$50B says Amazon’s future isn’t retail 🔮 [MDSR #64]

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Million Dollar Sellers
February 06, 2026

Brought to you by a vetted community of 700+ eCommerce founders representing nearly $12B in annual revenue.

📰 Hot Off The Presses

The last few weeks (and eCom founder polls) have made one thing clear: the pressure sellers are feeling isn’t abstract — it’s showing up in prices, policies, and planning assumptions.

Tariffs, in particular, are no longer a background risk. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy confirmed that tariffs have started to “creep” into prices, while the administration continues expanding its trade posture, with new tariff threats aimed at multiple regions. 

If you’re trying to separate what’s real from what’s posturing, this Trump 2.0 tariff tracker is as close to a single source of truth as it gets right now.

There is a short-term counterbalance. Freight rates fell in January after carrier price hikes failed to stick, giving sellers a brief cost reprieve. But that window may be narrow. The NRF is already warning that U.S. ports could see a muted spring after last year’s surge, complicating inventory timing just as cash discipline matters most.

February hasn’t helped. Winter Storm Fern disrupted FedEx, UPS, and Postal Service deliveries, while Walmart quietly showed what preparedness looks like by using AI-driven systems to reroute supply ahead of the storm.

Reliability isn’t a differentiator anymore. It’s the minimum bar.

At the same time, demand signals are conflicted. Bain expects U.S. retail growth to slow in 2026, even as Valentine’s Day spending is projected to hit record levels. Shoppers are still spending — just with less patience for friction and fewer second chances when something goes wrong.

What is changing is where platforms see room to extract value. Ads on ChatGPT could cost marketers up to three times what Meta currently charges, underscoring that as AI becomes a serious discovery surface, it’s being monetized like one. Faster answers and smoother paths to purchase don’t eliminate costs — they relocate them.

The question for sellers right now isn’t whether costs are rising. It’s which parts of the stack you still have room to control.

🗳️ This edition’s poll

📡 February signals to watch

A few more eCom developments worth keeping on your radar this month — from platform deadlines to signals that could shape the months ahead:

Amazon watch ⤵️

AI + platform shifts ⤵️

Supply chain + channel prep ⤵️

💸 Million Dollar Advice

If you’re still thinking about pricing as a math problem in 2026, you’re leaving money on the table.

The strongest brands don’t just price to compete — they price to influence decisions. From anchoring and decoys to framing, thresholds, and perceived value, pricing psychology shapes how customers interpret worth long before they compare features or reviews.

Looking for fewer discounts, stronger conversion, and more control over your margins?

👉 Add our new expert breakdown to your reading list: 10 powerful pricing psychology strategies to boost sales in 2026

📈 Inspire 2026: Pricing goes up on Feb 16

If MDS Inspire has been a “we’ll decide soon” conversation, this is that moment.

Standard pricing ends February 16. After that, rates increase and the room continues to take shape.

Inspire takes place March 9–11, 2026 at Wynn Las Vegas, bringing together 400+ vetted 7–9 figure founders for three days of operator-level conversation across Amazon, TikTok, and DTC. The guest list is curated. The conversations are candid. And once the room fills out, that’s the room.

Why founders prioritize Inspire:

  • A genuinely vetted group of serious operators

  • Tactical insights you can apply immediately

  • Real proximity to people shaping what’s working right now

  • Space to step out of execution mode before the year locks in

If Inspire is already on your calendar, this is the last chance to lock in standard pricing. 

Waiting past Feb 16 just means paying more for the same seat.

Choose your pass before the window closes:

🧩 Capture vs. Create: where Amazon DSP actually fits 

With discovery fragmenting and new channels getting pricier, it’s tempting to chase the hot new traffic source. But most top sellers still get the biggest leverage from mastering what they already control — especially Amazon ads.

That’s where Amazon DSP fits, and why it’s often misunderstood. Sponsored Ads capture demand. DSP creates it.

Here’s the distinction that matters:

  • Sponsored Ads show up when a shopper is already searching. You’re competing for intent that already exists.

  • DSP lets you reach shoppers before they search — using Amazon’s first-party data to build awareness and consideration across Amazon-owned properties and the open web.

That difference changes how you should think about performance.

DSP works best when: 

☑️ Your Sponsored Ads are already efficient

☑️ You want to expand beyond keyword-limited growth

☑️ You’re willing to invest in full-funnel impact, not just last-click ROAS

More than just an immediate (but short-lived) conversion spike, the payoff is cheaper, warmer demand downstream — which makes every other channel more effective. Especially as CPAs rise elsewhere.

Mastering demand creation first gives you more room to experiment later. 

For a deeper breakdown of how DSP works (and when it makes sense) 👉 Check out our full Amazon DSP guide.

Think this is helpful? Feel free to pass it along 🙂 

📊 eCom Stock Watch

Click on the table below or view the full size data here. 

🔗 Founder rooms worth blocking your calendar for this February 

As the year picks up speed, the real advantage isn’t more content or louder opinions — it’s getting into the right rooms at the right moments.

Spaces where experienced operators can pressure-test decisions, compare notes in real time, and leave with clarity instead of homework.

That’s what MDS events are built for ⤵️

🤝 Ecompreneur Socials

Low-pressure settings with a clear purpose: reconnect with fellow founders and reset your bearings before Q1 turns into Q2.

🤝 MDS Connects 

Curated founder meetups aligned with the industry’s biggest moments — so conversations happen when context matters most.

⏳ Seats are limited — and these rooms fill early.

Lock them into your 2026 calendar now → All Event Links

📲 Did you see that post

It only looks ironic if you ignore where the money’s going…

✌️ Until Next Time

As always, thanks for sticking with us until the end. 

If you’d care to share your thoughts on this newsletter, we’re all ears. Just hit reply to sound off. 

See you next time with more of the latest and greatest content you need to succeed this year 🔥

Sincerely, 

Looking for a mastermind community?

Million Dollar Sellers (MDS) is an exclusive community of 700+ like-minded Amazon and DTC sellers from all over the world. Collectively, our members generate more than 8 billion in annual sales and dominate some of the biggest categories on Amazon. MDS offers world-class events, chapters, industry discounts, resource libraries full of SOPs, templates, and video recordings of private trainings, workshops, events and so much more.

If you are looking for a business professional community made for ecom entrepreneurs, then consider applying today. 

*To qualify, you must be a full-time seller or brand owner and do at least 1 million in verified annual revenue. Will Amazon’s Returnless Resolutions solve the returns debacle? [MDSR #30]