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Welcome to the September edition of the Retail Roundup, your go-to recap of the biggest developments in retail media and marketplace news.
Amazon dominated headlines this month with major announcements from Amazon Accelerate: introducing AI-powered seller tools, a new Profit Analytics dashboard, and a long-awaited end to commingled inventory.
We also saw key updates designed to help sellers boost loyalty and efficiency, including expanded access to Amazon Marketing Cloud, higher Subscribe & Save discounts, and new virtual multi-packs that simplify bulk selling.The bottom line? Amazon is building a more intelligent, seller-friendly ecosystem and setting the pace for the rest of the retail world.
Let’s break it down.
Big News from Amazon Accelerate
1) AI-POWERED AGENTIC ASSISTANCE IN SELLER CENTRAL
Amazon has introduced agentic AI across Seller Central, marking a shift from passive chat support to proactive, reason-based assistance.
The AI can now plan, make recommendations, and even take actions with seller approval, bringing automation into daily operational management.
Pros
- Routine tasks like listing optimization, responding to performance alerts, or creating ad campaigns can be automated, freeing up time for strategic work.
- The AI can analyze seller data to suggest improvements or flag compliance risks early.
- Smaller brands can operate with the sophistication of larger teams by leveraging automated execution and planning.
Cons
- Early adoption may come with accuracy concerns, particularly around sensitive areas like compliance or listings.
Tips
Treat the AI as a co-pilot, not an autopilot. Start by testing it on low-risk tasks (like product listing optimizations) before relying on it for compliance or pricing decisions.
2) AMAZON ENDS COMMINGLED INVENTORY
Amazon has officially ended its long-criticized commingled inventory system.
Under the previous system, if a seller chose to ship inventory without Amazon’s unique FNSKU barcode, relying instead on standard UPC codes, the marketplace could fulfill an order using the closest matching unit in its network, regardless of who supplied it.
This meant that a branded item ordered from one seller might actually come from another’s stock, often leading to inconsistent quality, counterfeit risks, and customer confusion.
Now, inventory is separated, ensuring customers receive exactly what the brand ships.
Pros
- Authenticity protection: Eliminates risks of counterfeit or poor-quality substitutions.
- Brand control: Reviews, returns, and performance metrics now reflect genuine brand inventory.
- Better customer trust: Consistent product quality improves satisfaction and repeat purchases.
- Amazon is clearly prioritizing the relationship with brands.
Cons
- This change may require tighter warehouse practices and more proactive inventory labeling to stay compliant.
Interestingly, this operational shift also has major internal benefits for Amazon itself.
The company estimated brand owners spent $600 million last year on stickering alone, as part of its previous labeling and prep processes.
By eliminating the need for mass stickering and simplifying how inventory is tracked, Amazon expects to save substantial costs and reduce bottlenecks in its fulfillment centers.
Tips
Audit your FBA inventory and labeling processes immediately. Ensure your SKUs, FNSKUs, and supply chain tracking align with the new non-commingled structure to avoid shipment delays or misrouting.
3) INTRODUCTION OF PROFIT ANALYTICS
Amazon rolled out a new Profit Analytics dashboard within Seller Central, providing centralized visibility into profitability across sales channels.
The tool consolidates costs, including ads, fees, refunds, and logistics, and allows “what-if” scenario modeling to forecast the impact of pricing, ad spend, or fulfillment decisions.
Pros
- Consolidated profitability view: Centralizes all cost inputs including ads, logistics, returns, and fees, into one accessible dashboard.
- AI-driven recommendations: Automatically identifies cost inefficiencies and suggests optimizations (e.g., pausing low-performing campaigns or adjusting inventory distribution).
- Scenario testing: Enables brands to model how strategic choices (like pricing changes or inventory shifts) could impact margins and cash flow.
- Native integration: Eliminates the need for third-party software to access baseline profit data, reducing costs and data fragmentation.
Cons
- Limited early functionality: Currently optimized around AWD and SIPP, meaning insights for non-Amazon fulfillment or advertising channels may be incomplete.
- Potential upsell bias: Recommendations could prioritize Amazon programs over independent solutions.
- Data validation challenges: Third-party analytics tools have historically offered more granular profit tracking, so cross-checking accuracy is essential during rollout.
Tips
When these features become more broadly available, use Profit Analytics to identify your top five cost drivers. Run scenario models for pricing or ad spend changes monthly to refine profitability strategies and compare results with your own financial tracking to validate accuracy.
Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC) Opens For All
Amazon has expanded Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC) access to all advertisers directly within the Ad Console, removing the previous barriers that required DSP access or rep involvement.
This democratizes access to AMC’s audience-building and analytics capabilities, allowing brands of any size to create insights, segment audiences, and measure performance natively.
Pros
- Broader accessibility: Smaller brands can now access advanced analytics and audience tools that were previously enterprise-only.
- Improved user experience: The interface has been significantly upgraded, featuring guided workflows, plain-language query capabilities, and built-in AI assistance.
- Stronger campaign precision: Brands can now create highly specific audience segments, like cart abandoners or repeat visitors, and apply them directly to Sponsored Product campaigns.
Cons
- Limited integrations for agencies: The current setup cannot connect to most third-party tools (e.g., PacVue) or optimization platforms, restricting automation and cross-platform reporting.
- Manual management required: Brands or agencies that rely on external tools will need to manage AMC insights separately.
- Learning curve for new users: While more user-friendly, AMC still requires a basic understanding of attribution, query building, and data interpretation.
💡Tips
- Leverage AI queries early: Use the new natural-language tools to generate audiences or reports without SQL expertise, but keep in mind limitations. Our team estimates a 50-70% success rate for audiences created based on natural-language queries at the moment.
- Focus on straightforward high-impact segments: Create “add-to-cart but not purchased” or “recent viewers” audiences and apply them to Sponsored Products or Sponsored Display campaigns, especially ahead of major sales events.
Merchandising Updates: Subscribe & Save and Virtual Multi-Packs
This month, we’ve also seen a couple of merchandising and assortment management updates. The changes are part of a broader effort to boost average order value (AOV) and customer lifetime value (CLV) for the loyal customers.
1) INCREASED SELLER-FUNDED DISCOUNTS FOR SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
Amazon has increased the maximum seller-funded discount for Subscribe & Save from 10% to 20%, marking one of the program’s most significant updates in years.
The update reflects Amazon’s attempt to keep value-conscious shoppers loyal as consumers increasingly “trade down” or seek savings amid cost-of-living challenges and tariff-related pricing shifts.
Behind the scenes, this also benefits Amazon operationally. Consolidated subscription shipments lower fulfillment costs - one bulk order is cheaper to ship than multiple individual ones.
Pros
- Stronger retention lever: A larger discount encourages more customers to subscribe and stay subscribed, boosting repeat purchase rates.
- Volume growth: Bulk or recurring orders can smooth out demand fluctuations and improve sell-through rates.
- Competitive advantage: Brands with healthy margins can use the higher discount ceiling to outpace rivals in customer acquisition and loyalty.
- Operational efficiency: Higher subscription volumes consolidate fulfillment, improving logistics efficiency and reducing per-unit shipping costs.
Cons
- Margin pressure: The increased discount is entirely seller-funded. Amazon contributes none of the cost. This puts more strain on potentially already thin margins for brands.
- Negotiation risk for vendors: Amazon’s vendor managers may push for co-funded discount programs, reducing vendor leverage in trade discussions.
Tips
- Use Subscribe & Save strategically. Apply higher discounts to high-margin or high-repeat items.
- For vendors, prepare to discuss funding limits and ROI during negotiations to ensure profitability remains intact.
2) INTRODUCTION OF VIRTUAL MULTI-PACKS
Alongside subscription changes, Amazon introduced virtual multi-packs, allowing customers to purchase multiple quantities of a product in one click, without the brand having to physically pre-bundle or repackage inventory.
These multi-packs are assembled digitally within Amazon’s catalog, creating a seamless, logistically efficient way to sell low-priced items in bulk.
This update directly addresses one of Amazon’s most persistent profitability challenges: low-ASP (average selling price) products that are unprofitable to ship individually.
Pros
- Improved visibility: Virtual multi-packs can now be listed as variations on the main product detail page, driving discovery and conversions.
- Operational efficiency: No need for manual co-packing or separate SKUs. Amazon manages fulfillment using existing inventory.
- Better logistics economics: Selling multiple units in one shipment improves profitability by reducing per-item shipping costs. In addition, Amazon bears the cost of co-packing.
- Higher average order value (AOV): Encourages customers to buy more per transaction, boosting basket size and efficiency.
Tips
- Use advertising to drive traffic to multi-pack variations, especially for low-ASP (average selling price) items that benefit from consolidation.
- Use virtual bundles to “rescue” CRaP items (products that lost advertising eligibility due to low profitability) by pairing them into multi-packs that restore ad visibility and boost conversion rates.
Major Overhaul of Creator Connections
Amazon has significantly revamped its Creator Connections program, expanding it from a traditional affiliate-based model to include sponsored creator partnerships.
With this update, brands can now pay creators upfront to develop content and campaigns, similar to influencer sponsorship models on platforms like TikTok or Instagram.
The goal is to make it easier for brands to leverage influencer-style campaigns within the Amazon ecosystem, bridging the gap between brand awareness and on-platform sales.
Pros
- This change opens the door for brands, especially those without established influencer programs, to test creator partnerships more easily within Amazon’s environment.
- Broader creator access: The inclusion of both creators and publishers expands the network and increases audience diversity.
- Predictable budgeting: Paying upfront allows brands to plan and control costs without relying on uncertain affiliate conversions.
- Better creator quality: Upfront compensation models attract more experienced creators with larger followings and professional content capabilities.
- Simplified onboarding: Amazon’s revamped interface makes finding, negotiating, and managing creator partnerships more seamless.
- Enhanced awareness opportunities: Sponsored collaborations now serve as top-of-funnel drivers for exposure, consideration, and brand storytelling.
Cons
- Limited content ownership: Brands receive only 90-day rights to creator content, restricting long-term use in ads or other campaigns.
- Budget confusion: Since Creator Connections sits between marketing and eCommerce, internal teams may struggle to determine who owns the spend.
💡Tips
- Start small and test: Pilot campaigns with a few creators who closely match your target audience before scaling spend.
- Align eCommerce, marketing, and brand teams early to determine objectives, budgets, and KPIs for creator campaigns.
Supply Chain and Inventory Overhauls
1) CHANGES TO FBA LIQUIDATIONS AND DONATIONS
Amazon has revised how it handles excess and aging FBA inventory through new liquidation and donation defaults. Sellers are now automatically enrolled in liquidation for unsold or aging inventory unless they manually opt out.
Additionally, eligible products will automatically be donated rather than recycled: this part is mandatory and cannot be disabled.
Pros
- Simplified inventory clearance: Liquidation provides a faster way to recoup some value from slow-moving stock without manual intervention.
- Sustainability alignment: Mandatory donation programs support environmental and social responsibility goals.
- Operational efficiency: Automating end-of-life inventory management can reduce storage costs and simplify logistics.
Cons
- Risk of unintended liquidation: Default settings may liquidate valuable inventory if not reviewed promptly.
- Price erosion risks: Liquidated products can reappear in the marketplace and undercut active listings.
- Potential Buy Box impact: Resurfacing liquidated goods could affect pricing competitiveness or Buy Box eligibility.
💡Tips
- Review your FBA liquidation settings immediately to prevent unwanted sell-offs.
- Use the donation program as part of your sustainability messaging
2) INTRODUCTION OF PARTIAL REFUND FUNCTIONALITY
Amazon has introduced a new option for sellers to issue partial refunds without requiring product returns. Sellers can now set a percentage refund threshold for various return scenarios, giving them flexibility in managing customer service resolutions.
Pros
- Customer satisfaction: Enables faster, hassle-free refunds for minor issues or damaged packaging.
- Cost savings: Reduces return shipping and restocking costs for low-value or non-resellable items.
- Operational speed: Streamlines customer issue resolution without physical return processing.
Cons
- Potential overuse: Customer service reps or automated systems might issue refunds too readily, affecting profitability.
- Loss of control: Automated partial refunds may bypass brand-specific customer service workflows.
💡Tips
Keep manual control of refund permissions, avoid enabling full automation until patterns are tested.
3) MULTI-CHANNEL FULFILLMENT (MCF) EXPANDS TO NEW PLATFORMS
Amazon has extended its Multi-Channel Fulfillment (MCF) program to integrate directly with Shopify and Shein, following the earlier addition of Walmart.
This means sellers can now use Amazon’s fulfillment network to manage and ship orders from multiple external platforms through a single system.
In addition, Amazon updated its MCF dashboards, allowing sellers to see which products are enrolled, how inventory is moving, and performance across all connected channels in one view.
Pros
- Broader reach: Sellers can fulfill orders from multiple marketplaces without managing separate logistics operations.
- Centralized visibility: The new dashboard provides a clear overview of product movement and multi-channel performance.
- Operational efficiency: Brands no longer need to track fulfillment data individually for each channel.
- Expanded delivery options: Shopify, Shein, and Walmart integrations make it easier to reach new customer bases while keeping Amazon’s fulfillment speed.
Cons
- Reduced control: As Amazon manages fulfillment across platforms, sellers may have less flexibility over how inventory is handled.
- Potential complexity: More connected channels can make coordination and forecasting more challenging.
💡Tips
- Review the new MCF dashboard to understand which products are enrolled and how inventory is moving.
- Keep an eye on channel-level performance to ensure fulfillment remains smooth across all integrations.
Looking Ahead
Amazon’s latest updates reflect a clear direction: greater automation, deeper insights, and stronger alignment between brands, customers, and operations.
From AI-driven assistance to cleaner inventory practices and expanded analytics, the common thread is efficiency: helping sellers spend less time on manual work and more on growth strategy.
For brands and retailers, the takeaway is simple: stay curious, stay flexible, and start testing.
Whether it’s exploring new tools in Seller Central, refining your fulfillment setup, or experimenting with creator collaborations, small adjustments today can lead to major competitive advantages tomorrow.
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