Send us Fan Mail This week’s Selling on Giants breaks down the May twenty sixth marketplace updates shaping Amazon sellers, Walmart operators, retail media teams, and eCommerce brands preparing for a more demanding commerce environment. The theme this week is simple: commerce is becoming more intelligent on the front end, but more demanding on the back end. Platforms are getting smarter. AI is changing how products are discovered. Walmart is building a serious commerce infrastructure engine. Amazon is preparing sellers for Prime Day return disputes. Supply chain risk is still very real. And consumers are still spending, but far more selectively. In this episode, we cover: Amazon SAFE-T claims and Prime Day return risk Amazon is encouraging sellers to prepare SAFE-T claim workflows ahead of Prime Day. For FBM sellers, Seller Fulfilled Prime, high-ticket items, electronics, and seasonal categories, return fraud and reimbursement disputes are not edge cases. They are part of the operating model. Why sellers still want buyer blocking tools Seller Forum discussions show growing frustration around repeat return abuse, fraudulent claims, switcheroo returns, and limited seller-side protection. Amazon continues to prioritize marketplace openness and customer trust, which means sellers need better documentation, margin discipline, and return workflows. Walmart’s Q1 FY27 results and marketplace growth Walmart reported strong growth across eCommerce, advertising, marketplace, membership, and store-fulfilled pickup and delivery. The bigger signal is that Walmart is no longer just a traditional retailer adapting to eCommerce. It is becoming a commerce infrastructure platform competing more directly with Amazon. Why Walmart can no longer be treated as a secondary channel Walmart Connect, marketplace expansion, fulfillment positioning, membership behavior, and omnichannel logistics are becoming more important. Brands that treat Walmart like an afterthought will fall behind as the platform matures. Supply chain risk from the Strait of Hormuz Geopolitical disruption can quickly impact fuel, resin, plastic packaging, food logistics, freight, warehousing, and last-mile delivery economics. eCommerce may feel digital, but the physical supply chain still controls margin. Retail crime as commerce infrastructure risk Organized retail crime and cargo theft are no longer only store problems. They affect inventory, marketplaces, unauthorized sellers, pricing stability, brand protection, and sourcing documentation. AI shopping agents and the future of product discovery AI agents, ChatGPT product feed ads, Google’s universal commerce protocol, Shopify AI search insights, and Amazon’s shift toward Alexa shopping agents all point in the same direction. AI is becoming the interface layer between customers and products. Why product data is now strategic infrastructure Clean titles, complete attributes, accurate pricing, review quality, product feeds, metadata, and cross-platform consistency will become more important as AI systems compare, recommend, and help purchase products. The consumer is still spending, but more selectively Recent retail earnings show a consumer that has not disappeared, but has recalibrated. Value, trust, convenience, promotions, and strong positioning matter more, while weak mid-tier products face more pressure. The bigger takeaway: The next stage of eCommerce is not just about being better at selling. It is about being harder to break. The brands that win will have cleaner data, stronger documentation, tighter margins, better fulfillment, clearer product positioning, and enough operational discipline to survive a market where platforms and customers are both getting more demanding. Follow Selling on Giants for weekly operator-level breakdowns on Amazon, Walmart, retail media, AI commerce, marketplace strategy, supply chain risk, and what actually changes for brands responsible for growth and profitability. Subscribe to Selling on Giants for weekly insights that go beyond headlines and focus on what actually impacts your business.
