Amazon Changes Rules For Selling Higher-Priced DVDs On Its Website

Amazon is changing the way sellers list DVDs for sale online. The new procedures and restrictions and hoops to jump through means I will likely not list DVDs for sale any longer. I never have really had much luck selling pre-owned DVDs I've found at auctions or yard sales in the Amazon Seller Platform; usually, I've had more luck reselling them on Ebay. But, nonetheless, here is an email I received the other day from Amazon, notifying me of upcoming changes, and the steps I'd need to take if I wanted to keep listing and selling DVDs with retail prices suggested by the manufacturer (MSRP), or else I'd lose that privilege. The email reads:

As part of our ongoing efforts to provide a great shopping experience, beginning November 17, 2014, only approved sellers will be eligible to list DVDs with Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Prices (MSRP) of $25 or greater. We are implementing this restriction because these products may have a higher risk of authenticity issues.

Based on your current performance, you are eligible to apply to sell DVDs with MSRPs of $25 or greater. The application process is described below. You will not be eligible to list DVDs with MSRPs of $25 or greater after November 17 unless your application is approved. Your eligibility to list DVDs with MSRPs of less than $25 or Blu-rays is not affected by this restriction. (Underline is mine to show the exception of their new rules.)

Any listings by unapproved sellers for DVDs with MSRPs of $25 or greater will be removed on November 16, 2014. Relisting products you are not approved to sell or creating duplicate listings may result in the immediate suspension or removal of your selling privileges.

If you apply and you do not have an account with a Professional selling plan, you must agree to sign up for a Professional selling plan within 30 days after your application is approved. A Seller Support associate will follow-up to request additional information to complete your application. At that time, you will need to provide the following to the Seller Support associate:

1) Your primary source(s) of inventory
2) A minimum of three (3) invoices or purchase orders for inventory with MSRP greater than $25 that you plan to sell
3) A written summary of processes you have in place to prevent inauthentic goods from entering your inventory

Your application will be evaluated based on the information you supply.

If you use Fulfillment by Amazon, you will need to create a removal or disposal order for any DVD products you have not been approved to sell after November 17. We will waive fees for any removal or disposal order for these products starting now through January 16, 2015. For assistance creating a removal or disposal order, please review this Help page:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=200280670

Note that removal or disposal orders received in the fourth quarter may require additional processing time.

As a reminder, sellers are responsible for ensuring the quality of their products and should carefully review all sources of inventory. For more information, see our policies:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?ie=UTF8&nodeId=201166010

Customers trust they can always buy with confidence on Amazon.com, and this listing restriction is intended to help preserve that trust. Seller feedback is important to us. You can provide feedback by emailing dvd-seller-feedback@amazon.com.

To complete a preliminary application, please click the link below.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?ie=UTF8&nodeId=201607560

Thank you for selling on Amazon.

So, Amazon has apparently decided to implement some CYA for itself when it comes to sales of used DVDs. For me, I'll pass and adjust the way I resell DVDs, even music CDs, from now on.

I would recommend that you check out the websites where Amazon spells out policies for quality standards, as well as review the 'Help' page topics. Most of the stuff you'll find there will answer just about any question. You can always contact Seller Support via their online contact form; however, many times the responses are off-base. It seems like they merely scan your email and reply with a standard reply. If they are way off mark and you still need a solid answer, contact them again, tell them no, that reply did not answer my question, and politely ask for a clarification.

Post your personal opinion in the comments of this new DVD policy by Amazon. I'm curious what you have to say on the topic.