Valid Tracking Rate Policy Update: What Amazon Sellers Need to Know
Amazon Introduces New VTR Policy for Seller-Fulfilled Orders to Improve Tracking Visibility
On January 15, 2025, AmazonUK will update its Valid Tracking Rate (VTR) policy for seller-fulfilled orders, bringing significant changes to improve the customer experience by providing better tracking visibility for a larger percentage of orders. This policy update directly affects all Amazon sellers who fulfill orders themselves rather than using Amazon's fulfillment centers. If you're a seller, it's important to understand these changes and adjust your operations to remain compliant.
What is the Valid Tracking Rate (VTR)?
The Valid Tracking Rate is an Amazon performance metric that ensures sellers provide accurate shipment tracking information. By maintaining a good VTR, sellers help provide transparency, boost customer satisfaction, and protect their seller account health from negative reviews and A-to-z Guarantee claims.
Key Changes in the New VTR Policy
Starting January 15, 2025, the following changes will apply to the VTR policy for seller-fulfilled orders:
All Shipping Providers Included: VTR will now be measured on orders shipped through all shipping service providers. Previously, VTR calculations were limited to providers integrated with Amazon that provided scan information. The tracking information must be valid and available no matter which service you use.
Cross-Border Shipments: Amazon is expanding the VTR requirement to cover cross-border shipments involving Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Portugal, Poland, Austria, or Sweden. If your seller-fulfilled orders are being shipped to or from any of these countries, they will now count toward your VTR metric.
Exceptions for Low-Value Orders: Cross-border orders valued below €20 (including shipping, excluding VAT) and shipped using a 'letter' shipping method are excluded from the VTR calculation. This allows flexibility for smaller, low-value orders without negatively impacting your VTR.
Category-Level Compliance: As a reminder, Amazon requires sellers to maintain a minimum VTR of 95% at a category level. Sellers who fall below this rate risk receiving negative feedback or potentially damaging their account health.
Also Read: How to Use Pinterest to Drive Sales for Your Amazon Store
Benefits of Meeting VTR Requirements
Improved Customer Experience: Customers value transparency and tracking updates. With improved VTR compliance, sellers can ensure that customers receive real-time shipping information, which helps build trust and reduces the number of customer inquiries.
Reduced Negative Feedback: Orders with valid tracking information are less likely to lead to customer dissatisfaction. This can help sellers avoid negative feedback and boost their seller ratings.
Account Health Protection: Amazon considers your VTR when evaluating seller performance and resolving A-to-z Guarantee claims. A high VTR can safeguard your account from potential penalties, including suspension.
What Sellers Should Do
1. Review Your Shipping Partners: Since the new policy includes all shipping providers, choosing providers offering reliable tracking services is important. Ensure they can provide valid tracking numbers that customers can use to monitor their orders.
2. Audit Your Operations: Examine your shipping workflow and ensure tracking information is uploaded correctly and promptly for every order.
3. Educate Your Team: If you have a team managing your orders, make sure they are well-versed with the new VTR requirements to avoid potential slip-ups.
In conclusion, Amazon's new VTR policy for seller-fulfilled orders is a step towards making the marketplace more transparent and customer-centric. By extending tracking requirements to all shipping providers and cross-border shipments, Amazon focuses on providing customers with greater visibility over their orders. Sellers are encouraged to adjust their shipping practices to ensure compliance with the updated VTR requirements. With a 95% VTR compliance requirement at the category level, maintaining accurate tracking can improve customer satisfaction, protect account health, and contribute to a successful selling experience on Amazon.
For more information, sellers can find the complete details on Seller Central, where the update was officially announced.
Also Read: Amazon Extends Returns Window for 2024 Holidays
Follow us on Facebook, X and LinkedIn to get the latest news and updates related to online selling.
By ChannelMAX Staff Writer
Oct-2024#21
On January 15, 2025, AmazonUK will update its Valid Tracking Rate (VTR) policy for seller-fulfilled orders, bringing significant changes to improve the customer experience by providing better tracking visibility for a larger percentage of orders. This policy update directly affects all Amazon sellers who fulfill orders themselves rather than using Amazon's fulfillment centers. If you're a seller, it's important to understand these changes and adjust your operations to remain compliant.
What is the Valid Tracking Rate (VTR)?
The Valid Tracking Rate is an Amazon performance metric that ensures sellers provide accurate shipment tracking information. By maintaining a good VTR, sellers help provide transparency, boost customer satisfaction, and protect their seller account health from negative reviews and A-to-z Guarantee claims.
Key Changes in the New VTR Policy
Starting January 15, 2025, the following changes will apply to the VTR policy for seller-fulfilled orders:
All Shipping Providers Included: VTR will now be measured on orders shipped through all shipping service providers. Previously, VTR calculations were limited to providers integrated with Amazon that provided scan information. The tracking information must be valid and available no matter which service you use.
Cross-Border Shipments: Amazon is expanding the VTR requirement to cover cross-border shipments involving Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Portugal, Poland, Austria, or Sweden. If your seller-fulfilled orders are being shipped to or from any of these countries, they will now count toward your VTR metric.
Exceptions for Low-Value Orders: Cross-border orders valued below €20 (including shipping, excluding VAT) and shipped using a 'letter' shipping method are excluded from the VTR calculation. This allows flexibility for smaller, low-value orders without negatively impacting your VTR.
Category-Level Compliance: As a reminder, Amazon requires sellers to maintain a minimum VTR of 95% at a category level. Sellers who fall below this rate risk receiving negative feedback or potentially damaging their account health.
Also Read: How to Use Pinterest to Drive Sales for Your Amazon Store
Benefits of Meeting VTR Requirements
Improved Customer Experience: Customers value transparency and tracking updates. With improved VTR compliance, sellers can ensure that customers receive real-time shipping information, which helps build trust and reduces the number of customer inquiries.
Reduced Negative Feedback: Orders with valid tracking information are less likely to lead to customer dissatisfaction. This can help sellers avoid negative feedback and boost their seller ratings.
Account Health Protection: Amazon considers your VTR when evaluating seller performance and resolving A-to-z Guarantee claims. A high VTR can safeguard your account from potential penalties, including suspension.
What Sellers Should Do
1. Review Your Shipping Partners: Since the new policy includes all shipping providers, choosing providers offering reliable tracking services is important. Ensure they can provide valid tracking numbers that customers can use to monitor their orders.
2. Audit Your Operations: Examine your shipping workflow and ensure tracking information is uploaded correctly and promptly for every order.
3. Educate Your Team: If you have a team managing your orders, make sure they are well-versed with the new VTR requirements to avoid potential slip-ups.
In conclusion, Amazon's new VTR policy for seller-fulfilled orders is a step towards making the marketplace more transparent and customer-centric. By extending tracking requirements to all shipping providers and cross-border shipments, Amazon focuses on providing customers with greater visibility over their orders. Sellers are encouraged to adjust their shipping practices to ensure compliance with the updated VTR requirements. With a 95% VTR compliance requirement at the category level, maintaining accurate tracking can improve customer satisfaction, protect account health, and contribute to a successful selling experience on Amazon.
For more information, sellers can find the complete details on Seller Central, where the update was officially announced.
Also Read: Amazon Extends Returns Window for 2024 Holidays
Follow us on Facebook, X and LinkedIn to get the latest news and updates related to online selling.
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Amazon is the registered trademark of the e-commerce brand.
About ChannelMAX.NET :
Established in 2005, ChannnelMAX has been integrated with Amazon technology since 2007, helping thousands of third-party sellers on various eCommerce platforms. Some of the eCommerce platforms, aka marketplaces, supported by ChannelMAX.NET, are Amazon, Walmart, eBay, and Shopify. Some of ChannelMAX key offerings include ChannelMAX Repricer, a pricing management tool, 2ndly, ChannelMAX FBA RefundMAX, an offering for managing Amazon FBA Refunds Reimbursement management for lost or damaged or misplaced inventory for which Amazon is responsible and for which seller deserves appropriate credit reimburse from Amazon, additionally ChannelMAX Remote (aka Virtual) Full-Time eCommerce Assistant to help 3P sellers run their day to day business. Check ChannelMAX at Amazon Selling Partner Appstore, an application with a 5 star rating.
Amazon is the registered trademark of the e-commerce brand.
About ChannelMAX.NET :