Amazon has announced a significant update to the Product Bundling policy for consumables, impacting categories such as grocery, pet products, baby products, and health and beauty. This policy change, effective October 14, 2024, will affect how sellers create and list bundles. Here’s what Amazon sellers need to know and how this update impacts their business.
What’s Changing?
Starting October 14, 2024, sellers can only list bundles that are created and offered by the original manufacturer. All items in the bundle must come from the same brand, and the brand owner must be responsible for packaging the bundle. Sellers will no longer be able to mix products from different manufacturers within a bundle, nor can they list bundles under their own brand or a “Generic” brand.
For example, while it’s allowed to list a Frito-Lay Mixed Chips Pack that is created and packaged by Frito-Lay, you can’t create a custom bundle with two bags of Doritos and one bag of Cheetos, even though both products are made by Frito-Lay. You also cannot bundle that chips pack with unrelated items, such as paper towels or kitchen utensils.
Key Impacts for Sellers
- Manufacturer-Only Bundles: Sellers must now ensure that any bundle they list is assembled and offered by the original manufacturer. If you’ve been creating custom bundles using products from different manufacturers, you will need to discontinue this practice and adjust your listings accordingly.
- No More Generic or Personal Brand Bundles: Sellers are no longer allowed to list bundles under their own private labels or a generic brand. This means that any unbranded or rebranded product bundles will need to be removed or reconfigured.
- Compliance Timeline: While the policy goes into effect on October 14, 2024, Amazon will not immediately enforce it on existing bundles. However, sellers can expect enforcement to start in late Q4 2024, with a 30-day notice given for any non-compliant bundles scheduled for suppression.
General Bundle Guidelines to Keep in Mind
- Category Restrictions: The primary product in a bundle cannot be from the Video Games or BMVD (Books, Music, Video, DVD) categories. However, you can include BMVD and Video Games items as secondary products if they are complementary to the primary product.
- Fair Pricing: Bundle pricing must comply with Amazon’s fair pricing policy.
- Referral Fees: The referral fee for the primary product’s category will apply to the entire bundle.
- Compliance: All bundled products must adhere to Amazon’s Selling Policies and Seller Code of Conduct, including specific guidelines for product images, descriptions, and features.
What You Should Do Now
To stay compliant with these new policies, review your current listings and ensure that any bundles you offer are sourced directly from the original manufacturer. Begin adjusting your strategy by phasing out custom bundles with mixed-brand products and updating your listings accordingly.
Failure to comply with these new bundling guidelines could result in listing removal or even account suspension, so it’s essential to act now to avoid disruptions to your business.
For more details on the updated policy and how it affects your product listings, visit the Amazon Product Bundling policy page.