Sellers aren’t the only ones that need to mind inventory and shipping deadlines. Shoppers must keep an eye on shipping dates, too, especially if they want their orders to arrive by Christmas.
Of course, Amazon won’t have a problem shipping orders promptly. But it isn’t the only move the retailer’s taking to secure that coveted customer satisfaction.
Curious about what’s the other move? You know what to do.
- Holiday shopping scams 😱
- Sourcing genuine product reviews 🎁
- Amazon vs. Paid reviews 🔍
BLACK MARKET
Any sales event is prime picking for scammers and fraudsters, especially during the holiday season. Your shoppers can fall for many different scams.
📣 Yahoo! Tech compiled the most common ones and how to avoid them:
- Text scam. People may receive fraudulent text messages about "delivery attempts," "confirm for delivery," or "shipment delayed." These include phishing links that would either redirect to a phishing site and/or may instantly transmit your location and device information.
- Tell your customers: Don’t EVER click suspicious links. 🖱️
- Phone scam. Scammers pretend to be Amazon, PayPal, etc. They’ll inform victims that their account has been hacked, a purchase or a refund didn’t push through, and the like. The scammers would request personal information to solve the issue.
- Tell your customers: Amazon NEVER makes random calls asking for information. They should already have that in their system for when you first signed up.
- Secret Santa gift exchange. This is a pyramid scheme that started on Facebook, promising participants multiple gifts in exchange for sending one gift. Those victimized face serious security risks as they’ve sent their names and addresses.
- Tell your customers: NEVER send anything to strangers.
🥊 Amazon and Sellers vs. Scammers
Amazon tracks scam trends and updates its users on the latest issues. Sellers, on and off Amazon, should also proactively remind shoppers to stay vigilant this holiday season.
Consider adding a simple warning on your site, social channels, and product packaging. Your ads can also include a public service announcement (PSA) about online shopping scams.
TOGETHER WITH REVIEWSCOOP
How to source genuine product reviews to dodge Amazon violations
No, it's not compelling high-quality photos. It's not just ranking on the first page of the SERPs.
If it's not these factors that people say you should pay utmost attention to, then what is?
We'll let you in on a secret most Amazon sellers don't know: it's high-quality product reviews!
But what if you're new to selling on Amazon and don't have any reviews about your product yet? How will you stand out from your competitors?
ReviewScoop has got you covered!
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- Hassle-free process—just reviews, no headaches
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Use high-quality reviews as leverage against your competitors. Let your products shine with verified product reviews!
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BITES OF THE WEEK
- VTikTok’s Milestone: TikTok Shop saw over $100 million in single-day sales on Black Friday.
- Pending Strike: Workers at the first unionized Amazon warehouse voted to authorize a strike.
- Quick Amazon: Amazon India is set to launch a 15-minute Quick Commerce Service in select areas.
HOT TOPIC
Amazon cracks down on paid reviews
Amazon is stepping up its efforts to target paid product reviews. Boston Heald shared that the company has sent out questionnaires to online reviewers asking about their work with sellers, especially on platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram.
The questions aim to uncover influencers who might be paid for testimonials—a practice Amazon actively monitors.
🪨 FTC’s new rules add pressure
This move comes amid the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) crackdown. In August, the FTC introduced new rules to prevent paid reviews, with the power to impose civil penalties on violators.
As influencers become more common, Amazon is keen to ensure transparency and trust in its reviews. To avoid any issues, here are the things you need to know:
- Be cautious when working with social media influencers.
- Avoid relying on paid reviews to boost sales. ❌
- Amazon is closely watching review patterns and may suspend sellers involved in suspicious activity.
📍 Bottom line: Amazon’s cracking down big time, so don’t risk it with shady reviews. If you work with influencers, make sure everything’s above board.