Valid Tracking Rate update starting tomorrow, January 15, 2025 🚩
Hello Sellers,
I want to remind you about tomorrow's significant update to the Valid Tracking Rate (VTR) policy and calculation for seller-fulfilled orders.
This update, announced on October 15, 2024, introduces important changes:
- VTR will now include ALL shipping service providers, not just those integrated with Amazon for scan information
- Cross-border shipments between European marketplaces (DE, FR, IT, ES, NL, PT, PL, AT, SE) will be included in VTR calculations. Exception: Orders under €20 (including shipping, excluding VAT) using 'letter' shipping methods.
Updated Resources (Available from January 15):
We are aware that some orders using Amazon's "Buy Shipping" service through Royal Mail are being incorrectly flagged as untracked. The technical team is actively working to resolve this issue.
I'm in direct contact with the responsible team and am here to address any questions or concerns you may have. Please feel free to post them below.
Best regards, Ezra.
Valid Tracking Rate update starting tomorrow, January 15, 2025 🚩
Hello Sellers,
I want to remind you about tomorrow's significant update to the Valid Tracking Rate (VTR) policy and calculation for seller-fulfilled orders.
This update, announced on October 15, 2024, introduces important changes:
- VTR will now include ALL shipping service providers, not just those integrated with Amazon for scan information
- Cross-border shipments between European marketplaces (DE, FR, IT, ES, NL, PT, PL, AT, SE) will be included in VTR calculations. Exception: Orders under €20 (including shipping, excluding VAT) using 'letter' shipping methods.
Updated Resources (Available from January 15):
We are aware that some orders using Amazon's "Buy Shipping" service through Royal Mail are being incorrectly flagged as untracked. The technical team is actively working to resolve this issue.
I'm in direct contact with the responsible team and am here to address any questions or concerns you may have. Please feel free to post them below.
Best regards, Ezra.
124 yanıt
Seller_4uKIP5ARPyO4W
My Royal Mail services do not come up on Amazons Buy Shipping for shipping overseas, what do I have to do ?????
Seller_40ozsHlGqPuEL
Amazon could simplify, not complicate, the selling process by reconsidering the VTR system altogether. It’s clear that this system is not benefiting buyers, sellers, or Amazon itself. The resources spent on maintaining VTR likely cost millions, and many sellers are hesitant to engage more actively with Amazon due to its existence.
Amazon has the potential to dominate other platforms, but recurring issues with VTR updates create constant disruptions. Every few months, another glitch or concern with a new Amazon update arises, prompting the thought, "here we go again."
At the very least, Amazon should clarify its demands. The frequent VTR updates often leave us confused, as the same paragraphs can contradict themselves, requiring multiple re-reads and leaving us scratching our heads.
Seller_7VQiMhCLfHHus
Can I get some clarity of whether the international royal mail services under code DE4 which are untracked other than first scan are ok when under Euro20 for cross-border. The 'letter' part is confusing, most of what we sent DE4 fits into letterbox.
Seller_nJIsCxkWkBGlh
So does this mean Amazon no longer 'validates' unscanned Royal Mail parcels, or what?
Seller_ZhTmf0oiZipGl
Hello Ezra
How do i address my shipments that aren't integrated with Amazon? Since the new policy my vtr rate has dropped to 27.2% these all seem to be DX Freight shipments - please help?
Regards
Carolyn
Seller_vNGUliyBfm8re
Can you please advise if
"Shipping Carrier Self Delivery
Shipping service Self Delivery"
is still exempt as this always used to be exempt for me for our own fulfilled deliveries but we had a big drop in VTR this morning and all the orders on our VTR report are self delivery method orders which are our own deliveries we make ourselves so whats the deal with that, why are these no longer exempt?
Seller_eKxfC0hfusHiG
@Ezra_Amazon
1) ok- not sure "Ensure the shipping method is recognized as "letter" by your carrier"
should it not be Amazon that does that? I have no control over what data RM Click and Drop sends to Amazon
but more importantly...
2) Why is my VTR 0% and when I run report, all the invalid orders are from 2nd - 24th DEC....is that right??
why is my VTR based on data that was ok before 15 Jan???
Seller_d8YGbIjNqwFxn
The current VTR period is from 16th December to 14th January. You should not be seeing orders between the 2nd December and 15th December. Are you looking at the latest version of the report?
Also if you are buying 2nd Class Large Letter on account via Royal Mail Click and Drop this shows as invalid on the report. This is totally incorrect. I raised a thread about this a year or so ago and other sellers said they had the same issue.
2) Why is my VTR 0% and when I run report, all the invalid orders are from 2nd - 24th DEC....is that right??
why is my VTR based on data that was ok before 15 Jan???
Seller_7jwrjtU66gmxk
Someone just pointed out though that they have removed the section on the VTR policy that says they will validated unscanned Large Letters and Parcels
Seller_d8YGbIjNqwFxn
I didn't realise they removed this from the help page. It is critical to get an answer to this as it will result in category suspensions for many if they no longer validate them.
Perhaps it is a ploy to get more of us to use Buy Shipping. A route I don't want to go down as I tried it last year and I have issues using it which no one at Amazon will acknowledge/fix
@Ezra_Amazoncan you please update on unscanned Royal Mail items please.
as above, saying that they validate unscanned RM LLs and Parcels has now been removed from the policy pages
@Ezra_Amazon Julia has said that you are answering questions on this thread now so please clarify
1. Are unscanned Royal Mail Large Letters and Parcels still validated ?
Seller_T9qNRaWjUhLfS
@Ezra_Amazon
Hi, I sell lots high street makeup which is priced at less then EUR20, accross all of Europe my understanding of this annoucement was :
Exception: Orders under €20 (including shipping, excluding VAT) using 'letter' shipping methods.
My understanding of this rule was that item under Eur20 could still go untracked. Obviously if customer puts in a claim for this then they just get paid out. Luckily most of my stuff goes to Germany, who in my opinion seem to be the most honest customers in Europe, or Deutsche post is very good, or both.
I now send anything over Eur20 tracked. According to Amazon my VTR is now just 7.5% in Germany.
What does Amazon mean by "using 'letter' shipping methods." As I ship alot via Large Letter service.
Why is there is distinction between items size why is it ok to send something via a "letter" for less Eur20, however it is not ok to send a packet for less then Eur20????? What has the size of an item got to do with it????
If this means everything now needs to be tracked regardless of items size, you have just distroyed 92.50% of my business. in DE, FR, NL, BE.
Giving customers less choice and worst prices. I thought Amazon was the most "customer centered company in the world???"
Thanks
