Selling through Amazon FBA

[Achilles]

11 minutes ago, Darth_Raichu said:

 

Did these happen mostly at a specific Fullfilment Center or all over the place?

My most recent few have been at IND2 and AVP1, thought I also have a case sitting at SAT1 which has been "DELIVERED" for 3 days. Though it should be noted the vast majority of my stuff goes to AVP1.

 

 

 

[Lego_Monsters]

1 hour ago, Bold-Arrow said:

Yes . All the time . Gets old 

So basically...I can just order something on Amazon from a FBA seller. Open it, take out the contents, put rocks back inside the box and claim as opened and not as described? 

[Bold-Arrow]

2 minutes ago, Lego_Monsters said:

So basically...I can just order something on Amazon from a FBA seller. Open it, take out the contents, put rocks back inside the box and claim as opened and not as described? 

For the sake of this argument , you technically can . I make sure that I report the buyer for abuse and even though amazon doesn’t tell you if any action has been taken , i would like to think that if enough sellers do it then the buyer(s) is/are banned from the platform . There are many many videos and articles out there on how to scam amazon sellers and it is sickening . 

 

[pcaster]

3 minutes ago, Bold-Arrow said:

For the sake of this argument , you technically can . I make sure that I report the buyer for abuse and even though amazon doesn’t tell you if any action has been taken , i would like to think that if enough sellers do it then the buyer(s) is/are banned from the platform . There are many many videos and articles out there on how to scam amazon sellers and it is sickening . 

 

This.  I always log a call with seller support with pictures to report fraudulent returns in the hopes that they will eventually stack up against the buyer.  I never ask for reimbursement since we're technically on the hook, although when I've submitted enough proof I've gotten one - recently was surprised with a $325 credit.

 

[pickleboy]

1 hour ago, Darth_Raichu said:

 

Did these happen mostly at a specific Fullfilment Center or all over the place?

Three different centers for me.  Annnnnd now i just noticed that I have a box sitting for the last five days that has been delivered and just sitting there not checked in...

Almost getting to the point that it makes more sense to self fulfill and stop with the FBA.  I was willing to pay the difference when they were saving me time.  I understand if an item gets lost every now and again but to have 4 in the last month.  I don't send that many sets.  Its really starting to hurt.

Edited November 10, 2017 by pickleboy

[Achilles]

34 minutes ago, Lego_Monsters said:

So basically...I can just order something on Amazon from a FBA seller. Open it, take out the contents, put rocks back inside the box and claim as opened and not as described? 

The hope/assumption is if a specific user does this too many times (too many returns) their account will get flagged.

[newbie77]

2 hours ago, pickleboy said:

Three different centers for me.  Annnnnd now i just noticed that I have a box sitting for the last five days that has been delivered and just sitting there not checked in...

Almost getting to the point that it makes more sense to self fulfill and stop with the FBA.  I was willing to pay the difference when they were saving me time.  I understand if an item gets lost every now and again but to have 4 in the last month.  I don't send that many sets.  Its really starting to hurt.

We had the timeline, so technically everything sent and recd after 11/02 will be available for x'mas only not Black Friday or cyber Monday 

btw I also have few units sitting delivered and receiving forever but again  it's my own fault for being late and no one else's 

Edited November 10, 2017 by newbie77

[Bold-Arrow]

Just now, newbie77 said:

We had the timeline, so technically everything sent and recd after 11/02 will be available for x'mas only not Black Friday or cyber Monday 

Per amazon calander , anything at Amazon fc by 11/7 should be available for cyber Monday . 

[legorunner]

Question for the community: once i receive an email saying that my FBA shipment was received full, is it unusual for a number of my items to still show up as "inbound"? I received the check in email about 3 hours ago, but 6 of 19 items are still showing up as inbound. i know that they usually go to reserved as they get shipped around to fulfillment centers, but i've never seen stuff still say inbound and not reserved after check in....

EDIT: nevermind, answered my own question, items are starting to show up as reserved now. this fulfillment center lost stuff from my last shipment, so i just jumped the gun on this one. 

Edited November 13, 2017 by legorunner

[landphieran]

Anyone having issues with seller central? I'm having a lot of difficulty modifying shipments, submitting cases, etc. 

Edit: Amazon is now offering "automatic data refresh" if your items get stuck in a weird status. Seems to be working well  - Glad my fee's are putting going to good use further automating the giant.

Edited November 13, 2017 by landphieran

[ichiroll]

On 11/9/2017 at 9:10 AM, Brickbuilder.g said:

Yeah that’s what I was afraid of. It’s basically only good for the handful of states around you. I’m centrally located so makes it tough to hit the coastal regions where most orders come from.

Every Wednesday afternoon you can offer nationwide Prime for 24 hours.  You'll have to get all orders delivered by Monday, but since USPS operates on Saturday, you get a free day compared to the other carriers, and all your orders get delivered by Monday, even the 3 day transit areas.

You'll have to flip your shipping template one day a week, but the additional exposure is worth it.  ?

Obviously, this is all assuming that you have enough margin in your product to cover the Priority Mail shipping fee to these areas.

 

On 11/10/2017 at 2:36 PM, newbie77 said:

We had the timeline, so technically everything sent and recd after 11/02 will be available for x'mas only not Black Friday or cyber Monday 

btw I also have few units sitting delivered and receiving forever but again  it's my own fault for being late and no one else's 

FBA has gotten MUCH better the last few years.  I remember when it first started, freight company wouldn't even bother to come pick up shipments since the Amazon FC's are so backed up.  Shipments would sit on our dock for weeks and once the carrier is able to setup a drop-off date at Amazon, then they'd come for our shipment.  Still trying to figure out whether stand alone packages get received faster, or palletized shipments...

Edited November 13, 2017 by ichiroll

[newbie77]

4 hours ago, legorunner said:

Question for the community: once i receive an email saying that my FBA shipment was received full, is it unusual for a number of my items to still show up as "inbound"? I received the check in email about 3 hours ago, but 6 of 19 items are still showing up as inbound. i know that they usually go to reserved as they get shipped around to fulfillment centers, but i've never seen stuff still say inbound and not reserved after check in....

EDIT: nevermind, answered my own question, items are starting to show up as reserved now. this fulfillment center lost stuff from my last shipment, so i just jumped the gun on this one. 

nope. i believe i mentioned in prior posts back in june/july/august that even after getting "SHIPMENT RECEIVED IN FULL".

quantity of items were deducted and/or be in receiving state for 30-60 days and after that item will be marked "Automatically Reconciled - Received Quantity Verified" no reconciliation available. 

basically that means inventory is lost without recourse or reimbursement.

 

[Bold-Arrow]

anyone else got this feeling that the new YOUR INVENTORY PERFORMANCE INDEX will come back and bite sellers in the behind in one way or the other down the road ??

[newbie77]

38 minutes ago, Bold-Arrow said:

anyone else got this feeling that the new YOUR INVENTORY PERFORMANCE INDEX will come back and bite sellers in the behind in one way or the other down the road ??

not yet. imho... may be in future if it compiles other great stuffs. and its still in the "BETA". right now all it has is inventory performance. you can feel bad/good by looking at the lost sales.... or the index score... 

Edited November 14, 2017 by newbie77

[river41]

I thought you are not allowed to use prime when you buy for resale. I always ordered using 4-5 day shipping.Lately i don't have that option and the option is either 1 or 2 days.Is this by everyone now-did they remove the 4-5 day option?

[Lego_Monsters]

3 minutes ago, river41 said:

I thought you are not allowed to use prime when you buy for resale. I always ordered using 4-5 day shipping.Lately i don't have that option and the option is either 1 or 2 days.Is this by everyone now-did they remove the 4-5 day option?

How will Amazon know it's for resale though?

Edited November 14, 2017 by Lego_Monsters

[Bold-Arrow]

2 minutes ago, Lego_Monsters said:

How will Amazon know it's for resale though?

I'm sure they can figure it out if they want to . most folks don't buy as many items as we scumbags do .  

[Jackson]

3 minutes ago, Lego_Monsters said:

How will Amazon know it's for resale though?

Amazon has ears everywhere.

[exciter1]

If you use the preferred method, every witness is dead by the time you sell anyway.

[river41]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/new-amazon-tax-service-could-help-states-collect-billions/ar-BBF0KZT?li=BBmkt5R&ocid=spartandhp

 

[asharerin]

21 hours ago, river41 said:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/new-amazon-tax-service-could-help-states-collect-billions/ar-BBF0KZT?li=BBmkt5R&ocid=spartandhp

 

Interesting work around of Federal law by the State of Washington. Ebay will have to collect as well. I see this law being challenged for quite some time tho. Ultimately the fed govt will have to be the ones to work something out and introduce law - not going to happen anytime soon with this administration. At least the snakes at Taxjar are done if the platforms are going to be the ones collecting sales tax for each state.

[landphieran]

Do people implement maximum quantity restrictions on listings?

I recently had a guy place 2 larger orders of the same item then file for refunds of non delivery on both orders. 

I normally let the returns slide but this one will definitely be addressed.

[cladner]

4 minutes ago, landphieran said:

Do people implement maximum quantity restrictions on listings?

I recently had a guy place 2 larger orders of the same item then file for refunds of non delivery on both orders. 

I normally let the returns slide but this one will definitely be addressed.

i do.  limit 1 if its over $30.  limit 2 if its under $30.

  i don't want to get large  returns or get ripped off. 

i don't really sell anything where a buyer would normally want more than 1 or 2 of the item anyway.

Edited November 17, 2017 by cladner

[Sauromosis]

10 hours ago, landphieran said:

Do people implement maximum quantity restrictions on listings?

I recently had a guy place 2 larger orders of the same item then file for refunds of non delivery on both orders. 

I normally let the returns slide but this one will definitely be addressed.

This is how other sellers try to get your inventory off the listing or commit outright fraud.  I do limit 2 or 3 unless it's a really hot item and then I do 1.

 

[newbie77]

Looks like overall sales at Amazon is not in-par with their yearly increase target.

reason for that statement: they used to have sla-qla monitor your purchases between accounts and block and/or stop orders or ban accounts. 

Currently, no such email/notification. Even with few accounts ordering multiple of same discounted items. First of such happenings.

I.e. They are relaxing rules to meet numbers