Expanding Horizons: Leveraging the North America & Brazil Unified Account for eCommerce Growth
- Explore how the new North America & Brazil Unified Account offers eCommerce sellers streamlined management and expanded market opportunities across Amazon’s platforms in the US, Canada, Mexico, and Brazil. Here are the key points relevant to eCommerce sellers regarding the North America & Brazil Unified Account expansion:
- Expansion Opportunities: Eligible sellers with North America Unified Accounts can now expand their listings to Brazil, allowing the sale of seller-fulfilled orders or remote fulfillment with FBA.
- Unified Account Benefits: The North America & Brazil Unified Account provides the convenience of managing listings and orders across Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.com.mx, and Amazon.com.br through a single Seller Central interface.
- Inventory Management:
- Global SKU: This allows inventory to be shared across all four marketplaces (US, Canada, Mexico, Brazil). The inventory count remains constant across these marketplaces, not cumulative.
- Store-specific SKU: Manages inventory separately for each store, essential for tailored inventory and pricing strategies per region.
- Fulfillment Options:
- Self-fulfilled orders should use a Global SKU to maintain consistent inventory levels across all platforms.
- FBA requires store-specific SKUs, with inventory managed in local fulfillment centers. FBA in Brazil is specifically limited to sellers registered in Brazil.
- Subscription and Financials: The monthly subscription for the Unified Account is equivalent to USD $39.99, with the benefit of receiving payments in local currency through the Amazon Currency Converter for sellers.
- Technical Note: When using flat files to upload inventory data, it’s crucial to ensure the ‘Inventory avails’ column is accurately filled to prevent unintentional listing of zero available units.
- This expansion offers significant opportunities for growth and streamlined operations across the American and Brazilian markets. It’s important for our strategies to adapt to these changes to optimize our presence and sales in these regions.
Updated Compliance Requirements for Products with Button Cell or Coin Batteries on Amazon
- Amazon has introduced new compliance requirements effective immediately for all sellers listing consumer products that contain button cell or coin batteries. To remain compliant and avoid suppression of listings, sellers must now provide:
- Proof of Compliance: This includes certification from an ISO 17025-approved lab that demonstrates adherence to the Underwriters Laboratories 4200A (UL4200A) standard.
- General Certificate of Conformity: This certificate must explicitly list compliance with UL4200A.
- Previously, compliance was only mandatory for the batteries themselves under Reese’s Law. However, the scope has now expanded to include all consumer products containing these batteries, reflecting a heightened focus on safety.
- Key Actions for Sellers:
- Ensure that all listings for products with these batteries include the necessary proof of compliance and a General Certificate of Conformity.
- Familiarize yourself with the specific types of button and coin batteries covered under this policy, as well as the consumer products that include them.
- Maintain easy access to all required documents as Amazon may request them to verify compliance.
- Note: Failure to meet these requirements could lead to listing suppression or further actions under the Amazon Services Business Solutions Agreement.
- For detailed information on the types of batteries affected, the specific standards and regulations, and how to submit compliance documents, sellers should refer to the dedicated section on Amazon’s platform under “Button cell and coin batteries and products that contain them.”
Launch of the New SAFE-T Dashboard for Amazon Sellers
- Amazon has introduced a new SAFE-T dashboard, enhancing the management of SAFE-T claims and reimbursements for sellers. This tool provides detailed insights, including:
- Claim Outcomes: Percentage and amount of claims granted.
- Common Denials: Top three reasons for claim rejections.
- Product Claims: Data on the top three products with frequent claims.
- Access: Navigate to ‘Manage SAFE-T Claims’ in Seller Central to utilize the dashboard.
- This dashboard is crucial for sellers to track and optimize their reimbursement processes effectively.
Get Ready for Prime Day 2024: Key Prep Steps for FBA Sellers
- Prime Day 2024 is approaching, and it’s critical for FBA sellers to prepare by ensuring inventory and deals are set up optimally. Here are the essential steps to follow:
- FBA Inventory Submission: Ensure your inventory reaches Amazon’s fulfillment centers by June 20, 2024. Start shipping early to mitigate potential delays due to logistics or customs issues. Use the Restock Inventory or Shipping Queue to check available capacity under different storage types.
- Creating Deals: Deals for Prime Day must be created by May 3, 2024. Your account and product ratings should both be above 4 stars to be eligible. Regularly check the Deals dashboard to select products from the updated list of eligible items. Additionally, Prime Exclusive Discounts can be set up any time before or during the event if they meet the criteria.
- Action: Start planning now to maximize your visibility and sales during one of Amazon’s biggest shopping events.
Shifts in Amazon’s Search Algorithm: Toward Fairer eCommerce Practices
- Recent research by Joel Waldfogel, a University of Minnesota economist, reveals significant changes in Amazon’s search algorithm, potentially influenced by regulatory pressures from the European Union and the United States. The study, which analyzed eight million Amazon search listings across various international marketplaces from late June 2023 to March 2024, indicates a reduction in the preferential ranking of Amazon’s own products. Previously, Amazon products enjoyed an average of 24 positions better ranking compared to other brands, which has since decreased to a 20 rank advantage following Amazon’s designation as a gatekeeper under the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA).
- The DMA mandates that gatekeepers like Amazon cannot favor their own services or products detrimentally against competitors. This adjustment in Amazon’s search practices aligns with ongoing compliance efforts and reflects a broader move towards creating a more level playing field for third-party sellers and brands on the platform. While Amazon maintains that its search results are fair and unbiased, the timing of these changes corresponds closely with regulatory actions, suggesting a direct response to increased scrutiny. The outcome of these changes on consumer choice and seller competition remains a topic of discussion among regulators and industry observers.
Handling eCommerce Misshipments: Strategies for Resolving Over-Shipment Issues
- Navigating an eCommerce misshipment crisis! A seller accidentally sent a customer a full box of 50 items instead of one. Despite efforts to contact and retrieve the over-shipped goods, the buyer remains unresponsive. This scenario highlights the importance of robust inventory and shipping checks for eCommerce businesses to prevent costly mistakes. What steps would you take in such a situation to resolve the issue effectively and maintain customer trust?
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