The Double Impact: Are Amazon's Policies Harming Both Sellers and Their Own Interests? (COACH)
Hi fellow sellers,
I wanted to open a discussion about a concern that I'm sure many of us are dealing with - the unpredictability of selling permissions on Amazon. I've been an Amazon seller since 2014 and the growing instability has begun to impact not only my day-to-day operations but also my long-term business strategy.
For instance, Amazon recently recommended that I prepare 100 units of a Coach product for FBA. I made a substantial investment based on this suggestion, only to be informed a week later that I was no longer allowed to sell it.
This has led me to ask:
How can we confidently invest in inventory when selling permissions can be revoked so suddenly?
How does the uncertainty impact your current operations and long-term business planning?
How are you dealing with these abrupt changes in selling permissions?
Furthermore, there seems to be a lack of transparency when it comes to policy changes. Do you also experience this lack of clarity? How does it affect your ability to prepare for future changes or adjust your current operations?
So here's what I propose, and I would appreciate your thoughts on these points:
Amazon should provide sellers with at least a six-month to a year notice before revoking selling permissions. This would give us enough time to adjust our strategies and liquidate inventory if required.
There should be transparency about the reasons behind policy changes. This could help us make informed decisions and build trust with Amazon.
A more sophisticated vetting process should be in place that differentiates between rule-abiding sellers and those who don't meet Amazon's standards. This way, committed sellers won't be unjustly affected by penalties aimed at the latter group.
Amazon should reconsider or at least delay decisions to prohibit the sale of certain items, giving sellers enough time to adjust.
How do you feel about these suggestions? Do you think they would improve your selling experience on Amazon?
We also need to consider how these issues affect Amazon's wider ecosystem:
Deterrence from making long-term inventory investments could potentially reduce Amazon's revenue.
If sellers start to feel alienated and consider alternatives like selling directly to consumers or moving to platforms like Walmart, it could impact Amazon's competitiveness.
What are your thoughts on the broader implications of these concerns? Have you considered alternative platforms due to these uncertainties?
Despite Amazon being my preferred platform for both selling and buying, the growing uncertainty has me, and likely others, considering other more predictable and economically beneficial alternatives.
Looking forward to your insights and shared experiences.
Best regards,
The Double Impact: Are Amazon's Policies Harming Both Sellers and Their Own Interests? (COACH)
Hi fellow sellers,
I wanted to open a discussion about a concern that I'm sure many of us are dealing with - the unpredictability of selling permissions on Amazon. I've been an Amazon seller since 2014 and the growing instability has begun to impact not only my day-to-day operations but also my long-term business strategy.
For instance, Amazon recently recommended that I prepare 100 units of a Coach product for FBA. I made a substantial investment based on this suggestion, only to be informed a week later that I was no longer allowed to sell it.
This has led me to ask:
How can we confidently invest in inventory when selling permissions can be revoked so suddenly?
How does the uncertainty impact your current operations and long-term business planning?
How are you dealing with these abrupt changes in selling permissions?
Furthermore, there seems to be a lack of transparency when it comes to policy changes. Do you also experience this lack of clarity? How does it affect your ability to prepare for future changes or adjust your current operations?
So here's what I propose, and I would appreciate your thoughts on these points:
Amazon should provide sellers with at least a six-month to a year notice before revoking selling permissions. This would give us enough time to adjust our strategies and liquidate inventory if required.
There should be transparency about the reasons behind policy changes. This could help us make informed decisions and build trust with Amazon.
A more sophisticated vetting process should be in place that differentiates between rule-abiding sellers and those who don't meet Amazon's standards. This way, committed sellers won't be unjustly affected by penalties aimed at the latter group.
Amazon should reconsider or at least delay decisions to prohibit the sale of certain items, giving sellers enough time to adjust.
How do you feel about these suggestions? Do you think they would improve your selling experience on Amazon?
We also need to consider how these issues affect Amazon's wider ecosystem:
Deterrence from making long-term inventory investments could potentially reduce Amazon's revenue.
If sellers start to feel alienated and consider alternatives like selling directly to consumers or moving to platforms like Walmart, it could impact Amazon's competitiveness.
What are your thoughts on the broader implications of these concerns? Have you considered alternative platforms due to these uncertainties?
Despite Amazon being my preferred platform for both selling and buying, the growing uncertainty has me, and likely others, considering other more predictable and economically beneficial alternatives.
Looking forward to your insights and shared experiences.
Best regards,
34 Antworten
Danika_Amazon
Hi @Seller_WKLHzMgRJDMKBand thanks for taking the time to compose this thoughtful post. I'm Danika from the Community Manager team.
I can see the post is addressed to other sellers (not to me), but I wanted to weigh in just to acknowledge and thank you. We rely on input from sellers like you to improve the experience of selling on Amazon, so I'll be following along here.
Thanks again,
- Danika
Seller_qTJiCxRI8PpIZ
To my understanding, it's often not Amazon revoking permission to sell the product but the brand owner itself. If you don't have permission from the brand owner itself (in this case Coach) by way of Letter of Authenticity (not a receipt or invoice), they have the right to tell you you are not allowed to sell on Amazon, in which case Amazon has no choice but to revoke your permission.
Seller_MyXY4Myx9zVcR
"For instance, Amazon recently recommended that I prepare 100 units of a Coach product for FBA. I made a substantial investment based on this suggestion, only to be informed a week later that I was no longer allowed to sell it."
You need to know Amazon's BOTS make these," recommendations."
I get them all the time, mostly telling me to lower my prices. Please learn to ignore them, and learn to run your business as you see fit.
Perhaps you can sell your items on another venue in the event you are unable to return your purchase to your supplier.
Always remember, YOU run your business, not Amazon.
May common sense, and a decent facility with numbers, prevail.
Seller_f4a7xAPCCSMqD
Before selling a product, make sure that you have permission from them to sell their product on Amazon in the form of a letter of authorization, and having a good relationship with one of their brand reps helps too. That way if Amazon ever questions your permission to sell, you can provide them with the letter of authorization, and then talk to your brand rep so they can work things from their side if needed.
Seller_kIukTwdhvntAp
More and more brands are taking control of their own destiny on here.
Amazon has allowed the site to be invaded by countless thousands of unauthorized sellers over the past couple decades. In typical Amazon fashion, instead of using a scalpel to excise the disease (unauthorized sellers) they are simply killing all the sellers other than whoever Coach (in this instance) is going to favor.
Expect more of this and it is partly a result of the new laws that have stripped Amazon and other sites of what they had perceived as protection from penalties for allowing counterfeit/stolen merchandise on the site.
Those restrictions will include both RA and Gray market sales in the future because there is no proof of authenticity or chain of custody for either version of those sales models.
Seller_WKLHzMgRJDMKB
I wonder whether any of you fully engaged with the complexities of my arguments. The lack of empathy sometimes evident suggests a potential bias, raising questions about whether some of you might be acting on behalf of Amazon.
This situation brings into focus the contrast between the actions of large corporations and smaller independent businesses. Large companies like Coach and Amazon, worth billions and even trillions, often behave in ways that primarily serve their own interests. For example, Coach knowingly sells its products in bulk to resellers, fully aware that it's a significant aspect of its business operations. Similarly, Amazon actively recruits sellers to promote these products on its platform.
In contrast, individual brands might dislike the resale of their products, but the context and implications are vastly different. A small brand wanting to maintain control over its products is different from a publicly traded company conducting business with complete knowledge of its resellers.
It's critical to realize that if a seller is providing authentic, legitimate products, they deserve a fair notice to liquidate their stock, regardless of a brand's request. This situation underlines the necessity for balance, ethics, and transparency in such business practices. Acknowledging these differences and implementing fairness can lead to a better understanding of the broader context and the need for more equitable business procedures.
Seller_VwqrexG4hFClu
Basic reselling of brand name goods on amazon has been going on forever.
Realistic coach is not going to a give seller permission. Unless you are a big department store.
All of these name brands are not going to give small sellers permission to resale the goods. The goods however have been purchased at legit retail sites or online thru sales and resold on amazon. That has been the game forever. I agree with the handbagguysuk. You can not invest in inventory if amazon is going to wavier. I understand you are not the only one whom got this letter regarding coach I know of two other sellers as well. Sounds like a mass letter. Today its coach tomorrow it could be nike or ralph lauren or michel kors or kate spade who knows. I think amazon needs to get real. Decide which way they going to go. They know they have a mass amount of small sellers reselling legit goods that have been bought at outlets or on sale. Retail Artriabge I think is the name.
So is amazon going to allow. I think they should. once you buy the goods you can sell them and do with what you want.
Seller_HRcJa1gdGHeov
It is not just permissions that lack transparency; the whole Amazon selling process is a black box and changes on a daily basis. A price is fine one day and too high the next, a product is acceptable one day and then labelled a restricted product the next, and product uses IP fine one day and the next day infringes, ....
Most of these problems are driven by bots that are not well programmed and filled with bad data. Amazon teams are so silo-ized that they can't fix obvious problems Seller Support appears to be more interested in preserving their own existence than actually doing what they are paid to do: help solve problems.
The amount of $$ Amazon is losing in potential sales is staggering but Amazon has shown no inclination of fixing this issue; it makes selling on Amazon nearly impossible even for seasoned sellers.
Seller_hZlWagzEXNMRm
Don't invest all your eggs into amazons basket, they are not exactly the best "partner"
Seller_BeWo5Xt3t43rn
AMAZON's increasing use of poorly programmed bots to offer suggestions and enforce policy will be Amazon's downfall as many of us remove inventory that has made this site diverse leaving only the redundent private labeled junk. Look what has happened to AMAZON'S jigsaw puzzle selection for an example! You have to go the the manufacturer's sites to buy most of what used to be available on AMAZON!
