TikTok US after the drama

The year has just started, and ecommerce is off to a brutal start for sellers.

• TikTok US is officially sold 🇺🇸
• Amazon says looks don't matter 🛒
• Old mistakes could wreck your 2026 🚨

HOT TOPIC

TikTok’s U.S. operations are officially under new ownership. 

The move ends years of regulatory limbo and signals a new phase for the platform, with meaningful implications for sellers and advertisers.

🍪 Quick bits

• New entity: TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC now runs all U.S. operations
• Investors: Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX hold a combined 45% stake
• ByteDance: Reduced to <20% ownership, with no access to U.S. user data or the algorithm
• Oracle’s role: Security, compliance, and algorithm oversight
• Valuation and timing: Roughly $14B deal, expected to close January 22, 2026
• Seller impact: Expect shifts in app behavior, ad tools, and feature rollouts under new governance

💬 SellerBites’ take

This isn’t just a political win, it’s a commercialization pivot.

With regulatory pressure off the table, TikTok U.S. can finally optimize for revenue and advertiser trust. That usually means tighter measurement, more “brand-safe” defaults, and ad products that look a lot more like Meta and Google.

BITES OF THE WEEK

• eBay Ad Backlash: Sellers report surprise fees, broken budgets, and unclear promotions undermining trust in ad campaigns.
• Top Trends in Tech: Execution-focused strategies rule search, video commerce, data ownership, creators, AI, and measurement.
• Social Strategies 2026: Authentic voices, deeper creators, IRL experiences, and backend AI redefine winning social strategies.
• What to Watch: Short-form videos, Threads over Twitter, and a new platform are some digital predictions to prep for.

AMAZON NEWS

Amazon resets brand store rankings

Quietly, over the holidays, Amazon changed how Brand Stores are evaluated. 

Engagement metrics are no longer the star of the show, sales performance now drives your Store Quality rating.

🍪 Quick bits

• High stakes: Top-rated Brand Stores can generate up to 97% more sales than low-quality ones
• Category comparison: High-quality Stores can outperform medium-quality Stores by up to 39%
• What matters now:
  • Sales directly attributed to your Brand Store
  • Performance versus similar brands in your category
• Mindset shift: Storytelling, flashy layouts, and traffic alone no longer cut it. These elements only matter if they increase conversion

Check your rating: Advertising Console → Brand Store Insights → Brand Store Quality

💬 SellerBites’ take

Your Store is no longer a branding exercise, it’s a measurable sales asset. 

Sellers who treat it like a funnel, optimize for conversion, and test relentlessly will climb. Those who design for vibes will quietly lose ground.

TACTIC TALKS

2025 problems are costing you in 2026

If your brand carried unfinished 2025 issues into the new year, January is the time to plug the leaks quietly draining revenue. 

🍪 Quick bits

• Email: Unengaged lists can cost $100K+/month; authenticate, prune, verify.
• Conversion: Mobile lags desktop by 50%; simplify funnels.
• AI visibility: Optimize content for buyer intent; track AI-driven traffic.
• Product pages: Clear value, visuals, trust signals, key info turn into higher revenue.
• Site speed and security: Each second lost equals 7% fewer conversions; ensure fast, secure site.
• Retention: Abandoned cart, welcome, post-purchase, re-engagement emails drive repeat sales.

💬 SellerBites’ take

Fix the fundamentals now, and every marketing dollar works harder. Every friction point you remove, every workflow you optimize, compounds across the year. 

In 2026, the brands that win won’t be the flashiest, they’ll be the ones whose ecommerce engine actually converts, retains, and scales.