What do fees, fakes, and fans have in common?
They all made headlines this week, and yes, Amazon’s in the middle of it.
- Amazon’s “efficiency” comes with a fee hike 💰
- Banned device rakes in $8M on Amazon 🛑
- Walmart woos collectors Amazon shut out 🦸
- Join our Facebook group for FREE ✨
CASH CORNER
It’s official, Amazon’s breaking its no-fee-hike streak.
According to PYMNTS, after a quiet 2025, the retail giant announced it will increase Referral and FBA fees by $0.08 per unit next year.
💹 Still cheaper than inflation
Amazon calls it a small hike, arguing the increase is well below inflation, and, frankly, lower than the 3.9%–5.9% hikes other U.S. carriers have pulled over the past two years.
Here’s what sellers can count on:
- 90 days’ notice before the changes kick in.
- No new FBA fee types in 2026 (a rare moment of fee stability).
- Higher costs only where Amazon says it’s adding more value, think automation upgrades, better inventory forecasting, and smoother returns.
🧮 More tools, fewer surprises
To soften the blow, Amazon’s rolling out new and improved dashboards:
- Revenue Calculator & Fee Preview Report to test how the new fees hit your margins.
- Profit Analytics Dashboard to get granular, product-level insights to fine-tune pricing and profitability.
A few cents per item might not sound like much, until you multiply it by your monthly volume. Amazon’s take: “We’re keeping it reasonable.”
Reality check: even small hikes can eat into margins. Now’s the time to update your rates, test pricing, and keep Amazon from taking more than its share.
Tell us this doesn’t hit a little too close to home.
BITES OF THE WEEK
- TikTok Tug-of-War: Rising US-China tensions could derail the fragile TikTok ownership deal.
- Fast Fashion Fatigue: Temu and Shein’s European boom hits pause as shopper growth stalls.
- Post Like a Pro: New global study reveals how timing and Reels fuel Instagram growth.
- Prime Time Hiring: Amazon adds 250,000 workers to keep packages and profits moving this Q4.
BLACK MARKET
Couple made $8M selling banned health devices
Amazon just cleaned house after another health-product fiasco.
Forbes reported that a Colorado couple raked in over $8 million selling Dechoker, a suction-style anti-choking device falsely marketed as FDA-approved.
Spoiler: it wasn’t. 🫢
🧯 Lifesaver or legal trouble?
The FDA says Dechoker was never approved and should’ve been classified as a high-risk Class III device.
Despite a 2023 stop-sale order, the founders kept listings live until regulators shut them down.
Here’s how it unraveled:
- The couple made $8.2 million from 2023 to May 2025.
- The FDA seized the cash but hasn’t pressed charges… yet.
- Reports cite bruising and suction injuries.
- A UC Davis study found the device didn’t remove blockages and even caused tongue damage.
💡 Don't play doctor
An Amazon spokesperson said the company yanked the Dechoker and similar unapproved devices.
It’s tightening compliance checks too, only FDA-cleared products stay up, and the rest “are immediately removed.”
Sellers, take note: if your product even sounds medical, get your paperwork straight and skip the fake “FDA-approved” flex.
HOT TOPIC
Walmart courts collectors while Amazon shuts them out
Walmart’s leveling up from groceries to geekdom.
According to EcommerceBytes, At New York Comic Con, it unveiled a partnership with Shortboxed to list 10,000 verified comics from a 75,000+ catalog on Walmart Marketplace.
📚 A collector’s community
Walmart’s move isn’t just about selling comics, it’s about building culture, trust, and fandom. Here’s what’s rolling out:
- Comic fans can now trade through Shortboxed on Walmart Marketplace.
- The collaboration makes collecting safer and more fun with verified sellers and real deals.
- At NYCC, Walmart gave away limited editions with DC, Marvel, Image, and Skybound, and says it’s doubling down on tech and exclusives to make collecting “for everyone.”
💪 A subtle flex at Amazon
This isn’t a coincidence. Amazon just axed “Collectible” listings for Toys & Games. While Amazon shuts the door, Walmart’s flinging it open, and posting a guard.
For sellers, it’s a cue: Walmart’s move with Shortboxed could make it the new hub for niche sellers Amazon just shut out.
