The goods cannot be without a 'code'! Self delivery sellers should pay attention. Amazon has announced that it will modify the effective tracking rate policy for self delivery orders, with different adjustments for both the European and American stations. Overall, the new policy has expanded the tracking requirements and scope for shipments. For example, the European station requires all domestic shipments exceeding 15 euros to be included in the calculation of the effective tracking number rate. At the US station, packages worth less than $5 must include at least one valid carrier scan, while packages worth more than $5 must be scanned twice. Sellers may have to incur additional costs.
According to Amazon's previous disclosure, on January 15, 2025, Amazon will update its effective tracking rate policy for seller delivery orders to allow buyers to view the tracking status of more orders.
Both the European and American stations have corresponding adjustments, but the requirements are different. The European station requires that all domestic shipments exceeding 15 euros in self delivery orders be included in the calculation of valid tracking number rates. In addition, the effective tracking number rate measures all orders shipped by carriers, no longer limited to orders shipped by Amazon integrated carriers.
All cross-border shipments to and from the UK, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Portugal, Poland, Austria, or Sweden will be included in the calculation of the valid tracking number rate, unless the order value is less than 20 euros (including shipping costs, excluding VAT) and the shipping method is by mail.
Amazon reminds sellers that they must maintain a valid tracking number rate of at least 95% at the category level. Providing tracking information can improve the shopping experience and reduce the likelihood of negative reviews, as well as help protect seller performance statistics and consider them when handling A-Z warranty claims.
The US station has also updated its effective tracking rate policy for self delivery orders, mainly by modifying the VTR indicators and updating exemption clauses, including new shipping areas and package values.
The US station requires that if shipped from China, Canada, American Samoa, or small islands outside the mainland of the United States to the United States, tracking information for the order must be provided. Packages worth less than $5 must include at least one valid carrier scan. Carrier scan is any scan performed by the carrier to display that the package is in transit. Packages with a value equal to or exceeding $5 * must provide at least two valid carrier scans, one scan upon arrival at the carrier's facility and the other scan upon delivery or attempted delivery.
However, it is worth noting that some shipments at the US station are not subject to VTR requirements. If the shipment belongs to one of the following categories, it can enjoy exemption:
·Digital products
·Domestic packages shipped by the freight companies listed on the effective tracking rate assistance page.
·For domestic packages with a value of less than $10 shipped through USPS, use the "USPS Standard Mail Envelope" or "USPS Category I Mail Envelope"
·Packages sent from the UK or India to the US with a value of less than $15 are shipped by Amazon integrated carriers and untracked shipping services. When the seller confirms the shipment, these shipping methods can be identified in the drop-down menu of carriers and transportation services.
·Packages shipped from anywhere outside of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, India, small islands in the United States, American Samoa, or China to the United States.
Amazon also encountered confusing actions when issuing notices, such as European sellers receiving three emails at the same time, but with different requirements for product prices, some for 10 euros and some for 15 euros. The specific changes were not clear to the seller until Amazon personnel provided an explanation.
The update of the effective tracking rate policy has troubled many sellers. Taking the US site as an example, according to Amazon's requirements, even if the package value is less than $5, it must include at least one valid carrier scan. This means that sellers selling low-priced products may have to pay additional fees to service providers for this.
A seller of handmade products in Canada stated that their products are produced according to orders and are mostly worth around $5 to $8. Now Amazon wants him to ship these products to the United States and track them, and the cheapest method would cost over $10. No one is willing to pay such shipping fees for low value goods. As others have mentioned, Amazon sends an email to customers informing them that their package is lost and requesting a refund from the seller, which may create conditions for some consumer fraud
Regarding the seller's doubts, Amazon personnel have responded, stating that the updated VTR policy reflects Amazon's commitment to balancing seller capabilities and customer expectations. The exemption clauses in the policy have been carefully designed to safeguard the interests of both sellers and customers. Inform them of the package's detailed information and possible delivery status, which will reduce the number of customers requesting refunds.
Some sellers have also pointed out that unless they personally scan the goods when they are put down, it is uncertain whether the goods will be scanned at the carrier's facility, always causing the package to be scanned, requiring queuing, and so on, which is time-consuming.
The sellers in Europe were also a little confused when they received this policy change. Some sellers received three emails with different statements. The first two were German emails from Amazon. Apart from the amount, the two emails were identical: the first one was € 15, and the second one was € 10. The German wording of the two messages is completely identical. In addition, I received a French email that read '€ 10'. Amazon personnel replied in their message that the requirements of Spain and Germany have changed, with Germany's price requirement being 15 euros and Spain's price requirement being 10 euros.