#125 - Amazon Hits Record Low, AI is The New Third-Party Seller, and more
Hot News
US Seller Market Share on Amazon Hits Record Low
According to Marketplace Pulse research, 48% of the top third-party sellers on Amazon’s marketplace in the U.S. are American businesses. 48% is the lowest it has ever been. The recent high was 55% in March 2022, which it reached from the previous low in November 2020. The analysis was done on the top sellers because they represent a major share of the GMV and, as a group, are more informative than the total set of sellers.
marketplacepulse.com
On Amazon, eBay, and Shopify, AI is the new third-party seller
Amazon, Shopify and eBay are all rolling out generative AI tools to write product listings for third-party sellers. These platform-specific AIs and broad deployments such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT can “see” an image and write persuasive marketing copy to sell it.
cnbc.com
Amazon Sellers: No Brand? No Problem, with Generic Brands
It may seem counterintuitive, but some sellers are listing unbranded products on Amazon, which the marketplace allows them to do by entering “Generic” as the brand. Not only is it allowed, but Amazon is helping such sellers with a new policy change.
ecommercebytes.com
Good to Know
Amazon Sellers Sound Off on the FTC’s ‘Long-Overdue’ Antitrust Case
Amazon’s massive third-party seller base anxiously anticipated the Federal Trade Commission’s antitrust complaint, which was years in the making. On an Amazon-run forum for sellers, merchants cheered the case. But not all sellers are in support of the lawsuit, and some are skeptical about the future outcome.
cnbc.com
NH Attorney General Signs on to Amazon Suit
New Hampshire is one of 17 states suing Amazon.com, Inc., according to state Attorney General John M. Formella. The suit alleges the online retail and technology company is a monopolist that uses a set of interlocking anticompetitive and unfair strategies to illegally maintain its monopoly power.
nhbr.com
Amazon Reopens Seller Fulfilled Prime Enrollment, Nixes Planned Fee
“The intent of the program fee was to cover Amazon’s costs required to develop and run the program,” Amazon said in its announcement to sellers. “After careful consideration, we’ve made the decision not to implement this fee to ensure sentiment related to the fee does not impact program participation.”
supplychaindive.com
New research from Amazon has found that 70% of owners of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Europe lack confidence on how to scale their businesses online1. This is despite the majority recognising the value and growth potential of digitising their businesses.
aboutamazon.eu
Third-Party Sellers Talk Shop as Amazon and Walmart Put Marketplaces in Spotlight
The rise of eCommerce has transformed the way consumers shop, and retail giants like Amazon and Walmart have capitalized on the shift by providing third-party marketplace solutions. These platforms give SMBs access to an extensive customer base and equip them with a range of tools and insights to maximize their customer outreach.
pymnts.com
Amazon Sellers Can Now Leverage Influencer Marketing Through Amazon Live With VAA Philippines
CEO Gilad Freimann believes it’s the best time for Amazon sellers to leverage influencer marketing in order to expand their business. Gilad announces VAA’s partnership with Amzbassador to provide software and workforce solutions that help Amazon Sellers maximize their sales potential.
cmswire.com
Amazon and Walmart Fight for Early Holiday Shoppers in Head-to-Head Battle
Amazon and Walmart are targeting consumers who splurge on nonessentials. Amazon is accustomed to enticing customers as it faced challenges during last year’s Prime Day event, which included inflationary pressures. According to a PYMNTS Prime Day 2022 report that surveyed 3,245 shoppers, spending on Prime Day 2022 increased by 40% to $175.
pymnts.com
Amazon Vine Reviews Program Introduces Lower Priced Tiers
Amazon explains the program as follows: “Amazon Vine is an invitation-only program which selects the most insightful reviewers in the Amazon store to serve as Vine Voices. Vine Voices have the unique opportunity to order items free of charge and share their product experiences with Amazon customers to help them make informed buying decisions.”
ecommercebytes.com
Amazon’s ‘Buy Again’ Hopes to Rekindle Subscription Momentum
Companies want to have an installed base of avid users — enthusiastic buyers who remain loyal, transact frequently and don’t need much outreach in terms of marketing and promotion. These customers help margins. To monetize its ecosystem of customers, Amazon is testing a new feature on its app — “Buy Again” — that is designed to prod users to repeat purchases.
pymnts.com
Amazon Still Offers First Class Label alongside USPS Ground Advantage
A seller shared a screenshot that shows Amazon continues to offer USPS First Class shipping labels, even though it’s been deprecated, alongside the option to print USPS Ground Advantage (GA) shipping labels.
ecommercebytes.com
Tips and Tricks
How Amazon Product Visibility works
Amazon are updating their program policy for how Amazon product visibility works, to explain how they highlight products that customers may be interested in based on factors such as related products and customer reviews. These changes will come into effect on the 11th of October 2023.
channelx.world
Podcasts
Maldives Honeymoon Amazon Launch Strategy + New Amazon Relevancy Strategy
Ever wondered how to make the most of the ‘Honeymoon’ period when you first start selling on Amazon? Or how to get people to organically search, find, and buy a product without breaking Amazon’s terms of service? Tune in to the latest episode of Serious Sellers Podcast, as our host, Bradley Sutton, unveils the intricacies and updates to the Maldives Honeymoon Launch Strategy, along with his prelaunch plan, the Bali Blast Strategy.
helium10.com