What drives consumer behavior?

We share quick bites of Amazon seller news, tips, and other goodies every other week. Here is a quick roundup of seller snacks to munch on:

What drives consumer behavior?

Feedvisor’s 2025 Consumer Behavior Report reveals a few shifts in recent consumer spending.

Key insights include:

  • Inflation drives price sensitivity – 49% of consumers identify inflation as their primary influence, with 83% prioritizing price over factors like shipping speed and brand values.
  • Increased research before purchasing – 79% of shoppers compare prices prior to buying. While 87% percent initiate product searches on Amazon, platforms like Walmart (50%), Google (42%), Temu (36%), Shein (11%), and TikTok Shop (10%) are gaining traction.
  • Rise of Social Commerce – discovery-driven shopping is surging on platforms such as Instagram (51%), Facebook (40%), Pinterest (42%), and TikTok, leading to more impulse purchases. Moreover, mobile devices now account for 63% of online purchases.
  • Impact of Video Content and Streaming Ads – video advertisements (54%), along with content on Facebook (47%), YouTube (45%), and streaming TV (40%) are major drivers of product awareness, especially among Millennials and Gen Z.
  • AI’s Role in Personalization – 62% of parents and younger consumers utilize AI-driven recommendations to guide their purchases, highlighting AI’s growing importance in ecommerce.

Read the full article ​here​.

 

Amazon Haul Going Global

Amazon Haul, the discount wing of Amazon, is going global in 2025 and aims to position itself as a direct competitor to Temu and Shein, which provide low-cost (cheap-ass?) items shipped directly from China.

Launched in November 2024, Amazon Haul offers a wide range of products – including fashion, home goods, electronics, and more – all priced at $20 or less.

A recent job listing from Amazon hinted at Amazon’s intent to elevate Haul’s presence in the US, and onto the UK for expansion.

While Amazon has traditionally prioritized lighting-fast delivery, Haul’s model embraces longer shipping times aligning with consumer trends that favor affordability over speed.

Read the full story ​here​.

Important Amazon Seller Updates Fo Yo’ Bad Self

Implementation of New Reimbursement Policy Moved to March 31​

The implementation of the ​updated reimbursement policy​ has been moved from March 10, 2025 to March 31, 2025. The move was made by Amazon to give you more time to manage your seller costs through the ​Manage Your Sourcing Cost​ page in the ​Inventory Defect and Reimbursement​ portal.

​New Features to Your Voice of the Customer Dashboard​ – Amazon has added new features that will improve the return rates of your products to your ​Voice of the Customer dashboard​:

  • a list of ASINs that have the frequently returned badge on product detail pages
  • a warning for ASINs that are at risk of getting the frequently returned badge.
  • three-month and 12-month return rate data
  • suggested return rate to prevent or remove the return badge

​Consumer Search Trends & Insights Report: 2024 Year in Review – Now Available​ Using data from the Product Opportunity Explorer, the Consumer Search Trends and Insight Report provides a deep dive into top-search terms and purchasing trends from the past year. It helps sellers analyze market shifts from 2024, identify emerging product opportunities, and refine strategies for future product development.

Key insights:

  • Top search trends by category, such as Fabric Decorating Accessories, where searches for “tie dye kits” surged by 526% in 2024.
  • Emerging subcategories with untapped potential, like Home Decor Accents, which grew 762%.
  • High-growth product opportunities, with Electronics (+31%) and Health & Household (+28%) showing strong demand from newly launched products.

Download the report ​here​.

Q1 Headwinds Slow Down Amazon and Walmart

Amazon and Walmart provided cautious Q1 2025 outlooks, citing inflation, weak consumer demand, and foreign exchange challenges as key concerns. Amazon projected $151–$155.5 billion in revenue, below the expected $158 billion, while Walmart forecasted 3-4% U.S. sales growth, also missing analyst expectations.

Retailers are struggling with shifting consumer priorities, as inflation pushes shoppers toward essentials like groceries and health products, reducing spending on discretionary items. Tariffs and economic uncertainty are making demand forecasting difficult, leading to conservative guidance from both companies. Experts predict more value-driven marketing and loyalty programs as retailers compete for budget-conscious consumers.

Read the full story ​here​.

After Celebrating International Women’s Day, Amazon Restricts Women’s Vaginal Health Products

Amazon has restricted certain vaginal health products, such as those from VuVatech, labeling them as “potentially embarrassing or offensive.” This classification prevents these products from being advertised on the platform, leading to significant revenue losses for affected companies.

This issue reflects a broader challenge where sexual health and wellness companies face advertising restrictions across major platforms like Amazon, Google, Meta, and TikTok. These policies, often intended to protect minors or prevent inappropriate content, frequently result in the censorship of legitimate health products.

A report from the Center for Intimacy Justice indicates that many businesses encounter content moderation issues or ad rejections due to these stringent policies.

Advocates are calling for more nuanced moderation that distinguishes between health products and explicit content, suggesting that current algorithms lack the sophistication to make these distinctions effectively.

Listen to the full story ​here​.

OA News, Tips, & Tricks

  • Important Sales Dates Coming Up – check out this ​post on X​ to take note of important dates, from today until Q4, coming up.
  • Prep Center Insights from Top Sellers – thinking about hiring a prep center? Listen to this ​pod episode​ and gain valuable insights as 6-7 figure sellers discuss the pros and cons of using a prep center and doing self-prep.
  • Avoid These Rookie Mistakes – if you’ve just started your Amazon OA journey, check out this ​post on X​ to avoid these rookie mistakes and grow 10x faster.
  • Sourcing Cheat Sheet – want a quick way to determine if a product lead is a win or a dud? Check out this​ quick list ​of requirements a product lead must meet for it to be considered a good buy.
  • RA Alive and Well in 2025 – in this ​pod episode​, a six-figure retail arbitrage seller shares the exact strategies he used to scale his business to $300K a month. If you’re looking to diversify income streams by raiding a few retail stores in your area, make sure to check the episode out.

This Week in Seller School

Blog Posts:

  • How to Prepare Your Amazon Store for Q2 Growth: Key Amazon Strategies for Success by ​Seller Snap​
  • Evergreen Products, Differentiation, and Smart Pricing by ​SellerEngine​

Podcasts:

Free Downloads:

  • The 2025 Buy Box Guide: How Sellers Can Win Amazon’s Most Coveted Spot by ​Feedvisor​

Other Quick Clicks

These ​Grammy edition meme posts​ from Bqool are hilarious…

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