Power Sellers Unite

elgato · Joined: 24 Feb 2005 Posts: 17239 Location: Texas

Amazon.com wants its brand to be associated with low prices, and now it is soliciting shoppers to help it gather competitive pricing data. Amazon.com asks customers if they've seen products elsewhere at lower prices, and asks them to report exactly where they've seen them, online or offline.

On Amazon product pages, a question appears, "Would you like to update product info, give feedback on images, or tell us about a lower price?" When shoppers click on "tell us about a lower price" hyperlink, a dialog box opens. Shoppers select either "Website (Online)" or "Store (Offline)" and then fill out a form with the price, date and location of the online or offline store that offers lower prices.

Amazon explains, "Although we can't match every price reported, we'll be using your input to ensure that our prices remain competitive."

more.. link to news article

elpereles · Joined: 15 Dec 2006 Posts: 1478 Location: Puerto Rico

I don't get it. This survey or whatever is good for a store group example Sears, Walgreen, Walmart, etc. But for a Internet market place that works like a shopping mall. It is stupid.

If a go to a shopping mall to buy shoes I check the 5 stores that have them available. Then I buy from the one who has it for a good price.

I want to see the day that 5 stores in the shopping mall have an item for the lower and same price. :roll:

quicksrt · Joined: 26 Oct 2009 Posts: 401

I get it totally. They want the buyers to report sellers who are offering lower prices on their own websites.

I'm not sure that they can really do anything about it, but I think their rules state no lower prices (from you offered) elsewhere when you begin selling on Amazon.

portocall · Joined: 05 Jun 2009 Posts: 156

Exactly quicksrt,

When you sign up and agree to Amazon policy (and I think ebay too) you agree to not offer the same product online for a lower price (with or without shipping costs)

I had heard that Amazon was going to start applying this rule, but I couldnt' imagine how they could do it - track every seller's items??!! I guess they're gonna let their buyers help out and (unknowingly) squeel on a few sellers.

What a world!! :roll:

quicksrt · Joined: 26 Oct 2009 Posts: 401

portocall wrote (View Post): › docWrite("quote")Exactly quicksrt,

I guess they're gonna let their buyers help out and (unknowingly) squeel on a few sellers.

What a world!! :roll:

Yep, "Rat Em' Out! if what this is set up to do.

I foolishly listened to others tell me that I should use the same seller name across various venues (for better name recognition and brand marketing.

But the smarter thing to do is use a different name for your Ecrater store than the one for your Amazon account. Then there would be no way Amazon would have the time to track down what city you are in and real name, and then match it up with your Amazon data. The work load will crush their payroll budget.

I have been offering lower prices on all items at my store compared to Amazon, but have found that my buyers would rather pay more and use Amazon. I mean I doubt they even Google the given item, they sinply go to ebay or/and Amazon and see what's there, and click "buy".

I have been offering lower prices by 20% at my Ecrater store, and it ain't driving traffic to complete sales. Plus I am always the lowest price (for condition) at Amazon. So I get the sale if anyone does.

But back to the point, what a world indeed when a site can tell you what to do on another unrelated site. In Europe I believe Amazon was told to go to hell by the trade commission, the rule didn't fly there.

elpereles · Joined: 15 Dec 2006 Posts: 1478 Location: Puerto Rico

Interesting! So if you sell in Amazon you become their slave. Good reason to avoid it. :wink:

portocall as far I know eBay don't have it. I saw some TSR and Powersellers with their own home page or store outside eBay with lower prices. The only problem is that sometimes is a headache trying to make an order in their page.

things4u · Joined: 21 Jan 2007 Posts: 1331

it is just the same old we make bucks while you the seller makes pennies and try to compete with a large quanity buyer

quicksrt · Joined: 26 Oct 2009 Posts: 401

elpereles wrote (View Post): › docWrite("quote")Interesting! So if you sell in Amazon you become their slave. Good reason to avoid it. :wink:

I can't avoid it, I avoid ebay and dumped half.com, Amazon is the only other venue that does massive sales for music. The other venues are slow user unfriendly, over priced for buyers, and simply do not have sales like Amazon.

I nearly went broke in the spring until I listed at Amazon. And after I did, things got a lot better.

things4u wrote (View Post): › docWrite("quote")it is just the same old we make bucks while you the seller makes pennies and try to compete with a large quanity buyer

You mean large quantify sellers? I'm happy with amazon at the moment. My items sell, and I get paid fast enough, and I get my asking price. It is less work than ebay, and is not costing me as much as ebay since I am not paying to list items that have not yet sold. And my type of items will take months of exposure to sell, but they will sell. Amazon gives me that time I need without charging me.

Digmen1 · Joined: 12 Feb 2010 Posts: 1007

@Quickstart
Glad to hear you are doing OK on Amazon.
I certainly will not be joining them, they seem to be very dictatorial.

quicksrt · Joined: 26 Oct 2009 Posts: 401

Digmen1 wrote (View Post): › docWrite("quote")@Quickstart
Glad to hear you are doing OK on Amazon.
I certainly will not be joining them, they seem to be very dictatorial.

Yes, but I am finding that the lack of customer communications (a good thing imo), and the way an item gets paid for the moment it is bought, and no unpaid items, no fees to list nor keep items listed makes it a pretty painless ordeal.

The kind of music I am dealing with has an upper scale (class) crowd's appeal, they are nice and easy so far.

It's just going so well so far. 11 weeks or there about so far, and all perfect transactions. I've sold a few big tickets, some medium, and plenty of low end items. Those low end items I thought would be a hard sell, but in this economy the cheap stuff has appeal I guess.

ebay I feel is more dictatorial, and they talk to you like you are uneducated, and that you are under their control, and you better give up some more fees, lose on shipping, and pray that they don't fire you. On Amazon, I get paid fair shipping cash back, and buyer never gets to complain about it (shipping costs) ever.

elpereles · Joined: 15 Dec 2006 Posts: 1478 Location: Puerto Rico

quicksrt is Amazon works for you. Congratulations!

In my case I didn't want somebody telling me that I must sale same price in other places.

quicksrt · Joined: 26 Oct 2009 Posts: 401

elpereles wrote (View Post): › docWrite("quote")quicksrt is Amazon works for you. Congratulations!

In my case I didn't want somebody telling me that I must sale same price in other places.

They can tell me whatever they want, it does not mean I am going to do it. As a matter of fact, I do sell at lower prices. I've even used my Amazon inverntory list to sell at various forms. I then cut the deal directly with buyer at 10% lower prices than amazon, give buyer combined shipping, and after paypal comes in go over and delete the item(s) from amazon.

Then will never control my prices, know where else I sell, or keep me from promoting my own direct sales off of the buyers who originated there.

One just has to be smart and stay a step ahead of them. I have sold $600 worth of amazon items directly to buyers with no amazon fees. You just have to work it baby work it!!!!