Selling on Amazon isn’t without its stressful moments. That’s why we strive to bring you tales of challenging seller experiences and how they overcame them—with some selling tips on the side.
- Return scam gone wrong🙅
- Joining a seller community 👯
- Must-try retail trends 📈
- Selling without inventory 💰
BLACK MARKET
Any seller can fall victim to online fraud and scams. But new ones are extra vulnerable as most of them don’t know how to quickly spot bad actors.
Fortunately, there are support communities like Seller Central where newbies can seek help from seasoned sellers. A new private label seller took this opportunity to share in the forums their close encounter with a return scam.
❓ What went down?
- A customer claims that the baby blanket they bought from OP shrunk after washing and caused their baby to get rashes.
- The seller then offered a refund through the Amazon platform. They also suggested not doing a replacement as the baby can get rashes again.
- But, lo and behold, the customer wanted to keep the "shrunken rash blanket" for their sister's baby and push through with the refund!
Sellers are responsible for taking care of customers, but this one smelled a bit off. So, OP sought advice from fellow sellers on how to handle this slippery situation.
Here are some golden nuggets they dropped:
- Keep it professional. Craft a polite response explaining the return process policy.
- Use the broken record technique. Repeat your response and emphasize that Amazon requires official return requests. If the buyers keep buzzing, stick to your script and avoid engaging unnecessarily.
- Play the quality control card. For example, you can insist on inspecting the faulty item for improvements.
🧠 Bonus tip: Stay sharp and vigilant
Dealing with scams and tricky customers is just another bump on the road to success. So, when you smell something fishy, trust your gut and handle it like a seasoned pro by reporting the incident to the platform and/or seeking help from your fellow sellers.
TOGETHER WITH SELLER ALLIANCE
How joining a community can increase your sales
Are you a new Amazon seller who's yet to find the ropes to selling on Amazon? Or are you still planning to start your journey?
Beginnings are one of the hardest parts but who says you have to do it alone? Be a part of a community exclusively for Amazon sellers!
Seller Alliance is a community for FBA entrepreneurs and marketers who want to build 7-figure brands on Amazon. They say you become who your friends are. And in this community, we'd like to think of everyone as friends who share the same goal–to succeed in the ecommerce jungle.
With Seller Alliance, you will:
- Network with Amazon and D2C sellers. Easily connect with a community of like-minded sellers and operators who can provide support and advice.
- Learn from others. There's no better way to learn than from people who've had experience.
- Take masterclasses. Selling on Amazon is a big learning journey. But Seller Alliance will be there to guide you through it and make things less overwhelming.
- Access to an SOP database. With an updated SOP database complete with checklists, templates, and examples, it's a lot easier to correspond with clients, Amazon, and suppliers.
- Get personalized 1-on-1 coaching. Some tips not working out for you? Get personalized quarterly coaching from a team of Amazon experts and know how to improve your business.
It's your business, yes–but it doesn't mean you should be doing this alone.
Join the Seller Alliance community and enjoy these perks:
- FREE 14-day trial
- $47/monthly subscription, commitment-free OR
- Enjoy $397/year (a whooping $367/year worth of savings) exclusive for our SellerBites subscribers!
BITES OF THE WEEK
- What’s Profitable: Here are some ecommerce ideas to try this year.
- A Chinese Store-y: Seems like Amazon is acknowledging the significance of Chinese suppliers and sellers a li’l too much.
- Check It Out: New Brand Building Metrics are available on your Build Your Brand page.
- Must Read: Are you familiar with the nuances and tax responsibilities of ecommerce brands?
AMAZON NEWS
4 must-try retail trends based on consumers’ expectations this year
According to a recent report from Retail TouchPoints, 2024 will require retailers to provide a special bundle of personalized shopping experience—complete with convenience, good value, and a sense of discovery. It’s definitely easier said than done, especially with today’s diverse buying channels.
So, how do you meet your buyers’ expectations?
🗺️ Enter the 4-element retail map for 2024:
1. Sustainability
Recommerce is on the rise, particularly among millennials and Gen Zs. More and more consumers lean toward sustainability, choosing secondhand items to curb the environmental costs of consumerism.
How to leverage this: Use the increasing demand for sustainability to deal with aged inventory, items with mild imperfections, or returns.
2. Fragmented buyer journey
Buyers don’t go in, buy an item, and return purchases in the same place anymore. Some start on a digital search and end with physical returns.
How to leverage this: Invest in a seamless omnichannel strategy that can cater to end-to-end customer needs.
3. Personalized ‘everything’
Speedy fulfillment isn’t the sole sales booster anymore. Buyers also want personalized ads and recommendations rather than just random content about stuff they don’t need or want.
How to leverage this: Use software and AI to gather data and craft ads that’ll appeal to the correct customers.
4. Direct-to-consumer (DTC) model
Selling and delivering directly to buyers remove third-party factors that can cause friction. It’s no wonder DTC sales account for 1 in 7 ecommerce dollars worldwide, promising DTC businesses an exponential growth as high as 2176% in 4 years!
How to leverage this: Explore ways to scale or build your DTC platform.
Of course, there are other trends and demands to consider this year. But rest assured the ones mentioned above are where consumers are NOW. 🤝
SELLER REFRESHER
How to sell on Amazon without inventory
Want to sell on Amazon but don’t have cash for inventory? Don’t worry, because Meta Nex says it’s possible through dropshipping!
📦 What’s dropshipping?
Dropshipping refers to selling items on Amazon without storing them. When a customer buys, the seller purchases from a third-party supplier who then ships directly to the customer.
Here is how it works:
- Find products. Use product research tools to hunt for high-demand, low-competition items. Pro tip: Go for products that fit Amazon's fulfillment criteria for smoother operations.
- Search for trustworthy suppliers that can handle shipping directly to your customers. You’d want partners who deliver quality products and services to keep your customers happy.
- Get your product labels right. Communicate clearly with suppliers to ensure the accuracy of your company logo, shipping address, and other packaging requirements to avoid delivery hiccups.
- List your products properly. Follow Amazon’s guidelines to make sure your listings are accurate, engaging, optimized, and visible to potential customers.
- Provide top-notch customer support to keep your customers happy. After all, happy customers mean repeat business!
⏸️ But before you jump on the dropshipping ship, weigh its pros and cons first. It’s a good way to start your Amazon journey without shedding too much cash, but getting on it without enough knowledge might cost you more.
