TikTok gets a lifeline (with strings attached)

We can’t promise peace of mind, but we can deliver this week’s juiciest seller updates.

• Zero fees, big opportunity on Walmart 💰
• TikTok reset has begun ⚡
• The great seller slowdown hits Amazon 🛒
• Cost pressure hits Amazon hard 💸

SOCIAL PULSE

After years of will-they-won’t-they drama, TikTok finally caught a break.

ByteDance has signed a majority U.S.-owned joint venture that keeps the app live for more than 200M U.S. users, and, for now, off the chopping block.

🍪 Quick bits

• Ownership reset: U.S. and global investors hold 80.1%, ByteDance retains 19.9%
• Lead investors: Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX at 15% each
• Security shift:
  • U.S. user data and algorithms retained domestically
  • Recommendation system trained and tested on U.S. data
  • Algorithm housed in Oracle’s U.S. cloud
• Control split:
  • The venture oversees tech, data, and security
  • ByteDance keeps ad sales and ecommerce revenue
• Political backing: Deal approved with public support from Trump and Chinese leadership

💬 SellerBites’ take

This deal doesn’t “save” TikTok, it buys it time. 

For marketers, it’s a signal that TikTok is entering its “regulated growth” era. When algorithms come under domestic oversight, volatility usually drops… and so does free, chaotic reach.

Stress-test paid performance before the algorithm fully matures.

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BITES OF THE WEEK

• QuickBooks in Seller Central: Amazon sellers can now track finances, sales, and inventory directly in Seller Central using QuickBooks Online.
• Saks Bankruptcy Impact: Saks Global bankruptcy prioritizes large brands, leaving smaller vendors’ payments uncertain amid restructuring efforts.
• Smarter Dash Carts: Amazon’s updated Dash Cart adds payment options, larger capacity, and interactive features for easier grocery shopping.
• Content with Love: Brands across industries can boost Valentine’s 2026 sales with authentic, creator-led campaigns that resonate emotionally.

BLACK MARKET

Amazon adds fewest new sellers in a decade

In 2025, Amazon added just 165,000 new sellers, the lowest in a decade and down 44% YoY, signaling a clear shift away from beginners and toward serious operators.

Starting on Amazon isn’t getting easier. It’s getting filtered.

🍪 Quick bits

• Why sellers are pulling back:
  • Rising fees as Amazon pushes paid services
  • Ads shifting from optional to mandatory
  • Tariffs squeezing U.S. sellers
  • AI raising execution standards
  • Margins getting crushed
• Active seller count declined from 2.4M in 2021 to 1.65M in 2025.
• Marketplace growth continues:
  • $305B U.S. third-party GMV and $575B globally
  • Traffic per active seller up 31% since 2021
  • Over 100K sellers now earn more than $1M annually, and 235 surpass $100M

💬 SellerBites’ take

Amazon isn’t shrinking, it’s intentionally concentrating power. Fewer sellers, more traffic, higher expectations.

For operators who can manage ads, pricing, and supply chains, this is a tailwind. For everyone else, Amazon is quietly raising the bar until they drop out.

AMAZON NEWS

Tariffs start hitting Amazon prices

Amazon sellers are feeling it: some products are already creeping up in price. After months of stocking up to ride out tariffs, that safety net is fading, and costs are hitting in real time.

🍪 Quick bits

• Why only now: Sellers stocked up ahead of last spring’s rollout; cushion ran out by fall
• Seller choices: Pass costs to shoppers, absorb margin hits, or split the difference
• Possible impacts:
  • Higher landed costs means tighter margins
  • Price increases or reduced ad spend
  • Wider pricing gaps between U.S. and overseas sellers
• Amazon stance: Overall prices “within normal fluctuations,” but some ASINs affected
• Not just Amazon: Walmart, Target, and Home Depot are also warning of price hikes

💬 SellerBites’ take

Tariffs aren’t a temporary shock, they’re the new baseline for pricing. Sellers should stress-test margins, update pricing strategies, and plan for 2026 volatility. 

Split inventory between domestic and international fulfillment, monitor competitors’ pricing, and clearly explain any price increases to customers.