Remember when I shared my story about battling hijackers on Amazon?
Well, I’m back with an update, and let me tell you, things have gotten even trickier.
But don’t worry, I’m here to share all the details and let you in on the new challenges I’ve faced.
If you missed my previous blog post, you can check it out here.
- Here’s How I Deal With Amazon Hijackers (Part. 1)
- Dealing with Amazon Hijackers (Does the Brand Registry Help?)
When Brand Registry Isn’t Enough
Last year, getting the Amazon Brand Registry was like waving a magic wand. It helped me kick those hijackers to the curb with ease.
But guess what? Things have changed…
These days, it’s not as simple as it used to be. The hijackers have found new ways to slip through the cracks, and it’s driving me nuts!
You see, Amazon now wants us brand owners to do something called a “test buy.” Sounds fancy, right?
Well, let me break it down for you. It means we have to buy the hijackers’ products and show proof that there’s a problem or that our brand name is on them.
It’s like playing detective, but it’s also a huge headache.
Imagine this: You have five hijackers on your tail, and you have to buy their stuff to gather evidence against them. It doesn’t make much sense, does it?
Here’s where things get even more complicated.
Most of these hijackers are from China.
You know what that means?
It takes forever for their products to arrive. I’m talking about waiting for two whole months. Meanwhile, they’re happily selling away, without a care in the world…
You’d think Amazon would step in and do something about it, right?
Well, think again. They seem to be turning a blind eye to these hijackers, and it’s not fair at all. It’s like they’re protecting them instead of us hardworking sellers.
Searching for Answers
Believe me, I tried asking Amazon for help.
But all I got was a message that didn’t solve my problem. It was like talking to a robot that said the same thing over and over.
So, I went to a place where Amazon sellers talk online to see if others had the same problem as me.
This screenshot is from Amazon Seller Forums.
Guess what? Many sellers were going through the same thing!
They had faced the same frustrating issues as me, and we couldn’t understand why Amazon seemed to be supporting these hijackers and making things harder for us.
This seller shared something shocking they had heard. They said there was a sneaky company in China with a mission to ruin other people’s businesses on Amazon.
Can you believe that? It’s like they wanted to play dirty and sabotage our hard work.
But the story doesn’t end there. This brave seller decided to take matters into their own hands.
They wanted to gather evidence against the hijacker, so they tried to make a “test buy.”
Can you guess what happened?
The hijacker sent the product all the way from China, and it took a whopping two months to arrive! Can you imagine waiting for that long just to catch a bad guy?
But here comes the craziest part. When the package finally arrived, do you know what was inside?
Brace yourself for this.
It was nothing more than a simple note with the words “THANK YOU” written on it.
Can you believe that? After waiting for so long, all they got was a useless piece of paper. How frustrating is that?
Imagine if our customers received the same paper instead of the product they ordered. They would be so disappointed and probably leave us a bad review.
That’s the last thing we want for our listings, right?
It’s just not fair to us or our customers. We work hard to provide the best products and services, and these hijackers are causing chaos and tarnishing our reputation.
Fighting Back
I decided to send a message to one of the hijackers who had hijacked my listing.
To my surprise, this hijacker actually removed my product from their account. I felt relieved for a moment, thinking that I had won the battle.
But guess what?
Another hijacker appeared and took over my listing.
Frustrated, I tried to send this new hijacker a message again, hoping for a resolution.
But Amazon had other plans. When I sent a message to the hijacker, a message popped up saying,
“You have contacted the maximum number of sellers at this time. Please wait for those sellers to respond before sending more messages.”
Can you believe it? It seemed like Amazon was protecting these hijackers so fiercely, and it made me even more determined to find a solution.
It’s moments like these that remind me how important it is to keep fighting back. We can’t let the hijackers ruin our businesses.
So, if I can’t get through to them or rely on the Brand Registry, I’ll turn to Fiverr once again. They have been my savior in the past, and I trust that they can help me overcome this challenge.
Find More Winners
Despite all the hurdles, I’m not giving up.
It’s Q3, and that means I’m not too worried about those hijackers.
You know why? Because this is the time when products don’t sell as well.
So, I simply lower the price to make sure I win the buy box. I hope Amazon realizes this problem and removes the need for a test buy very soon.
Instead of getting discouraged, I stay focused on what I can control.
I keep uploading new products and searching for the next big winners.
Even if one of my products gets hijacked, it’s okay because I know I can create ten more winners.
That’s how determined I am!
But here’s the thing, relying only on Amazon isn’t enough.
We need to spread our eggs across different baskets.
So, I’ve taken all my products from PODTurbo and Laser Chili, and I’ve put them on my own Shopify store.
I haven’t had much time to drive traffic to it, but guess what? I still make a few sales every month from that store, thanks to some free traffic and Google Ads from my Agency.
That’s not gonna cut it. I want to do more, so I’m learning Google Ads myself.
I’m going to master it and crush the competition.
We can’t just rely on one platform. We need to expand our horizons and take charge of our success.
Conclusion
So I want to assure you that you’re not alone in this fight.
We keep fighting, we keep uploading, and we keep searching for those new winners.
And while Amazon plays its own games with the hijackers, we’re not letting that stop us.
I’ve taken steps to diversify my business by having my own Shopify store. It’s a start, and I’m already making sales from it.
But I know it’s not enough. So, I’m diving into the world of Google Ads, because I want to take control of my success.
Remember, we can’t just rely on one platform. We have to be smart, strategic, and determined.
Keep pushing forward, keep learning, and together we’ll overcome any challenges that come our way.
Let’s show those hijackers who’s boss and build a thriving business that can’t be easily hijacked!
—Bank K.
