Alert! Fresh Amazon & Walmart Updates from BellaVix!

Hi there,

It's that time of the month. This is the time when we share all the latest and most important news and updates in the eCommerce world. So let's get started!

Amazon Big Spring Sale: Get Ready to Boost Your Sales?- Attention Amazon sellers! The Big Spring Sale is scheduled from March 25 to March 31, 2025, offering a prime opportunity to increase product visibility and drive sales through exclusive promotional deals.

Deals Submission

? Deadline: March 17, 2025

? Steps: ?

– Navigate to Advertising and select Deals. ?

– Click “Create a new deal” and choose an eligible ASIN. ?

– Select “Big Spring Sale” and configure your deal details before submitting.

? For more information on eligibility and best practices, refer to the Amazon deals resource or watch the step-by-step video (available in English, Vietnamese, and Thai).

Prime-Exclusive Discounts

? Deadline: March 31, 2025

? Steps: ?

– Go to Advertising and choose Price Discounts. ?

– Click “Create a price discount,” complete the form, and select “Big Spring Sale” from the Events drop-down menu. ?

– To offer discounts exclusively to Prime customers, select “Prime customers” as the Audience type, then proceed to add your products.

Make sure to take advantage of these time-bound opportunities to maximize your seasonal sales. Gear up, submit your deals, and prepare to shine during the Big Spring Sale!

Amazon's Record Delivery Speeds and Savings: What Sellers Need to Know - Amazon’s 2024 performance highlights a new era in fast, free delivery, offering key takeaways for eCommerce sellers. Here’s a quick rundown:

• Unmatched Speed & Savings: In 2024, Amazon delivered over 9 billion items same or next day. U.S. Prime members saved an average of over $500 on delivery fees—almost four times the annual membership cost. This shift in customer experience reinforces the demand for speedy fulfillment.
• Expanded Delivery Network: Amazon expanded its Same-Day Delivery sites by more than 60% in 2024, now serving over 140 metro areas across the U.S. This regionalized approach not only shortens delivery distances but also enhances operational efficiency and safety.
• Actionable Insights for Sellers:

– Align Your Inventory: Consider stocking products closer to your target customers to meet rising expectations for rapid delivery.

– Leverage Promotional Opportunities: Integrate fast delivery benefits into your marketing strategy, highlighting speed as a competitive advantage.

– Monitor Customer Behavior: With U.S. Prime members averaging nearly 100 orders per year, there’s an opportunity to tap into increased order frequency through tailored promotions and exclusive offers.

Amazon Surpasses Walmart in Revenue: Implications for eCommerce Sellers -?In a historic shift reported by CNBC, Amazon has now surpassed Walmart in revenue for the first time. This milestone underscores the growing dominance of eCommerce and highlights key trends that sellers should monitor closely.

• Driving Factors: The company’s focus on rapid delivery, diverse product selections, and value-added services like Prime has fueled consumer loyalty. As shoppers continue to prioritize convenience, Amazon’s strategic investments in technology and infrastructure are paying off.
• What It Means for Sellers:

– Embrace Digital Transformation: Sellers must adapt to the fast-paced online retail environment by optimizing their digital storefronts and leveraging platforms that offer quick, efficient delivery.

– Competitive Edge through Speed: The emphasis on same- or next-day shipping is reshaping customer expectations. Aligning inventory strategies and enhancing logistics partnerships can help you stay competitive.

– Capitalizing on Consumer Trends: With consumers gravitating toward online purchases, diversifying your sales channels and fine-tuning marketing strategies can tap into this growing demand.

Amazon's Non-Retail Growth: A Bright Signal for Sellers -?A recent CNBC report reveals that Amazon’s fastest-growing business isn’t its traditional retail or AWS cloud services—it’s in a rapidly expanding segment that’s opening new doors for sellers. This surge is primarily driven by Amazon’s advertising and related services, which are evolving to offer more robust, targeted solutions for brands and sellers alike.

• Advertising Innovation: As brands increasingly invest in Amazon’s advertising solutions to drive traffic and boost sales, sellers have a prime opportunity to harness enhanced targeting tools and detailed analytics to improve product visibility.
• Platform Enhancements: Amazon’s focus on this high-growth segment means expect ongoing improvements in ad product offerings and seller support initiatives. These enhancements can help level the playing field and drive growth for sellers operating on the platform.
• Strategic Diversification: By diversifying beyond traditional retail and cloud services, Amazon is building a more resilient ecosystem. For sellers, this translates into a more stable environment with varied revenue opportunities, even as consumer behaviors and market dynamics evolve.

What This Means for Sellers: Now is an ideal time to re-assess your digital marketing strategy. Consider increasing your investment in Amazon’s advertising solutions and stay attuned to new platform features designed to maximize seller performance. Adapting to these trends can help you capture a larger share of the growing online consumer base.

Stay tuned as we continue to track these developments and offer actionable insights to help you navigate and thrive in the evolving eCommerce landscape.

Walmart Introduces "Partial Keep It" to Reduce Refund Costs - Walmart has rolled out a Partial Keep It rule, allowing sellers to offer partial refunds instead of full returns. This new feature helps sellers cut down on return costs while still providing customer-friendly solutions.

How It Works:

• Customers requesting a return can opt for a partial refund instead of sending the item back.
• Sellers set refund percentage and maximum refund amounts to control costs.
• Rules can be customized by product category and return reason codes to prevent abuse.

Why It Matters for Sellers:

• Reduces return shipping costs and restocking hassle for lower-value items.
• Minimizes full refunds, preserving margins.
• Improves customer satisfaction by offering a hassle-free resolution.

This tool is especially useful for low-cost or high-return-rate items where return logistics outweigh the product's value. Sellers should test Partial Keep It with select SKUs to find the right balance between cost savings and customer experience.

Walmart Updates Prohibited Products Policy: Action Required for Children's Product Sellers -Walmart is tightening compliance requirements for children’s product sellers. As part of its updated Prohibited Products Policy, all sellers must confirm compliance with the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) Children’s Product Certificate (CPC) and any applicable state regulations.

What Sellers Need to Do:

• Upload valid certification documents (dated within the last year) in Seller Center by March 1st.
• Any non-compliant listings will be unpublished after the deadline.

This policy update reinforces Walmart’s commitment to consumer safety and industry standards. Failure to comply could result in lost sales, so sellers should ensure all required documents are submitted on time.

For details, visit Walmart’s policy update: Prohibited Products Policy.

Need to certify your products? Visit the CPSC Certification Guide.

Amazon Expands Search to Include External Brands-?Amazon is testing a new feature that broadens its search capabilities by displaying products not sold directly on its platform. This initiative aims to enhance product variety and improve the shopping experience for customers.

Key Highlights:

• Expanded Search Results: When customers search for specific brands or items, Amazon will now show relevant products available on other brands' websites, alongside its own listings. Learn more here.
• Direct Brand Links: Clicking on these external products will redirect customers to the respective brand's website, with a notification indicating they are leaving Amazon.Buy with Prime Integration: For brands utilizing Amazon's
• Buy with Prime, Prime members can enjoy benefits like fast, free delivery and easy returns, even when purchasing directly from the brand’s site.

Amazon's Third-Party Sellers Reach Record 62% of Sales in Q4 2024?-?In the fourth quarter of 2024, Amazon's third-party sellers accounted for a record-breaking 62% of units sold on the platform. This milestone reflects Amazon's strategic shift from direct retail to a marketplace-centric model.

• Revenue from Seller Services: In 2024, Amazon generated $156.1 billion from third-party seller services, comprising 24.48% of its total revenue. This includes fees from services like Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) and referral commissions.
• Advertising Growth: Amazon's advertising sector also saw significant growth, reaching $56.2 billion in 2024, a 19.8% increase from the previous year.
• Strategic Realignment: Amazon has been phasing out certain first-party vendor agreements, encouraging businesses to transition to the third-party marketplace. This move reduces Amazon's inventory risks while boosting high-margin revenue streams from seller fees and advertising.

Implications for Sellers:

• Increased Opportunities: The expanding third-party marketplace offers sellers greater access to Amazon's vast customer base.
• Rising Costs: As Amazon continues to adjust its fee structures, sellers may face higher costs, impacting profit margins.
• Dependence on Amazon's Ecosystem: Despite potential cost increases, the platform's extensive reach makes it a critical channel for many businesses.

New Feature: Create Bulk Amazon Listings Using Your Own Templates -?Amazon has rolled out a major update to its 'List Your Products' page, making it easier for sellers to create bulk listings using custom templates. Previously, bulk listings were restricted to Amazon’s standard templates, such as the listing loader or custom template. Now, you can upload inventory spreadsheets you already maintain or files from other Amazon marketplaces.

How It Works:

• Upload Your Own Template: Submit an Excel or TSV spreadsheet that fits your internal catalog or external Amazon file.AI
• Transformation: Amazon’s AI technology automatically converts your data into draft listings compatible with their format.
• Review and Submit: Review the draft listings, make necessary adjustments, and finalize the listings.

Why It’s a Game-Changer for Sellers:

1. Time Savings: No need to reformat data to match Amazon’s standard templates.
2. Seamless Cross-Market Integration: Easily reuse data from other Amazon stores.
3. Greater Flexibility: Maintain consistency by using existing inventory management files.

Action Step: If you’re managing large product catalogs or multi-store operations, this update can drastically reduce manual work. Visit the List Your Products page to get started.

Amazon Vine Update: Upgrade to a Higher Enrollment Tier Within 30 Days - Amazon is introducing more flexibility to its Vine program, allowing sellers to upgrade their enrollment tier within the first 30 days by adding more units for the same ASIN. This means brands can quickly adjust their strategy if they see early traction or want to boost visibility further.

Key Details of the Update:

• Upgrade Flexibility: Within the first 30 days of enrollment, you can switch to a higher tier and enroll more units of an ASIN.
• No Downgrades Allowed: Once enrollment starts, you cannot downgrade to a lower tier.
• Enrollment Duration: The process concludes after 90 days or when all units are reviewed, but you have the full 30-day window to upgrade.

Why This Matters for Sellers:

1. Scalable Review Strategy: Start with a smaller batch of units, gauge the impact, and scale up if needed.
2. Boost Conversion Early: Reviews drive 90% of purchase decisions. If you see positive engagement early, you can capitalize on it by enrolling more units.
3. Higher Quality Reviews: Vine reviews tend to have higher word count, images, and videos, helping new or slow-moving products gain customer trust faster.

The Benefits of Amazon Vine Enrollment:

• Up to 30 High-Quality Reviews: Drive traffic and conversion by building product credibility early.
• 30% Potential Sales Lift: An internal Amazon study (2019-2020) found that Vine reviews correlated with a 30% increase in sales.
• Insightful Customer Feedback: Use reviews to refine your product or packaging based on honest feedback.

Action Step: If you have products enrolled in Vine and see early traction, consider upgrading to a higher tier within 30 days to maximize exposure. Visit the Amazon Vine section in Seller Central to manage your enrollment.

Automatic Minimum Thresholds for Order Handling Capacity Coming February 24, 2025 -?Amazon will implement automatic minimum thresholds for order handling capacity (OHC) starting February 24, 2025. This update helps ensure that sellers have accurate handling limits based on their actual performance, reducing late shipment risks and improving customer experience.

How It Works:

• Automatic Threshold Setting: Amazon will set a conservative minimum order handling capacity based on your average daily orders over the past 30 days.
• Weekly Updates: The system will recalculate the minimum threshold weekly to reflect any changes in your order volume.
• Adjustments: If your set capacity is below the minimum threshold, it will automatically increase. Sellers can still set higher limits manually if needed.

Key Benefits for Sellers:

1. More Accurate Delivery Dates: Handling times will align with your actual capacity, leading to more accurate customer delivery promises.
2. Reduced Late Shipment Risk: The automated adjustments help you avoid taking on more orders than you can handle.
3. Enhanced Customer Experience: By setting realistic fulfillment expectations, you can maintain customer satisfaction and prevent delays.

Limitations:

• Applicable Shipping Options: OHC applies to Standard and Free Economy shipping but does not apply to Seller Fulfilled Prime or Premium Shipping orders.
• No Impact from Vacation Mode: The system will account for time off if you enable Vacation Mode.

For details on how to modify your order handling capacity, visit Amazon’s help page: Modify Order Handling Capacity.

Amazon’s Advertising Business Grows 18% in Q4 2024, Surpassing $14 Billion -?Amazon’s ad revenue saw an 18% year-over-year surge in Q4 2024, driven by higher demand for Sponsored Products, Brands, and Display Ads. As Amazon’s ads target high-intent shoppers within its marketplace, sellers benefit from increased visibility, conversion rates, and access to retail-driven insights. The ad growth also suggests higher competition, making it essential for sellers to optimize bidding strategies and ad creatives. With ongoing innovation in ad tech, Amazon’s dominance in digital advertising is expected to give sellers more tools for growth and discovery.

Amazon’s Same-Day and Next-Day Deliveries Surpass 9 Billion Worldwide - Amazon delivered over 9 billion items globally in 2024 through same-day and next-day services, fueled by expanded fulfillment centers and logistics investments exceeding $90 billion.

Key Takeaways for Sellers:

• Enhanced Visibility for Fast-Shipping Items: Products with Prime-eligible same-day or next-day delivery are more likely to win the Featured Offer and boost conversions.
• Increased Competition: As Walmart grows its same-day delivery network, sellers should monitor pricing and shipping speed competitiveness.
• Fulfillment Strategy: Using Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) or other Amazon-supported fulfillment solutions will be critical to capitalize on faster delivery tags.

China Tariff Exposure: How Amazon and Other eCommerce Giants Are Impacted -? Morgan Stanley’s latest report reveals that Amazon’s first-party (1P) merchandise has the highest exposure to China-based costs, with 25% of its cost of goods sold (COGS) tied to Chinese imports. Companies like Revolve (22%) and eBay (11%) follow closely behind. Conversely, brands like Figs and Etsy face minimal exposure due to limited Chinese supply reliance.

Key Implications for Sellers:

• Amazon 1P Impact: Potential tariff increases could affect pricing and profit margins for sellers using Amazon’s 1P model.
• Supply Chain Strategy: Sellers should explore diversifying suppliers to mitigate future risks.
• Rising Costs: Companies with high exposure risk price adjustments as tariffs remain volatile.

Don’t Risk It: Why Authentic Reviews Matter for Walmart Sellers - Why Reviews Matter - Customer reviews do more than validate your product—they can boost SEO, drive higher conversions, and increase visibility on Walmart’s Marketplace. But they must be earned the right way to comply with FTC and Walmart guidelines.

What You Need to Know

• Buying Reviews Is Illegal: Offering compensation (gift cards, discounts, etc.) or using unauthorized methods to collect reviews can lead to account suspension.
• No Direct Review Requests: You can’t email customers to ask for feedback unless it’s through Walmart-approved channels.

How to Get Reviews the Right Way

1. Leverage Walmart’s Post-Purchase Email Program — Walmart automatically sends review requests to customers three and seven days after a purchase. No extra work needed!
2. Use the Review Accelerator Program — Incentivize authentic reviews by enrolling eligible products.
3. Partner with Approved Product Sampling Vendors — Vendors like Field Agent and Bazaarvoice can help generate genuine customer feedback.
4. Import Existing Reviews — Syndicate reviews from your brand’s website through Walmart-approved providers.

Maximize SEO Benefits with Reviews The more authentic reviews you earn, the stronger your product pages perform in search rankings. Reviews build customer trust, increase click-through rates, and improve overall conversions. Walmart’s proprietary algorithm weighs recent, verified reviews heavily—so focus on maintaining quality over quantity.

Pro Tip: Monitor your reviews through Walmart’s Ratings and Reviews manager to spot trends, address issues, and continuously improve. Following the rules ensures long-term success and keeps your account safe.

Get Seen, Get Sold: Walmart Product Categorization Tips - Why Categorization Matters - Proper product categorization and attributes help your items rank higher on Walmart Marketplace and Google, driving more traffic and sales.

How It Works - When setting up products, select:

• Product Category (e.g., animals)
• Product Type Group (e.g., animal grooming)
• Product Type (e.g., animal shampoos)

These classifications guide Walmart’s system and impact how your products are displayed in search results.

Boost Search Visibility - Attributes like color, material, and size make products easier to find. Use these in your title, description, and key features. Accurate attributes improve SEO, conversion rates, and customer trust.

FAQs

• Where can I check my product type? View it in the Catalog section of Seller Center.
• What if my product type is wrong? Report it using the Listing Quality Dashboard in Seller Center.
• Are attributes different by category? Yes. Walmart’s Content Standards guide explains the required attributes for each category.

Amazon Expands Ad Reach with Amazon-Owned & Operated Inventory Update -?Amazon Ads is streamlining campaign performance through a newly integrated ad inventory update for Amazon DSP advertisers. Key highlights include:

• Unified Inventory Access: Automatically includes ads across Amazon.com, Fire TV, IMDb, Twitch, Freevee, and more.
• Increased Reach: Advertisers gain seamless access to a wider audience without manual adjustments.
• Machine Learning Optimization: AI-driven campaign adjustments maximize ad effectiveness.
• Global Rollout: Available in North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific regions.
• Control Over Placements: Maintain transparency on where ads are shown.

CPSC Final Order: Amazon’s Hazardous Product Recall Responsibilities - Effective January 26, 2025, Amazon must address the sale of hazardous products through a U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) order. Key requirements include:

• Customer Notifications: Notify buyers of recalled, hazardous products.
• Refund and Disposal: Offer refunds and proper disposal assistance.
• Recall Data: Maintain product recall information for five years.
• Compliance Monitoring: Submit ongoing progress reports to the CPSC.

Most Impacted Product Categories

• Home Safety Products: Faulty carbon monoxide detectors.
• Personal Care Devices: Unsafe hairdryers without shock protection.
• Children’s Apparel: Flammable sleepwear.

If You Have Missed It

Our Walmart webinar was packed with insights—here’s what you missed!

If you sell on Walmart (or plan to), you NEED to understand what makes it different from Amazon. In our recent webinar, we broke down exactly how to optimize your listings, leverage advertising, and boost conversions.

Top takeaways:?

• Walmart rewards engagement, not just SEO – Your listing content needs to be built for Walmart shoppers, not just algorithms.
• Reviews & UGC fuel success – Brands that use review syndication & customer content see higher trust and conversions.
• Advertising + Organic Strategy = Growth – A well-optimized listing lowers ad spend and increases visibility.

If you want the full breakdown, the webinar recording is available now!

Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MWSv4cJrME&t=1s?