Top 5 Seller Reads this Week: Issue #256

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Top 5 this week

1. 5 Tech Predictions for 2026 and Beyond, According to Amazon CTO Dr. Werner Vogels

“More signals that Amazon is betting big on AI and want their systems to be deeply integrated into your life, not just your store. When the device you talk to for comfort is the same one you ask for product recommendations, the line between ‘friend’, ‘personal shopper’, and ‘salesman’ gets blurry fast. For sellers, I think this is more evidence in Amazon’s conviction on AI interactions increasingly supplanting the old search bar. I’m curious to see if ‘brand affinity’ starts to matter more than price when it’s an AI agent making the suggestion.” ~Nikko Patten

2. Retail News: Walmart’s Q3 Results Reveal Ecommerce Boom Amid Affordability Crisis

“With ecommerce growth, automation gains, and AI driven tools redefining speed and cost expectations, both Amazon and Walmart sellers can benefit from reassessing their fulfillment strategy, competitive pricing thresholds, and assortment mix. Strengthening forecasting, optimizing logistics, and leaning into data-backed decision making will be essential to protecting margins and meeting value-driven shoppers where they are.” ~Vanessa Cox

3. Video Generator (Beta) Now Available for Online Video in the Amazon DSP

“How times change! The landscape is vastly different from when I started my own Amazon private label business just 7 years ago. Video creation took time, money, patience. Now you can have an AI video – and I hear they’re pretty great and only getting better – in a matter of minutes for free. This is awesome for so many reasons, though maybe less so for video creators. But every single business should be taking advantage of this free option.” ~Clayton Atchison

4. Walmart CFO Warns Affordability Crisis is Getting Worse

“In a time of slimmer margins, winning means thinking differently and playing the long game. Walmart’s $128 TV in this article is a great example – take a thin margin now, earn it back through ongoing revenue later. Amazon sellers can do the same by building repeat purchase paths like consumables, offering add-ons like accessories, or creating post-purchase value with digital content. This way, profit isn’t tied to just the first sale.” ~Chelsea Cohen

5. Walmart Enters Africa with South Africa Launch

“Walmart’s first own-brand store in South Africa is a signal that the next wave of growth is in emerging markets. Brands with global ambitions should be pressure-testing which SKUs, pack sizes, and price tiers actually work for local shoppers. Head-to-head competition with Shoprite, Pick n Pay, and township independents, success will depend on localization: adjusting product mix, flavor, and pack layout rather than copy-pasting US/EU lineups.” ~Shelby Owens