From the Frontlines: Your Amazon Guy

  1. What is Born to Run? Born to Run is an invite-only program that allows you to request orders for a product by telling Amazon how many units of that product you expect to sell through in 10 weeks. Amazon will review your request and – if approved – will buy up to that amount in the form of guaranteed-sale purchase-orders. Units that don’t sell through within 10 weeks are subject to returns OR retention fees (vendor choice).
  2. Why should I use Born to Run? Born to Run allows you to encourage Amazon to increase our inventory position in your products, including during product launches or planned marketing campaigns. Doing so will decrease out of stock risk and allow you to capture the full upside of a sales spike.

  3. What happens if my product hasn’t sold after the period ends?You can choose what you want Amazon to do with any inventory that is unsold after the 10 week sell-through period, choosing between the following preferences:

    1. Amazon may return unsold units, taking into account weeks of cover and sell-through. In case any such unsold units are returned by Amazon, you will refund 100% of the product cost for any units so returned, plus 10% shipping and handling fees
    2. Amazon will keep unsold units. You will provide Amazon a ‘retention fee’ equal to 25% of the cost of the unsold units. Note that Amazon’s standard terms for returning defective or damaged units still applies.
  4. What ASINs can participate? Items with low inventory. Amazon reserves the right to refuse any submission.
  5. When should I expect a PO? Before you submit an ASIN for Born to Run, please ensure (1) you currently have ample stock of the ASIN(s) on hand and (2) your warehouse team is ready to process the order immediately. The timing of the PO will depend on many factors, but the average Born to Run PO is generated on the same day (POs can take up to 2 business days from approval).
  6. What are the fees associated with the program? There is no additional cost or fee for using the Born to Run Program.
  7. When will returns for my Born To Run inventory be initiated? Assuming you have selected the return preference for unsold inventory, Amazon will assess whether to return any unsold inventory at the end of the 10 week sellthrough period depending on our inventory health. If Amazon decides to return any unsold inventory to you, the returns can start as soon as the week following the end of the 10 week sellthrough period.
  8. Why is my BTR ASIN showing as OOS?I have already shipped the inventory. This means Amazon is seeing higher demand than what Amazon has on hand and in transit. Your Born to Run ASIN should show as instock on our systems as soon as Amazon has the units from open POs received in our warehouses.
  9. Can I negotiate offers on unsold inventory after the sellthrough period so I don’t get returns or get charged a retention fee?No, any unsold inventory at the end of the 10 week sellthrough period will be subject to the preference you would have selected on submission to the Born to Run program.
  10. Who pays freight for product being shipped to Amazon? Is it Amazon or the vendor? This will be in compliance with your existing Freight terms.
  11. Who pays return freight for items going back to the vendor that did not sell? You will refund us for 10% shipping/handling fees on returns of any unsold Born To Run inventory if this is the preference you have chosen.
  12. Is Born to Run only for new product launches? No, it can also be used for cases where you believe our usual level of PO quantities for an existing ASIN should be higher for reasons such as a planned marketing campaign.