Amazon Seller News Summary – Wednesday, January 14, 2026

Last Updated: Wednesday, January 14, 2026, 9:43 PM CET

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🔥 Top Priority Stories Today

1. Holiday Peak Fulfillment Fees END TODAY – Major Cost Impact Tomorrow

Critical Date: January 14, 2026 (TODAY)

Today marks the final day of Amazon’s holiday peak fulfillment fees that have been in effect since October 15, 2025. Starting tomorrow, January 15, your fulfillment cost structure changes significantly.

What Changes Tomorrow:

• Holiday peak surcharges removed from all FBA products
• Standard 2026 FBA fees take effect (increased from 2025 baseline)
• Average increase of $0.08 per unit for standard-size products
• Products over $50 see an average increase of $0.31 per unit
• Products under $10 increase by $0.05 per unit average

Why This Matters: You’re transitioning from holiday peak pricing directly into 2026’s increased base rates. While the peak surcharge disappears, the new baseline is still higher than pre-October 2025 rates.

Action Items:

• Update your pricing models tonight to reflect tomorrow’s fee structure
• Recalculate profit margins on all active SKUs by the end of the day
• Adjust advertising budgets to account for reduced per-unit profit
• Review products over $50 for viability under the new fee structure

2. FBA Prep & Labeling Non-Compliance Now Triggering Rejections

Status: ACTIVE ENFORCEMENT (Since January 1, 2026)

Amazon completely discontinued all FBA prep and item labeling services on January 1, 2026. Two weeks into enforcement, we’re seeing significant shipment rejections and non-reimbursable losses.

Critical Reality Check:

• Shipments created after January 1 that arrive improperly prepped are not eligible for reimbursement if lost or damaged
• Rejected shipments incur return fees and delay revenue
• Manual labeling errors trigger inbound defect fees ranging from $0.32 to $5.72 per unit
• One mislabeled pallet can cost hundreds in penalties

What Amazon No Longer Does:

• Item-level FNSKU labeling
• Polybagging and bubble wrapping
• Taping and bundling
• Set preparation

Your Only Options Now:

• Prep and label everything yourself before shipment
• Hire certified third-party logistics (3PL) providers
• Use Amazon’s Partner Carrier Program for compliant prep vendors

Action Items:

• Audit your current shipment prep process immediately
• Verify every shipment created in January meets compliance standards
• Budget for 3PL prep services if you can’t handle them in-house
• Test one small compliant shipment before sending bulk inventory

3. Amazon Pressuring Suppliers for Price Reductions Following Tariff Changes

Announced: January 13, 2026

Amazon is actively pushing suppliers to lower wholesale prices to reflect reduced tariff rates on Chinese imports, according to reports from the Financial Times. This creates both opportunity and pressure depending on your position in the supply chain.

What’s Happening:

• Tariff rates on certain Chinese imports decreased in recent months
• Amazon expects suppliers to pass savings through to wholesale pricing
• Brands refusing price reductions may face reduced visibility or buy box access
• Private label sellers sourcing from China should renegotiate immediately

Strategic Implications:

• If you manufacture or source from China, your input costs may have dropped—Amazon knows this
• Competitors lowering prices will force you to match or lose market share
• This is a margin compression event for brands unwilling to negotiate
• Direct-import sellers have a cost advantage over domestic wholesalers right now

Action Items:

• Contact your suppliers immediately to confirm current tariff-adjusted pricing
• Renegotiate contracts if your input costs decreased, but wholesale prices haven’t
• Review competitor pricing for signs of tariff-driven reductions
• Update your pricing strategy to remain competitive without sacrificing margin

4. Low-Inventory-Level Fee Enforcement Intensifies for 2026

Effective: January 2026

Amazon’s low-inventory-level fee structure changed significantly for 2026, and enforcement is now active at the individual FNSKU level instead of the parent ASIN level. This means Amazon is monitoring your specific inventory SKUs more granularly than ever.

What Changed:

• Fee now calculated per seller-FNSKU, not per parent ASIN
• Only charged when YOUR specific inventory drops below 28 days of supply
• Fee extends to Small Bulky and Large Bulky products (previously exempt)
• Exempt items (Grocery, slow movers) won’t be charged but face delivery delays

Fee Structure (2026):

• Standard-size products: $0.32 to $1.74 per unit
• Bulky items: Up to $5.72 per unit
• Compare to 2025: $0.02 to $0.07 per unit

Why Amazon Is Doing This:

• Force sellers to maintain consistent inventory levels
• Reduce out-of-stock situations that hurt customer experience
• Encourage faster replenishment cycles
• Push sellers toward Amazon Warehousing & Distribution (AWD) service

Action Items:

• Check your current inventory levels for all FNSKUs tonight
• Identify SKUs below 28 days of supply and restock immediately
• Set up automated alerts in Seller Central for low-stock warnings
• Consider AWD for automatic replenishment if you frequently run low

📋 Ongoing Updates & Policy Changes

EU Fee Reductions Rolling Out in 2026

Amazon confirmed fee reductions averaging £0.15/€0.17 per unit across European marketplaces. Changes include reduced FBA fulfillment fees, expanded Low-Price FBA eligibility, and reduced referral fees in high-volume categories such as clothing, home products, grocery, and pet supplies.

Recommendation: EU sellers should update 2026 financial projections to reflect improved margins. US sellers may consider expanding to EU marketplaces given the favorable cost structure.

Agentic AI-Powered Seller Assistant Now Live

Amazon’s Seller Assistant evolved into an agentic AI tool powered by Amazon Bedrock, Amazon Nova, and Anthropic Claude. It can now proactively monitor account health, flag slow-moving inventory before storage fees hit, recommend pricing adjustments, and prepare shipment plans based on demand patterns.

Action: Access Seller Assistant in your US Seller Central account at no additional cost. Test its inventory recommendations this week.

Star-Only Seller Feedback System Active

As of August 2025, customers can leave star ratings without written comments, and sellers cannot appeal these ratings via Feedback Manager. This makes maintaining high account health scores more challenging.

Recommendation: Focus on operational excellence—fast shipping, accurate listings, and proactive customer communication—to minimize negative star ratings.

📊 Market Intelligence – January 2026

Post-Holiday Market Dynamics

• Return rates spiking 15-20% above baseline as expected​
• Clearance pricing opportunities for Q4 overstock through January 31
• Customer acquisition costs normalizing after December peak
• Conversion rates returning to November baseline levels

Profitability Benchmarks

• Private label sellers maintain 30-50% margins on average
• ​Amazon sellers in the US averaged $290,000 in annual sales in 2024
• ​50% of sellers generate between $10,000 and $250,000+ monthly

🎯 Critical Action Items for Today

URGENT (Complete Tonight):

• ✅ Update pricing models for tomorrow’s fee structure change
• ✅ Verify all January shipments are properly prepped and labeled
• ✅ Check inventory levels for all FNSKUs – restock anything below 28 days
• ✅ Confirm supplier pricing reflects current tariff rates
• ✅ Review Account Health Score for any red flags

HIGH PRIORITY (This Week):

• ✅ Test Seller Assistant AI tool for inventory and pricing recommendations
• ✅ Audit 3PL prep compliance if using external prep services
• ✅ Renegotiate supplier contracts based on tariff changes
• ✅ Plan clearance strategy for remaining Q4 inventory
• ✅ Set up automated low-stock alerts in Seller Central

IMPORTANT (Next 2 Weeks):

• ✅ Calculate actual margin impact from new FBA fee structure
• ✅ Review competitor pricing for tariff-driven reductions
• ✅ Explore EU marketplace expansion opportunities given fee reductions
• ✅ Optimize underperforming campaigns using Ads Benchmarks tool
• ✅ Prepare Q1 inventory purchases with updated cost projections

💰 Financial Considerations

Tomorrow’s Fee Impact

For a standard-size product selling at $30:

• Previous (with holiday peak): FBA fee approximately $5.80
• Tomorrow (new 2026 baseline): FBA fee approximately $5.25
• Net change: -$0.55 (holiday peak removal)
• vs. 2025 baseline: +$0.08 (2026 increase)

Products over $50 face the largest structural increase, averaging $0.31 per unit. High-ticket sellers need to recalculate viability immediately.

Prep Fee Replacement Costs

• Previous Amazon labeling: $0.30 per unit
• Current 3PL labeling: $0.35-$0.55 per unit
• Current inbound defect penalty: $0.32-$5.72 per unit for mistakes

Budget for higher prep costs or invest in in-house labeling infrastructure.

📢 Resources & Support

Official Amazon Resources:

• Seller Central Dashboard: Real-time fee calculators and inventory tracking
• Seller Assistant AI: Automated recommendations for inventory and pricing
• Announcements Hub: Latest policy updates
• FBA Fee Preview Report: Model tomorrow’s fee structure before it goes live

Third-Party Tools:

• SellerBoard: Real-time profit tracking with new fee structures
• RestockPro: Inventory forecasting to avoid low-stock fees
• ManageByStats: Automated alerts for account health and inventory

🔔 What’s Coming Next Week

January 15: New FBA fee structure takes effect—monitor margin impact closely
January 20: First full week of non-reimbursable prep violations—audit shipment acceptance rates
January 31: Final opportunity for Q4 inventory clearance before February restocking cycle
February: Expected detailed EU fee reduction announcements

Summary: What Sellers Must Do TODAY

For All Sellers:

Tonight is your last chance to prepare for tomorrow’s fee structure change. Update pricing, verify margins, and ensure every shipment going out in January is 100% compliant with prep requirements.

For High-Volume Sellers:

The combination of new base fees, low-inventory penalties, and prep compliance creates a perfect storm for margin compression. Audit your entire operation tonight.

For International Sellers:

Tariff-driven price pressure is real. Renegotiate supplier contracts immediately or risk being undercut by competitors who do.

For EU Sellers:

2026 brings unprecedented fee relief. Plan expansion strategies now while cost structures favor European operations.

Final Word

January 14, 2026, marks a critical transition point. Tomorrow brings a new cost structure that will define your 2026 profitability. The sellers who audit their operations tonight and adjust pricing, inventory, and compliance processes immediately will maintain margins. Those who wait will see profit erosion accelerate through Q1.

Every hour counts. Every shipment must be perfect. Every margin must be recalculated.

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