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Most sellers are optimizing for the wrong algorithm.
They’re still stuffing keywords. Still writing bullets like it’s 2019. Meanwhile, Amazon’s AI assistant Rufus is processing 250 million users and driving $10+ billion in incremental revenue.
And if Rufus doesn’t understand your listing, you’re invisible.
Earlier this month, I shared that Amazon attributes $10+ billion in incremental annual revenue to Rufus interactions. Sponsored Brands in the Rufus environment see 18% higher click-through rates. Video creatives drive 12% higher add-to-cart actions.
Your competitors — especially Chinese sellers — are already reverse-engineering how Rufus reads, ranks, and recommends products.
Today, I’m giving you the complete playbook. Not a teaser. The whole thing.
But first, three quick updates you need to know this week.
Here’s what’s inside:
→ Amazon cuts SAFE-T claims window in half (act fast)
→ Freight rates drop 11–12% (lock in now)
→ TikTok Shop’s “Amazonification” begins
→ The Complete Rufus Optimization Checklist (6 Phases)
→ 🎁 Surprise link at the bottom
Let’s get into it.
Quick question: Have you ever asked Rufus about your own product?
Reply “RUFUS” if yes — I read every response.
If you file SAFE-T claims for lost inventory or customer damage, pay attention.
Amazon is cutting the filing window from 60 days to 30 days starting February 16, 2026.
If a customer returns a damaged product and you don’t file within 30 days, you lose the reimbursement — permanently.
Takeaway: Update your returns process immediately. Set automated alerts for Day 7 and Day 21 after any return. File early. File often.
Container rates from East Asia to the U.S. West Coast dropped 12% this month. East Coast rates dropped 11%. Carrier price hikes failed to stick.
This won’t last. Post-Lunar New Year demand will push rates back up.
Takeaway: If you have Q1–Q2 shipments planned, lock in rates now. Get quotes from multiple freight forwarders this week.
Source: https://www.globaltrademag.com/freight-rates-drop-in-january-2026-as-carrier-price-hikes-fail/
TikTok’s U.S. sale closed last week. One founder called it the “Amazonification” of TikTok — more structured seller tools, stricter policies, and a more marketplace-like experience.
Meanwhile, TikTok Shop beauty sales are up 60% year over year.
Takeaway: The Wild West phase is ending. Get in now while the competition is still figuring it out.
The Amazon Rufus Optimization Checklist
Earlier this month, I shared that . Sponsored Brands in the Rufus environment get 18% higher click-through rates. Video creatives get 12% higher add-to-cart actions.
$10 billion. And growing.
If you haven't optimized your listing for Rufus, your competitors already have—especially the Chinese sellers who are reverse-engineering exactly how the AI reads, ranks, and recommends products.
You will be left behind.
That's why today I'm sharing the Amazon Rufus Optimization Checklist
The expert consensus is that optimizing for Rufus is not about "hacking" a robot; it is about providing contextual clarity that allows the AI to accurately "read" your product and match it to conversational customer queries.
-----Expert Warning: Brian Johnson emphasizes that Rufus is additive. Do not stop optimizing for the "Big 10" A9 signals (Sales Velocity, Title Relevance, Conversion Rate). A9 still determines the ranking; Rufus helps the customer make the decision once they find you.
-----Phase 1: The "Interrogation" (Audit Your Current Standing)
Goal: Find out exactly how Amazon’s AI currently categorizes and perceives your product compared to competitors.
Action: Go to your product listing on mobile (or desktop) and open the Rufus chat window. Ask these 5 specific questions identified by Amy Wees:
"What is this product for?"
Why: Checks for hallucinations or wrong categorization. (e.g., Rufus thought a cat food bowl was for "whisker fatigue"—a term no one searches for—instead of "elevated feeding").
"What do people like about this product?"
Why: Rufus pulls from Cosmo (Amazon's backend "common sense" AI), revealing insights deeper than just review summaries.
"What don't people like about this product?"
Why: Identifies specific weaknesses the AI has flagged from your reviews or returns data.
"What are people buying instead of this product?"
Why: This identifies who the AI views as your direct competitors, which may differ from who you think they are.
"Why do you think people choose this product over these other alternatives?"
Why: This reveals your perceived Unique Selling Proposition (USP) according to the algorithm.
Action: Repeat questions #2 and #3 on your top competitor’s listing to find their AI-identified weaknesses.
-----Phase 2: The Analysis (Feed the AI)
Goal: Use a sophisticated LLM (like ChatGPT or Claude) to process the raw Rufus data into a strategy.
Action: Compile the following data points:
Your current listing text (Title, Bullets, Description).
Your listing images (copy/paste or upload them).
The transcript of the Q&A from your Rufus "Interrogation" in Phase 1.
Action: Feed this data into your LLM with the following prompts:
"Identify if there are any other questions we need to ask Rufus to uncover further optimization gaps."
"Identify opportunities based on Rufus' feedback that will allow us to optimize the listing and images further (e.g., do we need a material comparison chart? Specific athlete vs. medical endorsements?)."
"Give me a fully optimized listing plan that targets the gaps identified by Rufus."
-----Phase 3: Content Optimization (Writing for Robots & Humans)
Goal: Shift from "Keyword Stuffing" to "Conversational Context."
Checklist:
Structure Bullets as Q&A: Instead of just listing features, write bullets that mirror how people ask questions.
Example: Instead of "Portable Design," use "What makes this the best portable foot massager for travel?".
Why: Rufus looks for natural language matches to customer queries.
Inject "Problem-Based" Keywords: Use phrases customers use when describing their problem, not just the solution.
Example: "How can I fix plantar fasciitis without surgery?".
Target the Right Avatar: If Rufus identifies your buyers are "nurses and teachers" but your copy speaks to "athletes," rewrite the copy to address the actual buyer persona.
Optimize for "Semantic Search": Ensure your listing includes long-tail keywords and context. Exact match is no longer just about the string of text; it's about the meaning behind it.
-----Phase 4: Visual Optimization (AI Reads Images)
Goal: Ensure the AI "sees" what you are selling. If the AI misinterprets your image, Rufus will not recommend it.
Checklist:
The "What is this?" Test: Upload your main image to your LLM and ask: "What is this product?"
Why: If the LLM (or Amazon's Bedrock/Cosmo) thinks your kitchen tool is a weapon, or your supplement is a beverage, Rufus will suppress or misclassify it.
Add Text/Packaging to Main Images: If the product is ambiguous, add packaging that has clear text labels to the main image.
Why: AI reads text on packaging (OCR) to understand context. This helps the AI categorize the product correctly (e.g., "Food Storage" vs. "Drinking Jar").
Address Rufus Gaps Visually: If Phase 1 revealed customers ask about "size," ensure you have a size comparison image. If they ask about "hygiene," add a material comparison chart (e.g., Silicone vs. Wood).
Use AI for Lifestyle Backgrounds: Use AI tools like Nano Banana or Midjourney to generate lifestyle backgrounds that fit the specific avatars Rufus identified (e.g., show the product in a classroom if teachers are the buyers).
-----Phase 5: The "Seed & Feed" Strategy (Q&A Manipulation)
Goal: Proactively train Rufus on how to answer questions about your brand.
Action (Mina Elias Strategy):
Spy: Look at the top 20 competitors and document every question asked in their Q&A section.
Seed: Use your buyer account (or friends/family) to ask those specific questions on your own listing.
Feed: Answer those questions yourself with clear, keyword-rich, benefit-driven responses.
Why: Rufus scans your listing's Q&A section to generate answers for shoppers. This literally puts words in the AI's mouth.
-----Phase 6: Technical & Sentiment Check
Goal: Ensure nothing technical is blocking the AI.
Checklist:
Check Negativity Score: Run your reviews and listing text through a sentiment analysis tool (like VOC AI or an LLM). Even punctuation (excessive exclamations or weird formatting) can negatively impact Amazon's "comprehend" score.
Fill in the Attributes: When Amazon asks for "Item Specifics" or attributes in the backend, fill all of them out. This structured data feeds Cosmo directly.
-----Summary of Questions to Ask (The "Rufus Interrogation" Script)
Category | Question to Ask Rufus |
Categorization | "What is this product for?" |
Sentiment | "What do people like about this product?" |
Weakness | "What don't people like about this product?" |
Competition | "What are people buying instead of this product?" |
Differentiation | "Why do you think people choose this product over alternatives?" |
Use Case | "Who is this product best suited for?" |
Gap Analysis | "Does this product have [Specific Feature X]?" (Ask about features you know you have but want to see if Rufus knows it too). |
Want to Save This Checklist?
Download the printable PDF:https://drive.google.com/file/d/15tmI6cVMgpaDy4qsWdX0xao98Ldu6BNx/view
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In Case You Missed These
Surprise Link of the Week
Amazon’s free “Enhance My Listing” AI tool - https://www.entrepreneur.com/growing-a-business/how-to-use-ai-to-grow-your-amazon-sales-rankings-and/499421
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