BIG IDEA
Amazon's defects in the cancellation notifications were brought to light again, as initially reported in an article by EcommerceBytes.
In February of last year, the ecommerce giant announced that Seller Central would display cancellation notifications prominently on the Manage Orders page and in Order Reports to communicate whenever somebody requested a cancellation. The update was supposed to prevent sellers from missing or overlooking requests in a conversation because, before this, notices appeared within Buyer-Seller communications.
The update raised concerns for sellers, so the company decided to push back the feature to May 2022. By July, sellers reported issues with cancellation requests still coming in through the messaging system.
🍵 Give us the tea
Despite their good intentions, the change backfired and was altogether counterproductive. Amazon admitted that depending on how the customer sent the request, the notification could appear in either Buyer-Seller messages OR Manage Orders, increasing the chance of missing it altogether.
🔕 Why should you care?
Sellers need to be aware of order status updates to accommodate any changes as soon as possible. Until Amazon resolves this technical issue, sellers should regularly check Buyer-Seller messages for potentially missed notices regarding an order status change.
As the issue persists, Amazon has stated that cancellation rates won't take a hit for missed requests received through chats.
AMAZON NEWS
Access reports in one place with the new FBA Inventory Ledger
Diving into inventory data will be easier as Amazon launches its new FBA Inventory Ledger Report. The record allows sellers to monitor six inventory reports in one comprehensive view.
📊 The report covers starting inventory balance, inventory received at the fulfillment center, orders, returns, adjustments, reconciliation events, removals, and ending balance. It tallies each segment so you can clearly see where your stock stands.
Amazon advised sellers to make the switch to Inventory Ledger ASAP. On January 31, it will replace the following:
- Daily Inventory History
- Monthly Inventory History
- Inventory Event Detail
- Inventory Adjustments
- Inventory Reconciliation
- Received Inventory
📩 What you can do now: Review and export any reports you think you might need before they become discontinued, as you'll no longer have access to them after the change date.
BITES OF THE WEEK
- Behind Amazon FBA: Warehouse workers at risk? - EcommerceBytes
- What Is Amazon Inspire? - Jungle Scout
- What to do before your best customer ghosts you - Retail TouchPoints
- Side hustle or full-time job? Selling on Amazon in your spare time - Jungle Scout
TRENDING
There's an upside to negative reviews?
The joy of receiving a 5-star review is undeniable, but does that mean that any less of a star rating is detrimental?
For some, it feels like it, but it really shouldn't.
While review management is indeed a serious business, even a one or 2-star review isn't the end of the world.
Here's what Entrepreneur had to say:
- Reviews offer insight into varying viewpoints. Two customers buying the same product may each have their own opinion on it - one might rave about it while the other isn't quite feeling it (and that's okay)! In the end, what you're getting from negative reviews are different insights into your product and potential opportunities for improvement.
- Keep things in perspective. If you have one negative review in a sea of positive ones, it represents only a tiny percentage. Remembering this helps keep things in perspective. If most of your customers love your product, that's what matters.
Feeling down after receiving a negative review is normal, but it's also an essential part of the process. Remember to address the review but keep going - you're likely to recover from it faster than you think.
ACTIONABLE ADVICE
4 Trends Amazon sellers should be doing in 2023
Now that January's coming to an end, it's high time for you to know the trends that small businesses are hopping onto this 2023, according to the Entrepreneur.
- Prioritize marketing and hiring. Small businesses are still hiring despite the looming recessions. This shows that everyone's still investing in their business - giving priority to hiring and marketing. After all, "the best defense against customers tightening their wallets is a proactive offense."
- Invest in the latest technologies. Big companies aren't the only ones adopting the latest tech trends. Even though it's costly upfront, it can be an investment to streamline your processes if you do your research.
- Take advantage of free resources. Looking for educational materials, you can share with your employees? There are so many free accessible resources online for your to take advantage of. A quick search can point you in the right direction.
- Build relationships with other entrepreneurs. Networking is a fantastic tool to gain support and open opportunities for sellers. Many organizations exist for sellers to share resources and learn from one another. Consider searching for online communities or local meet-ups to get started.
💡 Getting your business to the next level means evolving; these trends could be your ticket to growth!
