Report: Amazon brings social distancing to third-party vetting

Retailers who want to sell via Amazon Marketplace must reportedly participate in a video conference.

According to Reuters, Amazon is expanding a pilot it launched in February 2020 to conduct video interviews of prospective third-party sellers on Amazon Marketplace. The program began in January with in-person meetings, but the e-tail giant shifted to virtual meetings in February due to concerns over spreading COVID-19.  

So far, Amazon has conducted over 1,000 videoconferences with hopeful Amazon Marketplace sellers in the U.S., U.K., China, and Japan. The interviews are designed to help prevent fraudulent sellers from creating multiple accounts. To read the full article, click here.

Amazon is facing increasing scrutiny of fraudulent and unethical activities conducted by third-party Marketplace sellers, including pandemic-related price gouging and customer injuries resulting from faulty products.