Buy Box (Featured Offer) eligibility

#1

I am going through a painful experience with Buy Box eligibility.
The Buy Box, now known as “Featured Offer” is not guaranteed, I am told you have to “win” it. This is “system” generated and Seller Central are not able/willing to discuss individual eligibility.

This page decides on eligibility…
https://sellercentral.amazon.co.uk/help/hub/reference/200418100

Which gives me…
Currently, you are not eligible to be featured in the Buy Box for this item.
We are not able to discuss all factors that determine Featured Offer (Buy Box) eligibility, but below are some tips to help improve your chances of being Buy Box eligible.

*** Listings that are Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) are automatically eligible to win the Buy Box**
*** Only Professional selling accounts are eligible for the Buy Box**
*** The better you perform in Performance Metrics, the higher your chances are of becoming Buy Box eligible**
*** Listings must have a sufficient order volume to be Buy Box eligible**

Selling Partner Support is not able to provide any further information.

I am a professional seller. I have good Account Health. I am offering 100 items. Free next day shipping. Currently I am the only UK seller.
So why am I penalised?

My product is also being sold from China with a 6 week shipping and 2-3 weeks dispatch time and they of course are awarded a Buy Box.

Absolutely disgusted.

#2

how long have you been actively selling for?

Usually its around 90 days of sales history before they will grant the buy box,

#3

It could also be as simple, as your price is too high.

#4

As I said, I’m the only UK seller.

#5

That doesn’t make any difference, it actually has no bearing on whether you win the buy box or not.

#6

60 days, but when I asked, support said nothing about this.

#7

90 days, unless FBA.
And don’t put too much faith in what support tell you, they have a habit of just telling you what you want to hear.

#8

Thats the problem, it is so ill-defined. Why should an Amazon selling partner need to “win” the main selling feature …its nonsense and designed to promote FBA.

#9

90 days roughly - with a ’ good sales history ’
And that applies to all new fbm sellers - and always has done

#10

Not easy to achieve without a Buy Box …Catch 22 ?

#11

In which case time will come into play - depending on your price

#12

I’m getting the impression that you all think this is an acceptable way to conduct business.

#13

That’s because it’s been amazon policy since day dot and as they say, if you don’t like it…

#14

The thing is, it doesn’t really matter what we think. It’s the way it works.
If you don’t like it, then you simply don’t sell on Amazon.

#15

There are rather a lot of things that many of us do not like about the way Amazon do things, and some really are not acceptable, but it is their platform and they will run it as they want to, regardless of what we think.

#16

sponsored ads sell stuff no one else has got, 100 things are not enough
you need thousands

#17

Yes but if overseas are selling the same product as you but cheaper, then they will get buy box over you

#18

Yes I heard it was 90 days too

#19

You agreed to the terms of selling on here when you signed up, nobody is forcing you to stay here, and we have all had to go through this. If your price is a lot higher then the other seller, even if they are in China, then you will never get the buy box, as Amazon only allow the buy box to go to sellers who have what they consider a fair price, based on previous sales history.

But as others have pointed out, you still have at least 30 days before you are eligble anyway, regardless of what price you are charging.

#20

Also Feedback , speed of delivery and customer service seems to be in the buy box awards too .
For example .I found that on one item I sell at £7.43 is 7p more expensive than another seller .
I am at currently on 100% feedback in the 90 day period wheras they are on 84% and I deliver items quicker and keep my nose clean ,so the system awards me the buy box over them for the item although it is more expensive ,So it proves in my case on several items, you dont have to be the cheapest to get the Buy box!
Having the buy box also doesn’t mean that you will get the order from Customer they also tend not to purchase from a Quality Seller , check your Postage settings.