.

[cory730]

I have 3 packages that have been "in transit" for 30 days now. I have never had a package not get delivered in 4 years. I know how to reconcile when they sit at Amazon but who do I fight with when not delivered. I tried UPS but they said contact Amazon. These boxes were all over $500 in value. Any help where to start would be great. 

[Jackson]

7 minutes ago, cory730 said:

 I tried UPS but they said contact Amazon.

That's strange. If UPS never did a delivery scan, it sounds like UPS's problem.

[Darth_Raichu]

4 minutes ago, cory730 said:

I have 3 packages that have been "in transit" for 30 days now. I have never had a package not get delivered in 4 years. I know how to reconcile when they sit at Amazon but who do I fight with when not delivered. I tried UPS but they said contact Amazon. These boxes were all over $500 in value. Any help where to start would be great. 

So when you check the UPS tracking numbers, those show "in transit" ? Do they show "package received by carrier" scan?

[cory730]

No they just show in transit. 1 shows out for delivery. They all were going less than 100 miles from my address. At UPS it says I cant file a claim unless i have package account number in my payment options. But dont see where I can add that. So currently stuck with 3 lost packages worth about 2500 in lego. 

[redcell]

12 minutes ago, cory730 said:

I have 3 packages that have been "in transit" for 30 days now. I have never had a package not get delivered in 4 years. I know how to reconcile when they sit at Amazon but who do I fight with when not delivered. I tried UPS but they said contact Amazon. These boxes were all over $500 in value. Any help where to start would be great. 

The way you handle this is by opening a case with Seller Support.  If the packages are showing in UPS's system as having been received by UPS, you should print PDFs of those screens to make sure you have documented evidence that they were accepted (tracking numbers fall out of UPS's system after 90-120 days).  If the packages are not showing in UPS's system as having been received by them, you'll need a receipt from UPS showing that they accepted the packages.

You'll also need receipts showing to document that you purchased the units that were in the boxes AND any units that may have already been in a Fulfillment Center before you sent the package and were sold in the meantime.

Be prepared for at least 2-4 rounds of frustrating responses from Seller Support, but if you can show that the packages were delivered to UPS and that you actually purchased what was in the package as well as what you may have sold after shipping the package, you should be able to get reimbursed if you stick with it.

[Phil B]

Do I have any recourse with Amazon when I put in a removal order for perfectly fine sets from my inventory and they come back as pancakes because Amazon decides to ship them back in bubble mailers?

 

[cory730]

19 minutes ago, redcell said:

The way you handle this is by opening a case with Seller Support.  If the packages are showing in UPS's system as having been received by UPS, you should print PDFs of those screens to make sure you have documented evidence that they were accepted (tracking numbers fall out of UPS's system after 90-120 days).  If the packages are not showing in UPS's system as having been received by them, you'll need a receipt from UPS showing that they accepted the packages.

You'll also need receipts showing to document that you purchased the units that were in the boxes AND any units that may have already been in a Fulfillment Center before you sent the package and were sold in the meantime.

Be prepared for at least 2-4 rounds of frustrating responses from Seller Support, but if you can show that the packages were delivered to UPS and that you actually purchased what was in the package as well as what you may have sold after shipping the package, you should be able to get reimbursed if you stick with it.

So i have to find receipt for all these legos. All online and about 10 different ones. That sounds impossible. So it is an Amazon thing and UPS wont be able to do anything. 

[gmpirate]

28 minutes ago, cory730 said:

So i have to find receipt for all these legos. All online and about 10 different ones. That sounds impossible. So it is an Amazon thing and UPS wont be able to do anything. 

"If" you are running a business, how does this sound "impossible"?

[zskid00]

54 minutes ago, Phil B said:

Do I have any recourse with Amazon when I put in a removal order for perfectly fine sets from my inventory and they come back as pancakes because Amazon decides to ship them back in bubble mailers?

 

I had some Frozen sets that went inactive last year after I already sent them in for FBA.  Some of them came back smashed because of the same situation you are describing.  I took a picture of the LEGO set, the packing slip, and the bubble mailers with the address label showing and submitted them for reimbursement.  Amazon took care of it.  The reimbursement was a bit lower than current market value, but I was able to sell the damaged sets on eBay, so it was worth my time.

[cory730]

43 minutes ago, gmpirate said:

"If" you are running a business, how does this sound "impossible"?

I might not be as organized as you but when you buy 500 of a lego set through out the year at 4 different retailers and then times that by 8 different sets it is kinda time consuming. Do they take online receipts?  Thanks for your response

[FM]

I might not be as organized as you but when you buy 500 of a lego set through out the year at 4 different retailers and then times that by 8 different sets it is kinda time consuming. Do they take online receipts?  Thanks for your response

If the packages are not showing in UPS's system as having been received by them, you'll need a receipt from UPS showing that they accepted the packages.

...I think we're talking about the receipt from UPS that shows they received the FBA shipment boxes, not the receipts from when you purchased the product.

[cory730]

24 minutes ago, FM said:

If the packages are not showing in UPS's system as having been received by them, you'll need a receipt from UPS showing that they accepted the packages.

...I think we're talking about the receipt from UPS that shows they received the FBA shipment boxes, not the receipts from when you purchased the product.

That would be much easier. 

[gmpirate]

29 minutes ago, FM said:

If the packages are not showing in UPS's system as having been received by them, you'll need a receipt from UPS showing that they accepted the packages.

...I think we're talking about the receipt from UPS that shows they received the FBA shipment boxes, not the receipts from when you purchased the product.

I agree.  I think Red was referring the next possible steps if they determine the shipment lost.  My guess is its just hung up somewhere.

[redcell]

1 hour ago, FM said:

If the packages are not showing in UPS's system as having been received by them, you'll need a receipt from UPS showing that they accepted the packages.

...I think we're talking about the receipt from UPS that shows they received the FBA shipment boxes, not the receipts from when you purchased the product.

I was talking about both.  Historically, Amazon has been VERY loose with reimbursement for inventory issues, but it was costing them a lot of money so they tightened things up and I'm sure their reimbursement costs fell dramatically.  Right now is as bad as I've ever experienced it.  At times, I expect them to ask me for my birth certificate to prove that I am actual human being capable of receiving reimbursement.  The last time I had a lot of inventory go missing, I had to provide both receipts that I purchased the inventory, receipts that I delivered the packages to UPS, AND receipts that they were delivered to Amazon.  However, because Amazon had waited like 2 months to get to the case, the UPS information was no longer available online.  I went back and forth at least 8 times before they gave in and reimbursed me.

2 hours ago, cory730 said:

I might not be as organized as you but when you buy 500 of a lego set through out the year at 4 different retailers and then times that by 8 different sets it is kinda time consuming. Do they take online receipts?  Thanks for your response

I have never had a problem using online or retail receipts as proof of purchase.  However, don't expect them to do a lick of work reading the receipts so it pays to invest in an app that will let you edit PDFs so you can highlight the specific item.

[gmpirate]

I have an item I want to send into FBA but the item is currently not searchable by customers.  They only way I can find the listing is by scanning the product on the Seller App.  Once I do that I can do a search with the ASIN, but the tile words bring zero results.  There are two current sellers.  I contacted Amazon through email that the listing is not searchable by customers.

Amazon's first response by email is that the reason is that I have zero inventory at the moment.  That has noting to do with the issue of the item not being searchable but not an unexpected response from Amazon.

Next I asked for a call back.  Lengthy conversation that just goes round and round.  She just keeps telling me that people cannot find my product because I do not have inventory.  I tell her I don't want to send inventory for an item that is not searchable.  I told her there are current sellers of the item but a customer cannot search it out.  Well, she says since I'm not a current seller she cannot help me.  What if I hang up and call back as a customer looking for this?  She says I could do that and they can help me because she is only trained to help sellers.

This is a common problem that happens that I've had addressed over the years.  First time that a cs would not help or address the issue.

[pharmjod]

Check keepa. It's probably selling whether it's "searchable" or not. 

[Bold-Arrow]

Need some help with yet another FBM order ( I must be one unlucky FBM seller ) 

Long story short, buyer buys expensive item ( +$500) , shipped UPS . Shipping bought through Amazon. Buyer reject package,  Item is returned to Amazon instead of my return address by UPS for whatever reason ( probably because I bought shipping from Amazon ) . Contacted, Amazon who said  contact UPS. Contacted UPS who said  contact Amazon since package was delivered to them .

Any insight on how to resolve this mess ?

 

[jbacunn]

41 minutes ago, Bold-Arrow said:

Need some help with yet another FBM order ( I must be one unlucky FBM seller ) 

Long story short, buyer buys expensive item ( +$500) , shipped UPS . Shipping bought through Amazon. Buyer reject package,  Item is returned to Amazon instead of my return address by UPS for whatever reason ( probably because I bought shipping from Amazon ) . Contacted, Amazon who said  contact UPS. Contacted UPS who said  contact Amazon since package was delivered to them .

Any insight on how to resolve this mess ?

 

 

[gmpirate]

1 hour ago, Bold-Arrow said:

Need some help with yet another FBM order ( I must be one unlucky FBM seller ) 

Long story short, buyer buys expensive item ( +$500) , shipped UPS . Shipping bought through Amazon. Buyer reject package,  Item is returned to Amazon instead of my return address by UPS for whatever reason ( probably because I bought shipping from Amazon ) . Contacted, Amazon who said  contact UPS. Contacted UPS who said  contact Amazon since package was delivered to them .

Any insight on how to resolve this mess ?

 

In my experience it eventually winds up back in your inventory.  Amazon is not going to spend time on things that sort themselves out eventually.  It's like my example above.  Even though there is something obviously wrong with the listing they will not spend time fixing it until I have skin in the game.

[Bold-Arrow]

5 minutes ago, gmpirate said:

In my experience it eventually winds up back in your inventory.  Amazon is not going to spend time on things that sort themselves out eventually.  It's like my example above.  Even though there is something obviously wrong with the listing they will not spend time fixing it until I have skin in the game.

This is FBM.. there is no inventory to back back to unless it is in my warehouse, which def isn't Amazon, not yet anyways

 

[xeeeej]

1 hour ago, Bold-Arrow said:

Need some help with yet another FBM order ( I must be one unlucky FBM seller ) 

Long story short, buyer buys expensive item ( +$500) , shipped UPS . Shipping bought through Amazon. Buyer reject package,  Item is returned to Amazon instead of my return address by UPS for whatever reason ( probably because I bought shipping from Amazon ) . Contacted, Amazon who said  contact UPS. Contacted UPS who said  contact Amazon since package was delivered to them .

Any insight on how to resolve this mess ?

 

I'm in the same boat with an expensive FBM item that was rejected/returned to sender due to fraud.  And of course it was sent back to Amazon instead of me, but then lost in transit at UPS in Seattle.  Amazon granted the chargeback already.  Now I have a support case open, but I have about 0.5% hope that it will pan out.  I don't have any insight, but best of luck!

Edited November 11, 2020 by xeeeej