Amazon.com is giving sellers another reason to use its fulfillment service with the introduction of a Buy Box for used items. The pilot program launched on November 17, and used items in the media category qualify for the Buy Used Box - if fulfilled by Amazon. As Amazon.com battles Wal-Mart in a pricing war for new products (link to BusinessWeek article), this program shows it's continued efforts to go after eBay's turf as well.
When sellers use Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), their products are eligible for Amazon.com Super Saver Shipping and Amazon Prime. FBA allows Amazon.com to offer more products through its shipping programs and allows it greater control over the customer experience.
Merchants of new items vie for the Amazon Buy Box because it gives customers a quick way to initiate the purchase process; items that "win" the Buy Box, whether from Amazon.com or a third-party merchant, experience higher sales because of the exposure.
The new Buy Box for used goods is placed directly underneath the regular Buy Box for new items on the product detail page.
Only Pro Merchants who meet Order Defect Rates (ODR) can compete for the Buy Used Box.
According to Amazon, each category will roll out over the following weeks starting with video and DVD. Not all media product detail pages will display a Buy Used Box during the pilot period as the company evaluates customer response to the new feature.
According to Amazon.com, product qualifications for consideration in the Buy Used Box include:
Condition: The item must be in "Like New," "Very Good," or "Good" condition.
Media: The item must be classified under Books, Music, Video or DVD categories.
Fulfillment: The item must be fulfilled using the FBA service. For media items in "New" condition, only those sold and fulfilled by Amazon are eligible to win the Buy Box. Customers should expect the same fulfillment options and level of customer service, regardless of whether the item is new or used. Sellers are able to meet this expectation by using the FBA service.
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Amazon.com is giving sellers another reason to use its fulfillment service with the introduction of a Buy Box for used items. The pilot program launched on November 17, and used items in the media category qualify for the Buy Used Box - if fulfilled by Amazon. As Amazon.com battles Wal-Mart in a pricing war for new products (