Amazon is closing all 14 Amazon Fresh stores in the U.K. to focus on online delivery. 🚪
The move follows years of challenges expanding its grocery footprint against competitors like Tesco, Sainsbury’s, and Ocado.
Here’s what else is getting axed:
- Winning the Buy Box has never been easier 🏆
- Sellers suspicious of Amazon’s new “For You” policies 🤨
- Walmart’s loose rules fuel counterfeit surge 🔥
- Amazon and Walmart can now coexist 🤝
- Get Looped In and take the chaos out of ecommerce accounting ✉️
- We’ll link your newsletter for FREE. Send your applications here. 🤝
AMAZON NEWS
Big promises, bigger doubts.
According to EcommerceBytes, at this week’s Accelerate conference, Amazon rolled out two major changes: a returns overhaul and the end of commingling in FBA.
Both are pitched as efficiency wins, but seasoned sellers aren’t buying the “this is for you” pitch.
🎭 Returns get a makeover
Amazon VP Beryl Tomay unveiled Manage Your Returns, a single dashboard for FBA and MFN. The aim: fewer returns, smoother customer experiences.
- Parts over full returns. Sellers can now ship a missing attachment instead of eating the cost of a full refund.
- Partial refunds. You can offer $20 back for a scratch instead of processing a full return.
- Live troubleshooting. Chat and phone support cut 60% of returns in tests.
Seller-friendly on paper, but some see it as caving to buyers, with little protection against fraud.
🏷️ Commingling gets the axe
After years of complaints, Amazon is axing commingled inventory, no more mixing SKUs from multiple sellers.
- Sticker-free savings. Manufacturer barcodes eliminate FBA labels, saving sellers about $600M a year.
- Flexible inventory. Stock moves more easily across channels. 🚚
- Brand protection. Fewer counterfeits or low-quality swaps.
Still, this isn’t just for sellers. The shift keeps big brands happy and strengthens Amazon as a fulfillment partner for rivals like Walmart.
🤔 What's in it for you?
The upside: lower costs, fewer headaches, and more control. The downside: new returns tools could fuel buyer abuse without stronger fraud checks.
Amazon tightens its grip while tossing sellers a few perks. So who really wins, you or Amazon?
BITES OF THE WEEK
- Competing eGrocers: Kroger's model is a competitive grocery approach, with Amazon implementing similar strategies.
- Same-day Medicine: Walmart's same-day pharmacy delivery is now the first to offer refrigerated and reconstituted medications alongside groceries.
- Trillions Taken: Snapchat just revealed that in 2024, over one trillion selfie Snaps were taken!
- Sampling Smart: You should conduct test runs using free trials before committing to a software seller.
BLACK MARKET
Walmart’s open-door policy fuels counterfeit chaos
Coin Turk reported that Walmart’s third-party marketplace is taking heat as shoppers report receiving fake—and in some cases dangerous—products.
💀 Where the system breaks down
Walmart’s rush to onboard sellers has opened cracks that counterfeiters are exploiting.
- Fast approvals, slow checks. To compete, Walmart prioritized speed, leaving due diligence behind.
- Red flags ignored. Incomplete or shady credentials were waved through to keep growth up. 🚩
- Counterfeit fallout. It resulted in knock-offs slipping into carts, eroding trust and brand safety.
🎙️ Walmart’s response
Walmart admits counterfeit listings exist but says it’s committed to protecting buyers and sellers.
Fraudulent accounts, the company insists, are removed “swiftly.” Sellers, of course, know “swiftly” can feel like forever when revenue is frozen. 💨
🖼️ Sellers in the crossfire
Counterfeits plague every ecommerce sector, not just Walmart. For sellers, the warning is clear: your brand is only as safe as the marketplace’s vetting.
With Walmart’s doors wide open, customer trust is burning fast.
TRENDING TOPIC
Amazon and Walmart’s battle for exclusivity is over
For years, the retail narrative was framed as a cage match: Amazon vs. Walmart, one winner, one loser. But millennial shoppers didn't get the memo.
According to PYMNTS, consumers aren’t picking sides at all. They’re signing up for both Amazon Prime and Walmart+ as a way to cover all bases.
🚀 The power subscribers
Millennials are redefining retail subscriptions.
- Dual surge. Both Prime + Walmart+ subs jumped from 12% in 2021 to 24% in 2025, led by millennials.
- Culture shift. 8 in 10 millennials subscribe to at least one service; 37% to both.
- Boomers? 42% subscribe to none.
- Spending edge. Duals spend $110 per order vs. $78 (Prime-only) and $75 (Walmart+-only).
🥦 Grocery stronghold
Walmart owns grocery. Nearly 30% of consumers bought their latest groceries there vs. just 1.3% on Amazon.
- Dual subs: 44% still choose Walmart for groceries, only 4% pick Amazon.
- Pipeline play: Walmart isn’t poaching Prime, it’s turning them into add-ons.
🧩 Retail’s battle for exclusivity is over
The most valuable shoppers now split their spend—Amazon for everything else, Walmart for groceries.
For Amazon sellers, this isn’t a threat; it’s a signal: success comes from being the platform that gets added to the cart, not the one that gets replaced.
