Reviews from competitors
Hello,
I'm new to the seller community - my name is Dimi. I don't have any products yet. I created the seller account for research so I can figure out whether selling on Amazon is worth it. I have a lot of questions, but I will focus on one today.
While researching a category I'm interested in (aftermarket accessories for EVs), I found several reviewers with verified purchases that consistently post positive reviews for one brand - BestEvMod and negative reviews for other brands. The negative reviews are rare but are not limited to one brand, they are spread out across multiple direct competitors.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/amzn1.account.AFQIGTXMRIUGNODQIMB3HJA52ZSA/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_gw_btm?ie=UTF8
https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/amzn1.account.AF6N3VC6A34QJD7VPHCOBEWZLKYQ/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_gw_btm?ie=UTF8
https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/amzn1.account.AECKIUAQVJ52IXGSBDWAMXWU7GBQ/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_gw_btm?ie=UTF8
So I have these questions:
1. Assuming these are fake reviews, what is the best way to report them if you are a competitor brand? I read here in the forums that other sellers struggle with removing fake reviews.
2. Can both positive and negative reviews be reported as fake?
3. If you are a seller, would you be willing to pay for example $2 per parent ASIN per month for software that monitors for fake reviews and creates some sort of report that you can submit to Amazon? I suppose if Amazon is not readily removing fake reviews, that would be an unnecessary expense to incur.
Please, share your experiences with this.
Reviews from competitors
Hello,
I'm new to the seller community - my name is Dimi. I don't have any products yet. I created the seller account for research so I can figure out whether selling on Amazon is worth it. I have a lot of questions, but I will focus on one today.
While researching a category I'm interested in (aftermarket accessories for EVs), I found several reviewers with verified purchases that consistently post positive reviews for one brand - BestEvMod and negative reviews for other brands. The negative reviews are rare but are not limited to one brand, they are spread out across multiple direct competitors.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/amzn1.account.AFQIGTXMRIUGNODQIMB3HJA52ZSA/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_gw_btm?ie=UTF8
https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/amzn1.account.AF6N3VC6A34QJD7VPHCOBEWZLKYQ/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_gw_btm?ie=UTF8
https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/amzn1.account.AECKIUAQVJ52IXGSBDWAMXWU7GBQ/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_gw_btm?ie=UTF8
So I have these questions:
1. Assuming these are fake reviews, what is the best way to report them if you are a competitor brand? I read here in the forums that other sellers struggle with removing fake reviews.
2. Can both positive and negative reviews be reported as fake?
3. If you are a seller, would you be willing to pay for example $2 per parent ASIN per month for software that monitors for fake reviews and creates some sort of report that you can submit to Amazon? I suppose if Amazon is not readily removing fake reviews, that would be an unnecessary expense to incur.
Please, share your experiences with this.
0 replies
Seller_kIukTwdhvntAp
"I don't have any producgts yet. I created the seller account for research so I can figure out whether selling on Amazon is worth it."
I don't know how you find that out without actually trying to sell something.
IF you mean you are listing items to find out what the costs would be (estimates by Amazon) STOP immediately unless you have an LOA from the brands involved.
The simple act of creating an ASIN shows an "intent to sell" under Amazon policies and can get you suspended.
More and more frequently Amazon is taking a TWO STEP approach and you can get suspended/caught with not doing one of the steps (or either one!)
DO NOT confuse AMAZON allowing you to list (or at least "ungate") an item or category and actually being APPROVED to sell a product. Amazon may ungate you for a CATEGORY but there can be 100's of brands in the category and they ALL have their own restrictions.
AMAZON is only interested in FEES. They will allow a chimpanzee to list if it means they collect $$$$$.
Additionally, brands that you COULD sell yesterday may be restricted today or next week. Amazon is a moving target to deal with.
DO YOU have an LOA from the brand allowing you to sell on here?
If you have an LOA that specifically says you can sell on Amazon you MIGHT survive this depending on your sourcing.
More and more brands are providing such a "whitelist" of their approved sellers and if YOU are NOT on the list you will be stopped in your tracks and probably hit with an IP violation.
I had one of my brands stop me because they CHANGED the company they hired to screen sellers. The NEW screener did not recognize my Amazon store name because I do all my purchases under a different LLC. It took a couple weeks to get straightened out and no problems since then.
DID YOU source from AUTHORIZED wholesale sources that your rep at the brand says are OK.
NOTE the verification is required from the brand that the source is legitimate and authorized, NOT from one of those touted on TikTok and YouTube as having "thousands of brands and products" that assures you that they are authorized.
If you have watched any YouTube or TikTok videos FORGET everything you saw there.
Spend hours/days on Seller U and read the Forum to see all the really creative ways rookies and experienced sellers find to get suspended by ignoring the advice above!
https://sell.amazon.com/learn
One of the first rules of business is to know ALL your costs BEFORE you establish a selling price.
Amazon profit margins suck due to competition from people that are willing to 'race to the bottom' as well as competing with Amazon.
I price my items so that I make a profit if/when they sell on here. If they don't sell here they will on one of the other sites I sell on that have LOWER FEES.
Jumping in and not knowing the costs is a self-inflicted wound no matter what site you choose to sell on.
AMAZON COST CALCULATOR
https://sell.amazon.com/blog/how-to-use-fba-calculator
