Update to Valid Tracking Rate guidelines
To offer customers fast and accurate deliveries, our Order Performance program policy requires that you maintain a Valid Tracking Rate (VTR) of over 95% for seller-fulfilled listings. VTR calculates the percentage of seller-fulfilled packages that include valid tracking information.
Starting on January 15, 2025, we’ll revise the VTR metric and update exemptions to include new shipping regions and package values.
- If you ship to the US from China, Canada, American Samoa, or the US Minor Outlying Islands, you must provide tracking information for your orders. Packages valued at less than $5 USD*, must include at least one valid carrier scan. A carrier scan is any scan the carrier performs to show a package is in transit. Packages valued at or over $5 USD*, must provide at least two valid carrier scans, where one of the scans is the package arriving at the carrier’s facility and the other is either the delivery or attempted delivery scan.
- If you ship to the US from India or the UK, you must provide tracking information for your orders. Packages valued at less than $15 USD*, must include at least one valid carrier scan. Packages valued at or over $15 USD*, must provide at least two valid carrier scans, where one of the scans is the package arriving at the carrier’s facility and the other is either the delivery or attempted delivery scan.
Additionally, some shipments are exempt from the VTR requirements. Your shipments are exempt if they fall in one of the following categories:
- Digital products
- Domestic packages shipped by the freight carriers listed in the Valid Tracking Rate help page.
- Domestic packages valued at less than $10 USD* shipped by USPS, using "USPS Standard Mail envelopes” or “USPS First Class Mail envelopes"
- Packages shipped from the UK or India to the US, which are valued under $15 USD* shipped by an Amazon integrated carrier with an untracked shipping service. You can identify these ship methods as they appear on the carrier and shipping service drop-down menu when you confirm shipments
- Packages shipped to the US from anywhere other than the US, Canada, the UK, India, the US Minor Outlying Islands, American Samoa, or China
*All values above exclude taxes and include shipping charges.
For more details on how to maintain a healthy VTR, how VTR is calculated, and VTR-exempted shipments, go to Valid tracking rate (VTR).
28 replies
Seller_otDFihTxKiDRD
FYI, the links in here are NOT linking to anything useful. It links to a page that makes me pick an account even to get to this article in the forums *from* my seller central page. In this article, I still have to pick an account to get to a main page. There is no anchor set to take us to the information you are pointing us to.
I write and edit KM articles, Job Aids, and SOPs for my day job. Someone could write this to either include the valid shippers or give anchors in the tracking rate help page that get exactly where we need to look to get that info. Especially without the gatekeeping link to the forums or help pages.
MJ
Seller_JeSBYj1XH8qlB
Packages shipped from the UK or India to the US, which are valued under $15 USD* shipped by an Amazon integrated carrier with an untracked shipping service. You can identify these ship methods as they appear on the carrier and shipping service drop-down menu when you confirm shipments
We ship from the UK. We just checked an order that we have in the system. The good is $7.37 (including tax and shipping). It is a letter size. The only option I am being offered is DHL for $20.47.
What do you mean an Amazon integrated carrier with an untracked shipping service? How do we find these? We currently ship with Royal Mail handing over to USPS for under $3.
Or is it actually going to be $20 - that's Amazon's fantastic version of an untracked shipping service? In which case I assume we switch off sales after Christmas...which after constant requests from Amazon account managers to extend our market to the USA seems like a complete waste of everybody's time.
Seller_u5NhC61gK9Rhg
Are there any updates for how Amazon displays VTR exempt shipments to customers? The way Amazon displays untracked shipments to customers is completely broken.
Seller_r9wMm8LrE5iKj
Bring on the stupid: Amazon exempts a freight method of "LTL" or "Truck" -- which is clearly untrackable -- but doesn't consider shippers such as JB Hunt -- one of the largest in the country, with full tracking available -- valid.
Bring on the unintended consequences: expect Chinese shippers to route packages elsewhere (via Hong Kong?) to get around this requirement, slowing delivery times even further. If having scans is important, and transit time is important enough that we're dealing with some major OTDR absurdities, then simply force these sellers to FBA. Stop treating Chinese sellers better than the American middle-class sellers that you're in the process of gutting. Why do you have America, Amazon?
Seller_xeDdQgRH5VZwO
I've mentioned this before, but eBay has ways to track small items under $10. There's really no excuse that Amazon does not offer a similar tracking method for these items. It would help both sellers & buyers to be able to offer tracking for small items at the cost of a stamp.
Seller_dVF6yjwGL6QPW
I'm a Canadian Handmade seller and my products are made to order and valued mostly around the $5 to $8 mark. Now Amazon expects me to ship these with tracking to the U.S. which for the cheapest method would cost $10 and up. No one would be willing to pay shipping fees like this for low value items.
Like others have mentioned Amazon is basically creating a fraudsters heaven by sending every customer an email that their package is missing to request a refund from the seller!
Clearly Amazon is trying to either force smaller sellers out of the platform entirely or get them to use FBA. How is that supposed to work out for a Handmade business where most orders are MADE TO ORDER?!
Seller_C5lfd6kh2Gnrr
"Packages valued at or over $5 USD*, must provide at least two valid carrier scans, where one of the scans is the package arriving at the carrier’s facility and the other is either the delivery or attempted delivery scan."
I can see where this is going to be a BIG problem.
1. Unless you personally get the item scanned when you drop it off, it's a crapshoot whether they scan at the carrier facility.
2. Not ALL deliveries are scanned upon delivery and many scans just fail and do not get in the system.
These are carrier responsibilities, however as a seller, you are considered just as responsible. The only thing you have control over is #1 but most sellers either hand it to a truck driver or lay it to the side on the counter at a facility with no scan. I always get packages scanned but it's time consuming, waiting in line, etc.
Seller_Ggt6s7zXEwLbA
A few off the cuff thoughts ...
This will wipe out Canadian sticker sellers.
This will cut down on fraudulent and IP infringing Chinese sellers. Amazon should add Vietnam to the list.
Back to Canadian sellers ... since I am a US based made to order sticker seller there may be an opportunity where I can receive, make and ship US orders for Canadian sellers. I've bailed on selling to Canada so maybe this can go both ways re-opening my sales to Canada.
Would likely require new listings because they could not be Handmade unless Amazon agreed as it's silly for Handmade sellers to only be Handmade for local shipments. In country shipping would create much faster delivery times.
It is true that Amazon is telling buyers to fraudulently request refunds for untracked orders, and its not like there is no proof of shipping. My stamps.com account has a record of every order going out with the recipient, address, postage cost and time postage was printed.
Seller_hAorTodExzr2E
Does this mean that as of order placed on January 15th 2025 they have to have tracking shipping Canada to US? Or do I need to use tracking at least 30 days prior to that as the VTR is calculated a little over 30 days back from today's date.
Update to Valid Tracking Rate guidelines
To offer customers fast and accurate deliveries, our Order Performance program policy requires that you maintain a Valid Tracking Rate (VTR) of over 95% for seller-fulfilled listings. VTR calculates the percentage of seller-fulfilled packages that include valid tracking information.
Starting on January 15, 2025, we’ll revise the VTR metric and update exemptions to include new shipping regions and package values.
- If you ship to the US from China, Canada, American Samoa, or the US Minor Outlying Islands, you must provide tracking information for your orders. Packages valued at less than $5 USD*, must include at least one valid carrier scan. A carrier scan is any scan the carrier performs to show a package is in transit. Packages valued at or over $5 USD*, must provide at least two valid carrier scans, where one of the scans is the package arriving at the carrier’s facility and the other is either the delivery or attempted delivery scan.
- If you ship to the US from India or the UK, you must provide tracking information for your orders. Packages valued at less than $15 USD*, must include at least one valid carrier scan. Packages valued at or over $15 USD*, must provide at least two valid carrier scans, where one of the scans is the package arriving at the carrier’s facility and the other is either the delivery or attempted delivery scan.
Additionally, some shipments are exempt from the VTR requirements. Your shipments are exempt if they fall in one of the following categories:
- Digital products
- Domestic packages shipped by the freight carriers listed in the Valid Tracking Rate help page.
- Domestic packages valued at less than $10 USD* shipped by USPS, using "USPS Standard Mail envelopes” or “USPS First Class Mail envelopes"
- Packages shipped from the UK or India to the US, which are valued under $15 USD* shipped by an Amazon integrated carrier with an untracked shipping service. You can identify these ship methods as they appear on the carrier and shipping service drop-down menu when you confirm shipments
- Packages shipped to the US from anywhere other than the US, Canada, the UK, India, the US Minor Outlying Islands, American Samoa, or China
*All values above exclude taxes and include shipping charges.
For more details on how to maintain a healthy VTR, how VTR is calculated, and VTR-exempted shipments, go to Valid tracking rate (VTR).
Update to Valid Tracking Rate guidelines
To offer customers fast and accurate deliveries, our Order Performance program policy requires that you maintain a Valid Tracking Rate (VTR) of over 95% for seller-fulfilled listings. VTR calculates the percentage of seller-fulfilled packages that include valid tracking information.
Starting on January 15, 2025, we’ll revise the VTR metric and update exemptions to include new shipping regions and package values.
- If you ship to the US from China, Canada, American Samoa, or the US Minor Outlying Islands, you must provide tracking information for your orders. Packages valued at less than $5 USD*, must include at least one valid carrier scan. A carrier scan is any scan the carrier performs to show a package is in transit. Packages valued at or over $5 USD*, must provide at least two valid carrier scans, where one of the scans is the package arriving at the carrier’s facility and the other is either the delivery or attempted delivery scan.
- If you ship to the US from India or the UK, you must provide tracking information for your orders. Packages valued at less than $15 USD*, must include at least one valid carrier scan. Packages valued at or over $15 USD*, must provide at least two valid carrier scans, where one of the scans is the package arriving at the carrier’s facility and the other is either the delivery or attempted delivery scan.
Additionally, some shipments are exempt from the VTR requirements. Your shipments are exempt if they fall in one of the following categories:
- Digital products
- Domestic packages shipped by the freight carriers listed in the Valid Tracking Rate help page.
- Domestic packages valued at less than $10 USD* shipped by USPS, using "USPS Standard Mail envelopes” or “USPS First Class Mail envelopes"
- Packages shipped from the UK or India to the US, which are valued under $15 USD* shipped by an Amazon integrated carrier with an untracked shipping service. You can identify these ship methods as they appear on the carrier and shipping service drop-down menu when you confirm shipments
- Packages shipped to the US from anywhere other than the US, Canada, the UK, India, the US Minor Outlying Islands, American Samoa, or China
*All values above exclude taxes and include shipping charges.
For more details on how to maintain a healthy VTR, how VTR is calculated, and VTR-exempted shipments, go to Valid tracking rate (VTR).
28 replies
28 replies
Seller_otDFihTxKiDRD
FYI, the links in here are NOT linking to anything useful. It links to a page that makes me pick an account even to get to this article in the forums *from* my seller central page. In this article, I still have to pick an account to get to a main page. There is no anchor set to take us to the information you are pointing us to.
I write and edit KM articles, Job Aids, and SOPs for my day job. Someone could write this to either include the valid shippers or give anchors in the tracking rate help page that get exactly where we need to look to get that info. Especially without the gatekeeping link to the forums or help pages.
MJ
Seller_JeSBYj1XH8qlB
Packages shipped from the UK or India to the US, which are valued under $15 USD* shipped by an Amazon integrated carrier with an untracked shipping service. You can identify these ship methods as they appear on the carrier and shipping service drop-down menu when you confirm shipments
We ship from the UK. We just checked an order that we have in the system. The good is $7.37 (including tax and shipping). It is a letter size. The only option I am being offered is DHL for $20.47.
What do you mean an Amazon integrated carrier with an untracked shipping service? How do we find these? We currently ship with Royal Mail handing over to USPS for under $3.
Or is it actually going to be $20 - that's Amazon's fantastic version of an untracked shipping service? In which case I assume we switch off sales after Christmas...which after constant requests from Amazon account managers to extend our market to the USA seems like a complete waste of everybody's time.
Seller_u5NhC61gK9Rhg
Are there any updates for how Amazon displays VTR exempt shipments to customers? The way Amazon displays untracked shipments to customers is completely broken.
Seller_r9wMm8LrE5iKj
Bring on the stupid: Amazon exempts a freight method of "LTL" or "Truck" -- which is clearly untrackable -- but doesn't consider shippers such as JB Hunt -- one of the largest in the country, with full tracking available -- valid.
Bring on the unintended consequences: expect Chinese shippers to route packages elsewhere (via Hong Kong?) to get around this requirement, slowing delivery times even further. If having scans is important, and transit time is important enough that we're dealing with some major OTDR absurdities, then simply force these sellers to FBA. Stop treating Chinese sellers better than the American middle-class sellers that you're in the process of gutting. Why do you have America, Amazon?
Seller_xeDdQgRH5VZwO
I've mentioned this before, but eBay has ways to track small items under $10. There's really no excuse that Amazon does not offer a similar tracking method for these items. It would help both sellers & buyers to be able to offer tracking for small items at the cost of a stamp.
Seller_dVF6yjwGL6QPW
I'm a Canadian Handmade seller and my products are made to order and valued mostly around the $5 to $8 mark. Now Amazon expects me to ship these with tracking to the U.S. which for the cheapest method would cost $10 and up. No one would be willing to pay shipping fees like this for low value items.
Like others have mentioned Amazon is basically creating a fraudsters heaven by sending every customer an email that their package is missing to request a refund from the seller!
Clearly Amazon is trying to either force smaller sellers out of the platform entirely or get them to use FBA. How is that supposed to work out for a Handmade business where most orders are MADE TO ORDER?!
Seller_C5lfd6kh2Gnrr
"Packages valued at or over $5 USD*, must provide at least two valid carrier scans, where one of the scans is the package arriving at the carrier’s facility and the other is either the delivery or attempted delivery scan."
I can see where this is going to be a BIG problem.
1. Unless you personally get the item scanned when you drop it off, it's a crapshoot whether they scan at the carrier facility.
2. Not ALL deliveries are scanned upon delivery and many scans just fail and do not get in the system.
These are carrier responsibilities, however as a seller, you are considered just as responsible. The only thing you have control over is #1 but most sellers either hand it to a truck driver or lay it to the side on the counter at a facility with no scan. I always get packages scanned but it's time consuming, waiting in line, etc.
Seller_Ggt6s7zXEwLbA
A few off the cuff thoughts ...
This will wipe out Canadian sticker sellers.
This will cut down on fraudulent and IP infringing Chinese sellers. Amazon should add Vietnam to the list.
Back to Canadian sellers ... since I am a US based made to order sticker seller there may be an opportunity where I can receive, make and ship US orders for Canadian sellers. I've bailed on selling to Canada so maybe this can go both ways re-opening my sales to Canada.
Would likely require new listings because they could not be Handmade unless Amazon agreed as it's silly for Handmade sellers to only be Handmade for local shipments. In country shipping would create much faster delivery times.
It is true that Amazon is telling buyers to fraudulently request refunds for untracked orders, and its not like there is no proof of shipping. My stamps.com account has a record of every order going out with the recipient, address, postage cost and time postage was printed.
Seller_hAorTodExzr2E
Does this mean that as of order placed on January 15th 2025 they have to have tracking shipping Canada to US? Or do I need to use tracking at least 30 days prior to that as the VTR is calculated a little over 30 days back from today's date.
Seller_otDFihTxKiDRD
FYI, the links in here are NOT linking to anything useful. It links to a page that makes me pick an account even to get to this article in the forums *from* my seller central page. In this article, I still have to pick an account to get to a main page. There is no anchor set to take us to the information you are pointing us to.
I write and edit KM articles, Job Aids, and SOPs for my day job. Someone could write this to either include the valid shippers or give anchors in the tracking rate help page that get exactly where we need to look to get that info. Especially without the gatekeeping link to the forums or help pages.
MJ
Seller_otDFihTxKiDRD
FYI, the links in here are NOT linking to anything useful. It links to a page that makes me pick an account even to get to this article in the forums *from* my seller central page. In this article, I still have to pick an account to get to a main page. There is no anchor set to take us to the information you are pointing us to.
I write and edit KM articles, Job Aids, and SOPs for my day job. Someone could write this to either include the valid shippers or give anchors in the tracking rate help page that get exactly where we need to look to get that info. Especially without the gatekeeping link to the forums or help pages.
MJ
Seller_JeSBYj1XH8qlB
Packages shipped from the UK or India to the US, which are valued under $15 USD* shipped by an Amazon integrated carrier with an untracked shipping service. You can identify these ship methods as they appear on the carrier and shipping service drop-down menu when you confirm shipments
We ship from the UK. We just checked an order that we have in the system. The good is $7.37 (including tax and shipping). It is a letter size. The only option I am being offered is DHL for $20.47.
What do you mean an Amazon integrated carrier with an untracked shipping service? How do we find these? We currently ship with Royal Mail handing over to USPS for under $3.
Or is it actually going to be $20 - that's Amazon's fantastic version of an untracked shipping service? In which case I assume we switch off sales after Christmas...which after constant requests from Amazon account managers to extend our market to the USA seems like a complete waste of everybody's time.
Seller_JeSBYj1XH8qlB
Packages shipped from the UK or India to the US, which are valued under $15 USD* shipped by an Amazon integrated carrier with an untracked shipping service. You can identify these ship methods as they appear on the carrier and shipping service drop-down menu when you confirm shipments
We ship from the UK. We just checked an order that we have in the system. The good is $7.37 (including tax and shipping). It is a letter size. The only option I am being offered is DHL for $20.47.
What do you mean an Amazon integrated carrier with an untracked shipping service? How do we find these? We currently ship with Royal Mail handing over to USPS for under $3.
Or is it actually going to be $20 - that's Amazon's fantastic version of an untracked shipping service? In which case I assume we switch off sales after Christmas...which after constant requests from Amazon account managers to extend our market to the USA seems like a complete waste of everybody's time.
Seller_u5NhC61gK9Rhg
Are there any updates for how Amazon displays VTR exempt shipments to customers? The way Amazon displays untracked shipments to customers is completely broken.
Seller_u5NhC61gK9Rhg
Are there any updates for how Amazon displays VTR exempt shipments to customers? The way Amazon displays untracked shipments to customers is completely broken.
Seller_r9wMm8LrE5iKj
Bring on the stupid: Amazon exempts a freight method of "LTL" or "Truck" -- which is clearly untrackable -- but doesn't consider shippers such as JB Hunt -- one of the largest in the country, with full tracking available -- valid.
Bring on the unintended consequences: expect Chinese shippers to route packages elsewhere (via Hong Kong?) to get around this requirement, slowing delivery times even further. If having scans is important, and transit time is important enough that we're dealing with some major OTDR absurdities, then simply force these sellers to FBA. Stop treating Chinese sellers better than the American middle-class sellers that you're in the process of gutting. Why do you have America, Amazon?
Seller_r9wMm8LrE5iKj
Bring on the stupid: Amazon exempts a freight method of "LTL" or "Truck" -- which is clearly untrackable -- but doesn't consider shippers such as JB Hunt -- one of the largest in the country, with full tracking available -- valid.
Bring on the unintended consequences: expect Chinese shippers to route packages elsewhere (via Hong Kong?) to get around this requirement, slowing delivery times even further. If having scans is important, and transit time is important enough that we're dealing with some major OTDR absurdities, then simply force these sellers to FBA. Stop treating Chinese sellers better than the American middle-class sellers that you're in the process of gutting. Why do you have America, Amazon?
Seller_xeDdQgRH5VZwO
I've mentioned this before, but eBay has ways to track small items under $10. There's really no excuse that Amazon does not offer a similar tracking method for these items. It would help both sellers & buyers to be able to offer tracking for small items at the cost of a stamp.
Seller_xeDdQgRH5VZwO
I've mentioned this before, but eBay has ways to track small items under $10. There's really no excuse that Amazon does not offer a similar tracking method for these items. It would help both sellers & buyers to be able to offer tracking for small items at the cost of a stamp.
Seller_dVF6yjwGL6QPW
I'm a Canadian Handmade seller and my products are made to order and valued mostly around the $5 to $8 mark. Now Amazon expects me to ship these with tracking to the U.S. which for the cheapest method would cost $10 and up. No one would be willing to pay shipping fees like this for low value items.
Like others have mentioned Amazon is basically creating a fraudsters heaven by sending every customer an email that their package is missing to request a refund from the seller!
Clearly Amazon is trying to either force smaller sellers out of the platform entirely or get them to use FBA. How is that supposed to work out for a Handmade business where most orders are MADE TO ORDER?!
Seller_dVF6yjwGL6QPW
I'm a Canadian Handmade seller and my products are made to order and valued mostly around the $5 to $8 mark. Now Amazon expects me to ship these with tracking to the U.S. which for the cheapest method would cost $10 and up. No one would be willing to pay shipping fees like this for low value items.
Like others have mentioned Amazon is basically creating a fraudsters heaven by sending every customer an email that their package is missing to request a refund from the seller!
Clearly Amazon is trying to either force smaller sellers out of the platform entirely or get them to use FBA. How is that supposed to work out for a Handmade business where most orders are MADE TO ORDER?!
Seller_C5lfd6kh2Gnrr
"Packages valued at or over $5 USD*, must provide at least two valid carrier scans, where one of the scans is the package arriving at the carrier’s facility and the other is either the delivery or attempted delivery scan."
I can see where this is going to be a BIG problem.
1. Unless you personally get the item scanned when you drop it off, it's a crapshoot whether they scan at the carrier facility.
2. Not ALL deliveries are scanned upon delivery and many scans just fail and do not get in the system.
These are carrier responsibilities, however as a seller, you are considered just as responsible. The only thing you have control over is #1 but most sellers either hand it to a truck driver or lay it to the side on the counter at a facility with no scan. I always get packages scanned but it's time consuming, waiting in line, etc.
Seller_C5lfd6kh2Gnrr
"Packages valued at or over $5 USD*, must provide at least two valid carrier scans, where one of the scans is the package arriving at the carrier’s facility and the other is either the delivery or attempted delivery scan."
I can see where this is going to be a BIG problem.
1. Unless you personally get the item scanned when you drop it off, it's a crapshoot whether they scan at the carrier facility.
2. Not ALL deliveries are scanned upon delivery and many scans just fail and do not get in the system.
These are carrier responsibilities, however as a seller, you are considered just as responsible. The only thing you have control over is #1 but most sellers either hand it to a truck driver or lay it to the side on the counter at a facility with no scan. I always get packages scanned but it's time consuming, waiting in line, etc.
Seller_Ggt6s7zXEwLbA
A few off the cuff thoughts ...
This will wipe out Canadian sticker sellers.
This will cut down on fraudulent and IP infringing Chinese sellers. Amazon should add Vietnam to the list.
Back to Canadian sellers ... since I am a US based made to order sticker seller there may be an opportunity where I can receive, make and ship US orders for Canadian sellers. I've bailed on selling to Canada so maybe this can go both ways re-opening my sales to Canada.
Would likely require new listings because they could not be Handmade unless Amazon agreed as it's silly for Handmade sellers to only be Handmade for local shipments. In country shipping would create much faster delivery times.
It is true that Amazon is telling buyers to fraudulently request refunds for untracked orders, and its not like there is no proof of shipping. My stamps.com account has a record of every order going out with the recipient, address, postage cost and time postage was printed.
Seller_Ggt6s7zXEwLbA
A few off the cuff thoughts ...
This will wipe out Canadian sticker sellers.
This will cut down on fraudulent and IP infringing Chinese sellers. Amazon should add Vietnam to the list.
Back to Canadian sellers ... since I am a US based made to order sticker seller there may be an opportunity where I can receive, make and ship US orders for Canadian sellers. I've bailed on selling to Canada so maybe this can go both ways re-opening my sales to Canada.
Would likely require new listings because they could not be Handmade unless Amazon agreed as it's silly for Handmade sellers to only be Handmade for local shipments. In country shipping would create much faster delivery times.
It is true that Amazon is telling buyers to fraudulently request refunds for untracked orders, and its not like there is no proof of shipping. My stamps.com account has a record of every order going out with the recipient, address, postage cost and time postage was printed.
Seller_hAorTodExzr2E
Does this mean that as of order placed on January 15th 2025 they have to have tracking shipping Canada to US? Or do I need to use tracking at least 30 days prior to that as the VTR is calculated a little over 30 days back from today's date.
Seller_hAorTodExzr2E
Does this mean that as of order placed on January 15th 2025 they have to have tracking shipping Canada to US? Or do I need to use tracking at least 30 days prior to that as the VTR is calculated a little over 30 days back from today's date.
