Fun & Games With Amazon
Discussion
I still "keep my hand in" on Amazon and have a small LTD co selling via FBA and some small items we ship from the kitchen table to generate a treat fund.
I bought 2500 widgets cheap and noticed the two main listings for this widget are both named companies selling a "supposedly" branded item but its exactly the same. They would have paid 8 times more than I have.
Company 1 is a large specialist in widgets for runners but cheekily I jumped on and got a great 10 days sales before a polite message asked me to stop it as the listing was theirs for a branded item, when asked to prove it they did with pictures of bespoke packaging that was enough to deter me from challenging them.
I moved onto the listing of Company 2 who sell any old crap and oddly also have this item and as with ALL of their listings on amazon put "By Company 1" on the end of the title and throughout the description. Game on, not as "hot" a listing but a good 6 sales a day until they noticed - arsey Amazon message asking me to refrain and once again I asked for proof of differentiation which laughingly was a small printed logo sticker applied to the product. I didn't reply and did not stop selling and 100 or so sales later I guessed they had given up (1500 skus on Amazon surely other fish to fry) but today "out of the blue" the dicks ordered one from me in their trade name (sheesh standards of investigation are slipping) .
So what did I do? anyone who knows me a little bit will know a fox comes to me for cunning lessons and a plan was formulated from the loo - they have them for sale as FBA therefore I can get them ordered on amazon prime and receive their own product BEFORE I have to deliver the test purchase ;o)
Obviously I cannot order in my own name but I found a willing employee who lives a suitable distance away and they are on the way.
When they arrive I will fulfill the order taking dated pictures of us doing so using their own product (goods / goods in envelope etc) so when they file a "goods not as described" I should have an iron response - will update as it unravels.
Another tactic would be to emulate their barcode and send a load to FBA with a "can intermingle" notice and my stock will be chucked in with theirs - that would be fun - I love an Amazon battle.
I bought 2500 widgets cheap and noticed the two main listings for this widget are both named companies selling a "supposedly" branded item but its exactly the same. They would have paid 8 times more than I have.
Company 1 is a large specialist in widgets for runners but cheekily I jumped on and got a great 10 days sales before a polite message asked me to stop it as the listing was theirs for a branded item, when asked to prove it they did with pictures of bespoke packaging that was enough to deter me from challenging them.
I moved onto the listing of Company 2 who sell any old crap and oddly also have this item and as with ALL of their listings on amazon put "By Company 1" on the end of the title and throughout the description. Game on, not as "hot" a listing but a good 6 sales a day until they noticed - arsey Amazon message asking me to refrain and once again I asked for proof of differentiation which laughingly was a small printed logo sticker applied to the product. I didn't reply and did not stop selling and 100 or so sales later I guessed they had given up (1500 skus on Amazon surely other fish to fry) but today "out of the blue" the dicks ordered one from me in their trade name (sheesh standards of investigation are slipping) .
So what did I do? anyone who knows me a little bit will know a fox comes to me for cunning lessons and a plan was formulated from the loo - they have them for sale as FBA therefore I can get them ordered on amazon prime and receive their own product BEFORE I have to deliver the test purchase ;o)
Obviously I cannot order in my own name but I found a willing employee who lives a suitable distance away and they are on the way.
When they arrive I will fulfill the order taking dated pictures of us doing so using their own product (goods / goods in envelope etc) so when they file a "goods not as described" I should have an iron response - will update as it unravels.
Another tactic would be to emulate their barcode and send a load to FBA with a "can intermingle" notice and my stock will be chucked in with theirs - that would be fun - I love an Amazon battle.
Quick update, i supplied the order the other seller placed with me and got a Amazon seller performance message requesting proof of bulk purchase (which I have).
I can send in this proof and all of my feedback says its exactly as described which might help.
Now for a bit of revenge, this seller has created 50+ listings on normal items but created the listing as their own despite it being a generic ean - I have reported them for the more serious "listing abuse" which will interesting.
I will update once Amazon reply after submitting my proof
I can send in this proof and all of my feedback says its exactly as described which might help.
Now for a bit of revenge, this seller has created 50+ listings on normal items but created the listing as their own despite it being a generic ean - I have reported them for the more serious "listing abuse" which will interesting.
I will update once Amazon reply after submitting my proof
I am really not even sure why you would take a risk with your accounts in such a manner. I have had a total ball ache just with a customer recently on one of the platforms because they didnt like the "tone" I had used in a reply to them.
Very long story short, they decided to fullfill on a threat and spent the part of 4 months buying stuff, leaving poor feedback, asking for refunds etc. very much took it out of me; having to investigate, provide proof to marketplace etc.
Customers and sellers can do this if they don't like what your doing.
Secondly I think you very much know regardless of the image showing the same product the quality can be drastically different.
I understand where you are coming from however its just asking for trouble in my opinion.
Very long story short, they decided to fullfill on a threat and spent the part of 4 months buying stuff, leaving poor feedback, asking for refunds etc. very much took it out of me; having to investigate, provide proof to marketplace etc.
Customers and sellers can do this if they don't like what your doing.
Secondly I think you very much know regardless of the image showing the same product the quality can be drastically different.
I understand where you are coming from however its just asking for trouble in my opinion.
Im experimenting, I couldnt when it was "serious" business but this is a bit of pocket money and they are flying out on ebay anyway.
I am annoyed the seller puts a sticker on the item and calls it their own. They are a bit more serious they probably do about £30k a month on Amazon so lets so the size of their cojones.
I am annoyed the seller puts a sticker on the item and calls it their own. They are a bit more serious they probably do about £30k a month on Amazon so lets so the size of their cojones.
I lost, despite having an invoice for the exact product and 14 feedbacks stating exactly as described and a full explanation of the invoice line by line and a photo of the EAN number on the product they delisted me from that ASIN. I appealed 3 times by phone and email but nada.
I then reported the seller for 6 cases of calling generic item their own and got a snotty email back asking for my proof of EAN ownership of the 6 items reported, responded with the fact I dont own the items EAN but neither do they but got a short sod off type email.
So if your creating on Amazon make sure you use GS1 EAN`s (not 1000 for £1 on ebay ones) and if you jump on another companies ASIN it takes them about 3/4 weeks to get you officially booted off.
I then reported the seller for 6 cases of calling generic item their own and got a snotty email back asking for my proof of EAN ownership of the 6 items reported, responded with the fact I dont own the items EAN but neither do they but got a short sod off type email.
So if your creating on Amazon make sure you use GS1 EAN`s (not 1000 for £1 on ebay ones) and if you jump on another companies ASIN it takes them about 3/4 weeks to get you officially booted off.
All interesting stuff, and thanks for sharing.
We have spoken via Email before about Amazon, and you kindly offered to have a chat on the phone with me, just been that buys not rally had the time to pick up the phone.
One thing i did do 1st off is sigh up with GS1 and i know that has been over a year as i have just had to pay them again. As of yesterday i have 2 listings on Amazon
still lots to learn, i think i have sold about 5 items so far but i really need to pull my finger out and get more items on there.
What i really wanted to do is use FBA as most of the items are unique to us.
Anyway thanks again for sharing
We have spoken via Email before about Amazon, and you kindly offered to have a chat on the phone with me, just been that buys not rally had the time to pick up the phone.
One thing i did do 1st off is sigh up with GS1 and i know that has been over a year as i have just had to pay them again. As of yesterday i have 2 listings on Amazon
still lots to learn, i think i have sold about 5 items so far but i really need to pull my finger out and get more items on there. What i really wanted to do is use FBA as most of the items are unique to us.
Anyway thanks again for sharing
I'm currently FBAing with them but have had nothing but a complete ballache. Selling phone cases to see where this goes, I decided to buy about 400 to put on. Some s8, S8+ and iPhone 7/8. Half of them are still sat on my desk as I'm not comfortable sending them because the other half that got sent are some that have been taken down (ASIN conflict) and the others haven't been sold. The S8+ first batch aren't even there!
So far I've sold nothing. Really disappointed as I was hoping on some sort of return by now.
So far I've sold nothing. Really disappointed as I was hoping on some sort of return by now.
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