In this day and age, no forward-looking ecommerce strategy can be made up of just one sales channel.
Unless you are a novice seller working individually, the Amazon distribution channel is part of an entire multi-channel experience for retailers and distributers.
(Almost) nobody is missing on Amazon. Difficult though it may be to get a high volume of sales on said marketplace, not being there equates to being invisible in public. A high percentage of users turn to Amazon instead of Google to do searches for products and information. If they put your brand into the search box and you don’t appear, potential customers will only see results from your competitors.
If you still had not thought about launching your products on Amazon or you’ve been mulling it over, it’s normal to feel overwhelmed when faced with the thought of managing yet another sales channel. More orders, more shipments, more messages from buyers...
And, to cover all that, there is a solution on the platform itself: the Multi-Channel Fulfillment (MCF) Logistics Service by Amazon.
Would you like to find out if Amazon’s Multi-Channel Fulfillment will work well for your company?
It’s an optional service for sellers on Amazon that is more complete than Fulfillment by Amazon and it can be contracted by those who have a professional seller account on the platform.
The basic Fulfillment by Amazon service allows you to sell your products with Amazon worrying about the logistics for you. The Amazon distribution channel takes care of shipments for you, but only those that are through Amazon and in your country.
→ Everything you need to know about the basic Fulfillment by Amazon service
Here’s the good part: Amazon’s Multi-Channel Fulfillment service allows you to expand upon that experience.
In addition to managing orders from Amazon, this version includes the management of orders placed through your own website and even sales in physical shops. In addition, you’ll be able to send and receive orders both in your country and on Amazon’s other European platforms.
→ More options: The best marketplaces for selling products in Europe
Amazon seems to be a worldwide marketplace... but that is not the case! In fact, many users undergo great frustration when they search for a product and see that it is only sold on the version of Amazon of another country that does not make shipments to their own country.
Through Amazon’s Multi-Channel Fulfillment, you can get your product to all buyers in the 27 countries of the European Union without limits. And you can set different prices in each country, adapting to demand.
If you don’t want to have to worry about organizing all your ecommerce channels, Amazon can manage them for you. Nevertheless, if you don’t want them to have all your data, you can opt for an independent software tool like a Product Information Management (PIM) system.
With this solution, you can keep all your catalog contents updated on all your channels, under your own control, and out of the hands of others. And you can do so without loosing your connection with Amazon, as a good PIM solution includes an automated connector with said marketplace, like the one we've developed at Sales Layer.
The main thing is that you’ll have to send your product stock to the fulfillment center that Amazon tells you to in the geographical network that you want to cover.
Apart from that, you’ll also have personalized calculation of fees.
Through the Multi-Channel Fulfillment service, the price that Amazon charges you per shipment includes:
Fees for weight and package management will be added to the above, as well as different percentages depending on the product category.
→ Take note: The best marketplaces in the world for online sales
All of these fees for other channels depend on the package size. Expedited international shipments only apply to the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain.
These storage fees vary depending on the product category and the time of the year. In the months with more online sales, like from October to December, the fees go up.
In addition, if your products are in Amazon’s warehouses for more than 365 days, they charge you an extra fee for prolonged storage.
→ Take note: What products can you sell with Amazon’s fulfillment service?
Remember that all of these fees do not include VAT or other taxes!
And, VAT is another fundamental aspect: you’ll have to declare it in each of the countries where you are making sales and storing products — there are different conditions and registration thresholds.
While Amazon does offer you the option to manage this on your behalf, it’s always better to have your own tax team.
→ Your best buddy:Why every seller should have an Amazon connector
You haven’t even started yet... and you don't’ know where your products are or where they have to get to? Don’t worry! Managing the different types of distribution channels on Amazon can be a bit complicated, especially as part of a multi-channel network.
To help alleviate the task and get a little order in your Amazon inventory, as well as up-to-date prices for each country where you are selling and product data that is always perfect, your best option is a PIM system. try a free, 30-day trial with Sales Layer.