Topic Wiki

    Selling On Amazon
    When signing up for an account there are two options. If you're just starting out, get the Individual Plan, you can upgrade the account whenever you want.

    Individual Selling PlanProfessional Selling Plan
    $0.99 fee for each item sold. If you sell 40+ items/month, you will need the Professional plan.  Flat fee of $39.99/month and more powerful and flexible tools to manage inventory, reports, feeds and access to web services.

    Amazon is an amazing platform that offers great opportunities for starting a business and making money. However when starting out, take it slow.
    There is much to learn and get used to. Before investing all your savings on a product you hope will quickly turn a profit take the time to familiarize yourself with the system.
    Perhaps start out with a smaller investment just to get your feet wet. Go through the basic guidelines offered by Amazon here.

    Below are tips, clarifications and insights from members of this forum. Feel free to pitch in or ask you questions.

    Some factors to consider before investing in a product to sell:

    1) Price: How much did the item cost you? Have you taken into account shipping costs (both to you and to the customer)? Will you have to pay taxes? Amazon keeps a percentage of every sale (including shipping fees). It’s 15% for most product categories besides a few like electronics that are 8%. You can see the full schedule of fees here. There are several online tools to help you price your products including an FBA Revenue Calculator here and an Amazon built iOS app. A quick way to figure out how much you’d need to charge just to break even after amazon fees is to take the total product cost and then multiply it by 1.1766 (for 15% fees) or 1.087 (for 8% fees).

    2) Velocity:  How fast will the item sell? It's nice to find a product for $10 that you can flip for $100.  But if you’ll only sell 1 a year, it won’t be a very good investment. The best way to determine the velocity of an item is to check the sales rank. Sales rank indicates the popularity of a product compared to other products in its category. The lower the ranking the more popular it is. The iOS app has sales rank baked in too. To get a proper feel for the turnaround time of an item, you'll need to dip your toes in slowly. Note: An item may have a great sales rank due to a recent sale, make sure to check price history on camelcamelcamel.com or keepa.com to get a better picture of the real price and rank of an item.

    3) Return Rate: Even after you sold a few laptops and tablets profitably, you'll have to take into account that a buyer may want to return the item. Certain items have higher rates of return, so make sure to take that into account when deciding whether it's profitable/worth your effort to sell the item.


    Fulfilled By Amazon (FBA):
    The seller sends the items to Amazon warehouse. Amazon takes care of fulfilling the order, and customer service related to the order.

    Pro's Of FBA
    Con's Of FBA
    • Easier to get in the Buy Box
    • You're able to offer Prime shipping
    • For anything above $300, Amazon only charges the standard referral fee. This actually makes FBA cheaper when you take the discounted shipping to Amazon into account.
    • If you have a large or heavy item, shipping the item to the customer can be expensive especially if it is going to a residential address. If you send that item to amazon FBA charges will be much lower than your shipping would have cost. (Including shipping it to FBA)

    • Returns (See this post for a more detailed explanation)
      • Returns are accepted without any restocking fee.
      • Items that are Damaged/missing parts are taken back.
      • Since Amazons is super lax on returns, your return rate will be significantly higher.
      • Refunds may harm your cash flow. When a buyer selects "Return" on his order history, often Amazon will immediately issue him a refund, and debit your account.
    • If the item is not a fast selling item, it will sit in their warehouse. Amazon charges a fee for every 30 Days an item remains their warehouse, it is usually a tiny fee, but it adds up.


    Q: How can I move inventory from one ASIN to another ASIN without having them returned on FBA listings?
    A:
    Before I Teach you guys the method you must keep 2 things in mind:
    1) This Method isn't guaranteed! As we all know how seller support is operating, Since this processes involves them its only about %95 accurate but its still a YMMV!
    2) This is kind of grey whether its in violation of Amazon's policy so i do not take responsibility if you get hit!
    Its a 4 step process make sure to follow them properly! Follow this link

    Q: If I have 3 items to send into FBA and they are splitting me to 3 different locations. Can I ship all 3 items to one location?
    A:
    Yes, you can choose "Inventory Placement Service" in FBA settings to send all your inventory to one nearby warehouse. Amazon charges an additional fee ($.30, CMIIW) per item.
    Note: That even once your inventory reaches Amazon, if Amazon is moving it to a different warehouse, the item will be "back-ordered"

    Q: I'm having a hard time finding a box for a large product, can I just ship with the box the way it came from the store?
    A:
    There might not be a clear cut answer for every scenario. But, some have sold many large printers through FBA, by just putting the shipping label directly on the box and not having an issue.

    Q: What is considered case pack when sending in items to Amazon FBA?
    A:
    Case pack is when all the items in the box are from the same ASIN.

    Q: I'm doing FBA shipping for the first time. and it says "prep required". What does that mean?
    A:
    Prep Required means there is some preparation for the products that will need to be done before it could be added the the Amazon inventory. Typically, it is either labeling the items, taping the boxes shut, or poly bagging. If you do not prepare the items yourself, Amazon can/will do it for a charge.
    Q: What is the buy box? How do I win the buy box?
    A:
    The Buy Box is the box on a product detail page where customers can begin the purchasing process by adding items to their shopping carts.
    To give customers the best possible shopping experience, Sellers must meet performance-based requirements to be eligible to compete for Buy Box placement. All Buy Box eligible offers are then further evaluated to determine the Buy Box winning offer. One "New" and one "Used" condition offer, as applicable, will receive Buy Box placement.

    Q: What is an A-Z claim?
    A:
    When you buy from third-party sellers on Amazon.com, the condition of the item and its timely delivery are guaranteed under the A-to-z Guarantee.
    Therefore, a buyer may open a claim if the above is not met to his expectations.

    Q: I have an item that is handmade how do I go about selling it on?
    A:
    Create your own listing and buy a UPC code.

    Q: Any advice on packaging and shipping?
    Check the Shipping Master Thread

    Q: Why are some items on Amazon missing the Amazon sales rank number?
    A:
    Go to add a product > sell yours  it should be in the top right corner. If it's not there usually it means no one bought yet.

    Q: How do you compare Ebay/paypal fees to Amazon fees?
    A:
    Depends on the category. For a lot of categories,Please Update Categories it may be cheaper, as with Amazon there is just one fee, but for eBay sales there also is a Paypal fee.

    Does the Amazon sales rank mean a lot when researching a product to sell?
    A:
    Yes





    Q: How do I get customers to leave feedback (I tried emails)? I sold multiple items
    recently and no feedback yet
    Please Update

    Q: I Got an email from a buyer where's my stuff? I have a Fedex/UPS delivery confirmation signature. How should I go about this?
    A:
    Firstly, tell the buyer that UPS/Fedex shows that it was signed for, and they should check if the item was delivered to a neighbor, from desk of building ect... Next open an investigation from your end with UPS/Fedex to have them do research and contact their driver of what may have happened to this item. It all depends on how co-operative the buyer is, on exactly how to precede. If they are trying to scam you, then there is not much as a seller you could do. They may open an A-Z claim (you would have to weigh your options if it is worth having a claim) Amazon may or may not grant it in your favor. I have never had this with Amazon. Such a claim is not typical.
    What is more common is if there was no signature, and tracking shows it was delivered, and the buyer is claiming they have not received it.
    For myself - Fedex has reimbursed me multiple times with such instances

    Scams
    Q: I posted an expensive item on Amazon. Somebody sent me a message, asking to clarify the condition of the item is (it was clearly stated in the description), along with a request to reply to his own email, and he'll pay through PayPal. Is there anything this buyer can so to screw me over, after I send him the item? Anything else I should know?

    A: SCAM SCAM SCAM. There is NO reason you should EVER do this. There is a reason why Amazon has this policy. This is how the scams works.
    The guy sends a FAKE email from an email account such as paypal1@realpaypal.com. In reality no money was sent to your account and its bogus. The scammers are hoping that you will think that you got the money and will send the item.
    You should report it to paypal each time. beware! always check your paypal account if the money came.
    Another reason not do this-you will get kicked off amazon for good,sometimes competitors set this up.[/list]



    Commonly used resources

    A List of lots of links to resources commonly used in Amazon selling
    http://www.asgtg.com/amazon-services/


    « Last edited by mgarfin on January 02, 2018, 09:07:51 PM »

    Author Topic: Selling on Amazon Master Thread  (Read 975900 times)

    Offline ilherman

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    Re: selling on amazon
    « Reply #540 on: January 04, 2014, 11:46:52 PM »
    Yes, you could pack multiple SKUs in one box.

    Amazon has to give you the option to add the items to an existing shipment.
    He asked about "case pack" where the answer is that it haves to be the same SKU.
    You can say what you think when you think what you say.

    Offline metziah

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    Re: selling on amazon
    « Reply #541 on: January 05, 2014, 01:11:52 AM »

    He asked about "case pack" where the answer is that it haves to be the same SKU.
    How else can you ship something in the same box?

    Offline ilherman

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    Re: selling on amazon
    « Reply #542 on: January 05, 2014, 02:22:26 AM »
    How else can you ship something in the same box?
    Again when you ship the same SKU you can case pack. when you do multiple items, they will divide you where ever they want.
    You can say what you think when you think what you say.

    Offline Solomon

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    Re: selling on amazon
    « Reply #543 on: January 05, 2014, 06:41:15 AM »
    Again when you ship the same SKU you can case pack. when you do multiple items, they will divide you where ever they want.
    DO not use case pack unless it's a manufacturer's case pack, Amazon monitors it and they can suspend your FBA privileges or even your entire account, does not pay to mess with that

    Offline ya

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    Re: selling on amazon
    « Reply #544 on: January 07, 2014, 02:39:19 PM »
    DO not use case pack unless it's a manufacturer's case pack, Amazon monitors it and they can suspend your FBA privileges or even your entire account, does not pay to mess with that
    What do you mean by this?

    Offline ilherman

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    Re: selling on amazon
    « Reply #545 on: January 07, 2014, 02:44:36 PM »
    What do you mean by this?
    What don't you understand?
    You can say what you think when you think what you say.

    Offline ilherman

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    You can say what you think when you think what you say.

    Offline mgarfin

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    Re: selling on amazon
    « Reply #547 on: January 07, 2014, 03:47:00 PM »
    I'm setting up an FBA inbound shipment of heavy items

    I will select all products and quantities

    But depending on how they split it up

    What do I do if they want me to send more the 50 lb to go to one destination?

    Offline ilherman

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    Re: selling on amazon
    « Reply #548 on: January 07, 2014, 03:52:55 PM »
    I'm setting up an FBA inbound shipment of heavy items

    I will select all products and quantities

    But depending on how they split it up

    What do I do if they want me to send more the 50 lb to go to one destination?
    What's the problem? If something weighs more then 50 lbs you just have to put a note TEAM LIFT on the box, look in seller central for more details.
    You can say what you think when you think what you say.

    Offline mgarfin

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    Re: selling on amazon
    « Reply #549 on: January 07, 2014, 04:00:32 PM »
    What's the problem? If something weighs more then 50 lbs you just have to put a note TEAM LIFT on the box, look in seller central for more details.

    And what if it does not fit into one box, depending on how they will split it up? can I set it to be 2 boxes?

    Offline ilherman

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    Re: selling on amazon
    « Reply #550 on: January 07, 2014, 06:37:23 PM »
    And what if it does not fit into one box, depending on how they will split it up? can I set it to be 2 boxes?
    Sure, you will see the option of adding boxes.
    You can say what you think when you think what you say.

    Offline mgarfin

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    Re: selling on amazon
    « Reply #551 on: January 08, 2014, 02:13:07 PM »
    Sure, you will see the option of adding boxes.

    Thanks ilherman for your help!!

    one more thing im trying to understand,

    Products that don't have a UPC and its telling me to label it, is that enough or I need to add a UPC?

    Just to explain from where I'm taking this, on there tutorial about it upc and epa it says to buy UPC if product does not have one. That confuses me as why would I buy UPC if I can just print labels?

    p.s. will ilherman be at the seminar tonight

    Offline ilherman

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    Re: selling on amazon
    « Reply #552 on: January 08, 2014, 02:24:51 PM »
    Thanks ilherman for your help!!

    one more thing im trying to understand,

    Products that don't have a UPC and its telling me to label it, is that enough or I need to add a UPC?

    Just to explain from where I'm taking this, on there tutorial about it upc and epa it says to buy UPC if product does not have one. That confuses me as why would I buy UPC if I can just print labels?

    p.s. will ilherman be at the seminar tonight
    It's enough to label it.

    I will. But i'm also willing to stay anonymous!!!!
    You can say what you think when you think what you say.

    Offline Frostboot

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    Re: selling on amazon
    « Reply #553 on: January 08, 2014, 02:40:32 PM »
    I am a bit confused by Amazon's return policy for private sellers.  If I am a seller do I have to abide by the Amazon policy? If someone is requesting a return on an item that they no longer want, do I have to accept the return if it is within 30 days of purchase? Whats the deal with restocking fees, can I charge one? What about if the item has been opened, do I have to issue refund?

    I know these answers are available on Amazon but I find their guidance very confusing. If an experienced seller can provide practical answers to these questions I would really appreciate it…

    Offline ilherman

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    Re: selling on amazon
    « Reply #554 on: January 08, 2014, 02:50:18 PM »
    I am a bit confused by Amazon's return policy for private sellers.  If I am a seller do I have to abide by the Amazon policy? If someone is requesting a return on an item that they no longer want, do I have to accept the return if it is within 30 days of purchase? Whats the deal with restocking fees, can I charge one? What about if the item has been opened, do I have to issue refund?

    I know these answers are available on Amazon but I find their guidance very confusing. If an experienced seller can provide practical answers to these questions I would really appreciate it…
    Yes, you have to accept returns within the 30 days, unless you specified otherwise, If you didn't specify that you don't take open returns, you probably have to take the return even it's open. You can charge I think up to 20%restocking fee.
    You can say what you think when you think what you say.

    Offline Yeki89

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    Re: selling on amazon
    « Reply #555 on: January 08, 2014, 03:08:49 PM »
    It depends on the catagory.

    Offline beeweegee

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    Re: selling on amazon
    « Reply #556 on: January 08, 2014, 03:22:06 PM »
    I sold the printer bundle from a while back from Midwest Photo Exchange on Amazon, and the buyer just emailed me that it came slightly damaged, the inside box and some plastic parts on the printer. I obviously need to take it back and issue a refund, but how should I proceed? When I get it back, I need to return it to MPE. Will that be a problem with the fact that I got the Canon rebate already?

    Any other ideas (perhaps to avoid paying a fortune to have it shipped back from CA)? Thanks!

    Offline mgarfin

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    Re: selling on amazon
    « Reply #557 on: January 08, 2014, 03:32:15 PM »
    It's enough to label it.

    I will. But i'm also willing to stay anonymous!!!!

    Just wanted to thank you in person but I understand your request

    ty

    Offline metziah

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    Re: selling on amazon
    « Reply #558 on: January 08, 2014, 04:16:10 PM »

    Yes, you have to accept returns within the 30 days, unless you specified otherwise, If you didn't specify that you don't take open returns, you probably have to take the return even it's open. You can charge I think up to 20%restocking fee.
    How do you set these policies? where on seller central? I didn't see anywhere where it gave me that option.

    Offline moshe_m

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    Re: selling on amazon
    « Reply #559 on: January 09, 2014, 05:08:26 PM »
    Bump