Amazon News: Major Updates on Seller Logistics, Policy Changes & Trending Tactics
Hey Fellow Amazon Sellers! This week, we have a variety of important updates and insights to help you navigate the ever-changing landscape of e-commerce. From tips on optimizing your logistics to trends shaping the future of retail, there’s something for everyone. Let’s jump in!
News
Top Cities for Amazon Sellers
Amazon’s seller map shows a major shift, with Chinese cities now dominating the top ranks for Amazon sellers worldwide. Shenzhen leads with over 102,000 sellers, fueled by its strong manufacturing base and direct access to supply chains.
U.S. cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Houston remain important hubs but face stiff competition from low-cost production and direct-to-consumer strategies by Chinese sellers. Los Angeles stands out for its logistics advantages, though overall, Chinese cities are rapidly reshaping the Amazon marketplace landscape.
Amazon Redirects Customers to Competitors on Your Listing
Amazon has implemented a new feature that redirects customers from your product listing to competitors, a change affecting mobile users in select categories like furniture and clothing. Amazon sellers have no option to opt out, raising significant concerns for brands investing heavily in their listings.
The feature frustrates sellers, and some, like Jon Elder, suggest it could merit investigation by the FTC. This change highlights Amazon’s customer-focused model, which often leaves brand owners at a disadvantage.
Amazon FBA Delays on the West Coast and Sudden UPS Rate Increases
Amazon reports that high demand has led to significant delays in receiving FBA inventory at West Coast fulfillment centers, prompting the rerouting of shipments to other regions. The timing has sellers concerned about peak season readiness, especially as Amazon assures they’re working to prioritize inventory placement for holiday deals.
Meanwhile, sellers have noticed a sudden, unexplained spike in UPS shipping rates, with costs for some increasing threefold overnight, sparking suspicions of a possible glitch or intentional rate hikes to slow shipments. Some theorize it may be a tactic to manage warehouse capacity during the holiday rush, but sellers are seeking clarity and considering opting out of automatic return labels due to cost concerns.
How the Fed Rate Cut May Fuel Holiday Spending and Consumer Relief
The Federal Reserve’s recent interest rate cut is set to lower borrowing costs for consumers, affecting everything from credit cards to auto loans. This reduction could mean lower monthly payments for consumers with outstanding debt, translating into more disposable income for the holiday season.
Retailers may benefit from increased spending as lower rates boost consumer confidence and ease holiday-related purchases. Small businesses could also experience growth with access to cheaper loans, helping them expand during this critical shopping season.
Click & Collect: A Win-Win for Amazon Sellers and Physical Retail
Click & Collect is reshaping retail, allowing customers to shop online and pick up in-store—bridging e-commerce with physical shopping. Expected to make up nearly 20% of e-commerce spending by 2027, this hybrid approach drives customer convenience while boosting foot traffic and in-store sales opportunities.
For Amazon sellers, this trend highlights shifting consumer expectations for seamless online and in-person shopping experiences. With lower cart abandonment rates and increased brand exposure in physical spaces, Click & Collect is a model that enhances the value of omnichannel strategies.
Search Business Reports by ASIN to Easily Analyze Metrics
Amazon now allows sellers to filter business report data by ASIN directly in Seller Central, making performance analysis much simpler. Sellers can input up to 100 ASINs in the search bar, streamlining the process of accessing key metrics.
This update addresses past frustrations with ASIN searches, which previously required offline data downloads for analysis. The new feature aims to save time and improve efficiency for sellers managing multiple products.
Amazon Teams Up with BBB to Combat Fake Reviews
Kevin King reports that Amazon is intensifying its efforts against fake reviews by partnering with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and filing lawsuits globally against fraudulent review brokers. This marks Amazon’s first collaboration with an external organization to target networks that profit from deceptive reviews, including companies like ReviewServiceUSA.com.
Beyond lawsuits, Amazon is also leveraging machine learning to block millions of fake reviews before they are published. By ensuring more genuine customer feedback, Amazon aims to strengthen trust in its marketplace—essential for sellers who rely on authentic reviews.
Amazon Suspends Brands Not Meeting Supply Chain Standards
Thai Nguyen reports that Amazon is temporarily suspending products from brands that may not comply with its Supply Chain Standards. Until these brands and their manufacturers resolve compliance issues, their products will not be eligible for sale on Amazon.
Amazon has taken this step to ensure that working conditions in manufacturing meet or exceed its criteria. The decision was based on automated systems that flagged potential issues, highlighting Amazon’s commitment to responsible sourcing.
Brand Tailored Promotions Now Offers Advanced Audience Targeting for Amazon Sellers
Amazon’s Brand Tailored Promotions feature now allows brand owners to target specific customer segments based on promotional goals. Sellers can offer discounts from 10% to 50% to audiences aligned with objectives like New Customer Acquisition, Retention, Re-engagement, and Cross-sell, allowing more strategic promotion planning.
Updates include ASIN-level targeting, letting sellers promote specific products or sets, and new audience types, such as Views Remarketing, Cart Remarketing, One-time customers, and Lapsed customers. Additionally, sellers can now reach customers outside of their brand’s direct audience through In-market and Complementary Product Remarketing audiences.
Share Videos on Global Amazon Listings to Boost Customer Engagement
Amazon now allows sellers to share videos across product detail pages in multiple global stores, starting in September. This feature enables relevant video content to reach more customers worldwide, helping to inform purchasing decisions and potentially reduce returns.
To utilize this, simply upload your video through the Upload Video tool, and it may automatically display across various Amazon stores. Sellers can manage where the videos are shown or excluded on global listings via the Upload and Manage Videos page.
Seller Tips & Tricks
What is a Fractional Amazon Logistics Manager?
For private label Amazon sellers, logistics management can be complex and costly. A Fractional Amazon Logistics Manager provides expert oversight of your supply chain, inventory, and shipping without the expense of a full-time hire, helping to reduce Amazon storage and inbound fees while optimizing product flow.
These managers work closely with your team, providing tailored strategies for stock coordination, shipment planning, and packaging optimization, all designed to keep costs low and efficiency high. Ideal for growing businesses, fractional logistics managers offer scalable, specialized support on a flexible monthly contract, making them a cost-effective solution for enhancing logistics operations.
A Couple Made $20,000 in Profit by Reselling Salt on Amazon
A TikTok video went viral showing Jasmine (@jashustles) and her boyfriend clearing out shelves of Celtic Sea Salt from Whole Foods and reselling it on Amazon for significant profit, sparking debate on the ethics and legality of this practice. Many users were frustrated, commenting on the product scarcity in stores due to bulk buying by resellers.
The couple revealed they bought the salt for $4–$6 and sold it for $30–$50 on Amazon, with demand driven by its popularity on TikTok. Although reselling is generally legal in the U.S., sellers must follow specific guidelines, especially for regulated goods, and ensure items aren’t marked “not for resale.”
Why Q5 is TikTok’s Golden Opportunity for Advertisers
TikTok’s Q5 period, the time between Christmas and the end of January, offers Amazon sellers a powerful opportunity to capture post-holiday shoppers actively looking to spend gift cards and holiday cash. This period sees a surge in consumer engagement and less competitive ad space, allowing sellers to stretch their budget further on TikTok’s efficient platform.
Consumers on TikTok tend to engage in self-care and New Year shopping, with interest in categories like fitness, skincare, and finance on the rise. By leveraging TikTok’s ad formats and commerce tools like shoppable videos and TikTok Shop, brands can drive conversions and maintain strong post-holiday sales.
Amazon’s A+ Content Generative AI Guide Released
Amazon has launched a new A+ Content Generative AI Guide, helping sellers create more engaging and optimized product detail pages with AI-driven tools. This guide outlines how AI can assist sellers in developing visually appealing and informative A+ content, aimed at boosting conversions and improving customer experience.
By following this guide, sellers can leverage AI to streamline content creation, save time, and enhance brand storytelling on their listings. This is a valuable resource for those looking to improve their Amazon presence and increase sales.
Video of the Week
Amazon’s New Bundling Policy: The End of Custom Bundles?
Strong Opinions
No Honeymoon Period: Successful Launches Require Strategy
Amazon’s “honeymoon period” for new product launches is now considered a myth, with recent data showing no guaranteed visibility boost for new items. Instead, Amazon relies on a data-driven ranking system, initially using predictions based on similar products and then updating rankings as real user interaction data accumulates.
For sellers, this means focusing on targeted traffic, high-quality content, and ongoing optimization to succeed. The shift to AI-driven models and semantic search underscores the need for listings to be relevant and engaging from day one to maximize visibility.
Amazon Fulfillment Centers Facing Major Issues with Delays and Fees
Michael Patrón reports that Amazon Fulfillment Centers are facing severe delays, with lead times stretching and the newly implemented Amazon Warehousing & Distribution (AWD) service overwhelmed by backlogs. Sellers are voicing concerns over rising fees, which continue to climb despite worsening service levels.
This situation has led some sellers to draw comparisons between Amazon’s logistics and the “Comcast of eCommerce.”
The Amazon “Shopping Basket” Misconception
Amazon’s approach to shopping is different from traditional retail, making the term “shopping basket” less relevant. While retail shoppers often bundle items into a single trip, Amazon users tend to buy just one or two items per order, making multiple “trips” as needs arise without consolidating purchases.
With Amazon Prime removing minimum order requirements for free shipping, frequent small orders are more convenient, leading to unique shopping habits. Instead of single-visit purchases, Amazon’s “basket” is best understood through cumulative weekly or monthly orders.
‘Bezos is gonna send someone after you’: Shoppers uncover secret way to get Temu prices on Amazon
A Reddit user has highlighted a loophole for Amazon shoppers: buy a product cheaply on Temu, then order the same item on Amazon for faster delivery, returning the Temu item to Amazon upon arrival. Since many items sold on both platforms come from the same suppliers, customers can sometimes find nearly identical products on both sites but at vastly different prices.
While some praise this tactic as a clever workaround, others debate its ethics, noting the potential impact on Amazon sellers who bear the return costs. Amazon sellers warn that excessive returns could lead to account bans, with some even predicting stricter return policies as e-commerce companies catch on.
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Top Amazon Events
Stay informed and adapt your strategies with these key updates to make the most of the coming weeks.
God Bless,
Todd Welch
Amazon Seller School