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Given this year's tremendous uncertainty with the tariff situation, ups and downs, and the uncertainty. I know a lot of sellers are pessimistic and even giving up. But at the same time, we have seen growth in e-commerce in the US, especially in the second half with the recently released Amazon earnings numbers.
I would like to get your feedback in this quick survey. How optimistic are you for your e-commerce business outlook for Q4 and beyond?
Please take this short survey and let me know.
Amazon posted another strong quarter with net sales up 13% to $167.7B and operating income up 31% year-over-year. CEO Andy Jassy highlighted AI as a core driver of innovation, with new tools reshaping fulfillment, listings, and customer experience.
Key Highlights:
Net sales: $167.7B (+13% YoY)
Net income: $18.2B vs. $13.5B last year
North America sales: $100.1B (+11%), International: $36.8B (+16%)
AWS sales: $30.9B (+17.5%) with strong enterprise adoption
Prime Day: biggest ever, record sales for independent sellers
New brand/storefront launches: Nike, Away, Aveda, Marc Jacobs, Origins
AI rollouts: “Enhance My Listing,” “Hear the Highlights,” inventory forecasting, robotics upgrades
Same/Next-Day Delivery expansion to 4,000+ smaller U.S. cities by year-end
Takeaway for Amazon Sellers:
Amazon’s growth shows stronger customer demand and increased reliance on third-party sellers. With AI-powered listing tools and fulfillment upgrades, sellers who adapt quickly to these features will likely gain visibility and faster delivery advantages.
UPS will introduce new import processing fees on all U.S. import shipments beginning September 8, 2025. This move is part of broader carrier fee increases rolling out in 2025 and could raise costs for shippers, particularly for small package imports.
Key Highlights:
New UPS import processing fees effective Sept. 8
Applies to all U.S. import shipments via UPS
Part of industry-wide 2025 carrier fee increases
May significantly impact small package import costs
Shippers encouraged to review import strategies now
Takeaway for Amazon Sellers:
Evaluate your UPS import shipping costs immediately and consider shifting volume to alternative carriers. Adjust product pricing or margins to offset these new fees and protect profitability.
Amazon is rolling out major changes to how product variations are displayed and managed—right as sellers gear up for the busiest quarter of the year.
Key Highlights:
Significant updates to variation handling across categories
Potential impacts on product discoverability and conversion rates
Sellers raising concerns about rollout timing before Q4 peak
Limited guidance from Amazon on best practices for optimization
Takeaway for Sellers:
Audit and optimize your product variations now to avoid lost visibility and sales during Q4.
This Week on the Podcast
Staying ahead on Amazon requires more than watching the headlines — it means understanding the deeper forces driving rankings and visibility.
In our first episode, Why RUFUS Optimization is Hurting Your Amazon Rank, we break down how Amazon’s AI tools like Rufus and Cosmo are changing discovery and review summarization, but why keywords still remain the cornerstone of ranking.
We also explore how global sellers are catching up with AI, the importance of balancing keyword optimization with conversion-focused content, and how new AI-powered tools from platforms like Helium 10 and TikTok Shop are reshaping seller strategies.
In our second episode this week, The New Way of Ranking on Amazon in 2025 from the Godfather of Amazon PPC, you’ll learn why the A9 algorithm hasn’t fundamentally changed despite the buzz about “A10.”
We dive into how data and AI are driving new insights, why only a handful of ranking factors truly matter, and how niche-specific dynamics play a crucial role in visibility.
Finally, we unpack how Rufus and Cosmo act as additive layers to A9 — shaping search experiences and product content interpretation without replacing the fundamentals.
Is your social strategy ready for what's next in 2025?
HubSpot Media's latest Social Playbook reveals what's actually working for over 1,000 global marketing leaders across TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Facebook, and YouTube.
Inside this comprehensive report, you’ll discover:
Which platforms are delivering the highest ROI in 2025
Content formats driving the most engagement across industries
How AI is transforming social content creation and analytics
Tactical recommendations you can implement immediately
Unlock the playbook—free when you subscribe to the Masters in Marketing newsletter.
Get cutting-edge insights, twice a week, from the marketing leaders shaping the future.
It’s a lot to take in, but these shifts are exactly why staying sharp—and staying proactive—is the only way to win as an Amazon seller in 2025.
Talk next week,
Gary
ICYMI: