Amazon has started to trick buyers into "forcing" them to tip!

Recently, the practice of Amazon sellers asking for tips during the checkout process has caused widespread discussion in the industry .

What's going on?

It is reported that some sellers use "creative" means to add an "add tip" function in the product customization options, bypassing platform rules and directly asking consumers for tips .

You should know that Amazon does not have a tipping policy! Amazon does not have an option to allow consumers to tip sellers in its checkout process worldwide! !

Amazon has never conducted strict review and intervention on the behavior of sellers who circumvent policies and ask for consumption, which has led to the existence of some non-compliant tipping options.

As shown below, a product priced at 19.99 is asking for a tip of 1.99 or 2.99... They really treat consumers like leeks...

For sellers, although asking for tips may earn extra income in the short term, this behavior can also bring unpredictable consequences:

1. Violation of Amazon platform rules : Amazon has strict sales policies and seller codes of conduct. Sellers must conduct sales activities within the framework prescribed by the platform.

This behavior of asking for tips by bypassing platform rules clearly violates the principles of fair conduct and not abusing platform functions or services. Once discovered by Amazon, sellers will face severe penalties, including but not limited to warnings, product removal, suspension or withholding of payments, and even revocation of sales permissions.

2. Damage to consumer experience and trust : Consumers may feel misled or deceived, especially during peak shopping periods such as holidays, when consumers have higher requirements for shopping experience. This behavior will reduce consumers' trust in sellers and platforms, affecting the long-term development of sellers.

3. Disruption of fair competition in the market : It is unfair to sellers who operate in compliance with regulations, which may put them at a disadvantage in the competition and affect the healthy development of the entire Amazon market.

4. Facing legal risks : In some regions and countries, such behavior of charging consumers without explicit notification and consent may be suspected of violating laws and regulations related to consumer protection. If consumers file complaints or take legal action against sellers for such behavior, sellers will not only face legal proceedings and compensation liability, but may also further affect their operations and business reputation on the Amazon platform.

At present, Amazon does not seem to be conducting strict scrutiny on such violations. However, this does not mean that the platform will turn a blind eye to violations. Instead of taking risks to earn short-term profits through violations, sellers should focus on improving the quality of products and services and increasing revenue through legal and compliant means to achieve long-term business growth.