Keeping up with Amazon Seller Central news is basically a full-time job. Honestly, if you blink, you’ve missed three policy updates, a new fee structure, and a dashboard redesign that moves the one button you actually use.
It's frustrating.
As we move through 2026, the noise is louder than ever. Amazon is leaning harder into generative AI for listings while simultaneously cracking down on "systemic manipulation" with an intensity we haven't seen before. If you're selling on the platform, you've probably noticed that the "News" section in your dashboard has been blowing up lately. Most of it is fluff. Some of it, however, will literally determine whether your account stays active or gets nuked by an algorithm.
The Big Shift in Amazon Seller Central News This Year
The biggest thing happening right now isn't a single button; it's the shift toward Cosmo.
For the uninitiated, Cosmo is Amazon's new AI-based ranking signal. It’s moving away from simple keyword matching. It wants to know intent. This changes everything you see in your Seller Central reports. You might notice your "Search Query Performance" data looking a bit wonky. That’s because Amazon is starting to prioritize how well your product actually solves the user's "why" rather than just having the word "spatula" in your title five times.
It’s a massive pivot.
We are also seeing a huge push in the Amazon Seller Central news feed regarding the "Low-Inventory Level Fee." This has been a massive thorn in the side of small-to-medium businesses. Amazon basically penalized sellers for not having enough stock, which seems backward if you're trying to manage cash flow. However, the latest updates suggest they are finally refining the "Product Lifecycle" exceptions. If you have a seasonal product, you need to check your dashboard immediately to see if your SKU qualifies for the new waiver period.
Why Your "Account Health" Looks Different
Have you looked at your Account Health Rating (AHR) lately? It’s not just a color-coded bar anymore.
Amazon is integrating more transparency into the "Repeat Violation" metric. In the past, you could play a bit of whack-a-mole with IP complaints. Not anymore. The news coming out of the legal compliance side of Amazon indicates that they are tracking "patterns of behavior" across multiple accounts owned by the same entity. If you get three "Suspected Intellectual Property" violations on one brand, it’s now significantly more likely to trigger a global review of your entire portfolio.
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It’s scary stuff if you aren't paying attention.
The Logistics Nightmare (and the Fix)
Shipping to FBA has become a game of Tetris played with real money. The "Inbound Placement Service Fee" introduced last year is still causing headaches. Basically, Amazon wants you to send your stuff to four or five different warehouses to save them money on shipping to the customer. If you want to send it all to one place? You pay a premium.
But here’s the kicker found in the recent Amazon Seller Central news updates: the "Minimal Shipment Splits" option is being tweaked.
I’ve talked to sellers who are saving roughly 15% on inbound costs by utilizing the new "Optimization" tool hidden in the Shipping Queue. It’s not intuitive. You have to opt-in at the shipment creation level. If you're still doing things the "old way," you are literally leaving money on the table for Jeff.
- Tip: Check your "FBA Inbound Placement" settings under Fulfillment preferences.
- Warning: Auto-settings often default to the most expensive option for the seller.
- Strategy: Compare the "Partial Shipment Splits" vs. "Amazon-Optimized" for every single large restock.
AI is Writing Your Listings (Whether You Like It or Not)
Amazon's "Rufus" AI is the new shopping assistant. It’s changing how customers interact with your page. The latest Amazon Seller Central news regarding listing optimization focuses heavily on "Attribute Completeness."
Why?
Because Rufus uses those backend attributes to answer customer questions. If a customer asks, "Will this fit in a standard cup holder?" and you haven't filled out the "Product Dimensions" or "Compatibility" fields in the backend, the AI might just say "I'm not sure" or, worse, pull data from a competitor's Q&A section.
You’ve got to be proactive here.
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The new "AI-Generated Content" tool in Seller Central is actually getting decent. It’s no longer the garbled mess it was two years ago. It can now scrape your existing images to suggest bullet points. But—and this is a big "but"—you cannot trust it blindly. I’ve seen it hallucinate features that aren't there, which is a one-way ticket to a "Product Not as Described" return and a hit to your ODR (Order Defect Rate).
Brand Registry 3.0?
Technically, they haven't called it 3.0, but the updates to the Brand Registry dashboard feel like a total overhaul. The "Report a Violation" tool is finally getting some teeth. The "Automated Brand Protection" is now supposedly 40% faster at taking down counterfeiters.
For those of us who have spent weeks fighting a Chinese hijacker, this is a godsend.
But there’s a catch. To get this level of protection, Amazon is pushing sellers toward "Transparency" codes. It’s an extra cost per unit. It’s basically a protection racket, but honestly? It’s often worth it just for the peace of mind.
The Fee Maze: Surviving the Margin Squeeze
Let's talk about the "Apparel" fee updates. Amazon actually lowered fees for items under $15 and $20. This was a direct shot at Temu and Shein. If you're in the clothing space, the latest Amazon Seller Central news is actually... good? For once?
They want to keep the low-cost, high-volume sellers on the platform.
On the flip side, the "Heavy and Bulky" fees have gone up. If you're selling furniture or large gym equipment, your margins are probably feeling the heat. The move here is to look at "Seller Flex" or "SFP" (Seller Fulfilled Prime) if you can meet the brutal shipping requirements. Most can't. But for those who can, it’s a way to bypass some of the FBA storage hikes.
Don't Ignore the "Voice of the Customer"
This is the most underrated tab in all of Seller Central.
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The "Voice of the Customer" (VOC) dashboard is where your business goes to live or die. Amazon has updated the "Negative Customer Experience" (NCX) triggers. They are now using sentiment analysis on returns.
If a customer returns a product and selects "Defective," but writes "Didn't like the color" in the comments, the old system would still ding your NCX. The new system—highlighted in recent tech updates—is supposedly better at filtering these out. You can actually appeal "Unfair NCX" ratings now through a streamlined process in the VOC portal.
Actionable Steps for the Next 30 Days
Don't just read this and go back to refreshing your sales. You need to move.
First, go to your Growth Opportunities tab. Amazon's internal AI actually identifies which of your products are losing conversion because of "missing images" or "high return rates." It’s basically a cheat sheet for what the algorithm wants you to fix.
Second, audit your FBA Small and Light (now part of standard FBA) items. With the recent fee changes, some of your $10-$12 items might actually be more profitable now than they were six months ago.
Third, check your Storefront. Amazon is giving more organic weight to brands that have a high "Storefront Follower" count. They want to be a social platform. Use the "Manage Your Customer Engagement" (MYCE) tool to send emails to your followers. It’s free marketing. In 2026, free marketing on Amazon is as rare as a 5-star review without a "Vine" tag.
Finally, keep an eye on the Regulatory Compliance section. With new EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) laws hitting more categories, you might find your listings blocked if you haven't uploaded specific registration numbers. It’s boring, it’s bureaucratic, but it’s the reality of selling globally.
Stay on top of the news, but don't let it paralyze you. The sellers who win are the ones who adapt to the new rules while everyone else is still complaining about the old ones.
Check your Account Health. Fix your attributes. Watch your margins.
That’s how you survive.