Question
Introducing "Fulfillment by Amazon" – testing a new service for our sellers
The page is long. If you visit the Amazon board, look under Seller Success.
The direct link is:
http://www.amazonsellercommunity.com...16548&tstart=0
Portions:
Today we started testing “Fulfillment by Amazon” – a new program for Amazon Marketplace sellers. With Fulfillment by Amazon, instead of shipping orders to customers yourself, soon you will be able to ship your new and used products to Amazon, and we’ll handle the order fulfillment and post-order customer service. We'll store your inventory, and as orders are placed, we'll ship your products to your customers. We will even manage post-order customer service and manage customer returns on your behalf.............................
....Products listed as Fulfilled by Amazon will be easily identifiable to customers. On the Offer Listing Page, your listings will have a "Fulfilled by Amazon" logo. Customers will also see a note that the item may qualify for Free Super Saver Shipping. .............
..............FBA orders have their own distinct fee structure, consisting of a per-item transaction fee and weight-based fees (where applicable). There is also a monthly storage fee for items placed in Amazon fulfillment centers, based on their cubic dimensions.....................
This situation may have varying results -- it has been discussed among other sellers here:
http://www.amazonsellercommunity.com...16551&tstart=0
If you do not wish to use the link, check the soapbox, thread: Fulfillment by Amazon
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This is an idea that's so bad I can't believe eBay didn't come up with it first . . . .
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Well, guess I'd better use up my Amazon g.c. balance as I WON'T be doing any shopping there anymore
Instead of FBA it will soon be known as FUBAR
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I won't be playing. I don't care to pay anyone to store or ship my books and I sure as heck am not going to tie all my inventory up on Amazon and not sell on other venues.
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I don't think Amazon is trying to compete with eBay here... they are probably trying to close a "perceived" service gap that other companies offer a solution to.
I'm assuming that used-book vendors (like me) won't be asked to just ship everything listed off to be in storage at Amazon... but if a customer orders 1 book from vendorX and another from vendorY, then both books are to be shipped to Amazon and Amazon packs them together and ships them on.
Anyway, I believe that's the way that Alibris is already doing it. I imagine that Amazon loses a certain amount of business because they haven't been able to consolidate check-out and shipping expenses for large-volume used-book customers.
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That's not the way I understand it at all. I understand it that sellers who choose to participate in the program will ship their books to Amazon. Amazon will store them, for a fee, and ship them, when they sell, for another fee. If you participate then any books they have stored for you will be eligible to be in the program.
Alibris has a combined shipping special for its 3d party vendors - when someone buys two books from me, they pay reduced shipping on the second book.
(Amazon could do that, too. Hint, hint.)
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I agree that sending all your inventory to Amazon is crazy... it gets rid of all the advantages/incentives of being a small, medium, or large used-book seller listing on Amazon...
I didn't read the entire article... it is a requirement for selling on Amazon?
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Nope, it's not a requirement. Some sellers are concerned that those who don't play will be at a disadvantage because their books won't be eligible for the free shipping, etc.
I am HOPING that enough sellers don't play that it won't wind up being that big of a deal.
Beth, the optimist.
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okay, here is the answer to my question...
Do I have to use FBA for all my products?
No. You can continue to offer listings for products you want to fulfill directly. For example, if you have a rare first-edition book title in stock, you may want to keep the item in your personal inventory and provide personalized e-mail support.
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Speaking as a buyer, I would be happy to get shipping from multiple sellers combined. I've often opted out of buying through Amazon because it is difficult... and not to my advantage... to buy 10 books from 1 seller THROUGH Amazon... I have opted to go directly to a seller's site several times even though I FOUND the seller on Amazon (or Bookfinder). Win-Win for the seller and me. A loss for Amazon.
As a seller, I wouldn't want my books mixed in with other books or handled by other people when I am being held responsible for how I write descriptions... among other things... I become only a book buyer for Amazon, but I still carry all the risk. They make the profit. I get charged if the book isn't what the customer expected. And really, if we are shipping books TO Amazon and they are shipping them again, where is the savings? And how can they continue reimbursing us for the shipping when the customer is paying nothing for it?
just my thoughts for now...