With December sales behind us, Amazon sellers are wrapping up the year and shifting their focus to what 2026 may bring. This is the ideal time to step back, analyze performance, and start planning ahead. It is especially important as Amazon continues to introduce platform updates and as new shopping behaviors begin to shape how customers discover and purchase products.
Amazon Platform Updates Worth Noticing in December
New FBM Features Give Sellers More Operational Control
Amazon rolled out new tools for Fulfillment by Merchant sellers that provide greater flexibility and control over daily operations. Sellers can now set business holidays without deactivating listings, adjust operating hours by location, and gain clearer visibility into how delivery dates are calculated. These updates are designed to help FBM sellers manage customer expectations more accurately while maintaining listing continuity.
Read more:
https://sellercentral.amazon.com/seller-forums/discussions/t/d5c9cba2-2f6e-4c90-bcd6-6ea55627cfa0
New Returns Dashboard Ahead of January Peak
Ahead of the expected post holiday returns surge, Amazon launched a new Returns Dashboard that centralizes key return related metrics in one place. The dashboard helps sellers track return trends, identify recurring issues, and respond faster during one of the busiest returns periods of the year.
Read more:
https://www.ecommercebytes.com/2025/11/12/amazon-announces-new-dashboard-ahead-of-expected-january-returns-tsunami/
European Fee Reductions Announced for 2026
Amazon announced upcoming changes to referral and Fulfillment by Amazon fees across European marketplaces starting in 2026. The updates include fee reductions in several categories, expanded eligibility for Low Price FBA, and adjustments to promotional fee caps. These changes are expected to improve margins and create new pricing and promotional opportunities for sellers operating in Europe.
AI Ecommerce News You Should Know
OpenAI and Perplexity Expand Shopping Capabilities
OpenAI and Perplexity both introduced enhanced shopping experiences within their conversational AI tools. Users can research products, compare options, and receive recommendations directly inside the chat interface. While this improves product discvery and decision making, these tools do not provide universal access to marketplaces or live product listings, and they cannot complete purchases on most major platforms.
Read more:
https://openai.com/index/chatgpt-shopping-research/
https://www.perplexity.ai/hub/blog/shopping-that-puts-you-first
Target Shows the Path Amazon Is Not Taking
Target recently launched a dedicated shopping experience inside ChatGPT that allows users to research products, build carts, and complete purchases without leaving the AI interface. This move effectively turns conversational AI into a full commerce channel rather than just a discovery layer. It highlights a strategic direction Amazon has chosen not to follow at this stage.
Read more:
https://www.modernretail.co/technology/target-to-launch-new-shopping-app-within-chatgpt/
Amazon Keeps Its Marketplace Closed to External AI Tools
In contrast to Target, Amazon has kept its marketplace closed to third party AI shopping tools. While ChatGPT shopping features can support general product research, they cannot browse live Amazon listings or complete Amazon purchases. This reinforces Amazon’s decision to keep discovery and conversion inside its own ecosystem.
Read more:
https://www.modernretail.co/technology/openais-new-chatgpt-shopping-tool-promises-in-depth-research-just-not-for-amazon-products/
Amazon Doubles Down on Rufus
Rather than opening its marketplace to external AI platforms, Amazon continues to invest in Rufus, its in house AI shopping assistant. During Black Friday, Rufus saw a significant increase in usage, with sessions involving the tool showing higher engagement and conversion rates. This signals that Amazon’s AI strategy is focused on strengthening internal discovery and purchasing flows.
Read more:
https://techcrunch.com/2025/12/01/amazons-ai-chatbot-rufus-drove-sales-on-black-friday/
The Bottom Line
As 2025 comes to a close, Amazon is reinforcing its position as a closed but highly integrated commerce ecosystem. Platform updates are giving sellers more operational control and visibility, while upcoming fee changes in Europe signal a continued effort to stay competitive in price sensitive markets.
At the same time, the broader retail landscape is experimenting with new AI driven shopping models. While some retailers are opening their commerce layers to external AI platforms, Amazon is taking a different approach by investing in internal tools like Rufus to shape discovery and purchasing within its own environment.
For sellers, 2026 will reward brands that optimize for Amazon’s native tools and AI driven discovery, not those waiting for external platforms to unlock access.
We will continue monitoring these shifts closely and sharing what matters most as the new year begins.
Happy New Year,
Meirav
