Proposals on how to make Merch by Amazon more agile and effective for both sides
- Strike-System for violations: To reduce the conflicts/tensions between designers and Amazon’s MBA team I recommend an ample (traffic light systems for strikes) to see the current health of your account. At the moment it’s like flying with a ribbon on our eyes as we may think that every upload could be the last one. Maybe(!) there can be different weighted punishments for different violations. At least do we know such a strike-system from YouTube.
- One Upload, Multiple Products: Still do I recommend that there should be a single upload for a design which then can be applied to different apparels (not popsockets) and you only have to type bulletpoints and co. once
- Appeal-Time: Getting an email from Amazon on a violation of the ToS can hurt. Before a strike happens (as proposed in the first sentence), there should be the chance to appeal or get the chance to provide evidence. Else there’s the risk of loosing an account for a violation that you can prove wrong.
- Pre-Review: The violations also happen because many of us designers are new to trademark topics or can’t handle it well, but due to the instant-publishing action Amazon can surely assume that we are knowingly infringe other people’s content (as we confirm that we have the rights). However, I recommend a pre-check before a submission can happen. At the moment do I hold a copy of my uploaded shirt just to know the description I used right after the submission and check it if there’s a rejection. If you reject a shirt I can’t access the description and find out the words infringing a trademark or violating your policies.
- List of Bad-Words by Amazon: Amazon has, I got told, a list of words they don’t want to see in a description. Please publish the list. A list of such a word is good, but if it exists it is like a law you violate because you can’t read what the law says.
- Under-Review-View: Maybe, if a design is under review for a longer time let us view the design and the critical part so that we can prepare a reply of clarification.
- Stats: Some stats and search functions would be cool. Like sorting for shirts which are being removed soon. Or search not only for the title but also for descriptions. People in higher tiers have spent hours and days to check their descriptions to comply with MBA’s new rules. This could be done easier (and the “One Upload” idea would help.
- Reupload: Designs that ran out could be reuploaded instead of requiring a new upload.
That’s it. I think this could help to reduce time and costs for Amazon and us as designers, but also can lower tensions if somebody looses the own account.
