The Expected Tariff Relief Was Replaced With a New Global Duty Structure
The temporary 10% Section 122 surcharge expired on July 24. At the same time, new Section 301 tariffs of 10% or 12.5% took effect on imports from 60 trading partners covering 99.4% of U.S. imports.
Two small businesses immediately challenged the action in the U.S. Court of International Trade, arguing that the administration did not establish the country specific findings required under Section 301. (United States Trade Representative)
What Changed: Facts Only
Trading partners that adopted or committed to forced labor import prohibitions generally received the 10% rate. Most remaining covered economies received 12.5%.
The tariffs apply to most imports, subject to product exemptions. Goods already subject to Section 232 tariffs are excluded from this action. (United States Trade Representative)
Why It Matters: Operator Lens
Brands expecting a landed cost reduction on July 24 may not receive one. The correct duty now depends on the sourcing country, HTS classification, exemptions, and whether another tariff authority already applies.
The lawsuits create uncertainty, but the tariffs remain the operating reality unless a court blocks them.
What Is Not Changing
The headline rate does not apply uniformly to every product.
Existing exclusions, Section 232 treatment, country of origin rules, and product classifications still determine the actual duty.
What to Do Now
Immediate operational check
Recalculate landed costs for every active sourcing country. Confirm tariff treatment with your customs broker before approving Q4 pricing, promotions, or purchase orders.
Do not assume the lawsuits will provide near term relief.
Bigger Picture Signal
Tariffs are becoming a permanent layer of ecommerce planning.
Sourcing and pricing decisions now require ongoing duty monitoring rather than an annual landed cost review.
Sources: USTR Takes Action in Forced Labor Section 301 Investigations – U.S. Small Businesses Challenge the New Forced Labor Tariffs
Covered Canadian Imports Face a New 50% Tariff Beginning August 19
The administration invoked Section 338 of the Tariff Act to impose an additional 50% duty on specific Canadian products beginning August 19.
The proclamation responds to Canada’s treatment of U.S. motor vehicle exports, but the additional duties apply to the Canadian products identified in its tariff annex. (The White House)
What Changed: Facts Only
Covered products entered for consumption beginning at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on August 19 will face an additional 50% duty.
The duty is added to other applicable tariffs, taxes, and fees. Goods already subject to Section 232 duties and qualifying civil aircraft products are excluded. (The White House)
Why It Matters: Operator Lens
Brands often view Canada as a lower risk North American sourcing option.
This action shows that regional proximity and existing trade relationships do not eliminate tariff exposure. Importers have less than one month to identify covered goods and evaluate whether inventory should enter before the effective date.
What Is Not Changing
This is not a 50% tariff on every Canadian product.
Exposure depends on whether the product appears in the proclamation’s tariff schedule and whether an exclusion applies.
What to Do Now
Immediate operational check
Review Canadian suppliers, open purchase orders, HTS classifications, and anticipated entry dates.
Confirm exposure with a customs broker before accelerating shipments. Moving inventory earlier only helps when the duty savings exceed added freight, storage, and cash flow costs.
Bigger Picture Signal
North American sourcing can no longer be treated as automatically insulated from trade disruption.
Brands need the same tariff visibility for Canada that they already maintain for China and other overseas markets.
Source: Imposing Additional Duties to Offset Canadian Discrimination Against U.S. Commerce
Congress Is Targeting Marketplace Suspensions, Inventory Holds, and Frozen Funds
Representatives Becca Balint and Nydia Velázquez introduced the Online Sellers Bill of Rights, legislation aimed at dominant marketplaces such as Amazon and Walmart.
The bill would create federal standards for how platforms notify, investigate, suspend, and withhold property from third-party sellers. (Peter Welch)
What Changed: Facts Only
The proposed legislation would require marketplaces to provide evidence before suspending or deactivating a seller.
It would generally limit inventory and fund holds to 30 days unless the platform can establish unlawful conduct. Sellers would need written notice of a hold within 72 hours and actionable information about investigations that could affect listings or accounts. (Peter Welch)
Why It Matters: Operator Lens
An incorrect suspension can stop revenue while storage fees, payroll, debt payments, and operating expenses continue.
The proposal addresses a fundamental imbalance. Marketplaces can make immediate decisions affecting a seller’s livelihood, while the seller may receive only an automated response and no clear path to resolution.
What Is Not Changing
This is proposed legislation, not current marketplace policy.
Amazon and Walmart can continue using their existing enforcement, fund reserve, and appeal procedures while the bill moves through Congress.
What to Do Now
No action required, monitor only
Continue operating under current platform policies.
Maintain organized invoices, authorization letters, compliance files, shipment records, and account access documentation. Legislative protection would not replace the need for strong internal compliance.
Bigger Picture Signal
Seller due process is becoming a public policy issue rather than an internal marketplace complaint.
Platforms may face increasing pressure to explain enforcement decisions and provide meaningful human review.
Source: Reps. Balint and Velázquez Introduce the Online Sellers Bill of Rights
Amazon’s Pricing Pressure May Be Affecting What Brands Charge Across Every Retail Channel
Internal records and former employee interviews reviewed by The Guardian describe Amazon pressuring suppliers when competing retailers offered lower prices.
California’s attorney general alleges that these practices encouraged vendors to raise prices or remove products from Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and other competing retailers. Amazon denies the price fixing claims and says its policies are intended to protect customers from uncompetitive offers. (The Guardian)
What Changed: Facts Only
The report describes Amazon suppressing products, reducing orders, or requesting supplier reimbursement after matching lower prices found at competing retailers.
Internal records cited in the litigation show some suppliers responding by pursuing price increases or removing inventory from competing channels. The material forms part of California’s ongoing case against Amazon. (The Guardian)
Why It Matters: Operator Lens
Brands cannot manage Amazon pricing independently from Walmart, DTC, and wholesale accounts.
A discount on one channel can affect Featured Offer visibility, Vendor Central negotiations, purchase orders, margin support requests, and retail relationships elsewhere.
This creates a channel conflict problem, not simply an Amazon pricing problem.
What Is Not Changing
The allegations have not been resolved in court.
Amazon continues to maintain that it promotes competitive pricing for customers and denies using its marketplace power to fix prices across retailers.
What to Do Now
Immediate operational check
Review pricing authority across Amazon, Walmart, DTC, distributors, and retail partners.
Identify where promotions or unauthorized discounts can trigger Amazon suppression or vendor reimbursement requests. Document pricing communications and avoid informal agreements designed to raise prices elsewhere.
Bigger Picture Signal
Marketplace pricing algorithms increasingly shape prices beyond the marketplace itself.
Brands need centralized channel governance because a decision made by one retailer can now affect visibility, margin, and availability everywhere.
Source: Inside the Amazon Tactics That Hiked Prices Across the Internet
The News Is Moving Fast. So Should Your Strategy.
Take a screen break and catch the latest episode of Selling on Giants: Weekly eCommerce News & Updates.
🎧 Tune in now on Buzzsprout and YouTube.
This week:
- Amazon marketplace enforcement and the risks of guaranteed reinstatement services
- Amazon’s pricing policies and growing channel-conflict concerns
- New Amazon Ads automation through Brand Plus and Performance Plus
- Meta’s new seller app for Facebook Marketplace
- FedEx’s 2026 holiday surcharges and rising Q4 fulfillment costs
- How tariff changes are affecting Shein’s U.S. business
- Microsoft Copilot’s move toward AI-powered product discovery, checkout, and payments
TikTok Shop Is Testing a Paid Membership to Keep Discovery and Checkout in the Same App
TikTok is testing a U.S. membership program called TikTok Shop Plus that offers selected shoppers free shipping, coupons, and product discounts.
The test addresses one of TikTok Shop’s largest weaknesses. A shopper may discover a product on TikTok, then leave the platform to compare prices or complete the purchase on Amazon. (Business Insider)
What Changed: Facts Only
Business Insider reviewed screenshots showing TikTok Shop Plus at monthly prices of $6, $10, and $15.
The screenshots did not show an annual membership option.
One example showed a product discounted from approximately $57 to $47 with free three-day shipping.
TikTok did not respond to Business Insider’s request for comment.
It remains unclear whether TikTok, participating sellers, or both would fund the shipping benefits and product discounts. (Business Insider)
Why It Matters: Operator Lens
Membership programs are not simply discount programs.
They are designed to create purchasing habits, reduce price comparison, increase repeat orders, and keep customers inside a retailer’s ecosystem.
For TikTok, the strategic goal is likely converting more of its discovery traffic without handing the final transaction to Amazon.
What This Means for Ecommerce Sellers
A successful membership could increase conversion and repeat purchasing inside TikTok Shop.
The seller economics are the unresolved issue.
Brands need to understand who funds the discount, who pays for shipping, whether participation is optional, and how membership orders affect commission, fulfillment, and contribution margin.
What Is Not Changing
TikTok Shop Plus is a limited test, not a nationally available program.
Pricing, benefits, eligibility, and seller participation terms may change before any wider launch.
What to Do Now
No action required, monitor only
Do not adjust pricing or fulfillment strategy around an unconfirmed test.
Brands invited to participate should request a complete written breakdown of discounts, shipping subsidies, commissions, and funding responsibility.
Bigger Picture Signal
TikTok is copying more than Amazon’s marketplace tools.
It is now testing the loyalty infrastructure that helps Amazon turn occasional shoppers into repeat customers.
Source: TikTok Is Testing a Rival to Amazon Prime
Walmart Gives Sellers Better Performance Trends and Smarter Review Targeting
Walmart released two API improvements that make its marketplace data more actionable.
Sellers and solution providers can now analyze item performance by specific time periods and identify Customer Favorite products when selecting items for the Review Accelerator Program. (Walmart Developer)
What Changed: Facts Only
The Item Performance version 3 API now supports daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly aggregation.
Walmart added reporting-period start and end fields so each row clearly identifies the time period represented.
Maximum reporting windows vary by the selected level:
Daily reporting supports 15 days.
Weekly reporting supports seven weeks.
Monthly reporting supports 15 months.
Quarterly reporting supports four quarters.
Walmart also added an isCustomerFavorite filter to its Reviews API. Sellers can use the filter to identify Customer Favorite products that are eligible for the Review Accelerator Program. (Walmart Developer)
Why It Matters: Operator Lens
Better time-based reporting makes it easier to separate temporary movement from sustained trends.
Instead of combining multiple report pulls manually, sellers and agencies can analyze item performance by consistent reporting periods.
The Review Accelerator update also helps brands prioritize limited review budgets around products Walmart already recognizes as customer favorites.
What This Means for Ecommerce Sellers
Brands using Walmart reporting tools should ask whether their dashboards have incorporated Item Performance version 3.
Review Accelerator users should evaluate whether Customer Favorite products deserve priority based on:
Current review count
Sales velocity
Conversion opportunity
Margin
Inventory availability
Strategic importance
Customer Favorite status is a useful signal, but it should not be the only enrollment criterion.
What Is Not Changing
These are API improvements, not automatic changes inside every seller dashboard.
Sellers relying on third-party tools may need to wait until their provider updates its integration.
Customer Favorite status also does not guarantee that additional reviews will create profitable growth.
What to Do Now
Light prep recommended
Ask your internal development team, agency, or solution provider whether Item Performance version 3 and the updated Reviews API are supported.
Review current RAP enrollment priorities before committing additional budget.
Bigger Picture Signal
Walmart is making more of its internal product signals available to sellers.
The advantage will increasingly go to operators who turn those signals into faster inventory, content, advertising, and review decisions.
Source: Time-Based Aggregation for Item Performance Reports – Customer Favorite Filter for the Reviews API
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