Seller concentration grows, OTDR rules soften, Brand+ scales, and Amazon strengthens its global ecosystem
News #1. Expert View: Amazon Remains a Land of Opportunity — but the Rules Have Changed
Analysts at Marketplace Pulse reviewed U.S. Amazon data for 2025 and confirm a key point: the marketplace still represents a massive opportunity. Independent sellers generate roughly $300 billion in annual GMV in the U.S. alone. The money is there — but it is increasingly concentrated among the most professional operators.
What happened
Market concentration continues to accelerate.
In 2023, about 15,000 sellers generated 50% of third-party (3P) revenue.
In 2025, that number dropped to roughly 7,760 sellers.
At the top of the pyramid:
111 sellers account for 10% of total 3P GMV.
1,020 sellers generate 25% of total 3P GMV.
For context, there are approximately 500,000 active U.S. sellers (defined as having at least one seller feedback in the past year). This shows that Amazon remains large and accessible — but revenue share is shifting toward those who operate systematically and professionally. Notably, U.S.-based sellers dominate the upper tier:
They represent 55% of leading sellers
And control 67% of total GMV among that group
Chinese sellers account for 41% of the top cohort but generate 30% of GMV — suggesting that structured operations, brand strategy, and capital discipline play a decisive role in scaling.
Why it matters
Experts link accelerating concentration to shrinking margins. Rising referral fees, higher ad costs, and increased import tariffs have made Amazon less forgiving for unprepared sellers. New entrants still join the platform hoping for “quick wins,” but without:
Clear unit economics
Product-market validation
Logistics planning
Structured PPC strategy
many burn capital within months.
Amazon is no longer filtering sellers by access — it filters them by competence. Those who survive and grow:
Operate with data discipline
Build brand assets
Protect margins
Maintain capital reserves
Treat Amazon as infrastructure, not as a shortcut
Amazon has evolved beyond the “easy launch” era. Uploading a product and expecting organic traction is no longer a strategy — it is a gamble. The marketplace has entered a mature phase, where systematic execution beats opportunistic tactics.
The opportunity remains enormous. But now it belongs to operators who approach Amazon as a serious, structured business — not a side experiment.That is precisely why professional preparation today is not an optional addition to a business — it is a fundamental necessity.
News #2. Amazon Softens OTDR Penalties: Only Problematic FBM Listings Will Be Disabled
Starting February 28, 2026, Amazon is updating the enforcement of the 90% On-Time Delivery Rate (OTDR) requirement for seller-fulfilled (FBM) listings. Previously, falling below 90% could result in all FBM listings being deactivated. Under the new policy, only the listings that most negatively impact the metric will be disabled.
What happened?
Amazon is keeping the 90% OTDR threshold but changing how penalties are applied:
If OTDR falls slightly below 90%, only the “problematic” listings will be deactivated, while the rest of the catalog remains active.
If OTDR drops significantly below 90% or violations are repeated, Amazon may still disable all FBM listings.
Notifications will continue to be sent via email.
Why does it matter?
This is a meaningful relief for FBM sellers. One underperforming SKU will no longer automatically jeopardize the entire FBM catalog. However, the stricter enforcement scenario still applies in cases of ongoing or severe non-compliance.
What does it mean for Amazon sellers?
To qualify for protection under standard shipping, Amazon recommends:
Enabling shipping settings automation
Enabling automated handling time
Purchasing OTDR-protected labels via Amazon Buy Shipping or Veeqo
For Seller Fulfilled Prime and Premium Shipping, automated handling time is not mandatory. However, protection still requires:
On-time shipment
Automated shipping settings
OTDR-protected labels (via Amazon Buy Shipping or Veeqo)
If a listing is deactivated, reinstatement has become simpler: Go to Account Health → Other Policy Violations → Order Performance (OTDR) → Submit Appeal, and the listing should be reactivated automatically. More details are available in Amazon Help.
News #3. Amazon Ads Brand+ Rolls Out Globally
Amazon Ads has expanded Brand+ to international markets. The solution, built within Amazon DSP, uses AI to identify new audiences, deliver video and display ads, and connect brand awareness directly to measurable actions — such as detail page views, add-to-carts, and purchases.
What happened?
Brand+ is a suite of automations inside Amazon DSP designed to simplify upper-funnel advertising:
AI-driven audience discovery – The system automatically identifies potential buyers.
Launch in four clicks – Reduced manual setup and campaign configuration.
Premium placements – Access to Amazon-owned inventory, including video, streaming TV, and display banners. In the U.S., Amazon claims reach of up to 300 million users and 90% of TV households.
Ad formats – Streaming TV, online video, and display ads across Amazon and external sites.
Advanced analytics dashboard – Audience insights, impression share, and time-to-purchase metrics.
Creative integration at setup – Attach video or banner assets directly during campaign creation.
Live Events Optimizer (closed beta) – AI budget and reach optimization during major events (e.g., sports, live shows).
Why does it matter?
Amazon backs Brand+ with performance data, claiming strong impact across the funnel:
+71% increase in detail page views
+42% increase in new-to-brand detail page views
+63% increase in add-to-cart rate
+64% growth in sales
If validated at scale, these metrics suggest tighter integration between brand awareness and conversion — traditionally a weak link in marketplace advertising.
What does it mean for Amazon sellers?For brand-focused sellers, Brand+ addresses a long-standing issue: measuring upper-funnel impact. Amazon promises clearer attribution from awareness to purchase through AI-powered audience targeting and optimization.
If you’ve already scaled beyond standard Amazon PPC, Brand+ may offer a faster way to expand reach without deep manual audience segmentation. However, preparation is critical: strong creatives (video or banners) and a well-optimized Brand Store are essential for maximizing results.
News #4. Amazon Simplifies Global Expansion and Pushes Its Own Logistics Ecosystem
Amazon has updated Sell Globally in Seller Central, introducing a new expansion steps module — a structured, step-by-step roadmap for launching in international marketplaces. At the same time, the company is actively promoting Supply Chain by Amazon as an end-to-end logistics solution “from factory to customer.”
What happened?
Sell Globally is no longer just a dashboard — it’s becoming a guided expansion assistant. Inside Inventory → Sell Globally, sellers now see:
New Stores to Launch — markets where your catalog has sales potential, available incentives, and estimated first-year investment.
Global Sales in Active Stores — performance metrics for currently active regions.
Expansion Research — sales projections, category trends, cost breakdowns, and recommended ASINs (Amazon Standard Identification Number).
The key addition is expansion steps, guiding sellers through: Account setup → Listing creation → Inventory shipment → Ad campaign launch. Simultaneously, Amazon reminded sellers that Supply Chain by Amazon aims to eliminate operational friction in international logistics.
Why does it matter?
Amazon is making cross-border expansion more structured and data-driven — but also more tightly integrated into its own logistics ecosystem. Supply Chain by Amazon combines:
Amazon Global Logistics (AGL)
Send to Amazon (SEND)
Partnered Carrier Program (PCP)
Amazon Warehousing and Distribution (AWD)
Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA)
Multi-Channel Fulfillment (MCF)
Buy with Prime
Inventory can even be marked as “in stock and purchasable” once it reaches Amazon Warehousing and Distribution (AWD) — before final fulfillment. AWD auto-replenishment distributes inventory across fulfillment centers to increase eligibility for same-day or next-day delivery.
What does it mean for Amazon sellers?If you’re planning international expansion, Sell Globally reduces operational confusion and offers structured guidance. If logistics is your bottleneck, Amazon is clearly encouraging sellers to hand over the entire supply chain — from factory pickup to last-mile delivery — within one unified system. However, Amazon’s logistics services are often more expensive than third-party freight solutions. Sellers must weigh convenience and automation against margin impact before fully committing to the ecosystem.
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