Closing amazon shop and relying on own website. Anyone else done it?
Had a good few years on amazon but sales have now completely collapsed. Nothing changed and simply dont know why the sudden loss in sales. So we are closing the shop and solely replying on our own website. Has anyone else closed their amazon store and gone solo with their own website? We are sick of the continuous jumping through hoops, customers fraudulently making claims, bad service by royal mail, and the DD+7 payment disbursements. Its simply not worth selling on here. Cost of advertising is through the roof as are the fees. Anyone else gone through similar?
Closing amazon shop and relying on own website. Anyone else done it?
Had a good few years on amazon but sales have now completely collapsed. Nothing changed and simply dont know why the sudden loss in sales. So we are closing the shop and solely replying on our own website. Has anyone else closed their amazon store and gone solo with their own website? We are sick of the continuous jumping through hoops, customers fraudulently making claims, bad service by royal mail, and the DD+7 payment disbursements. Its simply not worth selling on here. Cost of advertising is through the roof as are the fees. Anyone else gone through similar?
16 replies
Seller_mS10UjVYuuGor
If anyone has closed their Amazon store and now only runs their own website its unlikely they'll be on this Amazon forum to answer the question totally from an Ex-Amazon seller perspective.
For me 95% of my business comes from my own sites, but they came first and I joined Amazon later picking up some extra sales that I wouldn't otherwise have. If you're not reliant on Amazon sales they're easier to see as a bonus rather than a chore.
It doesn't have to be an arbitory choice of own website or Amazon, you can do both. Unless your own site is already fully supporting your business why not focus your energy there to grow that, but keep Amazon ticking along until too, at least in the short term.
Any advertising spend should definately be for your own site, your margin is probably better there and more importantly you can keep the customers you make. You can communicate freely with them to seek other business from them, and cheaply remarket to people who have already proven themselves to be buyers of your products. Advertising spend on Amazon may buy you a sale, but doesn't create you a customer.
Amazon customers aren't loyal, they just want a good price and quick delivery. The Amazon model promotes the lowest pricing, which for sellers can easily lead to a race to the bottom with little/no profit. Off Amazon your reputation and relationship building skills are much more important than price alone, especially for repeat business. On Amazon you have customers positively looking to make a purchase, off Amazn you have to work a lot harder to make yourself visible to customers ready to make a purchase.
There's pros and cons on both sides so why not keep a hand in both.
Topher_Amazon
Appreciate the reply and perspective from 92 or more above and wishing you many sales whatever the future may hold, @Seller_w0NuiqSLJxWvi!
Topher
Seller_7Gzk2DXnerEBv
This is like a mirror of my woes, no sales, a tremendous drop off recduing prices did not work advertsiing doesn't work, total waste of money, I looked at the same time last year, which was about 90% more than this week. Do I retire?
Seller_MT8rt0A2OpbCx
I concur with @Seller_mS10UjVYuuGor, in fact I would go further to say it's a mistake to have all your eggs in one basket. We focus on our own website and the vast majority of orders are on there. We currently sell more on eBay that Amazon.
Seller_tQCfsb3zoC4AP
I know many sellers who no longer sell anything through Amazon.
5 years ago I had 33 thousand listings worldwide on Amazon now I have less that a thousand in the UK only there are other options many of them are now much better than Amazon check out which one works best for you
Seller_SnNztJIII3ZP5
Not entirely. However, I have moved the majority of my listings—and my focus—to eBay, which I find to be significantly more seller-focused.Over the past two years, whenever customers have raised complaints, eBay has consistently provided support. During the same period, Amazon has ruled in my favour in only around 10% of cases, even when tracked delivery and proof-of-delivery documentation were provided.If Amazon continues to operate in this manner, it is likely that more sellers will gradually move their business elsewhere.
Seller_AVteysPitiEJq
We're working on this too. We're looking around 50/50 for now.
Since the removal of the small and light and now the increase on Long Term Storage fees (from around £0.02 ish to 20 to 25p an item for us) - FBA is no longer a viable option.
We've been frantically removing and creating fire sales (and losing profits).
Plus there's DD+7 and RM stamp increases - small businesses are much harder to run these days and Amazon don't help by constantly changing the goal posts
Seller_2PJJEd2rbDKIb
We are heading in the same direction.
Next year we will be putting far more effort into our own website rather than Amazon. At some point you have to ask yourself why you are investing huge amounts of time into a platform where 50–60% of the sale value disappears in fees, ads, returns and general friction.
That same time and money would arguably be better spent building your own brand and customer base.
The strange thing is that many customers will happily pay significantly more on Amazon rather than buy directly from a seller’s website. Convenience seems to trump price every time.
For us though the biggest issue is not just the fees or the constant rule changes. It’s the general attitude of buyers on Amazon. The level of entitlement, rudeness and fraudulent behaviour is far higher than on any other channel we sell through.
Amazon can certainly generate sales, but it increasingly feels like sellers are doing all the work while carrying all the risk.
We will likely keep Amazon as a secondary channel, but the long-term focus has to be building something you actually control.
Seller_KlbXZHzQGSDZv
The only issue with not bein on Amaon id=s that you will never match the footfall. But if your a niche market (vinyls) you may be better off a a lot of people are going to be return customers its just getting hold of them to start with. When ever we search on google for some of our products its usually brings them up on AMazon Etsy and Ebay before it finds them on the shop.
Ensure you r offering a discount for repeat customers and learn to hammer the social media for free advertising
Seller_Y6V2xdbvmYvBI
I CUT TONS OF LINES AND MIGRATED TO A RIVAL PLATFORM WE DON'T SELL MUCH THROUGH AMAZON NOW DUE TO US BEEN ASSET MANAGERS AND AMAZON WANT INVOICE AFTER INVOICE WHICH WHEN WE CLEAR A BUILDING OF STOCK WE BUY THE BUILDING CONTENTS AND WE DON'T GET INVOICES FOR INDIVIDUAL LINES
ANOTHER REASON IS AMAZON SAYING I AM TOO CHEAP WE SELL DISCOUNTED ITEMS AS ITS OUR BUSINESS AND THEY SELL THE SAME ITEM FOR RIDICULOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY
