Amazon Strategy & Intelligence
Practical analysis of platform changes and what they mean for your brand.
Amazon's New Selection Program Gets Bigger on July 30: What Changes for New ASIN Launches
Amazon is expanding the New Selection Program on July 30, 2026, with lower referral fee tiers, a longer free storage window, and coverage for Vine and coupon costs. Sellers already enrolled get it automatically, but the October 31 reconfirmation deadline is easy to miss.
Amazon Requires SKU-Level Handling Time from June 29: What Every FBM Seller Must Do Now
Starting June 29, Amazon enforces SKU-level handling time accuracy for every seller-fulfilled listing. Sellers who haven't enabled Automated Handling Time or set manual per-SKU times enter a 30-day correction window before Amazon overrides their settings.
One Console for Everything: What Amazon's Display Ads and DSP Merger Means for Your Ad Strategy
Amazon unified Sponsored Display and Amazon DSP into a single Display Ads workspace earlier this year. Combined with Full-Funnel Campaigns launching in Q1, the ad landscape looks meaningfully different.
Amazon Vine Is Expanding. Here Is How to Use It Without the Common Mistakes
Amazon's Vine program quietly expanded eligibility in June 2026, opening the door for more ASINs to receive verified early reviews. The opportunity is real, but so are the ways to waste the budget.
Amazon's ASIN Enforcement Is Ramping Up: What the May Crackdown Means for Your Catalog
In May 2026, Amazon started enforcing its ASIN Creation Policy at scale. Duplicate listings, stuffed variations, and brand-generic combinations are facing 30-day deactivations.
Prime Day 2026: The Preparation Window Is Already Closing
Amazon Prime Day 2026 is expected in mid-July. The deadline for inventory, deals submission, and ad budget allocation is earlier than most sellers realize. Here is the prep calendar we are using with clients.
Rufus Is Gone. Alexa for Shopping Is Here. This Is What Actually Changed.
On May 13, Amazon officially retired the Rufus branding and launched Alexa for Shopping in its place. The rebrand is not just cosmetic. What it signals about Amazon's AI strategy matters for how you think about listings and visibility.
Project Amelia's May Update: Amazon's AI Seller Assistant Can Now Forecast Inventory
Amazon's built-in AI assistant for sellers gained a significant capability update in May 2026. Inventory forecasting and automated case recommendations are now live. Here is what that means in practice.
Amazon's Stricter List Price Rules: What the April Verification Update Actually Requires
On April 23, Amazon tightened its List Price verification process. If your pricing strategy relies on showing a discounted price against a higher reference price, you need to read this carefully.
Seller Fulfilled Prime Just Got Harder to Keep: New Defect Rate Thresholds in Effect
Amazon tightened its Seller Fulfilled Prime eligibility requirements in early May 2026. The new thresholds leave less margin for error, and the grace period for existing SFP sellers is shorter than expected.
The 3.5% Fuel Surcharge Is Here: How to Think About Margin When the Rules Change
Amazon added a 3.5% surcharge to every FBA fulfillment fee starting April 17. On top of January's FBA increases and the aged inventory changes, the compound effect is real.
Amazon Seller Central's Analytics Refresh: The Three New Metrics Worth Your Attention
Seller Central rolled out an updated analytics dashboard in April 2026. Most sellers skimmed past it. A few of the new data points change how you should be reading your business.
Amazon Ends Commingling: What the March 31 Change Means for Your Inventory Strategy
On March 31, Amazon officially moved away from commingled inventory practices. For many sellers, this is actually good news. Here's why, and what you need to do next.
The FBA Storage Utilization Surcharge Most Sellers Are Overlooking
Amazon's quarterly storage utilization surcharge hits brands carrying a high ratio of aged FBA inventory. It is quietly eating into margins for sellers who have not done the math.
AI Prompts Go Live in Sponsored Products: What Changed on March 25
Amazon's Sponsored Products and Sponsored Brands AI Prompts hit general availability in the US on March 25. If you run ads on Amazon, your listings are now doing more work than you probably realize.
Amazon's AI Content Policy: What Sellers Must Disclose (and Why It Matters)
In March 2026, Amazon formalized its requirements around AI-generated product content. Here is what actually changed, what you need to update, and where the enforcement risk sits.
Amazon's New Agent Policy: What the March BSA Update Means for Your Tech Stack
Amazon quietly rewrote the rules on automation in February. If your business uses any AI tool or third-party software to manage listings, ads, or inventory, this change affects you directly.