How to get an Amazon payment report

Amazon Seller University

30 Sept 202209:55

Summary

TLDRThis training video explains Amazon's bi-weekly payment settlement process for sellers. It outlines how to access and interpret payment reports in Seller Central, detailing the calculation of balances, transactions, and payouts. The video covers the settlement process, including beginning balances, sales, expenses, refunds, and reserves. It also discusses standard and invoiced orders, deferred transactions, and the importance of account-level reserves. Additionally, it guides viewers on using the payments dashboard for transaction details, downloading reports, and understanding payout statuses.

Takeaways

💼 Amazon settles seller accounts every two weeks, which includes adding sales, subtracting expenses, and adjusting for refunds.
🔍 To view payment details, use the payment report in Seller Central, accessible via the Reports section.
📊 The statement view section provides summaries of current and past settlement periods, including total balances and available funds.
💰 The total balance reflects all sales, expenses, and refunds, while available funds are what's set aside for transfer to the seller.
📉 Recent payouts show the amount transferred to the seller at the end of the previous settlement period, also known as disbursements.
🛒 Standard orders account is for normal customer purchases, while invoiced orders account is for business customers who pay via billing invoices.
⏲️ Deferred transactions are for pending orders due to delivery policies or unpaid invoices and are shown separately in the dashboard.
📈 The dashboard also includes a graph that breaks down settlement periods for standard and invoiced order accounts, excluding deferred transactions.
🔑 To understand the financial details, explore the net proceeds, beginning balance, sales, refunds, expenses, and account level reserve sections.
🔎 Transaction view allows sellers to locate and view specific orders, refunds, expenses, and other charges, with filters for customization.
💡 Downloadable transaction level reports and disbursement details are available, helping sellers keep track of payouts and account statuses.

Q & A

How frequently does Amazon settle payments for sellers?
-Amazon settles payments for sellers every two weeks.
What factors are considered when calculating a seller's payout?
-The payout calculation includes the beginning balance, sales, expenses, refunds, and an amount withheld in reserve.
How can a seller access their payment report on Amazon?
-A seller can access their payment report by navigating to the 'Payments' section under the 'Reports' menu in Seller Central.
What is the purpose of the 'statement view' section in the payments dashboard?
-The 'statement view' section provides summaries of current or open settlement periods, as well as previous or closed settlement periods.
What is the difference between 'total balance' and 'funds available' in a seller's account?
-The 'total balance' reflects all sales, expenses, and refunds to date, including the amount held in reserve. 'Funds available' refers to the portion of the total balance set aside for transfer to the seller.
What is a 'recent payout' and where can it be found in the payments dashboard?
-A 'recent payout' is the amount transferred to the seller at the end of the previous settlement period. It can be found in the 'statement view' section of the payments dashboard.
What is an 'invoiced orders account' and how does it differ from a 'standard orders account'?
-An 'invoiced orders account' is for orders made by qualified Amazon business customers who pay by receiving billing invoices from Amazon. A 'standard orders account' is used for orders paid for by customers through normal shopping in the Amazon store.
What are 'deferred transactions' and why are they considered pending?
-Deferred transactions are for pending orders, which can be pending due to a delivery policy or an unpaid invoice. They are considered pending until the order is fulfilled or the invoice is paid.
How can a seller view and interpret their net proceeds amount?
-The net proceeds amount is the total after considering the beginning balance, sales, refunds, expenses, and account reserve. For open settlement periods, it matches the 'funds available' at settlement end. For past settlement periods, it matches the amount transferred to the seller.
What is the significance of the 'account level Reserve' and why is it held?
-The 'account level Reserve' is an amount held in the account to ensure the seller has funds to fulfill financial obligations, such as A to Z guarantee claims, chargebacks, or income tax withholdings.
How can a seller download a transaction level report from their payments dashboard?
-A seller can download a transaction level report by navigating to the 'all statements' section of the payments dashboard, filtering by custom date range, and clicking the download button for the relevant report.
What does the payout status indicate and how long does it take for funds to appear in the bank account after payout status is 'done'?
-The payout status indicates the stages of payout processing, from 'scheduled' to 'acknowledged by Amazon's Bank provider'. After the status is 'done', it can take up to five business days for funds to appear in the seller's bank account.

Outlines

00:00

💼 Understanding Amazon Seller Payments

This paragraph explains the Amazon payment settlement process for sellers. Payments are settled every two weeks, starting with the beginning balance, adding sales, subtracting expenses, adjusting for refunds, and withholding a reserve amount. The reserved amount becomes the starting balance for the next period. To review past payments or upcoming payouts, sellers can use the payment report in Seller Central. The paragraph guides sellers on how to access payment reports, interpret balances, transactions, and other information. It also details the different accounts such as standard orders and invoiced orders, and explains the concept of deferred transactions and how they are displayed in the payment dashboard.

05:01

📊 Analyzing Amazon Seller Payment Reports

The second paragraph delves into the specifics of Amazon's payment reports, focusing on the statement view section of the payments dashboard. It describes how to view account balances, available funds, and recent payouts. The paragraph outlines the components of net proceeds, including beginning balance, sales, refunds, expenses, and account reserve. It also explains the transaction view section where sellers can locate specific orders, refunds, and other charges. The paragraph further discusses the process of downloading transaction level reports and understanding payout statuses. It concludes with guidance on generating and downloading custom date range reports, emphasizing the importance of maintaining valid bank account and credit card information for timely payouts.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Settlement Period

A settlement period refers to the duration between two payout dates when Amazon calculates the financial transactions of a seller's account. In the script, it is mentioned that Amazon settles seller accounts every two weeks, which means the settlement period is a two-week cycle. This is a critical concept as it defines the time frame within which sales, refunds, and expenses are tallied before a payout is made to the seller.

💡Beginning Balance

The beginning balance is the starting point for financial calculations at the commencement of a new settlement period. It is derived from the reserve amount held from the previous settlement. The script explains that if the last transfer was successful, the beginning balance will be equal to the reserve amount from the prior period, serving as the foundation for the new settlement period's financial transactions.

💡Sales

Sales in the context of the script represent the revenue generated from customer orders during a settlement period. This includes the product charges, which are the seller's price multiplied by the quantity sold, as well as amounts collected for shipping, taxes, and regulatory fees. Sales are a fundamental component of the settlement process as they contribute to the total balance in a seller's account.

💡Expenses

Expenses are the costs deducted from a seller's account during a settlement period. As outlined in the script, these include Amazon charges such as referral fees, FBA fees, advertising costs, and other charges like coupon redemption fees. Understanding expenses is essential for sellers to manage their accounts effectively and to anticipate the net proceeds from their sales.

💡Refunds

Refunds are financial adjustments made to a seller's account due to customer returns or chargebacks. The script distinguishes between refunded expenses, which are added back to the account, and refunded sales, which are subtracted. The net refund amount can affect the total balance, and it is an important aspect of the settlement process as it reflects the final financial position after customer satisfaction is accounted for.

💡Reserve

A reserve is an amount withheld by Amazon from a seller's payout to ensure there are funds available to cover future financial obligations such as A-to-Z guarantee claims or chargebacks. The script mentions that reserves are a normal part of selling on Amazon and can also include amounts withheld for tax or performance metrics. The reserve is crucial for maintaining the financial integrity of the seller's account.

💡Disbursement

Disbursement refers to the transfer of funds from Amazon to the seller's bank account at the end of a settlement period. The script uses the term 'recent payout' to describe the amount transferred, which is also known as a disbursement. This term is significant as it signifies the actual payment received by the seller, reflecting the culmination of the settlement process.

💡Deferred Transactions

Deferred transactions are orders that are pending and not yet included in the current settlement period's total balance. The script explains that these can be due to delivery policies or unpaid invoices. Deferred transactions are important for sellers to monitor as they represent potential future income that will be added to the account once the order is fulfilled and the payment is received.

💡Available Funds

Available funds are the portion of a seller's total balance that is set aside for transfer to the seller's bank account. The script mentions that these funds can be viewed at different stages of the settlement period, either as they are currently set aside or projected for transfer at the end of the period. Understanding available funds is vital for sellers to manage their cash flow and financial planning.

💡Payment Report

A payment report is a detailed financial statement provided by Amazon that outlines the transactions, balances, and payouts for a seller's account. The script instructs sellers on how to access and interpret payment reports in Seller Central, which include information on balances, transactions, and other relevant data. Payment reports are essential tools for sellers to track their financial performance and ensure accurate accounting.

💡Seller Central

Seller Central is the platform where Amazon sellers manage their account details, including accessing payment reports and other financial information. The script guides sellers on navigating Seller Central to locate payment reports, which is a key resource for managing their business on Amazon. Seller Central serves as the central hub for sellers to monitor and control their sales activities and financial health.

Highlights

Amazon settles seller accounts every two weeks.

Payment calculation includes beginning balance, sales, expenses, refunds, and reserve withholding.

Reserved amount becomes the beginning balance for the next settlement period.

Use Seller Central's payment report to understand past and upcoming payouts.

Access payment reports via the Seller Central main menu under 'Reports' and then 'Payments'.

Statement view provides summaries of current and previous settlement periods.

Total balance reflects all sales, expenses, and refunds to date, including reserve.

Funds available are the portion of the total balance set for transfer to the seller.

Recent payouts show the amount transferred at the end of the previous settlement period.

Standard orders account is for orders paid by customers through normal shopping.

Invoiced orders account is for orders from business customers paying via billing invoices.

Deferred transactions are for pending orders due to delivery policy or unpaid invoices.

Deferred transactions balance acts as a placeholder for payments pending release.

All accounts row shows the sum of released and deferred transactions.

Graph in statement view breaks down settlement periods for standard and invoiced orders.

Net proceeds amount is the total after all adjustments are made.

Beginning balance is carried over from the previous settlement period.

Sales amount includes product charges, shipping, taxes, and regulatory fees.

Refund amount combines refunded expenses and sales.

Expenses amount includes Amazon charges such as referral and FBA fees.

Account level Reserve ensures funds for financial obligations like A to Z claims and chargebacks.

Transaction view allows locating specific orders, refunds, and Amazon-initiated charges.

Download transaction level reports from the 'All statements' section of the payments dashboard.

Disbursement section shows payout amounts and statuses for each settlement period.

Date range reports allow generating custom transaction and summary reports.

Ensure valid bank account and credit card information for receiving payments.

Maintain good standing in your seller account to prevent payment delays.