ASIN

Amazon is requesting an invoice, what do you do now?

December 21, 2020 Leave a Comment

Amazon ASIN reinstatement through invoices

By: Kayleigh Cockerill

Experienced Amazon sellers know when a buyer makes inauthentic or condition complaints. Amazon wants more than a quality Plan of Action – they want an invoice.

Invoices and the information on them help Amazon determine if you have quality and authentic sourcing. It is important not to take these request lightly.

Amazon requested invoices for your inventory, now what?

Before submitting your invoices, take some time to ensure you are meeting Amazon’s standards or you will waste your first review. Which leads to longer reinstatement times, which then impacts your bottom line – money!

The invoice displays: company name and matches the legal entity registered in Seller Central
All supplier information is available including their name, address, phone number, and website. Amazon will use this information to contact your supplier so take a few minutes to verify the information is current.
In the last 365 days if an invoice was issued and the quantity purchased represents those sales, yet Amazon can’t account for those sales, your ASIN won’t be reinstated.

DO NOT ALTER YOUR INVOICES

I REPEAT, DO NOT MANUFACTURE OR CHANGE THE INFORMATION ON YOUR INVOICES.

Even if you want to make a seemingly innocent change, like rewriting unclear text or changing the balance due, do not do it.

If Amazon suspects you have altered your invoices, they will suspend your account. This type of deception is extremely difficult to overcome, even if you have good reason. Doing this potentially can label you as forgers.

Amazon doesn’t like dishonest sellers. If you’ve lost invoices or the information is unclear, call the suppliers and ask for reprints.

Amazon will however allow you to black out pricing information and highlight your ASIN/line item. That is the ONLY alteration that can be made.

Tips:

Keep invoices in a central depository so you know where to find them when the time comes.
Invest in software that will help you organize invoices by ASIN and date.
Do not sell inventory on Amazon if you don’t have invoices to back sales.
If invoices are not itemized because you buy in bulk or because you are sourcing from a supplier who sells the item by category and not a unique product code, don’t expect Amazon to accept them. If they can’t match the product to the listing, your ASIN won’t be reinstated
Amazon does not accept commercial invoices, bills of landings, or packing slips in lieu of an invoice.
Amazon is unlikely to accept Proforma invoices. Proforma invoices don’t prove that a transaction was completed. That kind of invoice is essentially a quote. Supposing that is all you have, call the supplier and request an updated invoice that shows the transaction was completed. It will also have a zero balance.
Amazon does not like long form receipts and retail arbitrage. This kind of receipt is hard to read and even harder to verify.

If you have submitted your invoices multiple times and you continue to get the same vague response, Riverbend can help!

Send us an email or give us a call! (877) 289-1017

Kayleigh relentlessly fights for clients with suspended Amazon accounts. With a degree is in Criminology and Criminal Justice, Kayleigh is inquisitive, process-oriented and pays close attention to detail. When she isn’t being a superhero to Amazon sellers, she enjoys crafting, reading, baking, taking voice lessons or participating in races and obstacle courses.

FBA basics are key to keeping a tidy account for inventory.

December 21, 2020 Leave a Comment

FBA basics that can save you thousands of dollars

By: Emanuela Elias

While it is exciting and exhilarating to be part of this global marketplace, Amazon is such an expansive operation that it is critical to be organized with your inventory and shipments.

While you may start out strong, over time and the busier you get, the less thorough you may become.

What you can control, do.

There is no need to ship your inventory to Amazon and just hope for the best. You can’t control what happens on the way or at the warehouse, but you can control your record keeping as well as how you package your items from the beginning.

Do not skip any of the labels. Each box, pallet and master carton needs its own label. If your boxes and cartons get separated from the shipments, the label will help them find their way back into your inventory. Amazon will almost always default to not searching for or reimbursing you if you did not follow proper labeling guidelines.

What you can control in the FBA process is keeping a tidy account of everything you send in and everything that goes out. When the inevitable happens, (your inventory goes missing), these additional steps will help your case in the reimbursement process for your missing inventory.

Keep your paperwork super organized. From original invoices, tracking numbers and proof of deliveries, to signed bills of ladings, make sure to keep an organized digital file of each shipment. When something goes missing, Amazon will want proof you sent the inventory to them.
Keep an account of your inventory. Know the quantity you ship in, what you sell, and what you should still have in your inventory. When you are a small operation, you may do this manually though it may be time consuming. As you grow, inventory management software could do the trick. Using a system to keep track of inventory will help to know when you are missing items. When you notice, and can prove discrepancies, this give you the best chance to be reimbursed.

In conclusion

Setting these labeling and record keeping habits early on will save you much frustration when you have to open a case for missing inventory. Never assume Amazon will just take care of it even when using their shipment labels.

Be diligent and organized to maximize your experience and profitability on Amazon.

Have questions on how to control the FBA process? Send Riverbend Consulting an email or give us a call! (877) 289-1017

Emanuela leads the monthly services team. She stays on top of critical performance metrics and ensures we secure every owed reimbursement, to keep our clients ahead of game. Emanuela’s background in e-commerce includes leading and empowering teams to work more efficiently. She loves to see a team take off on its own, become independent thinkers and problem solve together. Emanuela is a full-time foodie who loves to cook and create vegan dishes. She is also a long-time aficionado and teacher of the classical Pilates method.

Why Amazon “deal sites” put 3P accounts at risk

November 6, 2020 Leave a Comment

Sellers should avoid flipping heavily discounted items

By: Lesley Hensell

Internet deal sites let users buy heavily discounted products on Amazon. That’s why new third-party sellers embrace these sites. It’s cheap inventory to get started. What could go wrong?

Unfortunately, this is a very high-risk strategy it’s best to avoid.

Why these deal sites exist

Deal sites and rebate sites are not for the convenience or happiness of the Amazon customer. These sites exist to help private-label sellers launch their products on Amazon. They are also used to increase Best Seller Rank (BSR) or gain product reviews.

There is an unspoken agreement between these sellers and the deal site customers. Most of the customers on deal sites understand that a product review is expected in return for the steep discount. When sales are made and reviews posted, a product’s Best Seller Rank rises. This, in turn, helps the product pop up higher in organic search results.

In most cases, the sellers using these deal sites are offering significant discounts – so much that they are violating Amazon policies against Platform Manipulation. As a result of these discounts, the sellers are losing money on sales made via the discount sites. In return, they hope to drive more buyers to their products.

What makes deal-buying dangerous

Third-party sellers purchase these deals and then flip them on their own Amazon accounts. But this is a risky strategy:

Amazon does not always accept invoices from Amazon-to-Amazon flips that involve third-party sellers.
Private-label sellers can easily file intellectual property complaints against other sellers who pop up on their listings – especially if their distribution is Amazon-only.

The private-label sellers are not going to remove their intellectual property complaints, once filed against you. This makes it particularly difficult to get the ASIN or account reinstated – whichever is the case.

What to do instead

There are lots of places to source products. Yes, they are more challenging than deal sites, retail arbitrage and online arbitrage. But they can help you develop a sustainable business:

Manufacturers
Distributors
Wholesalers

If you need assistance working through product lists, contact us at 877-289-1017 or visit Riverbend Consulting. Our team can help you uncover potentially lucrative sourcing relationships!

Lesley is co-founder and co-owner of Riverbend Consulting, where she oversees the firm’s client services team. She has personally helped hundreds of third-party sellers get their accounts and ASINs back up and running. Lesley leverages two decades as a small business consultant to advise clients on profitability and operational performance. She has been an Amazon seller for almost a decade, thanks to her boys (18 and 12) who do most of the heavy lifting.

Are you taking responsibility for something you didn’t do?

October 28, 2020 Leave a Comment

Amazon said you need to admit fault. But do you really?

By: Jay Morane

“I didn’t do anything, why should I admit that I did?”

In the time I worked with Amazon and while at Riverbend, this is one of the most common statements that I’ve heard from Sellers. It revolves around the mistaken assumption that you have to admit fault when submitting your appeal or Plan of Action. That is not necessarily true.

Don’t take it personally.

Do not take anything that happens with your seller account personally. Everything Amazon does is a business decision. Nobody at Amazon woke up one day and thought “Hmm, let’s get (insert your name here) and ruin their life.” There are millions of sellers on Amazon so most of the actions taken are based on algorithms and automated reviews, there is nothing personal about it.

If you did it, admit it.

If you did what Amazon says, then you need to admit fault. You may not have done it intentionally, but you still did it. Compare this situation to when you get pulled over by the police. They come up to your window and ask you “Do you know why I pulled you over?” They know why they pulled you over, but they want you to admit fault for the situation. You may not have been speeding intentionally, but you still did it. If Amazon takes an action on your account, they know why and they are looking to see what you are going to say. If you are at fault, explain why it happened and how you will prevent it from happening again. There is a difference between guilt and guilt with intent.

Guilt versus responsibility

If you are not at fault, then you do not have to say you are, but you do have to accept responsibility for what happened. After all, it is your account and Amazon feels you should be responsible for what happens with it.

Sometimes it is the little things that are overlooked then the buyer breaks out their microscope and brings it to Amazon’s attention. Buyers have more free time than ever which means they are scrutinizing the items they receive more closely. They are finding the little scratch that was on their new item.

Was there something you could have done to prevent this? Updating the detail page, a better inspection process for condition, or checking for a Rights Owner.

It is tough to accept responsibility for something that may be out of your control. FBA returns going back into sellable, buyer mistakenly thinking something is inauthentic when it isn’t. These situations are harder to appeal because you, as a seller, may not have done anything wrong but because of a bad buyer experience, your ASIN or account is deactivated.

How can you get that account reinstated?

This is where may sellers try to argue principles with Amazon rather than taking responsibility for their account. Don’t. You may be right but the person who reviews your appeal is not the one who is going to say that Amazon was wrong and reinstate your account nor can they change Amazon policy. If you feel that strongly about something, write to Jeff Bezos at his email address. There is a team that actually reads those emails and acts on them. Sellers are deactivated wrongly, it happens more than it should, but arguing that point with Amazon is not going to get your ASIN or Account reinstated.

If you need any assistance with account reinstatement, or anything else give Riverbend a call (877) 289-1017. We are happy to help!

Jay is a strong advocate for the sellers and goes above and beyond to use his skills to help in every way he can. Jay has experience in Amazon Seller Support/FBA as well as the Amazon Account Health Team. There he worked with sellers to assist them in understanding the metrics and policies related to their Account Health as well as assisting them with reinstatement. Jay enjoys spending time with his wife and has been known to tell Dad jokes on occasion.

Product Bundling 101 for the holidays

October 28, 2020 Leave a Comment

Product Bundling might just save you this holiday season

By: Matt Nasatasi

In my experience, it’s in a Seller’s best interest to have a wide and diverse slate of product offerings on Amazon and other online platforms. Not everyone is so fortunate as to be the exclusive source for the hot new “It” product that sells thousands of units a week.

This task can feel daunting in the crowded sea of online sales. Even if your company offers something highly desirable to the purchasing public. It feels like it’s only a matter of time before your product listing becomes lost among dozens of other listings for the same or similar items.

And that takes a little creativity.

Prepping for your Product Bundle strategy.

One strategy that the savviest Sellers have found successful is Product Bundling.

Bundling is the practice of grouping several different items together and selling them as a single unit in a single package.

Bundling products for sale on Amazon is a fantastic way to generate some activity around your products. By grouping them in creative ways you are able to capture more views and more sales.

It’s always important to know the rules of the road before starting a new adventure. Be sure to check out Amazon’s Product Bundling Policy before attempting this strategy.

Without further ado, here is some “Bundling 101” information we hope you find helpful!

What makes a good Bundle?

Whether you are selling products you made, have under your own brand, or selling unbranded merchandise you got from other sources, the key to making a good bundle is to think about the many ways your products could complement each other:

Functionality

Think about how your customers will be using your product. Try to group them with other products that complement that use.

If your products play together, they can sell together:

Garden tools, knee pads, and a floppy hat
Scarves, hats, and gloves
Face cleanser, moisturizer, and a soft face cloth
You get the idea…

Many Products Need Accessories

Bundling commonly used accessories with your main product can entice Buyers by being a convenient time- and thought-saver. Helping you to sell through otherwise hard-to-move unbranded inventory.

Make your phones more attractive to Buyers by bundling them with a case and charger!
Up the enticement of your mixing bowls by bundling them with a whisk and a frosting spatula!
And never underestimate the convenience of bundling HDMI cables with a TV, laptop, or other A/V electronics.

Bundle Naming: Group Thematically-similar Items to Make a “Kit”

This can be especially helpful to differentiate your common items from the majority of similar listings.

Do you have a pallet of clip-on book lights to move? Bundle yours with a neck pillow and a glow-in-the-dark bookmark, and your “Night-time Reading Kit” is now something special!
Do you sell wireless keyboards? Bundle one with a wireless mouse and a wireless headset -you’ve just made a “Working From Home Essentials Kit!”

Add More Variety: Bundle Kits by Styles and Colors – items that look great together sell well together.

Bundle your items with functional or thematic accessories that have the same color or print or are made of the same material.

Anyone who wears make-up uses a make-up light, make-up cases, and a ton of brushes, sponges, curlers and such. These are all readily available from any number of sources as separate items.

However your “Make-up Enthusiast’s Kit” in Black, Leopard, or Glittery Purple is as fun as it is convenient for the Buyer, allowing them to choose something special that appeals to their individual taste and expression.

Bundling Dos and Don’ts

DO – Protect Your Listing with Unique Identifiers –
- Unbranded products grouped and sold together are a unique item that you have created. Keep them unique and prevent other Sellers from listing them by purchasing UPC, EAN, or other Global Shipment Identification Numbers (GSINs).
  - Pro-tip – EANs can be purchased by the thousand for pennies each (costing significantly less than UPCs), and Amazon accepts them as unique identifiers!
DON’T – Use Bundles to Get Around Amazon’s Product Restrictions –
- Some products cannot be sold unless you are an “Authorized Seller” of the brand. Nike brand products come to mind. Other products are in “gated categories” that require you to apply for permission to sell within them. Apparel is a good example. Still other products are not allowed to be sold at all due to regulations.
- For example, no products containing pseudoephedrine can be sold on Amazon, nor can e-cigarettes.
  - Do not include these kinds of products in your bundles. It’s a fast way to come up against enforcement. And it could include the removal of your permission to sell on the platform. You don’t need that kind of interruption. Avoid using Bundles as a way to get around gating or other restrictions.
DO – Use Brand Registry for Bundles Bearing Your Brand
- Package your bundles with unique packaging that bears your brand name. Assign a UPC or EAN that you have purchased to each type of bundle, and your bundles are now distinct branded products.
- This will allow you to register your bundles with Amazon’s Brand Registry and should enable you to get your own detail page. If other sellers try to sell their products on the page for your product, you can report those sellers for listing their products on the wrong page. Your detail page isn’t just for any items – it’s for a YouBrand Bundle that is in the Brand Registry!
DON’T – Break Up Other Brands’ Bundles for Your Bundles
- Products that are sold in multi-packs are often labeled with some notification that the products should not be sold individually. Whether it’s chewing gum, bars of soap, or spark plugs – if packaging states “Not for Individual Sale” or something similar, don’t include one in your bundles (unless you’re including the whole multi-pack with the original packaging).
- Breaking up a 24-pack of bars of soap to include one in your “Bath-time Bundle” isn’t okay. Each item in a bundle should be intended for individual sale.

Bundling can be a big win on online marketplaces.

Grouping your items together in creative ways can bring a fantastic boost to your products’ visibility and sell-through rate. Buyers are always on the lookout for a deal, and the ease and convenience of getting multiple items for a single price can be very enticing to many customers.

A well-constructed bundle will spur customers to purchase your items rather than taking additional time to search for numerous items individually.

A well-named bundle can separate your products from the pack, so get creative.

A well-packaged bundle with your own branding will add visibility to your business, and may result in additional sales in the future.

Also, please check out a recent interview we did with Kristin Ostrander of MommyIncome! Click HERE.

Good luck in the upcoming Holiday Season – and Happy Selling!

Have questions about bundling? Let us help! Contact Riverbend Consulting today. (877)289-1017

Matt spent 20+ years building processes for Amazon’s Seller Support and Customer Service departments. Founding manager of Executive Seller Relations, Matt drove hundreds of policy and process changes for Sellers through his Seller Experience Deep Dive and Seller Trust programs for Amazon executives, exposing members of Amazon’s senior management to the challenges of life as an Amazon Seller. In his off hours, enjoys being a grandpa to his seven grandchildren. Matt is an avid reader and has provided coaching and first-draft feedback to authors. He also is a dedicated MMO gamer and guild leader with his wife, Veronica.