In this week’s FBA Newsletter: September 2016 FBA Business Sales Report, New SC Beta features, Amazon AUS and Canton Fair Tips
Hi guys, this week is packed with FBA goodness, enjoy!
Product of the week – Hoverboards are BACK! – “Guaranteed safe, won’t overheat! the U.S. Government has approved Ul2722 Certification as assurance that this product does not overheat, spark, smoke, catch fire, etc.” Made me laugh, I hope you do too.
Cheers, Coran
September 2016 FBA Business Sales Report by FBA Pulse
What is it about?
Each month at FBA Pulse we search the internet to find all the Amazon FBA businesses for sale. This month we discovered over $200M worth of businesses for sale. The number of businesses for sale is up 181% (109 listings) and the average list price is up 191% ($1.91M) from August.
Why does it matter?
Whether or not you plan to build up your FBA business to sell, it’s good to know what your business could be worth if you want to sell down the track. You’ll be able to see over time how fast FBA businesses are selling, average list price’s and what type of FBA business is more valuable and why.
Restock Inventory Beta by Fulfillment by Amazon
What is it about?
Most sellers should have got an email from Fulfillment by Amazon advising them of a new Restock Inventory feature. If you didn’t get it you can read it here on Reddit. Seller Central is finally getting an upgrade in many areas, but we love the new Inventory Planning dashboard (located under Inventory>Inventory Planning). Within this new section you can get some enhanced restocking dates as you can now enter specific key details about your supply.
From the Inventory Planning tab, click through to Restock Inventory section. From here to update the key information about your SKU click on “View Detail”. Now you will be able to update your Supplier Lead Time, Unit Price, Min. Order Quantity and Restock Frequency. Seller Central will then run some calculations for you to determine, based on your sales history, your next reorder date and their estimates reorder quantity. Another handy feature on this screen in the value on stock on hand based from your unit cost.
Why does it matter?
Stock outs are bad for customers and therefore Amazon so in order to help prevent sellers from running out of stock Seller Central is there to help you better manage your inventory levels. Whilst there have been some Inventory assistance reporting previous, nothing has been as detailed or product specific as this new dashboard.
However, one has to wonder if it’s a good or bad move to tell Amazon your Unit Cost…In the Reddit link above this conspiracy theory is already being discussed.
Could this lead to an Amazon’s branded product in your niche? Reply back and tell us if you’ll be utilizing this new feature or not.
Amazon on the hunt for warehousing in Australia By The Sydney Morning Herald
What is it about?
Amazon has finally started looking for warehouse space in Australia, starting with the Sydney region. “The only limiting factor is logistics, but Amazon’s recent investment in fulfillment in the US should provide solutions for the vast distances in Australia”. The article goes on to speculate that Melbourne would also be a likely candidate for the 2nd warehouse.
Why does it matter?
No ground works have started, nor is a final contract in place, but just the initial interest in a lease is enough to get us excited, not only as Australians but also as FBA sellers. We can tell you that the Australian public have been eagerly awaiting the release of all products on Amazon, not just digital media. Many people will use a workaround, such as a US forwarding service, to be able to get goods from overseas. We say, watch this space, Aus will be an interesting marketplace for sure.
The Canton Fair: What Is It, Why You Should Go, and Tips for Your Trip by Patrick Martin – Medium
What is it about?
As the title suggests Patrick goes through the in’s and out’s of the Canton Fair, including some tips on how to get the most from your trip. Getting new business cards printed is a must, not only to be approved for a buyers badge, but so you don’t get spammed!
Tip – “it is highly recommended you don’t use your primary email address. You will be spammed. Create a new email address to use on your application, and on the business card for the fair.”
Oh and don’t use Gmail, it’s blocked in China.
Why does it matter?
Things in China work a little differently to other places you might have travelled, and this isn’t a tourist trip. It’s a business trip. So you need to plan it a little different to make the most of it. Even if you’ve been before I think it’s a good refresher for any seller to read this article and get a few new tips on how to approach the Canton Fair.
We also enjoyed Steve’s post from My Wife Quit Her Job as he goes into some not so happy experiences with taxis and fake money. Ouch! Read it here My Guide To The Canton Fair And China’s Largest Wholesale Product Sourcing Trade Show.
Leave a Reply