Selling to Amazon – Should You Use Seller Central Or Vendor Central?
Whether you’re selling to Amazon as a first-party seller or you’re a vendor, you have to decide between two options: Seller Central and Vendor Central. While the decision isn’t an easy one, there are a few things to keep in mind when you’re choosing between these two options.
Vendor Central vs seller central
Compared to Amazon Seller Central, Vendor Central can be easier to manage and provides more flexibility. Vendor Central is a web interface that helps vendors to sell their products directly to Amazon consumers. It also offers expanded Amazon marketing benefits.
In addition to the web interface, Amazon Vendor Central also offers seller support. Vendors can check their purchase orders, receive product data, and manage to advertise. They are able to store their inventory at the Amazon Fulfillment Center. Amazon is also able to handle returns and shipping. However, they do have some restrictions, such as the ability to place purchase orders for hundreds of units at a time.
Vendor Central can be an attractive option for brands that are not used to selling directly to consumers. It can also give sellers a boost in brand recognition and customer loyalty. However, it can also present some unexpected costs. In addition, Amazon has been known to run out of products offered by Vendor Central.
Vendor Central is not right for everyone. For example, if you are an average Helium 10 seller, it may not be worth it to sell on Vendor Central. You might also want to consider Vendor Central if you plan to use Amazon FBA to fulfill your orders. Unlike Seller Central, Amazon FBA requires that you manage sales and marketing, and there are additional fees associated with this service.
Selling to Amazon as a first-party seller
Whether you are just starting out or looking to expand your business, selling to Amazon is a viable option. There are a variety of advantages to selling to Amazon, including access to the resources of Amazon and the opportunity to sell exclusive products. However, there are also some drawbacks.
Amazon controls pricing, messaging, and the listing of your product. The company will also adjust pricing based on internal data. This is why it is important to be knowledgeable about your product’s niche and competition.
Amazon also requires a seller to have liability insurance. While this may not seem like a big deal, if you have a difficult time fulfilling orders, you could end up with significant chargebacks.
Sellers with popular products may want to consider outsourcing production. With a 3P relationship, you will have the benefit of better profit margins and more control over your brand. However, it is important to remember that this is a compromise. Amazon will have more responsibility for logistics, and your products will not receive brand recognition. You may also have to make adjustments to your product range, as well as find a way to increase production.
There are also a variety of fees to consider when selling to Amazon. These include FBA (Fulfillment & Storage) fees, referral commissions, and rising PPC costs.
Dealing with returns
Whether you’re a big or small seller, dealing with returns on Amazon can be a pain. The good news is that you don’t have to deal with the mess alone. You can use Seller Central to help you protect your inventory and get a refund.
Luckily, there are many options to choose from. You can check your account for returns, open a support ticket, investigate customer complaints, dispute defective item claims, and more. You can also use the FBA Returns Report to see what’s on your customer’s radar.
If you’re selling books, electronics, or toys, the best way to find out if you have any returns is by checking the returns section of your seller account. You can see a summary of all customer returns as well as a list of all of your FBA customers.
Amazon’s new Returns Performance Dashboard is a great way to track what’s on your customer’s radar. You’ll see a summary of all of your customer returns, a randomly generated RMA number, and the oh-so-cool FNSKU.
Amazon is known for its customer service, and it’s a great place to resolve product issues. However, it’s important to remember that it’s also possible to receive bad reviews from a customer who wants to return an item. A good approach is to apologize to the customer and offer to replace or refund the item. This will reduce the chances of negative feedback.