I woke up this morning—January 14, 2026—to a notification that made my coffee taste like ash. It wasn't a suspension email (thankfully), but it was the dreaded "Fee Structure Update" reminder from Amazon Seller Central.
If you’ve been selling for more than a year, you know the drill. Every January, Amazon tweaks the dials. But this year feels different. I remember back in 2024 when they first introduced the "Inbound Placement Service Fee." We all panicked, then we adapted. This year, the algorithm has tightened even further, and the margin for error is razor-thin.
I just spent the last three hours combing through the new policy docs so you don’t have to. The landscape of the amazon marketplace has shifted from a "growth at all costs" model to an "efficiency or die" model. If your supply chain isn't airtight, 2026 is going to be a rough ride.
Here’s where it gets interesting: While the fees are rising, the tools to combat them have never been better. The sellers who are complaining are the ones still using spreadsheets from 2023. The ones who are winning are the ones leveraging the new AI infrastructure.
The Jan 15, 2026 Fee Update: What You Need to Know Today
If you haven't checked your amazon message center recently, do it now. Tomorrow, January 15, 2026, the "Holiday Peak Fees" officially drop off. That’s the good news. The bad news? The "Non-Peak" baseline has crept up.
1. The Inbound Placement Squeeze Amazon is doubling down on distributed inventory.
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The Change: The penalty for sending shipments to a single location (Single Destination) has increased by roughly $0.05 per unit for standard items.
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The Reality: I used to send everything to the ABE8 warehouse in New Jersey because it was close. Now, if I don't split my shipment into 4+ locations (the "Amazon Optimized" plan), I am paying an extra $0.40 per unit.
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My Strategy: I’ve switched to using a 3PL (Third Party Logistics) provider in Texas that acts as a central hub. They split the shipments for me. It costs me $0.20 per unit to use them, but it saves me the $0.40 Amazon fee. That’s a 50% savings on logistics.
2. Low Inventory Level Fees (The Silent Killer) This is the one that catches people off guard. Amazon now charges you a fee if you hold too little inventory relative to your sales velocity. Honest Failure: In late 2025, I let my best-selling garlic press run low (down to 10 days of supply) because I was waiting for a cheaper shipping container. Amazon slapped me with a "Low Inventory Fee" on every unit I sold during that period. I effectively paid a penalty for being sold out.Lesson: In 2026, "Just in Time" inventory is dangerous. You need a buffer.
Returnless Resolutions: The "Free Stuff" Glitch?
One of the most controversial pieces of amazon marketplace seller news today is the expansion of "Returnless Resolutions." Amazon has decided that for many items under $15, the cost of shipping it back is higher than the value of the item. So, they just tell the customer: "Keep it, here’s your money back."
Now the tricky part... Who pays for that refund? You do.
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The Good: You don't pay the "Returns Processing Fee."
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The Bad: You lose the item and the cash.
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Opinion Statement: I believe this encourages customers to "rent" items. I have seen an uptick in returns for "Changed Mind" on my $12 items, knowing they will get to keep them.
How to Fight Back: You can technically opt-out of Returnless Resolutions for specific SKUs, but Amazon penalizes your listing visibility if your return satisfaction rate drops. The better move is to price your items above $15 to escape the automated "Keep It" zone.
The Rise of Rufus: Optimizing for the AI Shopper
If you aren't paying attention to Rufus, Amazon's generative AI shopping assistant, you are invisible. In 2026, customers are typing "What is the best coffee maker for a small dorm room?" into the search bar, and Rufus is answering with a summarized recommendation.
How to Rank for Rufus: Rufus reads your reviews and your A+ Content.
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Old SEO: Stuffing keywords like "Coffee Maker, Small, Black, Fast" into the title.
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New SEO: ensuring your review section answers specific questions.
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Anecdote: I updated my Q&A section on a product listing to explicitly answer "Does this fit in a cup holder?" Two weeks later, Rufus started recommending my product for the query "Cup holder friendly travel mugs." Sales jumped 15%.
Dropshipping: The Walls Are Closing In
Is amazon dropshipping dead in 2026? Not dead, but definitely on life support. The latest amazon marketplace policy news indicates a crackdown on "Retail Dropshipping" (buying from Walmart/Home Depot and shipping to Amazon customers).
The New "Valid Tracking Rate" Trap: Amazon now validates tracking numbers instantly against carrier databases. If you upload a BlueCare Express number (often used to mask dropshipping locations), Amazon flags it immediately. I have a friend who lost his account last month because he tried to dropship 50 units from Target.com during a sale. He was banned in 48 hours. If you are going to dropship, you must have a wholesale agreement and legitimate invoices.
Using Data to Predict the "Feepocalypse"
How do you survive these changes? You need to see them coming. I rely on Closo. Specifically, the Closo demand predictor helps me avoid the "Low Inventory Fee."
Closo analyzes my sales velocity against seasonal trends.
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Scenario: It's January. Sales usually dip.
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Closo Signal: Closo predicts a spike in "Home Organization" for February (Spring Cleaning).
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Action: It tells me to restock now, preventing my inventory days from dropping below 28 days in February. Without this tool, I would have walked right into a fee trap.
I also use the Closo 100% Free Crosslister to move my "Low Inventory" stock off Amazon. If I'm running low on Amazon and facing fees, I list the remaining stock on eBay where there are no "Low Inventory" penalties. I use Closo to automate this inventory balancing – saves me about 3 hours weekly of stress.
Comparison: Amazon vs. The Competition in 2026
Where should you be selling?
My Take: Amazon is the "Rent" you pay for traffic. Walmart is the "Equity" you build. TikTok is the "Lottery Ticket." You need all three.
Common Questions I See
People always ask me... Will Amazon ever lower fees?
No. In the history of the amazonseller ecosystem, fees only go one way: Up. However, they introduce "efficiencies" like the "Ships in Product Packaging" (SIPP) program. If you redesign your box so Amazon doesn't have to put it in their box, you get a discount. This is the only way to effectively lower your fees in 2026.
Common question I see... Is the "Low Inventory Fee" fair?
Fair? No. Efficient? Yes. Amazon is forcing sellers to stop using their warehouses as long-term storage. They want "flow," not "storage." If you are a slow-moving seller, FBA is no longer for you. You should switch to FBM (Fulfilled by Merchant) or use a 3PL.
People always ask me... How do I find these news updates first?
Don't rely on the amazon message center email blasts; they are usually too late. I follow specific subreddits (r/FulfillmentByAmazon) and use tools like Closo that have news feeds integrated into the dashboard. The community usually finds the "loopholes" and "gotchas" weeks before Amazon officially clarifies them.
Conclusion
The amazon marketplace news for 2026 is clear: The amateur era is over. You cannot just throw spaghetti at the wall. You need to be a logistics expert, an AI-SEO optimizer, and a financial planner.
My honest assessment is that 2026 will see a massive "cull" of casual sellers. The ones who quit will complain about the fees. The ones who stay will realize that the fees are a moat protecting them from lazy competition.
If you are ready to professionalize your operation and stop bleeding money to fees, check out the Closo Seller Hub.
For more on how to time your sales events to maximize revenue, read When Is the Next Amazon Prime Day
And if you need to find cheaper inventory to offset these rising fees, our guide on Alibaba vs AliExpress is mandatory reading.
