Amazon Seller News

Prime Video is launching Buy It Now on October 30, 2024, a competition show where entrepreneurs can pitch their products to a panel of Amazon executives and celebrity judges. Often compared to Shark Tank, this show emphasizes Amazon’s commitment to helping small businesses and sellers by offering a unique platform to showcase their innovations.

Entrepreneurs will have 90 seconds to present their products to a live audience and a judging panel. The winning contestants will secure a spot in Amazon’s exclusive Buy It Now store, accessible on both Amazon.com and within the Prime Video app, and a chance to win $20,000.

Judges include Amazon executives such as Carmen Nestares and Jenny Freshwater, alongside rotating celebrity judges like Gwyneth Paltrow and Tony Hawk. The show highlights Amazon’s focus on supporting sellers and helping them reach millions of customers through a streamlined platform.

Products are evaluated based on the "five Ps": pitch, product, popularity, problem-solving, and potential. Viewers will also be able to purchase featured products directly through Amazon's Buy It Now storefront starting on October 30 by scanning a QR code during the show or searching "Buy It Now" on Amazon.com.

The first three episodes will premiere on October 30, with new episodes airing weekly until the finale on January 8, 2025.

For more details, visit the Buy It Now storefront.

Amazon is introducing new email notifications to help sellers stay informed about changes or delays in FBA shipments using full truckload, less than truckload, and intermodal shipping options. These alerts will notify sellers of adjustments in pickup dates, shipping modes, or carrier details under the Partnered Carrier Program, allowing better preparation for inventory management.

The notifications will be sent to the email provided in Step 4 of the "Send to Amazon" workflow, where carrier and pallet information is confirmed. Additionally, for delivery disruptions, sellers will receive alerts about changes in shipment destination or delivery timing.

To adjust your preferences for these email updates:

1. Go to Seller Central and navigate to Settings.
2. Select Notification Preferences.
3. Scroll to FBA Inbound Shipment Status Notifications.
4. Click Edit to manage alerts for delivery plan changes or disruptions.

Each email will provide key shipment details, including the shipment ID, total pallets, cartons, and weight, giving sellers better oversight of their FBA processes.

For more details, refer to the Track Your Shipments page.

Beginning on November 4, 2024, Amazon will enhance the Prepaid Return Label Program by introducing UPS prepaid labels for seller-fulfilled returns of large and heavy items.

This update is part of an effort to streamline the seller-fulfilled return process for oversized items, helping to minimize A-to-z Guarantee claims and reducing customer inquiries about returns. For eligible domestic returns of large and heavy products, customers will automatically receive a prepaid, tracked return label via Buy Shipping services.

UPS, now the exclusive carrier for these returns, will manage the drop-off process for customers returning such items.

A package is considered large or heavy if it meets one or more of the following criteria:

• Weighs more than 90 lb but no more than 150 lb
• Measures more than 96 inches in length
• Total length plus girth exceeds 130 inches (length + 2x width + 2x height)

If the return reason shows that the customer is responsible, sellers can still deduct return shipping costs from the refund. For more information, see Return Reason codes for Prepaid Returns.

For packages exceeding 150 lb, 108 inches in length, or 165 inches in total length plus girth, sellers will still need to provide a prepaid return label within 48 hours of the return request. For further details, refer to Prepaid Return shipping services.

Starting September 15, 2024, sellers participating in the FBA New Selection program can enjoy a 25% discount on Vine enrollment fees for eligible products. This benefit applies when you enroll between 3 to 10 units per parent ASIN into Vine.

Amazon Vine is a program that invites trusted reviewers to share their opinions on new products, helping increase product visibility, boost sales, and assist customers in making informed purchasing decisions.

For more details, visit the FBA New Selection page.

Amazon Ads has launched two new generative AI tools—AI creative studio and Audio generator—designed to simplify and enhance ad creation for advertisers. Announced at unBoxed 2024, these tools aim to lower creative barriers and create more dynamic, engaging customer experiences.

AI creative studio allows advertisers to generate high-quality image, video, and soon, audio content from a single product shot or existing ad. It also includes an AI gallery for inspiration and provides unlimited storage for creative assets. The tool is now in beta for U.S. advertisers.

The Audio generator tool enables advertisers to create 30-second audio ads in minutes, helping brands expand their reach in audio advertising at no additional cost. It is also available in beta for Amazon DSP advertisers.

Amazon has also introduced a Video generator, which quickly creates custom videos from a single product image, and a live image feature that adds short animations to images for more dynamic ad campaigns. Both are currently in beta for select U.S. advertisers.

These innovations empower brands to update creatives easily, produce trend-driven content, and tailor ads for different audiences, ultimately improving campaign performance. For more details, read the full article.

Amazon has revised its Product Bundling policy for consumable products in the grocery, pet, baby, and health and beauty categories to enhance the quality of bundle offerings in the U.S. marketplace.

Starting October 14, 2024, sellers can only list product bundles if they are created and offered by the original manufacturer, who must also own the brand for all included items. This means that products from different companies can no longer be combined in a single bundle. Additionally, sellers are prohibited from listing bundles under a “Generic” brand or their own brand.

For instance, while a Frito-Lay Mixed Chips Pack packaged by Frito-Lay is acceptable, creating a custom bundle with Doritos and Cheetos is not, even if they are both Frito-Lay products. Bundling such items with unrelated products, like kitchen utensils or paper towels, is also not allowed.

Sellers can create new bundle listings with items from a single manufacturer to meet the updated guidelines. Enforcement of the new policy on existing bundles will begin in late Q4 2024, with Amazon providing 30 days’ notice via email and the Account Health dashboard for any non-compliant bundles set for removal.

For more details, visit the Product Bundling policy.

Amazon has filed new lawsuits targeting businesses involved in creating fake reviews, reinforcing its commitment to maintaining the integrity of its product reviews. Reviews are a key part of the shopping experience on Amazon, helping customers make informed purchasing decisions. However, fake review brokers threaten this trust by running fraudulent operations that mislead consumers and harm legitimate sellers.

Amazon’s zero-tolerance approach to fake reviews involves advanced technology to detect and prevent them, blocking over 250 million suspected fake reviews in 2023. In addition, Amazon takes legal measures, with recent lawsuits including a joint filing with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) in July 2024, marking their first collaborative action against review fraudsters.

Amazon's ongoing legal actions, such as those against companies like AMZ Mastery and Buyvotesforonlinecontest.com, demonstrate its proactive efforts to hold bad actors accountable. These companies engaged in practices like selling fake reviews and manipulating product ratings by boosting "Helpful" votes or removing negative feedback. Amazon's lawsuits aim to stop these fraudulent schemes at their source, protecting customers and preserving the credibility of its platform. For more information, read the full article.

Amazon has introduced the Compliance Fast-Track program to help sellers manage product compliance more efficiently. This initiative gathers compliance details directly from participating certification organizations for product categories like:

• Juvenile products
• Electronics
• Arts and crafts
• Window coverings

With this program, sellers no longer need to submit additional compliance documents to Amazon. To learn more about which of your products qualify and to view the list of participating organizations, visit the Compliance Fast-Track program.

In preparation for early holiday shopping, Amazon is extending the standard returns window for the 2024 holiday season, similar to past years. This extension applies across both U.S. and EU marketplaces.

For U.S. Sellers:
The 2024 Extended Holiday Returns policy allows customers to return items purchased between November 1, 2024, and December 31, 2024, until January 31, 2025. However, Apple brand products must be returned by January 15, 2025. This policy is valid for seller-fulfilled, Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), and Amazon Retail orders. The extended returns window does not alter returns eligibility, which remains the same for all orders.

For more information on returns eligibility for various categories, visit About our returns policies.

For EU Sellers:
In all EU stores, the returns window will also be extended for the holiday season. Items purchased between November 1, 2024, and December 25, 2024, can be returned until January 31, 2025, or within 30 days from receipt, whichever is later. This applies to Amazon stores including Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.de, Amazon.fr, Amazon.it, Amazon.nl, Amazon.pl, Amazon.se, and Amazon.com.be. Exceptions exist for Amazon.de and Amazon.it in categories like Camera, Electronics, and Video Games, where the return window is January 15, 2025, or within 14 days from receipt.

In Amazon.es, items purchased between November 1, 2024, and January 6, 2025, can be returned until February 6, 2025, or within 30 days from receipt.

As with the U.S., this extended return window applies to seller-fulfilled, FBA, and Amazon Retail orders, without affecting overall returns eligibility.

Amazon has announced a reduction in Seller Export and Delivery (SEND) rates, allowing sellers to save up to 15% on FBA shipments from the US to the UK compared to July rates. This update makes cross-border shipping more cost-effective and convenient.

Key Benefits of the US-to-UK SEND Program:

• Seller Central Integration: Easily book shipments, arrange carrier pickup, and manage customs information directly through Seller Central.
• Customs Support: The partnered carrier will assist with customs clearance both at the origin and the destination.
• Competitive Rates and Seamless Payments: Enjoy discounted rates with partnered carriers, with payments integrated into Seller Central for hassle-free processing.
• Door-to-Door Service: Carriers will handle pickup from your location and deliver the shipment to the UK fulfillment center after verifying customs documents.
• Shipment Tracking and Escalation Support: Monitor shipment progress via Seller Central. For any issues, Selling Partner Support will facilitate communication with the carrier.

For more details, visit the Cross-Border Partnered Carrier Program from the US to the UK.