Amazon News: Black Friday Success, TikTok Challenges & New Seller Tools
Hey Fellow Amazon Sellers,
This week, we’re diving into groundbreaking updates shaping the e-commerce landscape. From Amazon’s record-breaking shopping season to new tools and legal challenges, here’s everything you need to know.
News
Amazon Shoppers Duped by Vevor’s Manipulated Reviews, Sellers Demand Action
Shanghai-based tool giant Vevor is accused of manipulating Amazon reviews by creating duplicate listings for identical products to hide negative feedback, frustrating competitors and deceiving customers. Despite whistleblower reports detailing over 1,500 instances of such violations, Amazon’s response has been vague, leading critics to argue the platform is lenient with Chinese sellers to compete with rivals like Temu and Shein.
This manipulation erodes trust in Amazon’s marketplace and puts legitimate sellers at a disadvantage while Vevor reportedly rakes in $500 million annually on the platform. The incident underscores the need for Amazon to enforce its seller policies and protect marketplace integrity.
TikTok Faces Ban After Court Upholds Divest-or-Ban Law
A DC Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously ruled that a law requiring TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to divest the app or face a U.S. ban is constitutional, citing national security risks tied to data collection and algorithm manipulation. The ruling supports the January 19th deadline, just before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, though Trump’s stance on banning TikTok has shifted, creating uncertainty.
While TikTok argues the ban threatens free speech for its 170 million U.S. users, the court emphasized that the law is narrowly tailored to protect national security. The decision may still be appealed to the Supreme Court, leaving Amazon sellers who rely on TikTok for marketing in a state of limbo.
Amazon Targets Influencer Reviews on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram
Amazon is investigating influencer-driven product reviews by sending questionnaires to reviewers about their work on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. This move aligns with increased scrutiny from the Federal Trade Commission, which recently banned paid reviews and empowered itself to penalize violators.
The initiative highlights Amazon’s crackdown on review manipulation, especially during the competitive holiday season, as sellers risk account suspensions for non-compliance. For Amazon sellers, choosing influencers carefully and ensuring proper disclosure of affiliations is now more critical than ever.
‘Alexa, thank my driver’: Promotion Gives Amazon Drivers $5 Tip at No Cost to Customers
Amazon has relaunched its “Thank My Driver” holiday promotion, where customers can tip their delivery drivers $5 for free by saying “Alexa, thank my driver” or using the Amazon app. The $5 tips apply to the first 2 million thank-yous, with U.S. delivery drivers and Amazon Flex partners eligible for the program.
While the financial tips end after 2 million acknowledgments, drivers will still receive notes of appreciation. Amazon sellers should note this initiative helps boost customer satisfaction during the busy holiday season.
Amazon Haul Demand Outstrips Supply
Amazon Haul, Amazon’s new low-price section, saw a major spike in demand on Black Friday, driven by a 50% storewide discount subsidized by Amazon. However, stockouts hindered its performance for the remainder of the holiday weekend, as sellers underestimated demand and products quickly sold out.
While the platform attracted hundreds of China-based sellers and was briefly featured on Amazon’s homepage, its catalog and sales volume remain much smaller than competitors like Temu. Amazon will need sustained aggressive promotions and inventory planning to compete effectively in the direct-from-China market.
Amazon Shoppers Can Now Add Cars to Cart and Leave Reviews for Dealers
Amazon has launched Amazon Autos, allowing customers to purchase vehicles online, starting with Hyundai dealerships across 48 cities. Buyers can browse cars, trade in their old vehicles, see upfront pricing, secure financing, and schedule dealership pickups—all through Amazon.
In addition, buyers can leave reviews for dealerships, adding transparency and trust to the car-buying process. Amazon plans to expand this program with more manufacturers, leasing options, and financing tools next year.
Amazon’s Record-Breaking Black Friday and Cyber Monday Event Sets New Milestones
Amazon achieved its biggest Black Friday Week and Cyber Monday event to date, with record sales and millions of items sold between November 21 and December 2. Top-selling products included Echo and Fire TV devices, Beats headphones, Samsung TVs, and popular items from independent sellers, who contributed over 60% of the sales.
The event offered aggressive discounts, saving customers billions, while tools like AI-powered Rufus and Amazon’s Virtual Holiday Shop enhanced the shopping experience. Sellers can expect continued opportunities with millions more deals and Amazon’s focus on driving value and customer engagement through the holiday season.
Amazon Seller Central to Integrate Intuit QuickBooks for Financial Management
Amazon is partnering with Intuit QuickBooks to integrate financial management tools directly into Amazon Seller Central starting mid-2025. This integration will help sellers manage finances, optimize profitability, simplify taxes, and access capital through QuickBooks’ AI-powered platform.
Eligible sellers will also gain streamlined access to personalized loans via QuickBooks Capital, enhancing their ability to scale and manage cash flow efficiently. The partnership highlights Amazon’s continued push to provide tools that simplify operations and support seller growth.
Lawsuit: Third-Party Merchants Sold Knockoff Stanley Tumblers on Amazon
Stanley’s parent company, PMI, and Amazon have filed a lawsuit against two third-party sellers for allegedly selling counterfeit Stanley tumblers using fake trademarks and invoices. Amazon shut down the sellers and issued refunds to affected customers but claims the accused have not reimbursed those costs.
The case highlights Amazon’s ongoing efforts to combat fraud, with $1.2 billion invested in anti-counterfeiting measures last year and over 7 million fake products seized. For Amazon sellers, the lawsuit serves as a cautionary tale to source products from reliable suppliers to avoid legal issues and protect customer trust.
Temu Is Trying to Court More Premium Brands to Its Marketplace
Temu is working to expand beyond its reputation for ultra-cheap products by attracting premium brands and higher-priced items to its platform, such as $300 espresso machines and $2,200 massage chairs. At the Footwear Show New York Expo, Temu courted established and emerging shoe brands, signaling its goal to diversify offerings and better compete with Amazon by shipping goods from local U.S. warehouses.
Temu’s aggressive recruitment strategy is paying off, with major Amazon sellers starting to list products on its platform, though U.S. merchants still make up less than 1% of its total sellers. For Amazon sellers, Temu’s lower fees and rapid growth are appealing, especially as the platform positions itself as a rising competitor in the U.S. e-commerce space.
Seller Tips & Tricks
Low Inventory Level Fees: Do You Know How Much Amazon is Charging You?
Amazon’s Low Inventory Level Fee is an often-overlooked charge that applies when stock levels for certain SKUs run low, potentially adding up to 10% of sales per SKU. These fees can significantly impact smaller sellers’ profit margins, particularly during peak sales periods, making regular monitoring essential.
Sellers can identify these fees through the Manage All Inventory page and SKU Economics report in Seller Central, where charges are listed under FBA fulfillment fees. To minimize costs, sellers should actively monitor inventory levels, use tracking tools, and ensure adequate stock for high-performing items to avoid unnecessary fees.
Five Advanced Strategies for Optimizing Your E-Commerce Ad Campaigns
As competition increases on platforms like Amazon, advanced strategies like bid optimization and campaign segmentation are essential to improve ad performance and profitability. Adjusting bids based on conversion rates, grouping keywords with similar intent, and implementing dayparting can help brands target shoppers more effectively.
Additionally, rigorous A/B testing and audience targeting based on real-time behaviors allow sellers to refine campaigns and reach their ideal customers. By consistently evolving ad strategies, sellers can stay ahead in their category and drive better results.
Create A+ Content Easily with Generative AI Tools
Amazon now offers generative AI tools in the A+ Content Manager to all Brand Registered sellers in the US, helping them create high-quality, sales-boosting content quickly and at no cost. A+ Content can increase sales by up to 20% by enhancing product detail pages with compelling videos, images, and copy.
The new AI tools streamline content creation for both Basic and Premium A+ Content, eliminating the need for designers or copywriters and allowing brands to publish in minutes. Sellers can access the tools via Seller Central by selecting AI Ready modules and generating content for their ASINs.
Video of the Week
HOW A TRUMP ELECTION WOULD CHANGE TECH
Strong Opinions
Be Careful: You May Need a Chinese Trademark to Avoid Customs Issues
Amazon sellers are warned that even if they have a U.S. trademark, failing to register a trademark in China can lead to major problems, including goods being detained at Chinese customs. Opportunistic individuals may register your brand name in China first and file it with customs, potentially halting your exports and demanding significant payments to release your inventory.
Registering a trademark in China is inexpensive, around 800 RMB, and sellers are encouraged to take preventive action to avoid costly disputes. This issue highlights the importance of securing international trademarks, especially for products manufactured in or shipped through China.
Mastering Amazon Success: Focus on Fundamentals, Not Hacks
Robert Prime highlights that success on Amazon comes from consistent execution of fundamentals rather than chasing shortcuts or “hacks.” Top-performing sellers focus on inventory management, detailed listing optimization, quality product sourcing, and daily monitoring of PPC and conversions.
He points out common mistakes like neglecting underperforming listings and failing to optimize all products, which leads to missed opportunities. Prime emphasizes that patience, data analysis, and marginal improvements are the real keys to long-term Amazon success.
Stop Overcontrolling Ads: Focus on What You Can Control
Elizabeth Greene urges Amazon sellers to stop obsessing over ad placements and trying to force results from an uncontrollable algorithm. Instead of micromanaging, sellers should focus on bid adjustments and actions that align with their primary goals, such as driving sales growth or improving profitability.
Greene shares her own experience of how forcing tactics led to skyrocketing ACoS and declining sales, but shifting focus to controllable strategies doubled sales and improved performance. Her advice: prioritize the big picture, control what you can, and let go of unnecessary stress.
Amazon’s Focus on Brands Leaves Third-Party Sellers Scrambling
Kevin Harmon highlights Amazon’s ongoing shift toward prioritizing brands over third-party sellers, evident in the sudden ban on Lego resellers just before Q4. Thousands of full-time sellers, many with years of experience and significant Q4 inventory investments, lost their livelihoods overnight due to an impersonal email notification.
This move underscores the growing risks for third-party sellers as Amazon leans into a brand-centric future, leaving many sellers to question their long-term viability on the platform. Harmon urges Amazon to inject more empathy into its AI-driven decisions to prevent such devastating disruptions.
Featured Services and Software
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Top Upcoming Amazon Events
B2B ONLINE EUROPE – December 4-5, 2024, Hilton Dusseldorf, Germany
B2B MARKETING EXCHANGE – February 24-26, 2025, Scottsdale Arizona, USA
AMAZON HACKING LIVE 2025 – January 25, 2025, Berlin, Germany
VENDOR CONNECT 2025 – February 27, 2025, London, United Kingdom
Stay informed and ready to adapt to these game-changing developments.
God Bless,
Todd Welch
Amazon Seller School