Binge-watchers may soon be binge-buyers. 🎬
Starting in Q4, Netflix’s ad inventory will be up for grabs on Amazon’s DSP, giving advertisers not just eyeballs, but access to the retail giant’s treasure trove of shopping data.
- Simple Amazon FBA exits with zero fees till year-end 🪂
- Robots crush humans in livestream sales 🤖
- Temu tries to woo U.S. shoppers with 60% cuts 🛍️
- Brands cannibalize themselves on Amazon 🩸
- Your quick weekly update on news and resources for Amazon sellers!
TECH MARKETING
According to AI Magazine, in China’s livestream ecommerce, AI avatars are proving they’ve got better stamina, and better sales numbers, than humans. 🫢
📂 Exhibit A: Brother
The Japanese electronics giant Brother deployed an AI avatar on China-based marketplaces Taobao and Pinduoduo. In just two hours, they saw:
- In just two hours, AI avatars sold $2,500 worth of printers, a 30% jump over their human livestreamers.
- Turns out, one chatbot can do the work of a whole caffeinated crew.
🏆 Why the bots win
Humans tire out; avatars don’t. That’s the simple difference fueling AI’s sales advantage.
- No sleep, no fatigue. Unlike humans, AI doesn’t lose steam after a few hours.
- Real-time responses. Powered by Baidu’s video models and DeepSeek’s LLMs, avatars can now chat back instantly, not just play pre-recorded scripts.
- Clone army. Dozens can run at once across platforms.
🥊 Humans vs. Holograms
China’s livestream economy is set to hit one-third of all ecommerce sales this year. With half the population already shopping this way, AI hosts aren’t a novelty, they’re the new sales team.
Charisma still gives humans an edge, but when AI sells more and never sleeps… the “human touch” starts looking like a weak pitch.
BITES OF THE WEEK
- TikTok’s Recent Milestone: TikTok reported a new achievement — 200M monthly E.U. users, up from last year's 175M.
- Walmart’s New Market: Walmart is planning to open branded stores in South Africa by October.
- Wayfair’s Multichannel Expansion: Wayfair's CastleGate will be a new 3P logistics option for big and bulky goods.
- INFORM Act’s First: The first action to enforce the INFORM Consumers Act leaves Temu with $2M penalty.
TRENDING TOPIC
Temu's US comeback comes with desperate discounts
After tariffs gutted its U.S. sales, Temu is coming back swinging with fire-sale pricing. Quartz reported that the retail platform cut prices on two dozen best-sellers this month, 18% lower on average than April, with some slashed by as much as 60%. 🔥
The mission: lure back shoppers who bailed after tariffs doubled their cart totals.
🎭 The discount drama
Trump’s ban on duty-free imports sent costs soaring, pushing both brands overseas. Temu’s U.S. sales plunged while Shein slashed prices, and Amazon emerged the clear winner.
But, Temu’s comeback isn’t just retail theater, it’s reshaping the bargain battlefield:
- Price pressure: Rock-bottom deals risk resetting what U.S. shoppers think is “normal” pricing.
- Loyalty test: Amazon’s reliability vs. Temu’s flash sales, who wins the long game?
- Market whiplash: With tariff tides pushing players in and out, sellers face sharper demand swings.
💸 Desperate or smart play?
Temu’s 60% price cuts might grab attention, but whether the model works without tariff loopholes is another story.
For Amazon sellers, this means navigating a split market: customers tempted by ultra-cheap deals vs. those sticking with fast, reliable fulfillment.
BLACK MARKET
When your brand is its own worst enemy
According to Brand Alignment, one of the biggest threats on Amazon isn’t fakes, it’s intrabrand competition. That’s when multiple sellers (some authorized, many not) list the same product.
😬 Your brand becomes its own enemy
Too many sellers on your listing can do more harm than good.
- Price chaos. Multiple offers erode trust, not build options.
- Mixed signals. Counterfeits and low-quality sellers hide under your name.
- Blame game. Shoppers don’t fault the rogue seller, they fault you.
On Amazon, a 5-star product can outsell a 3-star one by 4x. But one bad experience from an unauthorized seller drags down your ratings and pushes you off page one.
And if you’re not on page one, you’re basically invisible.
🛡️ Tactics to protect your brand
The good news: you don’t have to sit back and take it. Amazon gives you tools, and a smart strategy makes them work even harder.
- Brand Registry: Unlock Amazon’s enforcement and reporting tools.
- MAP enforcement: Keep pricing tight, cut out undercutters.
- Marketplace monitoring: Catch violators before reviews tank.
- Smart enforcement: Cease-and-desist, test buys, and legal muscle show you mean business.
Tip: Consistency deters hijackers. Once they know you enforce, they’ll look elsewhere.
