Amazon Shuts Down Inbound FBA Shipments Due to COVID-19 Corona Virus (aka Kung-Flu)

TL;DR

Amazon is temporarily pausing inbound shipments to prioritize essential items during the COVID-19 outbreak. To counter this, sellers can duplicate SKUs and increase prices on merchant fulfilled items to prioritize FBA stock.

Transcript

amazon has shut down their inbound shipments big news for today we'll talk today about how to manage and deal with that this is the my Amazon guy show this is Steven Pope so long story short Amazon is not shutting down a lot of people are reading the news incorrectly this morning it is just a pause on FBA pausing shipments on their way into an FBA ... Read More

Key Insights

• ✋ Amazon is pausing inbound FBA shipments to prioritize high-demand essential items during the COVID-19 outbreak.
• 🤨 Sellers can duplicate SKUs and raise the price on merchant fulfilled items to ensure FBA stock is prioritized.
• ☀️ Maintaining stock and competitive pricing are crucial strategies to weather the storm of market volatility.
• 🤪 The COVID-19 outbreak presents an opportunity for e-commerce sales to increase as more people shop online instead of going to stores.
• 📢 It is beneficial for sellers to stay informed about ongoing news and government announcements to adapt their strategies accordingly.
• ⌛ Engaging with an Amazon consulting agency like My Amazon Guy can provide support and guidance during uncertain times.
• 💯 In maximizing core strategies such as keeping stock, pricing well, and advertising effectively, sellers can mitigate any uncertainties and come out ahead.

Questions & Answers

Q: Why is Amazon pausing inbound shipments to FBA facilities?

Amazon is prioritizing the restocking of high-demand essential items such as hand sanitizers and medical supplies during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Q: How can sellers manage the inbound shipment pause?

Sellers can duplicate SKUs on the backend of their seller account, creating both MFN and FBA stock. By raising the price of the MFN SKU by a dollar, FBA stock will be prioritized in the buy box.

Q: Is duplicating SKUs and using MFN a common strategy on Amazon?

While not revolutionary, it is an underutilized strategy that sellers can employ to ensure they do not run out of stock during high-demand periods, such as the Christmas season or the current COVID-19 situation.

Q: What should sellers do if they don't have backup stock in their warehouse?

It is essential for sellers to have a backup warehouse or facility to handle merchant fulfilled shipments if they rely solely on FBA stock. This can be a personal location or even a closet.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Amazon is not halting shipments out of their facility, just pausing inbound shipments to FBA facilities due to the COVID-19 situation.

• Sellers with existing stock at Amazon can still sell their items as Prime and ship to consumers, although there may be shipping delays.

• To overcome the inbound shipment pause, sellers can duplicate SKUs and raise the price on merchant fulfilled items to prioritize FBA stock.