Anyone with Experience using amazon fullfilment?

[greenleaves]

Anyone with Experience using amazon fulfillment? Their integrated systems seem really attractive.

The product would be one that isn't competing on price, so I wouldn't be too concerned with Amazon sourcing it directly (a concern yes, but not like with products competing on price)

 

[Yellow Squash]

They would source it or, will source it eventually, regardless of whether or not you use FBA. Its a good program if you have a lot of competitors. You need to look into all the wharehousing specs and calculate whether it will be worth it in the long run.

If others are selling it, FBA will give you a boost in rankings and that increase in volume might outweigh the overall costs. For us, it is more expensive to do FBA, but we have to in order to stay competitive. We can stock and distribute much cheaper than all the fees involved, but you have to do what you have to do.

Edit: Also, our user names go great with each other.

 

[greenleaves]

They would source it or, will source it eventually, regardless of whether or not you use FBA. Its a good program if you have a lot of competitors. You need to look into all the wharehousing specs and calculate whether it will be worth it in the long run.

If others are selling it, FBA will give you a boost in rankings and that increase in volume might outweigh the overall costs. For us, it is more expensive to do FBA, but we have to in order to stay competitive. We can stock and distribute much cheaper than all the fees involved, but you have to do what you have to do.

Edit: Also, our user names go great with each other.

Thanks, I've looked into the fees, I'm still running numbers on the idea I'd use them for.

My interest was more in the accuracy of delivering products (do they mess up orders often % wise?) and the efficiency in dealing with returns and other such issues that aren't as easily obtained from the horses mouth...

Edit: I'd charge crystals with you any-day with that sexy username #gay webmaster love

 

[Yellow Squash]

Thanks, I've looked into the fees, I'm still running numbers on the idea I'd use them for.

My interest was more in the accuracy of delivering products (do they mess up orders often % wise?) and the efficiency in dealing with returns and other such issues that aren't as easily obtained from the horses mouth...

Edit: I'd charge crystals with you any-day with that sexy username #gay webmaster love

They dont mess up shipping. What they do mess up with is product listing errors. Just make sure that if other products share your product page, that it is the same product, color, sixe or model number. Other than that you would be ok.

 

[MCRunning]

Thanks, I've looked into the fees, I'm still running numbers on the idea I'd use them for.

My interest was more in the accuracy of delivering products (do they mess up orders often % wise?) and the efficiency in dealing with returns and other such issues that aren't as easily obtained from the horses mouth...

Edit: I'd charge crystals with you any-day with that sexy username #gay webmaster love

With FBA you are looking at a higher % return than self-fulfilling. Customers can return the item for any reason they want. Usually they mark it as "defective" or "not described" to get free shipping back to Amazon's warehouse. Once it is back, it goes into your Unfulfillable Inventory and you can either choose to pay a fee to dispose the item (I think .20 cents - never choose this option) or have the item returned to you for .50 cents.

You don't have to worry about returns or customer service. Amazon will handle all that for you for FBA items. If a customer messages you, simply just direct them to Amazon's customer service.

Sometimes Amazon will reimburse you for certain Customer Returns or if they mess up on shipping. i.e. They missed the delivery date, the product got damaged.

I prefer going the FBA route than fulfilling the item. Some item we have to fulfill ourselves since Amazon rounds to the nearest pound and it is a lot cheaper for us. We only do this with low price items. Items that are Add On items pretty much kill the sales rank of the product and kills FBA sales. Even more since they raised the min price to $35 for free shipping.

Use Amazon's partner carriers when shipping to their warehouses. Anything damaged in transit (Distributor Damaged) they will reimburse you the sale cost of the item - you have to a history of sales for that item otherwise they will low ball you. Anything that gets damaged at the warehouse, lost in transit, or anything else I mentioned earlier, they will reimburse you.

Another tip, I suggest not to do commingled inventory. Rather label your items yourself or pay them .20 to label each item. Commingled inventory throws all your inventory in with other sellers for that item who are also commingled. Who knows what these other sellers are sending in. If a customer receives a counterfeit item and you are sending in legit shit, you better be able to prove it to seller performance who only communicates via email.

 

[theobserver]

Amazon .... Let people buy the stock for you and send it to you, see if it works .. if it does, do it yourself much cheaper... if not, let them keep sending you their shit.