Amazon is going big for Prime Day this yearâtapping LeBron James to headline the campaign and launching deals before the main event even starts. The retail giant also just dropped the official event guide so you can go big, too. đŠ Download it here.
- Trump wonât ban TikTok (again) đ€·ââïž
- Get on Walmart by July for back-to-school đ
- Sellers stuck in Amazonâs return circus đȘ
- 2025 Prime Day guide is finally here đ
SOCIAL PULSE
TikTokâs fate in the U.S. remains in limbo after President Donald Trump signed his third extension delaying enforcement of the sale-or-ban law.
According to CNN, the move gives the app another 90 days to avoid getting booted from American phones.
The new deadline: September 17.
đ Where things stand
- ByteDance is still negotiating to sell TikTokâs U.S. opsâwithout surrendering its prized algorithm.
- A nearly-finalized April deal unraveled after Trump slapped new tariffs on China.
- TikTok says talks continue with VP JD Vanceâs office to craft a compliant deal.
- Chinaâs approval is still a wildcardâespecially if the algorithmâs involved.
- All this unfolds as U.S.-China tensions cool slightly under a new export control framework.
Meanwhile, the list of potential U.S. buyers includes Amazon, Perplexity, Kevin OâLeary, MrBeast, and several heavyweight private equity firms.
đ€ł TikTok while you can
TikTok Shop is still boomingâmeaning ad dollars, influencer reach, and viral product launches are all in play. But with the platformâs future still tangled in geopolitics, itâs smart to diversify.
TikTok gold rush? Maybe. But donât bet the whole brand on it.
TOGETHER WITH WALMART MARKETPLACE
Start selling on Walmart.com by July to capture peak back-to-school sales
Back-to-school seasonal demand is second only to the holiday season with highly promoted sales that can drive traffic, boost your brand and fuel sales. Launch your store now to ensure you’re selling in time to capitalize on the back-to-school traffic surge.
Right now, Walmartâs New-Seller Savings event is offering new sellers up to $75K in incentives, which includes up to 75% off base referral fees and generous credits toward advertising and fulfillment.*
Walmart is one of the world’s most recognizable brands with over 255 million customers and members shopping at Walmart online and in-store around the world each week. New-Seller Savings runs from sign up to January 31, 2026, so donât waitâthe faster you start, the more opportunities youâll have to save.
To take advantage of this unprecedented offer and the endless opportunities on Walmart.com.
*Conditions apply.
Join Walmart Marketplace Today.
BITES OF THE WEEK
- Deliveries On Hold: ICYMI, DHL Express Canada suspends operations as labor union, Unifor, continues the strike.
- Trump Victory: The U.S. Supreme Court is allowing Trump’s tariffs to remain in effect – no fast-track lawsuits – for now.
- Tariffs on Steel: The steel and aluminum of home appliances (refrigerators and dishwashers) will be subject to 50% tariffs.
- Designed to Convert: Get your shoppers to buy more and buy quickly with these strategic Shopping Cart Page Designs.
TRENDING TOPIC
Sellers are the collateral damage in Amazon’s return circus
Returns might be easy for shoppers, but for sellers? Itâs death by a thousand chargebacks. According to CNBC, return fraud and spiraling costs are pushing sellers out of FBAâand in some cases, off Amazon entirely.
And itâs not just about the money. Sellers report Amazon reshipping soiled or used items to new buyersâlike a cooler that came back full of rotting breast milk. Yep, that actually happened.
Meanwhile, recent data says return rates have dipped nearly 5%.
đŸ Donât pop the champagne just yet
- Fraudulent returns hit 14% of all U.S. retail returns in 2024âup from 5% in 2018, totaling $890 billion in losses.
- Amazonâs return rate fee (launched June 2024) penalizes sellers with high return volumes.
- The âfrequently returnedâ badge? Helpful maybe, but itâs not stopping the fraud flood.
- Many sellers are improving listings and product quality just to dodge return penalties.
- 65% raised prices last year to offset the rising cost of returns and fees.
đ„ DIY fraud defense
With Amazon slow to act, sellers are taking fraud prevention into their own hands:
- GeekStandsâ Mike Jelliff installed 40 cameras in his warehouse to document every shipment and return. Why? Because Amazon wonât let sellers block abusers, so heâs building his own blacklist.
- Ceres Chill gave up on FBA entirely after a nightmare return scenario and now uses GoodBuy Gear, a return reseller thatâs clean, controlledâand growing fast.
On Amazonâs side, thereâs been progress⊠sort of:
- Sellers can now appeal fraudulent returns multiple times.
- As of 2023, sellers can opt out of automatic return labels for items over $100.
Helpful? Sure. Enough? Not even close. đ€Š
SELLER REFRESHER
Amazon finally drops the 2025 Prime Day guide
Better late than neverâAmazon just released its 2025 Prime Day Readiness Guide, complete with strategies, best practices, and performance tips to help sellers prep for the platformâs biggest sales event of the year.
đ Inside the playbook
- Use Brand Analytics to spot listing optimization opportunities
- Drive traffic with Amazon Ads, Attribution, and Brand Referral Bonus perks
- Boost conversions with A+ content and shoppable videos
- Build loyalty with Tailored Promotions, strong reviews, and branded storefronts
đĄ Bonus: Includes full details and submission tips for Prime Exclusive Discounts.
Prime Day 2025 will be the longest prime ever. So, you still have time to put these best practices and tips to good use before the sales event. Download the file now.