Amazon - the Online Pied Piper - Enough is Enough

Firstly, we would say as a consumer, Amazon is a convenient place to do online shopping although the lockdowns have taught us to shop, if possible, elsewhere.

Secondly, we know that as a cottage business, we can not take on the massive corporate machine that is Amazon. We have had to tow the line or we have found that we are targeted by their algorithms. Only last night, our Techbed reviews fell again. No explanation and we do not have the resources to find out why.

We know that Amazon favour brands that use “Fulfilment by Amazon” (FBA) as they earn more money from it. We do not wish to use FBA as in our eyes it takes away from the personal shopping experience that we like to provide.

Amazon is a monopolistic beast – they say jump and up to now we have had to ask how high?

Enough is enough.

Amazon are introducing a "Valid Tracking Rate" or VTR for all seller fulfilled orders. 

If we do not provide a tracking number on Amazon from April 19th or buy postage through Amazon or fall below 95% of VTR's rules, our portfolio will be delisted and we have to submit a plan to Amazon on how we are going to adhere to their 3 line whip.

We are not going to be forced in to buying postage through Amazon. We do not agree that our Techbed portfolio has to be sent tracked. We want to provide an easy shopping experience as possible. No grief, no hassle.

To that end, we will simply use Amazon as a shop window and hope that people use our website or etsy.

Given Amazon’s extortionate fees and we have to build in tracking, we have put our prices on Amazon up. We will not be raising the prices across our website and also etsy: they will remain as is, making these platforms cheaper and easier to purchase through..

Being forced into purchasing postage through Amazon, basically removes all local Post Offices from the supply chain. We would rather support our local Post Office who, if no income, would simply close. Our nation of little shop keepers relies on our local Post Offices and they are central to any small community.

This is being introduced across the Amazon estate and as we have to use tracking on EU orders, if we build this cost in, this will take the cost of the majority of our Techbed portfolio over the €22 threshold for exempt duty & vat post Brexit. To that end, we have asked Amazon if they will cover the cost of the customer's duty and vat liability.

We await a reply.

We offer a local delivery service, across all platforms, to local Post Codes. If we enter "Personal Delivery", Amazon are not able to track it and by offering an enhanced customer service, we fall foul of an Amazon algorithm resulting in delisting.

This is, in our opinion, a short sighted, selfish, business model by Amazon that is just bloody stupid