Amazon News Insight

Published July 21, 2026 / EC Designer Editorial

Two topics are making the rounds in Amazon seller communities right now: a reported update to FBA fee structures and a renewed crackdown on how sellers can — and can't — ask customers for reviews. While neither has been formally announced as a sweeping policy overhaul, chatter across seller forums and weekly newsletters suggests these are live issues worth paying close attention to, especially if you're running any kind of post-purchase outreach or haven't audited your fulfillment costs lately.

FBA Fee Updates: How to Check If Your Margins Have Quietly Shrunk

Sellers are talking about what appears to be a revised FBA fee schedule now in effect. If you haven't logged into Seller Central recently to cross-check your numbers, this is a good prompt to do exactly that. Fee changes — even seemingly small ones — can quietly erode margins on lower-priced or heavier SKUs, and the impact often doesn't show up clearly until you're already running at a loss.

The most practical first step is to pull up the Fee Preview tool in Seller Central and run through your active catalog. Pay particular attention to:

• Size tier classifications — Some sellers find that dimensional weight recalculations have bumped their products into a higher tier than expected.
• Oversize and bulky item categories — These tend to absorb the biggest swings when fee schedules shift.
• Low-margin or high-volume SKUs — A few cents per unit adds up fast at scale.

Once you have a clear picture, it's worth revisiting your pricing strategy. Some sellers suggest running a quick breakeven analysis on any SKU where the updated fees push your net margin below a comfortable threshold. If the numbers no longer work for FBA, it may be worth modeling a switch to FBM or a hybrid approach for specific products rather than absorbing the hit across the board.

This is also a good moment to check whether any inventory sitting in Amazon's warehouses is approaching long-term storage fee territory. Combining a fee audit with an inventory health review makes the whole exercise more efficient.

Review Request Crackdowns: Are Your Post-Purchase Methods Still Compliant?

The second topic generating discussion is a reported tightening of rules around how sellers solicit reviews — specifically, the use of physical inserts like postcards or flyers that direct customers toward leaving feedback. Some sellers suggest that Amazon appears to be treating certain offline review-prompting tactics more strictly, with potential consequences ranging from listing suppression to loss of selling privileges in serious cases.

This isn't entirely new territory — Amazon's policies on review manipulation have always been strict on paper — but the sense among sellers is that enforcement may be getting more active. If your fulfillment workflow includes physical inserts of any kind, now is a good time to audit them carefully.

Here's a practical checklist for staying on the right side of Amazon's review policies:

• No conditional language — Inserts or messages that say anything like "if you're happy, please leave a review" are a red flag. Requests must be neutral and unconditional.
• No incentives, direct or implied — Offering discounts, freebies, or any benefit tied to leaving a review is a policy violation, full stop.
• Use the official "Request a Review" button — Amazon's built-in tool in Seller Central is the safest compliant method for triggering review requests, and it's available for orders within four to 30 days of delivery.
• Review any third-party tools you're using — If you're running automated follow-up sequences through a third-party platform, double-check that the messaging hasn't drifted out of compliance, especially if templates were set up a while ago.
• Physical inserts: keep them product-focused — If you include packaging inserts at all, stick to things like setup instructions, warranty information, or brand storytelling. Avoid any language that steers customers toward the review page.

The risk here isn't theoretical. Sellers who've had listings or accounts actioned over review policy violations describe the reinstatement process as time-consuming and uncertain. A quick audit of your current practice costs almost nothing; an account suspension costs a great deal more.

FAQ

Where can I check how the new FBA fees affect my specific products?

Log into Seller Central and use the Fee Preview tool, found under the 'Inventory' or 'Reports' section depending on your account setup. It shows estimated fees per SKU based on current dimensions and weight, so you can identify which products have been most affected by any fee schedule changes.

Is it against Amazon's rules to include a postcard or insert asking for a review?

It depends on the wording and intent. Amazon's policies prohibit any review solicitation that is conditional, incentivized, or that directs customers specifically to leave a positive review. A neutral, unconditional request on a physical insert may technically be allowed, but given the reported increase in scrutiny, many sellers are choosing to rely solely on Amazon's official 'Request a Review' button to stay clearly within policy boundaries.