Episodi

  • Amazon Ads in the Hot Seat, FBA Fees Rise & Walmart Gets Tough

    Amazon Ads in the Hot Seat, FBA Fees Rise & Walmart Gets Tough
    Nov 10 2026
    Send us Fan MailAmazon's advertising auctions are under fire, new FBA fees threaten seller margins, and Walmart is tightening its marketplace rules just ahead of Black Friday 2026.In this November 9 episode of Selling on Giants, host Will Haire breaks down the biggest Amazon and Walmart marketplace developments affecting eCommerce brands, including FTC allegations about Amazon advertising costs, Amazon's 2027 fulfillment fee increases, Walmart's new advertising tools, and the next wave of AI-powered shopping.The message for sellers is simple: Revenue growth means very little if marketplace fees, advertising costs, and operational inefficiencies consume your profits.Are Amazon's advertising auctions inflating seller costs?The Federal Trade Commission and 22 states have released allegations that Amazon charged advertisers up to 50% above auction results on ordinary days and as much as 250% during major shopping events.The complaint also alleges that Amazon's practices increased average cost per click by 20% during the 2021 holiday season. These remain allegations, not established findings, and Amazon disputes them.Will examines what this means for Amazon PPC advertisers, the limits of auction transparency, and why brands need to measure advertising performance against conversion rates, ROAS, and contribution margins instead of simply increasing budgets.How will Amazon's 2027 FBA fee increases affect sellers?Beginning January 15, 2027, Amazon's FBA fulfillment fees increase by an average of $0.19 per unit. Additional changes to storage fees and inventory management take effect in February.The impact depends on product size, price, inventory age, and sales velocity. Low-priced products and already thin-margin SKUs deserve particular attention.Will explains why sellers should model profitability at the individual SKU level before committing to more inventory or advertising spend.Is Amazon making more money from sellers than from selling products?Marketplace Pulse reports that Amazon generated approximately $66.1 billion from third-party seller services and advertising during the third quarter, compared with $68.5 billion in first-party online retail sales.That raises an important question: Is Amazon becoming more valuable as a platform that sells access to customers than as a retailer selling products?For brands, this makes understanding the total cost of selling on Amazon more important than ever.What's changing at Walmart Marketplace before Black Friday?Walmart's first Black Friday event begins November 12, and several marketplace updates deserve attention.Walmart is introducing Target ROAS bidding, conversion value optimization, and automatic budget increases for Search Engine Marketing campaigns. Eligible seller-fulfilled products also gain gift messaging and digital gift receipts.Beginning in January 2027, Walmart plans to enforce seller-accountable return rates at the individual item level, creating additional listing compliance risks.Will discusses why automation requires financial guardrails and how operational problems during the holidays can affect marketplace performance after the shopping season ends.How are Amazon Shop Direct and Alexa changing product discovery?Amazon's Shop Direct Merchant Workspace allows eligible outside retailers to make products discoverable through Amazon without listing them directly on its marketplace.Amazon is also introducing conversational shopping through Alexa text messages, giving customers another way to discover, compare, and purchase products.These developments point toward a future where AI shopping assistants influence which products customers see.For brands, accurate product attributes, structured catalog data, strong differentiation, and marketplace SEO are becoming increasingly important.What should Amazon and Walmart sellers prioritize right now?With Black Friday and Cyber Monday approaching, Will recommends focusing on profitable products, clear advertising budgets, accurate inventory planning, strong listing quality, and contribution margin.The goal isn't simply generating more marketplace sales. It's building a healthier, more profitable eCommerce business.Selling on Giants delivers weekly operator-level analysis of Amazon, Walmart, retail media, marketplace strategy, artificial intelligence, and the trends shaping online retail.Follow Selling on Giants for weekly operator-level coverage of Amazon, Walmart, AI commerce, retail media, and marketplace strategy.Subscribe to Selling on Giants for insights that go beyond the headlines and focus on what actually impacts your business.Support the show
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    13 min
  • Manufacturers Going DTC: Build a Brand Customers Understand with Amy Pruitt

    Manufacturers Going DTC: Build a Brand Customers Understand with Amy Pruitt
    Nov 5 2026

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    Manufacturers moving to direct-to-consumer (DTC) need more than a great product. They need a brand customers understand, recognize, and choose. Amy Pruitt, founder of Vivid Thistle, explains how to turn technical expertise and company history into a brand story that sells.

    In episode 1 of the Manufacturers Going DTC series, Mr. Will and Amy break down the clarity gap: the distance between knowing how your product works and explaining why it matters to customers. Get this foundation right before you invest in Amazon, paid media, or customer acquisition.

    In this episode:

    • Why product specs alone don’t win customers
    • How to position your brand without competing on price
    • Why consistent colors, fonts, and messaging build recognition and trust
    • How to turn company legacy and industry expertise into a competitive advantage
    • How to bring customers along through a rebrand and keep their trust when things go wrong
    • Why showing your people and production process helps your brand stand out

    About Amy Pruitt
    Amy Pruitt is the founder of Vivid Thistle, where she helps businesses clarify their brand identity and communicate what makes them distinctive.

    Connect with Amy:
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-pruitt-50370952/
    Website: https://vividthistle.com/

    About Manufacturers Going DTC
    This series covers what manufacturers need to know when moving from producing for other brands to owning their own brand and customer relationships. Upcoming episodes cover brand protection, marketplace strategy, operations, compliance, and growth.

    Subscribe to Selling on Giants for practical insights on Amazon, Walmart, and the evolving eCommerce landscape.

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    34 min
  • Black Friday Comes Early, Amazon's Paid Review Push & Tariff Trouble

    Black Friday Comes Early, Amazon's Paid Review Push & Tariff Trouble
    Nov 3 2026
    Send us Fan MailBlack Friday is starting early, Amazon is charging sellers to request reviews, and new tariff deadlines are putting pressure on marketplace profitability.In this November 3, 2026, episode of Selling on Giants, host Will Haire breaks down the biggest Amazon, Walmart, and Target updates affecting eCommerce brands heading into the holiday shopping season.Amazon has extended its Black Friday deal submission deadline, Walmart is launching three holiday shopping events, and Target is introducing early November promotions. Meanwhile, new Amazon insurance requirements, automated virtual multipacks, and paid review requests are creating additional opportunities and operational challenges for sellers.The big question: Are brands prepared to capture holiday demand profitably, or are they simply chasing revenue?When Is Black Friday 2026, and What Are the Major Marketplace Deadlines?Black Friday falls on November 27, 2026, followed by Cyber Monday on November 30.Key dates for marketplace sellers:November 5–7: Target Early Black Friday eventNovember 12–15: Walmart Early Black Friday eventNovember 13: Amazon's extended Black Friday and Cyber Monday deal submission deadlineNovember 23–29: Walmart Black Friday eventNovember 27: Black FridayNovember 30–December 2: Walmart Cyber Monday eventAmazon's deal submission extension does not extend previously announced FBA inventory deadlines. Sellers need to confirm inventory availability, promotional eligibility, and advertising budgets before committing to holiday discounts.What Are Amazon's New Seller Insurance Requirements?Effective November 2, Amazon expanded its commercial liability insurance requirements for certain higher-risk product categories.Affected sellers must maintain at least $1 million in liability coverage, regardless of monthly sales volume.Categories include certain children's products, cosmetics, ingestibles, and lithium battery products.Brands should verify that Amazon has accepted their insurance documentation to avoid potential compliance disruptions during the holiday season.Is Amazon Automatically Creating Virtual Multipacks?Amazon is expanding its virtual multipack program, with selected offers scheduled to become available November 11.These listings allow customers to purchase multiple units using existing FBA inventory without requiring physical bundles.However, sellers need to review:Automatically generated product titles, images, and variationsMultipack pricing and contribution marginsFulfillment fees charged per unitInventory availability during holiday promotionsMore purchasing options do not automatically mean more profitable sales.How Do Amazon's New Paid Review Requests Work?Amazon is introducing a paid Review Requests advertising program designed to encourage verified purchasers to leave ratings and reviews.The United States beta targets eligible products with fewer than one thousand ratings and reviews.Amazon reports approximately three times more weekly ratings and reviews among products participating in its closed beta.Will examines whether this advertising product makes sense for new product launches, how it compares with Amazon Vine, and why brands should evaluate incremental review costs before scaling.What Do Amazon's Advertising Results Mean for Holiday Sellers?Amazon reported approximately $19.6 billion in third-quarter advertising revenue, growing eleven percent year over year.With advertising growth expected to accelerate during the fourth quarter, marketplace brands face increasing pressure to manage budgets strategically.Will explains why holiday advertising decisions should prioritize inventory, conversion rates, contribution margins, and profitable growth rather than simply increasing campaign spending.Are New China Tariffs Coming in November?One hundred seventy-eight exclusions from additional Section 301 tariffs on certain Chinese products are scheduled to expire after November 9, 2026.Without another extension, affected importers could face increased duties beginning November 10.The episode examines how tariff uncertainty affects landed costs, pricing decisions, inventory planning, and advertising profitability.What Are Walmart's Holiday Pricing and Consumer Spending Signals?Walmart is emphasizing affordability with a Thanksgiving meal basket serving ten people for thirty-five dollars.The retailer is also introducing seven new pricing recommendation reports designed to improve visibility into Buy Box performance, competitive pricing, and aging inventory.With consumer confidence improving but discretionary spending remaining cautious, brands need to communicate tangible value rather than relying exclusively on discounts.What Should Amazon, Walmart, and Target Sellers Prioritize?This week's central message is simple: Holiday revenue matters, but profitable growth matters more.Brands should focus on inventory readiness, promotional coordination, marketplace compliance, advertising efficiency, and clear...
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    21 min
  • Fix Fragmented eCommerce Data: The SMART Framework with Tim Shea

    Fix Fragmented eCommerce Data: The SMART Framework with Tim Shea
    Oct 29 2026

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    Tim Shea, founder and CEO of Latticework Insights, explains how eCommerce brands can connect data from Amazon, Shopify, Meta, Google, and retail partners, and use his SMART framework to make more profitable decisions.

    Most growing brands already have plenty of data. It sits in separate systems, so nobody gets a full picture of what drives growth.

    In this episode of Selling on Giants, Mr. Will and Tim cover when spreadsheets stop working, how to evaluate performance across five areas (Speed, Margin, Attribution, Retention, and Tier), and why LTV and CAC need more context than a single ratio.

    In this episode, you’ll learn:

    • When spreadsheets stop working and why growing brands need a unified view of the business
    • How to use the SMART framework to evaluate speed, margin, attribution, retention, and customer tiers
    • Why customer value varies by acquisition channel, promotion, and buying behavior
    • How retail expansion complicates attribution and what brands can do about it
    • Why moving customers from their third to fourth purchase can be worth more than focusing on early transactions
    • How to use data to form hypotheses, run experiments, and improve decisions

    Tim also walks through Latticework Insights’ 90-day onboarding process: understanding the business, building insights, and putting them into practice through experimentation and A/B testing. The result is a repeatable loop where data informs a theory, the theory becomes an experiment, and each result improves the next decision.

    Connect with Tim Shea:
    Website: https://latticeworkinsights.com
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheanineseven/

    Subscribe to Selling on Giants for practical conversations about Amazon, Walmart, DTC, marketplace strategy, and the decisions shaping eCommerce growth.

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    39 min
  • Walmart Lets AI Shop, Amazon Extends Black Friday & UPS Hikes Rates

    Walmart Lets AI Shop, Amazon Extends Black Friday & UPS Hikes Rates
    Oct 27 2026

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    Walmart is opening its marketplace to outside AI shopping agents, Amazon extended its Black Friday deal window, and UPS is raising shipping rates.

    In this October 27, 2026 episode of Selling on Giants, Mr. Will breaks down Walmart's new AI shopping rules, overlapping holiday promotions, UPS rate increases, and Amazon's return-policy uncertainty.

    Is Walmart allowing AI agents to shop for customers?

    Yes. Walmart announced Agent Profiles and an Agent Gateway designed to let authorized AI assistants shop on behalf of customers. Shoppers can approve purchases or set spending limits, while agents cannot access payment-card details. The Gateway is still in beta. For brands, accurate titles, attributes, pricing, and delivery promises will matter even more to AI product recommendations.

    Did Amazon extend its Black Friday deal deadline?

    Amazon extended its deal-sourcing window to November 13, but sellers should verify which promotion types and ASINs qualify in Seller Central. The extra time does not extend the October 28 FBA inbound deadline for Amazon-optimized shipment splits. Peak fees can turn strong sales into weak margins. More time is not more inventory.

    When do Walmart and TikTok Shop Black Friday events start?

    TikTok Shop runs November 11–30. Walmart is spreading promotions across November 12–15, November 23–29, and November 30–December 2. Brands need coordinated inventory, creator content, advertising, and pricing across channels.

    How much are UPS shipping rates increasing?

    UPS announced an average 5.9% increase effective December 21, with FedEx planning a similar average increase in January. Actual costs also depend on zones, fuel surcharges, package size, and contract terms. Compare Walmart's expanded carrier choices before changing fulfillment plans.

    Are Amazon FBM return rules changing in December?

    A seller-shared Amazon notice says most U.S. seller-fulfilled returns will require prepaid labels starting December 18, excluding heavy and bulky items. Sellers disagree about what changes in practice. Verify your own Seller Central notice and model holiday returns.

    Is Amazon testing real-time seller chat?

    A beta Enable Real-Time Chat toggle has appeared in some Seller Central accounts, including one spotted by Mr. Will. Amazon has not announced eligibility, response-time rules, or any conversion impact. Don’t enable a live channel without a staffing plan.

    What should marketplace sellers do now?

    Audit Walmart catalog data for agent-based discovery. Confirm eligible Amazon promotions and available FBA inventory. Recalculate margins using peak fees and shipping costs. Align holiday calendars across channels, and review returns before January.

    The operator takeaway: A platform extending a deadline, automating a shopping journey, or opening another sales channel does not guarantee profitable growth. Brands win when catalog accuracy, inventory discipline, and contribution margin drive decisions.

    Like and follow Selling on Giants for weekly Amazon, Walmart, TikTok Shop, AI commerce, and marketplace updates.

    Subscribe to Selling on Giants for operator-level analysis that goes beyond the headlines.

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    15 min
  • Why Barcodes Look Like That (and What It Means for Your Data)

    Why Barcodes Look Like That (and What It Means for Your Data)
    Oct 22 2026

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    Why does a barcode look the way it does? Mr. Will started with that simple question and ended up with a story about entrepreneurship, industry standards, and the data that now runs modern retail.

    The barcode began in 1948 as a checkout problem. Joe Woodland sketched the first version in the sand at Miami Beach, inspired by Morse code. He and Bernard Silver patented a circular bullseye design, sold it for $15,000, and waited decades for the technology to catch up. When the grocery industry finally chose a standard in 1973, the winner was IBM engineer George Laurer’s vertical bar design, chosen largely because it survived the realities of high-speed printing. Woodland, then at IBM, backed it.

    Will also covers what founders can learn from being early, why retailers like Walmart and Amazon end up setting the rules, and how the barcode’s biggest impact came from the data every scan created. He closes with a question every Amazon and Walmart operator should ask: am I actually using my data to make decisions?

    Related reading from BellaVix:

    How to Create UPC Codes for Amazon & Prevent Issues

    Amazon FNSKU vs UPC: Which Barcode Should You Use for FBA in 2026?

    The Most Important Facts About Barcodes and Their Relationship With Amazon

    How to Get a Walmart GTIN Exemption: Step-by-Step Seller Center Guide


    Selling on Giants is brought to you by BellaVix. Learn more at https://bellavix.com

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    18 min
  • Amazon Takes Control of Multipacks, Google Changes Checkout & Black Friday Starts Early

    Amazon Takes Control of Multipacks, Google Changes Checkout & Black Friday Starts Early
    Oct 20 2026

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    Amazon is creating multipack listings for sellers, Google is moving shopping into a universal cart, and TikTok's Black Friday starts weeks before Thanksgiving. The margin stakes are rising.

    In the October 19, 2026 episode of Selling on Giants, Mr. Will breaks down the holiday demand outlook, Amazon's new automation and Q4 costs, Walmart's expanded shipping choices, TikTok's extended promotional calendar, and Google's push to own more of the buying journey. This episode focuses on operator decisions.

    How strong is the 2026 holiday shopping season?

    The National Retail Federation forecasts $1.013 trillion in November and December retail sales, up 4.2% year over year. But revenue growth doesn't necessarily mean stronger unit demand. With shopping starting earlier, brands must watch units, conversion, inventory, and contribution margin.

    When does TikTok Shop's Black Friday campaign begin?

    TikTok Shop is running its Black Friday and Cyber Monday event November 11–30, supported by eligible three-day delivery badges and more convenient returns. Participating isn't enough: creator content, inventory, pricing, and fulfillment must be ready.

    What is Amazon's Black Friday deal deadline, and how do peak FBA fees affect profits?

    October 20 is Amazon's deadline for submitting eligible Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals. Peak FBA fulfillment fees began October 15 and run through January 14, 2027, with an additional fuel and logistics surcharge. Will explains why a healthy ACoS or ROAS can disguise poor contribution margin once discounts, advertising, and fulfillment costs are included.

    Why is Amazon automatically creating multipack listings?

    Amazon is creating virtual multipack listings for selected brand-owned FBA products, with listings scheduled by October 28 and customer purchasing starting November 11. The units come from existing inventory, but pricing, pack structure, imagery, and product positioning still need human review. Automation still needs brand oversight.

    What's changing with Walmart's seller-fulfilled shipping?

    Walmart has approved eight additional parcel carriers, giving marketplace sellers more ways to compare shipping rates during peak season. Cheaper labels can protect margin, but poor delivery performance can quickly erase those savings. Cost and reliability both matter.

    What is Google's Universal Cart, and why should Amazon and Walmart brands care?

    Google's Universal Cart is rolling out through Search and Gemini, allowing shoppers to collect products from different merchants in one experience, track price drops, and move toward checkout. As platforms compete to control checkout, accurate product feeds, imagery, pricing, and inventory become critical.

    The operator takeaway: More promotions don't automatically create profit. More listings don't automatically improve merchandising. And AI won't fix messy product data. The brands that win Q4 are the ones that connect advertising, inventory, fulfillment, and margin into one operating plan.

    Like and follow Selling on Giants for weekly marketplace news and practical operator insights.

    Subscribe to Selling on Giants for Amazon, Walmart, TikTok Shop, retail media, and AI commerce analysis that goes beyond the headlines.

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    15 min
  • From Prompts to AI Agents: How eCommerce Teams Should Adopt AI | Edwin Choi

    From Prompts to AI Agents: How eCommerce Teams Should Adopt AI | Edwin Choi
    Oct 15 2026

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    Using AI every day but still doing most of the work by hand? Edwin Choi, Founder & CEO of Jet Fuel Agency, explains how eCommerce teams move from basic prompting to AI agents that run, connect, and improve their own workflows.

    Mr. Will and Edwin cover a three-level framework for building AI maturity, why teams should document their judgment calls before automating anything, and where agents deliver the most impact today, from competitor gap analysis to CRO testing.

    KEY TAKEAWAYS

    - AI adoption happens in three levels: communication (prompting LLMs well), skills (turning playbooks into repeatable processes), and agentic workflows (connected agents that trigger each other and run QA).
    - Don’t automate too early. Document your team’s internal DNA, the judgment calls and strategies behind your work, so agents behave the way you intend.
    - Competitor gap analysis is a strong first use case. Agents can crawl competitor ads, product detail pages, and keywords to surface opportunities.
    - For CRO, combining historical test data with Microsoft Clarity session recordings shows where visitors drop off and generates new experiments.
    - AI looks backward at existing data. Taste-making, the ability to anticipate trends and set a brand’s direction, becomes the most valuable marketing skill.
    - Human oversight stays essential. AI prepares the data, and the strategist makes the final call.
    - Measure success beyond time saved. Track output quality, employee retention, and whether the work is 10x better.

    CONNECT WITH EDWIN

    Website: https://jetfuel.agency/
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/choiedwin

    Related resources from BellaVix:

    https://www.bellavix.com/how-to-conduct-an-amazon-competitive-analysis/
    https://www.bellavix.com/case-study/mastering-the-art-of-agency-strategy-elevating-amazon-account-performances-with-expert-techniques/

    Selling on Giants is a podcast about the people, strategies, and decisions shaping eCommerce across Amazon, Walmart, DTC, and the broader digital marketplace.

    #ecommerce #AIagents #AIautomation

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    50 min