Will I Get Suspended For Canceling One Order (Low Volume Bookseller)?
I've shipped 500+ orders since reactivating my account last November with no problems other than a few returns. I need to cancel an order because the book accidentally got badly damaged while in storage and I didn't catch it until after the buyer purchased it. It's long out of print so purchasing a replacement copy to send to the buyer isn't really an option unless I dropship, which I know is now against policy.
Is my account at risk of suspension for going over the 2.5% weekly cancelation metric and will this affect my disbursements? I usually only get 10-25 orders a week. I've had no issues with ODR, etc so far. Thanks in advance for any insight, I really appreciate it.
15 replies
Seller_OvL8C4BJWiuS9
The pre-fulfillment cancellation hit only lasts 7 days and if you are consistently taking in orders then you should be fine.
Seller_Hi7wbO2Kbo6bl
Something of this nature happens to used book sellers from time to time.
Usually I will ship the book as usual and then refund in full.
If you do this, you must contact the buyer first (you may not be able to later).
Explain what happened and let them know you are sending this along as a reading copy / place-holder copy until they can find a better one. Reassure them you will be processing a full refund and the book is free.
Ship as usual and a few hours later process the refund. I believe you should not process the refund too soon just in case it causes problems within the Amazon system.
Your one cancellation should not seriously hurt your account, other than it may cause you to lose buy box eligibility.
Seller_9TeQa6npghfEc
No. A short term overage for 1 order will not result in account suspension. Variance happens.
Seller_keSnEDesLFVwv
Even if dropshipping were permitted, I would never trust another randomly chosen seller to represent my business to the customer. Maybe twenty years ago this might have been a safe bet, but now there are too many idioots and scammers selling junk.
If you want to do right by your customer, buy a copy with expedited shipping, have it sent to you, inspect it, then mail it via priority mail to your customer. ( Even when the other bookseller makes a mistake also, sometimes you can marry pieces together. I once ripped the DJ on a like new book while picking it out of the storage box for an order. I ordered another like new to be sent to me. I inspected it. He had missed the fact that his copy was underlined. But his DJ plus my book were good enough for a happy customer )
FWIW, the very act of choosing expedited shipping filters out a lot of the losers and scammers.
FWIW2: I now wrap every LN or VG book in bubble wrap when I list it. This minimizes future damage during handling and picking. It also decreases packaging time a bit. This allows me to use my time leisurely when wrapping and storing, and allows me to pack fast when I get a rush of orders.
Seller_CW0P5hgbsiqWX
It will be close if you cancel. It would be much better to buy it and have it shipped from another trusted seller on Amazon.
Seller_qXP5i6KVCbCOd
I try not to cancel orders but I sometimes can't find a book in my 8,000 item inventory with some items added as far back as 2009. I don't worry except when bad luck leads to more than one canceled order in the same week. I wouldn't worry about this or go to the trouble of getting it elsewhere because you would most likely not get a replacement copy quickly enough to ship in time. As you say, having it sent from another dealer might also cause a dropshipping violation. On the other hand, no one can be sure what the bots will do.
Seller_ENBrTBTSn3PDq
I have done a lot of transactions similar to what @Seller_Hi7wbO2Kbo6bl explained. I have not had any problems sometimes with or without refunding. Customers are sometimes more understanding especially if you are honest, sincerely apologize and maybe give them an extra item while they wait.
I would not make it a habit because all it takes is ONE person to mess it up.
Seller_MJFm5Bd205WcB
Drop shipping IS permitted as long as you adhere to the Amazon Drop shipping Policies.
Seller_0BR1MCcRR1m6j
Occasional cancelled book orders will not significantly hurt your Amazon selling account, just be sure to send an explanatory email to the customer BEFORE cancelling, because you cannot do so afterwards. In this regard, Amazon is so much better than eBay! EBay considers cancellations a serious account defect and will penalize your account for months or years with a lower seller rating and loss of certain perks and discounts.
Seller_ybpqqZGIL94T4
While packing a book to ship I discovered some underlining I hadn't noticed before. I contacted the buyer and explained what happened. Because the book was not in "like new condition" as listed I offered the buyer a choice: I would cancel the order and he could buy another copy from another vendor (several were still available) or I could ship him the gently read copy with a 25% discount. He accepted the discount. I didn't receive any dings from Amazon.
