Amazon Sellers stay one step ahead with our insightful newsletter - 'Unlock Your Success.' Every week
Share
Amazon News: New AI Shopping Tool, Holiday Spending Trends & Key Seller Updates
Published about 6 hours ago • 9 min read
This Week's Top Amazon Seller News
Hey Reader,
This week’s briefing dives into Amazon’s latest AI shopping tool, big shifts in holiday spending trends, OpenAI’s newest tech launch, and key updates from the seller community you don’t want to miss. Join us live today at 12 PM Eastern / 9 AM Pacific!
We’ll discuss the latest Amazon news and how it impacts your business. Tune in for valuable insights to help you stay ahead. Catch the live stream on LinkedIn, YouTube, and Facebook. Let’s jump in! Click here to read on our website
Amazon has launched its new AI-powered shopping feature, “Help Me Decide,” which helps customers compare similar products faster by analyzing reviews, prices, and user preferences. Using large language models from AWS, it recommends the best, budget, and upgrade picks based on the shopper’s browsing behavior.
For sellers, this represents another step toward AI-driven shopping personalization, where listings with better reviews, clear product data, and optimized keywords are more likely to surface in recommendations. As AI increasingly influences buying decisions, sellers must focus on transparency, quality content, and strong feedback loops to stay competitive.
Shopify’s 2025 Global Holiday Retail Report shows consumers are spending more this season—up 24% from last year—but sticking to tighter budgets and expecting stronger value through bundles, discounts, and fast, easy checkout experiences. At the same time, AI has gone mainstream, with 64% of shoppers using tools like chatbots or AI assistants to discover deals and products, making optimized listings and clear data even more critical for Amazon sellers.
Shoppers are also returning to in-person browsing while demanding seamless cross-channel experiences, meaning sellers should ensure consistent pricing, branding, and availability across Amazon and other sales platforms. Building trust through transparent values, free shipping, and loyalty programs remains key to winning repeat business during and beyond the holiday rush.
A new study shows ChatGPT is driving more traffic to e-commerce sites but converting far less effectively than search engines, email, or affiliate links. Researchers found ChatGPT referrals made up less than 0.2% of total traffic, with conversion rates and revenue per session trailing organic and paid search—though both metrics have improved steadily over time.
For Amazon sellers, this means AI-driven discovery is growing but not yet a reliable sales driver. As OpenAI’s new Instant Checkout expands to platforms like Shopify and Walmart, sellers should watch closely—AI commerce could soon become a meaningful new channel once consumer trust catches up.
OpenAI has released ChatGPT Atlas, an AI-powered browser that embeds ChatGPT directly into webpages, allowing users to summarize content, compare products, and automate tasks without copy-pasting between tabs. Designed to make browsing conversational and context-aware, Atlas positions ChatGPT as a full digital assistant integrated into users’ daily workflows—challenging Chrome’s long-standing dominance.
For Amazon sellers, this could reshape how shoppers research and compare products, as AI-powered browsing may soon influence purchase decisions directly from search to checkout. While early adoption is limited by security risks and platform availability, AI browsers like Atlas are signaling the next frontier in online shopping—where intelligent agents assist consumers before they ever reach Amazon’s search bar.
Amazon confirmed that a technical issue with one of its shipping carriers led to erroneous “Other” charges on seller accounts in August and September. The company has since refunded all affected sellers, including extra postage and taxes, and pledged to improve coordination with its carrier partners to prevent future billing mistakes.
For Amazon sellers, this highlights the importance of monitoring payment reports closely—especially unexplained transaction categories that may impact bookkeeping or tax reporting. While Amazon’s swift refund response is reassuring, the incident underscores how third-party logistics glitches can still affect seller profitability and accounting accuracy.
MercadoLibre will begin selling products from Brazilian retailer Casas Bahia on its platform starting in November through a new long-term partnership aimed at expanding MercadoLibre’s reach in electronics and home appliances. Casas Bahia, which will handle shipping logistics for large items, gains access to a fast-growing online sales channel while continuing its financial recovery efforts.
For Amazon sellers, this move signals intensifying competition in Latin America’s e-commerce space as major players form strategic alliances to strengthen logistics and category depth. The partnership highlights how regional marketplaces are evolving to compete with Amazon by combining retail expertise and third-party seller reach.
eBay confirmed it quietly changed how Promoted Listing ads appear in search results — ads now only show under “Best Match” and “Top Picks,” not when shoppers sort by price, distance, or time. The update, made in early October, aims to keep search results more relevant and consistent with each user’s selected sort option.
For Amazon sellers, this move underscores a broader marketplace trend toward improving buyer trust and search experience, even at the expense of ad visibility. As competition rises, sellers should focus on organic ranking and listing optimization—not just paid placement—to stay visible across different browsing modes.
Amazon has fully rolled out Custom Analytics, a new all-in-one dashboard that lets sellers track over 100 business metrics — from account health and ad performance to reviews and profitability — in one place. The tool now includes advanced visuals like heat maps, funnel charts, and multi-axis trends, allowing sellers to identify seasonal patterns and customer behavior more efficiently.
For Amazon sellers, this update eliminates the need to juggle multiple reports and saves hours each week by providing a customizable, centralized view of performance. Pre-built templates make it easy to get started, while custom dashboards help sellers focus on what drives their specific goals.
Amazon has launched Enhance My Listing, an AI-powered tool that helps sellers quickly improve their existing product listings with optimized titles, descriptions, and missing details. The tool uses Amazon’s AI insights to suggest updates tailored to customer behavior and current shopping trends while still allowing sellers to customize before publishing.
For Amazon sellers, this feature streamlines catalog management and saves time by keeping listings fresh and competitive without starting from scratch. It also complements other AI tools Amazon is rolling out to make content optimization faster and more data-driven.
Amazon’s latest 2025 photo compliance standards emphasize high-resolution, realistic images with pure white (RGB 255,255,255) backgrounds for main photos and up to nine additional lifestyle or infographic images to tell your product story. Sellers must meet technical specs—minimum 1000 pixels per side, JPEG or PNG formats, and 85% frame fill—to ensure listings aren’t rejected or suppressed.
For Amazon sellers, high-quality, compliant photos are directly tied to visibility, conversion rates, and reduced returns. Using professional lighting, consistent branding, and optimized mobile images gives listings an edge in crowded search results while staying aligned with Amazon’s ever-evolving standards.
Amazon’s Aged-Inventory Surcharge (AIS) replaced twice-yearly LTSF with monthly fees that start at 181 days and escalate by age band—making cube size, time in FC, and per-unit thresholds critical to profitability. The article breaks down how to calculate AIS (by ft³ or per-unit, whichever is higher), read Inventory Age reports, and forecast true carrying costs so you can act before fees compound.
For Amazon sellers, the playbook is to speed sell-through with phased pricing, coupons/Outlet, bundles/multipacks, and just-in-time replenishment while offloading overflow to 3PLs to keep FBA stock within 30–90 days of demand. Expect 2026 adjustments (slightly higher AIS and stronger IPI weight on sell-through), and use Custom/Inventory Health reports to trigger proactive removals or liquidation on aging, bulky SKUs.
Amazon will raise FBA fulfillment fees by an average of $0.08 per unit starting January 15, 2026—small on paper but a real hit to net margins, especially on low-ASP or thin-margin SKUs. The article shows how to model SKU-level exposure using the Fee Preview report and a calculator to flag red/yellow items before the change lands.
For Amazon sellers, the playbook is to offset the increase with 2–3% price lifts on bestsellers, packaging compression (even ~0.2″ to drop a tier), pruning SKUs below a 20% profit buffer, and supplier renegotiations. It also recommends setting automated margin alerts, tightening ad spend where ROI slips, clearing aged inventory, and filing reimbursements so fees don’t quietly erode profits.
This guide breaks down the core traits of winning SKUs—steady demand (≈300+/mo), manageable competition (lower review counts), healthy margins (aim to source at ≤25% of retail), smaller/lighter form factors, no heavy restrictions, and clear differentiation opportunities. It also shows free ways to spark ideas (Best Sellers, Movers & Shakers, autocomplete, reviews/pain points, social trends) while warning that manual research lacks reliable sales/margin visibility.
To de-risk decisions, the article demos SmartScout’s data-driven workflow: subcategory trend maps, 19+ filters (price, revenue, reviews, FBA sellers, exclude Amazon Retail), Product Page Score, brand/seller revenue intel, sales estimators/FBA profit calc, and a Traffic Graph for bundle/line-extension ideas. For Amazon sellers, the takeaway is to validate demand, competition, and profitability before sourcing—then use tooling to spot gaps, model margins, and prioritize SKUs that can scale.
The article explains how Amazon’s opaque “Safety Risk Score” can algorithmically suppress ASINs based on counterfeit activity, bad-actor linkages, and negative reviews that attach to the product (not the seller), often without clear disclosure to brands. Communications usually cite vague reasons like “potential safety concerns,” leaving listings trapped in a high-risk pool even after reinstatement.
For Amazon sellers, the playbook is to watch for tell-tale phrases in Account Health and emails, document counterfeit/gray-market contamination, and escalate beyond Support—starting with a Notice of Intent to Arbitrate and, if needed, AAA arbitration to obtain discovery. Use Amazon’s own terms in appeals (e.g., Safety Risk Score, Risk Override/De-risking Note, Safety Verification Pass, Automated Logic Correction) to push for review removal, risk-score decay, and durable reinstatement.
This guide walks Amazon FBA sellers through finding reliable wholesale and manufacturing partners, explaining how supplier choice impacts pricing, quality, and customer satisfaction. It covers sourcing methods like manufacturer research, wholesale directories (e.g., Wholesale Central, Alibaba), and trade shows such as ASD Market Week and Canton Fair.
Sellers are urged to request samples, review MOQs, and build long-term relationships for better terms and early product access. The article also compares local vs. international suppliers and highlights Wise Business as a tool to simplify global supplier payments with low fees and batch transfers.
Amazon is now using AI to crawl sellers’ external websites, comparing pricing, product claims, and imagery to their Amazon listings. Any inconsistencies—like stronger health claims, cheaper pricing, or outdated images—can trigger automatic policy violations, suppressions, or even account health penalties.
The article highlights 10 common mistakes that lead to AI flags, including unverified claims, mismatched pricing, and prohibited phrases. Sellers are advised to treat their websites as extensions of their Amazon storefronts by auditing content, standardizing product claims, syncing promotions, and maintaining full compliance across all sales channels.
Todd’s Top Tip: Target Holiday Keywords for Q4 Sales
Sellers, here’s a practical strategy for November 2025: optimize listings with holiday-specific keywords.
With Black Friday and Cyber Monday approaching, incorporating terms like “Christmas gift for dad” or “holiday stocking stuffer” boosts visibility in seasonal searches.
Sellers report 15-25% higher impressions and conversions in categories like toys, electronics, and home goods by aligning with buyer intent.
Your plan:
In Seller Central, go to “Inventory” > “Manage Inventory” and select 5-10 high-potential ASINs, like giftable gadgets or decor.
Add 2-3 long-tail holiday keywords to titles (e.g., “Wireless Earbuds – Best Christmas Gift for Teens”) and 3-5 in bullet points.
Use backend search terms for variations like “holiday 2025 deal” or “Black Friday special” to capture voice and typed searches.
Employ tools like Helium 10 or Jungle Scout to identify trending phrases, focusing on search volume over 1,000 with low competition.
Update A+ Content with holiday-themed modules, such as “Perfect Holiday Gift Ideas,” to increase dwell time.
Monitor performance in the Search Query Performance report, adjusting weekly through December.
This approach drives targeted traffic and supports steady sales growth during the holiday season.
This Week's Top Amazon Seller News Hey Reader, This week’s briefing dives into Amazon’s latest legal battles, Walmart’s bold AI move, and new programs changing how sellers ship, advertise, and compete. Join us live today at 1 PM Eastern / 10 AM Pacific! We’ll discuss the latest Amazon news and how it impacts your business. Tune in for valuable insights to help you stay ahead. Catch the live stream on LinkedIn, YouTube, and Facebook. Let’s dive in!Click here to read on our website News Amazon...
This Week's Top Amazon Seller News Hey Reader, This week’s updates dive into Amazon’s new Seller Challenge benefit, FBA fee increases for 2026, Prime membership growth, and emerging marketplaces like Ulta and Walmart expanding their reach. We’ll also cover regulatory headlines from Temu, hiring signals for Q4, and some key Seller Central updates that could impact your profitability and visibility. Join us live today at 1 PM Eastern / 10 AM Pacific! We’ll discuss the latest Amazon news and how...
This Week's Top Amazon Seller News Hey Reader, This week’s news dives deep into new taxes, shifting ad costs, underwhelming Prime Day performance, and some surprising marketplace trends that could shape your Q4 strategy. Let’s get into it.Join us live today at 1 PM Eastern / 10 AM Pacific! We’ll discuss the latest Amazon news and how it impacts your business. Tune in for valuable insights to help you stay ahead. Catch the live stream on LinkedIn, YouTube, and Facebook. Let’s dive in!Click...