Too hard to quit Prime? A jury will decide ⚖️ [MDSR #56]

Hot Off The Presses 📰

MDSR readers aren’t shy about where the peak season edge lies: 60% say doubling down on off-Amazon channels is the best bet. 

That instinct looks sharp given the current headlines. Tariffs are stacking up — from surprise fees hitting shoppers at checkout, to the White House urging the Supreme Court to preserve Trump’s tariff powers. 

With new holiday forecasts pegging growth at just 4% — well below the long-term eCom average — it’s safe to say that margins will be hard-won. Concerned sellers might want to focus on tapping into the potential of Prime Big Deal Days and the Halloween goldrush until then… 

Amazon, as always, is reshuffling the deck. US sellers are about to see holiday peak fulfillment fees return October 15–January 14 (unchanged from last year) while UK and EU sellers face a new unit-weight pricing model. 

At the same time, Amazon is leaning hard into agentic AI assistants that promise to “streamline” everything from ads to account management. Now Amazon is even piloting AI that reads reviews out loud — turning customer feedback into soundbites that may or may not change how buyers make decisions.

But scrutiny is catching up. A trial is underway over whether Prime is too hard to cancel, spotlighting how sticky subscription tactics could land Amazon in hot water.

Competitors see an opening. Walmart is attracting sellers with fulfillment services even as its rapid marketplace growth leaves cracks for fake products to slip through. And OpenAI just flipped the script by letting shoppers buy directly in ChatGPT — a change so seismic that analysts say it could forever alter online shopping.

Bottom line? With tariffs squeezing costs, Amazon testing AI in every corner of the seller experience, and rivals mounting their own October deal blitz, Prime Big Deal Days may be the last clean read on buyer appetite before the holidays hit full throttle. 

Sellers who calibrate expectations — and margins — wisely could turn the event into a springboard for Q4.

Million Dollar Advice 💸 

If you want to win on Amazon, great products aren’t enough — your listings have to sell before the first click. From keyword targeting and image strategy to A+ content that converts, optimization is where visibility turns into velocity. 

The sellers who treat every listing as a living asset — tested, refined, and tuned to shopper behavior — are the ones compounding sales instead of leaving them to chance.

👉 Master the playbook for listing optimization

October’s must-attend industry gatherings 📅

October is crunch time in ecommerce. With Q4 looming and holiday campaigns ramping up, founders are doubling down on every possible edge.

It also happens to be one of the busiest months for industry gatherings — from seller meetups to global conferences — where ideas and partnerships can spark growth well beyond the holiday season.

Don’t miss our roundup of some of the most exciting events happening this month, and why they might be worth adding to your calendar.

⤵️ Get all the details on our blog ⤵️

Getting China imports right, the first time 🚢

With tariffs in the headlines again, sellers can’t afford surprises in their supply chain. Getting inventory from China into Amazon’s network is one of the most margin-sensitive moves you’ll make — and Q4 is no time for rookie mistakes.

Here’s what to lock in before your cartons ever hit the water:

✅ Reliable partners. Your supplier should understand FBA prep standards, and your freight forwarder should act as a logistics quarterback — not just a booking agent.

✅ The right shipping mix. Air freight = fast but costly (7–12 days). Sea freight = cheaper but slow (30–45+ days). Many sellers hedge with a hybrid: a small air batch to start sales, bulk by sea to protect margins.

✅ Incoterms clarity. The fine print matters: EXW (Ex Works) puts nearly all cost and risk on the buyer, FOB (Free on Board) splits responsibility at the port, and CIF (Cost, Insurance & Freight) bundles insurance but still hands over risk once goods are shipped.

Most Amazon sellers prefer DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) — not shown here — because it bakes tariffs and customs into the cost up front. 

The point? Pick the wrong term, and hidden costs can sting later.

✅ Flawless paperwork. Commercial invoices, packing lists, bills of lading, HS codes — small errors here can mean weeks of delays at customs.

✅ Smart FBA prep. Label every unit with FNSKUs, every carton with FBA IDs. Decide whether prep happens at the factory, a China-based center, or a US 3PL — each has cost vs. control tradeoffs.

The takeaway: shipping to FBA isn’t just logistics — it’s strategy. Sellers who streamline now will feel fewer tariff shocks and keep Q4 inventory flowing.

👉 For the full playbook, don't miss our deep dive.

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. 

Turning conversations into growth 📈

Amazon may be global, but growth still happens locally — in the rooms where sellers trade hard-won lessons and sharpen each other’s playbooks. That’s the ethos behind every MDS gathering: keep it real, keep it useful, and keep it seller-first.

🤝 Ecompreneur Socials

Casual settings, serious takeaways.

• October 3 — Atlanta Ecom Founder Social

• October 17 — Cyprus Ecom Founder Social

• October 31— Singapore Ecom Founder Social

🤝 MDS Connects 

Built around the industry’s biggest stages.

• October 20 — MDS Connect: Ecom Founders Social at Innovate 2025

• October 27 — MDS Ecom Founder Social at Supply Side West 2025

Seats always go fast — secure yours (and see the full lineup):  👉 All Event Links

Did you see that post 📲

Margins aren’t static — they’re levers. Pull the right ones now, and you’ll be trading up all quarter. 

And if there’s anyone who knows a thing or two about trading up, it’s Alex Hormozi.

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]