Monthly Amazon Update – March 2020

Retail and Marketplaces

Amazon’s sixth European platform has launched in the Netherlands. With Amazon.nl, Dutch customers will be able to access local and international products in a Dutch-language Amazon store. Link

After a constant rise of online-business in recent years, Amazon seems to be planning to launch a marketplace in Poland. It is expected to be launching in the timeframe from  Q2 2020 until the beginning of 2021 at the latest. Link

Corona Crisis

After a surge in online orders due to the coronavirus-outbreak, Amazon announced to hire an additional 100.000 workers for its warehouses and deliveries. Through the end of April, the company will also raise pay for warehouse and delivery workers by $2 per hour in the US, £2 per hour in the UK, and approximately €2 per hour in many EU countries. Link

Amazon reportedly stopped shipping non-essential products in Italy and France. To ensure a steady flow of essential products that customers are demanding most right now, Amazon stopped shipping and accepting FBA deliveries of items that are not baby products, health and household items, beauty and personal care, groceries, and industrial, scientific, and pet supplies. Link

After blocking non-essential products since March 17, Amazon now reports that single  products are being re-allowed to the list of prioritized products in FBA warehouses. Some sellers are already reporting to be able to check if products can be restocked or not. Link

In the US, Amazon has suspended over 3900 seller accounts for violating its fair-pricing policy. Well over half a million products have been pulled from the marketplace and is sharing information about these sellers proactively to state attorney generals and federal regulators. Link

Due to prioritizing products from essential categories until April 5^th, the delivery for certain non-prioritized products in Germany may take up to one month for Amazon Prime customers. Most of these products show a delivery time of up to one week at the moment. Link

Amazon warehouses affected by COVID-19 cases are not being closed. 100 Amazon workers walked out on the streets in a warehouse in Staten Island, NY. The initiator of the strike has been let go for ‘violating social distancing guidelines’. Workers at Amazons grocery chain Whole Foods are also demanding better protection and are organizing a “sick out” strike. Link

Similarly to many grocery stores’ isles right now, orders of certain products are booming on Amazon, running out of stock and facing delivery delays. After announcing to hire an additional 100.000 workers in the US, experts see this crisis as a potential catalyst for Amazon to increase the overall power of its marketplace. Link

Changes that caught our attention

• Due to the mentioned priorization measurements, Amazon is disabling Vine program enrollments until further notice.
• Also due to priorization, Amazon is not accepting new Lightning Deals and 7-day Deals through April 5 from any Selling Partners. Previously submitted ones that are in ‘running’ or ‘upcoming’ status will run for inventory already in place. Prime-day Deal submissions are still available any may be submitted.