Ecommerce trends and tools can go as quickly as they come. But your knowledge of the latest happenings won’t—so is our dedication to delivering them to you hot and fresh, just like today’s headlines.
BLACK MARKET
The switcheroo scam isn’t a new story in the ecommerce scene. But here’s a plot twist nobody expected: a product switch that involves different serial numbers!
🔃 Here’s the story of a seller who received a sketchy return request that could either be an honest mistake or a ‘new’ scam:
- The seller sold 2 high-ticket items, each worth around $3500. The products in question have serial numbers recorded on the product and its packaging.
- The customer decided to return the products (the seller didn’t indicate the reason, though).
- However, although the returned items were identical to what they sold, they bore different serial numbers!
Looks like the buyer already used the items and then returned similar items from a different source. Sneaky, right?
🖇️ The tricky part is that the seller's distributor won't honor the warranty on products they didn't sell! So, the returned items can't be sold as new since they lack the manufacturer’s warranty.
💡 What to do in this situation
Amazon suggested asking the customer if they'd like to return the original products. However, there has been no response from the customer. And with an impending A-Z Claim looming, time isn’t exactly on the seller's side.
Fellow sellers also weighed in with some suggestions:
- Play hardball by withholding the refund until the correct items are returned.
- Maintain clear communication and documentation for the Safe-T claim to sway Amazon in the seller’s favor.
- If things get bad on Amazon, try contacting the manufacturer to see if they'll support the reselling of the products as new.
It's indeed a sticky situation. Hopefully, it’s not a new scheme that might cost you money or, even worse, your business. 🤞
BITES OF THE WEEK
- Unboxing Insights: Latest consumer survey highlights the crucial impact of product packaging.
- March Merch: Here’s this month's rundown of the trendiest online merchant tools and software.
- Fast and Furious: Do you know who the fastest-growing ecommerce companies are?
- Smaller Window: From 30 days, returns for electronic categories are now down to 14 days.
AMAZON NEWS
Amazon bids goodbye to the MYCE tool
ICYMI, the Manage Your Customer Engagement (MYCE) tool is no longer available on Seller Central. The news was shared by Steven Pope of My Amazon Guy, saying “It was fun while it lasted.”
❓ What happened?
- Sellers noticed that they could no longer create campaigns.
- After a while, Amazon released a statement officially saying “The Manage Your Customer Engagement (MYCE) tool for brands is no longer available and stopped sending campaigns on February 16, 2024.”
Moving forward
ICYDK, you cannot access the first-party information of Amazon customers by using a third-party email marketing service. So, MYCE was actually the perfect email marketing tool to target and retarget different audiences within the retailer’s network.
Understandably, sellers were dismayed by the news and the lack of updates on whether the tool will be replaced with something similar.
As of now, Amazon reminds users to download their MYCE data from March 29 to April 30, 2024. Beyond this, campaign data on the MYCE dashboard will be permanently removed from Seller Central and Vendor Central. 📌
ECOMMERCE NEWS
How payment options affect cart abandonment rates
Ever wonder what keeps your customers hitting that "Buy Now" button? Clue: it's not just about the price tag.
📊A study by PYMNTS found that most shoppers are likely to complete purchases on platforms offering their preferred payment methods. Here’s what else the study found:
- Cart abandonment: Sellers who offer flexible payment methods have lower cart abandonment rates. Time to give your customers choices to keep them interested and more likely to buy!
- Generational trends: Younger people, such as millennials and Gen Zs, are more likely to abandon carts. To address this, streamline your payment process to boost your chances of securing their purchases.
- Deals and savings: Consumers love snagging deals. Online stores like Amazon are popular with bargain hunters searching for discounts on items like electronics and furniture.
🛍️ The bottom line
Offering a wide array of payment options, such as credit cards and other cashless methods, is crucial to increase your sales. In fact, it could be the answer to turning window shoppers into paying customers.
