Keep Up With Amazon & Walmart Seller News – 11.08.2023 - BellaVix

Keep Up With Amazon & Walmart Seller News – 11.08.2023

Amazon_Walmart_weekly_News_Updates_BellaVix-03   Optimize B2B Deliveries with Business Hour Delivery Rate

  • Amazon’s introduces a new metric, business hour delivery rate, for seller-fulfilled orders to Amazon Business and Business Prime customers with commercial addresses. This new metric focuses on the percentage of first-attempt deliveries made within business hours over a 30-day period. Sellers can access this rate on the Fulfillment Insights dashboard, enabling them to identify which shipping carriers are most effective during business hours. Utilizing Amazon Buy Shipping can further streamline this process by filtering out unsuitable carrier options. Although this rate doesn’t affect program eligibility, understanding and optimizing it can significantly enhance customer satisfaction, especially for business customers who prefer deliveries during their operating hours. More info can be found here – Note; no impact on eligibility

  Update to Premium A+ Content Eligibility Requirements

  • Amazon has updated the eligibility requirements for Premium A+ Content. Premium A+ Content allows brands to use content such as video, interactive hotspot modules, image carousels, and enhanced comparative tables to share your brand’s unique story and showcase product information in the Amazon store. To be eligible to use Premium A+ Content, you’ll need:
    • Brand Story module published on all of your brand-owned product listings.
    • Five approved A+ Content modules in the last 12 months.
  • Once your brand is enrolled and eligible, you’ll see a banner notification in your A+ Content Manager. – Example content from our portfolio

  Update on Default Handling Time for Seller-Fulfilled Orders

  • Starting October 31, 2023, Amazon will update the default handling time for seller-fulfilled orders from two days to one day for SKUs already processed in one day or less. This change reflects the fact that over 85% of these orders are already shipped within one day, allowing sellers to offer more accurate and appealing delivery promises. The update will be based on the seller’s past three-month handling history and SKU-specific settings. SKUs handled in one day or less without specific settings will default to one-day handling, while those taking longer will default to two days. Premium Shipping SKUs will continue with same-day delivery. This update also applies to sellers in the Canada store. Sellers are advised to update SKU-specific handling times for products needing more than one day and set an order handling capacity to manage surges. Further details can be found under ‘Manage your handling time‘.

Reminder: November FBA Capacity Limits

  • Amazon has announced that FBA capacity limits will be reduced in November to focus on delivery operations. The adjusted limits are designed to accommodate an average of five months of inventory. During November and December, Amazon’s emphasis will be on processing customer orders, which may lead to receiving delays but aims to expedite delivery speed and enhance sales during the holiday season. Sellers are advised to delay sending inventory for 2024 events, like Lunar New Year, until after December 31, 2023. For additional storage needs post-holiday season, Amazon Warehousing and Distribution is available for storing extra inventory. Sellers can monitor their capacity limits and usage on the FBA dashboard and may request an increase through Capacity Manager. More details are available under FBA capacity limits.

Amazon Ads Introduces AI-Powered Image Generation to Help Brands Produce Richer Creative  

  • Amazon Ads has introduced an AI-powered image generation tool in beta, aimed at simplifying and enhancing the creative process for advertisers. This tool enables the production of lifestyle imagery to improve ad performance. Colleen Aubrey, Senior Vice President at Amazon Ads, emphasized the ease and efficiency of this tool, highlighting its potential for creating more engaging and visually appealing ads. The technology, discussed at the unBoxed event, leverages advancements in AI by Amazon Web Services (AWS) to assist in content creation. It supports advertisers of all sizes, especially those without extensive in-house capabilities or agency support. The tool is user-friendly, requiring no technical expertise, and operates within the Amazon ad console. Advertisers can generate images tailored to their products and brand themes in seconds, further refining them with text prompts. Initially available for select Sponsored Brands campaigns, this beta version will evolve based on customer feedback, with plans for wider availability.

Amazon Roll Out Passkeys Sign-in

  • Amazon has introduced passkey sign-in for browsers and mobile shopping apps, enhancing customer experience with an easier and more secure sign-in method. Users can now set up passkeys in their Amazon settings, allowing them to sign in using the same face, fingerprint, or PIN they use to unlock their devices. This feature is currently available for browser users and is being progressively introduced to the iOS Amazon Shopping app, with plans to extend it to the Android app soon. Dave Treadwell, Senior Vice President of Ecommerce at Amazon, emphasizes this development as a significant step towards a secure, passwordless internet. Setting up a passkey involves a few simple steps in the browser or iOS app, and once set up, customers can sign in on supported devices or browsers using their device’s biometric features or PIN. The rollout of passkeys is seen as a response to consumer fatigue with complex passwords and a move towards more secure online experiences, reflecting Amazon’s commitment to customer convenience and security.

  Amazon Unveils Buy Now, Pay Later Option From Affirm for Small Business Owners

  • Amazon has introduced a ‘buy now, pay later’ option in partnership with Affirm for small business owners on Amazon Business. This feature, available by Black Friday, allows purchases ranging from $100 to $20,000 with installment payments spread over three to 48 months. Targeting sole proprietors, the most common small business type in the U.S., the service provides transparent payment terms with interest rates between 10% and 36% and no hidden fees. This addition offers small businesses a new, flexible way to manage cash flow and make purchases on Amazon.

  Unredacted FTC Suit Shows ‘Project Nessie’ Price-Raising Algorithm Made Amazon $1.4B

  • The FTC’s lawsuit against Amazon has disclosed ‘Project Nessie,’ an algorithmic pricing strategy that reportedly raised prices on certain products, leading to an estimated $1.4 billion in profit for Amazon over five years. This algorithm targeted products where competitors were likely to match Amazon’s price increases, allowing Amazon to maintain higher prices. Initially intended to prevent unsustainable low prices, Project Nessie’s profitability and potential impact on competitive practices are now under scrutiny by the FTC, highlighting concerns about Amazon’s market influence and pricing strategies.

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