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Full-Time FBA

Turn part-time hours into a full-time income via Amazon FBA

Turn Part-Time Hours into a Full-Time Income via Amazon FBA
Home Keepa Breaking News: Keepa and CamelCamelCamel Remove Free Access to Sales Rank Data

Breaking News: Keepa and CamelCamelCamel Remove Free Access to Sales Rank Data

February 21, 2019 By Stephen Smotherman 18 Comments

One of the most important pieces of information needed in making a smart and profitable sourcing decision is the sales rank number. Knowing the sales rank number helps sellers like you and me to have more confidence in knowing how fast (or how slow) an item on Amazon will sell. The lower the sales rank number, the faster the sales (on average). Even better is knowing the sales rank history of an item when making a smart sourcing decision.

For years, resources like Keepa and CamelCamelCamel have provided (for free) the sales rank history and pricing history of almost every item sold on Amazon. But times are changing, and to help websites like Keepa and CamelCamelCamel stay in business, a few of the vital pieces of data (like sales rank history) have been removed from the free plans.

Now, before I go any further, don’t freak out. This might even be a good thing for those of us serious about making money on Amazon. I’ll tell you why in a moment, but first I want to give you more details on the recent changes from Keepa and CamelCamelCamel.

Keepa Update:

As of 2/21/19, Keepa has been updated and now certain data points require a paid subscription: vital data like sales rank history, buy box, new/used/collectible offer counts, review counts, and more.

The sales rank history info (along with other advanced data) is still accessible, but only after a monthly subscription is set up (under $20/month or 15€/mo).

The pricing information for Amazon/new/used/collectible/condition is still accessible under the free account, but some of the more important data points are now behind a monthly pay wall. For more details from Keepa about this update, click here.

CamelCamelCamel Update:

As of 2/28/19, CamelCamelCamel (CCC) has removed access to the sales rank tab. The sale rank tabs currently have a note that says, “Sales rank history has been disabled, we do not expect it to return, and we are unable to respond to any support requests regarding it.”

It’s not for certain why CCC removed sales rank data, but there are a few ideas that come to mind. CCC recently had to update their servers and backup servers, which cost them tens of thousands to replace, so that may be one reason they have decided no longer track sales rank data. Less data to track means less servers used and less money to keep the site running well.

Plus, the main purpose of CCC has always been to serve Amazon customers, not Amazon sellers.  Since the beginning of CCC, they’ve had the goal to help Amazon customers save money by tracking the price fluctuations of items on Amazon. CCC wanted customers to know how prices go up and down so they can set pricing alerts and better plan when to buy something. They never had the goal to become a go-to resource for Amazon sellers, but over the years, Amazon sellers found ways to use the CCC data to make better sourcing decisions.

The pricing tab (for Amazon/3rd party new/3rd party used) is still free to view, as are the price watch tracking and notifications, but the sales rank data is no more.

Sales rank history on Keepa is now no longer free to view. I’m not freaking out and here is why:

1. The data you get with the paid subscription for Keepa is well worth the price of just under $20/month (15€/mo). In fact, it’s a steal for the game-changing info Keepa provides. Seriously, if you don’t see the value with Keepa, you might not be using it the right way.

2. I’m shocked that this data has been free for so long. Be thankful for the time you’ve had free access to the sales rank and other info up to now.

3. If just under $20/month is “too much,” then you need to evaluate if selling on Amazon is just a hobby or if it’s a legitimate business. Hobbies drain you of money, but businesses make you money. I think Keepa is a vital part of a profitable Amazon business.

4. Any time there is a barrier to anything, fewer people are going to be willing to go through that barrier. With a pay wall to access sales rank history data, buy box numbers, and other vital data, this means there will be fewer people who are making smart sourcing decisions. Those who don’t use the paid version of Keepa will most likely be buying more duds, going too deep on inventory that won’t sell quickly enough, and wasting a lot of money on inventory they should have not purchased in the first place. For some sellers, not using Keepa will cause them to give up and quit. This means there will be less competition in making good sourcing decisions.

This might seem like a lot to take in. Changes like this can be hard.

Take a deep breath. It’s going to be ok.

Here are a few questions you might be asking:

Q – Will the Keepa graphs still be accessible through sourcing apps like Scoutify?

A – I spoke with Kimberly McCaffery from Inventory Lab, and she said they are closely monitoring the situation. Right now, Inventory Lab still has quick links to Keepa and CCC graphs, but you’ll still need a Keepa data subscription to see the sales rank history, buy box price history, and the other features behind the pay wall. As for Scoutify, if you sign up for the Keepa data subscription and log in, you can see all the data just fine. One login to Keepa the first time you use Scoutify to access the full Keepa graphs and you’re good to go for a day of sourcing.

Q – I need to use Keepa on many devices, do I need a paid account for each device?

A – No, you can use the same login information for multiple devices that you or your team are using.

Q – Does Keepa have a support system where I can ask questions directly?

A – Yes, you can comment on Keepa’s update announcement post, and a Keepa rep will eventually reply. You might even see your question has already been asked and get your answer much faster.

Overall, I think this will be a positive change for those of us who are focused on seeing reselling on Amazon as a profitable business model. If you’re just using Amazon as a hobby and this change frustrates you, then it might be a good time to consider other hobbies.

I seriously can’t imagine running a profitable Amazon business without tools like Keepa. Seriously, Keepa helps me make much smarter sourcing decisions, much better pricing decisions, and are both totally worth paying for.

Take a deep breath. It’s going to be ok.

You know how I use Keepa? Not only does Keepa show me the sales rank history and pricing history, it also shows me other important data, like buy box history, used item history, Amazon in stock history, competitor’s stock levels, and so much more.

To find out everything there is to know about using Keepa to make smart sourcing decisions, be sure to check out our course, The Reseller’s Guide to Keepa: Using Amazon Sales History to Make Smart Sourcing Decisions.

This course will walk you through everything you need to know to make sense of Keepa in ways you’ve never thought of. With this course, you’ll make better sourcing decisions, better pricing decisions, and you’ll grow your Amazon business to the next level by selling your inventory faster and at higher prices!

I can’t wait to share all of this info with you in our updated course, The Reseller’s Guide to Keepa. 

 

If you always want to be “in the know” first about breaking news like this (and more), then you should do two things.

1. Join the Full-Time FBA Facebook group. We posted about this update in the group yesterday and have had some great conversations about how to best respond to this change. Click here to request to join (we’ll ask you three quick questions to make sure you’re not a spammer or a bot before approving your admission into the group).

2. Subscribe to the Full-Time FBA newsletter! You’ll get info like this emailed to you ASAP, as well as weekly updates with all the Amazon profit strategies, free video trainings, discount coupon codes, honest resource reviews, and all the latest ways you can turn part-time hours into a full-time income with Amazon FBA. Click here to subscribe.

Filed Under: App Reviews, CamelCamelCamel, Keepa, Resources, Sourcing, Tools

About Stephen Smotherman

Stephen loves helping people turn part-time hours into a full-time income via Amazon FBA. When not reselling or blogging, Stephen enjoys reading with his wife Rebecca, playing games with his kids, serving at his church, and watching baseball.

Comments

  1. Chastity Grant says

    February 22, 2019 at 7:09 am

    Great blog to settle the unsettled masses! I know this will not effect Scout in IL, but was wondering if you have heard anything about Tactical Arbitrage. I just went through the free academy trainings last night and want to give the program a try. So far I have not been successful with Oaxray or Source Mogul. Before I sign up for the trial, was curious if I would have to sign up for Keepa to see the charts in TA

    Reply
    • Stephen Smotherman says

      February 22, 2019 at 10:36 am

      Yes. To see the sales rank graphs via TA in the future, you’ll need to sign up for a Keepa data subscription here: https://www.fulltimefba.com/keepa. I can tell you that it’s well worth the cost for the profitable data you’ll be getting.

      Reply
  2. Panda Polk says

    February 22, 2019 at 7:53 am

    I noticed the change on the Feb. 21st on Amazon and the Scoutify App. You say sales rank data is still available through Scoutify but I still can’t see it on my Scoutify app. Yes, I am logged in Keepa Acct. Has it been shut off from Scoutify too?

    Reply
    • Stephen Smotherman says

      February 22, 2019 at 10:39 am

      Do you have a paid data subscription to Keepa? That’s how you’ll see the sales rank history. You can still use the Scoutify app to access Keepa graphs, but will need to login to Keepa to see the full graphs. If you don’t have a paid data subscription, you can sign up here: https://www.fulltimefba.com/keepa.

      Reply
      • Panda Polk says

        February 22, 2019 at 2:05 pm

        Ok. So to access on Scoutify you still have to pay Keepa? Your post lead me to believe it was still free thru Scoutify. I misunderstood.

        Thx

        Reply
        • Stephen Smotherman says

          February 22, 2019 at 3:37 pm

          You can still access the free data from Keepa via Scoutify, but to get 100% of the data, you’ll need to pay for a data subscription for Keepa and then login to Keepa when you’re in Scoutify next time. More info: https://www.fulltimefba.com/keepa

          Reply
  3. Олег says

    February 23, 2019 at 12:56 am

    Very useful and positive article!
    Thanks!

    Reply
  4. Damien Sons says

    February 23, 2019 at 11:04 pm

    how much is the subscription for CamelCamelCamel?

    Reply
    • Stephen Smotherman says

      February 25, 2019 at 5:00 pm

      There is none right now. CamelCamelCamel has announced they will no longer track sales rank data.

      Reply
      • Carol says

        March 8, 2019 at 4:28 pm

        It seems clear to me that Keepa paid camelcamelcamel perhaps a substantial amount to eliminate showing sales rank.

        Reply
  5. Mysleth says

    February 27, 2019 at 10:10 pm

    Hi. I just noticed this message in camelcamelcamel

    “Sales rank history has been disabled, we do not expect it to return, and we are unable to respond to any support requests regarding it “.

    Does that mean that it will not be a paid subscription and we are just left with Keepa. I just bought your Keepa Camel course. How does this affect the course. It does concentrate mostly on camel? Should I skip the camel part and go straight to the Keepa videos?

    Mysleth.

    Reply
    • Stephen Smotherman says

      March 5, 2019 at 11:10 pm

      CamelCamelCamel is no longer tracking sales rank. That makes CamelCamelCamel less useful to resellers, but can still be used it other ways. I’m currently working on an update to the Keepa Camel course and I’ll go even more in depth to how to use Keepa in the current Amazon platform. It’s going to be a huge update and you’ll love it. If I were you, I’d watch the Keepa parts first, and then the Camel. There is still strategies taught about Camel that you can apply to Keepa… but learn Keepa first. Hope this helps!

      Reply
  6. Stephen Smotherman says

    March 10, 2019 at 3:41 pm

    Sure, an additional fee is never welcomed, but at least the fee is totally worth the data we’re getting.

    Reply
  7. Paris' Attic says

    April 28, 2019 at 8:29 pm

    Thank you! I depend on you for my in-depth knowledge. I’m also following you on YouTube.

    Reply
  8. John Kerkatsch says

    May 20, 2019 at 8:56 pm

    Hi Stephen, my name is John and I was wondering if you could help me out with this issue. I first heard about you and your book, “How to keepa a Camel” almost 2 years ago. I thought that it was an update to “CamelCamelCamel…and you know, how to maximize it’s true potential, how to ‘keep’ using it more efficiently! The book cannot be found anywhere…can I, or can I not get a paid data subscription to live data and rates? There seems to be a lot of confusion surrounding all this. Do I need a scoutify-type hand-held scanner to receive such data, or can I simply receive it on my Huawei P20 pro cell phone? Still, other reviews seem to suggest a sell-out to top sellers because of how good it is. I don’t know what to believe anymore? I have a full subscription to JS almost the best. For the sake of simplifying the situation, can I still get the same historic data rates and prices with JS? Always best regards to you!

    Reply
    • Stephen Smotherman says

      May 27, 2019 at 10:49 am

      The book is now outdated, but being updated for September 2019 release.
      You can get the data plan from Keepa (highly recommended) and see all the Keepa date. Sign up here: https://www.fulltimefba.com/keepa.
      You can view the data on the internet browser of your smart phone, but it’s much easier to use the barcode scanner that comes with Scoutify… plus you get all the other info you need to properly know if the item you’re looking at is a good buy or not. I don’t use JS and don’t see the need for it right now, so I can’t comment on what JS offers.

      Reply
  9. Ganti S. Murty says

    June 20, 2019 at 8:02 pm

    Any tentative date for the release of” How to Keep – Camel ” guide. Thank you for the info provided on your website and in the FB group.
    Ganti Murty

    Reply
    • Barb says

      June 25, 2019 at 3:18 pm

      Release date is September 2019

      Reply

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