[Now Closed] Ask Amazon - GET ANSWERS about Product Lifecycle Support on February 20th
Welcome to our Ask Amazon Q&A with the PLS partner team, focusing on your questions about Product Lifecycle Support (PLS)!
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⚡️ What You Need to Know:
The Product Lifecycle Support partner team will answer all your questions posted in this event thread on Thursday, February 20th from 8 am - 5 pm PST.
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🔍 Key Details:
Product Lifecycle Support (PLS)‘s mission is to offer product support to customers, empowering them to make the most of products purchased on Amazon. Through a range of support options—such as video support, workflow assistance, OEM support, Brand Integration calls and chat features, parts replacement, and other brand-specific capabilities—PLS helps resolve product issues, reduces unnecessary returns, and contributes to sustainability by extending the lifespan of products. For more information, you can check out PLS here.
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💡 Submit questions below!
Post all your questions below! Our partner team will be reviewing the questions that come in throughout the day (as well as those submitted in advance), and we’ll do our best to respond as soon as possible during the day of the event.
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Note: We cannot provide legal advice or otherwise interpret regulatory requirements on situations that are specific to individual sellers.
29 replies
Seller_4DPgbZXHi65Lb
We've been enrolled in PLS since last year, but we haven’t noticed any significant increase in customer communications. I’d like to clarify a few things:
1.) How can we determine if PLS is actively working for us?
2.) Is there a way to track its performance and impact?
I recall an update last year mentioning that Performance Metrics for Amazon PLS would be available in 2025. Do we have a timeline for when these metrics will be accessible?
Seller_7uNUfpUVaUHoQ
Is there possibility of managing A+ Content for an ASIN currently listed under Amazon FBA?
The ASIN in question falls under the "book" category, and due to this, we are unable to use A+ Content through Seller Central, as this feature is not yet formally supported for ASINs sold through Seller Central in the Books category.
This is why we attempted to upload the A+ Content through KDP. However, we encountered an issue stating that the ASIN is not eligible as it isn’t part of the brand Explore To Win within KDP.
We were advised by the Amazon Brand Registry Support team to create and manage the A+ Content under KDP, given that the product is categorized as a book.
Is it possible to register or link the existing ASIN to our KDP account to manage the A+ Content accordingly?
Seller_ESKY8GqaVbXB1
Hi there.
1. What are the main features of PLS available for sellers?
2. How does PLS integrate with Amazon Seller Central?
3. Is it possible to see the main reasons for customer complaints through PLS analytics?
4. What types of inquiries or requests from customers will we receive?
5. Can PLS be integrated with Zendesk?
Thank you for your answers,
Seller_yQ9GYuWRnWoYu
General Program Understanding
What are the main benefits of enrolling in Product Lifecycle Support for brand owners and sellers?
Are there any additional fees or costs associated with enrolling in PLS?
Return Reduction & Customer Experience
How much of an impact has PLS had on reducing product returns based on existing data?
Do brands see a noticeable increase in customer satisfaction or positive reviews after enrolling in PLS?
Are there any case studies or success stories from sellers who have benefited from PLS?
Enrollment & Eligibility
How long does it take for a brand to get approved for PLS?
What are the eligibility requirements for enrolling products into different PLS programs?
Can sellers selectively enroll only specific ASINs, or do they have to enroll an entire product line?
Risks & Potential Downsides
If a brand enrolls in Manufacturer Support, could it lead to an overwhelming increase in customer inquiries?
What happens if a seller receives too many customer inquiries and cannot keep up with demand?
If a seller is unable to fulfill manufacturer support obligations, will there be penalties or account health risks?
How does Amazon ensure that PLS doesn't lead to additional costs or operational burdens for sellers?
Amazon’s Involvement & Control
How much control does Amazon have over the support process, and can sellers customize their support offerings?
If a seller provides inaccurate or outdated support information, does Amazon take action against them?
Data & Performance Insights
What kind of performance insights and reporting will be available to enrolled sellers?
How frequently will sellers receive reports on how PLS is impacting their product returns and support requests?
Will sellers have access to customer feedback or reviews related to PLS interactions?
Unenrollment & Compliance
If a seller enrolls in PLS but later decides it’s not beneficial, how long does it take to unenroll?
Are there any penalties or negative impacts on a seller’s account for unenrolling from PLS?
What compliance measures should sellers be aware of before enrolling in PLS?
Seller_kziTWvoCibnZp
Hello there, I'm just wondering! I have completed six months since I published my books, yet, I received no payment so I am just wondering when will I get paid.
Thanks
Jameson_Amazon
Hi everyone, thanks for joining our Ask Amazon event about Product Lifecycle Support! The partner team wanted to provide some additional helpful information about PLS that I'll be including in the replies of our event. 🙂
Q: What is PLS?
A: Product Lifecycle Support (PLS)‘s mission is to offer product support to customers, empowering them to make the most of products purchased on Amazon. Through a range of support options—such as video support, workflow assistance, OEM support, Brand Integration calls and chat features, parts replacement, and other brand-specific capabilities—PLS helps resolve product issues, reduces unnecessary returns, and contributes to sustainability by extending the lifespan of products.
Jameson_Amazon
Q: Where can Customer find PLS?
A: Customers can access PLS on the product detail page, indicated by a “Product Support Included” message. Additionally, post-purchase support is available on the “Your Orders” page under the “Get Product Support” or “Return or Replace Items” sections.
Jameson_Amazon
Q: What is PLS’s impact?
A: Based on customer surveys, Amazon customers prefer brand-specific troubleshooting content over generalized support. PLS empowers brands to deliver tailored content and services, ensuring a more personalized and effective product support experience for customers.
Jameson_Amazon
Q: How to Enroll with PLS’s programs?
A:
- OEM support program: surface website and phone number to customer for post-purchase support, please enroll via Seller Central or OEM self-service portal
- Video support program: provide video support to customer so that they can troubleshoot, please upload your product support video or tag existing video with “Set up”, “How to”, and “Troubleshoot” via Seller Central
- Workflow support program: provide text-based or link-based workflow for troubleshooting, please ask your Account Manager to enroll
- Brand Integration (call/chat feature): This program enables customers who have purchased brand’s products to connect directly with brand’s customer service team via call or chat directly on Amazon, please ask your Account Manager to enroll
- Parts Replacement: This program support replacing missing/defect pats to customers (launch coming soon)
- Brand Performance Metrics Report: Allows brands to download ASIN level performance metrics on Seller Central (launch coming soon)
Seller_vkbGsnF3FNtjK
I recently submitted the 2024 PLS enrolment intake form, which included details of the SS Videos Program along with the video URLs. However, I have yet to receive a confirmation regarding my enrolment.
Could you kindly confirm whether my submission was received and successfully processed? Additionally, I’d appreciate any details on where the submitted videos will appear.
