Seeing Amazon Seller Support Not as an Adversary, but a Trusted Partner.

I'm going to take a contrarian point of view here, given the myriad of posts I see on LinkedIn, just about daily, denigrating Amazon Seller Support. All it takes is one post griping about Seller Support and before long, the piling on begins with pent up frustrations on every reply. It's funny to even see some agencies implying that only they can make Amazon pay attention to a seller's issues. I've even seen some claim that they are your friend while Amazon is not.

Really?

So Amazon, who has opened their marketplace to individual sellers, many of whom have become hugely successful, multinational businesses, is not your friend. But the agency who charges you for their rather basic service offerings, they're your only friend? Interesting. This attitude seems disingenuous at best.

There is no doubt that dealing with case management and Seller Support can, at times, be frustrating. Given the volume of cases opened every hour I think it's kind of amazing how quickly I do get a response when I have an issue. I've worked on hundreds of support cases and I happen to think that Amazon Seller Support works tirelessly to address seller issues in a timely manner, given a highly challenging environment.

Here are a few ways they assist sellers through challenging case management:

• 24/7 Availability: Seller Support is available around the clock to help sellers with urgent issues, ensuring that business operations can continue smoothly.
• Dedicated Case Management: For complex issues, Seller Support offers dedicated case managers who work closely with sellers to resolve problems efficiently.
• Knowledgeable Guidance: The support team provides expert advice and step-by-step guidance on navigating Amazon’s policies and resolving account issues.
• Escalation Paths: For particularly challenging cases, Seller Support has escalation paths to ensure that critical issues receive the necessary attention from higher-level support staff.
• Proactive Communication: They keep sellers informed with regular updates on the status of their cases, ensuring transparency and trust.

I think it's also important to recognize that many cases opened with Seller Support are due to sellers not fully understanding Amazon's policies. Education and clear communication can prevent many of these issues from arising in the first place.

Agencies and so-called experts, positioning themselves as the only solution for solving seller support issues should get a reality check. While agencies can and do provide valuable guidance and assistance, Seller Support remains a crucial ally that can be navigated quite easily if you know what you are doing.

What agencies and Amazon "experts" should be teaching, is how best to run your account so you don't have to deal with Seller Support in the first place. Or at least, how to properly communicate with Seller Support and manage cases. I think agencies and Amazon want sellers to succeed with a rising tide lifting all boats. I don't think this needs to be an adversarial relationship. I think it can and should be a partnership.

So, in my contrarian way, I think we should give credit where it's due and acknowledge the efforts of Amazon Seller Support. Let's all learn how to do things better. I always consult my clients to "think like amazon" when it serves them. That is, when you are in their house.

#Amazon #Ecommerce #SellerSupport #AmazonAgencies