Selling Lego on Amazon.com

[Bold-Arrow]

31 minutes ago, justapilgrim said:

Been waiting nearly a month for a return on a star destroyer....can ship it to customer in 2 days...

U don't want it to come back .. the close you get to the 45 days mark the happier you should be 

[Darth_Raichu]

4 minutes ago, Bold-Arrow said:

U don't want it to come back .. the close you get to the 45 days mark the happier you should be 

Do Amzn automatically close the return request after 45 days or do I need to open a ticket to nudge them along??? 

[Bold-Arrow]

16 minutes ago, Darth_Raichu said:

Do Amzn automatically close the return request after 45 days or do I need to open a ticket to nudge them along??? 

For fba , u get automatically reimbursed ( on rare occasions u need to open case ). For FBM u can just leave it iirc 

[Migration]

I prefer the "ash" method. No returns. Or at least nothing but pretty saleable returns.

[exciter1]

1 hour ago, justapilgrim said:

Been waiting nearly a month for a return on a star destroyer....can ship it to customer in 2 days...

I'm waiting on one too.

[Sfcommando14]

1 hour ago, Migration said:

I prefer the "ash" method. No returns. Or at least nothing but pretty saleable returns.

I would prefer his method as well, though my average on sellable returns is probably closer to 2/3, though lower recently.  Only 1 of my last 3 returns went back to fulfillable inventory.  Customers like to damage things.

[Kenxxx]

So no one has mentioned it... how do you feel about the latest change in listing policy? ...

Effective March 8, 2017, the Condition Note attribute will be disabled for all new products. If you do have products listed as new with condition notes, the condition notes will be removed from the All Offers Page. You can still continue to use the Condition Note attribute for all other product conditions.

For more information, refer to our Condition guidelines.

I'm sure pro sellers who never added notes anyway are happy to see this. But small sellers like me... yes, occasionally I'd note something like, "New and sealed, but with notable shelf wear...", etc... I guess I have to start listing those as "collectible" now... bummer. Another issue for me: the condition notes is where I would often put: "Cannot ship to AK, HI, APO... etc" for larger items. Tho not sure I'd ever really refuse an order from one of those  places, I always figured the note would deter those buyers. So that "trick" is dead.

Tip for all you buyers in Hawaii.... pick out those items you want from Amazon sellers that don't ship to HI... wait until March 8 when the notes disappear, and place you order  

 

[asharerin]

15 minutes ago, Sfcommando14 said:

I would prefer his method as well, though my average on sellable returns is probably closer to 2/3, though lower recently.  Only 1 of my last 3 returns went back to fulfillable inventory.  Customers like to damage things.

Most our our returns from 4th quarter were new items customers obviously bought after xmas for cheaper prices instore and then sent back for a refund. Averaged less than 1% returns for 4th quarter and given the exorbitant amounts we charged we fully understand and don't mind at all. Have to recall most of it and then send it back in in Sept to resell again. Not an issue as we are already setup to store Lego long term outside of Amazon warehouses.

[asharerin]

15 minutes ago, Kenxxx said:

So no one has mentioned it... how do you feel about the latest change in listing policy? ...

 

I like it. Alot more people are shopping on Amazon using mobile devices and they don't read the condition notes. If it is not new then don't list it as such. Most sales happen thru the buy box and those don't get any notes either. If it doesn't match the product page exactly then list it as "like new" or hawk it on facebook or craigslist. This will make Amazon buyers alot more confident and the transactions alot smoother for new items. This means more traffic and more money in my pocket in the long run.

Also wanted to add that sales thru Alexa are really taking off. Obviously can't have people selling used items as new with condition notes with customers ordering by voice or AI and not seeing the listing at all. Bezos sees (correctly IMO) desktop ordering going the way of blockbuster. Lots of big changes coming no doubt. 

Edited February 10, 2017 by asharerin

[exciter1]

Well, the main listing for 10225 - R2-D2 has disappeared from the search results.  Got to love it when that happens.

[BrickLegacy]

7 minutes ago, exciter1 said:

Well, the main listing for 10225 - R2-D2 has disappeared from the search results.  Got to love it when that happens.

Should be fun trying to win the buy box on the second listing.

 

[redcell]

 

1 hour ago, asharerin said:

I like it. Alot more people are shopping on Amazon using mobile devices and they don't read the condition notes. If it is not new then don't list it as such. Most sales happen thru the buy box and those don't get any notes either. If it doesn't match the product page exactly then list it as "like new" or hawk it on facebook or craigslist. This will make Amazon buyers alot more confident and the transactions alot smoother for new items. This means more traffic and more money in my pocket in the long run.

Also wanted to add that sales thru Alexa are really taking off. Obviously can't have people selling used items as new with condition notes with customers ordering by voice or AI and not seeing the listing at all. Bezos sees (correctly IMO) desktop ordering going the way of blockbuster. Lots of big changes coming no doubt. 

I don't care about this change in Amazon's policies, but am beginning to get concerned about the general trend of Amazon tightening its 3P seller policies.  If Amazon ever gets to the point of requiring every 3P seller to verify the authenticity of their items on a periodic basis or their authority to sell particular brands, most of us who sell Lego will be completely screwed since we won't have the necessary documentation.  I'm not abandoning the platform, but all of this tightening has definitely changed my outlook on the viability of my strategies for selling on Amazon.  I don't think that they will specifically target Lego, but I do think that there is a high likelihood that Lego will get swept up in broader changes to the systems.

[Bold-Arrow]

6 minutes ago, redcell said:

 

I don't care about this change in Amazon's policies, but am beginning to get concerned about the general trend of Amazon tightening its 3P seller policies.  If Amazon ever gets to the point of requiring every 3P seller to verify the authenticity of their items on a periodic basis or their authority to sell particular brands, most of us who sell Lego will be completely screwed since we won't have the necessary documentation.  I'm not abandoning the platform, but all of this tightening has definitely changed my outlook on the viability of my strategies for selling on Amazon.  I don't think that they will specifically target Lego, but I do think that there is a high likelihood that Lego will get swept up in broader changes to the systems.

With all the recent scams targeting Lego I wouldn't be too surprised if Amazon tightens the rules and requires either invoices or a certain selling threshold . a good rule of thumb is not to put your eggs in one platform or atleast have an exit strategy if things go south especially for FBA sellers . Everyone should be able to answer this question : If Amazon was to ban me today , what is my plan tomorrow 

[Voltron]

6 minutes ago, Bold-Arrow said:

With all the recent scams targeting Lego I wouldn't be too surprised if Amazon tightens the rules and requires either invoices or a certain selling threshold . a good rule of thumb is not to put your eggs in one platform or atleast have an exit strategy if things go south especially for FBA sellers . Everyone should be able to answer this question : If Amazon was to ban me today , what is my plan tomorrow 

I don't sell on amazon but I don't even know what I would do if my ebay account got banned. Luckily I'm not in USA so could still sell on amazon but your advice is correct. Us resellers need amazon / ebay, not the other way around. There's only so many sets you can sell locally.

[asharerin]

56 minutes ago, redcell said:

 

I don't care about this change in Amazon's policies, but am beginning to get concerned about the general trend of Amazon tightening its 3P seller policies.  If Amazon ever gets to the point of requiring every 3P seller to verify the authenticity of their items on a periodic basis or their authority to sell particular brands, most of us who sell Lego will be completely screwed since we won't have the necessary documentation.

This is precisely why we diversified into other brands and categories 2 years ago. If they pull the plug on Lego we will sell our stock on other platforms and move out of the brand. I don't think Amazon itself will take further action tho. But if TLG does like the NBA, MLB and NFL have and make it policy that their products are not to be sold on Amazon then there is no getting around that. Given the tough times TLG has fallen on I don't think they would ban Lego from being sold on Amazon but stranger things have happened at this company lol.

Edited February 10, 2017 by asharerin

[Legbrick]

I am not even eligible to sell Legos on Amazon.  In fact, hardly eligible to sell anything. Those gated rules are crazy.

I have a ton of Legos love to send in.

[landphieran]

Oh boy, my turn for fun in FBM hell.

It was only a 100$ item but the buyer claims : "There is a bag of plastic forks inside the box. No lego whatsoever. My son is upset now. What do you do now?"

After I waste my money giving him a return label, to receive a box of forks. Should I create a case reporting scams?

[Bold-Arrow]

14 minutes ago, landphieran said:

Oh boy, my turn for fun in FBM hell.

It was only a 100$ item but the buyer claims : "There is a bag of plastic forks inside the box. No lego whatsoever. My son is upset now. What do you do now?"

After I waste my money giving him a return label, to receive a box of forks. Should I create a case reporting scams?

I would

[ravenb99]

The ol' shipping plastic forks instead of Lego scam 

[Migration]

Everyone should be able to answer this question : If Amazon was to ban me today , what is my plan tomorrow 

Cry a lot.

[Bold-Arrow]

2 minutes ago, Migration said:

Cry a lot.

 

fair enough, the day after that ..lol

[landphieran]

3 hours ago, Bold-Arrow said:

With all the recent scams targeting Lego I wouldn't be too surprised if Amazon tightens the rules and requires either invoices or a certain selling threshold . a good rule of thumb is not to put your eggs in one platform or atleast have an exit strategy if things go south especially for FBA sellers . Everyone should be able to answer this question : If Amazon was to ban me today , what is my plan tomorrow 

I plan on being a poorer happier man...

[cladner]

5 minutes ago, Bold-Arrow said:

fair enough, the day after that ..lol

[pete411]

3 hours ago, Bold-Arrow said:

Everyone should be able to answer this question : If Amazon was to ban me today , what is my plan tomorrow 

This would be me x 1000 sets

 

 

[Brickbuilder.g]

I like it. Alot more people are shopping on Amazon using mobile devices and they don't read the condition notes. If it is not new then don't list it as such. Most sales happen thru the buy box and those don't get any notes either. If it doesn't match the product page exactly then list it as "like new" or hawk it on facebook or craigslist. This will make Amazon buyers alot more confident and the transactions alot smoother for new items. This means more traffic and more money in my pocket in the long run.
Also wanted to add that sales thru Alexa are really taking off. Obviously can't have people selling used items as new with condition notes with customers ordering by voice or AI and not seeing the listing at all. Bezos sees (correctly IMO) desktop ordering going the way of blockbuster. Lots of big changes coming no doubt. 

I get why they're doing it but like someone else said it sucks for certain items...i.e. Minifigs. Some people sell them loose but the listing says it comes new sealed. Re:series figs. Or vice Versa