🎧 On the go? Listen to this roundup in audio format.
Welcome to this month’s edition of the Retail Roundup, your go-to recap of the biggest developments in retail media and marketplace news.
The past few weeks have brought a wave of updates—from new product releases and platform developments to shifts in product page content and the latest on Prime Video ads. And of course, no 2025 update would be complete without diving into the ever-evolving world of AI in retail.
Let’s get into it.
Amazon Tests Dynamic Two-Part Product Titles on PDPs
Amazon is experimenting with a structural overhaul of product titles, introducing a two-part title format on PDPs. The first part is a short, mobile-optimized title with essential details like brand, product type, and variation. The second part consists of product highlights—key features, benefits, and unique selling points (USPs).
Critically, part two is also contextually dynamic: Amazon may display different versions of the title based on individual customer search behavior.
For instance, one shopper searching “wireless over-ear headphones” might see the word “wireless” featured prominently in the title, while another searching only “over-ear headphones” may not. This dynamic rendering allows Amazon to tailor PDP content more precisely to intent signals.
This change builds on Amazon’s ongoing efforts to reduce “word soup” in titles—an initiative reinforced by its January 2025 policy update. Early testing has been limited to select brands, with surveys sent out in late April to collect brand feedback. No official launch date or character limits have been shared yet, though it could begin rolling out broadly as early as Q3.
Pros
- Optimizes the PDP for mobile, which now accounts for roughly 70% of Amazon shopping activity
- Supports AI-based search by feeding structured content for better indexing and ranking
- Enables more relevant, personalized shopper experiences by aligning displayed titles with search queries
Cons
- Currently lacks official formatting guidance, creating uncertainty for brands
- Difficult to monitor how titles are rendered across search terms, making optimization and QA challenging
- AI-generated variability may reduce control over what customers see
💡Tips
- Start auditing titles now to separate essential product data (part one) from feature-focused messaging (part two)
- Use keyword research, customer reviews, and common Q&A themes to inform what goes into part two
- Prepare to build scalable title frameworks that allow for dynamic rendering while maintaining brand integrity
- Watch for updates on character limits and formatting rules as Amazon moves from testing to rollout
Amazon Injects Ads into Q&A Modules on PDPs
Amazon has begun placing ads directly within the Q&A section of product detail pages (PDPs). These ads appear to be served dynamically within or adjacent to the AI-generated question-and-answer content.
This development is part of a broader trend of AI-enhanced PDPs, where Amazon uses listing content to surface common questions and answer them automatically, now layered with sponsored placements.
While Amazon has long served ads in various PDP positions, the Q&A module is a novel concept. These new placements seem to mimic organic content but with promotional messaging embedded, such as “Why choose Brand X?” or “Have you considered this product?” However, the relevance of these questions can feel disconnected or artificial.
Pros
- Introduces new ad real estate in a high-attention zone
- Expands visibility of ads beyond traditional slots
Cons
- No clear way to target or bid specifically for this placement—currently rolled into the ambiguous “other placements” bucket
- Lacks performance visibility; advertisers can’t isolate impact or ROI from these ads
- The ads themselves feel generic and disconnected from shopper intent, reducing their persuasive power
- Risk of customer confusion if promotional content is indistinguishable from organic Q&A
💡Tips
- Monitor listings for strange or unhelpful questions
- Align listing copy and FAQs to reinforce brand messaging
- Push Amazon for more transparency on performance data
This is an early-stage, AI-driven experiment that could reshape how ads and organic content coexist on Amazon PDPs. While the scale and impact are still uncertain, brands should keep an eye on how Q&A modules evolve.
Enhancements to Prime Video Ad Integration
AI-Powered Pause Ads, Enhanced Shoppable Ads, and Off-Amazon Interactive CTAs
Amazon announced major enhancements to Prime Video advertising during its recent upfronts, spotlighting two innovations: AI-Powered Pause Ads and upgraded interactive shoppable video formats. These updates aim to make streaming inventory more performance-oriented and blur the line between content consumption and product discovery.
Pause ads are particularly attention-grabbing: when a viewer pauses a show or movie, a contextually relevant ad appears on-screen. For example, pausing a scene where a character uses hairspray could trigger an ad with the prompt, “Need hairspray?” powered by AI-driven object and context recognition. This turns passive moments into micro-opportunities for shopper engagement, without disrupting the viewer’s experience.
Meanwhile, enhanced shoppable ads on Prime Video now support real-time product pricing and additional calls-to-action, making it easier for viewers to explore and purchase products featured in the ad directly from their screens.
On top of that, Amazon is introducing new off-Amazon interactive CTAs (such as “Book Appointment” or “Request a Quote”) designed to appeal to non-endemic advertisers looking for lower-funnel outcomes.
Pros
- Pause ads introduce an entirely new engagement moment—contextual, timely, and AI-personalized
- Interactive video ads have shown strong performance in the past, improving both traffic quality and conversion
- New CTAs allow advertisers to better match ad format to their business model (especially for service-based or DTC brands)
- These ad units elevate Prime Video from a pure upper-funnel awareness channel to something closer to mid-funnel conversion
Cons
- Pause ads are likely to be premium placements, limiting access for small and mid-size brands
- Content adjacency risks remain; brands may be cautious about having ads appear next to certain types of content
- The rollout is still early—data on ROI and performance is limited
- Off-Amazon CTAs are helpful but not game-changing; they represent incremental progress rather than a leap
💡Tips
- If budget allows, test pause ads early to see if they could deliver high engagement and not just novelty alone
- Leverage DSP guardrails to control content adjacency (e.g., no adult or unrated content) and protect brand integrity
- For brands with visual appeal (e.g., beauty, CPG, fitness), lean into shoppable formats with strong creative and real-time pricing
- Service-based businesses should explore how off-Amazon CTAs could align with lead-gen or appointment-driving strategies
This move signals Amazon’s continued ambition to turn Prime Video into a performance media platform, not just a branding channel. While access and reporting may remain gated for now, the creative and strategic possibilities for brands are expanding rapidly.
Amazon’s “Enhance My Listing” Tool Gains Scale
Amazon’s “Enhance My Listing” AI tool—designed to help sellers auto-generate PDP content—has now reached wide adoption. The company recently announced that over 900,000 sellers have used the tool, with more than 90% of the AI-generated content being accepted with minimal to no edits.
This signals both Amazon’s confidence in the quality of its AI and the platform’s strategic push toward automation in catalog content creation.
At the same time, Amazon appears to be scraping product content from across the web, including D2C websites, reseller listings, and other external sources, to compare with Amazon PDP content.
This information is being used behind the scenes to identify discrepancies and flag potential violations, even if the flagged content is not visible on the product detail page. In some cases, these discrepancies could result in suppressed or restricted listings.
Pros
- AI dramatically speeds up content creation, especially useful for large catalogs and new product launches
- High acceptance rate (90%+) suggests AI-generated content is increasingly on-brand and retail-ready
- Reduces manual workload for lean teams managing expansive ASIN portfolios
Cons
- Amazon is retaining and referencing scraped off-site content, which can trigger compliance issues
- Listings may be flagged or suppressed based on inconsistent or outdated third-party content
- Sellers have limited visibility into which external sources Amazon is using, or what content is being flagged
- Especially risky for sensitive categories like supplements or wellness, where compliance language varies across channels
💡Tips
- Establish a single, authoritative source of truth for product content—ideally managed through a centralized PIM
- Audit your brand’s external content regularly (including resellers and older D2C pages) to ensure consistency and compliance
- Document claims rigorously, especially for health-related or regulated products, and have updated compliance files ready
- If using AI-generated listings, treat them as a strong starting point, but QA for category-specific language, keyword performance, and brand voice before publishing
Instacart Expands with Uber Eats Partnership and Launches ‘Fizz’ Alcohol & Snacks Platform
Instacart made two notable announcements this month as it continues to broaden its reach beyond traditional grocery delivery.
First, the company has partnered with Uber Eats to power restaurant deliveries directly through the Instacart app.
Second, it introduced a new platform called Fizz, designed for group ordering of alcohol and snacks—a format that taps into spontaneous, social-use occasions.
The Uber Eats integration essentially enables Instacart users to access restaurant food delivery within the same interface they already use for groceries. It reflects a reciprocal value exchange: Uber Eats, with deep infrastructure and expertise in restaurant delivery, brings fulfillment efficiency, while Instacart adds a broader retail user base and shopping ecosystem.
Fizz, on the other hand, is positioned as a group-centric, low-consideration shopping experience—think friends ordering drinks and chips together before a party or event.
While still in closed beta, Instacart has confirmed that sponsored product campaigns will extend into the Fizz platform, offering new ad real estate within this social and alcohol-centric environment.
Pros
- Expands Instacart’s reach into restaurant delivery without building fulfillment from scratch
- Opens up a new advertising channel (Fizz) focused on impulse purchases and low-consideration items like alcohol and snacks
- Reaches a new behavioral use case—group ordering for social gatherings, not just solo grocery runs
- Sponsored products on Fizz can influence decisions at the moment of peak impulse
Cons
- Uber Eats integration may not drastically grow the user base—it largely repackages existing capabilities
- Fizz remains in beta with no public performance data
- Audience overlap with Instacart’s core users may limit reach expansion in the short term
- Alcohol delivery regulations vary by market, creating friction for scale
💡Tips
- Monitor rollout of Fizz closely, especially if you sell alcohol, snacks, or adjacent impulse categories
- Adjust messaging and creative for more social, group-oriented buying contexts—think “fun,” “shareable,” or “weekend-ready”
- Work with your Instacart account team to get early access to Fizz ad inventory
- Don’t assume restaurant delivery customers will mirror grocery buyers—consider different promotions or targeting strategies for this new occasion
While the Uber Eats collaboration enhances fulfillment, Fizz represents a more interesting strategic experiment: a new commerce use case built around group behavior and low-friction, high-conversion moments. If successful, it could redefine how CPG brands approach social occasions in digital retail.
Looking Ahead
This month’s developments point to a clear trajectory: retail media is becoming more dynamic, more AI-driven, and increasingly integrated in new realms—both on and off traditional marketplaces.
From Amazon’s structural title changes and AI-enhanced PDPs to Instacart’s expansion into restaurant and social-use cases, platforms are shifting from static catalogs to responsive, personalized experiences.
For brands, the takeaway is twofold: automation is accelerating, and control is slipping.
Staying competitive means embracing tools like AI content generation and interactive ads, while also building safeguards—like consistent messaging, content governance, and performance monitoring to mitigate risk.
As retail media continues to blur the lines between content, commerce, and context, the brands that win will be those that can adapt quickly, think holistically, and stay customer-obsessed, even when the algorithms take the wheel.
Give It a Listen
You can tune in for the full interview with Armin Alispahic and Ross Walker on the Ecommerce Braintrust hosted by Julie Spear and Jordan Ripley.
This show gives you access to the world's best brains when it comes to building momentum online for established consumer brands. Join in and listen to discussions with expert guests about e-commerce strategies, trends, and innovations.