Notes on the specific mechanics of selling on Amazon: not general advice, the parts that actually trip sellers up.
Amazon's Request a Review button asks for a product review and seller feedback in one message, though each one measures something different.
Account Health Assurance requires an AHR of 250 or higher for six months. Here is what the program protects against, and what it does not guarantee.
Stock level shows how many units you have, but days of inventory shows how much time you have left. Here is the formula and the right sales window to use.
Reorder point equals daily demand times lead time plus safety stock. Lead time includes freight, customs, prep, and Amazon receiving, not just factory time.
Removal orders cost $1.04 to $14 or more per unit with a known outcome. Liquidation recovers only 5-10% of value and locks the ASIN from restocking for 90 days.
Amazon's aged-inventory surcharge now starts at 181 days instead of 271, a real 2026 policy change many sellers are still tracking against the old thresholds.
A promotion that quadruples units sold can still earn less than an ordinary week once the discount, promotion fees, higher ad cost, and returns are all counted.
Aged inventory rarely feels urgent until the surcharge posts. Here is what to do at 120 days, 60 days, and in the final stretch before the next deadline.
A private-label brand needs keyword research and listing tools. A reseller on a shared ASIN needs Featured Offer monitoring and repricing instead.
Real 2026 ACOS benchmarks by category range from 19% for books to 57% for apparel. Chasing one universal target cuts the wrong products and scales others.
Real Amazon return rate benchmarks by category range from 3 to 6 percent for consumables to over 15 percent for apparel, so one flat number tells you little.
Category revenue alone is misleading: a bigger category can have lower margin, more returns, and worse Buy Box stability than a smaller, faster-turning one.
