Recently, Typhoon "Compa" swept across southern China, bringing not only severe weather such as strong winds and heavy rains, but also a series of "big gifts": major ports stopped container deliveries, raw materials saw a new round of price increases, and shipping costs rebounded midway before the price reduction was halfway.
Black Friday, Cyber Monday and other major promotions are currently in the preparation stage, but sellers are facing multiple obstacles in their dream of booming sales. How to formulate a shipping plan in the face of severe logistics conditions, and how to maximize profit margins amid soaring costs are both difficult problems that need to be considered urgently. In addition, the recent suspected changes in Amazon’s sales commission algorithm are another heavy blow. We understand that some sellers recently reported that the commission algorithm suddenly changed. For the same product, using the same $2 coupon, the sales commission was still charged according to the discounted price yesterday, but today it was charged according to the original price. ▲ The picture comes from Zhiwubuyan That is to say, for a product with an original price of 20 yuan, the original sales commission was calculated by multiplying the discounted price by 15%. However, the current calculation method is directly 20x15%. The discount disappears out of thin air, and the overall accumulated cost will increase significantly. It is reported that many sellers are experiencing the same situation. One seller said that starting from the 11th, the commission for orders on the US site is calculated based on the price of the item before the discount. ▲ The picture comes from Zhiwubuyan Another seller on the German site reported that after using a coupon, some orders were charged the price before the coupon was used minus the tax. For example, if a single product is priced at 22 and a 2-euro coupon was used, the actual commission charged was (22-0.32)*0.15. In response to this, a seller conducted an experiment with a few orders and found that the commission for promotional orders was still calculated based on the discounted price. ▲ The picture comes from Zhiwubuyan Some sellers also reported that the above situation did not occur and the commission was still deducted according to the promotion amount. However, it is worth mentioning that the seller conducted an off-site promotion on October 1st. ▲ The picture comes from Zhiwubuyan Sellers currently have different opinions. Some sellers' commissions are still calculated based on the discounted price, and many sellers are unable to use the promotional amount: "For orders placed on the same day, some are charged commissions based on the original price, and some are charged commissions based on the discounted price." "Even if the coupon is used, the commission on the German site will still be charged based on the pre-discount price since October." "It's the same on the Japanese site. The commission is calculated based on the price before the coupon discount. Amazon doesn't make any announcements. Are they trying to secretly take advantage of us?" Regarding the sales commission algorithm for promotional orders, Amazon's previous policy explanation was that if the product is discounted, Amazon will charge a commission on the total sales price after the discount is applied, and a minimum commission may be charged depending on the product category. At present, the changes in the sales commission algorithm have probably appeared since the 10th, affecting major sites such as the United States, Europe, and Japan. However, Amazon has not issued an announcement so far, so most sellers speculate that the inconsistency in the algorithm may be caused by a system failure. For this reason, the seller also opened a case to consult customer service. Regarding the issue of difference in order charges, customer service replied that it was caused by system reasons and the technical department is currently handling it urgently. ▲ The picture comes from Zhiwubuyan Despite this, Amazon has not yet made any official response to this matter. The most urgent thing that sellers are more concerned about is whether they can file a claim with Amazon and recover the overcharged commissions.
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