Amazon just dropped the speaker lineup for Accelerate 2025, and it’s packed with top execs ready to share what’s next for sellers.
Looks like this year’s conference is shaping up to be a must-attend.
Oh, and that early bird discount? It’s ending soon. 👀
TRENDING TOPIC
Walmart’s not just dipping a toe into brand protection, it’s cannonballing in.
According to PYMNTS, the retail giant just locked down its Beauty & Personal Care category, restricting listings to brand owners and authorized distributors only.
🛒 Shaping a better marketplace
That’s what Walmart is calling this bold move. Here’s what the initiative includes:
🔍 Amazon déjà vu or wake-up call?
Sure, Amazon has its Brand Registry, seller verifications, and even lawsuits against counterfeiters.
But where Amazon polices listings after things go south, Walmart’s doing it before listings even go live. That’s a big shift in control.
“This is what Amazon should’ve done years ago,” said Brandon Fishman, CEO of Prime Team Agency.
💥Not just about Walmart vs. Amazon
It’s about trust. Walmart’s strategy could give brand owners a safer space to sell, without competing against a flood of dupes and price-slashers.
Right now, the policy only applies to Beauty & Personal Care. But if Walmart’s crackdown expands into high-risk categories, sellers on both platforms might feel the ripple effects.
TOGETHER WITH WALMART MARKETPLACE
If you have an eCommerce business, pause your scroll for this one. Walmart has launched its biggest offer ever for New-Seller Savings 2025, its incentive program for new sellers.
If you’ve never applied to Walmart Marketplace before, that would be you, which makes you eligible for up to $75K in incentives* once you start selling.
BITES OF THE WEEK
BLACK MARKET
According to The Guardian, the EU’s top justice official is “shocked” after a secret shopper operation uncovered a slew of dangerous, illegal products being sold on Shein and Temu.
All legally sold—until now.
🚨 Dangerous goods, zero oversight
The investigation found products breaking EU safety laws left and right, including:
Yet most of these items are slipping into the EU completely unchecked. Why? Because 12M low-value packagesflood into the EU daily, meaning no import taxes or detailed inspections.
💸 Big moves on the table
Commissioner Michael McGrath isn’t just worried about public health—he’s calling out unfair competition. European sellers are paying to follow the rules. Chinese platforms? Not so much.
Here's what the EU is seriously considering:
Both platforms say they’re stepping up compliance (Shein claims $15M invested in testing), but with thousands of Safety Gate alerts pouring in—cosmetics, toys, apparel—the EU’s patience is wearing thin. ⚠️
AMAZON NEWS
Packaging Dive reported that Amazon’s single-use plastic use in North America dropped 28% last year, with only 37% of shipments now including plastic packaging—down from 65% in 2023.
Over half of Amazon's fulfillment centers have fully ditched plastic.
But then…
📦 Less plastic, same old boxes
Despite the dip in plastic, overall packaging formats haven’t changed much.
Cardboard is still the go-to, and the company’s “Ships in Product Packaging” (SIPP) initiative—the one that eliminates unnecessary boxes—has stalled at a measly 13% adoption rate.
Yes, Amazon says it’s encouraging sellers to join the SIPP program, especially now that it’s open to FBA sellers in North America and Europe.
But so far, it’s more talk than traction.
♻️ Where Amazon is making moves
Some legit efforts worth noting:
Still, cardboard’s the reigning champ, and real transformation across Amazon’s massive logistics network is crawling—not sprinting. 🐌
