Knowledge is power, and as an Amazon seller or vendor, this couldn’t be more true. Keeping up with the latest news, features, and tips in the Amazon ecosystem isn’t always easy. At eCommerce Nurse, we love sharing the best and brightest. This round-up of blogs and news from the last quarter will help you stay ahead of the competition.
AI to the rescue?
Fake reviews, review brokers, and fraud have long been a problem on Amazon for every locale and product category. While Amazon has made progress in cracking down on big offenders, review “factories” and other nefarious tactics continue to be a big issue. According to the BBC, Amazon recently shared how they’re using AI to crack down on fake reviews and determine what is genuine and what’s not. Why does it matter? As AI technology grows, perhaps Amazon can monitor the massive and continually evolving marketplace. This will make it easier for small and medium-sized businesses to succeed amid longstanding rivals.
Vacation mode for FBM
We all know Amazon fulfillment centers are massively backed up. A combination of staffing issues, Prime Day prep, and an influx of suppliers sending in stock at once for increased eCommerce sales are wreaking havoc on receive times. Many sellers using tried-and-true FBA may decide to swap to FBM as a backup. If so, they’ll want to know how to toggle vacation mode for FBM. This handy blog from JungleScout is informative and helpful for learning all about fulfillment options.
Pinning the Pinterest partnership
Is Pinterest another frontier in advertising? Perhaps so, given that Amazon recently announced a multiyear ads partnership with Pinterest. Phased in over multiple quarters, Pinterest hopes the functionality will boost its traffic. Amazon is touting a more seamless checkout experience, from browsing to buying. While Amazon Ads revenue continues to grow, businesses should stay aware of all the channels they can leverage with marketing spend. This may be especially important for certain product categories, like handmade, home goods, softlines, and more.
INFORM Consumers Act
Like many US sellers and brands, you may have gotten a warning about potential account suspension. This act was signed into law in December 2022, requiring compliance by June 27, 2023. The INFORM Act affects Amazon and its marketplace, as it is targeted at sellers who have conducted over 200 transactions and generated revenues exceeding $5,000 within a 12-month period. Required information must be up-to-date, including valid names, email addresses, mailing addresses, tax identification numbers, and more. No doubt, Amazon experienced a big increase in contacts to seller support related to the increased need for information. Are you in compliance?
Amazon Ad strategies
As Amazon Ads rolls out new features it can be hard to adjust your strategy and budgets in real-time. Whether you’re using integrated software, an account manager, or just going at it in the Ads platform alone, it pays to stay on top of basic errors. This blog from eComEngine on mistakes to avoid with Amazon Advertising provides a helpful compass for navigating the Amazon Ads channel in 2023.
Amazon to start charging for returns to UPS Stores
If your customers can’t drop off returns for free, how will this impact your business? It’s something to consider, given Amazon’s surprising change to start charging customers $1 to drop off returns at UPS Stores. Given this news, sellers should pay attention to customer experience metrics. Many customers may choose whatever return option gives them a free return, including blaming a brand for “incorrect website description” or other faults.
Heightened fees and how to navigate them
Amazon is notorious for little fee bumps here and there. At the end of the day (or fiscal year) these can result in a massive impact on your bottom line. In this Forbes interview, the columnist and FBA Seller discuss changes to the fee structure, inventory issues, and how to navigate it all while increasing your ROI. Even if you’re doing fine now, it’s important to plan ahead and predict what Amazon changes might affect your business in Q4 and beyond.
In conclusion, this quarter’s blog roundup has hopefully provided you with a diverse selection of insightful and engaging articles on Amazon topics. From the latest trends in AI technology to updates on Amazon’s fee structure and compliance issues, we hope that these articles have sparked new ideas and perspectives. We have designed a downloadable PDF version of this Amazon round-up, for easy reference.
At eCommerce Nurse, we encourage you to explore further, dive deeper into the topics that resonate with you, and continue to engage with us on our blog and LinkedIn. As always, feel free to explore our services and contact us if we can help your business.
