Automated Handling Time
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Good Morning Sellers,
Over the past week we have seen an uptick in threads and posts related to Automated Handling Time. Some Sellers have recently been auto-enrolled in this or have been notified that they will soon be enrolled. Wanted to provide some additional context and hopefully clear up some confusion.
If your account has automated handling time enabled, your handling time and order handling capacity is set automatically based on your historic performance for each SKU. This setting allows customers to see a more accurate delivery date, which is typically shorter and usually results in more sales.
Instead of constantly updating your default handling time or manually configuring SKU-specific handling times, automated handling time configures the most accurate handling time for each SKU based on your historic performance.
This help page: Introduction to Automated Handling Time provides some helpful info on the topic and the positives of this being enabled.
I have seen some concerns from Sellers that being auto enrolled in this may impact your LSR metrics. Wanted to provide clarity around this: For the first 90 days after this change, your Late Shipment Rate (LSR) will not be impacted if you have a late shipment because Automated Handling Time set a faster Handling Time than your original configuration.
The second concern we have seen is if Sellers decide to opt out of the Automated Handling time they will then have to manually reset their handling time. The good news is, this will not be a manual process. If Sellers do decide to opt out all the previously set values at account and SKU level will revert back to the original settings before the update occurred.
Understand this topic can be a sensitive subject so wanted to provide as much context as we could to try to alleviate some of these concerns.
Dominic
Seller_OvL8C4BJWiuS9
Issue is this shouldn't even have to be addressed. Amazon needs to stop changing sellers accounts-period. We are more than capable of handling our accounts as we see fit and what works for each of us individually. It should be an option, not a forced move.
Seller_LImVvUWeyiCfQ
To endisable automated handling time, follow these steps:
In the settings menu in Seller Central, select Shipping settings.
Click the General shipping settings tab.
Scroll down to Handling time and click Edit.
Toggle to turn on off Automated handling time and click Save.
Fixed it for you.
Seller_nRFmxiQg4EGrw
Dominic_Amazon
If you really want to alleviate concerns, STOP CHANGING OUR SETTINGS!
Sure, offer this feature if you like, but make it OPT-IN ONLY.
If you REALLY want to encourage faster promises to customers, why not give the SELLER options for transit times longer than 2-4 days, but shorter than 5-8? Most of my deliveries take 3-5 days; I would love to be able to offer 4-6 day shipping; but Amazon forces me to use 5-8.
How about a REAL improvement in letting sellers RUN THEIR OWN BUSINESS.
Seller_f4a7xAPCCSMqD
My issue is that we were never notified that we would be enrolled, so we had no heads-up or a chance to opt out before it was enabled. Once we discovered it had been disabled on our account, we turned it off.
Why do we want 2-day handling time? To give plenty of time for our packages to be scanned by the carrier within the shipping window so that they are covered by Amazon's buy shipping guarantee.
Why is 2 days needed for that? Our small local post office can get overwhelmed at times and doesn't always have time to scan each package when we drop them off. Experience has shown us that Amazon doesn't count them scanning a SCAN sheet as them taking possession so that's not a solution. This means that the first scan by them is when it arrives at the distribution center, which is usually the next day, so we need that buffer in our handling time to get this scan within the shipping window.
Also, we have found that having 2 day handling time with 2-4 day transit time works best with the buy shipping algorithm so that USPS Ground Advantage is shown as a shipping option.
Seller_z3XfkorVSmnEY
It's fine if you want to offer this "option" to sellers -- but don't auto-opt us in. It should be voluntary to opt-in. We like the extra padding in our handling/delivery time. Some days we need it others we don't. When a package gets to the customer earlier than expected they are happy.
Seller_xlf3vF516IRli
Agree with all the other posters here about how we should NOT be automatically enrolled in anything. Offering it is fine. Reminding us it's available, also fine. Auto Enrolling us - NOT fine.
Also you say that The LSR won't affect our metrics, but there are posts currently up on the forums where the LSR has indeed affected several sellers that were auto enrolled and Amz SS refuses to fix it and says to just suffer through it for 60 days until it falls off. They clearly haven't been trained on how to handle this new Auto Enrollment and causing lots of issues with Accounts.
Finally, For those of us that have already been threatened with this new "upgrade", can you provide an update on WHAT TIME of the day this change occurs so we can set an alarm to go switch it back before it affects any actual orders?
Seller_39OqLGtMHSw4T
Saludos, necesito ayuda para completar el registro de añadir métodos de pagos por favor escribirme a mi correo para completar el registro corectamente
Seller_7oKQkd3ZYovCx
Hi @Dominic_Amazon
I would like to know why I was selected to enroll my account in the AHT and why my ability to access it is disabled. I can not change the handling time or the order capacity. I can't even access the settings.
Looking forward to hearing from you soon,
Seller_D7mNsI9QDpUdP
REALLY? "...The good news is, this will not be a manual process. If Sellers do decide to opt out all the previously set values at account and SKU level will revert back to the original settings before the update occurred."....Really? Up to a few days ago this was NOT possible. Did something change because I tried and failed to do this numerous times. ?
Seller_D7mNsI9QDpUdP
To be clear, there are many options listed but not all of them allow the seller to use them. For example, I at least am not allowed to change this little jewel
":0-day handling time (with standard shipping)"
I can change the time of day, I can add no shipping weekends and holidays, but not the 0 day handling time..
