Significant drop in sales despoie our metrics getting better - Request Moderator Review of our Account for oddities
Hey everyone, we are looking for some insights here,
We are getting really spooked by our lack of Amazon sales lately. We've been selling since 2010 and we've never seen anything like this. Our sales have just tanked in the last 45ish days. On the course of down about 50% from the previous 45 days.
The crazy part is, our customer service is actually better than ever! Our ratings are good, shipping is on time, all that stuff. Usually, that means more sales, right? But it's the complete opposite right now.
We've looked at our listings and prices, and nothing seems off. We're totally scratching our heads trying to figure out why this is happening. We have buy box on a good portion of our best sellers. However on MAP protected items, the buy box rotation seems to be pretty stagnant.
Has anyone else seen a big drop in sales recently, even if your service is good?
Maybe it's:
Amazon changing up the metric rules again?
Competition seems to be the same, but the buy box not providing much rotation is concerning.
Maybe, just the dreadful economy being weird?
Any thoughts or if you're seeing the same thing, let me know! It is very concerning. And is starting to become a business critical issue.
We are hopeful that a Moderator will be able to take a deeper look or have a higher tier seller support team dig into it. We created case ID 17445086341 but no one from Seller Support has replied at all.
Thank you everyone, hoping for some insights here.
15 replies
Xander_Amazon
Thanks for kicking off a discussion. If you have not heard back from support, then your case is still under investigation.
If other sellers would like to share insights or tips, please feel free to jump in!
Seller_FcJ62CpbWSlbK
With the down turn of the economy, bans on Amazon, a bleak buying future, we have to just wait it out.
Seller_nxvyRDZCFduAS
It started in November for us and has been getting worse. During this downturn in sales, our account health has improved as well. We're now at 100% health and feedback for the past 12 months. Improvements in account health and/or positive feedback seem to be slowing sales rather than boosting them.
Seller_TFtK05AWCtKWm
Agree 100% on buy box rotation. We have several products at MAP, one seller has buy box 98% of the time. Makes zero sense.
Seller_4mtlGtoHN5tIN
This platform has turned into a Las Vegas casino roulette table. You are at the hands of complete luck even with perfect metrics. The Buy Box has been truly damaged and favors the most random at times sellers. We have not had Buy Box in over 5 months, sales are down 95%. Yet, our competitors who sell fake and inauthentic product with very clear reviews from many customers claiming the items are not real are still somehow holding the Buy Box. INSANITY and a complete waste of time this platform has become.
We have been waiting and hoping that these ridiculous issues would clear up but they have not and continue to get worst.
Seller_w9o9ILl7Bye4P
What I've noticed in the last few months is that several stores with mediocre feedback (50% or less) are winning the buy box. The use of counterfeit labels has increased a lot, which artificially lowers the price of products and Amazon is so far complacent about this.
Seller_R1nzuTtISSA2o
Yes. Experiencing something similar. No explanations.
Seller_z6L37XIGqaTKj
Simply put, its the economy. A lot of people are concerned about their livelihood in the wake of the last presidential election, the effects of tariffs, and DOGE. If you believe you may lose your job or fearful of the effect of inflation, then more than likely you will cut back on your discretionary purchases. Let's face it, most of the stuff we sell here on Amazon aren't necessary - what is necessary is food and putting a roof over your head. When those prices go up, people tend to find other areas where they can cut back to offset these price hikes.
Seller_AUTVpz1Ar1lnD
Yes, we are in a recession.
Even the president has admitted that he is intentionally creating one so we can get on to better days ( look at the first 5 minutes of the following youtube video: "Is Trump ‘Detoxing’ the Economy or Poisoning It? | The Ezra Klein Show") This recession actually began in a mild way when the FED began to raise interest rates and screwed up the real estate market. People have run out of their covid money. People have less to spend. The auto companies and trade unions are terrified of a 25% Canada Mexico Tariff. US Auto companies get a huge amount of parts and manufacturing across boarders. Over priced new cars are going to get even more expensive. This will cause factory shut downs and massive layoffs. unemployed people don't spent much at all. People are scared, business owners are scared. Reason dictates putting off purchases that are not essential
What I have been doing for the last 18 months is reducing my debt. I have cut it in half ( Thanks to Amazon Lending for helping me out with inventory loans. I have paid off all those loans and hope to use Amazon Lending again when we are through this recession) I have some longer term loans I am paying off or rolling over to fix rate multi year loans. I have sold all of my stocks and moved what little I have to a short term bond funds and using some to pay down debt. I have no plans for hiring or any capital investment. I have dramatically reduced my new inventory purchase to things I am certain will sell in 60 days or less.
Bottom line, control what you can and let go of the rest.
PS: The only bright light is that when the stock market bottoms in about 18 months it will be a great time to buy high dividend oil and gas pipeline stocks.
Seller_jLPvyu6gqsdaH
My significant drop of a consistent high-volume ASIN and a handful of others since 2019 sounds like precisely the same pattern as yours, and I also noticed 45-50 days ago. Non-essential item, with dedicated buy box.
