We continually audit our store to ensure that ASINs are in the correct fee category, as shown in the fee category guidelines. We have identified that at least one of your ASINs may be affected and will undergo a fee category change on May 4, 2023.
We have not updated any fee rates as part of this audit. Starting May 4, 2023, you may notice your fee rates align to the correct fee category for your ASIN, and the Revenue Calculator will show any corrected fee rates.
Our fee category guidelines allow you to quickly determine the correct fee category for any product. These fee categories are applicable to all fee types that use fee categories in their fee calculation. Fee types that may use fee categories in their calculation include, but are not limited to, referral fees, closing fees, FBA fulfillment fees, and FBA returns processing fees.
I set a calendar reminder to download the Category Listings Report on May 9th.
This way Amazon will have a few backend cycle refreshes before I start reviewing the updated ASIN’s categories on the following Tuesday.
The email specifically says they are auditing ASINs to ensure they are in the correct fee category, and that individual ASINs will undergo fee category changes. It doesn’t sound like a general category fee change.
That is why I said poorly worded if it refers to their fee change, because it doesn’t sound like that is what it is. But it may be. I can’t look for the announcement I am vaguely remembering right now, I’m dealing with a false violation problem. None of the categories affected me so I did not bookmark it.
Yes.
When SKUs are suspected pesticides, medical or adult products, suspected IP infringement, etc. Amazon generally tells me what SKUs or ASINs will be impacted. In this case, it’s just “Stuff will happen. You should check into that. Peace.”
My suspicion is the changes have not occurred and some sellers have been raising issues seeking reductions in fees which are not part of this initiative.
The fee changed seemed to complex to be handled by bot, and I suspect they audited a large sample of listings to determine how to build a complex bot to handle this.
This is probably a heads up that you may find unhappiness on May 4, and this is the reason.
Categories are not changing. Some items in some categories will be charged the fees which apply to the same item when listed in another category. There are many items which can be validly listed in more than one categories, and some sellers chose the cheaper category.
What one man sees as prudent category management, Amazon sees as fee avoidance.
What one man sees as prudent category management, Amazon sees as a REVENUE GRAB.
Last year in June/July my fees on 500+ items increase from 8% to 15%.
The product was properly classified 5+ years ago. But when I did an investigation, found that the category was moved to a different Major Class.
@Roxy - got it right. Nail meet wrecking ball. There is no point in getting worried about it, because it’s out of your hands. Even if it screws you up the chances of you resolving any issues in a timely manner are slim to none. Focus on the things you can control. I’ve been doing this for almost 20 years. I’m nearly four years younger than my wife and my child just said to me this morning, “Why do you look so much older than Mom” I used to get worked up over this stuff. It will wear you down hard.
