News & Insights
Marketplace intelligence, applied
What's changing on Amazon, Walmart, and all other eCommerce marketplaces.
NewsWalmart Holiday Returns Run Through Jan 31
Walmart just told Marketplace sellers the standard 30-day return window stretches for holiday. Most items bought Oct 1 through Dec 31, 2026 can come back through Jan 31, 2027.
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NewsFTC Says Amazon Hid Ad Surcharges for Years
The FTC and 22 state AGs sued Amazon over an alleged secret soft-reserve surcharge in Sponsored Ads auctions dating to ~2019. Amazon calls the case misguided. Here is what operators need to know, without the courtroom noise.
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NewsWFS Inventory Is Due Tomorrow
Walmart wants WFS inventory in by Sept. 1 for the October Event. If it is not already moving, that window is gone. Sept. 15 is next.
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NewsOnline Just Hit 17% of Retail
Census just put U.S. e-commerce at a record 17.1% of retail after 12.2% growth. Amazon, Walmart, and Shopify all grew faster.
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NewsTikTok Shop Just Passed Target.com
TikTok Shop hit about 2% of U.S. online retail spend in July. That is larger than Target.com or Costco online, and it is the same shopper already buying on Amazon and Walmart.
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NewsWalmart Marketplace Grew 52%
Walmart's Q2 marketplace sales grew 52% and Connect ads 43%. Nearly half of marketplace volume now runs through WFS. The next date that matters is September 1.
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NewsAmazon Auto-Enrolled Your Ads
Amazon started serving Sponsored Products inside Influencer Program content on August 10. Campaigns were enrolled by default, at the bids you set for search. Most brands still have not checked the setting.
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NewsAmazon Moved Q4 Inbound Deadlines Up
Amazon's holiday calendar is not a fee story this week. It is a logistics story. Prime Big Deal Days inventory has to arrive by early September, and the deal window closes September 8.
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NewsAmazon Removed the Buy Box Gate
Amazon is removing the seller-level eligibility check for Featured Offer. Every offer can enter the ranking. That does not mean every offer wins, and it does not mean performance stopped mattering.
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NewsAmazon Is Rewriting Your Titles
Amazon now requires 75-character titles in every category except media, and listings still over the limit are being updated to Amazon's AI recommendation. The brands getting hurt are the ones who never filled Item Highlights or reviewed the rewrite.
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NewsAmazon's Q4 Peak Fees Are Bigger Than $0.32
Amazon confirmed holiday peak fulfillment fees for Oct 15, 2026 through Jan 14, 2027, averaging $0.32 per unit over non-peak rates. The part most sellers are still missing: the 3.5% fuel and logistics surcharge stacks on top, and ship date (not order date) triggers the fee.
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ArticlesPrime Day Is Here: Make Sure You Are Ready
Prime Day is officially here. For Amazon brands, the work is not over just because the deals are live and the campaigns have been launched. Prime Day is not a “set it and forget it” event…
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