The Algorithm Strikes Back
I see lots of posts about sales cratering for no known reason ... but here I am saying the same thing.
My sales vary significantly from day to day but in the past ten days, the variation from day to day has been within a few percent - sales have flatlined.
Moreover, I usually have more than 1/3 of my sales by noon each day but today I've had zero sales by noon.
This doesn't seem random at all and it's another reminder of how much control Amazon has over the survival of our businesses.
The Algorithm Strikes Back
I see lots of posts about sales cratering for no known reason ... but here I am saying the same thing.
My sales vary significantly from day to day but in the past ten days, the variation from day to day has been within a few percent - sales have flatlined.
Moreover, I usually have more than 1/3 of my sales by noon each day but today I've had zero sales by noon.
This doesn't seem random at all and it's another reminder of how much control Amazon has over the survival of our businesses.
42 replies
Seller_BYn3ICHDweKIc
Yes, we are experiencing the same problem. It is to such an extreme degree, that we won't be able to stay in business here if things don't change soon. I can pinpoint our drastic drop in traffic back to April 2023. There was a huuuuge drop in views and traffic. And than it steadily just got worse. It doesn't seem to matter what changes we make, it does not seem to help. Amazon has majorly changed something in search function and algorithm. I keep hearing soooo many struggling because of this, and haven't received help or transparency from Amazon. Our sales happen just as sporadically and inconsistantly as you describe, whereas it was NOT like that before. Amazon is slowly suffocating us here. Here's our traffic graph. I'll link you to a post I made yesterday, too.
Seller_BYn3ICHDweKIc
Here's my post from yesterday. Just LOOK at that graph!! This is NOT normal.
https://sellercentral.amazon.com/seller-forums/discussions/t/144db4df-56fa-4034-8f4a-da439bd43b94?
Seller_oOZTISRvBmFm1
I think we're starting to see cracks in the economy.
We launched last September, finally started getting lift in FEB / MAR, and then saw the same thing @Seller_BYn3ICHDweKIc said in APR. At first I thought I had gotten lazy after our best month...
Outside ad spend directing traffic to Amazon was generating huge returns in MAR, somedays doubling average sales, and while I've been dialing in our campaigns, the returns have dropped by 75%. Crazy.
With so many people saying the same thing now, I'm starting to think it's not me, you, or the algorithm.
Seller_C2NiEkAU4xTGT
When I went to the Post Office today to drop off my pathetic 3 packages, I was bemoaning the slow sales to the postal clerk.
She told me that all of the people who sell online and mail stuff are complaining about how slow their sales are.
Seller_MxKmEig5OxxiU
I am experiencing the same catastrophic decline in sales for my branded product, in my case since beginning of January. 1Q24 average per day is pretty flat and down 57% from the 2H23 average, and the lowest sales rate since inception 4 years ago.
Using Brand Analytics, it appears to be driven completely by search catalog impressions down by 2x or more with sessions tracking that decline.
5 cases have been opened with Amazon. They agree 'not normal' but nothing in the way of resolution. They state no algorithm changes are on record, but what I am seeing is incredulous; it just does not happen by itself in a marketplace.
I was going to include some graphs of the noted data, but cannot figure out how to either embed or attach them. Any inputs on how to do that would be appreciated.
Seller_YBfUTeoG971hG
One might think it's just normal fluctuation, but my sales on other sites have been robust. Amazon is a sales desert recently.
Seller_nbNRsImYltO96
Either you're in the group that says were in a recession or you're in the group that says were not. Its currently 50/50.
Seller_1oT4ZOwrSByEE
People are cutting back and only buying essentials
want more sales ? Cut your prices
Seller_7iQjFTabKHqyC
points to consider
1. A lot of prime members are dropping off as many customers are routing their streaming services to save money.
2. Customers are becoming extremely cost conscious and only buying necessities.
3. Being told on the news that e-commerce has a lot of stolen products may it be encouraging even tough Amazon checks regularly.
4. Want experiences not stuff.
5. Amazon sought out Chinese sellers and is now getting eaten alive by them.
Seller_ArhelWBexgFWn
same boat. ppl scared to say something in the fb forums bc other ppl shout SELL BETTER PRODUCTS. it's almost comical. i'm at 0 sales at 2 pm. yesterday i had 9 sales all day. then at 7 pm got 8 sales in 1 hour. then a few and DONE. it's legit like someone is holding a switch. my real question is, are all the ppl with slow sales, does it always happen to all of us at the same time or the same days? I speak with 1 seller in hba who is always slow at the same time as me. last year my biz was growing. this year I'm stopping to buy inventory. I think the person who fixes this should get a raise, bc amazon will make more $ if we can all sell!!!!!!
items that I have the bb (with 3 other sellers, and I dominate it), that have a rank of 100k, have sold NONE all day. (yesterday was 8 in 1 hour) how's that even possible. the only way to explain it is an algorithm.
can you edit your title to say CENTRAL POST- NO SALES. so that everyone can be in the comments and perhaps we can get some attention.
