Amazon has updated its rules about product bundles, especially for consumables like food, health products, and personal care items. These updates aim to make the bundling process clearer and fairer for both sellers and brands. If you’re a seller, here’s a breakdown of the changes and what they mean for your business.
What’s Changed in Amazon’s Bundling Rules?
- Manufacturer-Packaged Bundles Only
- Amazon now says that only bundles that are pre-packaged by the manufacturer are allowed. So, if you want to sell a bundle, it can’t be a DIY bundle you put together yourself. It must come from the brand or manufacturer already packaged as a bundle.
- This helps maintain the quality of the products and ensures that customers get what they expect.
- Repackaging with Permission
- If you still want to create your own bundles by combining products from different brands, you can, but you’ll need written permission from the brand owner to do so.
- Also, all items in the bundle must come from the same brand. This ensures that the bundle is still true to the brand and meets quality standards.
- Gift Basket Exception
- There is an exception for gift baskets. You can mix products from multiple brands in a gift basket, but it must be properly packaged for gifting.
- This rule is great for sellers who want to create holiday or special occasion baskets. Expect this category to grow as resellers take advantage of this rule.
What Sellers Need to Know
- New Bundles: If you want to create any new consumable bundles, you must follow the new rules right away.
- Existing Bundles: If you already have consumable bundles listed, Amazon will begin enforcing these rules starting on January 1, 2025.
- Brand-Owned Listings: If the bundle was created by the brand itself or an authorized seller, it will remain active. However, unauthorized bundles made by resellers will be removed.
Why These Changes Matter
These changes might seem tough for sellers who relied on bundling different products together. However, Amazon is trying to make sure that all bundles are safe, high-quality, and match what customers expect.
By only allowing bundles from the manufacturer or with permission from the brand, Amazon is giving more control to the brands over how their products are sold. This is a way to protect both the brand’s reputation and the customer’s experience.
What Sellers Should Do Now
- Review Your Listings: If you’ve created bundles from different brands, check if they still follow the new rules. If not, you might need to make changes.
- Get Permission to Repackage: If you want to keep making your own bundles, reach out to brands to get permission. Make sure to do this before January 2025.
- Consider Gift Baskets: The gift basket exception could be a new opportunity for you. You can mix products from different brands in gift baskets, as long as it’s packaged as a gift.
- Stay Updated on Brand Policies: Some brands may already have their own rules for resellers. Make sure you’re aware of these rules if you’re working with specific brands.
Conclusion: What Do These Changes Mean?
While Amazon’s new bundling rules may seem like a challenge, they are actually trying to improve the shopping experience for customers and protect brands. If you follow these new guidelines, you can avoid issues with your listings and even find new opportunities, especially in the growing gift basket market.
Do you think these changes will help your business, or do you think it’ll be harder to bundle products now? Let us know what you think in the comments!
