this yearIn June, Tian Wei was banned from more than 200 accounts, and his store was fined up to 200 million RMB. In order to rescue the account, he went to Seattle and sold his house to save the company's life.
Like Tian Wei, there are still many Chinese sellers who have been banned. After experiencing significant changes on the platform, their business has been affected to varying degrees, but actively self-help and not giving up cross-border business are almost everyone's consensus.
two hundredmanyStoresBe sealed off,seller200 million funds withheld
Tian WeishiAfter 1995, he belonged to a young boss in the cross-border seller circle, and he engaged in e-commerce business in Shenzhen, which has the most active industry atmosphere. When he joined Amazon in 2017, he was already one of the top three sellers in the Tmall entertainment category. Entering the market with its own advantages, Tian Wei also sells this category of products on Amazon, and the cross-border journey is relatively smooth.
Introduction by Tian Wei,In 2018 and 2019, the company developed well. At its best, one independent station could produce 13000 orders per night, and the daily order volume of all stores on five Amazon sites (US, Japan, Germany, Singapore, and Brazil) reached 15000 orders. Six factories worked overtime to supply their products,In 2019, the highest sales revenue reached 800 million yuan,The total number of employees in the company's e-commerce operations and supply chain isMore than 700 people.
As the company continued to move forward, Tian Wei's company encountered the biggest upheaval: overnight, the company'sMore than 200 Amazon accounts have all been banned, and brands have also been affected.
According to Tian Wei's recollection,On June 7th, he received a phone call from an employee stating that he couldn't log in to his Amazon account. He received an email in his email indicating that the store had been closed due to browsing. Later, he further investigated the situation and found that all the company's accounts had been blocked.
(Sealed email received by Tian Wei's company store)
After learning that all accounts had been banned, Tian Wei's mood was mixed. Previously, he had also experienced a ban, but it was not on such a large scale, and the consequences were a bit serious this time. Looking back today, Tian Wei still said:At that time, I really didn't expect it to be so serious that the platform wouldn't give any opportunities
On June 7th, the account was banned, and Tian Wei was not one of the first sellers to be reorganized by Amazon. As early as the end of April this year, news spread that top selling accounts such as Patoson had been banned. At that time, the clearance of the ban began with the 3C category. In May and June, the number of sellers and brands involved in the ban suddenly increased, and the involved sellers quickly sank from top sellers in the first tier to middle sellers in the second tier, involving a wider range of categories.
Under Amazon's continuous rectification, Tian Wei was recruited.In May of this year, a seller friend from Guangzhou sent me a message saying that several of his stores had been blocked due to order swiping. They asked me if I had received an email from Amazon, and I said, 'What's the matter? We also swiped orders, and the account is still good without being blocked.' At that time, I was still feeling lucky and thought that everyone's operation methods were different, and Amazon's related violations and rectification were not uniform. Because there were previous order swiping operations, Amazon's violations and rectification were not uniform. ' I will send an email warning, and in severe cases, I will delete the link to the order.
Later on, it arrivedIn June, more and more sellers were banned for brushing orders. I realized that the situation was not right. This time, I should have closed more than one or two stores. Later, when I really got caught, I realized that the situation was serious. Amazon may want to uproot the seller of the order this time. From its own situation, this ban also involves brands. As long as the brand is under your company's name, the platform will also be completely bannedTian is called.
Tian Wei was enfeoffedMore than 200 accounts, all of which are Amazon accounts owned by his company, have been suspended. The total amount of funds squeezed from over 200 stores involved is over 200 million RMB.The account was suspended, the funds were withheld, and the company was plunged into an unprecedented crisis.
Running around Seattle, attempting to unblock the account
At the beginning of the account ban, Tian Wei tried to find a way to unblock the account. He asked many colleagues if there were any good solutions and if the blocked account had been blocked. The results told by the colleagues were all negative, and everyone was in a mess. Later, he consulted againIndustry service providerAfter inquiring about the matter of unblocking the account, I was still informed that there was no way to handle it.
Under the impact of account lockdown, Tian Wei also saw the current situation of his peers. Like him, everyone's situation was very bad, and there were no signs of account lockdown being lifted. It is understood that there has been no new progress in the blockbuster sales of trees, Patoson, Zebao, and others. After the account was blocked, sellers couldn't solve it, the only thing they could do was wait.
Before, there were many orders every day, and each department was responsible for its own duties. I was also busy all day, and after all my accounts were blocked, everyone was immediately free and didn't know what to do. I came to the office to play with my phone, and sometimes I was still chasing dramas. My overall mental state was differentIntroduction by Tian Wei.
Due to the inability to log in to the company's Amazon store and the fact that employees have nothing to do, Tian Wei's Amazon operations team in Shenzhen cannot afford the cost of time, and many employees have chosen to resign one after another. The staff of the operations team were suddenly reduced toMore than 30 people, along with employees at the supply chain end,At present, the company's employees have gone from peak to peakMore than 700 people, sharply reduced to about 100 people.
Seeing the current situation of the company, Tian Wei was extremely anxious. He tried every means to unblock his account, but could not see any hope. In order to rescue his Amazon account, he made a bold decision: to go to the office at Amazon headquarters to discuss an explanation.
this yearIn October, Tian Wei contacted his friends in the United States and boarded a flight to Seattle. He and his friends met with staff from Amazon headquarters in Seattle, USA.
According to Tian Wei, when it comes to blocking his account,Amazon's staff took out a thick booklet, which was equivalent to a detailed account of their company, clearly recording the company's order brushing information. Almost every piece of information you swipe through your own order can be found in the brochure.
When Tian Wei saw the brushing record booklet, he felt a bit hopeless.
Regarding order swiping, no matter how well you disguise it, fake or fake, Amazon will definitely be able to find you. For example, if you go to a friend to swipe an order and think it won't be caught, but in fact, the platform will know that your transfer records may be exposed, and the seller's swiping operation is difficult to escape Amazon's system. Therefore, Amazon is not unable to catch the seller swiping an order, but it is the question of whether it should touch you and when to touch you. "Tian Wei said.
Coming out of the Seattle office, Tian Wei's heart was heavy. He had already vaguely anticipated an outcome: Amazon caught violating orders, he was caught, and there was evidence left, and the company was bannedMore than 200 accounts may not be able to return.
When it comes to the issue of brushing orders, Tian Wei admits that he does indeed engage in brushing behavior, and there is a lot of activity in brushing orders. He said,When the company was most aggressive in brushing orders, they boughtMore than 500 mobile phones, with a dedicated server rented for order swiping, all of these payments are made through more than 10 bank cards, which have completed millions of order payments. Amazon should be able to easily check.
Why is the volume of company orders so large? Tian Wei bluntly stated that this is related to the category he operates. Sexual products cannot be directly advertised on Amazon, but can only be implanted through third parties. This type of advertising is relatively expensive and the effect is not good. Many sellers in the category are looking for breakthroughs and see better results in order brushing.
The most basic way to attract consumers to make purchases is to create a data for them to see. Anyone who buys a product cannot choose you precisely among billions of products. They must look at the product's evaluation and see that someone likes it before making a purchase. If you don't order, it's difficult for your product to attract consumers' attention, and the size of the product itself is relatively small. So, brushing orders may be one of the most effective methods.
Many sellers of erotic products engage in order brushing behavior. It is possible that novice sellers may brush fewer orders, while sellers who work longer may brush more orders. For this category, not being able to swipe orders may be equivalent to having no source of life input.Nowadays, many merchants in this category around them are looking for alternative solutions after being unable to place orders.
Previously, Tian Wei had always believed that brushing orders was not inappropriate. It was not until this year that Amazon closed down its stores on a large scale, experienced a series of events such as account lockdowns, billions of funds being withheld, and going to Seattle to lift the lockdown without success that he gained a deeper understanding of his cross-border business.
Sell Shenzhen3 suites for company renewal
The collection funds have been withheld, and the company still needs funds to maintain its operations. Tian WeiOver 6 million yuan sold the last apartment in Shenzhen, along with a car.
Tian Wei said that the company went downhill last year, and the lockdown incident can be seen as the last straw.
In 2020, the COVID-19 broke out worldwide and became a booster for online shopping. Sales of household kitchens, sports equipment and other categories soared. Many cross-border sellers rely on the domestic supply chaintransportShi made unexpected wealth and then had a burst of confidence in this year's business, but Tian Wei did not enjoy this dividend.
Our product raw materials are purchased from the United States and then processed. After the outbreak of the epidemic, the price of raw materials has increased significantly, with one price per day. Previously, it was about 40000 yuan/ton, but now it has doubled and may not be available yet. Therefore, some people hoard this raw material in large quantities
Tian Wei candidly stated that the company's success in Amazon also depends on this raw material. Raw materials in places such as South Korea and Japan are not as high-quality as those in the United States. During the epidemic, the prices of raw materials in the United States have skyrocketed and there have been frequent shortages, causing factories to be unable to produce and supply goods normally, directly leading to the awkward situation of having orders but no goods.
High shipping costs are also a disadvantage,What's the use of having too many orders? The shipping cost is too expensive, it has been doubled several times, and there is no price for a container, "said Tian Wei. Due to logistics stagnation or interruption, many countries are unable to ship; In addition, the increase in European electronic product tax points has also affected the company's profits.
Tian Wei roughly estimated that the company's profit last year should beMore than 200 million yuan. But the operation of the store requires working capital, including payment from suppliers and loans. The company also needs to pay a series of expenses to operate normally, and all funds flow through the Amazon business chain, so the actual funds in hand are not very large. The snowball is getting bigger and bigger, and the company's investment begins to exceed its output.
In order to turnover, Tian Wei sold two houses in Shenzhen last year, totalingMore than 15 million yuan.
In terms of domestic e-commerce, Pinduoduo is attracting a large number of users, and Tian Wei has closed two stores on Tmall, focusing on the former.
Although the performance has declined, based on the comprehensive situation of domestic and foreign business, Tian Wei's company can still maintain. However, this year, there has been a wave of account suspensions.You have a straw in your heart, and Amazon is like a pair of scissors. Originally, if you could survive and make a living, then I'll give you another plate and you'll be completely cold, "he said.
After the lockdown incident, Tian Wei sold his last house in Shenzhen. At this point, he isThe three units purchased in 2018 have all changed hands, with a total of over 20 million units sold, and he has never lived in any of them.
Press the Amazon pause button and wait for the opportunity
I took a heavy blow from Amazon, but Tian Wei didn't lie down. He has adjusted his form and is waiting for a new opportunity. Wading through the waters of domestic and foreign e-commerce, in his words,Amazon cannot give up.
In 2012, Tian Wei began opening stores on Taobao, which coincided with the platform's dividend period. At first, he worked in the live category, but later, due to the illegal sale of parrots prohibited by the state by merchants, the platform underwent reform. Tian Wei gave up this category and switched to sex toys. In 2013, an acquaintance came into contact with this industry and felt that it had great potential. At that time, they developed their first potential project product, which was a seamless process from product selection to various aspects
From Taobao to Tmall, and then to AliExpress, Tian Wei has entered the cross-border e-commerce industry.In 2017, he started working on Amazon and is now considered a veteran seller.
What are the benefits of cross-border e-commerce compared to domestic e-commerce? He said:Relatively speaking, the profits of various platforms during the dividend period are quite considerable. However, if you compare China with Amazon, you can earn 1 cent domestically and 4 cents on Amazon, which is four times the profit
Tian Wei stated that when he started working on Amazon, he didn't have much money. He chose sex products because he had supply chain resources and had just joined a new platform. He didn't have much advantage in the early stages, so he could only choose slightly unpopular or promising categories; For example, categories such as clothing or daily necessities are relatively expensive, while products such as mother and baby products or electronic technology also require a large amount of funding or high entry barriers. And the category you have chosen has a lower threshold, relatively high profits, and great potential.
Doing AmazonAfter 5 years of being banned this year, many factories around Tian Wei in the same category as him are also planning their way out. "Those who should change their careers in the future will all change their careers. Many of them are bankrupt, some go to Tiktok, some change their categories, and some go to work."
Tian Wei hasn't left, he's readyFive accounts continue to work on Amazon, choosing the same category as before, but only a dozen orders per day, which is not comparable to the peak period. We can't give up. After this storm, we hope there will be more
Having been in e-commerce for many years, Tian Wei believes that by boldly taking action in times of adversity, one can seize opportunities, and there is no shortage of bold people who were previously lacking. He understands that many sellers are rushing into Amazon:If you want to be an Amazon person this year, you must be bold. Amazon is a normal trend, and more and more people will come in later. If one group of people falls, another group will make up, and there will never be a shortage. If you fail, there will be more people coming in one after another
In the field of cross-border e-commerce, in addition to Amazon, Tian Wei alsoIn November, Tik Tok was started for drainage. Some users are interested after watching the video, and merchants can list their Amazon store or personal contact information.
In order to enhance risk resistance, multiple sellers have started to stand independently, but Tian Wei did not intend to do so because not every product is suitable. Previously, one of its independent stations in Malaysia could have sunriseMore than 10000 orders, but due to the impact of the epidemic, local live streaming is no longer possible, and the independent website business has not continued.
However, cross-border e-commerce business can no longer support the company's operations. Currently, Tian Wei's company mainly relies on domestic Pinduoduo business for maintenance.
For many of this year's experiences, this young manAfter 95, I accepted it calmly. People have been working all the time, accumulating over time, and everything that needs to be experienced will be experienced. Everyone will grow, and it is impossible to stay in the same place all the time. However, his mindset has also undergone some changes: "In the past, my mindset was to make more money when it is easy to make money when I am young, but now I feel that money is difficult to make
epilogue
In the first half of this year, Amazon's powerful cash flow ability spread throughout the streets and alleys, and many people are eager to get close to this gold sucking beast,
Here's oneThe good wind relies on its strength to send me up to the blue clouds.
On April 23rd, a cross-border e-commerce offline forum in Shenzhen was crowded out. Due to the large number of attendees present, the situation got out of control, and the speech was forced to be suspended, leading to the evacuation of the crowd. Just a week later, the bustling Amazon industry suddenly changed, and the main account of the big seller, Patoson, was banned, leading to a wave of account closures.
The lockdown lasted for several months, triggering an industry earthquake,3C and other categories underwent a major reshuffle, with companies being banned ranging from downsizing to bankruptcy, resulting in constant attention and coverage within and outside the industry. In an instant, Amazon seems to have transformed from the rumored 'money seeking boy' into a nightmare, with capital standing still and sellers struggling to survive.
Cross border e-commerce is thriving, and Amazon's thunder has shaken off the gorgeous robes worn by the industry, revealing the lice inside.
The trigger for the ban incident is manipulation of comments such as small cards, but it goes beyond that. Amazon responded that the banned seller has engaged in multiple, repeated, and serious abuse of comments, as well as other violations, such as forging identity, bribery (in cooperation with some gray industry parties), and selling illegal products.
Amazon scraped its bones to heal its wounds, and almost half of its life was lost when the seller company was recruited. They carefully divided the remaining eggs into different baskets, and the 10 billion yuan oversold Tongtuo started training. Other sellers are also diversifying risks and increasing profit points through multi-platform layout, adding independent websites, and supporting potential sellers.
For onlookers, in addition to the palpitations caused by the outbreak of the ban wave, more people agree with the platform's clean air action. The trend of compliance on Amazon is strong, and brushing orders is seen by some sellers asThe "suicide" label has significantly reduced the industry's evaluation operations. Long term sellers believe that everyone is on the same starting line.
In the category of blockbuster sales, many people have already targeted the vacated market vacancies and hope to replace them. After this grand rectification, as Amazon said, the sales volume of Chinese sellers has not changed, they have only become an intermediary in the sales chain.