Valid Tracking Rate policy update for seller-fulfilled orders
Starting on January 15, 2025, we will update the Valid Tracking Rate (VTR) policy for seller-fulfilled orders to allow customers to see tracking over a higher number of their orders.
- VTR will be measured on orders shipped through all shipping service providers and will no longer be limited to those that are integrated with Amazon to provide scan information.
- All cross-border shipments to and from Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Portugal, Poland, Austria or Sweden will be included in VTR calculation, unless the order value below is €20 (including shipping, excluding VAT) and a ‘letter’ ship method was used.
As a reminder, you are required to maintain a minimum of 95% VTR at a category level. Providing tracking information improves the customer experience and reduces the likelihood of negative feedback. This information also helps protect your account health metrics and is taken into consideration in addressing A-to-z Guarantee claims.
This VTR policy update is also reflected in Changes to programme policies.
67 replies
Seller_JLsqaOw9gpZwj
Policies have not been updated at the point of writing this. The email and wording is very vague and unclear. Please clarify and update the policies.
Seller_ZJhFeE3tNKzfh
Point 2, fairly clear. Essentialy - over 20 euro or anything bigger than a 'letter' then its included in VTR - so needs tracking.
Point 1 - what does it mean? Does Self Delivery become defunct? How do you validate tracking on service providers you don't actually integrate with? Or does it essentially mean if you use a none integrated provider with tracking, it'll just fail VTR anyway and reduce your percentage?
Seller_KQwXr5kY5oIPO
VTR will be measured on orders shipped through all shipping service providers and will no longer be limited to those that are integrated with Amazon to provide scan information.
How is that going to work then?? If the shipping carrier is not integrated with Amazon, how will Amazon know the tracking number is Valid? how will they know how it is tracked? do they now have access to every courier in the UK's tracking systems?? i remember when they first brought in the VTR and almost all of the courier companies told Amazon to Foxtrot Oscar when they wanted access to their in house tracking API's. This, like most of Amazons improving the customer experience so called improvments will be a fuster cluck and just serve to make things massively worse then they already are.
Seller_d8YGbIjNqwFxn
I think it is probably being done so you are forced to choose an integrated carrier.
Amazon are not saying you can't choose a non integrated carrier. But if you do so for more than 5% of your orders in a category you will face suspension as your VTR falls below 95%
Their goal seems to have as much tracking information as possible for customers.
I wouldn't be surprised if we see tracking being forced on more domestic orders in the coming months. I can easily see them requiring tracking on any item over £X
Seller_ZQyopdiwkUHOZ
I agree that's what the end result will be, but technically you could read it as they simply wont be exempt anymore, rather than being automatically invalid. Technically Amazon could mark non-integrated couriers as automatically valid from the wording of the change.
Spencer_Amazon
Hello @Seller_KQwXr5kY5oIPO,
Here is the answer from our team.
Selling partners have the choice to choose between a carrier that is integrated with Amazon or not integrated with Amazon. The requirement is for them to maintain 95% VTR on all their shipments. For shipments sent through non-integrated carriers and if its affecting your VTR negatively, we urge the sellers to consider moving to a carrier integrated with Amazon or reach out to the Account manager/partner to initiate carrier integration with Amazon.
Regards, Spencer
Seller_ZJhFeE3tNKzfh
There it is then. Kind of. It doesn't really say if a none integrated carrier WILL negatively impact VTR - though I'd assume it will.
So unless you sell in massive volumes and for some reason decide, you know what, I won't send this order by Royal Mail, I'll send via a random courier I don't have a contract with even though amazon will mark us down on my VTR, but hey, the metric can take it.
Other than that - low volume sellers - its either Buy Shipping or use an integrated carrier. So much for free market choice eh?
or you know, just say you Self Deliver everything.
Seller_KQwXr5kY5oIPO
Spencer with all due respect, your team have completely missed the point.
If VTR is going to be measured on ALL shipments regardless of carrier, then why would using an integrated carrier make any difference at all?
Seller_ZJhFeE3tNKzfh
I'd read it that if your carrier isn't integrated - essentially it will fail to meet VTR - so essentially you are being forced to use an integrated one, as the tracking will be measured.
You may as well ban any none integrated shipment options to be honest - again, it isn't 100% clear, so this might not be what is actually happening.
Enforced Buy Shipping is worth a bet that its coming next.
Seller_Vf10jieAEG9f1
Really do not understand why Amazon are doing this.
We do not use tracking for almost all cross-border shipments and we have very few problems (no more than tracked items). 40% of our sales go cross-border.
All this is going to do is add significant cost to cross border sales which will be passed on to the customer. Customers in the rest of Europe will simply buy from our other platforms where we do not have to add considerable shipping costs. Amazon is already the most expensive platform to sell and it will be the most expensive to buy from and customers will realise this en masse before too long.
Seller_SooKfqYdUflLd
quite a few items sent tracked don't show has been delivered anyway with Royal Mail so what's the point in paying more !
Seller_W0UadCH7lVBVG
What about items that we deliver/fulfill ourselves? 'Seller Self Fulfilled'? Currently the are exempt from VTR. Will this still be the case
Seller_0eJrmQfGzTOHf
Sorry Amazon, we're just not going to do that and will just shut down our international orders. Just not worth the hassle (nor the bother of getting negative points from you when the orders don't get delivered on time due to customs and courier problems). We will simply rely on another platform for any international orders. Just sayin'...
