Appeals Court Moves Fast: Trump’s Tariffs Get the Green Light Again — What Amazon Sellers Need to Do

What Happened

On May 29-30 2025, a federal appeals court issued a stay reinstating the sweeping tariffs previously blocked by the United States Court of International Trade (CIT). The tariffs challenged include Trump-era measures targeting imports from China, Canada, Mexico and other trading partners. Reuters+2Scotsman Guide+2

Why This Matters

  • Landed Cost Spike Re-Activated: Products you sourced assuming lower duties may now be exposed to higher tariffs.
  • Pricing & Margin Pressure: If you built pricing models around the expectation of tariff relief, those assumptions may be invalidated.
  • Supply Chain Risk: The window for cost relief has shrunk. Brands must act fast or face inventory cost shocks.

What You Should Do Immediately

  1. Re-Audit Landed Cost Models
    • Run worst-case tariffs + freight scenarios for major source-countries.
    • Review bids, ACOS, and margin thresholds accordingly.
  2. Secure Supply Terms & Pricing Now
    • Negotiate with suppliers for contract terms; include “tariff escalation” clauses.
    • Lock in MOQs/pricing for immediate restocks before cost rises.
  3. Inventory & Launch Prioritisation
    • Prioritise SKUs with high margin, low tariff exposure.
    • Delay launches of high-tariff/low-margin products if cost upside is imminent.

30/60-Day Roadmap

Days 1–30:

  • Update cost/pricing models; communicate to finance/ops teams.
  • Pause or re-evaluate SKUs with high tariff exposure.
  • Negotiate supplier cost buffers.

Days 31–60:

  • Monitor tariff policy updates & legal filings.
  • Adjust pricing & campaign budgets to match new margin reality.
  • Keep inventory levels lean but secure restock for high-velocity SKUs.

Final Word

The legal battle isn’t over—and for now, the tariffs are back in effect. Treat this not as a delay but as a warning: cost assumptions change fast. Act quickly, protect your margin, and keep your supply chain flexible. That’s how Amazon brands stay ahead.

U.S. Court Blocks Trump Tariffs – What This Means for Amazon Sellers

The Ruling

A federal court decision has blocked enforcement of several significant tariffs, halting increases and potentially reversing duties on imports from China and other key markets. This has immediate implications for landed cost and inventory strategy for import-heavy Amazon brands.

Why This Matters for Sellers

  • Reduced landed cost: Lower duties flow into cost per unit, improving margins or enabling more aggressive pricing.
  • Timing advantage: Brands that act swiftly can capture inventory and launch first while rivals are still adjusting.
  • Competitive repositioning: If you’ve been priced out by tariffs, you now may regain space vs. under-prepared competitors.
  • Risk of reversion: A ruling doesn’t guarantee permanence—tariffs could return, so you must hedge.

Action Plan for Amazon Sellers

1) Re-calculate landed cost:
Run current cost models ± duties and freight; reset break-even ACOS and margins.

2) Restock & launch window:
Prioritize highest-margin SKUs and fastest-turn from China or alternate sources; block space and shipping now.

3) Price architecture review:
Avoid automatic cost-cuts—consider holding price + improving bundles, multi-packs, or A+ content to lift conversion.

4) Monitor announcement & contingency:
Stay on top of trade updates; have a “Plan B” sourcing strategy ready if tariff relief is reversed.

30/60-Day Implementation Roadmap

Days 1–30:

  • Re-run cost models; adjust pricing bids and ACOS targets.
  • Audit your import SKUs for exposure; prioritize launches/restocks.
  • Communicate with suppliers/shippers about the window.

Days 31–60:

  • Monitor receipt of lowered-duty stock; track shift in margins.
  • Test price and conversion lift; review TACOS for improvement.
  • Prepare alternative supply in case of reversal.

Final Thoughts

The tariff block is a moment—not a moment to waste. Brands that act fast, optimize their cost model, and apply pricing and launch strategy earn an advantage. Brands that wait risk losing margin and opportunity. Plan smart, execute swiftly, and build resilience.

Amazon’s Quietly Spying on Your DTC Site Right Now

The Silent Shift

Many brands believe driving traffic from their own DTC site to Amazon is a win-win: capture Amazon’s massive audience while keeping their own site running. But there’s a catch: when you send that traffic, you may be giving Amazon data, traffic signal, and algorithmic momentum—while you lose control.

1) How It Works: Amazon Attribution & Traffic Monitoring

The tool Amazon provides—Amazon Attribution—allows brands registered under Brand Registry to measure how off-Amazon sources (social, search, email, DTC site) drive Amazon listings. Amazon Ads+1
When you send traffic from your own site to Amazon product pages using Attribution or tracking links, Amazon obtains visibility into:

  • which channels drove that shopper
  • how they interacted on Amazon (detail page views, add to cart, purchase)
  • reinforcement of Amazon’s internal ranking algorithm via your traffic signal

In essence, you’re giving Amazon your audience’s warm intent, without owning the full funnel.

2) Why Brands Might Be Losing Out

  • Data Leakage: You lose visibility and control of customer intent once they click to Amazon.
  • Margin Erosion: Amazon controls the check-out; subscription, first-party relationship favours them.
  • Brand Funnel Weakening: Instead of building a long-term owned audience via DTC, you’re building Amazon’s signal.
  • Algorithmic Advantage for Amazon: The more external traffic Amazon gets to your listings, the more it can prioritise you—while you still pay referral fees and have limited first-party control.

3) Three Strategic Moves to Rebalance

A) Own your DTC traffic first

Drive initial traffic to your website or landing page, capture email/first-party data, then convert/transect via Amazon once you’ve warmed the audience.

B) Choose what traffic you send to Amazon

Not all traffic needs to go to Amazon. Use Amazon for certain funnels (cold social, search) but keep warm & loyalty audiences within your DTC ecosystem.

C) Use Amazon strategically — not just as default

When you do send traffic to Amazon, use tracking tags (Amazon Attribution) intentionally. Monitor which traffic truly works and what you sacrifice in control and margin.

Final Thought

Sending traffic to Amazon isn’t bad—it’s smart. But doing it without strategy hands Amazon the advantage. Brands that control the funnel, protect their first-party data, and choose when & how to engage Amazon will win the long game.

3 Easy Ways to Win More Sales on Amazon PPC

Why Simple Wins Matter

Not every PPC improvement needs to be complex. Simple, disciplined actions often deliver fast wins while you set up bigger growth engines. Let’s break down three tactics you can deploy in hours—and that move the needle.

Tactic 1: Ensure Your Listing Converts First

Before pouring budget into ads, make sure your detail page is ready:

  • Reviews ≥ 4.0★, at least 50+ (depending on category)
  • Price competitive and Buy Box control confirmed
  • Bullet points front-load primary keywords + benefits
    When conversion rate improves, your CPCs drop and ACOS improves.

Tactic 2: Exact-Match Campaigns Focused on “Known Winners”

  • Start with keywords you already convert for organic traffic.
  • Launch exact-match campaigns with clear budgets and bids
  • Monitor ACOS and CVR; scale only when CVR stays strong over time.
    Exact match gives you precision and skips volume spill from broad matches.

Tactic 3: Placement Bid Modifiers + Negative Keywords

  • For exact campaigns, examine placement report: if Top-of-Search CVR > rest by 30%+, add +20-60% modifier.
  • In early campaigns, review search term reports weekly and add non-converting phrases to negatives (20–30 clicks w/ 0 sales).
    These tweaks improve efficiency and ensure your budget goes where it converts.

Putting It All Together

  1. Audit your list page conversions.
  2. Launch exact match with clear targets.
  3. Weekly optimize: negatives + placements.
    Within 30–60 days you’ll see improved conversion, lower CPCs, and better ACOS.

Final Thoughts

Big growth formulas are great—but every $100 budget should start with fundamentals. Focus on your listing, exact match precision, and smart budget steering. These three easy ways deliver quick wins and build a stronger foundation for scaling.

Amazon’s New Refund Wave: What Sellers Need to Know

What Happened

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has ordered Amazon to pay $1.5 billion in refunds to customers plus a $1 billion fine, marking one of the largest consumer-redress settlements in history. Federal Trade Commission+2Axios+2
It comes after findings that Amazon’s Prime enrollment flows and cancellation processes “used sophisticated subscription traps” and made exit difficult. Federal Trade Commission+1

Why This Matters for Sellers

  • Subscription & recurring revenue models: If you bundle repeated charges, auto-renewals, or “free gifts” that convert into regular payments, you may now face more scrutiny.
  • Hidden fees or misleading offers: The same regulatory eye that caught Amazon’s enrollment practices could shift to seller-fee models, service add-ons, or bundled “free shipping” conditions.
  • Brand trust & listing compliance: If customers feel tricked into joining or remaining a program, organic rank, reviews, and reputation may suffer—and indirectly affect ad performance.

Action Plan for Sellers

  1. Audit your offer architecture: Check any recurring charges, enrollment flows, auto-renewals, or bundled programs for clarity & transparency.
  2. Review cancellation & refund ease: Make sure customers aren’t locked in, or feeling trapped, which could trigger complaints, charge-backs, or review damage.
  3. Update listing language: If you have “free trial”, “subscription”, “auto ship”, or similar phrases, ensure they are clear, upfront, and aligned with your terms.
  4. Monitor customer complaints, returns & review dips: Unhappy recurring-fee customers may leave negative feedback, hurting your listing conversion rate and ranking.
  5. Stay ahead of regulation: This case signals regulators are focused on subscription flows & consumer rights in e-commerce—plan accordingly for your business model.

Final Thoughts

Amazon’s refund settlement isn’t just about a single platform—it signals a shifting landscape where offer structure, customer transparency, and recurring fee models are under greater scrutiny. Sellers who audit now, align their models to fair practice, and protect customer trust will stride ahead. Sellers who ignore this wave may face hidden risks—lost rank, unhappy customers, or regulatory exposure.

We Busted 5 Shocking Amazon PPC Myths for You

Introduction

Amazon advertising is one of the most powerful tools for growth—but many sellers still run their ads based on myths that no longer apply in 2025. The platform has changed, competition has grown, and Amazon’s algorithm prioritizes efficiency and buyer intent over raw spend. Let’s bust the 5 most common myths holding brands back.

Myth #1 — Auto Campaigns Are Enough

Auto campaigns discover keywords—but they’re not a growth engine. They lack control, intent filtering, and budget efficiency. Smart sellers use Auto for discovery, then harvest performing terms into manual campaigns for scale.

Fix: Use Auto campaigns for keyword mining only. Harvest terms weekly into manual Exact and Product targeting.

Myth #2 — Raising Bids = More Sales

Amazon ads don’t reward spend—they reward relevance and conversion. Raising bids without improving CVR usually just increases ACOS. Bid based on margin and intent, not emotion.

Fix: Run placement reports and cut bids on keywords with low CVR or high ACOS. Increase bids only where your conversion rate proves value.

Myth #3 — Set It and Forget It Still Works

PPC is dynamic. Amazon constantly adjusts auction logic, CPC floors, and competitor density. If you don’t optimize weekly, you lose efficiency fast.

Fix: Review Search Term Reports weekly; pause wasteful targets and refresh ads monthly to match keyword intent.

Myth #4 — Organic and Paid Are Separate

Paid ads boost organic ranking by driving traffic and sales velocity. Ignoring ads because you “rank organically” is leaving money on the table.

Fix: Treat ads as a flywheel that feeds organic rank growth. Monitor TACOS—not just ACOS—to see true impact.

Myth #5 — Lower ACOS Is Always Better

A 5% ACOS isn’t a win if your sales volume is flat. Sometimes a higher ACOS with greater sales and profit margin is more strategic.

Fix: Optimize for profit growth and total account efficiency (TACOS), not lowest ACOS.

Final Word

Amazon PPC is a data-driven discipline, not a “set and forget” system. The best sellers question conventional wisdom, test everything, and optimize around profit—not myths.

4 Bidding Strategies That Can Make or Break Your Amazon Ads

Introduction

Bids define your auction eligibility and cost per click—but the strategy behind those bids determines how much volume you win, how many conversions you capture, and how efficiently you spend. Choosing the wrong bid strategy (or sticking with a “default”) is one of the most common killers of profitability.

1) Strategy #1: Fixed Bids

You set a constant maximum bid; Amazon doesn’t adjust your bid based on conversion likelihood. AiHello+1
When to use: Launch campaigns needing control, or high-cost categories where margin matters most.
Risk: You may lose auction opportunities for high-intent placements or over-cap what you pay.
Tip: Use when you know your conversion mechanics are solid and you want predictability.

2) Strategy #2: Dynamic Bids – Down Only

Amazon can lower your bids whenever the algorithm predicts a low-conversion click. Amazon Ads+1
When to use: Discovery campaigns, early stage SKUs, or when you’re still validating targets.
Upside: Cost control.
Downside: You may under-bid high-intent clicks and slow volume growth.

3) Strategy #3: Dynamic Bids – Up & Down

Amazon can raise your bid (up to ~100%) for clicks likely to convert, and lower for low-intent clicks. SellerMetrics+1
When to use: Established winners, high-converting SKUs, aggressive scaling phases.
Risk: Costs shoot up if listing conversion, offer or targeting aren’t optimized.
Tip: Only switch to this once you have solid conversion data and retail readiness.

4) Strategy #4: Placement Adjusted Bids

Beyond base bid strategy, you can adjust bids by placement (Top of Search, Rest of Search, Product Pages) sometimes up to 900% for Top of Search. AMZScout+1
When to use: If you have high-intent keywords and strong CVR from premium placement.
Mistake: Many jump to high placement multipliers without checking if those placements convert—leading to wasted spend.

5) How to Pick & Execute Your Strategy

  • Launch (Days 0-30): Fixed or Dynamic Down Only; minimal placement mods.
  • Scale (Days 30-90+): Move winners into Dynamic Up & Down; test placement adjustments.
  • Sustain/Defense: Use a mix—Fixed for low-margin SKUs; Up & Down/Placement for top SKUs with room to grow.

6) Weekly Monitoring & Adjustments

  • Pull Search Term and Placement Reports; compare CPC, CVR, ACOS by strategy.
  • If ACOS is trending worse without conversion improvement, you may be over-bidding or mis-targeting.
  • Switch out strategy by campaign type—not mixing strategies in the same campaign (creates bid cannibalization).
  • Re-calculate break-even ACOS after any listing/price changes and adjust base bid accordingly.

Final Thoughts

Bid strategy isn’t “set and forget.” It’s a dynamic lever that must align with SKU lifecycle, listing quality, margin, and campaign objective. Pick the right one, run it with data, monitor ruthlessly—and your Amazon Ads become a growth engine, not a cost center.

Breaking News — US & China Strike 90-Day Tariff Truce: What Amazon Sellers Need to Do

The Agreement

In May 2025, the US and China agreed to reduce and/or freeze their reciprocal tariffs for 90 days—bringing US tariffs on Chinese imports down to approx 30% and China’s tariffs on US goods down to around 10% during the period. The Economic Times+1
The aim: de-escalate the trade war and buy time for deeper negotiations. Reuters+1

Why It Matters for Amazon Sellers

  • Landed Cost Relief: Lower import duties = lower cost basis for SKUs sourced from China.
  • Pricing Flexibility & Margin Protection: Brands may now reconsider previous cost-built-in pricing or discounting.
  • Supply Chain Stability: Reduced tariff risk for shipping windows over the next quarter.
  • Competitive Advantage: Sellers still operating with high-tariff assumptions can move faster.

What to Do During the 90-Day Window

  1. Audit Your Cost Model: Recalculate landed cost for Chinese-sourced SKUs, update margin & ACOS targets.
  2. Negotiate with Suppliers: Lock in favourable pricing terms now while the tariff truce holds.
  3. Update Pricing Strategy: Consider whether you can improve AOV, add features or maintain margin rather than cut price.
  4. Stock Planning: Push inventory flows to take advantage of the cost window, but avoid over-ordering given the end-of-term uncertainty.
  5. Prepare for Renewal Risk: Build a scenario for the end of the 90 days—what happens if tariffs go back up, or new trade barriers emerge.

30/60-90-Day Action Plan

Days 1–30:

  • Re-run landed cost models for top Chinese-sourced SKUs.
  • Adjust pricing or bundling strategy accordingly.
  • Negotiate supplier terms and shipping schedules.

Days 31–60:

  • Monitor if the tariff window is holding; observe any changes in supply lead times or sourcing shifts.
  • Enact contingency for switching some SKUs to non-China sources or alternate suppliers.

Days 61–90:

  • Finalize scenario planning for post-truce environment.
  • Re-forecast based on worst-case tariff escalation or worst-case supply disruption.
  • Communicate changes to ads, pricing, launch strategy, and AOV targets.

Risks to Watch

  • The 90-day truce does not guarantee tariffs won’t rise again—only that the escalation is paused.
  • Some Chinese importers may front-load shipments, causing skew in supply/inventory risk. The Guardian
  • Non-tariff barriers (export controls, rare earths, trade compliance) may still impact cost even if tariffs pause.

Final Word

The 90-day tariff truce gives Amazon sellers a window of opportunity—but only if you act. Re-optimize costs, needle your pricing strategy, and plan for the end of the window as diligently as for the start. Delay, and you risk slipping margin or getting caught flat-footed when tariffs move again.

Bought a Business? Here’s How to Change Legal Entity in Seller Central

Why You Must Do It

When you acquire a business, the legal structure changes—new ownership, new entity, possibly new tax ID. But your Amazon Seller account remains tied to the original legal entity. If you operate while the entity is out-of-date, you risk compliance issues, payment delays, and verification flags. Marketplace Valet+1

1) Common Scenarios Where Change Is Needed

  • You bought a brand and transferred ownership to a newly-formed LLC.
  • Your business converted from sole proprietor to corporation.
  • You merged entities and the business legal owner changed.
  • You corrected previously incorrect legal/business information.

2) Step-by-Step Process

Step 1: Gather Required Documents

  • New legal entity registration (Articles of Organization/Incorporation)
  • Tax ID/EIN tied to new entity
  • Updated bank details under the new entity name
  • Proof of identity, address (if Amazon requests verification)
    Marketplace Valet+1

Step 2: Login & Navigate to Legal Entity Section

  • Settings → Account Info → Business Information → Legal Entity.
  • Click Edit and enter new legal entity name, classification, tax info.
    Amazon Seller Central+1

Step 3: Retake Tax Interview

  • After you change the legal entity, you’ll likely need to retake the Tax Interview in Seller Central.
  • Amazon uses this to verify tax info and ensures matching documentation.
    Amazon Seller Central+1

Step 4: Submit Verification & Monitor

  • Upload documents if requested; check notifications in Seller Central.
  • Ensure your bank account, payments, and tax information clear without holds.
  • Monitor your account health, payments, Buy Box, listing visibility.

Step 5: Communicate Internally

  • Notify your compliance, accounting and operations teams about the entity change.
  • Update internal dashboards, tax filings, bank authorizations, and ACH distributions.

3) Risks of Getting It Wrong

  • Payment holds or delayed has-funds. shopkeeper.com+1
  • Tax compliance issues with IRS or local authorities.
  • Listing suppression due to mismatched entity or verification failures.
  • Inability to enroll new features (Brand Registry, Sponsored Brands) due to inconsistency across legal name/tax ID.

4) 30/60/90-Day Transition Plan

Days 1–30:

  • Map current legal entity usage and documentation.
  • Determine target entity and gather all docs.
  • Submit initial change request and retake tax interview.

Days 31–60:

  • Verify bank account under new entity, monitor sales, Buy Box stability.
  • Update internal systems (accounting, tax, reporting) to reflect new entity.

Days 61–90:

  • Confirm all ads, listings, permissions operate under new entity.
  • Archive old entity documentation; update trademark/ownership records if needed.
  • Conduct audit/log of changes and compliance review.

Final Thoughts

Changing your Amazon legal entity after acquiring a business is not a “nice-to-do”—it’s essential. Do it early, do it right, and you’ll avoid disruption. Miss it, and you could face delays, risks, and lost time. Follow the process above, stay compliant, and the transition will be seamless.