We’ll be highlighting seven areas to help you sell more successfully! So check back often and don’t miss out on the inside scoop as we focus on the following:
Note: This blog is not monitored. If you need help or have questions, please contact Seller Support.
In the September 2011 newsletter, review our list of the top five things to do to prepare your Product Ads account for the holiday season. Also, read about upcoming changes to identify your blocked SKUs so you can take immediate action to resolve rejected product ads.
Amazon Product Ads - Holiday Best Practices
Tuesday, October 11, 2011 at 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM PDT
In 2010 Amazon.com was the most visited retail website on Black Friday (WebProNews) and Cyber Monday (Experian).
Take advantage of increased traffic to Amazon.com during the holidays by implementing our top tips for success. In this webinar we will discuss holiday traffic trends, best practices for optimizing your account and more. This free event will be interactive, so please come prepared with your questions.
Attend our FREE live webinar on Tuesday, October 11 at 10:00 AM PDT.
-Michelle S.
Buyers expect to receive their orders on time, in excellent condition.
To help protect your items and provide a world-class buying experience, follow these packaging tips when packing orders for shipment.
If you’re not using Fulfillment by Amazon and ship your items yourself, make sure to package your items in strong, corrugated cardboard boxes. Check the bottom of the box for a weight limit. Don’t wrap the outer box in any kind of paper, as it could tear off and your shipment could be lost in transit or delayed.
Invest in packing peanuts and bubble cushioning, especially if you’re sending anything fragile. Leave enough space between items in the box, and wrap individual items with double cushioning if necessary.
Ship expensive jewelry and other valuables in a box no smaller than 7-by-4-by-2 inches. Make sure to use a signature confirmation service to confirm receipt. No seller wants to hear their high-dollar item “never arrived.” Also, don’t attach anything to the outside of the box that could reveal the item’s value.
Did you miss the August 2011 edition of the Product Ads newsletter? Simply click on the newsletter below to read about:
New and veteran sellers alike can benefit from following a few best practices when selling on Amazon:
Describe your items accurately
One of the most important things you do when listing your item is describe its condition. An honest, accurate description of your item's condition increases buyer satisfaction, helps you build a loyal buyer base, and promotes positive feedback ratings.
Manage your orders consistently
New sellers may want to see what happens after the buyer places an order in our 10-step Order Timeline. Don't rely solely on "Sold, ship now" e-mails to let you know you have new orders--check the Manage Orders section of in your seller account every day. Get in the habit of shippinig orders right away; you'll have more time to resolve any problems that arise. (Sellers are expected to ship orders within two business days.)
Delight buyers with great customer service
Make an impression on buyers that will last: provide excellent customer service! Respond to all inquiries from buyers within 24 hours. Add a personal touch to orders -- include "thank you" notes on packing slips. Address any problems quickly, courteously and professionally.
Handle returns, refunds and A-to-z Guarantee claims promptly
For most sellers, A-to-z Guarantee claims and service chargebacks are a rare occurrence, but when they happen, be sure address them promptly. To help prevent being held responsible for the reimbursement of a claim, follow our policies when listing, selling and shipping your products, and document shipment to the buyer and their receipt of correct product.
Deal with negative feedback
Most sellers will eventually receive some negative feedback.When it happens to you, put it in perspective: a 0-2% negative feedback rate is great! If your negative feedback rate is greater than 5%, review your business practices to correct any operational problems that might affect a buyer's experience.
Remember that you can respond to negative feedback. But before you do, we encourage you to contact the buyer and work together to resolve any issues regarding the transaction. The buyer could then remove the feedback if they feel it would be appropriate.
Consider relisting popular out-of-stock products
If you are a Pro Merchant seller, we notify you via e-mail when a significant number of potential buyers are looking for a product you once sold on Amazon.com. If you receive one of these Popular Out-of-Stock notifications, we encourage you to take advantage of the recent buyer interest in the product and offer it again.
Monitor your customer metrics closely
Your Customer Metrics (accessible in your seller account) indicate how you are doing with respect to our performance targets. Excessive order defect rates (negative feedback, A-to-z Guarantee claims and chargebacks) can cause account suspensions and even account closures. Check your feedback and A-to-z Guarantee claim pages daily, and proactively resolve any issues. Monitor your Customer Metrics Scorecard frequently so you can spot and resolve operational problems.
Update your settings, account information, and policies
To reduce hassles, do some "housekeeping": make sure your e-mail contact information is up-to-date in your seller account, and confirm that Amazon e-mail is not being filtered as spam by your e-mail program or ISP. Make sure that your credit card and bank account numbers in your account are current.
Follow basic safety guidelines
Keep your seller account login credentials confidential to yourself and only those individuals authorized by you to manage your selling activities.
Only accept Marketplace Payments by Amazon for your orders. (Sellers are not protected against transactions that may or may not be legitimate if they are engaged in those transactions outside of the Marketplace Payments by Amazon system.) Ship orders only to addresses provided by Amazon. If you are asked to ship to a different address, cancel the order and ask the buyer to place a new order with the preferred address selected.
-Michael Lambert, CTO, MerchantAdvantage
