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Amazon Decides Sellers Must Publicly Display Their Name and Address

From September, any third-party seller on Amazon.com must display name and address details publicly.

 & Matthew Humphries Former Senior Editor

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Amazon really wants its customers to have confidence the products they are buying are legitimate, especially when they choose to purchase from a third-party seller. So from September, Amazon is insisting sellers publicly list their name and address.

As GeekWire reports, such details are already listed on Amazon across Europe, as well as in Mexico and Japan. The change in September extends the policy to Amazon.com so US consumers can always view seller details, too. Amazon informed third-party sellers about the new policy by way of a letter, which explained, "Beginning on September 1, 2020, we will display a seller’s business name and address on their Amazon.com Seller Profile page. For individuals, we will display the individual name and address."

With regards to why the change is being made, the letter continues, "We are making this change to ensure there is a consistent baseline of seller information to help customers make informed shopping decisions." It goes on to suggest sharing more business information beyond name and address is encouraged, as long as it's helpful to customers.

Last month, Amazon launched a Counterfeit Crime Unit, consisting of a global team dedicated to taking down bogus product listings and the sellers behind them. It follows an investment last year by the company of $500 million and over 8,000 employees focused on combating fraud. The demand for name and address listings is just the latest improvement in the ongoing battle against fraudsters.

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Matthew Humphries

Matthew Humphries

Former Senior Editor

My Experience

I started working at PCMag in November 2016, covering all areas of technology and video game news. Before that I spent nearly 15 years working at Geek.com as a writer and editor. I also spent the first six years after leaving university as a professional game designer working with Disney, Games Workshop, 20th Century Fox, and Vivendi.

I hold two degrees: a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and a Master's degree in Games Development. My first book, Make Your Own Pixel Art, is available from all good book shops.

My Areas of Expertise

  • PC components and system building
  • Raspberry Pi
  • Software development
  • Storage technology
  • Video games and gaming hardware

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