Amazon warns retailers of committing brushing scams

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Good morning.

We know many people have a beef with Monday (we do too, sometimes), but new and intriguing ecommerce juices usually flow on this day.

Of course, we got some of that juice today—exclusively for you.

• Unsolicited packages = Amazon red flags 🚩
• Walmart Marketplace perks 🌟
• A thriving community of Amazon sellers 🤝
• Trade loopholes no more ⛔

POST OF THE WEEK

BLACK MARKET

According to NewsNation, more customers are receiving unexpected packages from Amazon and other retailers. But no, they’re not early holiday gifts—they might be brushing scams!

🧹 What’s brushing?

Brushing is when companies send unsolicited items to random addresses to gain fake positive reviews. They use real names and addresses (that they often find online) but don’t include a return address. 

The goal? To make it look like a "verified buyer" gave their product a glowing review!

So, Amazon is sounding the alarm on brushing scams because they harm customers and destroy the platform’s trust.

• Fake reviews can mislead shoppers into buying poor-quality products. 
• Businesses using these scams are also breaking Amazon’s policies, degrading the marketplace’s credibility.

🫵 What’s your role in this?

Brushing may seem like a small scam, but it can lead to bigger problems. As sellers, you play an important role in keeping Amazon safe and fair.

To protect your customers, here are some pieces of advice you can give to them:

• Inform them that you don’t send unsolicited items. This is crucial in letting them know you’ll never deceive them. 📌
• Check if it’s a gift from someone they know.
• Report it to Amazon. Include tracking info, delivery details, and any relevant information.
• Monitor their credit reports to ensure no one’s using their identities for fraud.
• Change their passwords regularly, especially if they use the same password across multiple accounts.

Aside from these tips, you should be proactive and report any strange activity to help keep the marketplace clean. 🛡️

TOGETHER WITH WALMART MARKETPLACE

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It takes just a few steps to start selling. Sign up today. 

BITES OF THE WEEK

• Staying South: Despite the gradual approach, Amazon is in South Africa for the long run.
• Emissions Data: Amazon's package emissions are down, but shipping and delivery emissions are up.
• Cab Scam: Toronto's taxi association is requesting Amazon to stop selling Taxi lights.
• Effective Today: The window for international returns resolution is down from 5 days to 2 days.

SELLER COMMUNITY

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But don’t let that hold you back. You’ve got the determination; now you just need the right support to help you grow.

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Selling on Amazon isn’t easy. Surround yourself with people who are on the same journey and those who have already succeeded.

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HOT TOPIC

Trade loopholes favoring imports from China will soon be regulated

ICYDK, there’s a trade rule called “de minimis exemption” that relieves shipments worth $800 or less of tariffs and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol scrutiny. However, MarketWatch reported that this rule has become a loophole when importing cheap Chinese goods. 🕳️

How so?

• Navtej Dhillon, deputy director of President Joe Biden’s National Economic Council, said the number of such shipments has grown to more than 1 billion a year—up from about 140 million a year a decade ago.
• Two main but unofficial contributors to this increase are Shein and Temu. Both ship directly to buyers instead of transporting their items in bulk to skip import taxes. 🛼

The big problem? These no-import-tax products are lower in price, undercutting those produced by U.S.-based workers and manufacturers! Plus, it makes it harder to detect and block illegal and/or unsafe shipments from entering the country.

🚫 The U.S. says “Enough!”

To address the issue, the Biden Administration aims to pass a comprehensive de minimis reform legislation by the end of the year. The reforms include:

• Removing de minimis eligibility for products under certain sections of U.S. trade law. About 70% of textile and apparel imports from China would be affected.
• A new rulemaking to reduce de minimis volume
• A new rulemaking to improve accountability and enforcement in shipments
• A proposed final rule on safety standards

How would this affect you?

Once the changes take effect, you may not have to worry about being overpowered by significantly cheaper Shein and Temu goods. This gives you a better chance of wooing customers with goods that are really good for their prices. 👌