Seller Challenge Launches for Account Health Assurance Members
Amazon just rolled out a new tool that gives qualified sellers another shot at overturning enforcement decisions. It is called Seller Challenge, and it is now available to sellers enrolled in Account Health Assurance.
If you maintain strong account health and meet Amazon’s eligibility criteria, this feature can become a valuable safety net for tricky reinstatements.
Here is the quick breakdown.
What Seller Challenge Actually Does
Seller Challenge lets you request a deeper review of specific listing-level enforcements after you have exhausted your standard appeal options. It is designed for those rare situations where you know you have done everything right, but the system still pushes back.
You get three challenges every 180 days, and Amazon aims to return a decision within 48 hours. If your challenge is accepted, the enforcement is overturned and your listing goes live again. If it is denied, that specific challenge slot refills six months later.
Who Can Use It
Seller Challenge is only available to sellers enrolled in Account Health Assurance. That requires:
- An Account Health Rating of 250 or higher for six months
- No more than ten days under that 250 threshold
- A verified emergency contact number
- Engagement with Amazon within 72 hours if an issue comes up
- A clean record on compliance and no repeat violations
If your AHR is not yet numeric or you have not crossed the 250 mark consistently, you are not eligible.
How It Works
- Go to your Product Policy Compliance page
- Open the enforcement you want to respond to
- If eligible, you will see the Seller Challenge option
- Submit new documentation or context
- Amazon reviews and responds in about two days
You can have several challenges open at once, but only one per enforcement.
What Happens If You Lose AHA Eligibility
Your unused challenges disappear until you regain your AHA status. You can still use standard appeals, but the enhanced review option will be paused.
Why Sellers Should Care
For brands dealing with fast-moving inventory and strict compliance categories, one stubborn policy enforcement can create real revenue drops. Seller Challenge gives AHA sellers an accelerated path to get listings back online without waiting for lengthy back-and-forth cycles.
Think of it as a premium escalation lane reserved for sellers who consistently maintain great account health. If you qualify, it is worth keeping in your pocket.
Amazon is Hosting an AMA
Amazon will host an “Ask Amazon” session on the Seller Forums on December 3, 2025, focused entirely on Seller Challenge and Account Health Assurance. Expect clarifications on eligibility, documentation standards, and appeal quality.
Amazon Now Explains Why Certain ASINs Should Move to FBA
Amazon is making the FBA enrollment decision a little easier to justify. A new update to the FBA Enrollment Opportunities tool now shows you exactly why specific ASINs are being recommended for FBA instead of seller fulfillment.
The big addition is a “Why this ASIN?” panel that breaks down how your current performance compares to similar Prime-enabled products. Instead of guessing whether switching to FBA will help, you now see real data behind the recommendation.
What Amazon Now Shows You
When you click into the rationale panel, Amazon highlights:
- FBA speed advantage that shows how many days faster Amazon can deliver the product
- Prime product performance comparisons, including PDP views, units sold, search impressions, and ratings
- Benchmarking against similar products to help you understand how much lift FBA could realistically unlock
This combination gives you a quick read on which of your FBM ASINs are most likely leaving money on the table.
Why It Matters for Sellers
FBA eligibility has long been tied to conversion lift, Buy Box stability, and ranking momentum. The challenge has always been deciding which ASINs deserve the investment. With this new data layer, you get a clearer cost-benefit picture and can adjust your fulfillment mix with more confidence.
For brands juggling tight margins, long-tail catalogs, or seasonal spikes, this level of visibility can help you prioritize inventory placement and avoid guesswork.
Where to Find It
Head to Inventory, then Opportunities, and click through to the FBA Enrollment Opportunities section. The new insights are available across the US, UK, Germany, Spain, France, and Italy.
Amazon Rolls Out Profit Analytics to Help Sellers Tighten Unit Economics
Amazon has launched Profit Analytics, a new reporting suite built to give you a clearer view of your true unit economics. For operators who want tighter control over margins, fees, and pricing strategy, this tool fills a major gap that has traditionally required stitching together spreadsheets and third-party reporting.
What Profit Analytics Actually Does
Profit Analytics aggregates your sales, fees, advertising spend, refunds, returns, and off-Amazon costs into one place. You can review the past two years of data and project up to 90 days ahead. It is designed to help you understand where your money is going and where you can pull back or reinvest.
The highlights include:
- Detailed profitability at the ASIN or SKU level
- Price change simulations to preview margin impact before you adjust anything live
- Integration of external costs, which finally gives a true landed cost view
- Pattern detection across thirty-four fee types and ten cost categories
- Scenario modeling to test how certain operational decisions could affect profitability
This is the type of margin visibility most brands usually hope to get from expensive analytics platforms. Now it is native inside Seller Central.
Why Sellers Should Pay Attention
Profitability has become the central challenge for many brands on Amazon. Rising fees, competitive bids in advertising, and unpredictable refund rates all chip away at margins. Profit Analytics gives operators a way to measure those forces without guesswork.
If you manage a large catalog or rely heavily on FBA, this tool can help you identify which SKUs are carrying their weight and which ones are quietly draining your P&L.
Where to Find It
Go to Reports and select Selling Economics and Fees. That will take you directly into the new Profit Analytics dashboard.
New Jewelry Listing Requirements Are Now Live. Here’s What Sellers Need to Know
Amazon’s August 2025 jewelry update is officially in full effect, and it changes how brands list and manage jewelry listings. The goal is simple. Better classification, more accurate metadata, and clearer product details that help shoppers find the right item and reduce returns.
Here is the breakdown for your team and your sellers.
Fine vs Fashion Classification Is Now Mandatory
Every new jewelry listing must include the new “jewelry material categorization” attribute. You choose either Fine Jewelry or Fashion Jewelry, and Amazon will automatically apply the correct requirements based on that choice.
New listings without this classification will be suppressed until updated. Existing listings created before August 31, 2025 will stay live, but Amazon strongly encourages updating the attribute to avoid future compliance issues.
Pearl Listings Now Require Industry-Standard Specs
If the item includes pearls, you must now supply:
- Pearl luster
- Pearl shape
- Minimum color
- Pearl type
- Size per pearl
- Number of pearls
Optional but recommended attributes include stringing method, surface blemishes, and uniformity.
Metal and Material Requirements Have Tightened
Amazon now requires:
- Metal type
- Metal stamp
Metal weight is optional, but Amazon will run validation checks so accuracy matters.
Why This Matters for Sellers
These changes help Amazon clean up the category, surface the right products in search, and reduce ambiguity that often leads to returns. For brands, it means fewer suppressed listings and more consistent search refinement placement.
If your catalog includes pearls, gemstones, fine metals, or multiple product variations, accuracy in these fields is now essential. Incorrect or incomplete values can affect classification, browse nodes, and visibility.
Next Steps for Sellers
- New listings must be created using the updated template found in the “List Your Products” help page.
- Existing listings should be updated with the mandatory classification and any missing pearl or metal attributes.
- Use the Category Listings Report to audit existing ASIN data.
- Make updates via Partial Update upload or edit listings directly in Manage Inventory.
Walmart Levels Up Its Creator Program with New Bonuses and Brand Collabs
Walmart is doubling down on social commerce, rolling out new features that make it easier for creators to earn, collaborate, and build real community around the products they love. The Walmart Creator Program, which launched in 2022, has evolved into a fast-growing engine for product discovery and shopper trust, and the latest updates are all based on creator feedback.
Creators Are Now at the Center of Walmart’s Social Strategy
Walmart emphasized that creators have become one of the most trusted paths to purchase. That trust is powering the expansion of social commerce, and Walmart is positioning its creator network as a core driver of marketplace growth.
The program’s new features reflect that shift.
What’s New for Creators (and Why It Matters for Brands)
- Tiered Bonus Program. A new gamified reward system that gives creators milestone-based bonuses based on consistency and performance. This will incentivize more frequent posting and deeper product pushes.
- Walmart Creator Collabs. Creators can now partner with Marketplace sellers directly for higher commissions on select products. This is a major new lever for brands looking to expand reach through influencer content without leaving the Walmart ecosystem.
- Enhanced Storefronts. Storefront tools have been upgraded with shoppable posts, curated lists, out-of-stock alerts, and mobile-friendly linking.
- In-Person Creator Events. Walmart continues to invest in real-world meetups to help creators collaborate, ideate, and generate fresh content.
Why This Matters for Marketplace Sellers
Walmart is clearly building its own internal creator economy. For brands selling on Walmart Marketplace, this means:
- Easier access to influencers who already know how to sell Walmart products
- Higher-quality content tied directly to your product listings
- More conversion events driven by trust rather than cold traffic
- A new promotional channel that does not rely solely on paid search or display
As Walmart pushes social commerce harder, these creator partnerships will likely become a bigger part of the growth playbook.
Join the Program
Creators of all sizes can apply at WalmartCreator.com. Participation is open to anyone 18 or older based in the U.S., as long as they are not Walmart associates.
Holiday Reminder: Walmart’s Pro Seller Program Can Give You a Competitive Edge
As we head into peak holiday demand, Walmart’s Pro Seller Program becomes even more impactful. Increased visibility, referral fee savings, and faster payouts can make a meaningful difference during the busiest shopping period of the year. If there is a time to sharpen your metrics, this is it.
Why Pro Seller Status Matters Right Now
Walmart assigns Rising Seller, Advanced Seller, and Pro Seller status automatically when you meet performance criteria. At the top tier, Pro Sellers unlock:
- The Pro Seller Badge on all listings
- A $50 monthly SEM credit
- A 10 percent referral fee discount on Pro Listings
- Faster payouts
- Ship with Walmart discounts
- Marketplace Capital opportunities
- Post-Purchase Reviews credits
Even Rising and Advanced tiers offer valuable perks that support visibility and conversion throughout Q4.
Key Metrics to Watch During the Holidays
To qualify, you must maintain:
- On-time delivery rate of at least 90 percent, with Pro Seller at 95 percent
- Cancellation rate below 2.5 percent, with Pro Seller at 1.5 percent
- Customer response rate above 90 percent within 48 hours
- A strong shipping speed score focused on free Three-Day or better
- Content quality score of at least 65 percent
- Price competitiveness score of at least 65 percent
- More than 100 completed orders in a rolling 90-day window
- At least 90 active days on the platform
- Full compliance with Walmart Marketplace policies
Status refreshes twice each month and can downgrade if you fall below the standards for two consecutive cycles.
Where Sellers Should Tighten Up Going Into Holiday
Here are the high-impact priorities pulled from Walmart’s best practices:
- Respond to all customer messages within 48 hours, including weekends and holidays
- Review late deliveries from the past 90 days and correct any carrier or cutoff issues
- Prevent cancellations by maintaining accurate pricing, inventory, and catalog data
- Expand your fast-shipping coverage with TwoDay and ThreeDay options
- Improve listing content using Success Hub tools, AI suggestions, and category guidelines
- Monitor pricing through Pricing Insights and automate with the repricer when possible
Why This Reminder Matters
Holiday traffic exposes every strength and weakness in your operations. Strong performance metrics do more than protect your account. They help you climb search, win the Buy Box more consistently, and convert high-intent shoppers who are ready to check out.
Holiday Reminder: Use Etsy’s Marketplace Insights Tool to Stay Ahead of Buyer Demand
As we move deeper into the holiday season, Etsy sellers are operating in one of the highest-intent shopping windows of the year. Etsy’s new Marketplace Insights tool is worth revisiting right now because it gives you real search data directly from buyers, making it easier to plan listings, optimize keywords, and stock the right inventory when it counts most.
Why This Tool Matters During the Holidays
Buyers arrive on Etsy with a clear idea of what they want. Marketplace Insights shows exactly what they are searching for in real time and how competitive each search term is. This gives you a sharper read on buyer intent and helps you avoid guesswork when demand spikes.
Key benefits include:
- Visibility into trending search terms
- Clear signals around seasonal patterns
- Competition metrics for each keyword
- Inspiration for listing updates and product development
- All data in one place, without third-party tools
With holiday traffic surging, this kind of data helps you make faster, more informed updates that can determine whether your listings stay visible.
How Sellers Should Use It Right Now
- Refresh keywords on your top listings
Look for high-intent, lower-competition search terms and incorporate them naturally into your titles and tags. Swap out broad terms for precise buyer language (for example, “silver stacking ring” instead of “ring”). - Find untapped gifting niches
Compare similar keywords to spot opportunities where search demand is strong but listing volume is low. Lean into categories where your products can stand out. - Plan inventory based on seasonal spikes
Use search patterns to see which items are heating up early. Examples include personalized ornaments, bridal accessories, and handmade keepsakes. Restock or relist accordingly. - Strengthen your marketing
Use search term data to guide Etsy Ads, inform social captions, and test new angles. Pair the tool with Etsy Stats to see how your changes are performing.
Pairing Marketplace Insights With Etsy’s Other Tools
For the best results during peak season:
- Use the Listing Title Suggestions tool for clean, readable, data-backed titles.
- Check the Search Visibility Dashboard for any quality issues before optimizing.
- Review Etsy Stats regularly to track improvements.
- Etsy Plus subscribers get unlimited searches, which is helpful during holiday planning.
Final Notes as Holiday Traffic Climbs
Stay accurate, avoid keyword stuffing, check trends often, and think like your buyer. Marketplace Insights gives you the data. Your job is to apply it thoughtfully so your listings stay relevant while shoppers are actively searching.
Amazon Introduces Ads Agent for DSP Targeting: Faster Setup, Smarter Audiences
Amazon has launched Ads Agent, an AI-driven targeting assistant built directly into Amazon DSP’s Targeting widget. It allows advertisers to describe their targeting intent in natural language or upload campaign documents, and Amazon will automatically suggest audience segments and keywords based on that information.
In theory, this should streamline setup and eliminate a lot of manual audience-building. The tool still gives you full control to review, refine, or adjust any selections before applying them.
How It Works
- Enter your targeting intent in plain language
- Upload a brief or strategy document for AI interpretation
- Review the suggested audiences and keywords
- Apply, edit, or override the recommendations
The goal is to accelerate setup while maintaining transparency and flexibility.
Our Position at BellaVix
We will test Ads Agent, but we are approaching it with skepticism until the functionality proves consistent and reliable. AI-driven targeting is promising, but DSP workflows are complex and precision matters. For now:
- Set aside a small, controlled test budget
- Continue operating DSP campaigns using our normal audience strategy and manual controls
- Treat Ads Agent as an experiment, not a core driver, until we confirm targeting quality matches or exceeds current standards
Once we see performance data, we’ll decide whether it becomes part of our standard DSP playbook or remains an optional enhancement.
Walmart Names New CEO as Doug McMillon Retires After a Decade of Transformation
Walmart dropped a major leadership update this week. Doug McMillon, who has led the company since 2014, will retire on January 31. John Furner, currently CEO of Walmart U.S., will officially step into the role on February 1 and has already been elected to the board.
McMillon’s decade at the helm reshaped Walmart. He pushed the company into a tech-driven era, accelerated eCommerce, modernized supply chain systems, and positioned Walmart as a legitimate omnichannel force. Under his leadership, revenue climbed from $486 billion to $681 billion, and the stock rose more than 300 percent. He’ll remain on the board through the next shareholder meeting to ensure a smooth handoff.
Furner brings more than 30 years of experience with Walmart, starting as an hourly associate and eventually leading merchandising, operations, sourcing, Sam’s Club, and finally Walmart U.S. His track record includes navigating rapid digital acceleration, improving in-store execution, and strengthening associate engagement across 4,600 stores.
For marketplace sellers, a few things stand out:
- Expect continuity, not disruption. Furner has been McMillon’s closest operator for years.
- The emphasis on digital transformation, marketplace growth, and retail media is likely to accelerate, not slow down.
- Walmart’s next phase is described internally as “AI-driven,” signaling more automation, smarter logistics, and sharper ad technology coming down the pipeline.
- Leadership stability at the top signals continued investment in Marketplace, WFS, and the broader seller ecosystem.
The company plans to announce Furner’s successor for Walmart U.S. before the end of the fiscal year.
Facebook Marketplace Gets a Major Upgrade with New Social, AI, and Inventory Features
Meta just rolled out one of the most significant Marketplace updates in years, shifting the experience toward something more social, more collaborative, and more AI-supported. With one in four young adult daily users visiting Marketplace in the US and Canada, Meta is clearly doubling down on turning casual discovery into more intentional shopping.
Here’s what’s changing.
Collections and Collaborative Buying
Meta is introducing collections, letting users group Marketplace listings, save them, and share them with friends across Feed, Messenger, and WhatsApp. They’re also testing collaborative buying, which lets a shopper invite a friend directly into the chat with the seller. This creates a more social shopping flow, especially for categories where opinions matter: apartments, cars, furniture, or outfits.
Social Reactions Are Now Part of Marketplace
Buyers can now react and comment directly on Marketplace listings. Meta will use these signals to better understand shopper preference and refine personalized recommendations.
For sellers, this means:
- Your listings need to be more visually compelling
- Social proof and engagement could influence visibility
- Customer feedback can surface in public ways
AI Insights for Safer and Smarter Buying
Meta is integrating more Meta AI features into Marketplace, including:
- “Suggested questions to ask” when a buyer opens a chat
- AI-powered insights on vehicle listings, summarizing specs, safety info, price insights, and reviews
Vehicles remain one of the top five searches for young adults, so this is Meta’s push to boost confidence and reduce friction in big-ticket purchases.
Expanded Inventory Through eBay and Poshmark
Meta continues blending first-party and partner inventory. After integrating eBay listings earlier this year, Marketplace now includes Poshmark items as well. Partner listings show a small icon and send buyers to the partner site to check out.
This expands Marketplace’s reach across fashion, electronics, and vintage categories, which already generate significant traffic.
Better Shipping and Checkout
Meta is rolling out a clearer, more transparent checkout for shipped items. Buyers will see total costs up front and get clearer notifications as orders move through the shipping process.
Why This Update Matters
Meta is positioning Marketplace as a more social, trustworthy, AI-assisted shopping destination. For brands, creators, and sellers, the shift signals:
- More cross-platform discovery
- More social proof and engagement shaping what people see
- A rising blend of Marketplace + partner marketplaces
- A clear investment in AI tools to support both buyers and sellers
Digital Goods Remain Duty-Free as Global Trade Policies Tighten Around Physical Imports
A new round of U.S. trade agreements is reinforcing a longstanding position: digital goods and online services should remain tariff-free. The deals, signed in October with Malaysia, Cambodia, and Thailand, push for a permanent ban on customs duties for digital products.
For eCommerce operators working with software platforms, digital downloads, SaaS tools, media assets, or online learning products, this is a meaningful signal. The cost structure for digital commerce is staying stable for now.
The Policy Foundation: WTO’s Moratorium
The backbone of global digital trade is the World Trade Organization’s moratorium on customs duties for electronic transmissions, in place since 1998. It prevents member countries from taxing:
- SaaS tools (BigCommerce, Adobe Creative Cloud, Shopify)
- Digital downloads (ebooks, sheet music, templates, stock assets)
- Streaming, hosting, and cloud platforms (Netflix, AWS, Vimeo)
This moratorium expires in March 2026, and the Trump administration is pushing for it to become permanent. Other global coalitions are pushing in the same direction, creating a rare point of agreement in today’s divided global trade landscape.
Why This Matters for Sellers
If the moratorium were ever allowed to lapse:
- Countries could tax subscriptions to eCommerce platforms and software
- Digital products could face import duties
- Global buyers of your digital goods might encounter new friction
The current policy keeps digital commerce simple, cost-effective, and borderless. The new agreements aim to lock that in long term.
Meanwhile, Physical Goods Face Stricter Rules
While digital goods remain duty-free, the U.S. has moved in the opposite direction for physical imports.
The de minimis tariff exemption—which allowed low-value international shipments into the U.S. without duties—expired in August 2025. Since then:
- More small parcels are being taxed and inspected
- U.S. retailers have pushed for the change, citing unfair advantages for foreign sellers
- Several Latin American countries are also tightening rules for low-value Chinese imports
This shift increases costs and processing times for certain physical goods, especially across cross-border ecommerce.
China’s Structural Advantage Remains a Central Theme
China continues to benefit from a hybrid state-controlled economy:
- Currency management
- Export incentives
- Subsidized logistics
- Tech sector protection
- Cheap labor supporting both physical and digital services
These advantages compress prices in ways independent merchants struggle to match.
The Broader Question
Global policymakers are effectively running two experiments at once:
- Physical goods are moving toward protectionism
- Digital goods remain largely open and frictionless
Which philosophy ultimately benefits businesses and consumers will become clearer as digital trade continues to scale.
Target Rolls Out AI Gift Finder and New In-App Tools to Boost Engagement
Target is deepening its investment in AI and mobile experiences with a new set of app features designed to help shoppers discover products faster and increase in-store engagement. The updates are part of a broader turnaround effort and come at a moment when Target is aggressively trying to win back market share.
AI-Powered Gift Finder
Target launched a conversational AI gift finder that recommends products based on who you’re shopping for. Enter an age, interests, or a quick description of the recipient and the system generates personalized suggestions. This aligns Target with competitors already using guided discovery features to shorten the path to purchase.
List Scanner for Handwritten Notes
Shoppers can now scan handwritten lists using the Target app, which automatically converts items into digital carts. This reduces friction, speeds up trip planning, and encourages larger multi-category baskets.
Store Mode Adds “Find Bullseye”
Target updated Store Mode with a gamified in-store experience. Shoppers can use their phones to hunt for the Bullseye mascot in the aisles and redeem a free sticker at checkout. The feature is designed to boost engagement among guests already browsing with their phones in hand.
Why These Features Matter
Target reports that shoppers who use the app in-store have basket sizes nearly 50 percent higher. These updates build on that behavior:
- AI gift recommendations drive discovery
- List scanning reduces planning friction
- Store Mode keeps shoppers engaged and inside the ecosystem
- Personalization tools make Target’s catalog feel more tailored
Under incoming CEO Michael Fiddelke, Target has been leaning harder into generative AI across merchandising, marketplace operations, and customer experience. The retailer is also listed as one of OpenAI’s upcoming ChatGPT-based app partners.
Merch Strategy Behind the Tech
For this season, Target introduced 20,000 new items, with half exclusive to the brand, and positioned thousands of gifts under $20. The tech enhancements support this value-forward push by making it easier to surface deals, themed merchandise, and curated picks.
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