Selling Lego on Amazon.com

[Bold-Arrow]

3 minutes ago, LegoEdison said:

case update:

Hello,

We have granted the claim for this order and issued a refund to the buyer:

-- Order Number: XXX-XXXXXXXX-XXX
-- Date of Claim: January 12, 2017

We have found no reason to believe that you are responsible for this claim. We have issued a refund to the buyer, but we will not debit your account for that refund.

Please consider this transaction closed.

 

I feel so mad that scammer can get the refund at the end. Seriously Amazon?  

 

[minicoopers11]

4 minutes ago, LegoEdison said:

case update:

Hello,

We have granted the claim for this order and issued a refund to the buyer:

-- Order Number: XXX-XXXXXXXX-XXX
-- Date of Claim: January 12, 2017

We have found no reason to believe that you are responsible for this claim. We have issued a refund to the buyer, but we will not debit your account for that refund.

Please consider this transaction closed.

 

I feel so mad that scammer can get the refund at the end. Seriously Amazon?  

Scale. Not worth to pursue.

[biking_tiger]

I have a suspicious buyer on the line for an EV... shipping name is not the same as purchase name. The address looks like a nice house in the Boston 'burbs. The purchase name sounds like a Russian spy. 

Bracing myself for the A-Z claim. 

[legopocalypse]

[I am Niko]

Received a "Return policy inquiry" on a FBM TH I sold after Xmas, saying the buyer "wants to return the item customer because its was open".  It's been 17 days since it was delivered.  Obviously, I checked to make sure all seals were intact before shipping and the package only traveled about 75 miles, so the chances of the seals popping loose are pretty slim.  Any suggestions on what to do?  Should I ask for more details on how it's open, and inquire whether bags are missing, etc.?  This is the first $500+ set I've sold in a while, and of course, there's a "problem".

Edited January 26, 2017 by I am Niko

[landphieran]

Provide them a prepaid return label and tell them you will refund them when you receive the item in the condition you sent.

Cry when they send you a box of paint cans and Amazon refunds them anyway.

[redcell]

16 minutes ago, I am Niko said:

Received a "Return policy inquiry" on a FBM TH I sold after Xmas, saying the buyer "wants to return the item customer because its was open".  It's been 17 days since it was delivered.  Obviously, I checked to make sure all seals were intact before shipping and the package only traveled about 75 miles, so the chances of the seals popping loose are pretty slim.  Any suggestions on what to do?  Should I ask for more details on how it's open, and inquire whether bags are missing, etc.?  This is the first $500+ set I've sold in a while, and of course, there's a "problem".

Don't fight it...grant the return and hope for the best.  If the worst happens, that's just the cost of doing business on Amazon.  If that cost is too great for you, stop selling on Amazon.  

[ISO8T0]

Perhaps a seasoned Amazon Seller veteran might like to do a write up on "How to sell higher priced sets safely on Amazon".

From what I'm seeing in this thread I'd rather not take the chance with scammers abusing Amazon's "buyers protected" policies.

[Bold-Arrow]

28 minutes ago, redcell said:

Don't fight it...grant the return and hope for the best.  If the worst happens, that's just the cost of doing business on Amazon.  If that cost is too great for you, stop selling on Amazon.  

I would say stop selling certain sets on Amazon instead . Those bigger sets are becoming a problem 

[33Lego]

Is there a way/report to get the total sales tax amount that I collected on Amazon (FBM+FBA combined)?

It is a pain to manually adding them up

 

[Bold-Arrow]

5 hours ago, 33Lego said:

Is there a way/report to get the total sales tax amount that I collected on Amazon (FBM+FBA combined)?

It is a pain to manually adding them up

 

reprots > payment > date range report > generate > summary should do unless u want it broken down by transaction then go details ( copy paste into excel ) 

 

[newbie77]

2 hours ago, Bold-Arrow said:

reprots > payment > date range report > generate > summary should do unless u want it broken down by transaction then go details ( copy paste into excel ) 

 

it may give you total. but with california you might have to split by the county which you have to work some spreadsheet magic

also another thing. make sure you look at your 1099-K total vs total you get from report.

1099-K total  adds up everything (including shipping credit + tax collected etc) while report have them in each of those separate column. 

make sure you account everything when reporting gross sales. 

Edited January 30, 2017 by newbie77

[33Lego]

Thanks guys.

[tyclin]

On 1/26/2017 at 1:25 PM, redcell said:

Don't fight it...grant the return and hope for the best.  If the worst happens, that's just the cost of doing business on Amazon.  If that cost is too great for you, stop selling on Amazon.  

 

On 1/26/2017 at 1:55 PM, Bold-Arrow said:

I would say stop selling certain sets on Amazon instead . Those bigger sets are becoming a problem 

I recently posted about the amazon buyer claimed "item not as described" category but with the statement that they did not receive the item. I successfully had it resolved via Amazon (Amazon refunded the claim). Just within ten days, another Amazon buyer claimed "not received the item" and this time, this buyer claimed in the right category. When this buyer purchased, he or she also emailed asking when I would be shipping the item and indicated that he or she wanted to be at home ready for the package. Eight days after the delivery confirmation shown on carrier website as well as Amazon website (since I purchased shipping via Buy Shipping Services), the buyer filed a A-Z guarantee claim that he or she did not receive the item. With this rate of "claiming item not received", not only bigger sets are becoming a problem but also any of sets. I kind of wonder what the next claim would be like?

[Bold-Arrow]

7 minutes ago, tyclin said:

 

I recently posted about the amazon buyer claimed "item not as described" category but with the statement that they did not receive the item. I successfully had it resolved via Amazon (Amazon refunded the claim). Just within ten days, another Amazon buyer claimed "not received the item" and this time, this buyer claimed in the right category. When this buyer purchased, he or she also emailed asking when I would be shipping the item and indicated that he or she wanted to be at home ready for the package. Eight days after the delivery confirmation shown on carrier website as well as Amazon website (since I purchased shipping via Buy Shipping Services), the buyer filed a A-Z guarantee claim that he or she did not receive the item. With this rate of "claiming item not received", not only bigger sets are becoming a problem but also any of sets. I kind of wonder what the next claim would be like?

claims for items being "fake" and "unauthentic" are troubling and on the raise

[tyclin]

Just now, Bold-Arrow said:

claims for items being "fake" and "unauthentic" are troubling and one the raise

what would you recommend given this situation and the "dishonest buyers" on the rise?

6 minutes ago, Bold-Arrow said:

claims for items being "fake" and "unauthentic" are troubling and one the raise

Are "dishonest" buyers and sellers on the rise at the same speed?

[Bold-Arrow]

1 minute ago, tyclin said:

what would you recommend given this situation and the "dishonest buyers" on the rise?

Are "dishonest" buyers and sellers on the rise at the same speed?

sadly when it comes down to Lego there is little protection to sellers, hence my decision to severely cut down on my number of offering on large sets on Amazon as those are the targeted sets ( no one is going to bother with a 25$ city set ). i only speak for my self and my business, others obviously have a different take on this issue. 

[jeff_14]

I have a buyer saying he didn't receive a Wall-E set that tracking shows was delivered 12 days ago, 4 days after shipping. I advised him to contact Canada Post with the tracking number to inquire. Please let this not be a scammer. 

[biking_tiger]

So I received the expected "A-Z" claim from Amazon today for an Ewok Village I sent last week:

"counterfeit item - shipping seller NOT the one listed on the item at ordering time - THIS IS A SCAMMER"

The "buyer" name was not the same as the delivery address. I should have known better and cancelled the transaction. I'm not selling a damn thing on FBM anymore because of dropship scams like this. If anyone wants to know the "buyer" name, please PM. Moderators, if that is taboo, please let me know, but I feel that we, as a community, need to help protect each other. 

My A-Z "defense" is as follows:

On Friday, January 20th, I (XXXX), received FBM order 113-6750470-7108240 for a LEGO Ewok Village set # 10236. I quickly noticed that the 'buyer' (XXXX) was not the same as the shipping address (XXXX). I was concerned, but made sure to follow Amazon's policy and ship the item in a timely fashion. I included insurance for the item and delivery with signature confirmation as it is a high dollar item. I purchased postage through Amazon on Saturday, January 21st.

On Monday, the 'buyer' (XXXX) contacted me (through Amazon) to ask if the item had been shipped. I indicated that it had. The item was marked as delivered on January 25th. Today, February 1st, I received an A-Z claim with the comment: 'counterfeit item - shipping seller NOT the one listed on the item at ordering time - THIS IS A SCAMMER' The item was genuine LEGO, but at this point I have nothing but my word against that of 'XXXX.' Since the buyer's name was not the same as the delivery name, it is my opinion that 'XXXX' is abusing Amazon's system and taking advantage of A-Z claims to drop ship, claim 'counterfeit' items, and receive refund for the item while the actual buyer keeps the item.

I am a small seller but have a track record of excellent service and am happy to make my customers happy. I will not be taken advantage of, however. I (XXX) am happy to issue a refund upon receipt of the item back. If XXXX cannot return the alleged 'counterfeit' item, I consider the case closed. Thank you for your time. 

(I originally posted this to the FBA thead... it probably belongs here)

[ISO8T0]

I think starting a thread with a list of buyers who have filed A-Z claims using this same method would be beneficial for all who sell on Amz.

[Miami Bomb Squad]

I just hope Amazon has a performance checker on buyers as well.
You would think if the same Buyer tries these trick a few time, Amazon would have its "Red Flag Buyers" list.
Does anyone know if this exist? 

 

[ichiroll]

12 minutes ago, Miami Bomb Squad said:

I just hope Amazon has a performance checker on buyers as well.
You would think if the same Buyer tries these trick a few time, Amazon would have its "Red Flag Buyers" list.
Does anyone know if this exist? 

definitely exists.

even the number of times one returns something (even legitimately) is tracked.

[river41]

47 minutes ago, Miami Bomb Squad said:

I just hope Amazon has a performance checker on buyers as well.
You would think if the same Buyer tries these trick a few time, Amazon would have its "Red Flag Buyers" list.
Does anyone know if this exist? 

 

Based on what people are reporting I have a theory and would love to hear others weigh in

 

someone sells items on a online marketplace.  he then dropships via amazon sellers. Once the item is delivered he can then file a claim on the amazon seller and receive a refund. It appears he would file a item not received claim but if the seller requested signature he would file a item not as described claim. If he files too many claims and receives too many refunds amazon can shut him down .however he bought a large number of expensive sets meanwhile and made a lot of money.Also i wonder if amazon is as quick to shut down a account if they claim problems with 3p sellers .

 

I would think that  any seller with such a claim should try to contact the one that received the package (not the buyer)-you can look up their phone number based on their address- and ask very politely if there was a issue with the item received. If the one that got your item is just a innocent customer of the scammer and says there is no problem maybe you can use that fact in your a-z claim. 

 

I would like to hear comments on what others think about this theory

Edited February 1, 2017 by river41
correction

[biking_tiger]

I have considered contacting the buyer... but I'd like the pros to weigh in before I make any more missteps. 

Scratch that--the provided phone number was false. 

Edited February 1, 2017 by biking_tiger

[river41]

4 minutes ago, biking_tiger said:

I have considered contacting the buyer... but I'd like the pros to weigh in before I make any more missteps. 

Scratch that--the provided phone number was false. 

i am not a pro don"t rely on me i was just throwing a thought out there.

if the guy is a scammer of course the phone number is fake. I was suggesting looking up the receivers phone number based on publicly available resources and politely following up with them if there were any issues. if there weren't that should be proof positive that the dropshipper is  a scammer

but again let the pros weigh in first