Author: SellerBites

If chaos had a flavor, it’d be pumpkin spice and ecommerce meltdowns. 

• Profit on Walmart, or just paying for ads? 💸
• Spoiler: tariffs won’t stop themselves 😬
• Amazon’s fine print just got fined 🧠
• Sleigh the season with smarter guides 🛷

HOT TOPIC

The Supreme Court might rule on Trump’s trade powers soon, but don’t hold your breath for relief.

According to Reuters, even if his authority under emergency laws gets clipped, the administration’s ready to rebrand and reimpose tariffs through other channels.

💼 Still here, still costing you

Washington’s made it clear: tariffs aren’t going anywhere. Here’s what that means:

• Court-proof strategy. Even if one law falls, the White House has backup plans ready to keep duties alive.
• Importers under pressure. Shifting suppliers is no longer the easy escape hatch it once was.
• Economic “emergencies.” Trade deficits and even the fentanyl crisis are now being framed as national security threats, a way to justify long-term tariffs.
• Seller squeeze. Rising import costs mean thinner margins, higher prices on listings, and tougher battles for the Buy Box.

💸 Who’s picking up the tab?

Yep, it’s you. Whether you source from China, India, or Mexico, sellers are footing the bill through higher costs and slimmer profits.

So plan accordingly: review pricing, diversify suppliers, and keep tabs on trade headlines. Because when it comes to tariffs, the only constant is chaos.

TOGETHER WITH SELLERBOARD

One Dashboard for Amazon + Walmart Profitability

Running both Amazon and Walmart? Then you know how painful it is to track costs across two marketplaces.

Sellerboard now makes it simple with the new Walmart Dashboard.

• View Amazon + Walmart profitability side by side.
• Capture every fee, refund, ad cost, and overhead.
• Drill down to SKU-level profit per marketplace.
• Build custom shipping profiles that reflect reality.

Best part? If you’re Walmart-only, sellerboard works perfectly on its own.

Wherever you sell, sellerboard brings clarity to your numbers so you can scale with confidence.

Get started for 3-months

BITES OF THE WEEK

• Smart Sourcing with China: Ecer.com launches AI Sourcing at ICBE, enabling real-time matches, multilingual chats, and faster B2B deals.
• AI Listing Breakdown: See how COSMO and Rufus AI score, rank, and shape real Amazon listings for visibility.
• Etsy’s AI Era: Etsy’s Q3 shows stronger app engagement, AI-driven upgrades, and a CEO handoff as Depop surges.
• Japan Ends Exemptions: Japan will scrap long-standing import tax breaks by 2026, leveling the field for domestic retailers.

BIG IDEA

Secret Prime subscription price hike ruled illegal

A German court just ruled that Amazon’s 2022 Prime price hike was illegal. Yep, the court says Amazon had no right to bump up fees without asking users first. 

Now, millions of German Prime members could be in for refunds. 💸

⚖️ The price is wrong, Prime

In 2022, Amazon hiked Prime to €89.50 a year and €8.99 a month, blaming “rising costs.” What they glossed over was a clause giving them free rein to change prices anytime. 

• Illegal fine print. The “price adjustment clause” violated contract law, companies cannot change prices mid-agreement.
• Refunds incoming. Consumer groups in Germany are preparing a class action to recover hundreds of millions in overpaid fees.
• 15M users were affected. That is how many German Prime members may be eligible for a share of the refunds.

Amazon says it’s reviewing the verdict and may appeal, but the legal tide is turning fast.

🇺🇸 Don’t get too comfortable

This isn’t just about Germany, it’s about how much control Amazon holds over customers and sellers. 

• Policy precedent. Other EU countries may follow, forcing Amazon to get consent before changing subscription or FBA fees.
• Financial ripple. To offset European losses, Amazon could raise fees in other markets.
• Trust issue. Being flagged for “illegal pricing” is not great for Amazon’s global reputation.

U.S. sellers aren’t directly hit yet. But history says what happens in the EU rarely stays there for long. 

If Amazon needs to recover losses, expect “adjustments” to show up in U.S. subscription or FBA fees.

ACTIONABLE ADVICE

‘Tis the season to optimize your gift guides

Forget “coming soon,” the holidays have arrived. With 91% of U.S. adults planning to celebrate, shoppers are already browsing, budgeting, and buying. 

Shopify’s guide shares seven smart steps to make your gift guide convert.

• Know your people. Define your audience, their budget, and what they value most, speed, sentiment, or personalization.
• Choose smart, not cute. Use last year’s Q4 data to spotlight bestsellers with strong margins and low return rates.
  • Tip: Skip products with weak reviews or long lead times.
• Organize by shopper intent. Use intuitive categories like “Under $25,” “For the Office,” or “Sustainable Finds.”
  • Tip: Cross-link related sections for better SEO and navigation.
• Bundle like a boss. Create themed or tiered bundles that make gifting effortless.
• Design for clarity. Keep layouts clean and on-brand.
  • Tip: Consistency converts.
• Add an interactive quiz. Help shoppers find their perfect match while capturing data.
  • Tip: Keep it short, five to eight questions max.
• Stock smart. Plan inventory early, pad popular SKUs, and align promos with shipping cutoffs.

The best gift guides don’t just inspire, they convert. Keep it simple, data-driven, and shoppable.

Are you on Amazon for “passive income”? 

Cute. Because the only thing passive about FBA is how fast your profits disappear if you stop paying attention.

• Steal your competitors’ sales this season 🎯
• Confident you’re not in the 99.9%? 😏
• Thought of the Day 🍴

SELLER CONFESSIONS

An Amazon seller (OP) confessed: Amazon’s grind hits harder than new sellers expect, 99% won’t make it past the first phase.

According to OP, too many beginners think Amazon is a side hustle that magically turns into a six-figure empire. In reality, it’s more like a slow, expensive grind through customer complaints, account warnings, and endless policy shifts.

🎡 Amazon’s not a lottery ticket

OP wasn’t trying to kill ambition, just illusions. 

• Unrealistic expectations. A few YouTube videos or a $500 course doesn’t make you an entrepreneur.
• The passive-income illusion. Everyone wants “hands-off money” without the years of hustle.
• Gurus profit more than students. Thousands buy courses; maybe one out of a hundred succeeds. 🤓
• Amazon is tougher than ever. OA/RA sellers face daily Section 3 suspensions, brands are gating harder, and support feels like Russian roulette.
• Real success takes years. Seven figures isn’t a quarter-year sprint, it’s a multi-year climb.

As OP put it, “If you’ve got grit, patience, and zero quit, it might just work.”

🧭 The honest bottom line

Veteran sellers piled on with their own reality checks.

• Passive income is a myth. FBA takes constant work, the only thing “hands-off” is your bank balance if you ignore it.
• Margins are thinner than they look. In today’s market, $2 net per unit is a win.
• It’s a long game. Expect 8–12 months before meaningful profit shows up. 🗓️
• Adapt or die. Sellers who survive policy whiplash and competition never stop learning.
• Only a few make it. Rough estimates say maybe 1–2% truly thrive after three years.
• Originality still wins. Handmade, brand-first, or niche creators can still carve sustainable income.

The consensus? Amazon’s not impossible, it’s just merciless to the unprepared. Treat it like a business, not a shortcut, and it’ll reward you eventually. Treat it like a side hustle, and it’ll chew you up. 😋

TOGETHER WITH STACK INFLUENCE

🎁 Get Ahead This Holiday Season – Rank #1 on Amazon Like Lenny & Larry’s

Most Amazon sellers feel it this time of year:

Ad costs spike. Rankings stall. Conversions flatten.

That was Lenny & Larry’s story before turning to Stack Influence – the platform that automates influencer collaborations at scale.

Instead of pouring more into ads, they sent their Protein Pretzels to 1,560 verified Micro-Influencers who:

1. Bought the product on Amazon (real purchase, verified sale)
2. Shared honest reviews & social post.
3. Created UGC that could be repurposed everywhere

The result?

• 🚀 11× monthly sales (from 1,024 → 11,316 units)
• 📈 BSR rank jump: #9,536 → #864 in Grocery
• ⭐ 525 organic reviews (4.3 avg.)
• 👀 2.3M impressions + 82K engagements

Now imagine that kind of organic growth before the holiday rush.

With Stack Influence, you can:

• 📦 Gift your products to real customers & influencers
• 🤖 Automate collaborations from A–Z (save 175+ hours monthly)
• 📸 Generate unlimited branded UGC with full rights
• 📈 Boost rankings through authentic, verified Amazon traffic

This holiday season, skip the ad wars.

Stack Influence helps brands outrank competitors and multiply recurring revenue before December even starts.

🎄 Get 10% OFF when you launch your campaign this month

See how it works here

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

Most sellers lose to expectations, not competition. The market rewards those who see it for what it is, not what they wish it were.

BITES OF THE WEEK

• Future-proof Marketing: 12th Annual Digital Marketing for Financial Services (DMFS) NY Summit is happening this fall 2025.
• Holiday Hustle Playbook: Download the Winning the 2025 Holiday Shopper: Insights for Advertisers and Retailers Dive now!
• Retail Media Remix: Ex-Amazon Ads evangelist Jeff Cohen unpacks AI, data, and the evolution from retail to commerce media.
• Commerce Summit November: Web Summit Lisbon 2025 dives into ecommerce’s next wave, from social shopping to next-gen payments.

• Cyber Monday just clocked in 💨
• Retail theft just broke the leaderboard 🏴‍☠️
• Amazon’s AI just cleaned up your copy 🪄
• Fast cash just dropped in Seller Central 💰

AMAZON NEWS

Mark your calendars for December 1, 2025, but heads up, the race already started.

Shoppers are hunting early deals, and Amazon’s AI is helping them find (and ignore) products faster. If your listings and ads aren’t optimized yet, you’re not just late, you’re leaving clicks and cash on the table.

🔵 Do you want to get left behind?

TOGETHER WITH SELLER INTERACTIVE

What’s really holding your Amazon growth back?

You’ve optimized listings. You’re running PPC. You’ve read all the blogs. So… why isn’t it translating into real growth?

That’s where Seller Interactive comes in.

We’re not here to sell you a magic hack. We’re here to show you exactly what your current strategy is missing.

From underperforming keywords to untapped ad opportunities, our team of Amazon experts will walk you through what’s actually going on inside your account—and where your next wins are hiding.

Our full-service team manages over $2M in monthly ad spend across categories like health & wellness, home & kitchen, supplements, and more. And we don’t just launch ideas—we back them with data, test them, and scale what works.

Think of us as the partner who brings clarity and execution to your Amazon strategy.

Book a free Discovery Call

BITES OF THE WEEK

• Festive Flash Sale: India’s festive ecommerce sales surge 27%, powered by GST cuts and small-city shoppers.
• Covering the SEA: China-based ecommerce giants now command half of Southeast Asia’s online shopping market.
• Boosted Revenue: TikTok now lets top creators keep up to 90% of subscription revenue.
• Pre-Peak Power-Up: UK online sales jump 7% as early Black Friday deals fuel festive momentum.

BLACK MARKET

Retail crime is also breaking records

Shoplifting jumped 18%, and violent incidents climbed another 17%, marking one of the biggest spikes in recent years.

And while brick-and-mortar stores are taking the brunt, ecommerce sellers aren’t off the hook. Digital scams, fake returns, and fulfillment fraud are creeping up fast, a quieter threat that’s just as costly.

🔵 Retail thieves just hit “Buy Now”

SELLER REFRESHER

Your listings just got an AI makeover

The freshly launched Enhance My Listing feature automatically suggests smarter titles, stronger descriptions, and fills in missing details using Amazon’s AI. 

Think of it as an instant tune-up for your tired product pages.

🔵 Fresh drop just hit Seller Central

CASH CORNER

Amazon’s money faucet is flowing again

The revamped Amazon Lending program now gives sellers faster access to funding options, from loans and cash advances to credit lines.

Some offers skip credit checks entirely and appear right inside Seller Central, meaning sellers can unlock funds in just hours, not weeks.

🔵 Check out growth options

Something spooky’s in your inventory. 

What disappears on Amazon never really stays gone. 👻

• Something’s blocking your FBA breakout 🧱
• Found: your “lost” inventory, now expired 💀
• Amazon double billed, then made it right 💸
• The ad cooled off, the tariffs didn’t ❄️
• Join our Facebook group for FREE ✨

BLACK MARKET

It’s every seller’s nightmare: your inventory vanishes, Amazon shrugs, and months later it magically reappears—older, dustier, and somehow your problem again.

And yep, that’s exactly what happened to a seller in the forums.

🍪 Quick bits

• Slow-motion loss: Inventory shipped long before expiry vanished, got reimbursed, and resurfaced almost a year later.
• Kicker: Amazon clawed back the reimbursement and sent back expired stock.
• Official line: Perfectly legal under FBA policy, but ethically murky.
• Fix: Dispute the case with the reimbursement ID, proof of shipment, expiry dates, and invoices to recalculate value.
• Takeaway: These “lost and found” blunders happen more often than Amazon admits. Track your reimbursements and speak up early.

💬 SellerBites’ take

Amazon moves fast when it’s charging fees, but somehow misplaces its sense of urgency when it’s fixing errors. 😅

The real pain isn’t expired stock, it’s the time warp that turns refunds into regrets. Keep your docs tight, track your cases, and remember: silence isn’t compliance. 🫠

TOGETHER WITH SELLER INTERACTIVE

What if one call could change how you sell on Amazon?

You’ve optimized listings. You’re running PPC. You’ve read all the blogs.
So… why isn’t it translating into real growth?

That’s where Seller Interactive comes in.

We’re not here to sell you a magic hack.
We’re here to show you exactly what your current strategy is missing.

From underperforming keywords to untapped ad opportunities, our team of Amazon experts will walk you through what’s actually going on inside your account—and where your next wins are hiding.

Our full-service team manages over $2M in monthly ad spend across categories like health & wellness, home & kitchen, supplements, and more. And we don’t just launch ideas—we back them with data, test them, and scale what works.

Think of us as the partner who brings clarity and execution to your Amazon strategy.

📞 Book a free Discovery Call

We’ll deep dive into your brand, your storefront, and your numbers.
You’ll walk away with a clear picture of what you’re doing right—and what needs fixing.

Let’s unlock what your Amazon strategy is missing.

BITES OF THE WEEK

• Tariff Tiff: Senate votes to block Trump’s Canada tariffs, with bipartisan support challenging the trade move.
• Search Shake-Up: eBay confirms ads now appear only in Best Match and Top Picks to improve buyer experience.
• ChatGPT Cart Crash: Study finds ChatGPT drives curious shoppers, not conversions, AI referrals lag behind Google and affiliates.
• Export Express: Amazon India hits $20B in global sales as small-town sellers power exports, undeterred by steep U.S. tariffs.
• Star-Crossed Reviews: Amazon sellers, Vine reviewers, and shoppers clash over what those stars really mean, calling for clearer rating standards.

CASH CORNER

Sellers get refund after double billing glitch

Sellers spotting random “Other” fees on their statements weren’t imagining things, Amazon really did pull a disappearing act on their balances.

What looked like a mystery charge turned out to be a carrier glitch that billed some shipping labels twice.

🍪 Quick bits

• Glitch: A carrier tech hiccup caused Buy Shipping labels to bill twice on certain orders.
• Evidence: Duplicate “Other” debits appeared on August 22 and September 10 statements.
• Fix: Amazon’s refunding affected sellers in full, including taxes and postage, and has notified everyone impacted.
• Fallout: The mystery line items wrecked bookkeeping and sent sellers scrambling for answers.
• Cleanup: Amazon says it’s tightening carrier oversight to prevent repeat slip-ups.

💬 SellerBites’ take

It’s not every day Amazon admits fault, but when it does, at least it comes with a refund. Still, “technical issue” feels like code for we weren’t watching closely enough.

Even billion-dollar systems can glitch, but sellers always pay the price first. So next time your payout looks spooky, check those “Other” charges before they ghost your profits. 👻

HOT TOPIC

Canada pulled the ad, but not the tariff trouble

U.S.–Canada trade relations just took another nosedive. President Trump announced a fresh 10% tariff hike on Canadian imports, days after Ontario aired an ad criticizing U.S. trade policy during the World Series.

The ad’s been pulled, but the diplomatic damage? Already done.

🍪 Quick bits

• The $75M ad flop: Ontario’s government used a vintage Ronald Reagan clip to protest U.S. tariffs. Washington fired back, calling it propaganda.
• Tariff déjà vu: The U.S. had already raised tariffs on Canadian imports to 35%, with limited relief under USMCA.
• Canada’s clapback: Canada hit back with 25% retaliatory tariffs in March, paused them in August to reopen talks, then got slammed again.
• Timing couldn’t be worse: The new 10% spike hits right before Q4, threatening higher costs and slower cross-border fulfillment.
• Negotiations frozen: Ontario pulled the ad Monday, but the fallout is already snowballing.

💬 SellerBites’ take

Just when sellers thought tariff drama was cooling off, someone hit replay. The irony? A 30-second ad just melted months of progress.

For cross-border sellers, this means one thing, brace for impact. Higher duties, longer delivery windows, and tighter margins are about to make the winter shipping season even frostier.

Hey, notice any weird charges or fee changes lately? 

Amazon’s in refund mode, it might be a good time to double-check your own numbers too. 💰

• Think you’re making money on Walmart? 👀
• Amazon refunds “Other” fee fiasco 💸
• US And China’s temporary tariff peace 🤝
• Fee relief for bulk sellers 🎯

CASH CORNER

Looks like Amazon’s dishing out refunds instead of candy this week. 

Sellers who spotted those mysterious “Other” fees on their August and September statements just got reimbursed, thanks to a carrier mix-up tied to Buy Shipping labels.

💸 Amazon’s “oops” moment

Amazon owned up to the problem, saying a “carrier technical issue” caused double billing on certain shipping labels. 

• The phantom charges showed up as “Other” debits on August 22 and September 10.
• Impacted sellers are getting full refunds, including taxes and extra postage.
• Everyone affected has been notified via email.

🎃 Treats after tricks

According to EcommerceBytes, sellers first flagged the issue back in August, stressing that random “Other” transactions made bookkeeping a nightmare. 

Amazon says it’s tightening up carrier oversight to prevent a repeat, and will refund anyone else hit by the glitch.

So this time, “Other” doesn’t mean mystery fees. It means money back. 💰

TOGETHER WITH SELLERBOARD

Stop Guessing. Start Knowing Your Walmart Profits.

Selling on Walmart? Then you know how tricky it is to figure out what you’re really making. Revenue looks good, but once you factor in commissions, ads, shipping, refunds, and overhead, the numbers often don’t add up.

That’s why Sellerboard built the new Walmart Dashboard.

With sellerboard, you get:

• All costs in one view: COGS, ads (account + product level), shipping, refunds, and overhead.
• SKU-level profit insights: See which products pay and which drain.
• Shipping profiles: Assign costs by weight, region, or season to reflect real logistics.
• Amazon + Walmart together: Manage both marketplaces in a single dashboard — or use it for Walmart only.

No more guessing games. No more spreadsheets. Just clear, accurate profitability tracking designed for Walmart sellers.

Start your 3-month free trial

BITES OF THE WEEK

• Beat the FBA Clock: Sellers, mark October 30! Amazon’s FBA cutoff looms, stock up, ship smart, and prep for peak sales.
• Projected Parcel Profits: UPS earned $21.4B in Q3; real estate gains lifted profits despite lower domestic volumes.
• Expected from Amazon: Analysts expect Amazon’s Q3 revenue to hit $177.9B, driven by AWS and ad growth momentum.
• Variation Evolution: Amazon phases out old variation themes by November to streamline listings and reduce catalog chaos.

HOT TOPIC

US and China call a one-year tariff war truce

Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping met in Busan and agreed to cut tariffs on China-based imports from 20% to 10% for one year, with an option to extend.

A little early holiday relief for importers? Maybe. But don’t stash those spreadsheets just yet.

💰 What’s the deal

In exchange for the tariff cut, China pledged to:

• Tighten control over fentanyl trafficking
• Postpone restrictions on rare earth exports
• Resume U.S. soybean purchases, easing pressure on American farmers

The average tariff on China goods now sits around 47%, roughly 10% lower than before, not exactly free trade, but a notable cool-down.

⚖️ The balance act continues

China still controls 70% of rare earth mining and 90% of processing. With these minerals powering everything from EVs to fighter jets, the export pause gives U.S. manufacturers a brief breather.

Just weeks ago, Trump floated 100% tariffs. Now both sides are easing off, for 12 months, at least. Keep those contingency plans handy… calm never lasts long in a trade war.

SELLER REFRESHER

Referral fees drop for Amazon B2B orders

Amazon just dropped a Q4 surprise: lower referral fees on bulk Amazon Business orders. A small win, but the timing is perfect, extra margin right when holiday pressure peaks.

📊 Quick breakdown

Starting October 1, 2025, Amazon rolled out referral fee cuts for sellers moving high-volume orders through Amazon Business. The rules are simple:

• Your business price or quantity discount must be 3%+ lower than your standard price
• Each order must hit $1,000+ per SKU
• The larger the order, the lower the referral fee, potentially dropping to as low as 5% on big buys

🎁 Bulk benefits

The discount applies to both FBA and FBM, giving sellers more room to compete on bulk pricing. With 8M+ business customers on Amazon, this could be a solid win for brands selling wholesale or high-volume SKUs.

If you offer multi-unit or case packs, revisit your pricing and let the discounts do the heavy lifting.

Tip: Check your All Statements Report to confirm that your fee reductions are being applied correctly, no surprises later.

Maybe the best thing you could gift your Amazon store this week isn’t another PPC tweak, it’s joining our Facebook group. 🎁

• What’s holding back your growth? 📉
• Here’s your expired item back! 😬
• Alibaba wants ChatGPT’s crown 👑
• China’s not giving up TikTok easy ⚡
• Join our Facebook group for FREE ✨

BLACK MARKET

A seller just lived every seller’s FBA nightmare in slow motion. 

They shipped inventory in November 2024 with an April 2025 expiry, plenty of time to sell. Then Amazon “lost” a few units, issued a reimbursement, and everyone moved on.

Or so they thought.

🧾 What actually happened

Almost a year later, Amazon found the missing items. 

• Amazon found the missing items, reversed the reimbursement, and shipped the expired stock back to the seller.
• The seller’s stuck with worthless stock and lost the reimbursement. Their question: Is this normal?
  • Short answer: kinda, but it shouldn’t be.

💡 Your damage control plan

If this happens to you, here’s how to fight the FBA time warp:

• File a case immediately. Reference your reimbursement ID and state the items are expired and unsellable. 
• Prove your timeline. Include the original shipment and expiration dates to show they were valid when first sent in.
• Check the reimbursement amount. Amazon pays based on the average selling price, not your cost.
  • Tip: If the payout seems off, submit invoices or recent sales proof to get it adjusted.
• Track your reimbursements. These “lost and found” cases happen more often than Amazon admits.

When Amazon’s calendar moves slower than your product’s expiration clock, you shouldn’t pay the price. Sellers who document everything, usually get their money back. 

But only if they make noise about it. Sadly. 🫠

TOGETHER WITH SELLER INTERACTIVE

What’s really holding your Amazon growth back?

You’ve optimized listings. You’re running PPC. You’ve read all the blogs. So… why isn’t it translating into real growth?

That’s where Seller Interactive comes in.

We’re not here to sell you a magic hack. We’re here to show you exactly what your current strategy is missing.

From underperforming keywords to untapped ad opportunities, our team of Amazon experts will walk you through what’s actually going on inside your account—and where your next wins are hiding.

Our full-service team manages over $2M in monthly ad spend across categories like health & wellness, home & kitchen, supplements, and more. And we don’t just launch ideas—we back them with data, test them, and scale what works.

Think of us as the partner who brings clarity and execution to your Amazon strategy.

Book a free Discovery Call

BITES OF THE WEEK

• Purpose with Polish: E.l.f. launches a bold, purpose-led campaign asking consumers what they truly “give an e.l.f.” about.
• Seuss and Sales: Walmart’s Dr. Seuss-inspired holiday ads mix whimsy and value to reimagine budget-friendly cheer.
• Q4 Amazon Playbook: John Erban walks sellers through strategies to scale and grow on Amazon in Q4 and beyond.
• Data, Your Way: Amazon’s new Custom Analytics lets sellers tailor dashboards with 100+ metrics and visual insights.

HOT TOPIC

Alibaba just declared war on ChatGPT and Meta

Alibaba’s not waiting for an invite to Silicon Valley’s AI soirée, it just kicked down the door. 

The Chinese ecommerce giant dropped both a ChatGPT rival and a pair of AI-powered smart glasses designed to square up against Meta’s latest Ray-Bans.

But this isn’t just about shiny gadgets, it’s a power move. 

🥊 China’s tech counterpunch 

Cut off from Nvidia’s top chips and U.S. tech pipelines, Alibaba isn’t sulking, it’s pivoting. The company’s turning scarcity into strategy and rewriting the AI playbook with bold moves.

• Chatbot clash: Its new Qwen3-powered bot takes on ByteDance, Tencent, and DeepSeek.
• AI eyewear drop: Quark AI Glasses debut at $660, undercutting Meta’s Ray-Bans just in time for Singles’ Day. 🕶️
• $53B cloud push: Alibaba’s investing $53B in cloud infrastructure, the real race is in compute. ☁️
• Global twist: Airbnb’s AI assistant runs on Alibaba’s open-source Qwen model, not ChatGPT.

💸 When AI meets ROI 

From ecommerce to enterprise, Alibaba’s betting the real profit lies in owning the infrastructure powering AI. 

If Alibaba can scale cheaper AI tools and cloud systems globally, sellers could soon see lower-cost, China-built AI services for listings, ad optimization, and logistics.

BIG IDEA

China is not ready to let TikTok go without a fight

The White House says TikTok’s long-delayed U.S. sell-off will finally close this week. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed the deal is “firmly established” after talks with Chinese negotiators in Madrid. 

The plan: hand TikTok over to U.S. ownership before the December 16 deadline.

🌏 The global tug-of-war

It’s a geopolitical chess match with commerce, data, and diplomacy all tangled together.

• China pushes back. Beijing isn’t happy. Officials call the new U.S. tariffs “protectionist” and may use TikTok’s approval as leverage.
• The U.S. stays confident. Trump’s team has reportedly “signed off,” and Bessent says the deal is moving ahead.
• TikTok plays it safe. The app quietly updated its data-sharing policy, possibly allowing U.S. agencies like ICE access.
• But China holds the pen. Despite the optimism, Beijing still has final say, and it’s in no rush to release

⚙️ The seller fallout

If the deal actually closes, the ripple effect will hit ecommerce first. 

• Expect a more U.S.-regulated, data-compliant TikTok with stricter seller checks and ad rules.
• If the ownership battle settles, brands may regain confidence in investing on the platform.
• A new structure could bring clearer data protocols.
• And a steadier TikTok Shop could crank up pressure on Amazon and Meta in short-form commerce.

We’ve heard “final deal” before, but this round feels closer to the finish line. Whatever happens next, TikTok’s move could reshape how brands sell and scale in 2026.

Every seller had that launch, the one that looks perfect on paper but collapses in practice. 

This one just happened to cost $8,000 and a 0.12 ROAS.

• Steal your competitors’ sales this season 🎯
• $8,000 later… still waiting for a sale 🕰️
• Thought of the Day 🍴
• Join our Facebook group for FREE ✨

SELLEBITES INBOX

An Amazon seller (OP) asked: What do you do when you’ve tried every ad strategy, earned great feedback, and still can’t make sales?

OP launched their product back in April and went all in—Amazon ads, Meta ads, auto and manual campaigns, and even off-Amazon content marketing. The result? A brutal 0.12 ROAS. That’s not a typo. 

🪫 Launch out of juice

Clicks were flowing. Sales were snoring. The product looked legit, reviews on point… yet conversions stayed asleep.

• Ads weren’t converting. Multiple platforms, same silence.
• Product-market fit looked fine. Feedback was positive, yet demand didn’t repeat.
• Cash pressure hit hard. Ad costs stacked up, turning enthusiasm into anxiety.
• The urge to quit. OP considered liquidating before losing more cash.

It’s the classic Amazon gut-check moment, where passion collides with profit math, and sellers realize the algorithm doesn’t care how much effort you’ve put in.

⚒️ Cold, useful fixes

Veteran sellers didn’t offer sympathy, they offered surgery. The consensus: stop hoping ads will save a listing that isn’t built to convert.

• Upgrade your visuals. Mediocre photos and generic A+ content kill trust instantly.
• Rework your pricing. Compete directly with your top five rivals before expecting sales.
• Refine your positioning. “People buy with emotion, not logic,” one seller reminded OP.
• Target niche communities. Find where your audience actually hangs out, TikTok, Reddit, or niche Facebook groups.
• Offer smaller sizes. Let new buyers test the product before committing to full-price packs.

🧠 The debate over brand story

One seller blamed the lack of brand storytelling. Another fired back: “No one cares about stories for detergent; they care about benefits, price, and proof.”

Turns out, both were right. Even a strong product needs a reason to stand out, but emotion alone won’t fix weak positioning.

In a saturated market, differentiation isn’t decoration, it’s survival.

TOGETHER WITH STACK INFLUENCE

🎁 Get Ahead This Holiday Season – Rank #1 on Amazon Like Lenny & Larry’s

Most Amazon sellers feel it this time of year:

Ad costs spike. Rankings stall. Conversions flatten.

That was Lenny & Larry’s story before turning to Stack Influence – the platform that automates influencer collaborations at scale.

Instead of pouring more into ads, they sent their Protein Pretzels to 1,560 verified Micro-Influencers who:

1. Bought the product on Amazon (real purchase, verified sale)
2. Shared honest reviews & social post.
3. Created UGC that could be repurposed everywhere

The result?

• 🚀 11× monthly sales (from 1,024 → 11,316 units)
• 📈 BSR rank jump: #9,536 → #864 in Grocery
• ⭐ 525 organic reviews (4.3 avg.)
• 👀 2.3M impressions + 82K engagements

Now imagine that kind of organic growth before the holiday rush.

With Stack Influence, you can:

• 📦 Gift your products to real customers & influencers
• 🤖 Automate collaborations from A–Z (save 175+ hours monthly)
• 📸 Generate unlimited branded UGC with full rights
• 📈 Boost rankings through authentic, verified Amazon traffic

This holiday season, skip the ad wars.

Stack Influence helps brands outrank competitors and multiply recurring revenue before December even starts.

🎄 Get 10% OFF when you launch your campaign this month

See how it works here

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

Every dollar in ads is wasted if your listing can’t close the deal.

BITES OF THE WEEK

• MSG New York 25: This November 5–6, top app leaders gather in NYC to explore how AI reshapes ecommerce, fintech, and growth.
• Swap Global Zoom: Master cross-border shipping with Swap Global’s live training, boost profits, compliance, and global expansion confidence.
• Myth-Busting Time: Tactical Logistic Solutions’ free Q4 cheat sheet debunks costly supply chain myths to protect profits.
• Delegate Smarter: HubSpot’s free AI playbook helps you automate tasks, boost efficiency, and reclaim your time.

Hey, we’re just a few weeks away from the best part of the year: the holiday shopping rush. 🎁

Are you (and your inventory) ready? Amazon sure is. They’re gearing up with 250,000 new part-timers to handle the madness.

• The tricks seller agencies don’t want you to see 🤫
• Canada ‘picked’ a fight now pays 10% more 📉
• Temu’s new takedown tool is wiping out fakes 🧼
• Amazon drops a new dashboard for MCF sellers 📊
• Join our Facebook group for FREE ✨

HOT TOPIC

Just as talks were starting to thaw, U.S.–Canada trade tensions hit a new episode. 🥶

CBS News reported that President Trump imposed a 10% tariff hike on Canadian imports after an Ontario ad criticizing U.S. tariffs aired during the World Series.

🍁 The ad that crossed the line

The Ontario ad meant to highlight tariff downsides used old Ronald Reagan audio, but Washington wasn’t amused.

• U.S. officials accused the province of twisting Reagan’s words and spending around $75M just to push cross-border “propaganda.”
• Ontario Premier Doug Ford quickly announced the ad would be paused starting Monday in hopes of resuming trade discussions.

Unfortunately, the new tariff announcement landed before the week even began. 😓

📈 The never-ending loop

This latest hike adds another twist to an already messy tariff timeline:

• The U.S. previously raised tariffs on Canada to 35%, with many goods exempt under USMCA.
• Canada hit back with 25% retaliatory tariffs in March, then lifted them in August to get negotiations going again.
• Now, those talks are probably heading straight back into the freezer.

For sellers moving goods across the border, this isn’t just political drama, it’s a looming logistics headache. Expect higher costs, slower shipments, and tighter margins right as the holiday rush kicks in.

The Ontario ad may be gone, but the fallout isn’t. This trade saga still has a few episodes left. 🎬

Watch the full anti-tariff ad here:

TOGETHER WITH SELLER ALLIANCE

Run Your Amazon Brand Like a Pro—Without the Overhead

Seller Alliance gives you the tools, templates, and strategies Amazon agencies use to grow brands—without locking you into an expensive contract.

Whether you’re just getting started or looking to grow faster, you’ll get the exact resources used to optimize, scale, and win on Amazon.

Built by the team behind Seller Interactive, this membership gives you access to:

• ✔️ High-impact SOPs and checklists that streamline operations
• ✔️ Expert video trainings that show you how to actually implement
• ✔️ Live calls and updates on what’s working now (and what’s not)
• ✔️ Real-world insights from the people who do this for a living

If you’re tired of guessing, Googling, or wasting time on outdated advice—this is your shortcut to doing it right.

You run the business. We hand you the playbook.

Click to learn more and get started

BITES OF THE WEEK

• Black Friday Fiesta: Countdown to November 28, Amazon teases major deals, smart shopping tools, and early access.
• Bots & Buys: AI meets ecommerce, this week’s tools make selling smarter, faster, and crypto-friendlier.
• Logistics Lift-Off: India’s 3PL market surges to $36B, fueled by ecommerce growth and supply chain innovation.
• Robot Renaissance: Meet Blue Jay and Eluna, AI-driven systems lightening workloads, boosting safety, and accelerating deliveries.

BLACK MARKET

Temu just hit ‘delete’ on stolen designs

Temu’s messy reputation for knockoff products just got a little cleanup. According to BBC News, the marketplace agreed to work with the UK greeting card industry to remove plagiarized designs faster. 

💌 A not-so-happy greeting

After repeated copyright complaints from indie designers, the move aims to end the “whack-a-mole” cycle of ripped artwork and cheap imitations.

• Amanda Mountain, co-founder of Lola Design, found nearly her entire catalog copied and resold on Temu, warped images, flimsy paper, and all. 
• She estimates counterfeit sellers earned about £100,000 from her stolen work, roughly 13% of her annual revenue.

But for many creators, the real loss isn’t financial, it’s the growing doubt over whether creating new designs is even worth it.

🧹 Temu’s new takedown tool

After pressure from the Greeting Card Association (GCA), Temu rolled out a faster takedown system:

• Designers now submit one link instead of dozens
• Temu’s software removes all duplicate listings automatically
• AI tools mark originals as “protected,” blocking future uploads
• One publisher saw 68 listings removed in one sweep
• Most complaints are now resolved within three days

Temu says the trial could expand to other product categories hit by copycats.

For sellers, that’s a big deal. If the system expands beyond greeting cards, it could mean fewer fakes cutting into real sales, and a fairer fight for anyone building a real brand online.

ACTIONABLE ADVICE

Amazon launches new MCF Analytics dashboard

Amazon just handed Multi-Channel Fulfillment (MCF) sellers a much-needed upgrade, a dedicated Analytics Dashboard designed to make tracking and optimizing operations a whole lot easier.

🚚 What you can do with it

The new MCF Analytics dashboard gives sellers full visibility into their fulfillment pipeline, allowing them to:

• Track orders, delivery rates, and fees over time
• Compare week-over-week or year-over-year trends
• Download detailed reports by SKU or order ID

As more sellers juggle Amazon and off-Amazon channels, this tool helps identify delivery bottlenecks, highlight top-performing SKUs, and uncover hidden MCF fee drains.

You’ll find the tool under Inventory → Analytics → Multi-Channel Fulfillment in Seller Central.

We made it to the end of the week, somehow. 

Inventory’s low, stress is high, and Amazon’s still keeping everyone on their toes. 

• What’s holding back your growth? 📉
• FBM sellers forced to ship faster 🚚
• U.K. ends fast fashion’s free pass 💸
• Half the internet just flatlined ☁️
• Join our Facebook group for FREE ✨

SELLER REFRESHER

Apparently, two days is now a lifetime in Amazon time. On September 30, it killed the default two-day handling time, auto-switching listings to one-day or even same-day. 

And if that wasn’t stressful enough, some sellers are now being pushed to zero-day handling by October 27.

🍪 Quick bits

• Stealth update. Rolled out with zero announcement, leaving sellers to manually fix handling times SKU by SKU.
• Forced upgrade. Reports say some listings are being auto-migrated from 1-day to 0-day handling.
• Amazon’s spin. A Seller Forum rep says it’s about “making offers more appealing through faster delivery.”
• The fallout. Sellers only found out after late shipments triggered penalties and account health warnings.
• Bottom line. Small FBM operations say same-day handling could wreck labor budgets and blur the line between FBA convenience and third-party chaos. 💨

💬 SellerBites’ take

Amazon’s message is clear: “If you can’t ship it fast, don’t list it.” For customers, it’s all about instant gratification. For sellers, it’s a logistical nightmare.

This move blurs the boundary between FBA and FBM more than ever, turning what used to be a flexible fulfillment model into a sprint against Prime expectations.

TOGETHER WITH SELLER INTERACTIVE

What if one call could change how you sell on Amazon?

Not another sales pitch.

Not a generic “audit.”

We’re talking about an actual strategy session with people who live and breathe Amazon.

At Seller Interactive, we’ve helped brands in categories like supplements, beauty, home, and wellness scale with data-backed strategies and hands-on execution. No cookie-cutter playbooks here—just honest insights into what’s working, what’s not, and what you’re leaving on the table.

On your free Discovery Call, we’ll break down your storefront, your numbers, and your growth potential. You’ll walk away with clarity—and a next step that actually makes sense for your brand.

📞 Book a free Discovery Call

 Let’s find out what your strategy’s missing.

BITES OF THE WEEK

• AWS Outage Explained: A DNS glitch knocked major sites offline, exposing the internet’s biggest single point of failure.
• Trillion-Dollar Checkout: U.S. ecommerce races toward $3.7T by 2033, powered by AI, AR, and mobile-first shoppers.
• Millions and Counting: Around 24M parcels were processed that would have been duty-free before the de minimis exemption ended.
• Boosting the Season: Learn to boost sales this season with FBA, smart listings, and winning promo strategies.

ECOMMERCE NEWS

The trade war is back on and it’s personal

Shein, Temu, and other fast-fashion giants have long dodged import duties through a loophole, but that’s about to end. 

U.K’s Chancellor Rachel Reeves plans to scrap the “low-value imports” exemption in her November 26 budget.

🍪 Quick bits

• £135 cheat code. Orders under £135 have been slipping past customs, letting China-based sellers soar while U.K. retailers stumble.
• Retail rebellion. Shop owners say the system’s been rigged for years. Reeves’ fix could reclaim £600M annually and even the odds.
• Global glow-up. The U.S. axed its $800 loophole, and the E.U. will follow by 2028, everyone’s tired of being Temu’s tax haven.
• British backfire. Without reform, the U.K. risks becoming the world’s bargain bin, with cheap imports already topping £3B this year.

💬 SellerBites’ take

Looks like Shein and Temu’s duty-free runway is about to hit some turbulence, and honestly, it’s about time. 

For years, they’ve danced around tariffs while local sellers paid the price. Reeves’ plan doesn’t just fix a loophole, it gives British retailers a fair shot. If fast fashion wants to keep up, it’s finally time to pay at the border.

BIG IDEA

AWS outage knocks out half the internet

If your Seller Central froze or Alexa ghosted you Monday morning, you’re not imagining things. 

Kicking off the week, an Amazon Web Services (AWS) outage took down half the internet, triggering a massive digital domino effect.

🍪 Quick bits

• Domino effect: AWS powers thousands of seller tools, repricers, analytics, and ad dashboards all went dark.
• Blackout list: Duolingo, Ring, and Coinbase were hit hardest, with 6,000+ outage reports in hours.
• Official word: Even Perplexity AI’s CEO confirmed AWS was the culprit.
• Hot zone: The chaos traced back to the infamous US-EAST-1 region, behind major outages in 2020, 2021, and 2023.
• Meme moment: Sellers coped with jokes about “unplugging and replugging Amazon’s servers.”

💬 SellerBites’ take

When AWS goes dark, it’s the ecommerce equivalent of a power grid failure, you don’t realize how dependent you are until everything blinks out. 

Every “automated” workflow still relies on a heartbeat somewhere in Virginia. Time to dust off those manual SOPs, because when AWS crashes, so does your peace of mind.

Why did the seller stop telling jokes? 

Their margins were too thin for laughs. 😐

Here’s what’s cracking sellers up (or down):

• The tricks seller agencies don’t want you to see 🤫
• Shein and Temu’s duty-free days are over 🇬🇧
• $215B in tariffs hits U.S. sellers, not China 💸
• AI now decides Amazon shopping 🛒
• Join our Facebook group for FREE ✨

ECOMMERCE NEWS

After the U.S., fast fashion’s favorite loophole may finally be getting stitched up in the U.K. 

The Industry.fashion reported that Chancellor Rachel Reeves is gearing up to scrap the “low-value imports” exemption in her November 26 Budget, a rule that’s long let ultra-fast fashion brands dodge taxes on small orders.

🧾 Goodbye, £135 tax break

Right now, anything under £135 can breeze through customs without duties. 

• Local retailers call it a rigged game, paying taxes while competitors go duty-free. 
• Reeves’ fix could save local retailers £600M a year, leveling the playing field just in time for the holiday rush. 
• The Treasury says it’s reviewing the rule amid growing pressure from retail leaders.

🌍 Following the global trend

Reeves isn’t the first to tighten the screws. The U.S. scrapped its $800 “de minimis” exemption earlier this year, and the E.U. plans to bring customs duties to low-value imports by 2028.

Without similar action, experts warn the U.K. could become a “dumping ground” for low-cost China-based goods, a wave already worth £3 billion in imports this year alone.

TOGETHER WITH SELLER ALLIANCE

Run Your Amazon Brand Like a Pro—Without the Overhead

Seller Alliance gives you the tools, templates, and strategies Amazon agencies use to grow brands—without locking you into an expensive contract.

Whether you’re just getting started or looking to grow faster, you’ll get the exact resources used to optimize, scale, and win on Amazon.

Built by the team behind Seller Interactive, this membership gives you access to:

• ✔️ High-impact SOPs and checklists that streamline operations
• ✔️ Expert video trainings that show you how to actually implement
• ✔️ Live calls and updates on what’s working now (and what’s not)
• ✔️ Real-world insights from the people who do this for a living

If you’re tired of guessing, Googling, or wasting time on outdated advice—this is your shortcut to doing it right.

You run the business. We hand you the playbook.

Click to learn more and get started

BITES OF THE WEEK

• Full-Funnel Force: Walmart expands retail media across CTV, influencers, and in-store screens for measurable reach.
• Content Meets Commerce: Amazon blends entertainment, AI, and data to turn streaming into measurable brand impact.
• Convincing Walmart: China urges Walmart to expand sourcing and procurement, a possible warmer cooperation.
• Down No More: After overnight DNS hiccups, all AWS systems have recovered and running smoothly again.

HOT TOPIC

Tariffs hit American sellers $215B harder than China

The U.S. is collecting record customs revenue,  just not from who you’d think.

According to Marketplace Pulse, U.S. customs revenue hit $215B in FY2025—up $120B from last year—but experts say American businesses, not foreign sellers, are bearing the cost.

💸 Who’s really paying for tariffs

Flexport CEO Ryan Petersen says the system is broken, foreign firms can ship goods to the U.S. without a local presence, often filing false declarations with little consequence. 

Meanwhile, U.S. retailers pay inflated costs while their overseas rivals skate by.

• Nike expects $1.5B in tariff costs, up from $1B earlier this year. 
• Apple racked up $1.1B in just one quarter.

⚖️ The uneven playing field

China-based sellers now make up over half of Amazon’s marketplace, giving them both scale and a loophole advantage. 

Many undervalue goods on customs forms while U.S. importers pay full freight. The result?

• Foreign sellers: lower or no duties
• U.S. retailers: higher compliance costs
• Consumers: higher prices

Trump plans to double tariffs on China-based imports starting November 1, just weeks before peak retail season. Importers are scrambling to reroute, reprice, or hope the plan changes.

🚫 Policy fix or profit drain?

Tariffs meant to curb China’s dominance are instead squeezing U.S. sellers already hit by rising fees, shipping costs, and ad spend. 

TECH MARKETING

Amazon’s AI now decides what shoppers buy

No more doom-scrolling through 200 nearly identical listings. Amazon just rolled out its latest AI-powered shopping assistant ‘Help Me Decide.’ 

🤖 Your new AI shopping buddy

Help Me Decide uses AWS-powered LLMs to analyze your shopping behavior and explain why a product fits your style, budget, and past purchases.

• It highlights key features, surfaces review insights; and 
• Acts like a personal shopper, if your shopper had all your Amazon data. 

🧭 Where to find it

The feature is now live for millions of U.S. shoppers on the Amazon app and mobile browser. 

You’ll see “Help Me Decide” under Keep Shopping For or on product detail pages after comparing similar items.

If Amazon’s AI decides what shoppers see first, visibility rules are changing fast. Sellers should:

• Sharpen listings with clear, benefit-driven copy and high-quality images (AI reads both).
• Encourage authentic reviews, they directly influence AI recommendations.
• Prioritize niche relevance over keyword stuffing; personalization now drives discovery.

In the age of Help Me Decide, sellers must optimize not just for humans, but for algorithms that already know what those humans want.