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Automated shipping & negative review removal by Amazon - it don't work!
For anyone thinking of using automated shipping think twice - we were contacted directly by an Amazon associate. They explain that when using an automated service with an approved courier any negative feedback regarding delivery would be removed. That may be fully removed or based on a strike through on the customers comments. We have been on the automated service now for around 2 years and I can tell you it does not work.
It is supposed to offer the customer a realistic delivery date based on Amazons algorithims looking at the customers address and the service being offered. For instance if you use a next day service and they live in more remote parts of the UK the customer will be offered a 2 day service, rather than the next day service you (the seller is using). So the location may be mainland UK but Amazons system has identified the location often does not actually receive a consistent next day service, hence 2 days is offered.
The reality -
Customers being offered a next day service to the Isle of Arran - it does not happen for items that weigh 26kg and the last part of the journey is carried out by royal mail. Same next day service being offered to go to the Isle of Man. LOL.
This is picked up from another thread we created but even if the item arrives on time- The customer could have already left you a negative review that day as they had not received it at that specifc point during the day.
We have only ever had one strike through on any review left over the time we have been on an automated service. In other words even when the item was on time (regardless of automated shipping features) it will not be removed.
Had a case runnning for around 4 days now where SS keeps asking you to use the feedback manager system/tool. They cannot get their heads around the fact the feedback manger tool only asks 3-4 basic questions you cannot proceed further if you do not answer 'yes' to one of them. There is literally no method to get SS to engage with their own policy on negative feedback removal. I have cut and pasted into the case and actually sent them the document where it clearly states negative feedback based on shippping will be removed or struck through.
I cannot say that I am surprised. It is a bit comical really that no-one in Amazon thought about actaully implementing the system correctly or addressing it when it does not work.
SS just say its not their department! I have given up but keep popping off a response to the twonk they come out with. I would imagine they will shut the case soon without a reply facility which is a bit pathetic but standard practise.
Imagine what the feedback score would be for seller support - 1 star I would guess. Would have to deactivate the entire department.
24 replies
Simon_Amazon
Hello @Seller_CJAn9FclIoBJn,
Here Simon from Amazon, happy to try to help.
Quick question to understand the issue better.
Are you referring to Shipping Settings Automation or Buy Shipping?
Best,
Simon
Simon_Amazon
Hello @Seller_CJAn9FclIoBJn,
Thanks for confirming that the feedback has been removed!
Sometimes, there might be challenges that prevent Seller Support from being able to remove the feedback. I would recommend continuing to request feedback removal via Feedback Manager and appealing if necessary. If unsuccessful, don't hesitate to reach out on the forums.
Best,
Simon
Seller_CJAn9FclIoBJn
Thats what we did - feedback removal tool does not give the option to remove feedback -which should be by carried out by Amazon automatically. So the feedback manager is useless. Seller support say its not their department and cannot contact the department that removes feedback they admitted it in case 9759031072. So we have no option to request it through seller support or feedback manager. In other words your process regarding automated feedback removal relating to automated shipping settings is flawed - it does not work as per thread. So, who do we appeal to???
Seller_zIV5NCYZvvVOT
We have the same issue. Most of the negative feedback we receive which are solely about the delivery of the parcel or the performance of the carrier is not striked off despite being on the Shipping Settings Automation and have been using for around the same amount of time (2 years).
On each negative feedback I open a case and try to explain in as much detail as possible. I include the link to Amazons own page
https://sellercentral.amazon.co.uk/help/hub/reference/G8WRJF2N5B787XKQ
Where is clearly says the following:
2. What if my carrier doesn’t meet their delivery promise and I get negative feedback?
With SSA enabled, your account health is protected from negative feedback due to late deliveries, and we will suppress negative feedback related to late deliveries on your SSA orders, as long as:
You shipped the orders on time
You provided valid tracking information
At ship confirm, you used a shipping service that matches (or is faster than) the service that was used by SSA used to calculate delivery promise. You can see what method was used on Order Detail page and Order API.
The order was shipped domestically.
On each feedback I clearly explain all 4 points on that passage. Showing evidence that our order was shipped on time. Provide the tracking number which is valid. Used a service which matches or is faster and is ticked on SSA and we only ship from our domestic warehouse.
Despite meeting all the requirements that Amazons own page mentions, I always only get the standard template response from Amazon and none are taken off.
Surely there must be a contact we can cc into the case that can actually look into the case and strike the feedback off as promised by Amazon?
Simon_Amazon
Hello @Seller_zIV5NCYZvvVOT,
Here Simon from Amazon.
Would you mind providing a Case ID if you have already contacted Seller Support regarding this issue?
Best,
Simon
Simon_Amazon
Hello @Seller_CJAn9FclIoBJn,
I will escalate this case and see if there is any technical issue preventing you from removing the feedback through the standard paths.
Best,
Simon
Seller_zIV5NCYZvvVOT
Hi Simon,
We have opened about 40 cases in the last 2 days in an attempt to have all the ones related to the courier or shipping striked off. As mentioned we have been on SSA for around 2 years but we gave up on getting them striked off as it never worked. these 40 are all from the last month
From the 40 cases, we managed to get around 12 striked off.
3 got striked off on the first attempt, from there we kept going back explaining that we are on the Shipping settings automation and providing all the relevant evidence to show we had completed all the requirements as per the guidelines to have the feedback surpressed... on the second attempt another 2 got striked but the rest rejected. Again we went back with more supporting evidence and the clear guidelines from Amazon on the third attempt and another 2 got striked off.
I then provided Amazon with case numbers explaining that this feedback has been striked off and it is exactly the same situation as the ones that are not being striked off so where is the consistency.
They have even tried to explain that on SSA the feedback is striked off automatically and they cannot do anything, but my answer to that then is what about the 7 or so that have been striked off by them due to the evidence being there. Obviously the automated system is not working properly and striking them off for us and this is where the human feedback moderators come in who can assess the case manually and make a decision which a computer cannot.
We even got in touch with an account health specialist as the negative feedback does impact the account health. They took a look at all of what i was explaining and agreed with me that there is no consistency and that all of them should be striked off. They advised they are asking for all of them to be escalated. The case number of where is spoke to the account health specialist is 9814818472
Apart from this please see the following cases:
9817160892 - striked off on first attempt
9817264482 - Striked off on first attempt
9817298702 - 2 attempts and still not striked off
9814398602 - Striked off after 4 attempts!
9814103022 - 3 attempts but still not striked off
9814129792 - Striked off after 4 attempts
9814349972 - Striked off after 2 attempts
9814083202 - Striked off after 4 attempts
9814492432 - 3 attempts but still not striked off
9814199752 - Striked off after 2 attempts
9814401202 - 2 attempts but not striked off
9814215762 - 2 attempts but not striked off
9814325482 - Striked off after 2 attempts
9814211672 - 2 attempts but not striked off
9814336452 - 2 attempts but not striked off
9814210762 - 2 attempts but not striked off
9813925822 - 2 attempts but not striked off
9814324672 - 2 attempts but not striked off
9814167612 - 2 attempts but not striked off
9814116852 - 2 attempts but not striked off
9814033402 - 2 attempts but not striked off
9814194862 - 2 attempts but not striked off
9814277472 - 2 attempts but not striked off
9814044142 - 2 attempts but not striked off
9813877182 - 2 attempts but not striked off
9813960602 - 2 attempts but not striked off
9813866332 - 2 attempts but not striked off
9814430682 - 2 attempts but not striked off
9813850922 - 2 attempts but not striked off
9814052272 - Striked off on the 2nd attempt
9813952192 - Striked off on the first attempt
9814052142 - 2 attempts but not striked off
9813940182 - 2 attempts but not striked off
9814110062 - Striked off from the first attempt
9813852452- 2 attempts but not striked off
9813790942- 2 attempts but not striked off
9814104382- 2 attempts but not striked off
9814191122- 2 attempts but not striked off
9813693952 - Striked off on first attempt
9813778082- 2 attempts but not striked off
All of these cases are identical, they are feedbacks which are completely about the courier or delivery, whether its late or whatever the reason may be the Amazon guidelines state that if we are on SSA Amazon sets the expected delivery and therefore if we have adhered to the following requirements then our feedback will be striked off:
2. What if my carrier doesn’t meet their delivery promise and I get negative feedback?
With SSA enabled, your account health is protected from negative feedback due to late deliveries, and we will suppress negative feedback related to late deliveries on your SSA orders, as long as:
- You shipped the orders on time
- You provided valid tracking information
- At ship confirm, you used a shipping service that matches (or is faster than) the service that was used by SSA used to calculate delivery promise. You can see what method was used on Order Detail page and Order API.
- The order was shipped domestically.
On each case i have evidenced that we have met those 4 guidelines on every single one so where is the consistency, as you can see on many cases it has taken me many attempts of going back and explaining to have them striked and on many we just have not got anywhere yet.
How do we ensure these are automatically striked off in future cases and even if they are not, how do we ensure the feedback monderators who is going to be assessing the case is actually going to look at the evidence i have provided and strike it off and not just send me the same generic response.
I need a solution for all the above cases but more importantly a solution for the future to ensure i am not going back and forth so many times as i have spent the last 2 days just on trying to get these striked off!
Seller_zIV5NCYZvvVOT
I think one of the reasons of this may be because on the guidelines it states the following:
"You can see what method was used on Order Detail page and Order API"
We have our SSA enabled for both SFP and also the non prime orders but for Prime orders we are seeing the following comment on the order detail page:
"Shipping Service used to calculate Delivery Promise"
but on the non prime orders we are not seeing this box on the order detail page, why are we not seeing it for non prime orders despite having SSA enabled?
Just throwing an idea out there, do you think this is what is causing the feedback to not be striked off and the moderators to keep rejecting the striking off. Then again, there are a lot of cases provided in previous response which have not had that box on the order detail page but they have still striked off so it all comes back down to the consistency, if they are doing it for a few then why not all of them?
Seller_CJAn9FclIoBJn
There is, it does not exist via feedback manager simply look at the wording on feedback manager and read.
You can clearly see the responses from the case we raised where seller support clearly states they cannot contact the relevant department and the ONLY tool is feedback manager. Which, as you can see, has no option.
This is the problem with Amazon, no-one including the employees seems to know the processes that you have created??
Its really simply - as the thread states - the system don't work!!
It is that simple.
Seller_CJAn9FclIoBJn
Our experience is that its not being done in the majority of cases. Its only been removed once for us and there are plenty of examples of where negative comments should be removed as per Amazons policy. Quite frankly I do not have the energy to fight seller support on every example, the one that started this thread just 'got my goat'
Seller_zIV5NCYZvvVOT
Completely understand your point, as has our experience been also. However, with the guidelines there clear as day on the Amazon help pages im hoping this can be looked into and fixed for the future or at least @Simon_Amazon's post can see there is no consistency here and pass it on to the right people.
Everyone i speak to from Amazon on the phone can see and agree these feedbacks should be striked. It seems the only people that cant see this is the feedback moderators who look at the cases
Seller_CJAn9FclIoBJn
Unfortunately we have also now realised that the written feedback has been removed but it still forms part of our ODR. The excercise was pointless with have 3 negatives over the last 60 days out of 7060 orders and the item removed is still there....
If we look at our account health the negative metric still ofrms part of the stat!
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