Selling on Amazon

[H4den]

I have had a quick look at selling on amazon and the setup seems complicated, or is it just me, much more involved compared to ebay ?

 

[moo-tique]

We found it quite daunting at first but things got easier once we started lisitng products. There are quite a few fields that you don't have to complete so it does look rather complex.

 

[Leather Briefcase Company]

Once you get used to Amazon...!

We decided to try their platform, and placed a range on their site.

However, after several months we decided paying them 17% commission was not viable.
We needed volume sales to justify them taking such a big commission, and we were building their brand, not ours.

After we decided to stop selling a single complaint arose.
It was unexpected, unsupported, and money refunded to the customer without question, and we still don't know what the problem was.
Try contacting Amazon to talk to a human person to find out why they can be judge, jury, hangman and take funds from your company without reasonable explanation.

 

[moo-tique]

One other thing to take into consideration is that you have to be prepared to wait a couple of weeks to receive the sale proceeds. Not great if you are looking to sell multiple items. That was a big problem for us at the time.

 

[Tom Porter]

Once you're set up - it's great. I use both amazon and eBay and although eBay is easy, once you get used to Amazon it becomes just as quick to list, if not....quicker!

 

[Leather Briefcase Company]

Amazon does have a complicated system when you look at it first of all, but you can get used to it. I wonder if they realise how many people look at it and give up?

 

[moo-tique]

I wonder if they realise how many people look at it and give up?

Quite a few i would imagine! There are so many selling fields/tabs they could take out to simplify things and make it a lot less daunting!

 

[Leather Briefcase Company]

I trust they remain ignorant!
Can anyone tell me the percentage of UK internet searchers for consumer products who use Amazon as their first option?

 

[OfficePad]

It is a little more complicated than eBay to use.

The biggest problems we encountered were commission rates were higher than we could sell the products for plus pictures and descriptions.

Unlike eBay, Amazon pick the picture and description and it is the same for the entire list of suppliers. They choose one of each and they can change at any time without warning. If there is an error in someone else's description or picture that Amazon are using when someone orders from you, the customer may not get what they expect. Amazon will not accept responsibility for these errors, even if what you provided for them is accurate and they chose to use incorrect information.

That's why we lasted only a few months before closing our account with them.

 

[e-vulture]

This, listings can be changed to a completly different product without warning - and you're the one who will take the hit if someone buys it and it's not what they ordered.

 

[bharris]

Tried it cost me money stopped it. Never again. They refunded a customer in full as they claimed the item didn't arrive. I had a signed for delivery and an email form the customer stating that she was mistaken and did receive the goods. But they still refunded. I like they way they still keep their commission. I haven't sold on Amazon since nor have i purchased from them. Use them to look up suppliers and then go direct, which is normally cheaper. Unless you have the ability to sell with a massive margin i would leave them alone.

 

[Granulr]

Amazon can be a total nightmare to work with - especially if you list using barcodes (and who ever created the ASIN in the first place puts the wrong barcodes to sizes). You don't happen to use a Magento e-commerce store too do you?

 

[David P]

Amazon isn't too bad once you get used to it. Like all marketplaces it has its quirks that you need to learn and get used to.

 

[Pish_Pash]

Selling on Amazon for me was the 'slam dunk' ...in other words it took me from "ooeerr, I'm not sure this ecommerce melarkey is going to keep my kids in Nike trainers" ...to making me a regular face at Sports Direct ...but it doesn't happen overnight, you've really got to put the effort in (I shudder at how perilously close I came to quitting Amazon in the early days - thanks heavens I didn't, my life would have taken a very different tack if it had)

 

[GraemeL]

One other thing to take into consideration is that you have to be prepared to wait a couple of weeks to receive the sale proceeds. Not great if you are looking to sell multiple items. That was a big problem for us at the time.

You can now request payment at any time with one click. Then it takes about 5 days to go into bank.

The biggest problems we encountered were commission rates were higher than we could sell the products for plus pictures and descriptions.

Then increase the prices you sell at to make it viable. Why not? (unless you are selling the same item as others, in which case I would say don't use Amazon.)

Can anyone tell me the percentage of UK internet searchers for consumer products who use Amazon as their first option?

Its huge. We get order from schools, businesses and homes. The sort of answer I get when trying to find out why is 'its so easy to find what you want' . Personally I think its dreadful trying to find what I want on Amazon. I regard Amazon business as additional sales.

This, listings can be changed to a completly different product without warning - and you're the one who will take the hit if someone buys it and it's not what they ordered.

This is a key point. My recommendation is to sell only your own branded products. You can then charge what you want and control everything.

 

[moo-tique]

You can now request payment at any time with one click. Then it takes about 5 days to go into bank.

Still a major flaw for people/businesses selling multiple items. We want immediate payment, not having to wait 5 days!

 

[Carl Feldman]

Yes amazon will have a little more however not to much but the amount of shoppers on amazon is double ebay so its worth it. People who buy on amazon don't know they're buying from other sellers they have this general thought that buy from amazon sold to by amazon which gives you the ability to leverage a big billionaire brand. With Ebay you get your money straight to paypal however with amazon its every 15th of the month. Give it a go mate you'll love it.Plus people go to ebay for bargains amazon buyers are usually looking for quality and will pay nice money for that.

 

[GraemeL]

. We want immediate payment, not having to wait 5 days!

How along are you waiting for credit card payments?

 

[TMGG]

The Amazon hype didn't come to realisation when I listed. A speck in sales compared to Ebay. Amazon's system also takes competing with other sellers right to the edge.

If someone sits on your listing when you're selling your own brand - Amazon have a stupid system where you have to buy off the offender to prove it, even if Amazon are fullfilling it. Amazon don't care, they just want to stick everyone in a pit to fight it out. Amazon always get their share.

If you send low value stuff without tracking and the customer claims they didnt get it. Eventhough you resolve it with a refund or send a replacement, your performance score gets hits hard.

For all the talk about how Ebay pampers the customer too much leaving the seller exposed to customers being unreasonable or cheating, Amazon are far worse.