Amazon Shipping
I’m a small individual seller, and totally new to Amazon Shipping (same as “Buy Shipping”, right?).
I have no new order right now to test how it works but am curious: could someone please explain how it compares step by step with, say, going to the post office as I normally do?
For example:
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Will packs with AS (Amazon Shipping) be collected from me, or can I also drop it at a PO?
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Comparing prices: say if I post a no-tracking (only 2D delivery number) RM 1st class “Small parcel” of up to 1KG for £3.55 at the Post office: how much would I pay with AS for such a pack?
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How fast will the above small parcel arrive with AS?
(With RM 1st class from my place to most mainland UK places, it usually arrives the next day) -
How safe and reliable do those using it find it?
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What about say, a CD (RM equiv. “Large Letter”, 120G, value £20)?
(And won’t buyers resent having to be in to sign for just a CD, miss the delivery, have to arrange redelivery, etc…?). -
Same as above, CD but say value is over £50 - does AS carried by RM automatically include insurance of up to £50 (as if I’d paid £1 for tracking at the Post Office)?
Many thanks for any bit of info.
(I have read the page https://sellercentral.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/200202280?language=en_GB&ref=id_200202280_cont_G200202220).
32 replies
Seller_esvgLzKXw2YAl
It sounds like you are confusing Amazon shipping, with the buy shipping option for your orders.
Amazon shipping is a completely separate service, that is invite only and gives all the various prime delivery options. There is a minimum daily quantity of 10 items per day for this.
If you are simply buying shipping from Amazon, then it depends on the service that is being used. But for example, if you use RM 2nd class, then it is shipped via RM 2nd class. You drop off to the post office and so on.
Your probably better off just opening a business account from RM and negotiating your own rate.
Seller_DROodOAYHftnc
As Neil already said, Amazon shipping is totally different to ‘BuyShipping’.
You say you are a ‘small individual seller’ - do you mean you are a business but just on the individual selling plan ? - ie. don’t pay the 30.00 a month pro fee, or are you an individual seller just selling off your own personal second-hand items ?
If you use the ‘Buy Shipping’ then it is slightly discounted - small parcels will cost 2.90 instead of 3.00 at P.O, and there is a slight discount on signed and tracked, and the confirm shipment and tracking will be automatically uploaded. You cannot use it for overseas parcels, but you can do that online using the RM website.
Neil is correct about RM only being best for items up to 2kg. Over that check out couriers.
Other options depend on if you are a business or not.
Seller_HbtEgJLFVZHWb
Thanks you two for all the info…
I’m surprised to gather that ‘Buy S’ on Amz is not automatically signed-for/tracked - I mean, the £2.90 is for standard un-signed for, right? Therefore with only 2D, and therefore with no proof recognised by Amazon?
(Didn’t think Amz would give an unsigned-for option).
Reply to Neil: I’m not a business, just a small individual seller, but I care a lot about my shop, been selling here for 15 years and sold probably well over 600 items on Amz-uk alone (+ more on other branches & platforms) - pricey items usually, from my own collections.
Seller_taDBgt7LctucW
As a small Amazon seller I use Buy Shipping for the convenience. Customer and return address are populated automatically, you just have to enter the size and weight of the parcel. The cost is deducted directly from your account balance which I find preferable to having to make payment for postage separately. Any tracking details (if you select a Signed For service) are uploaded automatically and the order is automatically marked as dispatched.
Once you have paid Amazon give you a label which you print and attach to the parcel which you then drop off at a Post Office.
As orders increase and I am teetering on the edge of Royal Mail’s business account requirements (think you need to be sending a minimum of 1000 parcels a year) then I am considering moving over to Click and Drop but for now Buy Shipping on Amazon does the job just fine and I have had no issues.
Seller_iGzRLFc80B4LC
Is large letter available on Buy Shipping? I sell lots very small items under £20 but I cannot set up a parcel type in grams. It won’t allow me do 0.5kg either, for example. I’ve lost premium shipping because I don’t use Buy Shipping but unable to use buy shipping on Amazon’s site? Any help would be great, thanks
