Amazon sales at 10-20% of expected amount
Hi
Has anyone noticed a massive drop in sales over the past month? We sell clothing and the beginning of winter always has a massive increase but we are only doing 10-20% per day compared to the last 10 years.
We turned off Invoice by Amazon as it was not registering zero rated sales (we sell thousands of safety boots that are VAT exempt) and was causing extra work for our accounts department - sales dropped immediately we did this so we then turned on after a couple of days - sales stayed low and we haven't sold any orders on the invoice by Amazon side so don't know if that has triggered something within Amazon?
We have recently lost half of our listings as inactive because Amazon have put arbitrary minimum / maximum prices against our SKU's which deactivated thousands of listings- we have rectified this manually and now have approx 26000 live SKU's with about half winning the buy box - sales are still well down - we are down well over six figures in the last month!
I've seen various discussions regarding the above, but no one has a definitive answer to what's going on and how to solve it before I have to gamble on a consultant knowing how to fix it - I'm desperate as this month is by far the biggest of the year. Sales on ebay and our website remain strong, so cannot put it down to credit crunch/difficult budget etc
Regards
Chris
Amazon sales at 10-20% of expected amount
Hi
Has anyone noticed a massive drop in sales over the past month? We sell clothing and the beginning of winter always has a massive increase but we are only doing 10-20% per day compared to the last 10 years.
We turned off Invoice by Amazon as it was not registering zero rated sales (we sell thousands of safety boots that are VAT exempt) and was causing extra work for our accounts department - sales dropped immediately we did this so we then turned on after a couple of days - sales stayed low and we haven't sold any orders on the invoice by Amazon side so don't know if that has triggered something within Amazon?
We have recently lost half of our listings as inactive because Amazon have put arbitrary minimum / maximum prices against our SKU's which deactivated thousands of listings- we have rectified this manually and now have approx 26000 live SKU's with about half winning the buy box - sales are still well down - we are down well over six figures in the last month!
I've seen various discussions regarding the above, but no one has a definitive answer to what's going on and how to solve it before I have to gamble on a consultant knowing how to fix it - I'm desperate as this month is by far the biggest of the year. Sales on ebay and our website remain strong, so cannot put it down to credit crunch/difficult budget etc
Regards
Chris
26 replies
Seller_i6S8knzW6zU6Z
Hi Chris (@Seller_veIbCeHZmUw1v),
I can really understand how frustrating—and maybe even overwhelming—this situation must feel, especially during such a key season. Since you have such a large catalog, breaking things down step-by-step can help you pinpoint the issues and focus your efforts where it’ll have the biggest impact.
In "Business Reports" > "Detail Page Sales and Traffic by Child Item", you can download detailed traffic and sales data by child ASIN for up to the past two years. When downloading, set the start and end dates to get daily reports—this level of detail is crucial for seeing if your sales drop directly coincided with changes, like turning off Invoice by Amazon.
Here’s a structured way to analyze the data:
1. Assess the Impact of the Invoice by Amazon Change:
- Download the daily data for the last two years.
- Aggregate this data to see if sales actually dropped immediately when Invoice by Amazon was turned off.
- Check if all products and brands were affected equally, or if certain listings experienced a sharper decline. If the drop isn’t broad, it could indicate that factors other than Invoice by Amazon are at play.
- Repeat this analysis to evaluate how sales responded when you reactivated Invoice by Amazon.
2. Prioritize Your Products:
- Calculate total sales for each child ASIN over the last 4 weeks.
- Calculate total sales for the same 4-week period last year (and ideally the year before).
- Identify which child ASINs have seen the biggest drops in sales.
- Review each of these top ASINs individually to determine the issue. For example, is there a technical problem (like an inactive listing) or has the Buy Box been lost to a competitor offering a lower price?
I hope this structured approach helps bring some clarity to what’s happening and guides you on where to best focus your time and resources.
Best, Michael
Seller_QDokbHzWM3jpO
Yes, you are not alone, we are down 80% from where we were last year on Amazon
Seller_4APBF8EbUfCq9
So quiet atm I am actually scared as to how I will survive. Amazon has always been our busiest platform and especially this time of year. It is crickets and tumble weed on here right now.
Seller_PU8ypkNZEJU9p
Yes I have too. Usually from the 28th-6-7th of each month I have really really good sales however this month is awful. I think people was nervous around the budget and sales should start in the next week or 2 for Xmas
Seller_MFpzSIm72KtOH
Yep awful sales I think the Amazon bubble has burst now.
I am 75 percent down now,have just tried a couple of weeks of advertising and no increase at all.
Ebay introducing no selling fees I think this is the issue.
Seller_GPLxAbyNPI33I
Yes exactly the same here. For me I had a strong start to the year & sales were good across all platforms until Easter, then they all went off a cliff at the same time.
I had other issues in the business & closed my sites down early June & returned in August to find no improvement. Some of my suppliers are thousands down on last year, whilst others are scaling back to home storage options who once had warehouses.
Good indicators are talking to couriers from the major transport firms & when you go into a post office there is usually a queue out the door with people getting their parcels away, this time last year it could take me 30 mins to get served, but at the moment I get served right away.
Ebay has now offered free selling to personal accounts in a bid to attract more sellers (Excuse me but we need buyers!) Amazon is about to launch Customer Services sweep stake to win £100 (or you could just become a scammer & get it all for free anyway)
So seemingly all these online sites are struggling, the state of the economy, treatment of sellers etc & are living on platitudes & gimmicks. Ebay laid off in the region of 1,000 staff at the start of the year. When I joined ebay 21 years ago & Amazon sometime afterwards I thought this was a business with a lifetime longevity, sadly this is proving not to be the case.
Unless things change drastically for the better (not holding on my breath) then I think I will have to strongly consider a PAYE job again which is not something someone in their mid 60s anticipated until now.
All the best to everyone.
Seller_Mrso42lCWrN3m
Very quiet here too. The weather is still warm (ish) which doesn't help when I sell beanies and jackets :( I also work for a workwear business who doesn't sell on Amazon and that business is doing well!
Seller_WNgLvQF3YKSZQ
We have moved from Amazon to B&Q about 2 years ago, still have some sales on Amazon, but B&Q generate double what we had on Amazon, and from last Friday we have 150%-200% more orders as B&Q host big event.
And we dont have worry about account suspensions or funds reserve.
Seller_Fg2fqaWOnEtha
Nope, you can't go back. I am actually fairly busy although most sales are from a few products, so that means there are still buyers. I am also developing other ideas. I am not saying it to boast, just to let you know it's not all doom and gloom, there are still opportunities, although it's definitely harder, but we are tougher. I am not that far behind you in age and there is no way I go back PAYE.
Amazon sales at 10-20% of expected amount
Hi
Has anyone noticed a massive drop in sales over the past month? We sell clothing and the beginning of winter always has a massive increase but we are only doing 10-20% per day compared to the last 10 years.
We turned off Invoice by Amazon as it was not registering zero rated sales (we sell thousands of safety boots that are VAT exempt) and was causing extra work for our accounts department - sales dropped immediately we did this so we then turned on after a couple of days - sales stayed low and we haven't sold any orders on the invoice by Amazon side so don't know if that has triggered something within Amazon?
We have recently lost half of our listings as inactive because Amazon have put arbitrary minimum / maximum prices against our SKU's which deactivated thousands of listings- we have rectified this manually and now have approx 26000 live SKU's with about half winning the buy box - sales are still well down - we are down well over six figures in the last month!
I've seen various discussions regarding the above, but no one has a definitive answer to what's going on and how to solve it before I have to gamble on a consultant knowing how to fix it - I'm desperate as this month is by far the biggest of the year. Sales on ebay and our website remain strong, so cannot put it down to credit crunch/difficult budget etc
Regards
Chris
Amazon sales at 10-20% of expected amount
Hi
Has anyone noticed a massive drop in sales over the past month? We sell clothing and the beginning of winter always has a massive increase but we are only doing 10-20% per day compared to the last 10 years.
We turned off Invoice by Amazon as it was not registering zero rated sales (we sell thousands of safety boots that are VAT exempt) and was causing extra work for our accounts department - sales dropped immediately we did this so we then turned on after a couple of days - sales stayed low and we haven't sold any orders on the invoice by Amazon side so don't know if that has triggered something within Amazon?
We have recently lost half of our listings as inactive because Amazon have put arbitrary minimum / maximum prices against our SKU's which deactivated thousands of listings- we have rectified this manually and now have approx 26000 live SKU's with about half winning the buy box - sales are still well down - we are down well over six figures in the last month!
I've seen various discussions regarding the above, but no one has a definitive answer to what's going on and how to solve it before I have to gamble on a consultant knowing how to fix it - I'm desperate as this month is by far the biggest of the year. Sales on ebay and our website remain strong, so cannot put it down to credit crunch/difficult budget etc
Regards
Chris
Amazon sales at 10-20% of expected amount
Hi
Has anyone noticed a massive drop in sales over the past month? We sell clothing and the beginning of winter always has a massive increase but we are only doing 10-20% per day compared to the last 10 years.
We turned off Invoice by Amazon as it was not registering zero rated sales (we sell thousands of safety boots that are VAT exempt) and was causing extra work for our accounts department - sales dropped immediately we did this so we then turned on after a couple of days - sales stayed low and we haven't sold any orders on the invoice by Amazon side so don't know if that has triggered something within Amazon?
We have recently lost half of our listings as inactive because Amazon have put arbitrary minimum / maximum prices against our SKU's which deactivated thousands of listings- we have rectified this manually and now have approx 26000 live SKU's with about half winning the buy box - sales are still well down - we are down well over six figures in the last month!
I've seen various discussions regarding the above, but no one has a definitive answer to what's going on and how to solve it before I have to gamble on a consultant knowing how to fix it - I'm desperate as this month is by far the biggest of the year. Sales on ebay and our website remain strong, so cannot put it down to credit crunch/difficult budget etc
Regards
Chris
26 replies
26 replies
Seller_i6S8knzW6zU6Z
Hi Chris (@Seller_veIbCeHZmUw1v),
I can really understand how frustrating—and maybe even overwhelming—this situation must feel, especially during such a key season. Since you have such a large catalog, breaking things down step-by-step can help you pinpoint the issues and focus your efforts where it’ll have the biggest impact.
In "Business Reports" > "Detail Page Sales and Traffic by Child Item", you can download detailed traffic and sales data by child ASIN for up to the past two years. When downloading, set the start and end dates to get daily reports—this level of detail is crucial for seeing if your sales drop directly coincided with changes, like turning off Invoice by Amazon.
Here’s a structured way to analyze the data:
1. Assess the Impact of the Invoice by Amazon Change:
- Download the daily data for the last two years.
- Aggregate this data to see if sales actually dropped immediately when Invoice by Amazon was turned off.
- Check if all products and brands were affected equally, or if certain listings experienced a sharper decline. If the drop isn’t broad, it could indicate that factors other than Invoice by Amazon are at play.
- Repeat this analysis to evaluate how sales responded when you reactivated Invoice by Amazon.
2. Prioritize Your Products:
- Calculate total sales for each child ASIN over the last 4 weeks.
- Calculate total sales for the same 4-week period last year (and ideally the year before).
- Identify which child ASINs have seen the biggest drops in sales.
- Review each of these top ASINs individually to determine the issue. For example, is there a technical problem (like an inactive listing) or has the Buy Box been lost to a competitor offering a lower price?
I hope this structured approach helps bring some clarity to what’s happening and guides you on where to best focus your time and resources.
Best, Michael
Seller_QDokbHzWM3jpO
Yes, you are not alone, we are down 80% from where we were last year on Amazon
Seller_4APBF8EbUfCq9
So quiet atm I am actually scared as to how I will survive. Amazon has always been our busiest platform and especially this time of year. It is crickets and tumble weed on here right now.
Seller_PU8ypkNZEJU9p
Yes I have too. Usually from the 28th-6-7th of each month I have really really good sales however this month is awful. I think people was nervous around the budget and sales should start in the next week or 2 for Xmas
Seller_MFpzSIm72KtOH
Yep awful sales I think the Amazon bubble has burst now.
I am 75 percent down now,have just tried a couple of weeks of advertising and no increase at all.
Ebay introducing no selling fees I think this is the issue.
Seller_GPLxAbyNPI33I
Yes exactly the same here. For me I had a strong start to the year & sales were good across all platforms until Easter, then they all went off a cliff at the same time.
I had other issues in the business & closed my sites down early June & returned in August to find no improvement. Some of my suppliers are thousands down on last year, whilst others are scaling back to home storage options who once had warehouses.
Good indicators are talking to couriers from the major transport firms & when you go into a post office there is usually a queue out the door with people getting their parcels away, this time last year it could take me 30 mins to get served, but at the moment I get served right away.
Ebay has now offered free selling to personal accounts in a bid to attract more sellers (Excuse me but we need buyers!) Amazon is about to launch Customer Services sweep stake to win £100 (or you could just become a scammer & get it all for free anyway)
So seemingly all these online sites are struggling, the state of the economy, treatment of sellers etc & are living on platitudes & gimmicks. Ebay laid off in the region of 1,000 staff at the start of the year. When I joined ebay 21 years ago & Amazon sometime afterwards I thought this was a business with a lifetime longevity, sadly this is proving not to be the case.
Unless things change drastically for the better (not holding on my breath) then I think I will have to strongly consider a PAYE job again which is not something someone in their mid 60s anticipated until now.
All the best to everyone.
Seller_Mrso42lCWrN3m
Very quiet here too. The weather is still warm (ish) which doesn't help when I sell beanies and jackets :( I also work for a workwear business who doesn't sell on Amazon and that business is doing well!
Seller_WNgLvQF3YKSZQ
We have moved from Amazon to B&Q about 2 years ago, still have some sales on Amazon, but B&Q generate double what we had on Amazon, and from last Friday we have 150%-200% more orders as B&Q host big event.
And we dont have worry about account suspensions or funds reserve.
Seller_Fg2fqaWOnEtha
Nope, you can't go back. I am actually fairly busy although most sales are from a few products, so that means there are still buyers. I am also developing other ideas. I am not saying it to boast, just to let you know it's not all doom and gloom, there are still opportunities, although it's definitely harder, but we are tougher. I am not that far behind you in age and there is no way I go back PAYE.
Seller_i6S8knzW6zU6Z
Hi Chris (@Seller_veIbCeHZmUw1v),
I can really understand how frustrating—and maybe even overwhelming—this situation must feel, especially during such a key season. Since you have such a large catalog, breaking things down step-by-step can help you pinpoint the issues and focus your efforts where it’ll have the biggest impact.
In "Business Reports" > "Detail Page Sales and Traffic by Child Item", you can download detailed traffic and sales data by child ASIN for up to the past two years. When downloading, set the start and end dates to get daily reports—this level of detail is crucial for seeing if your sales drop directly coincided with changes, like turning off Invoice by Amazon.
Here’s a structured way to analyze the data:
1. Assess the Impact of the Invoice by Amazon Change:
- Download the daily data for the last two years.
- Aggregate this data to see if sales actually dropped immediately when Invoice by Amazon was turned off.
- Check if all products and brands were affected equally, or if certain listings experienced a sharper decline. If the drop isn’t broad, it could indicate that factors other than Invoice by Amazon are at play.
- Repeat this analysis to evaluate how sales responded when you reactivated Invoice by Amazon.
2. Prioritize Your Products:
- Calculate total sales for each child ASIN over the last 4 weeks.
- Calculate total sales for the same 4-week period last year (and ideally the year before).
- Identify which child ASINs have seen the biggest drops in sales.
- Review each of these top ASINs individually to determine the issue. For example, is there a technical problem (like an inactive listing) or has the Buy Box been lost to a competitor offering a lower price?
I hope this structured approach helps bring some clarity to what’s happening and guides you on where to best focus your time and resources.
Best, Michael
Seller_i6S8knzW6zU6Z
Hi Chris (@Seller_veIbCeHZmUw1v),
I can really understand how frustrating—and maybe even overwhelming—this situation must feel, especially during such a key season. Since you have such a large catalog, breaking things down step-by-step can help you pinpoint the issues and focus your efforts where it’ll have the biggest impact.
In "Business Reports" > "Detail Page Sales and Traffic by Child Item", you can download detailed traffic and sales data by child ASIN for up to the past two years. When downloading, set the start and end dates to get daily reports—this level of detail is crucial for seeing if your sales drop directly coincided with changes, like turning off Invoice by Amazon.
Here’s a structured way to analyze the data:
1. Assess the Impact of the Invoice by Amazon Change:
- Download the daily data for the last two years.
- Aggregate this data to see if sales actually dropped immediately when Invoice by Amazon was turned off.
- Check if all products and brands were affected equally, or if certain listings experienced a sharper decline. If the drop isn’t broad, it could indicate that factors other than Invoice by Amazon are at play.
- Repeat this analysis to evaluate how sales responded when you reactivated Invoice by Amazon.
2. Prioritize Your Products:
- Calculate total sales for each child ASIN over the last 4 weeks.
- Calculate total sales for the same 4-week period last year (and ideally the year before).
- Identify which child ASINs have seen the biggest drops in sales.
- Review each of these top ASINs individually to determine the issue. For example, is there a technical problem (like an inactive listing) or has the Buy Box been lost to a competitor offering a lower price?
I hope this structured approach helps bring some clarity to what’s happening and guides you on where to best focus your time and resources.
Best, Michael
Seller_QDokbHzWM3jpO
Yes, you are not alone, we are down 80% from where we were last year on Amazon
Seller_QDokbHzWM3jpO
Yes, you are not alone, we are down 80% from where we were last year on Amazon
Seller_4APBF8EbUfCq9
So quiet atm I am actually scared as to how I will survive. Amazon has always been our busiest platform and especially this time of year. It is crickets and tumble weed on here right now.
Seller_4APBF8EbUfCq9
So quiet atm I am actually scared as to how I will survive. Amazon has always been our busiest platform and especially this time of year. It is crickets and tumble weed on here right now.
Seller_PU8ypkNZEJU9p
Yes I have too. Usually from the 28th-6-7th of each month I have really really good sales however this month is awful. I think people was nervous around the budget and sales should start in the next week or 2 for Xmas
Seller_PU8ypkNZEJU9p
Yes I have too. Usually from the 28th-6-7th of each month I have really really good sales however this month is awful. I think people was nervous around the budget and sales should start in the next week or 2 for Xmas
Seller_MFpzSIm72KtOH
Yep awful sales I think the Amazon bubble has burst now.
I am 75 percent down now,have just tried a couple of weeks of advertising and no increase at all.
Ebay introducing no selling fees I think this is the issue.
Seller_MFpzSIm72KtOH
Yep awful sales I think the Amazon bubble has burst now.
I am 75 percent down now,have just tried a couple of weeks of advertising and no increase at all.
Ebay introducing no selling fees I think this is the issue.
Seller_GPLxAbyNPI33I
Yes exactly the same here. For me I had a strong start to the year & sales were good across all platforms until Easter, then they all went off a cliff at the same time.
I had other issues in the business & closed my sites down early June & returned in August to find no improvement. Some of my suppliers are thousands down on last year, whilst others are scaling back to home storage options who once had warehouses.
Good indicators are talking to couriers from the major transport firms & when you go into a post office there is usually a queue out the door with people getting their parcels away, this time last year it could take me 30 mins to get served, but at the moment I get served right away.
Ebay has now offered free selling to personal accounts in a bid to attract more sellers (Excuse me but we need buyers!) Amazon is about to launch Customer Services sweep stake to win £100 (or you could just become a scammer & get it all for free anyway)
So seemingly all these online sites are struggling, the state of the economy, treatment of sellers etc & are living on platitudes & gimmicks. Ebay laid off in the region of 1,000 staff at the start of the year. When I joined ebay 21 years ago & Amazon sometime afterwards I thought this was a business with a lifetime longevity, sadly this is proving not to be the case.
Unless things change drastically for the better (not holding on my breath) then I think I will have to strongly consider a PAYE job again which is not something someone in their mid 60s anticipated until now.
All the best to everyone.
Seller_GPLxAbyNPI33I
Yes exactly the same here. For me I had a strong start to the year & sales were good across all platforms until Easter, then they all went off a cliff at the same time.
I had other issues in the business & closed my sites down early June & returned in August to find no improvement. Some of my suppliers are thousands down on last year, whilst others are scaling back to home storage options who once had warehouses.
Good indicators are talking to couriers from the major transport firms & when you go into a post office there is usually a queue out the door with people getting their parcels away, this time last year it could take me 30 mins to get served, but at the moment I get served right away.
Ebay has now offered free selling to personal accounts in a bid to attract more sellers (Excuse me but we need buyers!) Amazon is about to launch Customer Services sweep stake to win £100 (or you could just become a scammer & get it all for free anyway)
So seemingly all these online sites are struggling, the state of the economy, treatment of sellers etc & are living on platitudes & gimmicks. Ebay laid off in the region of 1,000 staff at the start of the year. When I joined ebay 21 years ago & Amazon sometime afterwards I thought this was a business with a lifetime longevity, sadly this is proving not to be the case.
Unless things change drastically for the better (not holding on my breath) then I think I will have to strongly consider a PAYE job again which is not something someone in their mid 60s anticipated until now.
All the best to everyone.
Seller_Mrso42lCWrN3m
Very quiet here too. The weather is still warm (ish) which doesn't help when I sell beanies and jackets :( I also work for a workwear business who doesn't sell on Amazon and that business is doing well!
Seller_Mrso42lCWrN3m
Very quiet here too. The weather is still warm (ish) which doesn't help when I sell beanies and jackets :( I also work for a workwear business who doesn't sell on Amazon and that business is doing well!
Seller_WNgLvQF3YKSZQ
We have moved from Amazon to B&Q about 2 years ago, still have some sales on Amazon, but B&Q generate double what we had on Amazon, and from last Friday we have 150%-200% more orders as B&Q host big event.
And we dont have worry about account suspensions or funds reserve.
Seller_WNgLvQF3YKSZQ
We have moved from Amazon to B&Q about 2 years ago, still have some sales on Amazon, but B&Q generate double what we had on Amazon, and from last Friday we have 150%-200% more orders as B&Q host big event.
And we dont have worry about account suspensions or funds reserve.
Seller_Fg2fqaWOnEtha
Nope, you can't go back. I am actually fairly busy although most sales are from a few products, so that means there are still buyers. I am also developing other ideas. I am not saying it to boast, just to let you know it's not all doom and gloom, there are still opportunities, although it's definitely harder, but we are tougher. I am not that far behind you in age and there is no way I go back PAYE.
Seller_Fg2fqaWOnEtha
Nope, you can't go back. I am actually fairly busy although most sales are from a few products, so that means there are still buyers. I am also developing other ideas. I am not saying it to boast, just to let you know it's not all doom and gloom, there are still opportunities, although it's definitely harder, but we are tougher. I am not that far behind you in age and there is no way I go back PAYE.
