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.

ASIN, SKU, Offer, Listing, Detail Page. Are you familiar with these terms?

December 7, 2020 Leave a Comment

Do you know the Amazon terms to use when describing your listings?

By: Cathy Ceely

When selling at Amazon, you will encounter many terms used to describe your listings. As well as the product detail pages visible at Amazon. These terms include ASIN, SKU, Offer, Listing, Detail Page.

It’s important to know the difference between listings and detail pages.

Why does this matter?

Amazon staff does not use the terms interchangeably. Therefore, when interacting with Amazon staff, such as Seller Support or Seller Performance, sellers will want to use the correct term.

What is PDP?

It is the product detail page.

This is a shared space that displays attributes common to all offers, or listings, for that product. These attributes generally include:

Title
Image
Bullet points
Product Description
Variations (size or color)
Customer product reviews

What is a listing?

A listing is a seller’s offer found on the product detail pages. Ideally, sellers will use the product’s UPC code to search for, and match to, existing detail pages. If a detail page does not exist, sellers may create a new ASIN for the product. Amazon owns the product detail page once created, regardless of who creates the page.

Sellers may see that Amazon takes enforcement against ASINs and/or listings. Here are some examples of ASIN level enforcement:

Restricted Products
Intellectual Property Infringement
Duplicate ASINs
Variation issues

Here are some examples of listing level enforcement:

Intellectual Property Infringement
Buyer-driven complaints, such as: product condition, authenticity, or safety

Any seller who has an active listing or SKU, even if the quantity is zero, may receive notification of an ASIN level enforcement. Sellers should consider appealing ASIN level enforcement, especially if the enforcement was an error. When listing level enforcement occurs, only the seller whose listing is impact may appeal.

Sellers who appeal ASIN or listing enforcements want to be clear whether they’re appealing on an ASIN or a listing. Clarity will help ensure that an appeal is successful.

This is a brief discussion that touches on some of the differences between ASINs and listings and is not intended to be all inclusive.

If you have further questions or need help with an ASIN or listing appeal, please reach out to Riverbend Consulting at: 877-289-1017; we’re happy to assist.

Cathy utilizes 20 years of Amazon experience to advocate for sellers. She has extraordinary knowledge regarding Amazon selling policies and seller enforcement. Cathy was a founding member of the Amazon Executive Seller Relations and Product Quality teams, and Operations Manager for Seller Performance in Seattle. She was a Senior Program Manager with the Marketplace Growth team (now Strategic Account Services). Cathy has raised, trained and shown champion Doberman pinschers for 40 years.

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.

Amazon’s acronym language explained

October 22, 2020 Leave a Comment

New sellers can get lost in the abbreviations

By: Kayla Forrest

Amazon loves to use acronyms. They are apart of Amazon’s love language and are used daily. This is something that you may notice when interacting with Amazon or even reading through the Seller Forums. Numerous Amazon acronyms are commonly used and we’ve gathered a few that every seller should know. This list has been compiled for you and will hopefully help you navigate Amazon. Especially for you newer sellers out there.

Amazon acronyms from A-Z:

3P – Third-Party Seller
A third party seller uses inventory they have purchased to sell to consumers on Amazon

AMZ – Amazon
The acronym is a more simple way to say Amazon.

ACOS – Advertising Cost Of Sale
This represents the percentage of sales that was spent on advertising.

API – Application Program Interface
The code that allows software programs to communicate with each other.

ASIN – Amazon Standard Information Number
All products on Amazon will have an ASIN.

ASP – Average Selling Price
The net sales divided by the number of products sold will get you the ASP.

AWS – Amazon Web Services
A subsidiary of Amazon that provides cloud platform and API services.

B2B – Business to Business
Unlike business to customers, the service is for business to business.

BB – Buy Box
This is the box where buyers see the button to purchase products.

BOGO -Buy One, Get One (Free)
This is a great promotional deal that allows you to offer two products for the price of one.

BSM – Buyer-Seller Messages
The messages between the customer and the seller.

BSR – Best Seller Rank
The rank of the item in a category.

DP – Detail Page
The page for the product.

DSP – Demand Slide Platform
This represents the display advertising service.

EAN – European Article Number
A 23 digit number for retail products in Europe.

EBC – Enhanced Brand Content
The detail page description and show enhances content like images.

FBA – Fulfilled By Amazon
The program where Amazon is responsible for storing products and shipping them to buyers.

FBM – Fulfilled By Merchant
The seller is responsible for the inventory storing and fulfilling orders.

FC – Fulfillment Center
Amazon’s storage facility where orders are fulfilled.

FNSKU – Fulfillment Network Stock Keeping Unit
Amazon’s unique identifier used to label units in the fulfillment centers.

GTIN – Global Trade Item Number
A unique 14 digit number used globally to identify products and services.

IP – Intellectual property
Property that is protected such as trademarks, patents, copyrights.

ISBN – International Standard Book Number
A 13 digit number to identify individual books.

MAP – Minimum Advertised Price
The price is determined by a manufacturer. Sellers will be instructed to not sell the product below that price.

MCF – Multi-Channel Fulfillment
Inventory that is stored and fulfilled by Amazon but the order is from another sales channel.

MSRP – Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price
This is to keep prices similar for different stores, sales channels, platforms, etc.

ODR – Order Defect Rate
A performance metric based on the percentage of orders with defects such as A-to-z claims and negative feedback.

OOS – Out Of Stock
Items are no longer in stock.

OTC – Over The Counter
Products that do not need a prescription to purchase.

POA – Plan Of Action
When seller accounts or ASINs are suspended, Amazon frequently requests a Plan of Action from the seller explaining what happened – and how they will stop it from happening again.

PL – Private label
Sellers may have a brand but have a manufacturer. These are the suppliers’ products but they do not make them.

Q1 – First Quarter
The portion of the year including January, February and March.

Q2 – Second Quarter
The months of April, May and June of each year.

Q3 – Third Quarter
This includes July, August and September of a calendar year.

Q4 – Fourth Quarter
Busy months for retail. Q4 includes the last three months (October, November and December) of the year.

QA – Quality Assurance
To ensure the desired quality of the service and/or product.

SC – Seller Central
The seller portal for the Amazon marketplace. Amazon Seller Central

SFP – Seller Fulfilled Prime
The program where sellers must meet Amazon’s Prime requirements.

SKU – Stock Keeping Number
The code to identify a product.

SLA – Service Level Agreement
The agreement details the expected level of service.

TOS – Terms Of Services
The rules and regulations that the seller must follow.

UPC – Universal Product Code
A 12-digit code is associated with the barcode of a product.

VAT – Value Added Tax
For products sold in the United Kingdom and Europe. This is a consumption tax levied on products at each and every point of sale in which value was added.

For more articles using these acronyms visit our website. Have questions about managing your Amazon account? Call us 877-289-1017

Kayla focuses on appeals for Amazon account and ASIN reinstatements. Kayla has 4 years of Amazon experience where she worked in Seller Support and as an Investigation Specialist. In those roles, Kayla dealt with escalations and focused on FBA, intellectual property rights, as well as brand and product gating. When not helping clients save their Amazon accounts, Kayla can be found gardening or cooking with her two children and husband.