MSE News: Free delivery on Amazon UK items

Unity

Cherry_bee wrote: »

I can only agree with this poster.

My business is hard enough and false staements like the one above about Marketplace sellers and postage can only make it harder for me to compete in the long run.

Can MSE please clarify the statement about the ability of Marketplace sellers to change postage rates as in my case (and most other Marketplace sellers) it is impossible to do this.

Or can MSE, at least, correct the untruth in the original post.

Can it also be done with the same prominence as the original statement?

Thanks

I've just checked the article again and it looks like it has been re-worded - BUT why on earth the sub-head "Beware Third Party Sellers?" it makes us sound like we are out to rip people off when this is far from the case. Some books start at just 1p so I would argue it's hardly a rip off to pay £2.76 including postage and packing!

There's absolutely no need for a sensationalist sub-head here, especially one that could be seriously detrimental to the third party sellers on Amazon. It's also inappropriate when the originally false statement has been changed :rolleyes:.

Come on MSE - do the right thing .

Cherry_bee

Beware third party sellers
Just because you're buying via Amazon.co.uk, doesn't mean you're buying from Amazon itself.

If you buy from a third party off the 'Amazon Marketplace' platform you'll pay different postage prices, which can often be more.

It's easy to check. Simply make sure the top of the item's page says 'delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery'

The above is the "new" article.

It's better certainly but still warns people to "beware of third party sellers"

Why? We have no control over postage prices on Amazon.

What the article also fails to point out is that since Amazon have made this new offer of "free" postage virtually all of their products have increased in price to take the "free" postage into account.

I was watching a series of Beast Quest books for my son. They were at £2.99 each prior to free postage.

They would have been available with free postage originally as all six came to £17.94. (above the £5 limit)

Now they are all £3.99 each, a total of £23.94.

So with Amazon's new "Free Postage" on everything offer i would be paying an extra £6!

Perhaps the article should be headed "Beware of Amazon" You get nothing for free in Amazon's world!

Cherry_bee

MSE_Natasha wrote: »

This is the discussion thread for the following MSE News Story:

I'm still fuming over the original article.

You boast that your email is sent to 3,928,344 people.

So that's 3,928,344 people that you have told to beware of my business as though i'm doing something wrong! I'm not!!

What have i done to you to deserve this attack on my livlihood?

Absolutely nothing!

You set yourselves up as a consumers forum, a knight in shining armour for the general public, yet can't be bothered to research your articles properly.

Your agenda is to help the consumers, perhaps your hidden agenda is to ruin my business?

Unity

Cherry_bee wrote: »

I'm still fuming over the original article.

You boast that your email is sent to 3,928,344 people.

So that's 3,928,344 people that you have told to beware of my business as though i'm doing something wrong! I'm not!!

What have i done to you to deserve this attack on my livlihood?

Absolutely nothing!

You set yourselves up as a consumers forum, a knight in shining armour for the general public, yet can't be bothered to research your articles properly.

Your agenda is to help the consumers, perhaps your hidden agenda is to ruin my business?

I totally agree Cherry bee, this article was badly researched, included untruths and when re-worded the sub-head was left unchanged - even though it was totally irrelevant to the following paragraph! :mad:

I am quite sure that the majority of Amazon Marketplace sellers on this forum cannot have seen this,:rolleyes: or there would be more posts on this thread. Perhaps we need to start another thread "Calling All Amazon Marketplace Sellers" to alert them to the detrimental nonsense in this article. :T

Come on MSE Natasha, it's time this article was properly written, properly subbed and an apology offered to all Amazon Marketplace sellers! Instead of the half assed attempt that's been carried out here. If this was a newspaper they'd be having to print a retraction so why not on MSE.? :rolleyes:

Crabman

Unity wrote: »

I am quite sure that the majority of Amazon Marketplace sellers on this forum cannot have seen this,:rolleyes: or there would be more posts on this thread. Perhaps we need to start another thread "Calling All Amazon Marketplace Sellers" to alert them to the detrimental nonsense in this article. :T

I've seen the article & I've bought from a marketplace seller. I avoid them like the plague and not just because of the delivery charge.

Since I was sold a dangerous and fake item I was ignored by the marketplace seller and left only with the option of county court action against a PO Box address. Even trading standards were concerned about the items he was selling and ordered some themselves for testing.

I now buy from Amazon.co.uk only and will never go near a marketplace seller again since now I know that once they have your money it's very difficult if not impossible to get it back.

wendym

Unity wrote: »

Maybe we need a forum for Amazon Marketplace sellers so we can organise and find an alternative!

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1505085

Perhaps one of the board guides on this Amazon thread could help in getting the official advice changed? Don't want to muscle in and move this thread myself, but as an Amazon seller I too am fuming!

TurkishDelight

Crabman wrote: »

I've seen the article & I've bought from a marketplace seller. I avoid them like the plague and not just because of the delivery charge.

Since I was sold a dangerous and fake item I was ignored by the marketplace seller and left only with the option of county court action against a PO Box address. Even trading standards were concerned about the items he was selling and ordered some themselves for testing.

I now buy from Amazon.co.uk only and will never go near a marketplace seller again since now I know that once they have your money it's very difficult if not impossible to get it back.

Also incorrect, and also damaging to marketplace sellers. Amazon have a claim system http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/customer/display.html/?nodeId=3149571&#what and since they operate by being paid by card transactions section 75 card protection also applies on items over £100, and under £100 with visa debit.
You would have the same issues if you bought from a independant website if not more (ie, if you paid by paypal, google checkout, or some other third party).

I saw this in the article when it first went out- very unfair, and perptuates a myth that I have seen some marketplace sellers get negged for.
The fact is that anyone should look at total price- marketplace is often cheaper, especially as it gives the option of buying used or new as opposed to just new.

But MSE has always been a bastion of promoting the "free" myth so while I am a bit sad and angry I can't say I am surprised.

Crabman

TurkishDelight wrote: »

Also incorrect, and also damaging to marketplace sellers. Amazon have a claim system http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/customer/display.html/?nodeId=3149571&#what

Not incorrect

That process provides a means for a refund, not consequential losses and damages covered under UK Consumer Law. It is wholly inadequate in this respect. The fact Amazon is willing to shield marketplace sellers from their legal responsibility is enough to warn off consumers with common sense. Hence my comment that I would never buy from a marketplace seller again.

TurkishDelight wrote: »

The fact is that anyone should look at total price- marketplace is often cheaper, especially as it gives the option of buying used or new as opposed to just new.

Not correct - Amazon Marketplace has always been the more expensive option for any item I've looked to purchase. Whenever I have the option to buy locally or from a trusted retailer I take up that option.

Sadly the way things work allow less than honest Amazon Marketplace sellers to carry on as faceless merchants who have nothing to lose. For large scale merchants do you think one negative comment makes any difference?

It appears the reason you're complaining is that marketplace sellers are supposedly at a competitive disadvantage and that this is somehow MSE's fault for letting people know that Amazon now offers free delivery on its own items. If marketplace sellers want their market share back they'll have to take positive action.

snax

Just by way of a follow-up as it relates to a lot of the points and opinions on this thread .... [this is an anouncement on the Amazon sellers forum - link not working .... I think you need to be logged in as a seller to view ...


Apologies if this contravenes any posting rules



[FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif]"We have recently announced a change in the conditions needed by our customers to benefit from the FREE Super Saver Delivery option. For Christmas 2009, we have decided to reduce the FREE Super Saver Delivery threshold from £5 to zero. All items offered for sale by Amazon.co.uk and all seller items that use the Fulfilment by Amazon programme will therefore qualify for FREE Super Saver Delivery for Christmas, for the rest of 2009 as communicated to our customers. We will re-evaluate this change in the New Year.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif]At this time, sellers on Marketplace cannot offer free delivery to their buyers. Also, the per-item delivery rates are set by Amazon and cannot be personalised by the sellers. At this stage we do not plan to offer sellers free delivery or personalised delivery rates on Books, Music, Video, and DVD products.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif]Thank you for selling on Amazon.co.uk Marketplace."[/FONT]

Unity

snax wrote: »

Just by way of a follow-up as it relates to a lot of the points and opinions on this thread .... [this is an anouncement on the Amazon sellers forum - link not working .... I think you need to be logged in as a seller to view ...


Apologies if this contravenes any posting rules



[FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif]"We have recently announced a change in the conditions needed by our customers to benefit from the FREE Super Saver Delivery option. For Christmas 2009, we have decided to reduce the FREE Super Saver Delivery threshold from £5 to zero. All items offered for sale by Amazon.co.uk and all seller items that use the Fulfilment by Amazon programme will therefore qualify for FREE Super Saver Delivery for Christmas, for the rest of 2009 as communicated to our customers. We will re-evaluate this change in the New Year.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif]At this time, sellers on Marketplace cannot offer free delivery to their buyers. Also, the per-item delivery rates are set by Amazon and cannot be personalised by the sellers. At this stage we do not plan to offer sellers free delivery or personalised delivery rates on Books, Music, Video, and DVD products.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif]Thank you for selling on Amazon.co.uk Marketplace."[/FONT]

Thank you Snax :T. It looks like Amazon are taking their own steps to refute the sloppy journalism and misleading inaccuracies exhibited by MSE in this case.

It's a shame that although there is a 'report' button at the bottom of each post, there isn't one at the bottom of MSE articles - so no one can report them for being incorrect or damaging.

Had this been any other body doing the same sort of thing, MSE would have been up in arms. It smacks of double standards and is very disappointing .