Seller Forum Watch: Mounting Frustration Over Listing Hijackings and Brand Name Changes
A wave of seller complaints continues to roll through the Amazon Seller Forums—many focused on listing hijackings and unauthorized brand name changes that remain unresolved for months, even years in some cases. Sellers are growing increasingly vocal about the lack of support and the slow resolution process, especially when ASINs are locked down or relabeled by bad actors.
Key Issues Raised by Sellers:
- Hijacked listings remain unrecoverable despite long threads of support cases.
- Unauthorized brand name changes often result in suppressed or blocked listings, with Amazon flagging sellers for policy violations when they report issues.
- Resellers without Brand Registry access face near-impossible odds of recovery.
- Forum moderators Sandy_Amazon and Dougal_Amazon outlined new reporting processes, but sellers say the system is still failing.
What’s New:
Amazon claims it has improved the brand name change escalation process:
- Sellers must now use the “Report Abuse” tool and select “Product detail page was changed to represent a different product.”
- If the report is denied, Amazon suggests creating a post in the “Manage Your Brand” forum with your complaint ID.
- Complaints are investigated ASIN-by-ASIN, often taking 5+ business days.
Recommended Action for Sellers:
- Brand Registered? Start by reporting via the Report a Violation tool.
- Not Brand Registered? Use Report Abuse and be sure to include:
- Who created the ASIN
- What the brand name originally was
- Any supporting evidence (screenshots, test buys, complaint history)
- Escalate in the forums by opening a thread with your case ID in the “Manage Your Brand” section to trigger review by Community Managers.
Our Take:
The updated process shows Amazon is aware, but seller trust is wearing thin. If you’re not already enrolled in Brand Registry, now is the time. Proactive protection is still your best defense against hijackings and unauthorized edits.
9 New WFS Enhancements Walmart Sellers Should Know
Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) just rolled out nine new features aimed at making the platform more competitive with FBA — and helping sellers scale faster and more efficiently.
Here’s what’s new (and why it matters):
- WFS Prep Services
Walmart now offers in-house labeling and polybagging, cutting out the need for third-party prep centers. - Increased Capacity Limits
Sellers get more space in WFS, ideal for peak season readiness and fast-growing SKUs. - Dedicated Seller Support
New WFS-only support teams are being added to address issues faster. - Improved Multi-Box Shipping
You can now ship multiple boxes per SKU, streamlining the inbound process. - Automated Return Routing
WFS now lets you automatically send customer returns to the address of your choice. - Enhanced Ship Tracking
Real-time carrier tracking is integrated, giving sellers and customers better delivery transparency. - WFS Onboarding in Seller Center
A more guided onboarding experience helps new sellers get started faster. - More Inbound Shipping Carrier Options
Including Walmart’s preferred carriers and negotiated rates. - Expanded SLA Transparency
Walmart is publishing clearer service-level expectations to help sellers align operations accordingly.
What This Means for Sellers:
WFS is leveling up to offer more FBA-like services without Amazon’s rising costs and storage restrictions. If you’re diversifying off Amazon or looking for operational leverage, WFS is becoming a serious contender.
Amazon Ads Launches Twitch Creator Sponsorships — A New Avenue for Brand Exposure
Amazon Ads is officially rolling out Twitch Creator Sponsorships, a new program that allows brands to directly sponsor streamers through Amazon’s ad console. This marks a significant step in blending influencer marketing with Amazon’s ad tech — and gives eCommerce sellers a new tool to build awareness outside of the search bar.
Key Details:
- Brands can now run sponsorship campaigns directly on Twitch through Amazon Ads, targeting creators that align with their audience.
- This is different from traditional display ads — it’s influencer-driven, allowing for more organic integration into livestreams.
- Twitch Creator Sponsorships are fully managed within the Amazon Ads ecosystem, giving sellers better attribution and tracking compared to external influencer campaigns.
Why It Matters for Sellers:
- This opens up mid- and upper-funnel visibility opportunities — ideal for product launches or brand storytelling.
- If you’re already running Sponsored Brands or DSP, this is a natural extension to reach younger, high-intent audiences.
- Think of it as Amazon Ads + Influencer Marketing = brand lift with attribution.
Seller Tip:
Start small by identifying relevant streamers in your niche, especially if you’re in gaming, tech, lifestyle, or food & beverage. Combine Twitch Creator Sponsorships with a DSP retargeting campaign for full-funnel synergy.
Amazon to Adjust Inbound FBA Shipping Fees for Measurement Discrepancies
Starting June 3, 2025, Amazon will begin automatically adjusting inbound shipping charges for FBA shipments when discrepancies are found between seller-provided dimensions and what Amazon measures during receiving. If your shipment arrives and Amazon’s measurements don’t match what you entered, your inbound fees could be retroactively updated—no appeal necessary or possible.
See Amazon’s Help Doc on the Policy
Seller Forum Thread Discussion
How It Works:
- Discrepancies are flagged when the dimensions/weight of boxes differ from what was entered in the shipment plan.
- Fees will be automatically increased to reflect Amazon’s measurements—no grace period or warning.
- Sellers will receive a summary of measurement adjustments in their FBA reports.
What Sellers Are Saying:
In the Seller Forums, some sellers are voicing concern that incorrect measurements on Amazon’s side could inflate fees with no way to dispute them. Others are calling for third-party verification or transparency tools to hold Amazon accountable.
What to Do Now:
- Double-check all box dimensions and weights before creating a shipment.
- Consider recording your own box measurements and weights (with photos) as documentation.
- Monitor your Inbound Performance and FBA Shipping Fee reports closely after delivery.
💡 Pro Tip: If you frequently ship multiple boxes or LTL pallets, consider using third-party prep centers with digital scale and measurement verification to avoid surprise charges.
Amazon Influencer Lawsuit Over “Beige Clean Girl Aesthetic” Dismissed
A recent lawsuit that stirred debate across social media and legal circles has been dismissed: Amazon influencer Caitlyn Minimalist (real name: Ramee Saleh) was sued for allegedly copying the “Beige Clean Girl” aesthetic from fellow creator Aesthetic Roomcore. The case claimed copyright infringement over a visual style — not a product or logo.
The verdict?
A California judge ruled that aesthetic themes and color palettes aren’t copyrightable, especially when they’re tied to broad, popular trends.
Why It Matters for eCommerce Sellers:
- This sets a precedent: design trends (like beige minimalism) aren’t protectable — giving Amazon sellers more freedom in their creative direction.
- Sellers using influencer-style branding or leveraging aesthetic trends can move confidently, so long as they avoid direct trademark or image duplication.
- For creators and agencies, the ruling draws a clear line: inspiration ≠ infringement when it comes to general styles.
Seller Takeaway:
Use trend aesthetics to inform your branding — but always back it with original images, packaging, and voice. Trends help you sell. Copyright law keeps you safe.
Amazon Pilots AI-Generated Audio Product Summaries
Amazon is testing a new feature that uses AI to convert product detail pages into audio summaries—giving shoppers a hands-free way to explore product information via Alexa or mobile.
How It Works:
- Amazon’s AI generates a spoken version of your listing content (title, bullets, description, reviews).
- Audio summaries are currently in pilot mode on a limited number of listings in the U.S.
- The feature is designed for mobile and Alexa-enabled devices, offering accessibility and convenience.
What It Means for Sellers:
- Listing quality now matters even more. Poor copy = poor audio.
- Expect more emphasis on clear, conversational tone in product titles and bullets.
- Voice-optimized listings could become a new SEO frontier, especially as Amazon explores multimodal shopping.
Pro Tip:
If your listing reads like keyword soup, this pilot could expose it. Clean, benefit-driven, natural-sounding copy is now critical — for shoppers and algorithms alike.
Amazon Taps Generative AI to Summarize News for Alexa Users
Amazon is rolling out a new feature for Alexa that uses generative AI to summarize major news stories — pulling from reputable outlets like The New York Times, Reuters, and The Washington Post. Users can ask, “Alexa, what’s the news?” and receive AI-powered, spoken recaps instead of pre-recorded news briefs.
Why This Matters to Sellers:
- It signals Amazon’s continued investment in voice-first experiences — and its broader push toward multimodal shopping (text, voice, visual).
- As Alexa becomes more integrated with content and commerce, we may see product discovery tools evolve to include conversational and AI-generated insights.
- Amazon’s investment in generative AI for content delivery means sellers should be optimizing listings with natural, structured language to ensure compatibility with emerging formats (audio, summaries, AI answers).
Bottom Line:
AI isn’t just transforming how people shop — it’s reshaping how they consume product and brand information. Sellers who write listings for both humans and machines will have the edge.
The Future of eCommerce? Immersive, Social, and Creator-Led
In a recent Adweek feature, Karina Kogan (CMO of Infinite Reality and former CMO of Pvolve) paints a compelling vision of what’s next for eCommerce: immersive brand worlds, creator-led commerce, and social shopping that feels like entertainment.
Key Trends Shaping the Next Era:
- Immersive eCommerce:
Think branded virtual environments, interactive 3D product experiences, and shoppable livestreams. Kogan argues that these experiences drive deeper loyalty and conversion. - Creators as Frontline Sales Reps:
Influencers aren’t just pushing products—they’re co-creating brand identity and acting as trusted product educators. - Entertainment x Commerce:
The most effective eCommerce brands will blur the line between content and conversion. Shopping becomes storytelling, not a transaction.
Why This Matters for Amazon Sellers:
- Expect more pressure to develop interactive content, even within Amazon’s current limitations (think A+ Content, Storefront videos, and off-Amazon activations).
- Brands that partner with creators for authentic storytelling will outperform those relying solely on static ads or listings.
- Future-proofing your strategy may require extending your brand identity into new formats: live, voice, video, and virtual.
Seller Takeaway:
Don’t wait for Amazon to catch up — start testing immersive experiences, creator collaborations, and cross-channel storytelling now. It’s not a trend. It’s where eCommerce is heading.
Americans Could Spend 7% of Their Lives on Social Media — What That Means for Brands
According to a new analysis covered by eCommerce Times, the average American could spend nearly 7% of their entire lifespan on social media — roughly 5.5 years. That estimate climbs higher for younger demographics, with Gen Z projected to surpass 8%.
Key Stats:
- Americans average 2.5 hours/day on social platforms.
- Gen Z and Millennials are clocking even more — much of it on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.
- Social media engagement is deeply integrated into product discovery, research, and purchase decisions.
Why This Matters for eCommerce Sellers:
- Your audience isn’t just shopping — they’re scrolling, watching, and being influenced.
- Brands that invest in native content (not ads disguised as content) stand to win attention and build trust.
- Paid search and product listings are important, but brand equity is increasingly built off-platform — especially with video and creator content.
Seller Takeaway:
If your brand isn’t showing up on social, it might as well not exist for an entire generation. Build presence, build narrative — or risk irrelevance.
Court Ruling on Trump Tariffs: What It Means for B2B eCommerce
A recent U.S. Court of International Trade decision has struck down most of former President Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs, ruling that they exceeded the legal limits of presidential authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The 10% baseline duties, originally imposed on a broad range of imports, were challenged by small businesses and state coalitions for being economically harmful and legally unfounded.
However, a federal appeals court quickly stepped in to temporarily reinstate the tariffs while the legal process continues — keeping the policy in limbo.
Implications for B2B eCommerce Sellers:
- Supply Chain Volatility: Expect renewed pricing and sourcing uncertainty as tariffs remain in effect during appeals.
- Planning Headaches: The lack of clarity complicates forward-looking inventory and import strategies.
- Risk Mitigation: Sellers should explore supplier diversification and price-locking tactics to protect margins.
This legal battle underscores the need for agility in procurement and tariff-sensitive categories. For now, sellers are urged to track updates and adapt sourcing strategies accordingly.
Alibaba’s Instant Commerce Platform Surges Past 40M Daily Orders
Alibaba’s new “instant commerce” platform, Taobao Maoxiang, is rapidly gaining traction — now processing over 40 million daily orders, according to Economic Times Retail. The platform focuses on hyperlocal, same-day delivery, competing with players like Meituan and JD.com in China’s fast-evolving retail landscape.
What Makes It Stand Out:
- Leverages local warehouses and merchant storefronts to fulfill orders in under 1–2 hours.
- Built for convenience-driven, mobile-first consumers, especially in densely populated urban centers.
- Tied closely to Alibaba’s logistics arm, Cainiao, for real-time inventory and delivery integration.
Why This Matters for Global Sellers:
- “Instant commerce” is no longer just a grocery trend — it’s expanding into consumer electronics, personal care, and apparel.
- The model prioritizes speed, local relevance, and real-time availability — signaling a shift that Western marketplaces may soon emulate.
- Brands selling in international markets (or prepping for same-day fulfillment in the U.S. via Amazon) should study this closely.
Takeaway:
If Alibaba can scale 40M+ orders per day through a local-first, ultra-fast model, it’s only a matter of time before Amazon, Walmart, and Target ramp up their own versions. Sellers should start thinking about local inventory positioning, flexible logistics partners, and mobile-optimized discovery.
Tired of scrolling? Give your eyes a break and tune into the latest episode of Selling on Giants: The eCommerce Marketplace Podcast, your go-to for marketplace moves that matter.
Keep up with the latest Amazon and Walmart news updates and subscribe to our BellaVix newsletter 👇👇👇