Amazon Just Left — Now Smaller Brands Are Winning Big!

Welcome to our weekly newsletter, Hunter's Insights!

In this special edition, we bring you essential Amazon updates and industry insights to keep you ahead in the fast-paced world of e-commerce:

🚫 Amazon Exits Google Shopping Ads — What It Means for CPCs and Clicks

🔜 Amazon Discontinues All FBA Prep and Labeling Services by 2026

🆕 Amazon Launches “Buy for Me” — AI-Powered Shopping Beyond Amazon

📝 Amazon’s AI Review Summaries May Invite New Black Hat Tactics

📊 Product Opportunity Explorer Now Shows 3 Years of Data

🤖 AMC Adds AI Assistant for Faster, Smarter Audience Building

🚛 New Amazon FBA Feature Allows Flexible Shipping by Warehouse

🚫 Amazon Exits Google Shopping Ads — What It Means for CPCs and Clicks

Amazon has officially stopped running Google Shopping Ads, marking the end of a long-standing strategy that gave the company significant visibility in Google search results. 

What this means for brands:

• Lower CPCs: Advertising costs are already decreasing now that Amazon is no longer participating in the auction.

• More visibility: Click volumes are increasing as more ad space becomes available for other advertisers.

• Reduced coverage: Brands that depended on Amazon’s ads may experience gaps in visibility.

• Strategic opportunity: This is an ideal time to develop your own Google-to-Amazon advertising funnel. 

If you haven’t done so already, take control of your off-Amazon funnel. Direct traffic to your product detail pages (PDPs) or Amazon Storefront, increase your bids where Amazon previously competed, and monitor performance closely, especially if you also sell directly to consumers (DTC).

🔜 Amazon Discontinues All FBA Prep and Labeling Services by 2026

Amazon has announced that, starting January 1, 2026, it will completely discontinue all Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) prep and labeling services. 

What this means:

• Sellers will need to manage prep and labeling outside of Amazon, either by handling it in-house or by using third-party logistics (3PL) providers.

• Resellers and small-scale sellers may face significant cost increases and workflow challenges.

• 3PL providers are expected to benefit from the growing demand for external prep services.

While many brand owners currently handle prep at the manufacturing level, this change represents a major shift, particularly for those who have relied on Amazon for seamless logistics.

🆕 Amazon Launches “Buy for Me” — AI-Powered Shopping Beyond Amazon

Amazon has launched a new feature called “Buy for Me,” which allows customers to shop directly on brand websites while AI handles the checkout process. This could significantly merge off-Amazon DTC experiences with Amazon's convenience for shoppers.

How it works:

• Search Brands: Browse a wider selection of products, including DTC exclusives, directly from the Amazon app.

• Tap “Buy for Me”: Amazon’s AI will complete the order on your behalf directly on the brand’s website.

• Track Orders in-App: All purchases made through “Buy for Me” can be accessed under the Buy for Me Orders section in Your Orders.

Why this is important:

This feature has the potential to significantly increase DTC traffic and conversions, while also providing shoppers with the convenience and trust associated with Amazon’s ecosystem. It's a development worth paying attention to.

📝 Amazon’s AI Review Summaries May Invite New Black Hat Tactics

Amazon's AI now highlights review patterns instead of just displaying average ratings at the top of product listings. Even a few mentions of flaws, such as a "chemical smell," can dominate the summary, despite the presence of hundreds of positive reviews.

Key Points:

• AI-generated summaries focus on recurring keywords, even if they originate from a small number of reviews.

• This creates an opportunity for unscrupulous sellers to strategically insert negative phrases to manipulate the narrative.

• High-ranking listings are now more susceptible to subtle sabotage through reviews.

What It Means:

Controlling the narrative created by AI is now just as crucial as maintaining star ratings. Sellers need to monitor reviews closely and respond quickly to any violations to prevent lasting damage to their product's reputation.

📊 Product Opportunity Explorer Now Shows 3 Years of Data

Amazon has recently introduced a major upgrade to the Product Opportunity Explorer. Sellers can now access three full years of historical search trend data, an improvement from the previous one-year limit.

Why this is important:

• It allows for more accurate identification of seasonal patterns.

• It helps monitor long-term demand shifts across various niches.

• It enables better-informed decisions for product development and launches.

In the past, gaining this type of insight required external tools or manual tracking. Now, this valuable information is readily available within the platform, providing a significant advantage for trend-driven sellers.

🤖 AMC Adds AI Assistant for Faster, Smarter Audience Building

Amazon has introduced an AI assistant in Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC) to aid advertisers in generating audience insights and writing SQL queries. The chatbot interface allows users to ask questions in plain English for real-time support, simplifying the process without needing to consult documentation.

Key Features:

• Natural Language to SQL: Instantly create custom audience queries through chat.

• Built-in Product Guidance: Get immediate answers to AMC-related questions.

• Streamlined Workflow: Eliminate the need to switch between tools or submit support tickets.

This feature is now available to all AMC users in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and South America. It represents a smart upgrade that reduces technical barriers and accelerates the process from concept to execution.

🚛 New Amazon FBA Feature Allows Flexible Shipping by Warehouse

Amazon has recently launched a new feature that allows FBA sellers to combine different shipping methods—truckload, LTL (less-than-truckload), and small parcel—within a single shipment plan.

Why is this important?

• Brands no longer need to select just one shipping method for all assigned warehouses.

• You can now optimize shipping based on destination: using FTL or LTL for large-volume locations and small parcels for one-off or small-load warehouses.

• This update leads to faster restocks, lower costs, and fewer operational trade-offs.

This feature is turned off by default. To enable it, go to the "Send to Amazon" section and uncheck the option labeled "Shipping mode will be the same for all shipments."

This is a smart move by Amazon and a significant advantage for sellers managing costs, speed, and fulfillment complexity.

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