FordeBaker August Newsletter

Welcome to the August edition of the FordeBaker newsletter!

In this edition, we’re diving deep into the latest updates from Amazon and TikTok Shop, bringing you essential insights and sharing some significant milestones and achievements from the FordeBaker team, including new partnerships and our ongoing commitment to excellence through the FordeBaker Academy.

Let’s dive into this month’s updates!

Amazon Updates

Prime Fall & Black Friday Week 2024 Mark Your Calendars:

• Prime Fall: While the dates are still under wraps, ensure your deals are submitted by 6th September—time to start planning!
• Black Friday Week: Running from 22 Nov - 2 Dec, submissions for deals are due by 4th October. Good news—no changes to the deal types, so you can continue using Top Deals, Best Deals, Lightning Deals, and Coupons/Vouchers.

Product Image Selection Update

Amazon has updated its image selection process, now prioritising brand owner images. Previously, Amazon would use reseller content if a brand hadn’t added enough images or if the reseller's content was deemed better. With this tweak, Amazon will still replace images if required images are missing or if low-quality content needs upgrading, but brand content now holds higher value, making it less likely to be replaced.

Amazon Bullet Point Updates

Effective August 15, 2024, Amazon US is updating product bullet point requirements to "simplify and enhance product detail pages for customers." Key changes include using generative artificial intelligence (AI) to optimise listing quality. "We’ll remove non-compliant content and use AI to generate compliant, high-quality bullet points."?

This could prove problematic for a variety of reasons, but we'll reserve judgement while we see how this progresses over the coming months.

Amazon Storefront Evolution

Check out Anker's new Amazon Storefront featuring a more immersive and visually appealing experience with new rich media content types. While there’s no official word on whether these changes will roll out to all brands, it seems these features might be limited to those spending significantly via Amazon DSP.

Anker Storefront Link

Expand Global Catalogue

Amazon's new machine-learning-led Marketplace Product Guidance tool is designed to ease global expansion for sellers. While promising, it’s essential to remember that tools lack context—handle with care.?

Check out our 5 Golden Tips for Expanding to New Amazon Marketplaces.

Preferred Carrier Option for Amazon US

Amazon now allows sellers to choose their preferred carrier for LTL/FTL shipments to US fulfilment centres, giving sellers more control over logistics. Learn More

Reimbursement Automation

Starting November 1, 2024, Amazon will proactively reimburse FBA sellers for items lost, damaged, or returned in fulfilment centres, streamlining the process. This update is currently applicable to US sellers only. Sellers can track these reimbursements in the Reimbursements report on Seller Central.

Voice of the Customer Dashboard Updates

New updates include the ability to compare your product’s NCX review and return rates with industry benchmarks, track performance trends, and read customer feedback in multiple languages. Learn More

Ships in Product Packaging (SIPP)

The SIPP program allows FBA sellers to ship products in their custom brand packaging without Amazon’s delivery packaging. Enrollment is open to all FBA sellers in the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Learn More

Capacity Manager & Amazon Warehousing & Distribution (AWD)

Optimise peak storage with Capacity Manager and AWD—tools that can be used separately or together to create a customised storage plan during the busiest times of the year. Learn More

Self-Serve Tool for Size Charts

For brands enrolled in Brand Registry, Amazon has introduced a new size chart self-serve tool, specifically for Clothing, Shoes, Sports, and Outdoor listings. This tool allows you to easily add and refine size charts, ensuring accuracy. Given that incorrect sizing is a common reason for refunds, it’s crucial to invest the effort into getting this right, as it can significantly reduce return rates and improve customer satisfaction. Learn More

Supercharge Your Product Launch

Amazon’s New Product Launch Guide is your go-to resource for launching products in the Amazon store. This guide offers real-world insights, actionable recommendations, and tips to help you develop a successful launch strategy and boost sales during the crucial early stages. Get the Guide

TikTok Shop Updates

Co-funded Shipping

TikTok Shop will co-fund part of the shipping costs on qualified orders for Fulfilled by TikTok, TikTok Shipping, or Seller Shipping methods. Starting Aug 26, the current free shipping program will be replaced with the new Co-Funded Free Shipping program. More Info on TikTok Shop Fulfilment

TikTok Live Partner Summit

Our CEO, Tom, will be attending TikTok's Partner Summit in London on August 29th. Get in touch if you’re attending too, and let’s connect! Learn More

CX Improvements

Starting September 4th, TikTok UK will combine products fulfilled by FBT from multiple TikTok Shops into one order, sending them in a single package.

Enhanced Affiliate Analytics

TikTok Shop Partners now have access to enhanced affiliate analytics, making it easier to report on creator performance for clients. Want to know how to assess and boost creator sales? Check out our quick guide for actionable tips.

Chargeback Policy

Starting August 20, 2024, TikTok Shop's Chargeback Policy will roll out. Chargebacks occur when customers dispute a transaction and request refunds through their bank or card issuer. TikTok’s third-party payment processor will step in to resolve the issue, covering costs for orders labelled as "Unauthorised Payments." For other reasons, sellers are responsible for any loss and fees.

FordeBaker Updates

New Client: Merzy

We’re ecstatic to announce that we’ve started working with Merzy to bring the trendiest Korean makeup products to the American TikTok audience.

FordeBaker x GreyScout

We’ve teamed up with GreyScout to bring you a must-read article for beauty brands navigating the Amazon marketplace. Discover opportunities for growth and the brand protection challenges every beauty brand should be aware of. Read the Article

FordeBaker Academy

We’re thrilled to share that the FordeBaker Academy, our internal training scheme, is off to a fantastic start. Our first event on the Keepa training tool was a huge success, thanks to our experts Dale and Laurent sharing their best-in-class tips. Check out our blog on Keepa

The FordeBaker Guide to Amazon Listings 2024

The latest in our compliance blog series. We explore compliance guidelines for individual aspects of a listing, guiding you through listing requirements and restrictions to enhance your content. Read the Guide

Living the FordeBaker Life

We’re celebrating company culture with FordeBaker Friday takeovers, where colleagues share their experiences. Check out the latest two takeovers from Dan and Alessio.