Amazon marketplace has always been a game of change and adaptation. If you’ve been around selling on Amazon for a while, you probably have realized that the only stable thing is change. As the year 2026 progresses, the e-commerce behemoth has published a string of major changes in the Amazon Seller Policy. The first aim of these changes is to make the sellers’ operations on the platform smoother, second to increase the level of customer trust, and third to facilitate AI and other technological innovations in the shoppers’ experience.
Unfortunately for sellers, it is not bliss not knowing. Failing to comply with the new changes can lead to listing suppression, account health deterioration, or even suspension. The present piece summarizes the major 2026 updates and indicates your next moves to stay ahead of your competitors.
The Shift Toward AI Transparency
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the central theme of most of the changes in the Amazon Seller Policy that get the most attention. In the last few years, most product images and description flooded the marketplace and were generated by AI. This innovation helped scale the operations of the sellers tremendously, but on the other hand, it also worsened the quality control to the extent that many customers got disappointed.
Mandatory Generative AI Disclosures
The sellers are now required to label generative media with AI in cases where AI is used for more than half of the artwork, the seller has to do this for things such as the main image, lifestyle images, and A+ content. The algorithm now acknowledges “authentic photography” when deciding search ranks, thus, using real images of your product in usage will most likely bring better organic visibility. However, there is a space for AI usage.
Automated Listing Audits
Amazon has launched a set of AI reviewers that are capable of checking listing texts very closely. Among the reasons that result in an AI rejection of the description include the use of repeated phrases, hallucinations (false claims), and fluff. All these drastically reduce the listing quality score. The model prioritized correct and useful content instead of keyword-laden, machine-generated paragraphs.
New Sustainability and Seller Regulations
Apart from being a mere corporate target, Amazon’s Climate Pledge is now a component of the platform’s operation. In other words, the platform is not only encouraging sellers to practice sustainability; they are also strict with their new seller regulations.
The “Green Logistics” Tier
Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) fees have been drastically changed in 2026 to discourage overly packaged items. In the event of the sellers refusing to comply with the “Ships in Product Packaging” (SIPP) program, a penalty will be imposed on each unit sold. On a basic level, if your product needs an Amazon box to be put into another Amazon box, you will likely lose some of your profits.
Instead, if a seller manages to align their supply chain in such a way that their shipping is carbon-neutral, they will get an “Eco-Choice” badge. According to the early indications, products with this badge are seeing 15% higher conversion rates in Millennial and Gen Z shoppers.
Verified Material Sourcing
The categories of apparel and home goods are now required to submit “Chain of Custody” evidence for every sustainability claim that they make. It is not sufficient to just call a shirt “Organic Cotton.” The textile certification at the very least from the supplier that can trace the fabric back to its origin. Besides, you’ll get away with it if you don’t provide it; Amazon will not only remove the claim but will also disable the listing for false advertising.
Returns Performance Standards
Over the years, returns have been a real trial. However, this year, 2026, a high return rate is a death knell for the seller’s ability to continue selling. The online giant has placed certain product categories under a “Total Return Rate” (TRR) limit.
Category-Specific Thresholds
Before, the return rate alerts were quite vague. Now, they are extremely specific by category. For example, the total return rate that is acceptable for “Consumer Electronics” is very different from “Fashion.” Should your product exceed the average it’s subcategory return rate by more than 10% for two months in a row, Amazon will automatically decrease the share of your buy-box.
Mandatory Troubleshooting Content
The marketing team came up with a brilliant solution that involved requiring sellers of the product categories undergoing the most technical changes to hire troubleshooting videos and PDF guides before the launch of a new product or listing. It is a step in the right direction towards decreasing user-error returns. Customers who wish to return an item will be given the option of viewing your instructions before proceeding with the return if they are the type who just follows directions.
Supply Chain Integrity and Counterfeit Measures
It is still an ongoing crusade against counterfeit goods but the tactics have been changed. The “Transparency” initiative which was once a voluntary program is now essentially mandatory for brand-registered sellers of high-risk categories such as Beauty and Supplements.
Digital Ledger Verification
The use of blockchain technology is one of Amazon’s ideas to fight counterfeiting in the supply chain. There will be a requirement to track entries in a digital ledger that is open to the public, starting from the manufacture of a product to the Amazon fulfillment center.
The “Gatekeeper” Protocol for Resellers
Wholesale or arbitrage model sellers, be aware that Amazon Seller Policy is getting stricter with you. Demonstrating your one’s product’s authenticity using the invoices from the generic liquidators will no longer be sufficient. You are required to submit the invoices from the authorized distributors that Amazon can verify via their automated contacting system. Should the distributor fail to respond to Amazon’s verification email within 48 hours, the inventory will be rejected.
Compliance Strategies to Protect Your Account
Knowing the rules is just a part of the whole. Another big issue that implementation of compliance strategies poses is that it should keep your business totally safe from any unnecessary restrictions without slowing your growth down. Here at top sellers, this is how they are handling the situation in 2026.
1. Diversify Your Media Assets
Have another option to AI production images, professional product photography is a must-have. What we suggest is that there’s a 70/30 ratio between real photography and AI-enhanced imagery, i.e. 70% real photography for trust and algorithm satisfaction, and 30% AI-enhanced imagery for artistic lifestyle concepts. Always have your raw image files available; in case Amazon questions the authenticity of your images, showing the raw camera files will get you out of trouble immediately.
2. Audit Your Packaging Immediately
Even if you are shipping products now in huge boxes with lots of void fillers, you are losing money through new FBA surcharges. Ask your manufacturer to help you redesign the packaging so that it can pass the test of the International Safe Transit Association (ISTA) 6-Amazon.com. Incidentally, this indicates that a product is certified for shipping without an outer box thus lowering your fees and improving your sustainability score.
3. Automate Your Account Health Monitoring
Checking the Account Health dashboard once a week is not enough anymore. You are in dire need of real-time notifications. Get on with third-party tools which are connected to the Amazon API to be notified if any policy warning, customer complaint, or listing suppression occurs. The quicker, the better. If you respond to a policy violation within 2 hours versus 24 hours, it could be the difference between getting a warning and being suspended.
4. Create a “Pre-Return” Workflow
There are some returns that you won’t be able to prevent, so you would be well advised to focus your efforts on the returns coming from misunderstandings. Your user manuals should be re-written to a level that even a person with no know-how would be able to understand them. Put QR codes on your product packaging that will take you directly to customer support or to a series of “How-To” videos. If you can fix the customer’s problem before he/she logs into the account on Amazon to press the “Return” button, you have succeeded in safeguarding your metrics.
Future Trends: What’s Next?
Besides 2026, the way Amazon is going with its policy updates points to a fully personalized marketplace.
Seller Reputation Scores are going to be the ones disclosed to the public. Currently, metrics such as Order Defect Rate are kept internally. However, the beta market trials indicate that soon, Amazon might show the reliability score of the seller right on the product page alongside the star rating.
Besides this, we see stricter rules around off-platform marketing. As Amazon makes efforts to hold the entire customer journey within its ecosystem, using package insertion to redirect the traffic to your Shopify store – something that already lies in the gray area – will be a strictly prohibited black hat technique by way of automated detection methods.
Keeping Your Business Safe
The Amazon Seller Policy updates in 2026 are not aimed at driving sellers away but rather at bringing the quality of the marketplace to the next level. They want professional, sustainable, and transparent partners. By concentrating on the integrity of your supply chain, cutting down on your carbon footprint, and ensuring that your content is accurate, you are harmonizing your business objectives with Amazon’s.
You should not be caught off guard by these changes. To be prepared, the first step is to check your Account Health dashboard, then do a full audit of your listings for AI compliance, and last but not least, do an assessment of how efficiently your packaging is being used.
