Marketplace Updates, February 2025 Edition

Welcome to your go-to source for the latest updates across various marketplaces! In this edition, we bring you key highlights from February 2025, offering insights from industry experts to keep you ahead of the curve. Don't miss out—click ‘Subscribe’ to receive our monthly Marketplace Update newsletter straight to your inbox.

Amazon UK Partners with TradeBridge to Offer Seller Financing

Managing cash flow just got easier for UK-based Amazon sellers! Amazon has partnered with TradeBridge to launch a Term Financing program, allowing eligible SMEs to access up to ￡5 million in funding. With a streamlined online application process through Seller Central, approvals are granted within two hours, and funds are available in as little as three days. Plus, flexible repayment options—including a one-month payment holiday—help sellers align repayments with their cash flow needs.

What this means for you:

• Faster access to capital to invest in inventory, marketing, or expansion.
• Flexible repayment options tailored to business needs.
• A competitive financing alternative to traditional business loans.

This move highlights Amazon’s growing commitment to financially empowering its sellers and ensuring long-term business growth.

Amazon Discontinues Inspire Shopping Feature

In a strategic move, Amazon shut down its TikTok-style Inspire shopping feature in February 2025. The feature, designed to create a social-commerce-inspired browsing experience, ultimately didn’t resonate with consumer shopping habits. Instead, 亚马逊 is shifting focus to Haul, a new initiative designed to compete with fast-growing Chinese eCommerce platforms.

What this means for sellers:

• With Inspire gone, sellers need to explore alternative social-commerce integrations.
• Amazon’s partnerships with TikTok and other social media platforms will play a crucial role in driving external traffic to product listings.
• Haul’s introduction signals Amazon’s intention to capture a bigger slice of the highly competitive impulse-buying market.

Adapting your marketing strategy to leverage social platforms and influencer collaborations will be essential moving forward!

TikTok Generates $6 Billion via In-App Purchases

TikTok and its Chinese counterpart Douyin have shattered records, becoming the first non-gaming apps to generate over $6 billion in annual in-app purchase revenue. This massive milestone reflects TikTok’s growing influence in the digital economy and its effectiveness in monetizing user engagement.

Why this matters for eCommerce sellers:

• TikTok is no longer just a branding tool; it's a highly profitable sales channel.
• TikTok Shop is becoming a real threat to traditional marketplaces like Amazon and Walmart.
• Social commerce is evolving—sellers must embrace video-based selling and influencer partnerships to stay competitive.

If you're not yet selling on TikTok Shop, now is the time to explore it!

TikTok Shop Updates Delayed Delivery Refund Policy

Starting February 14, 2025, TikTok Shop extended its refund request window for undelivered orders from two to four days past the estimated delivery date. Additionally, from January 10, 2025, sellers using the ‘Ship by Seller’ option are required to refund initial shipping fees for all product returns.

How this affects sellers:

• Stricter refund policies mean better customer experience but higher operational pressure.
• You’ll need robust logistics and inventory management to prevent delays and minimize refund risks.
• Factoring in potential refund costs when pricing products will be crucial for maintaining profitability.

Amazon Introduces Service Provider Portal (SPP): Migration Deadline Announced

Amazon has launched the Solution Provider Portal (SPP), requiring all third-party SP-API developers and service providers to migrate by August 31, 2025. This new system centralizes API profiles, enhances security and compliance, and improves integration efficiency.

What you need to do:

• If you're an SP-API developer, log in to Seller Central to start the guided migration process.
• Update permissions and integrations to ensure uninterrupted access.
• Communicate these changes to your clients to avoid disruptions.

With enhanced security features and API monitoring tools, SPP is set to streamline development and improve overall operational efficiency.

Adidas x Buy with Prime: A Game-Changer for 3P Sellers

亚马逊 ’s Buy with Prime is making waves again, this time through its partnership with Adidas. Adidas customers can now enjoy fast, free Prime shipping while shopping directly on the Adidas website. This move marks a shift in how brands leverage Amazon’s logistics without listing products on its marketplace.

Implications for sellers:

• Direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands might move away from relying solely on Amazon listings.
• Brands get more control over customer data while benefiting from Amazon’s fulfillment network.
• Amazon is increasingly becoming a hybrid marketplace logistics provider, pushing third-party sellers to refine their strategies.

This could signal a new era where brands integrate Amazon logistics while maintaining independence, potentially reshaping marketplace dynamics for 3P sellers.

Amazon Testing New Feature to Direct Shoppers to Brand Websites

Amazon is experimenting with a new search feature that allows shoppers to be redirected to brand websites. This test enables certain brand products to be shown in Amazon search results but drive traffic directly to their own eCommerce sites for transactions.

Why this is a big deal:

• It could reduce reliance on Amazon’s marketplace fees for select brands.
• Sellers with strong DTC strategies might benefit from owning customer data and repeat business.
• If rolled out widely, this could reshape Amazon’s marketplace model, giving more power to brands.

For now, this feature is still in testing, but it’s a sign that Amazon is evolving to meet the changing needs of brands and consumers alike.