Anybody here been approved by Amazon to sell "popular music"?

Discussion in 'Marketplace Discussions' started by SBurke, Feb 3, 2020.

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  1. SBurke

    SBurke Nostalgia Junkie Thread Starter

    Location:
    Philadelphia, PA
    It's been a while since I sold much on Amazon, but on a whim yesterday I tried listing some stuff and I've already sold a couple of the items (a Twin Peaks Blu-ray set, a set of Bruckner symphonies). I thought I was on a roll and maybe things had changed so I tried listing some other CDs, all classical, mind you, no pop or rock, and then ran into the listing restrictions, i.e. needing approval to sell "popular music" items. This was Igor Levit's Beethoven sonata cycle, for what it's worth, which I bought on Amazon. (Still unopened. I decided I'd prefer to have it in a high-res download from Qobuz so I thought I'd sell the CDs.) At any rate, I couldn't list it. But it occurred to me -- what if I tried showing Amazon its own invoice? Granted I didn't buy 10 items, which is what they say you need to have done. But has anybody had any luck trying something like this? Anybody here ever been approved? I'm wondering if it's worth any further thought.

    Thanks for reading :cheers:
     
  2. abdavis

    abdavis Forum Resident

    Location:
    Duluth, Minnesota
    I think you will have a difficult time getting approved to sell popular music by submitting an Amazon receipt. That is different than an invoice.
    I have been approved, but I made purchases from small labels such as Wounded Bird, Eric Records, Real Gone Music and Sundazed. Amazon requires only that there be 10 items on the invoice -- not ten of the exact same item, nor of the actual item you are selling. I submitted invoices from the above labels, and I am approved to sell all of the "Popular Music".

    That being said, I have backed off from selling on Amazon.
    • First it was the "gating", and requirement to show them invoices.
    • Second, they manipulate searches. If you search for a J.D. Souther CD, they will show you a multitude of other things their bots think you will buy, and MAYBE a couple of actual CDs by J.D. Souther, and certainly not the more-expensive import versions. To find those, you need to go to the basic listing for the title, and click on "Show All Formats". It is no longer a search engine, but a marketing engine. It does help to put quotes around the artist or disc title, or use a google search instead of the Amazon search engine.
    • Third, they will deactivate your listing if the bots deem your price too high. This was the final straw for me when they deactivated listings that were 10% higher than the rest, but mine was factory sealed while the others were "very good'.
    • Fourth, Amazon will not follow their own rules, will refund customers with your money without recourse. Scammers know this and exploit the overly customer-friendly Amazon policies. I've had buyers return a different copy than what I sent, but I was required to refund at least 50%. That also results in a negative feedback from the scammer.
    Yep, I sound a little bitter. I don't like being cheated, and it does not really matter that the dollar amount is not significant in the big picture.
     
    PhantomStranger and SBurke like this.
  3. SBurke

    SBurke Nostalgia Junkie Thread Starter

    Location:
    Philadelphia, PA
    Very helpful info all around. Bitterness there is understandable. Amazon has become a frequently frustrating experience in many ways.
     
  4. Rycherocker634

    Rycherocker634 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Minneapolis
    Yet letting someone list something at thousands of dollars is okay?
     
  5. hvbias

    hvbias Midrange magic

    Location:
    Northeast
    @SBurke I might be interested in the Levit cycle :)

    Sorry I have no advice for your original question. I just checked the link "sell on Amazon" and see they want $40 a month :laugh: Well I sold all my AMZN shares when it touched $2100, so I now feel I have the right to bitch about this company :D
     
    SBurke likes this.
  6. SBurke

    SBurke Nostalgia Junkie Thread Starter

    Location:
    Philadelphia, PA
    PM sent.

    $40 a month? What the heck? Weird, I wonder if that's the new minimum. I've rarely if ever done that. At least I don't think so.
     
  7. Joseph.McClure

    Joseph.McClure Forum Resident

    Location:
    Memphis, TN
    I stopped buying from Amazon when they chased out the small sellers.
     
    Dave and SBurke like this.
  8. SBurke

    SBurke Nostalgia Junkie Thread Starter

    Location:
    Philadelphia, PA
    Any reason it shouldn't be, if that's FMV?
     
  9. Rycherocker634

    Rycherocker634 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Minneapolis
    FMV is fine, but when other sellers are hundreds or more less and they are not selling either just seems funny something would be de-listed for ten percent.
     
  10. Humbler

    Humbler Forum Resident

    Location:
    Tampa
    It's 1.00 fee per listing. If you will be listing more then 40 items then the 40$ a month "professional seller subscription makes more sense.
     
    Lost In The Flood likes this.
  11. Da Mick

    Da Mick New Member

    Location:
    Cartersville, GA
    Do you have any advice for the best place to sell small amounts of CDs and books, etc. nowadays, just as a personal seller?
     
  12. Da Mick

    Da Mick New Member

    Location:
    Cartersville, GA
    Have you found a better place to buy/sell CDs from small sellers?
     
  13. Joseph.McClure

    Joseph.McClure Forum Resident

    Location:
    Memphis, TN
    No I haven't -- just eBay :-(
     
  14. Chee

    Chee Forum Resident

    Location:
    Denver
    I want to see a bag of dog food being dropped from the sky in an Amazon pouch landing in front of my boxer.
     
  15. quicksrt

    quicksrt Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    I read that they deactivate items priced too low. And in fact that is the whole reason for the newer rules and restrictions regarding sellers of CDs.

    The labels all decided that $1.00 - $5.00 CDs on amazon were too much competition for their warehouses full of overrun pressings, and competition against their’s and Amazon’s downloads.

    So they gave up the used CD market to eBay while hoping the profits would stay with them and their higher prices.

    I think that they should have never let that market walk away. Because you give up a part of your market and you lose an additional part of it. Like when someone heads over to eBay to grab a really cheap Petty or Springsteen title on CD, and decide that while they are shipping - they may as well grab that Born to Run fancy set with ‘75 convert DVD included as well.

    eBay stands to gain in this move so long as they dint pull a fast one in their music sellers as well.
     
    Dave likes this.
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