To be a competitive e-commerce seller, you’ll find that the best potential for exposure is to sell on Amazon. However, selling on Amazon comes at a premium. Yes, seller and fulfillment fees may eat at your profits, but more importantly, thorough knowledge of the Terms of Service in Amazon’s policies should be every seller’s priority.
Even the most profitable sellers can walk up one morning to find out that their account has been suspended. What happens next? It’s really important to get the complete picture of the type of suspension, then you can take steps to get your account reinstated.
This series will explain the different suspension types and prevention steps to help you avoid getting your account suspended, and as we move forward, we’ll talk about how to get your account reinstated.
Suspension Types – ODR (Order Defect Rate)
The most common type of suspension is the Order Defect Rate (also called the ODR). ODR is calculated based on A to Z complaints, Customer Feedback and your S
As a seller, you should be monitoring your health account on a daily basis, paying close attention to A to Z complaints, Chargeback Claims and Negative feedback. Respond to customer messages and feedback quickly!
A to z Claims
What is an A to z claim? Exactly what it sounds like! Amazon’s priority is keeping their customers happy, which means they can return their purchases for nearly any reason! If you can’t avoid an A to z claim, then it’s best to appease the customer. If you would like to dispute the claim, remember that Amazon makes the final decision and if the claim is decided in your favor – it still counts against your metrics!
Chargeback
A chargeback occurs when your customer contacts their bank or credit card company to dispute the charge for an order that they placed on your website. Chargebacks are also known as “charge disputes” and reversals, and they can be filed for a variety of reasons, including unauthorized use of the credit card
Feedback
The most important component of feedback is your reaction to it. You must always comply with Amazon’s Terms of Service when you reach out to customers. Some feedback is easy to remove. If a buyer uses vulgar language, or leaves feedback totally unrelated to the product purchased, ask Amazon to remove it. If you need to reach out to a customer to request feedback removal, REMEMBER: no incentives, you can’t offer refunds, exchanges or compensation!
Pro Tips If your Account is suspended:
- Take a Deep Breath
- Look at your Metrics and Research what has happened
- Contact us! We will help you write a Plan of Action describe the root causes, the immediate corrective actions and the future preventative measures so YOU get reinstated!
Read more about successful Plans of Action Here!
Next week…we’ll talk about Shipping Performance!