Think like Amazon – prioritize the buyer experience

 

Customer service, insert cards and avoiding suspensions

“Amazon aims to provide an excellent buying experience for all of its customers.” If your ASIN has ever been suspended for a single complaint, you know this to be true. Amazon will oftentimes side with an unsatisfied buyer, even if a seller has processed hundreds of sales with a perfect track record. In the world of Amazon, the buyer experience is paramount. This platform gives customers multiple opportunities to express their dissatisfaction through Buyer-seller messaging, returns, product reviews, feedback, and the dreaded chargebacks and A-Z claims. Furthermore, customers are more likely to leave a review for a negative experience than they are for a positive experience, making it much more likely to hear from all your dissatisfied buyers. So how can you, the dedicated seller, prevent a small buyer issue from turning into an ASIN or account suspension?   

Buyer-Seller Messaging Service

MFN Sellers know how critical Buyer-Seller Messaging is in resolving buyer complaints. Before leaving a negative review, buyers often try to resolve their issues with the seller directly. A delayed response or poor resolution will frequently lead to negative feedback, a chargeback, or A-Z claim. Too many of these and your account is at risk for being suspended for a High Order Defect Rate.  

To mitigate this from happening, here are some helpful tips:

1. Designate an employee with strong customer service skills to handle Buyer-Seller Messaging. If you are a one-man operation, block off time and dedicate it to communicating with your buyers. Prioritize your customer service; don’t let it be an afterthought. Many sellers forget these communications make up their Customer Service Rating.  Amazon surveys buyers who contact sellers via buyer-seller messaging asking, “Did this solve your problem?” Yet, another opportunity to rate their experience.  
2. Check and respond to buyer messages regularly – ideally once in the morning and once in the evening. Buyers value a quick response, a fast resolution, an apology (if necessary and even if only for their inconvenience), and a follow-up message to ensure the issue is resolved. 
3. Create template responses that require minor personalization, like the customer’s name. This will cut down on your response time and allow you to give each buyer a helpful, friendly, grammatically correct, and complete message every time.  
4. Always give the buyer the benefit of the doubt and ask the buyer what resolution would be satisfactory. You have every right to ask for photos if the buyer is willing to keep a defective item at a discount. But decide ahead of time if the extra steps add value to your resolution or if the buyer is even willing to take a partial refund.  
5. Follow through on your agreed-upon resolution quickly. If you wait to process a refund you’ve promised through Buyer-Seller Messaging and it is not issued quickly, impatient buyers will file a chargeback or A-Z claim.  

Never ask a buyer to remove negative feedback or incentivize them to leave positive feedback. This is a violation of Amazon’s Code of Conduct and can lead to account suspension. Therefore, never direct buyers to a site outside of Amazon. For obvious reasons, Amazon wants to keep all traffic within its platform. Don’t forget, Amazon has visibility to all buyer-seller communications so follow all rules and policies without fail.  

Insert Cards for MFN orders

Insert Cards prompt buyers to contact a seller directly in case there are problems with their order. Language like Happy with your product? Things not going as planned? Problems with your order? followed by your store’s email address and phone number encourage buyers to contact you if they have issues with their order. Instead of contacting Amazon, you become the first solution they are presented with. If you sell in a category where buyers often order the wrong item for their needs, like automotive parts, this tool can make the difference between an ASIN suspension for condition and a replacement product or discount.   

As with buyer-seller messaging, the insert card cannot direct the customer to a site outside of Amazon, incentivize the buyer to leave a review or ask for only positive reviews.

In conclusion, prioritizing the buyer experience will decrease your incidents of negative feedback, poor product reviews, chargebacks, and A-Z claims. Not sure how you’re performing in these areas or need advice on specific problems your store faces?