A lot changed on Amazon in the final month of 2025.
December brought more than year-end results. It delivered structural updates that will directly impact how brands operate in 2026.
Here are the changes that actually matter:
Live Events Optimizer on Amazon DSP: Programmatic advertising for peak live moments is now centralized in a dedicated DSP line item. Better pacing, forecasting, and reporting when attention is highest.
Brand Store quality rating now tied to sales: Quality ratings are no longer driven by dwell time alone. Sales attributed to the Brand Store now define performance, with benchmarks against similar brands.
AI-generated listings in bulk: Professional sellers can generate titles, bullets, and descriptions at scale. Even basic catalog data is enough to create draft listings, with higher accuracy when more inputs are added.
FBA Grade and Resell with ASIN-level control: US sellers can now choose which products enter the program, helping improve recovery rates and turn returns into resale opportunities.
Customer return insights inside Product Recommendations: AI summaries of real buyer feedback highlight return drivers and missing information. Listings can be updated directly from the recommendations screen.
Commingling ends March 31, 2026: Amazon will stop fulfilling orders using identical products from other sellers’ inventory. Brand owners enrolled as Brand Representatives will no longer need Amazon barcodes if products already have manufacturer barcodes, giving more flexibility in inventory allocation.
Resellers will be required to apply Amazon barcodes even when manufacturer barcodes exist. For products without manufacturer barcodes, Amazon labeling will be mandatory for everyone.
Brand Name Evaluator launches: An AI-powered tool to assess trademark viability, customer appeal, category fit, and name simplicity before brand registration.
Customer Service Insights get clearer metrics: Buyer Contact Rate replaces Preventable Contact Rate and is now percentage-based. Response time only counts answered contacts.
FBM refund window extended: Starting January 26, 2026, sellers get four calendar days before automated refunds trigger, with stricter SAFE-T eligibility.
Amazon’s 2025 recap highlights: Amazon points sellers to the tools that shaped performance this year:
Amazon is removing ambiguity. Sales matter more than engagement. Automation beats manual execution. Operational discipline is no longer optional.
How are you adjusting your strategy for 2026 based on these changes?
