Amazon Removes Featured Offer Pre-Qualification, Intensifying Global Seller Competition

On July 13th, Amazon announced a significant adjustment to its Featured Offer rules. Starting this July, global marketplaces will phase out the seller pre-qualification screening process in batches, with the full transition expected to be completed by the end of 2026. This move is set to profoundly impact the competitive landscape for the Buy Box. The previous system involved a two-step process: the platform first verified a seller's store performance, and only those meeting the standards could enter the Featured Offer competition pool, with the Buy Box allocated based on multiple metrics. The new rule directly eliminates the pre-qualification review. Sellers no longer need to take manual action; offers for all products in their stores will automatically enter the candidate pool. However, the platform has explicitly stated that the final selection logic for the Featured Offer will remain unchanged. It will still be scored based on three core dimensions: price competitiveness, delivery speed, and overall store performance. Entering the candidate pool does not guarantee securing the high-priority Buy Box weighting. This adjustment benefits new stores and small sellers using self-fulfillment (FBM). Stores previously excluded due to not meeting performance standards can now directly compete for traffic. Simultaneously, the number of sellers in the competition pool will increase substantially. Established FBA sellers will face more low-priced competitors siphoning orders, significantly intensifying market competition. Industry experts advise sellers to optimize three key metrics: adjust pricing to benchmark against competitors and maintain price advantage; prioritize FBA to improve fulfillment speed; and strictly control performance data such as Order Defect Rate and Late Shipment Rate. Sellers should continuously monitor the update progress in their backend sites, proactively improve supply chains and pricing strategies to prepare for the more intense battle for Buy Box traffic following the lowered entry barrier. [This article is sourced from Ebrun Go. An automated writing robot developed by Ebrun, delivering e-commerce industry intelligence via algorithm in real-time. This 'dog' is still young; welcome to contact run@ebrun.com or leave comments to help it grow.]