Are Bluetooth Portable Speakers considered Electronic Accessory or Consumer Electronics ? Big difference in Fees!
We have had an on going dispute with Amazon on this subject. A lot of the listings for BT Speakers are under ‘Consumer Electronics’ with referral fees of 7.14% but Amazon has started changing the Category to ‘Electronics Accessory’ with fee of 15.3% . sometimes half way through the selling.
According to Amazon’s own category search when you first want to list, it comes under consumer Electronics by their Automated system . Also according to industry definition of Electronic Accessory is;
’ Equipment that supports other equipment. For example, smartphone accessories include phone cases, chargers and cables. Examples of computer accessories are laptop bags, cables, screen cleaners and USB drives, although the latter may also be considered a peripheral device.’
To us these speakers are clearly not considered electronics accessories in this context, in the same way as Bluetooth Headphones are not and Amazon categorise as Consumer electronics. Anyone with a bit technical knowledge knows that in fact Headphones are actually speakers but smaller to go on or in the ear.
To pay 15.3 % fee on such competitive product range, makes it impossible to sell in most cases.
We appreciate your understanding of this.
14 replies
Seller_esvgLzKXw2YAl
The thing is, if Amazon have decided that they are one and not the other, then that’s how it’s going to be.
It really isn’t a battle that your likely to win.
Personally, I would agree that they are an electronic accessory, rather than consumer electronics.
They are after all electric and an accessory.
Seller_4jeZD40ha7u4o
Thank you Neil,
So it is ok that half the listings are one category and other half another category?
You don’t think it is misleading that the Amazon listing selector classify it as consumer electronics when you first list and then the fee becomes more than double?
These are all 7.14% referral fee categories.
Seller_qZO3ZCjoBXEeL
My opinion is that an accessory is something you typically buy at the same time as a primary product - like a phone case or similar. It accessorises a main component. But my opinion counts for nothing with Amazon of course.
Seller_4jeZD40ha7u4o
Hi Peter , you are absolutely right and this is my argument . Amazon wants the case and eat it too !
@ Neil, BT speakers are a big part of our business and Amazon is dominating this market, so it is not as though we have been left with much of choice . Why should we give in to everything they do wrongly? If they have set the rules, then they should abide by it themselves as well.
This is a multinational platform and should be run by fair & correct rules & regulations.
Seller_DTufFoxJuMU0M
Sadly I agree wtih Neil.
Be glad that they are in a technically correct category
I sell greeting cards, some are in drugstore, some are in lawn and garden, some Amazon have decided are actually drinking glasses, and there’s even a tabletop game in there! One was even delisted for being a firework (though i did fight that one and won eventually, once someone with actual eyes looked at the product they could see it was clearly a drawing and not an actual firework) I’m just waiting for them asking for my Alcoholic Beverages licenses because some cards have a bottle of champagne on them
I can’t, for the life of me, get them fixed. Basically SS tells me that I’m wrong and the bots are right.
So I find it highly unlikely that you will win a fight over “they should be in this bluetooth speaker category instead of this bluetooth speaker category”
If they are listed, for sale, active, and not requiring certificates that don’t apply to them, take the win and move on for your own sanity.
Just adjust your prices to account for the fee increase, and who knows many another bot will move them back some day.
Seller_4jeZD40ha7u4o
Thank your feedbacks
I appreciate if you sell products with 40%-50% margins such as books, toys, greeting cards , fancy goods etc. then its fine you can adjust.
Products such as branded BT speakers have tiny margins due to heavy competition with other multiples and Amazon themselves. We are lucky to make 10% gross margin at times so when they take 15.3% instead of 7.14% and on top of it all the losses due to consumers and their games , it becomes a loss maker .
We have one model of speaker in a big brand , in several colours. Some colours have correct fee , some have inflated fee and they are all in the same category how can this be acceptable?
SS, just give us a run around and when they have no argument left, the supposedly ‘transfer’ the case to ‘concerned department’ and then we never hear back. Frustrating, least to say.
Seller_DTufFoxJuMU0M
I’ve love to make 40-50% on a card. Costs me nearly half the sale price just to post it, never mind the envelope, fees and cost of the card in the first place!
If I sell one for £2 odds are I’ve made about 30p actual profit (before I start deducting electricity and other non set costs)
Seller_tRuvBEHDedp4q
People listing in wrong categories to get round selling restrictions, lower fees and other things (like free returns on clothing) happens often. Amazon often catch up eventually. I don’t know if the seller then gets penalised but I assume so.
In my opinion it should be the listing creator who gets penalised not someone adding their offer at a later date cus once the EAN/GTIN is in catalog it is virtually impossible get it’s category changed unless Amazon do it.
Seller_4jeZD40ha7u4o
I believe Amazon UK pays commission to Amazon Europe like all other sellers , this is why they never make any profits in the UK 
