Readers might have forgotten the importance of the C for Control in CENTS, but although it might be too late for some this thread should serve as a wake up call. Sellers who once could find ways to learn the details of their..... NO....... Big Jeff's customers, have lost their last source of Amazon provided information.
In an announcement made recently in his final Letter to Shareholders, obviously concerned that Amazon's stranglehold on FBA sellers had weakened, Big Jeff Bezos decreed that Amazon's Fulfilled Shipments report will no longer include Amazon Customer name and street address. This is a huge blow, removing the last means that sellers have of making direct contact with the people who have bought products from them.
The only other place where they can find such information is in the Amazon-Fulfilled Shipments – Tax Remittance report, but use of those names and addresses is strictly forbidden. BUT....... There is another way.
I have many times posted a reminder that vendors on Amazon have no ownership of those customers' details. They are Amazon's customers, not the seller's.
So, here is how to obtain customers' details. Not every customer, but potentially many. I will list the actions to take one by one:
EDIT I have done as I said I would. See: Protect Your Brand From Your Overseas Suppliers
In an announcement made recently in his final Letter to Shareholders, obviously concerned that Amazon's stranglehold on FBA sellers had weakened, Big Jeff Bezos decreed that Amazon's Fulfilled Shipments report will no longer include Amazon Customer name and street address. This is a huge blow, removing the last means that sellers have of making direct contact with the people who have bought products from them.
The only other place where they can find such information is in the Amazon-Fulfilled Shipments – Tax Remittance report, but use of those names and addresses is strictly forbidden. BUT....... There is another way.
I have many times posted a reminder that vendors on Amazon have no ownership of those customers' details. They are Amazon's customers, not the seller's.
So, here is how to obtain customers' details. Not every customer, but potentially many. I will list the actions to take one by one:
- Choose a brand name. ( I say this for the benefit of those who are only selling random brand or generic products.) If you want any degree of control you MUST have a brand.
- Protect your brand. At the very least claim ownership by use of the ™ Symbol, but preferably by registering your brand as a trademark.
- Set up a website bearing your brand name. Make it irresistible to your customers so they will come back to buy there instead of from Amazon. Make them your customers. Give them a good reason to email you or fill in a contact form.
- Design and produce or purchase labels. Search my posts for information how to make them emotionally appeal to your customers. Be sure to include your URL
- Attach those labels before shipping to FBA.
- Consider making at least your URL, but preferably also your brand name and logo an integral part of your product. This introduces the question of protecting your business secrets (such as your selling price) from your suppliers. I will post a separate thread on that subject.
EDIT I have done as I said I would. See: Protect Your Brand From Your Overseas Suppliers
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