Launching a New FBA Product Version
Whenever a seller updates a product enough that buyers will notice, we're supposed to list it as a new item, with a new product page.
So you lose the reviews, sales rank and momentum of the original product when you update it.
Updating our FBA products creates other issues too.
- AZ warehouses have taken from 4 days to 5 weeks to check in new products for sale, so it's difficult to know when to send the new version to replace an old product that is close to selling out. We take our best guess based on inventory of the old version and recent warehouse performance.
- We've never gotten the New Version Widget to work, but it's not clear that the Widget is a good idea since future shortages could possibly require us to revert to an old product version.
- Once an old version sells out, we often see the listing reappear when customer returns replenish the old stock. We handle this by discounting the old version (by up to 10%) once the new version appears for sale.
Does anyone have any other tips or suggestions for updating a product sold by FBA?
Launching a New FBA Product Version
Whenever a seller updates a product enough that buyers will notice, we're supposed to list it as a new item, with a new product page.
So you lose the reviews, sales rank and momentum of the original product when you update it.
Updating our FBA products creates other issues too.
- AZ warehouses have taken from 4 days to 5 weeks to check in new products for sale, so it's difficult to know when to send the new version to replace an old product that is close to selling out. We take our best guess based on inventory of the old version and recent warehouse performance.
- We've never gotten the New Version Widget to work, but it's not clear that the Widget is a good idea since future shortages could possibly require us to revert to an old product version.
- Once an old version sells out, we often see the listing reappear when customer returns replenish the old stock. We handle this by discounting the old version (by up to 10%) once the new version appears for sale.
Does anyone have any other tips or suggestions for updating a product sold by FBA?
3 respuestas
Michelle_Amazon
Hello @Seller_xo4Akj7FBBnfC,
Michelle at Amazon here. I have read your concerns regarding updating a product when you are changing something on the listing and want to know the best way to go about it for FBA.
Unfortunately, Sellers are not allowed to do a running change on a listing. If you are changing your products, this requires that you use a new UPC and create a new ASIN. The Product Detail Page Rules policy can be found here which states:
Policies for editing detail pages
You may only update detail pages to better or more accurately describe the product as originally listed. For example, permissible updates include additional details, clarifications, grammatical fixes, or removal of content that violates Amazon policy.
You must not use an existing listing for a new version of a product. This includes changes in color, size, material, features, and product name. Instead, create a new product detail page for each new version. For example, a manufacturer updates its streaming media player by adding a new remote control with four buttons instead of two. This product is materially different from the older version and it must be listed as a new ASIN.
If you choose to re-brand a product you must create a new ASIN rather than update an existing ASIN. This is true even if the product is unbranded and does not change materially after the brand change. This includes adding a brand to a previously unbranded product.
You can use the newer version widget to drive traffic to your new listing and if you have trouble getting it to work, then you can contact Seller Support who can set it up for you.
If you do a running change on your listing, it's considered ASIN hijacking and can lead to suspension of your listing as well as suspension of your account.
Regarding sending in your new inventory to FBA, I would send it in to the new ASIN as customers getting items different than what is listed can lead to counterfeit complaints and your listing being taken down.
I hope this information has been able to assist you and wish you the best in your sales.
Regards,
Michelle
Seller_xo4Akj7FBBnfC
Michelle, thank you for your follow up.
Your points are definitely understood - even the smallest product changes that could confuse customers require a new product listing with new ASIN and new UPC code.
One question:
One of our new products is an improved version of an older product that we recently closed. The new product uses a different brand name from the old product; both the new and old brands are registered by our company with Brand Registry, and no other company sells these brands.
Am I correct that we can't use the New Version Widget when the replacement product has a different brand than the old version?
