Announcing changes to the way Amazon.com sorts and displays seller listings

[mandy]

Announcing changes to the way Amazon.com sorts and displays seller listings

Greetings from Amazon.com

In response to customer requests, we will soon be testing new treatments for how we display pricing on the "Offer Listing Page."

What is changing?

Over the next few weeks we will begin displaying the standard domestic shipping cost alongside the price of the item. Buyers will have the option to sort the display of listings either by item and shipping cost combined (this will be the default view) or by item price alone (this is how the page works today).

Below is an example of the first test page for a media product -- note that the shipping price is listed below the item price:

http://images.amazon.com/images/G/01/mis...p11-1a.jpg

Now here is an example of the second test page for a media product -- note that the shipping price is listed in the "Seller Information" column:

http://images.amazon.com/images/G/01/mis...p11-2a.jpg

Finally, below is an example of a test page for a non-media product:

http://images.amazon.com/images/G/01/mis...p11-3a.jpg

Sellers should be aware of some of the implications of these new displays being tested:

    * Media (books, music, DVD/video, software and video games) and other products listed on Marketplace have uniform shipping costs which will be displayed on the page
    * Non-media items listed for sale by merchants using our Merchants @ selling platform will now display the shipping cost of the item as set by the seller
    * Products that are sold or fulfilled by Amazon may qualify for "Super Saver Shipping" or the "Prime" shipping subscription program; accordingly, these items will not display a shipping cost

Why are we making these changes?

Buyers have consistently indicated that shipping cost is a key factor they consider when making an online purchase. Amazon.com believes that the upfront display of shipping costs will create a better buying and selling experience on the platform and allow sellers to compete more fairly.

We welcome your feedback about these changes. For any feedback related to the new listing display, please contact us.

Thanks for selling on Amazon.com.

http://www.amazonsellercommunity.com/for...dID=125855&tstart=0

[Anita]

Showing the shipping fees IS an improvement!  IMHO

[amy]

[quote author=Anita link=topic=5892.msg31847#msg31847 date=1163292530]
Showing the shipping fees IS an improvement!  IMHO
[/quote]

:

I haven't heard a single Marketplace seller of media items who thinks it's an improvement.  It gives Amazon's own items which qualify for Super Saver/Prime shipping  a potentially big advantage over Marketplace sellers' items in listings displays. 

Here are the views of another seller from the Amazon boards:

Of all the innocuous-seeming new changes Amazon is instituting, the one that presents the gravest trouble (at Christmastime no less!) is the one they are currently "testing" (I certainly hope it is only a test) that gives the 'fulfilled by Amazon' price top billing (with "Free" shipping), and then demotes independent sellers to second bananas (with "+ $3.50 shopping") tacked after each and every one of our listings.

The effect this will have is:

1) Dramatically decrease our sales at holidaytime -- which is when we make 50-80 percent of our yearly bookselling income.

2) Force us to SLASH our prices just to compete with Amazon's "free" shipping. Book buyers aren't stupid. They will do math. Even though Amazon is forcing them to buy $25 worth of books to get the 'free' shipping, if Amazon's price is $7.50 (for example), we will have to lower our prices (even of our NEW books) to $3.50 just to compete with Amazon. It's crazy!

3) Ultimately, this will force independent Amazon booksellers out of business. Since Amazon makes a TON of money off of us, I really don't understand why they are doing this.

4) But, since they obviously perceive us as some kind of threat (this is like the proverbial 10,000-pound gorilla going after the mouse, in my book), I think the only way we can combat this TERRIBLE turn of events is to a) either appeal directly to Amazon/Jeff Bezos and beg them NOT to do this to us, or b) Go elsewhere.