Forget What You Knew: Amazon Now Fulfills Walmart Orders (Sort Of)

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 Listing Update: Only Sub-Category Ranks Now Visible

📦 Unified Fulfillment Strategy Now Possible Across Amazon and Walmart

🔎 Amazon Adds Smart Search Bar to Advertising Console

👥 Customer Experience Score Now Impacts Buy Box & Rankings

🖥 New Unified API Makes Amazon Ad Tool Development Easier Than Ever

📈 Double Your NTB Orders with Sponsored Brands’ New Targeting Option

🚛 New FBA Limits Are Here: Capacity Is No Longer Guaranteed

🆕 Amazon Listing Update: Only Sub-Category Ranks Now Visible

Amazon has removed the main category rankings from product listings, leaving only sub-category rankings visible. While it’s uncertain whether this change is permanent, it could significantly affect how sellers monitor their performance.

Key Updates:

• Removal of Main Category Rank: Product listings no longer display rankings for the primary category; only sub-category positions are visible.

• Reduced Visibility Across Broader Markets: It has become more challenging to compare products at the main category level.

• Increased Focus on Niche Metrics: Sellers will need to concentrate on monitoring and optimizing their sub-category rankings.

• Limitations in Competitive Analysis: Benchmarking against competitors in wider categories is now less accessible.

If this update is permanent, sellers must adjust their strategies toward optimizing for sub-category rankings. Tracking broad-market rankings may no longer be feasible, making establishing dominance in targeted niches more important than ever.

📦 Unified Fulfillment Strategy Now Possible Across Amazon and Walmart

Yes, you read that correctly. Walmart has officially allowed sellers to fulfill orders using Amazon’s Multi-Channel Fulfillment (MCF), but there are some important conditions to keep in mind.

Key Updates:

• MCF Now Allowed for Walmart Orders: Sellers can use Amazon’s fulfillment network to ship Walmart orders as long as they adhere to specific packaging and shipping guidelines.

• Neutral Packaging Required: Orders must not be shipped in Amazon-branded boxes; only neutral packaging is permitted to comply with Walmart’s regulations.

• Disable Amazon Logistics (AMZL): To utilize MCF for Walmart orders, you must disable AMZL as the delivery carrier and select other supported shipping services in your MCF settings.

• Walmart Expanding Its Fulfillment Network: Walmart is making its fulfillment network available for sellers on platforms like Amazon, Etsy, and Target. They are also investing in NextGen fulfillment centers that feature automation and offer 2-day delivery.

This change eliminates a significant barrier between platforms and provides Amazon sellers with the opportunity to centralize inventory while expanding into Walmart’s ecosystem. It promotes operational efficiency and encourages growth across multiple channels.

🔎 Amazon Adds Smart Search Bar to Advertising Console

Amazon has introduced a powerful new AI-powered search feature in the Advertising Console, designed to enhance campaign navigation by making it faster and more intuitive.

Key Updates:

• Natural Language Search: You can now enter queries such as “high ACoS campaigns” or “low converting campaigns,” and Amazon will accurately interpret them.

• Smart Filtering: The system automatically translates your query into filters and displays the relevant campaigns.

• User-Friendly for All Levels: This feature is great for beginners, eliminating the need to create filters or navigate through complex menus manually.

• Efficiency Boost: It enables quick identification of issues or top performers, saving time on daily campaign management.

This update simplifies ad analysis, particularly for newer advertisers. Streamlining the process of finding and addressing underperforming campaigns, accelerates optimization and ultimately enhances return on investment (ROI).

👥 Customer Experience Score Now Impacts Buy Box & Rankings

Amazon has recently updated its Customer Experience (CX) Score system, which is now a significant factor in determining Buy Box eligibility and organic rankings.

Key Updates:

• New CX Score Criteria: Products are now evaluated based on several factors, including negative reviews, returns, late shipments, customer feedback, accuracy of product details, and packaging quality.

• Better Score Equals Better Visibility: A higher CX score improves the chances of winning the Buy Box and enhances organic search rankings, particularly on mobile devices. Additionally, it helps reduce seasonal penalties.

• CX Now Linked to Operations: Optimizing shipping, fulfillment, and listing accuracy has become crucial—not only price or content.

• Proactive Solutions: Amazon recommends that sellers review return trends, clarify their listings, and align their inventory to enhance their customer experience (CX) scores.

Sellers who prioritize operational excellence—beyond just price or SEO—will have the advantage. Focus on reducing returns, improving fulfillment, and enhancing product clarity to remain competitive.

🖥 New Unified API Makes Amazon Ad Tool Development Easier Than Ever

Amazon has launched a unified API for all Sponsored Ads campaign operations, streamlining development and maintenance.

Key Updates:

• Unified API: Consolidation of over 190 endpoint variations into just 16 for Sponsored Products, Brands, Displays, and Stores.

• Easier Tool Development: Facilitates the creation of tools like Bulk Launchers and Bid Optimizers without managing multiple formats.

• Streamlined Maintenance: Fewer variations lead to quicker debugging and smoother updates, improving scalability for ad portfolios.

• User-Friendly Documentation: Non-technical marketers can better communicate their needs to developers.

This unified API enhances efficiency and innovation in Amazon Ads tools, empowering teams to build faster and optimize effectively. Whether you're a developer or a marketer, this change simplifies the process.

📈 Double Your NTB Orders with Sponsored Brands’ New Targeting Option

Amazon has introduced a new audience targeting option for Sponsored Brands called "New-to-Brand (NTB) shoppers." This feature enables you to increase bids to target shoppers who have not purchased your brand within the past 12 months.

Key Features:

• Bid Adjustments Tab: Manage and apply bid boosts to both new and existing campaigns.

• Audience-Level Insights: Monitor NTB performance directly within the campaign settings.

• Customer Acquisition: Target high-intent shoppers who are new to your brand.

• Higher Conversions: Advertisers who increased their bids by 100% experienced twice as many NTB orders.

This feature is now available globally across North America, Europe, South America, MENA, and APAC regions through the Advertising Console and the Amazon Ads API.

Overall, this new targeting option provides advertisers with direct control to reach unfamiliar audiences and enhance brand growth, making it especially effective during peak shopping seasons or product launches.

🚛 New FBA Limits Are Here: Capacity Is No Longer Guaranteed

Amazon is reducing FBA capacity limits for sellers by 50% to 75%, affecting even high-performing sellers and prompting them to consider the AWD program for more efficient fulfillment.

Key Updates:

• Capacity Reductions: FBA limits are significantly lowered with no clear ties to IPI scores or sales metrics.

• Using Capacity Manager: Sellers must use the Capacity Manager tool to request extra space and pay a reservation fee; higher bids improve approval chances.

• AWD Program: This alternative enables sellers to bypass FBA limits, offering advantages such as automatic replenishment and optimized routing.

• Performance Factors: IPI scores, historical sales, and demand forecasts influence allocated space; sellers should focus on these areas to avoid stricter limitations.

To maintain inventory during peak seasons like Prime Day, sellers must adapt and efficiently combine FBA, AWD, and third-party logistics (3PL). The key takeaway: earn your space on Amazon.

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