How can this be? FBA Order sent to Spain but EFN and Pan EU turned OFF!
Morning,
Last week, whilst on annual leave, we received a disbursement notification. Thank you very much!
However, it was from Spain yet Spain is set to inactive (MFN), Pan EU and EFN are all disabled.
My business partner is saying if I list something, check back after an hour and check the other marketplaces but I am arguing that I shouldn’t have to do that.
What else can I check?
38 replies
Seller_esvgLzKXw2YAl
It’s possible that when you listed something, you added the box for spain in error.
The only answer to that, is to be more careful when listing.
However, if you have EFN etc switched off, then the most likely reason, is that you have had a return at some point that has gone back to a warehouse in Spain and subsequently sold.
The only option left is that you have global sales enabled. You can switch this off also in your FBA settings.
I would however suggest that if you have any listings on the EU sites, that you remove them.
And place each one on Holiday mode.
Check that there are no links active on the BIL tool and if there are, disable them.
Seller_fFylOZ9rejlBH
OK. So I have now found the BIL tool. Had to use Help search facility as couldn’t find it. Why are some things so difficult to locate and why doesn’t it reside in the menu navigation?
Just looked at the item in our inventory and it states it is active in Spain and Italy.
So am I correct in thinking that irrespective of whether EFN and Pan EU are switched off, when a new product is added to inventory the BIL tool propagates it to the other countries and this is where the issue occurs?
I can now see certain items within the BIL tool which say FBA and the item that sold is one of them. There does seem to be NO rhyme or reason to which SKU has FBA by the side of it.
To ensure everything is excluded, I can either remove connection or download a report of all offers and then exclude all SKU’s.
Does the BIL tool only handle FBA offerings?
The exclusion method is OVERWRITE on all of them.
Seller_esvgLzKXw2YAl
The BIL tool, will propagate anything that you have set it to propagate.
You can literally set it up for only specific listings or every single listing that you have.
So the only way to stop that from doing so, is to remove the connection between the sites.
It is something that you will have done at some point, it’s not an automatic process that Amazon does for you.
So remove the connection between the sites that you don’t want to sell on, place them on holiday and delete all of the listings once the connection is closed.
Seller_fFylOZ9rejlBH
Thanks ever so much for that.
The process is in hand and should take 4 hours it says.
It did give me the option to delete all listings but I refrained just in case it deleted the Source Marketplace listings!
I seem to recall setting up the BIL in 2009.
It has taken me 14 years to find it…
One thing I did notice when I was looking through the settings was the markup option.
My only issue there is if we did choose to set up EFN, I am sure I read somewhere that Amazon will return to us in the UK if a customer changes their mind. Is this correct or would it end up in an EU FBA centre waiting for us to have it sent to a returns address in that country. That is how it looks to be set up or is that just for MFN sales do you know please?
Seller_esvgLzKXw2YAl
If it’s saying 4 hours, you must have quite a few.
Just in case, you definitely DISCONNECTED and not connected?
The option to delete this listings, would just be the ones on the target site and not the source, so it wouldn’t be a problem.
EFN works, but it’s fairly limited from the UK. What you will find, is that a lot of products simply won’t get added, due to “product restrictions”.
It’s expensive for what it is, but if you can allow for that, it’s not so bad.
You will get the occasional product returning (and stopping) at the EU FBA centres, which in turn can cause you to register for VAT. But frankly, unless it’s a big part of your business, it’s not something to really worry about. At the worst, it means you simply can’t continue to use it in that country.
MFN is entirely different. There you do need a return address in the EU, or pre paid returns to the UK.
Or obviously, a straight refund. None of which counts with EFN.
Seller_fFylOZ9rejlBH
If only it were simpler!
As you have probably seen before on another post, we have some NEFF stock which would sell really well in Germany.
Too many hoops to jump through though.
It seems that the platform really favours big companies who have the resources to deal with the necessary registrations and paperwork.
For now, I think we keep winding down the business.
Seller_esvgLzKXw2YAl
It’s really not that complicated.
I sell using EFN without any major problems into Germany, France and Spain.
If the margin is there, it’s worth trying. At the end of the day, it’s extra sales that you wouldn’t have got elsewhere.
Seller_fFylOZ9rejlBH
But are you VAT registered in any of those countries and do you have return addresses in them?
Seller_esvgLzKXw2YAl
As I said in the prior post, for EFN, you don’t require a return address.
It’s only for MFN that you do.
And no, I’m not vat registered anywhere but the UK.
Seller_fFylOZ9rejlBH
Sorry. I know you did but I didn’t equate EFN to not having to have a returns address.
Presumably Amazon have a returns postage cost for getting it back to UK warehouse.
I’ve turned this one item on now in Spain and will see how it goes.
Thanks for all your help.
Seller_esvgLzKXw2YAl
The only cost with EFN, is the FBA fee.
If a customer returns it, it is up to Amazon to return it to the UK.
But this is where the problems happen.
Sometimes it simply doesn’t get returned, which is why you can then end up having to register for VAT in whichever country it is. At least if you want to continue to use EFN anyway.
Your probably better off with Germany, it’s by far the biggest market.
Spain is absymal. 
Seller_fFylOZ9rejlBH
Having said that, I probably need to just re-enrol…
Right! I’ll go on a hunt for that.
Seller_fFylOZ9rejlBH
Everything is so vague on Amazon with their articles and videos I find. I therefore find I lose interest quickly.
One thing I am looking it is the BIL report. So the item I want to sell needs approval. It tells you to “Complete the following steps to request approval for the SKU in Amazon.de. 1) Navigate to Fix Your Products , 2) Select Amazon.de in the Marketplace selector at the top of the page, 3) Select Approval Required in the left side bar, 4) Search for C1-Y0HB-YFWW, 5) Click Request Approval. BIL will automatically sync the offer after the product is approved”
It’s as if everything is expected to come to you naturally and you know where to find things. still not been able to find “Fix your products”.
I find the whole experience very stressful. Just go around and around in circles. Which is why, I am quick to post without using the Amazon Help because the help on the forum is FAR superior to what Amazon churn out.
Seller_fFylOZ9rejlBH
Are CS telling me right here?
Given that I don’t want to personally ship abroad?
Just don’t click any boxes any more in Amazon in case something gets switched on that we don’t want on…
