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I don't think this is right... I've been selling on Amazon for years and have never seen buyer phone numbers. I just logged in, and it doesn't show it when view

by joemi 10y ago

I don't think this is right... I've been selling on Amazon for years and have never seen buyer phone numbers. I just logged in, and it doesn't show it when viewing an order on the site, nor does it come through in the order management software I use. (In case it matter, I'm talking about Amazon.com not one of the non-US ones, and I have a Professional seller account.) Edit to add: If there really is a way to get the buyer's phone number, I'd love to know. Some shipping methods need a phone number, and thus far I've always just put my own in when this happens since I didn't have the buyer's one, and hoped it didn't matter.

jjeaff 10y ago
It previously came through the MWS order API. My custom order management software would pick it up. So you could only get it if you have a professional account. However, I believe that amazon has discontinued the practice of giving out phone numbers as of early 2014 to sellers due to some idiot sellers harassing their customers. But if you have someone's name and address, there is a decent change you can find it by googling their name. Especially if they have a land line. edit: Yes, I also logged in just now and it does in fact show phone numbers. Not sure why I stopped picking them up through the api. They may have changed the field name. Also, it is strange that there are multiple complaints about not being able to see buyer phone numbers any longer in the seller forums. I think maybe they went away for a time and are back.
- Alupis 10y ago
  I just logged in, we can still see customer's phone numbers. Maybe it's because we have an olderish account? We're on V2 of the Order Manager pages in Seller Central... Edit: > Also, it is strange that there are multiple complaints about not being able to see buyer phone numbers any longer in the seller forums. I think maybe they went away for a time and are back Amazon experiments with Seller Central a lot - it's possible some people were getting phone numbers and some weren't for a long while. We also signup for many of their "beta" programs, so perhaps that makes a difference...?
  - joemi 10y ago
    Weird. I definitely haven't seen phone numbers in our Pro account in 5+ years. I'll have to see if I can pull it from the API, but there's definitely no where on the site that shows me phone numbers.
Alupis 10y ago
I'm unsure why you don't see them. For us, it's on most order pages right below the customer's address. I've just always assumed when it's not there, the customer didn't provide one. Most seem to have a phone number, however. We have a Pro account as well, and we see the phone number both in Seller Central as well as over the API (we currently are using a MWS API version from 2011, if that makes any difference). Regarding putting your own number on the package - that is what we do with 100% of our shipments from our warehouse, and we've done it that way for more than a decade without issue. The phone numbers are supposed to be mainly used for when there's an issue with delivery, but in our experience the carrier never calls (although it would be nice if they did sometimes... but I digress). We even put our phone number on international shipments (where I'd expect the most hassle due to customs), and never had an issue. Of course, YMMV...
- Xylakant 10y ago
  Can't talk about the US, but my local carrier sometimes calls when he doesn't find the right door.

by joemi 10y ago

jjeaff 10y ago

It previously came through the MWS order API. My custom order management software would pick it up. So you could only get it if you have a professional account. However, I believe that amazon has discontinued the practice of giving out phone numbers as of early 2014 to sellers due to some idiot sellers harassing their customers. But if you have someone's name and address, there is a decent change you can find it by googling their name. Especially if they have a land line. edit: Yes, I also logged in just now and it does in fact show phone numbers. Not sure why I stopped picking them up through the api. They may have changed the field name. Also, it is strange that there are multiple complaints about not being able to see buyer phone numbers any longer in the seller forums. I think maybe they went away for a time and are back.

Alupis 10y ago
I just logged in, we can still see customer's phone numbers. Maybe it's because we have an olderish account? We're on V2 of the Order Manager pages in Seller Central... Edit: > Also, it is strange that there are multiple complaints about not being able to see buyer phone numbers any longer in the seller forums. I think maybe they went away for a time and are back Amazon experiments with Seller Central a lot - it's possible some people were getting phone numbers and some weren't for a long while. We also signup for many of their "beta" programs, so perhaps that makes a difference...?
- joemi 10y ago
  Weird. I definitely haven't seen phone numbers in our Pro account in 5+ years. I'll have to see if I can pull it from the API, but there's definitely no where on the site that shows me phone numbers.

Alupis 10y ago

I'm unsure why you don't see them. For us, it's on most order pages right below the customer's address. I've just always assumed when it's not there, the customer didn't provide one. Most seem to have a phone number, however. We have a Pro account as well, and we see the phone number both in Seller Central as well as over the API (we currently are using a MWS API version from 2011, if that makes any difference). Regarding putting your own number on the package - that is what we do with 100% of our shipments from our warehouse, and we've done it that way for more than a decade without issue. The phone numbers are supposed to be mainly used for when there's an issue with delivery, but in our experience the carrier never calls (although it would be nice if they did sometimes... but I digress). We even put our phone number on international shipments (where I'd expect the most hassle due to customs), and never had an issue. Of course, YMMV...

Xylakant 10y ago
Can't talk about the US, but my local carrier sometimes calls when he doesn't find the right door.