These 12 Questions, 90% of Vendor Central Sellers Got Them Wrong!
1. We already gave Amazon enough profit, why is the BD commission ratio still so high?
Q: We provided Amazon with a BD discount of 10%, NET PPM 40%, why did the funding ultimately show a reduction of 30% (BD commission)?
A: The funding listed is typically an amount based on what you reported; this does not change. But if how you reported funding was based on a percentage, then it’s not fixed, since platform pricing changes.
Q: But on the front-end price, it’s still the same? In the beginning we only gave it 10% for BD but in the end we got to 30%?!
A: That means that Amazon nailed the reference price at a further elevated level. Now it not only takes that list price, but also your reference price, you have to actually go on through Seller Central and check the strikethrough price of this particular item. One other thing: when you report funding, report it in fixed amounts, which are stable — the more of it sells, the less you deduct.
(The reference price is calculated based on a number of factors, including multi-platform pricing, other sellers’ prices and your own historical sales price.)
2. How do I make a New Listing in Vendor Central Quickly?
Q: We typically pick products on Seller Central that have higher reviews, steady sales and good profit, then move them to Vendor Central directly. Do you have any tips on creating new listings directly in Vendor Central?
A: In my experience, beginning a listing from scratch in Vendor Central, if run correctly, sales should significantly surpass Seller Central. Do not be afraid and do not hold back when making the move — especially if the operator resists Vendor Central, growth will certainly stall.
3. If delivery fails to meet Amazon’s timed requirements and the warehouse is suspended, will it affect store safety?
A: It’s not acceptable if there are numerous DF orders in the Vendor Central backend and your China operations only process them after their working hours. It will also drag down DF performance.
So, if things don’t cooperate well for your warehouse, set the interval between worktime and pickup to be less than 6 hours. This may lower the order volume, but it keeps compliance.
4. Do you know a fast way in Vendor Central we can reflect our reduced reference price?
A: As a rule of thumb, once you use Vendor Central, forget about setting your own price.
One idea is to sign a GMM agreement — you set the sale price, and Amazon follows. But with GMM, Amazon no longer looks at your supply cost, it only secures its own margin. For example, if your supplier price is 100 RMB, but Amazon wants 20% margin, instead of 80 RMB, under GMM it might be 70 RMB or even 60 RMB.
(The power to set prices in Vendor Central belongs to Amazon, and maintaining stability depends on ensuring its profitability.)
5. Previously, we had high volume of POs and very high acceptance rate. Why were the PO orders suddenly stopped, and even BTR manual orders not allowed?
A: Likely your profit margin isn’t big enough. Plus, BTR can generate errors like “unfavorable,” “profitability,” or “unable to source.” If it’s the third case, then it isn’t cost-related, and you must open a case.
6. The pricing is incorrect, supply and selling prices are too low, multiple listings are underwater — what do I do?
A: This year, because of tariffs, one seller raised supply price in March. In April and May, POs were normal and sales solid, but in June and July, no orders. So, if you’re ready to accept the consequence, raise prices. Otherwise, launch new differentiated listings, especially with main images.
If you have a VM, they can create a new vendor code with higher cost and close the old one. Or, in Settings, set “purchase order outage” to stop orders.
Generally, I don’t recommend raising supply cost. If Amazon keeps the same retail price but your supply cost goes up, you may lose money and Amazon will later ask for repayment. Amazon strictly controls profit — changing supply cost directly affects orders, sales, and even account safety.
7. Is there a difference between having a VM and not having a VM when promoting?
A: In Europe, when applying for promotions, sometimes Amazon’s retail price is higher than your list price. If you do it yourself, a $10 discount means you cover $8. With VM support, maybe only $5.
Sometimes, to push their KPIs, VMs will ask you to submit more AINS since category growth also counts toward their metrics. That’s why some VMs may ignore you normally but become proactive during campaigns.
8. Our Seller Central inventory wasn’t moved to our Vendor Central account, but another Vendor Central account is reselling our products – what to do?
A: You can identify their VM and account details, then email Amazon explaining you did not authorize that Vendor Central account to resell. Start politely, then escalate, then report it.
9. Vendor self-distribution logistics vs UPS: what are the benefits?
A:
- No surcharges for last-mile delivery to commercial or residential addresses. With UPS, residential deliveries have about $2 surcharge per order.
- The more you use Vendor self-distribution, the less likely you are categorized as High Cost.
- It reduces unnecessary reimbursements. If a customer claims non-delivery despite proof, you can claim compensation from Amazon and return it to the buyer. Claims under $200 are often instantly approved.
10. Convincing operators to focus on Vendor Central
A: If I were the boss, I would ask operators to drop Seller Central completely. Why? Take returns as an example: under FBM, even with proof of delivery, customers may force a refund at your expense. But under Vendor Central, Amazon covers that cost.
Vendor Central operations are simpler and often more profitable.
11. What VAT rates in Europe should be selected?
A: If you’re not deeply invested in the European market, just don’t choose any.
12. As Amazon kept rejecting POs, some suppliers saw orders canceled or Amazon stopped placing new ones. What should I do?
A: Try to use the BTR/DF combination to generate orders. Alternatively, use BTR to diagnose why a listing isn’t getting orders.
Windingflow Recommendation
Managing across Vendor Central and Seller Central can be overwhelming:
- Multiple platforms
- Repeated product uploads
- Order and inventory mismatches
- Compliance risks
This is where Windingflow makes the difference:
- One-click integration with 9 global platforms
- Bulk data management to save time
- Real-time sync of orders & inventory to avoid overselling
- Smart data analysis for pricing & product optimization
- Multi-language & multi-currency support
Simply put, Windingflow = the efficiency engine for multi-platform sellers.
If you’re juggling Vendor Central and Seller Central, Windingflow helps you focus on growth, not busywork.
