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- If Amazon’s invisible on Google... where does that leave sellers? 🔎 [MDSR #55]
If Amazon’s invisible on Google... where does that leave sellers? 🔎 [MDSR #55]
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Million Dollar Sellers
September 18, 2025
Brought to you by a vetted community of 700+ eCommerce founders representing nearly $12B in annual revenue.
Hot Off The Presses 📰
Sellers have spoken: fulfillment fee policies are the Q4 game-changer. A whopping 88% of the MDS community named them as the update most likely to reshape day-to-day operations — leaving everything else as background noise.
Amazon seems to agree that it’s time to refocus. The company is reshaping the buyer experience with Lens Live and new plays like Second Chance Deal Days in the EU, hyping refurbished inventory to price-sensitive shoppers. Prime members also just lost the perk of sharing free shipping outside their household, a quiet shift that may squeeze more households into paid plans.
And reports of consumer AR glasses hint at a bigger bet: keep shoppers tethered to Amazon’s orbit, no matter the hardware.
At the same time, Amazon is redrawing the map of where products get seen. Sponsored placements are moving away from product detail pages — meaning fewer ads right at the point of conversion. Combine that with slowing Prime signups and a drop in Google search visibility, and the takeaway is clear: Amazon is under pressure to monetize differently, even if it changes how sellers drive discovery.
Still, opportunity abounds. In an ecosystem where single products can mint millionaires, sellers who adapt quickly — by experimenting with off-Amazon channels, leaning into refurbished or niche categories, or fine-tuning their ad mix — could carve out an edge. The marketplace is shifting, but it’s not closing doors.
Meanwhile, rivals are pressing their advantage. TikTok Shop is pushing sellers toward weekend livestreaming as it flexes its rapid growth two years in. Shopify is positioning its AI as demand-first — a direct counter to Amazon’s supply-driven model. And Walmart continues to chip away at Amazon’s weak spot: seller loyalty.
Only after all that noise do tariffs re-enter the chat. With postal traffic collapsing 80% and factory costs climbing, sellers are watching costs rise from every angle. Treasury officials warn that if the Supreme Court tosses Trump’s tariffs, the refund chaos could make things worse before they get better.
And don’t expect shoppers to offset the pain — early reports say holiday discounts will be fewer and farther between.
Where do you see the biggest opportunity to stand out this Q4? 🔍 |
Million Dollar Advice 💸
If you want to protect your bottom line in 2025, profit margin discipline is the name of the game.
And it’s for good reason that top sellers are relentless about trimming inefficiencies, negotiating smarter with suppliers, and tightening up their pricing playbooks.
Every percentage point you claw back is fuel for growth, cash flow, and reinvestment.
Want a proven blueprint for widening your margins? Here’s how the best in the game are doing it.
How life events shape shopping habits 🧑🧑🧒🧒
Amazon Ads’ new research shows that big life changes — moving, getting married, starting a new job, having a baby — reshape how people shop. If you want to make life events your new best friend when it comes to marketing strategies, here’s what you need to know:
🕵️ Buyers do more homework.
6 in 10 consumers say a life event makes them more intentional about brand choices.
Reviews, retail sites, and search become even more critical in their decision-making.
📺 Media habits shift.
Consumers lean on streaming TV, music, podcasts, and livestreams during transitions.
Discovery often happens outside the marketplace itself.
🏠 Some categories benefit most.
Home goods, consumer electronics, financial services, home improvement, and auto purchases see the biggest lift during life events.
What this means for sellers:
Time your campaigns to life milestones relevant to your category.
Show up where discovery happens — search, reviews, and streaming media.
Tailor your messaging to the change your customer is going through.
Think this is helpful?
Turning meetups into momentum 🔑
Behind every breakout brand is a conversation that sparked it. That’s why the MDS community makes face time a priority.
These gatherings strip away the noise and create real opportunities to trade strategies, build trust, and fuel growth that lasts.
🤝 MDS Connects
Curated meetups anchored to the biggest industry moments.
🤝 Ecompreneur Socials
Relaxed settings, sharp insights.
FYI, space is limited — if you’re eyeing a spot, lock it in now: 👉 All Event Links
The Official MDS Summit Milan Recap 🎥
Three days. Five continents. Countless insights.
The Milan Summit brought the global seller community together like never before — and now the official recap video is live. Relive the highlights, the energy, and the connections that made it a can’t-miss event.
🌏 Already looking ahead? 🌏
The next big gathering is set: MDS Summit Singapore, August 23–26, 2026.
Mark your calendar and join the global community for another round of game-changing conversations.
This is a members-only experience, so if you’re not yet part of the community, now’s the time.
Did you see that post 📲
While everyone’s been bracing for Trump’s tariffs, this seller got hit with a $918K retroactive bill — on shipments he already cleared. 🤯
@paulelli8 Part 5: The retroactive tariff bill is real
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 650+ 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]