Used Sold As New Complaints, or Condition Complaints on Amazon have become more prominent this year than last. I can not speak to the exact date but I do know some time last year Amazon removed Sellers ability to “Turn Off” the repackage/resell option. To me this is a double edged sword, hurting sellers and customers alike. Buyers receive items that have been used and repackaged yet sold as new and Sellers received bad reviews and complaints. So what can Sellers do to protect themselves.
Used Sold As New Complaints, What We Are Seeing
Thankfully we see Amazon penalizing the ASIN versus the Account. While we do tend to see the ASINs go down during the appeal process. We are not seeing many account go down, which is progress on Amazon’s part.
For Private Label Sellers I have heard that including a seal on packaging “If Seal is Broken Item is Not New” can be very helpful in avoiding these complaints. It lets Amazon and Buyers alike know the item is not new. The hope of course would be any item returned to Amazon with a broken seal would be recognized as no longer a “New” item per Amazons definition. Thus the item would be removed from inventory and the seller can avoid any complaints from buyers.
For Third Party Sellers good customer service, strong invoices and appeals are going to be the formula for keeping your account healthy. Additionally, I have had sellers tell me they will often recall all stock of a ASIN when close to selling out. This allows them to be sure the products left are in New condition and then they send in a new shipment of product. The theory here is they can ensure the rotating stock is always new and there isn’t any inventory being sold/returned over and over again. If there’s a better way that I am unaware of please be sure to reach out to me and let me know so I can share this information with Sellers. After all that’s the point of these articles.
What Amazon Is Looking For In A Invoice/Appeal
Not all invoices are created equal. As such seeing an example of an invoice prior to setting up a relationship with a new vendor can go a long ways. Used Sold As New Complaints on Amazon can often be resolved quickly with a good invoice. Here’s what Amazon is looking for when you submit an invoice:
The address on the invoice matches the primary address on your Selling Account.
The business name on the invoice matches the business name on your Selling Account.
The distributor or supplier is verifiable by phone and business website.
The invoice includes quantities of products listed.
The invoice includes prices (you can remove the prices with pen, but do not modify them digitally).
The ASIN is easily identifiable. You can mark the ASIN or title in pen if clarification is needed.
If a companies website is not listed on the invoice itself, as often is the case. I will add this to the appeal to make it easier to verify the business. For assistance in drafting a stronger appeals check out our article on Drafting Your Amazon Appeal.
If you found this article helpful be sure to check back for our upcoming article on Counterfeit Complaints on Amazon.
As Always, It Never Hurts To Ask For Help
Have you received an Amazon Account Suspension or Notification? We here at Amazon Account Rescue are here to discuss these matters with you.
Should you have any additional questions or wish to discuss this or any other matter please feel free to contact us at 1-800-757-0282 or at info@amazonaccountrescue.com.