Merge Duplicate Product - Is the tool broken?
https://sellercentral.amazon.co.uk/help/hub/support/browse-GB-merge_split_product
Has anyone successfully merged a duplicate product using the “Merge Product” tool above (by which I mean within the last 6 months or so)? If so, I’d love to know how because any request I make is instantly rejected (and the follow up ‘help’ is less-than useless).
I have sold on Amazon since 2009 and have (until recently) merged quite a few duplicate product listings as and when they crop up, so I know that something has changed, but I don’t know what (and can’t understand the motivation for changing a system that worked).
It used to be a case of telling Amazon the ASIN of the 2 items you want to merge, and in the majority of cases the merge was accepted (not always, but more often than not). However the “Merge Duplicate” tool appears to have been “re-coded” and regardless of what you ask it to merge, the request is ALWAYS rejected.
The stock response is "We were unable to merge these two ASINs because one or more attributes were not the same. " OR "One or more of the ASINs in the request do not meet requirements for an ASIN merge. "
but no indication is given to which attribute is responsible for the failure. Even when the attributes are IDENTICAL (I have checked) a bot returns the “merge cannot be done” automated response.
I’d be interested to hear what others experience of this is.
And I’d especially like to hear if there is a ‘knack’ to getting merge requests accepted! TIA.
13 replies
Seller_DROodOAYHftnc
I’ve been here since 2006, and could get merges done easily (in the book category), but since they introduced the ‘new’ tool have had no success at all.
The same reply about ‘attributes’.
The thing is, for books, many duplicates have been created by rogue sellers, who input ridiculous publication dates such as 1600 or 1705, so OF COURSE the attributes do not match, that’s why they need to be merged !
I don’t even bother now, and haven’t for at least a year.
Seller_LKjg1QRrO36Yq
In case it was missed on that other thread, when you click the Account health>Report abuse link: you also have to choose the appropriate option…I’ve highlighted it in red in this screenshot.
You also have to remember to click ‘Add’ after entering the ASINs and ISBNs in the boxes on the right
[edit] having said that, when the duplicate ASIN is also in the wrong category, that presumably complicates things, possibly to the point where the bot’s feeble brain can’t compute…
