Latest / Selling on Giants: The eCommerce Marketplace Podcast / Amazon’s AI Rewrites Search, Walmart Fixes Categories, and the Rise of Retail Media

Transcript

Amazon’s AI Rewrites Search, Walmart Fixes Categories, and the Rise of Retail Media · Selling on Giants: The eCommerce Marketplace Podcast

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome back to Selling on Giants, e-commerce news and updates.
• 0:03
  SPEAKER_00: I'm Mr.
• 0:04
  SPEAKER_00: Will, co-founder of Bellovics.
• 0:06
  SPEAKER_00: And every week I break down what's happening across Amazon, Walmart, and Shopify so you don't have to scroll through forums or decode vague press releases.
• 0:18
  SPEAKER_00: If you want the news that actually moves the needle, this is it.
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_00: Amazon's AI now understands no laces means slip-on.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_00: Here's one for anyone who's ever screamed at a screen, I said no laces, Amazon's search engine finally heard you.
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_00: Customers often type what they don't want, like no glare, no wires, or no sugar.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_00: But for years, Amazon's search engine served up the opposite because negation confused it.
• 0:44
  SPEAKER_00: That disconnect has cost sellers in missed impressions and bad matchups.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_00: Now, Amazon's rolling out large language models to rewrite these queries into something its system understands.
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_00: No chords becomes wireless.
• 0:59
  SPEAKER_00: No fingerprints, that's anti-smudge.
• 1:02
  SPEAKER_00: If your listing speaks the same affirmative language, you'll show up.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_00: For sellers, that means rewrite your bullets to emphasize benefits, not absences.
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_00: Watch for a bump in long tail impressions.
• 1:13
  SPEAKER_00: Keep your copy tight and specific.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_00: Vague listings won't get picked up by the AI rewrite.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_00: Amazon's own testing showed a 15% improvement in search relevance.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_00: Translation, clean copy, and clarity now lead to more qualified traffic.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_00: Get ahead or get buried.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_00: Amazon's push for better plastics, what sellers need to know.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_00: But while Amazon is training robots to read between the lines, it's also rethinking what packages they ship in.
• 1:37
  SPEAKER_00: Amazon is working with the Department of Energy on next gen biodegradable plastics and new recycling tech like Ester Cycle TM that can break down polyester waste without fancy sorting.
• 1:49
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, it's science, but it's also your future packaging.
• 1:53
  SPEAKER_00: Here's what matters start evaluating recyclable and biodegradable packaging now.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_00: Expect future pressure to align with Amazon's sustainability goals.
• 2:02
  SPEAKER_00: Brands that lean green will score with eco-conscious shoppers and possibly avoid fines later.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_00: Packaging is no longer a cost center.
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_00: It's a competitive differentiator.
• 2:13
  SPEAKER_00: Get ahead while it's still optional.
• 2:15
  SPEAKER_00: Walmart Marketplace categorization is make or break.
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_00: Next up, Walmart's not playing games with your product types.
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_00: They've tightened the screws on attribution and taxonomy, and if you're not categorized right, you're invisible.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_00: Walmart uses a strict hierarchy: category, type group, product type.
• 2:34
  SPEAKER_00: If you miss the right product type, your listing might end up as miscellaneous, with fewer attributes, weaker search relevancy, and even the wrong referral fee.
• 2:44
  SPEAKER_00: Sellers, here's what to do.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_00: Audit your catalog for misclassified SKUs.
• 2:49
  SPEAKER_00: Align your titles and bullets with required attributes.
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_00: Use seller center listing quality.
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_00: Report issue if your items got lumped into the wrong bucket.
• 2:57
  SPEAKER_00: This isn't housekeeping, it's performance.
• 2:59
  SPEAKER_00: Clean taxonomy means higher rank, better discovery, and more sales.
• 3:03
  SPEAKER_00: Shopify's 13 proven strategies to grow your retail business in 2025.
• 3:08
  SPEAKER_00: If you're running Shopify and thinking brick and click is dead, it's not.
• 3:13
  SPEAKER_00: Shopify's latest playbook is all about hybrid growth.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_00: They've laid out 13 tactics to help merchant scale in 2025, including launching pop-ups to test markets, diversifying sales channels, bundling products and tiered pricing strategies, using unified commerce platforms to sync your store and inventory.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_00: Key takeaway: growth doesn't mean more complexity, it means smarter systems.
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_00: Whether you're online, in-store, or both, Shopify is guiding sellers toward tech-enabled retail that scales cleanly.
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_00: Now, before we jump into Amazon shipping shakeup, quick sidebar because if you're trying to make sense of all this, that's literally what we do.
• 3:52
  SPEAKER_00: At Bellavics, we've helped brands sell over$500 million on Amazon.
• 3:59
  SPEAKER_00: We're a verified ad partner and we specialize in hands-on growth strategies that turn complex marketplace challenges into clear plans of action.
• 4:10
  SPEAKER_00: Whether it's scaling ads, cleaning up your catalog, or prepping for a retail pitch, this is what we do all day.
• 4:18
  SPEAKER_00: Head to Bellovics.com if you want a team that actually knows what the inside of Seller Central looks like.
• 4:25
  SPEAKER_00: Alright, back to the news.
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_00: Amazon updates seller-fulfilled prime and premium shipping policies.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_00: Starting June 29th, Amazon is tightening the reins on SFP and premium shipping.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_00: New standards are in play.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_00: Stricter eligibility for SFP, updated performance benchmarks.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_00: Better protections for OTDR, on-time delivery rate, if you use buy shipping or Vico.
• 4:45
  SPEAKER_00: What you need to do, audit your delivery metrics now.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_00: Turn on shipping settings automation.
• 4:50
  SPEAKER_00: Make sure you're using OTDR protected labels.
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_00: Amazon's raising the bar, but they're also giving you the tools to hit it.
• 4:56
  SPEAKER_00: Use them.
• 4:57
  SPEAKER_00: Made in USA, searches are surging but not converting.
• 5:00
  SPEAKER_00: Here's a stat that feels patriotic but puzzling.
• 5:03
  SPEAKER_00: Made in USA searches are up 220% year over year, but actual conversions?
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_00: Flat.
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_00: Turns out shoppers are looking, but still buying based on price and reviews.
• 5:15
  SPEAKER_00: Sellers like Cell Phone Seat are leaning in with tariff-free messaging and flag forward imagery, but the results vary.
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_00: If your product's American made, use the keyword, don't bury it.
• 5:27
  SPEAKER_00: Test patriotic angles in your A-B tests.
• 5:29
  SPEAKER_00: Don't over-rely on it, it's a trust signal, not a magic bullet.
• 5:32
  SPEAKER_00: The play here is to make it part of the pitch, not the whole thing.
• 5:36
  SPEAKER_00: Walmart resumes sourcing from China?
• 5:38
  SPEAKER_00: While brands debate decoupling, Walmart's doing the math.
• 5:42
  SPEAKER_00: They're back to sourcing from China, thanks to tariff pressures, low inventories, and strained supplier options.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_00: Suppliers like Pesatro Healthcare say Walmart resumed orders in late April.
• 5:53
  SPEAKER_00: And here's the kicker: Walmart's absorbing tariffs just to keep shelves stocked without raising prices.
• 5:59
  SPEAKER_00: Sellers, watch your cogs.
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_00: This move signals volatility ahead, especially if you depend on Asia for production.
• 6:07
  SPEAKER_00: Tariffs may flex, but reliable sourcing still rules.
• 6:10
  SPEAKER_00: In-store retail media hits a tipping point.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_00: And finally, retail stores are turning into ad networks.
• 6:16
  SPEAKER_00: Literally.
• 6:17
  SPEAKER_00: Think interactive displays, data-driven signage, and aisle-based targeting.
• 6:22
  SPEAKER_00: Retailers are monetizing first-party data like never before, and in-store media is the new digital billboard.
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_00: For sellers, get in early.
• 6:32
  SPEAKER_00: Retail media buys are getting competitive.
• 6:34
  SPEAKER_00: Sync your in-store and online messaging.
• 6:37
  SPEAKER_00: Explore placements with your brick and mortar partners or distributors.
• 6:41
  SPEAKER_00: Retail media isn't coming, it's here.
• 6:43
  SPEAKER_00: And the brands who show up in-store and online will own the full funnel.
• 6:49
  SPEAKER_00: That's your selling on Giants, e-commerce news, and updates for the week.
• 6:53
  SPEAKER_00: We covered AI-powered search rewrites, biodegradable packaging, Walmart's taxonomy overhaul, and the quiet power of Made in USA, plus shipping policy shifts and in-store retail media taking center stage.
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_00: If this saved you hours of forum scrolls and internal Slack debates, do us a solid leave a review wherever you're tuning in.
• 7:16
  SPEAKER_00: It helps us keep the lights on and gets us better guests for interviews down the road.
• 7:20
  SPEAKER_00: I'm Mr.
• 7:21
  SPEAKER_00: Will from Belavics.
• 7:22
  SPEAKER_00: See you next week.