Well, it’s jingling bells, and holidays are constantly arriving. However, why is there always so much pressure on toy sellers on amazon? What does it take for one to sell toys on Amazon, and especially during the holidays? Learn with Simpl Fulfillment how this seemingly easy task is needed to be met with strict standards for the holidays of 2020-2021. Read on to find more.
What Is All The Fuss About?
Every August, Amazon sends an email to a select few sellers that can deliver a crushing blow to those who don’t know what’s coming.
Amazon’s bombshell email informs sellers about all the strict criteria they must abide by. To sell toys on amazon during Q4, sellers need to be on their toes. Unsurprisingly, ‘Toys & Games is one of the top-selling, most lucrative categories during the holidays. So, if sellers don’t comply with the rules, they can miss out on massive sales.
Amazon wants to be sure its sellers can deliver. Thankfully, it reminds sellers of these requirements early enough that you can still get ready for selling in ‘Toys & Games’ this holiday season.
To sell toys on Amazon is no child’s play.
Requirements To Sell Toys On Amazon
The email that amazon sends lays down a few strict rules and requirements that the seller must meet to sell during the holiday season. Simpl Fulfillment will navigate your way through the same.
The list of requirements is exclusively for merchants fulfilling toys between the stipulated dates mentioned by Amazon.
This announcement does not apply to Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA). If you are using Fulfillment by Amazon exclusively, you don’t need to worry about meeting the stringent criteria laid out. If you are approved to sell in ‘Toys & Games, you can sell as much as you want using FBA.
The first two criteria the email has been the most important:
- you must make your first sale on Amazon before September 1, 2021, but it doesn’t have to be a ‘Toys & Games’ product.
- From August 15, 2020, through October 14, 2020, you must have processed and shipped a minimum of 25 seller-fulfilled orders.
These two pieces of criteria should be pretty easy to meet. If you happen to be a new seller, you must make a sale before September 1, no matter the category. You must also ship out at least 25 Fulfilled Merchant (FBM) orders between August 15 and October 14.
The last three criteria that Amazon requires are to:
- Keep your pre-fulfillment cancellation rate must be less than 1.75% from September 15, 2020, through October 14, 2020.
- Ensure your late shipment rate is less than 4% from September 15, 2020, through October 14, 2020.
- Have an order defect rate that is no greater than 1% as of October 14, 2020.
All of these parameters are always in place when fulfilling orders through FBM. The exception being the pre-fulfillment cancel rate percentage. It is stricter than it usually is.
Pre Fulfillment Cancel Rate
In general, if you want to be a severe seller then, you would like to keep your pre-fulfillment cancel rate under 2.5%. However, to sell toys on Amazon during the holidays, you’ve got to make sure that it stays under 1.5%. Do not think about canceling an FMB order.
Late Shipping Rate
The primary point of this is that you, as a seller, cannot confirm the order after the expected shipping date. If, for example, your scheduled shipping date happens to be October 21, but you confirm it on October 25, then it will not work. No matter what happens, you have to be meticulous in ensuring orders proactively. Otherwise, it will make your account metrics falter. You will not get to partake in the big holiday bonanza.
Order Defect Rate
Your order defect rate is all orders with a defect as a percentage of total orders during a given 60-day time period. Your goal, at all times, is to keep this below 1%. Amazon uses this metric to measure your ability to provide a good customer experience.
Check Your Account Health
To do this, you need to go to seller central. There, go to Performance Tab > Account Health.
Check the parameters of:
- Order defect rate
- Pre-fulfillment cancel rate
- Late shipping rate
Why Are There Such Strict Requirements To Sell Toys On Amazon?
Holidays happen to be the busiest season for amazon. Customers are less forgiving during the holidays. They cannot tolerate cancellations and delays, and so on. For the children, they look forward to this time of the season every year. So if their parents, or Santa, or their favorite uncle cannot fulfill their wants, it is mayhem.
Thus, amazon wants its absolute Rockstar Sellers to perform primarily in departments where they have the maximum sale when it is the holidays. There cannot be a wrong choice when it comes to selling toys on amazon. Amazon won’t take the fall.
How To Meet Holiday Requirements To Sell Toys On Amazon
Tips from Simpl Fulfillment:
- The easiest way is to go to a retail shop and find products using your amazon seller app. You can scan the items and find products that you can sell online while earning a profit. It is retail arbitrage. If you do not see anything else, try to scan books you don’t read. They are cheap to ship! It will let you overcome the first 25 FBM order requirements.
- Alternatively, if you are a wholesaler, and have a few additional products, turn off the FBA mode and sell under the FBM mode. Meet the 25 requirements and grab the holiday sale opportunity.
- Make sure that your account is healthy.