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Wed Feb 24 2021 13:02:19

Amazon Opens Surprising New Feature for Seller Questions

By: Ina Steiner

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Amazon launched a new feature in its Seller Forums called "Ask Amazon." The company explained that "from time to time, we'll pick a specific topic that is top of mind for Sellers and answer as many questions as possible on the subject."

Amazon kicked off the feature by taking questions about its policy on pesticides, an area that has confounded many sellers for quite some time.

"Our first Ask Amazon topic is pesticide product listings. We have previously announced in Seller News that listings of pesticides and pesticide devices require the Pesticide Marking attribute to be completed by adding an EPA Registration number and/or EPA Establishment number, or a certification that the product is exempt from EPA regulations. We recognize that both the Amazon policy and the EPA regulations are complex, so we've got members from our product assurance team on hand for the next day to answer questions you post about pesticide product listings."

Sellers were able to post their questions on the forum thread through 8 pm PST on Tuesday, and Amazon promised to review the questions and respond by 5 pm PST today, February 24th. 

Opening up a new way for sellers to communicate with Amazon is a surprising and hopefully positive development. We're very interested to hear from sellers how they think the first topic went - did Amazon hear your concerns and answer your questions?

And what topics would you like to see Amazon address next?



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This user has validated their user name. by: LasVagueness

Thu Feb 25 01:10:07 2021

That reminds me of a feedback I once left a seller referencing a food item she sent me shipped in a pesticide box. The seller’s husband was an exterminator and she couldn’t understand why her packing choice was such a “big deal.” She followed up on the  feedback I left her stating I was “hysterical.” The Ask Amazon feature could have taken the discussion a step further and addressed pesticide containers used as shipping material.  

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by: Chicago48 This user has validated their user name.

Thu Feb 25 03:08:46 2021

In order to sell something considered "pesticides" you have to go through a 10 module training course and pass the assessment.  I tried and failed.  I won't try again.  What's really strange is I was listing a pair of mens pants and it was considered a "pesticide".  I asked the Seller support why pants were considered a pesticide and they stated that somewhere in the description the pants were described as antimicrobial.  I give up.  I moved the pants to another platform.

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This user has validated their user name. by: COVID-19

Thu Feb 25 04:07:49 2021

Algorithms = Programmed by morons.

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by: SallyAnn This user has validated their user name.

Thu Feb 25 13:00:22 2021

I sell books on Amazon. I recently got a notice to take down a listing for a novel “Andrew’s Brain “ by E.L. Doctorow because Amazon determined that it was a pesticide.
I know it wasn’t one of his better books, but still....
And looking at what I would have to go through to dispute this, I just delisted it.  

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This user has validated their user name. by: MainelyVintage

Fri Feb 26 18:30:05 2021

State laws can be completely different - I had a pesticide applicator license in NY for 25 years, before moving up here. My license did not transfer to Maine because the system here requires applicators to be licensed through their employer, wholly different than New York's.

I can't even imagine keeping up with the legal requirements of all 50 states plus federal regulations.



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