Amazon just locked in its 2026 holiday fee schedule—and quietly squeezed the calendar sellers have to work with. Meanwhile, a new bill in Congress wants to force marketplaces to show their work before freezing your money or your listings.
Here's what changed this week, and what to do about it.
AMAZON NEWS
Amazon just published its 2026 holiday fee schedule, and for once the fees aren't the headline—they're flat versus last year. What moved is the calendar you have to hit.
📦️ The fees stayed flat
Peak fulfillment fees apply October 15, 2026 through January 14, 2027, averaging roughly $0.32 per unit above standard FBA rates, plus a 3.5% fuel and logistics surcharge. Deal fees for Best Deals, Lightning Deals, and Prime Exclusive discounts are unchanged too: a $100 upfront fee plus 1.5% of promotional sales, capped at $5,000.
⏱️ The deadlines got tighter
For Prime Big Deal Days, Amazon Warehousing and Distribution shipments need to land by September 2, FBA minimal splits by September 9, and optimized splits by September 16. Black Friday/Cyber Monday cutoffs follow on October 14, 21, and 28. File your deal by August 5 (Prime Big Deal Days) or September 5 (BFCM) to save $50 per submission.
What this means for sellers
Flat fees are the good news. The real risk is capacity: compressed inbound windows mean warehouse slots fill up faster, and missing a cutoff can knock you out of a deal event entirely. Lock in your Q4 inventory forecast and AWD/FBA shipping plan now, not in September.
SPONSORED POST
Amazon just changed where your product lives.
Remember the "View in 3D" button on mobile? That's gone now.
3D models on mobile are now embedded directly in the main image carousel. Before, it was tucked away and treated as optional.
But not now.
It's front and centre. The first thing a customer sees when they land on your listing, right next to your hero image.
Amazon doesn't move things into the carousel without data behind it. They've seen what 3D does to dwell time, engagement, and conversion, and they've made it a core part of the listing experience.
It's just like when A+ Content first rolled out. Same way for videos in listings or Brand Stores.
The brands that moved first built leads that took competitors years to close. Right now, less than 1% of Amazon brands have a 3D model on their listing. But that window won't stay open long.
Future-proof your brand
3D Images builds Amazon-compliant 3D models specifically for sellers, with a QA validation process so your model never gets rejected, and turnaround times that get you live fast.
No big budget needed. No creative agency.
This month, get 20% off your first 3D model.
👉 Use code 20SELLERBITES at checkout → 3dimages.ai
Need a custom quote for a larger project? Email [email protected] and mention the code.
HOT TOPIC
Two House Democrats introduced a bill this week that would rewrite the rules marketplaces use to suspend sellers, freeze payouts, and change policies—and it's written broadly enough to cover Amazon, Walmart, eBay, Etsy, and Poshmark.
⚖️ What it would require
Reps. Becca Balint (VT) and Nyídia Velázquez (NY) introduced the Online Sellers Bill of Rights on July 21. It would bar platforms from holding seller inventory or funds for more than 30 days without proof of unlawful activity, require written explanations within 72 hours of any hold, and force at least 30 days' notice before material policy or fee changes. The FTC would get 180 days to write implementing rules.
🤝 Who's behind it
The bill has backing from the Responsible Online Commerce Coalition, Open Markets Institute, Public Citizen, and Small Business Majority—groups that have spent years pushing back on account suspensions with little explanation.
What this means for sellers
This is a bill, not law—expect marketplaces to push back hard on the “dominance” definitions and timelines. But if you've ever had funds frozen or a listing pulled with a form-letter explanation, this is the first serious legislative attempt to force platforms to show their work. Worth tracking as it moves through committee.
