#181 - Amazon's major changes in 2026, Registrations Hit Decade Low, and more
Hot News
Amazon Seller Registrations Hit Decade Low in 2025
Amazon.com registered just 165,000 new sellers in 2025, the lowest annual total since Marketplace Pulse began collecting data in 2015 and down 44% from 2024. The decline signals Amazon’s transformation from an accessible entry point for entrepreneurial experimentation into infrastructure for established, well-capitalized operators.
marketplacepulse.com
Amazon rolling out these major changes in 2026
Amazon is gearing up for significant changes in 2026, affecting everything from how sellers do business to what customers see on Prime Video. The company is investing heavily in artificial intelligence, expanding its delivery network, and planning new features for shoppers and viewers. One of the most notable ongoing trends is Amazon’s increasing use of AI across its operations.
msn.com
Amazon Removes Safeguard for Sellers of High-Value Items
“Effective February 8, 2026, all US sellers must use the Amazon Prepaid Return Label (APRL) program for customer returns regardless of item value. This change eliminates the previous high-value exemption to create a more consistent return experience for faster refund processing and reduced customer service requirements.”
ecommercebytes.com
Good to Know
The Apple-Amazon Brand-Gating Agreement Raised Prices for Consumers Without Improving Quality
When Apple granted Amazon privileged access to its full product line—iPhones, iPads, and Beats headphones—on October 31, 2018, thousands of small merchants were suddenly locked out of Amazon’s marketplace in several countries. The change followed an agreement between the two companies known as “brand gating.” The deal limited the sale of Apple products on Amazon to a small group of authorized resellers, reshaping the online Apple retail landscape overnight on January 4, 2019, the implementation deadline.
promarket.org
ChatGPT's 4% Fee Confirms Marketplace Economics
Shopify merchants will pay OpenAI a 4% transaction fee on sales through ChatGPT’s checkout feature beginning January 26, a Shopify spokesperson confirmed to The Information. At 11 percentage points below Amazon’s typical 15% referral fee and without forced advertising spend, the platform offers the potential for organic product discovery at scale – though at volumes still dwarfed by those of established marketplaces.
marketplacepulse.com
Tariffs Creep: How Trump’s Policies Are Reshaping Amazon’s Pricing Battlefield
Amazon.com Inc. CEO Andy Jassy delivered a stark warning from the World Economic Forum in Davos: President Donald Trump’s tariffs are beginning to infiltrate product prices on the e-commerce giant’s platform. In an interview with CNBC’s Becky Quick on “Squawk Box,” Jassy revealed that sellers, after exhausting pre-tariff inventory stockpiles, are now passing on higher costs to consumers. “You start to see some of the tariffs creep into some of the prices,” Jassy said, noting the shift follows a strategic rush to import goods ahead of tariff hikes last year.
webpronews.com
Amazon Narrows SAFE-T Claims Window for Sellers to 30 Days
Amazon is making an unpopular change to a program that already receives criticism for what some sellers feel is a failure to protect them. Amazon announced on Wednesday, January 21, it would give sellers less time to file SAFE-T claims: “Effective February 16, 2026, the SAFE-T claim filing window for US seller-fulfilled orders will change from 60 days to 30 days. This update aligns with our standard US return period and A-to-z claim appeal window.
ecommercebytes.com
Watch out for Amazon sellers with New Year phishing scams
This is one of the many times of year that retailers have sales, coinciding neatly with the time of year when many people are feeling the pinch after splashing out on food and presents. But if you're scouring Amazon for great deals, watch out for sellers who are actually using low prices to lure you into a phishing scam. One seller going by the name of (among others) Sc-Elegance uses "used, like new" tech products as bait, ultimately directing buyers to a fraudulent site to make payments. Security experts are warning shoppers to be on their guard.
betanews.com
Tips and Tricks
Amazon Seller-Set Holiday Settings for Fulfilment by Merchant
‘For once a beneficial change’ is the reaction of one Amazon merchant on reading the news that Amazon has introduced new Fulfilment by Merchant holiday settings. Amazon have updated their Fulfilment by Merchant to give you more control over your offers, aiming to help you give more accuracy over delivery promises and keep your products visible when you are on holiday.
channelx.channelx
Amazon to End Inventory Commingling by 2026 to Curb Counterfeits
In the vast ecosystem of online retail, Amazon has long been a behemoth, handling billions of transactions and warehousing goods from countless third-party sellers. But a subtle yet significant shift is underway that could reshape how authenticity is ensured in the marketplace. As announced in a recent post on X by technology enthusiast Gerard Hughes, Amazon plans to discontinue its inventory commingling practice effective March 31, 2026. This move, aimed at curbing the influx of counterfeit products, marks a pivotal change in how the company manages fulfillment for third-party sellers.
webpronews.com
How Amazon Sellers Can Avoid Aged Inventory Surcharges in 2026
If you are selling on Amazon FBA, I know that recent updates are making 2026 look a bit scary for slow-moving inventory. Aged inventory surcharge fees are increasing. And, I can surely tell you that if you are not careful, a few months of stock can turn into a cash-burning nightmare. But, for this, you don’t have to panic. There are concrete, practical steps you can take to get on track.
hackernoon.com
How to Use AI to Boost Your Amazon Sales, Rankings and Reviews
Artificial intelligence is completely transforming how ecommerce businesses operate. AI is rewriting the rules for Amazon and DTC sellers alike and making life a whole lot easier in many ways. But here’s the truth. While everyone talks about “AI in ecommerce,” very few people actually know how to apply it strategically to grow sales, improve efficiency and future-proof their stores.
entrepreneur.com
Podcasts
How to Get Your Amazon Product Recommended By AI
AI is quickly becoming the new “front page” for product discovery on Google, in ChatGPT/Gemini-style engines, and even inside Amazon with Rufus. In this episode, Bradley sits down with Leo Sgovio, a longtime seller who’s sold tens of millions online, to break down what it actually takes to get your product recommended by AI (not just ranked on Amazon). Leo shares a practical GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) approach: build your brand around a domain you can own, publish AI-readable assets (like spec PDFs, schema, and other crawlable files), and then earn mentions where AI systems pull real-world signals, especially Reddit, press releases, and other trusted sources.
helium10.com