🍽️ Suspicious sellers fulfill manufacturer's orders with stolen credit cards

View Latest Issue

• ICYMI: Three new product attributes are now mandatory

• Record-breaking sales by third-party sellers in Q4

• Suspicious sellers fulfill manufacturer's orders with stolen credit cards

• Find the best products to make 2023 your best year on Amazon

BIG IDEAICYMI: Three new mandatory product attributes

Last month, Amazon announced on the seller forums that listings for specific product types must now include attributes for color name, product description, and department name. In addition, Amazon also removed the size name as a mandatory attribute and added two product types.

👀 Here are the attributes that will change from optional to mandatory:

• Color Name: SHIRT, SWEATSHIRT, PANTS, SWIMWEAR, SWEATER, SHORTS, LEOTARD

• Product Description: CURTAIN, HOME, RUG, BLANKET, TOOLS, SPORTING_GOODS, CELLULAR_PHONE_CASE, BED_LINEN_SET, AUTO_ACCESSORY, HEALTH_PERSONAL_CARE, DRINKING_CUP, HOME_BED_AND_BATH, POWERSPORTS_VEHICLE_PART, CONSUMER_ELECTRONICS, OUTDOOR_LIVING, TOYS_AND_GAMES

• Department Name: BACKPACK

Listings for the affected product types will require a valid attribute value; otherwise, Amazon will exclude them from the marketplace. Despite the kerfuffle, Amazon continues to reassure sellers that active listings won't be affected.

👎 Unfortunately, sellers were not pleased with the announcement's timing for concern that it might affect their holiday season sales. In the thread, sellers exclaimed their frustrations with bots modifying their listings to accommodate the new attributes, resulting in inaccurate descriptions and confused customers.

Get ahead of the game and prevent situations like these by continuously reviewing your listings and adjusting accordingly.

AMAZON NEWSRecord-breaking sales by third-party sellers in Q4 

It was third-party sellers' time to shine this holiday season, and they received a well-deserved shout-out. On their blog, Amazon announced that 3P sellers achieved a record-breaking 2022 season. The numbers won't be available until late January or early February when Q4 results are published- something we're all eager to see.

In their statement, Amazon recognized how the 3P community served customers worldwide with their "vast selection of unique products and millions of incredible deals." Customers purchased nearly half a billion items (60% of Amazon products) from small businesses in the US. Trending categories include Home, Beauty, Kitchen, Toys, and Apparel. The post continued to highlight stories and achievements of small business owners this holiday. 

Even though Amazon heavily marketed its own privately labeled products and larger brands throughout the season, this achievement is a statement of how influential small and medium-sized business owners are in the marketplace.

BITES OF THE WEEK

• How to overcome competition on Amazon, even as a first-timer - Forbes

• Amazon starts ‘Prime Air’ drone delivery in California and Texas - Independent

• Making a lot of returns on Amazon? Beware of this pitfall - Nasdaq

• Funding bill targets online sites amid retail theft concerns - ABC7

TRENDINGSuspicious sellers fulfill orders with stolen credit card

A seller-manufacturer took to the forums to address suspicious activity around their store and products. According to OP, purchases were being made on their website with stolen credit cards to fulfill orders by another seller on Amazon. 

🔍 Here's what happened:

• There was a noticeable increase in listings selling OP's Amazon products.

• These listings originate from the same country, overseas from OP, who resides in the US.

The modus: Sketchy sellers list OP's products as their own at MRSP (or lower), earning them the Buy Box through FBM.

• When a customer places an order on Amazon through these suspicious listings, the sellers fulfill them using OP's website (not on Amazon) with the customer's details.

• OP discovered that these sellers used stolen credit cards to purchase the items.

• Several customers contacted OP to resolve the confusion of receiving the wrong product or being mislabeled. 

• Upon review, OP found that their store did not even fulfill those orders. 

OP addressed this issue through the "Report Abuse" support function on Amazon but still couldn't resolve it, prompting the seller-manufacturer to reach out to fellow sellers. 

Some suggested switching to Stripe as a payment gateway, as it verifies the IP address and buyer's billing and shipping details. This eliminates the issue of fraudulent credit card purchases, but that only resolves one aspect.

OP can resolve the dropshipping factor by reporting this policy violation through "Other account issues," as dropshipping is an Amazon no-no. OP has yet to update. 

ACTIONABLE ADVICEFind the best products to make 2023 your best year on Amazon

A good place to start when setting up for Amazon success is by thinking like a customer. So the next time you browse the marketplace, pay closer attention to the products already on the leaderboard and take note!

Here's a great way to discover product ideas, according to Amazon:

STEP 1: Explore the Best Sellers list

The list is updated hourly and provides the top 100 popular items. It accurately represents the most sought-after items in the market.

STEP 2: Narrow your focus

With millions of products on Amazon, you need to pay attention to trends in customer demand so you can capitalize on that momentum and increase your profits. Use the following methods to make it easier: 

• Keep tabs on Amazon Movers & Shakers list 

• Pay attention to Amazon Hot New Releases

STEP 3: Apply your own upgrades to trending products

Succeeding in selling is about striving to offer products of superior quality or features. To ensure this, consider the following:

• Evaluate customer demand and competition

• Use reviews to identify areas for improvement

• Get creative by making the trending product your own

If you're planning on expanding your product line or just starting to sell on Amazon, check out Amazon's Best Sellers and other top-charting lists as a part of your product research. This will get you set you up with the inspiration you need to help prep you for your selling journey!