Top Sellers News This Week
The battle for ecommerce dominance is accelerating on multiple fronts: ads, AI, and international trade, all with major implications for businesses and shoppers alike.
- Amazon doubles down on AI ads and expands Prime Video ad load: Amazon is boosting its ad capabilities with AI-powered video tools that help sellers create multi-scene, dynamic product videos. At the same time, Prime Video’s ad load has quietly doubled to 6 minutes per hour, raising concerns from shoppers about media authenticity and viewer experience.
- Walmart reveals agentic AI strategy and introduces Sparky: Walmart is advancing its AI strategy with purpose-built agents trained on proprietary data to improve retail operations and customer experiences. At the center is Sparky, a genAI assistant offering personalized recommendations, review insights, and soon, features like reordering, service booking, and multi-format input.
- New tariff deal reignites ecommerce uncertainty: Trump’s new China deal revives 55% tariffs, rattling ecommerce and supply chains. With key exports, shipping, and visas in flux, suppliers must stay agile and diversify fast.
Read on to explore what these Amazon updates mean for your business.
More Videos, More Ads, and What It Means for You
Amazon is doubling down on generative AI and expanding Prime Video ad space, offering faster, scalable tools like one-click video creation. But not everyone’s convinced.
A New Wave of Amazon AI Video Generation Tools
Amazon Ads has launched enhanced generative AI tools to help brands, especially smaller ones, quickly create high-quality, photorealistic video ads.
Video Generator
Amazon Ads has upgraded its Video Generator to create short, photorealistic video ads in minutes. These clips show products in use (a watch on a wrist, a toy in action), often across multiple scenes with music, text overlays, and even pets or people. Advertisers get six variations per asset, and one-click tools turn static images into lively, scroll-stopping content.
Also in beta, AI Creative Studio unifies Amazon’s video, image, and audio tools into one interface, letting advertisers create various ad formats from a single product image. The Audio Generator can also produce a voiced 30-second ad from just a product listing.
Why It Matters: The Ad Load Just Doubled
These tools are launching at a pivotal time. AdWeek reported that Amazon has quietly doubled its ad load on Prime Video from about 2 to 3.5 minutes per hour to 4 to 6 minutes, matching rivals like Hulu. That’s a lot of new Prime video ads inventory, and AI-generated content is poised to fill it fast.
But Here’s the Catch
While Amazon promotes these tools as a win for advertisers and shoppers, not everyone is convinced. Some people are skeptical of “fake videos” in an already crowded marketplace. Research from NielsenIQ backs this up: AI-generated ads are often seen as more annoying and less emotionally engaging, even when technically high quality. In short: just because you can generate video content quickly doesn’t mean it will land well with your audience.
Key Takeaway
These new tools can help level the playing field for smaller brands. But success still hinges on content that feels human. Speed alone won’t build trust. Use AI wisely, and keep your audience in mind.
Expand your reach with DSP Prime. Our expert-managed advertising solution leverages Amazon’s first-party data to connect your brand with high-intent audiences across websites, apps, and streaming platforms. Get your customized growth plan now and launch in just 10 days.
Walmart’s Agentic AI Playbook: Smart Assistants & Automated Operations
Walmart is going all-in on agentic AI, a powerful form of generative AI built not to generalize, but to act. By training intelligent agents on its proprietary retail data, the company is introducing a more intelligent, automated, and personalized shopping experience across its ecosystem: online, in-store, and everywhere in between.
Meet Sparky: A Walmart AI Shopping Assistant
Sparky is Walmart’s new GenAI-powered shopping assistant. Unlike a basic chatbot, Sparky quickly compares products, synthesizes reviews, and makes context-aware suggestions. Ask what to cook this week, and it can build a full meal plan with all ingredients ready to cart. Future features will include reordering, event planning, and booking services.
Walmart’s Agentic AI Strategy
While Sparky is the customer-facing breakthrough, Walmart’s deeper transformation is happening under the hood. The retailer is building agentic AI systems across operations, tailored for specific high-impact tasks:
- Merchandise planning (e.g., “Trend-to-Product” AI cuts fashion production time by 18 weeks)
- Customer support (agents now handle tasks autonomously)
- Associate tools (store employees use AI for day-to-day optimizations)
- Developer productivity (AI handles test generation, error fixes, and environment setup)
Walmart’s long game? A world where personalized AI agents do the shopping for customers, prioritizing logic over emotion. For retailers, that means marketing must evolve to influence not just people, but their AI proxies.
New Trump Tariff Deal or Disruption?
US President Donald Trump claims a new deal with China is “done,” pending final sign-off. It sets a 55% tariff on Chinese goods (mirroring the original Liberation Day levels) and a 10% Chinese tariff on US exports. The move still reintroduces steep costs, especially for ecommerce sellers dependent on Chinese sourcing.
Global shipping volumes already dipped in April, and analysts warn that continued tariff uncertainty could spike inflation and disrupt inventory flow. Key products like rare earths are back on the table, but with tight export license limits. And with student visa restrictions at risk, China-US academic exchange also hangs in the balance.
The message to ecommerce sellers? Stay nimble. Keep an eye out for US CBP for updates, prep for possible refunds, and diversify sourcing now. The tariff rollercoaster is far from over.
Other Seller Updates This Week
1. Amazon is Testing Humanoid Delivery Robots
Amazon is reportedly developing AI software for humanoid robots that could handle last-mile deliveries. According to The Information, the retail giant is testing these robots in San Francisco and envisions them riding in Rivian vans to make package drop-offs, potentially replacing human delivery workers.
2. New Floor Loaded Shipping Option Added to Partnered Carrier Program
Amazon has introduced a floor loaded shipping option for inbound full-truckload (FTL) and intermodal shipments through its Partnered Carrier program. This update gives you the flexibility to load oversized or oddly-shaped items directly onto trailers without needing to palletize them or use forklifts.
3. Surcharge Waived for Alternative Carriers on Walmart Orders via MCF
If you’re using Amazon Multi-Channel Fulfillment (MCF) for Walmart orders, you can now use alternative carriers without the usual 5% surcharge through January 14, 2026. This helps you expand beyond Amazon while maintaining fast fulfillment for your FBA inventory, with MCF users seeing 19% fewer out-of-stock rates in 2023.
4. Registration Now Open for Amazon Accelerate 2025
Amazon’s flagship seller conference returns to Seattle September 16–18, 2025. Accelerate 2025 offers in-person networking, expert guidance, and new business tools. Early registrants save $100 on $599 tickets before August 3, with limited seats available and select virtual streaming.
Selling Smarter in a High-Stakes Market
Amazon’s new video tools make content creation faster, while Walmart’s AI signals a future of bot-driven buying. At the same time, Trump’s renewed China tariffs raise sourcing and cost pressures. To stay ahead:
- Use AI, but stay authentic. Test content and keep it human.
- Adapt to Prime Video’s ad surge with short, high-impact videos.
- Optimize for AI shoppers with clear, structured listings.
- Diversify sourcing to minimize tariff disruptions and protect Q4 margins.
