High seller ratings are vital for Amazon sellers. They tell shoppers whether you are able to manage your inventory, handle shipments on time, and they determine if you are able to meet customer expectations or not. You can stay on top of all of these critical seller responsibilities and more with a third-party Amazon inventory management system like SellerMobile to help you track and monitor your orders, while automating multiple steps.
An Amazon seller inventory app helps you streamline every step of order management from order download to fulfillment. You can update order status–editing order details or assigning warehouses–all in bulk. By automating the process, you reduce the risk of input errors while saving time and providing transparency to your customers.
What is Valid Tracking Rate, or VTR?
The Valid Tracking Rate (VTR) is a performance metric that measures how often sellers use valid tracking numbers on their delivered orders. These numbers help Amazon customers know where their orders are and when they will be received.
A valid tracking number consists of:
- Correct name of the delivery service provider
- The specific delivery service used for all seller-fulfilled orders
- An error-free tracking ID for seller-fulfilled orders shipped with a tracking system
The VTR percentage is calculated by dividing the number of packages delivered with a valid tracking number by the total number of packages a seller has delivered and confirmed.
VTR % = # of packages delivered with a valid tracking number / total # of packages delivered & confirmed
On April 19, 2021, Amazon announced that UK sellers need to maintain a 95% VTR over a rolling 30-day period in order to keep their seller rating. Otherwise, they will have restrictions on selling non-FBA items and no longer be eligible for premium shipping and guaranteed delivery.
Having a high VTR means:
- improved customer fulfillment
- better seller feedback ratings
- reduced costs on lost orders
- boosted customer conversion rate
- protection from A-to-Z guarantee claims
How to Improve VTR
Simplify the order fulfillment processes with an Amazon seller inventory app so you can add your 3PL and other fulfillment partners, assign work orders to on-ground staff, and print shipping labels directly in the software to speed up your tasks.
To improve your VTR, Amazon suggests the following:
- Fill up the tracking information correctly and verify the tracking number
- Use Amazon-integrated carriers and match carrier details with the tracking information
- Make sure to confirm and update the tracking information before the order is shipped out
Bottom Line
As a seller, having a healthy Valid Tracking Rate helps you increase sales and drive customer conversions. Customers expect accurate shipping and delivery updates, as well as transparency from sellers so they can determine if a seller is trustworthy or not. You can utilize an Amazon inventory management system to help you monitor the progress on your orders. Having a high VTR shows Amazon that you care about your customers’ welfare, which is critical to Amazon and how they regard sellers.
