There are three Amazon updates I’ve been discussing recently with clients and inside my community.
If you’re selling on Amazon, these are worth reviewing properly.
1. Variation Listings
I want to start with variation listings because this is affecting a lot of accounts right now.
Amazon hasn’t changed the written policy dramatically, but they are clearly enforcing it more strictly.
Here’s what that means in practice.
A variation family should only group the same core product in different versions.
Valid examples:
- A t-shirt in different colours
- A candle in different scents
- A 200g candle and a 500g candle in the same scent
- A supplement in different pack sizes
The core product is the same. The difference is a legitimate variation theme.
Where sellers are getting caught out:
- Combining different product types (e.g. candle + diffuser)
- Mixing bundles with single units
- Grouping loosely related items under one parent
- Using variations to combine reviews across unrelated products
If Amazon decides a variation family is invalid, they may:
- Break the variation family apart
- Remove child ASINs
- Strip the aggregated review count so each ASIN stands alone
Reviews aren’t deleted, but the combined review total will disappear.
That can affect conversion and ranking.
What to do now:
- Review each variation family in Manage Inventory
- Ask would these genuinely sit as the same product on a shelf?
- Check that your backend variation theme matches what the product actually varies by
- Proactively separate anything that’s stretched the rules
It’s far better to tidy this yourself than wait for Amazon to do it for you.
2. Image Standards
Amazon has reinforced its image requirements going into 2026.
The written standards aren’t new but, again, they are being reinforced more heavily.
Main image requirements:
- Minimum 1000px on the longest side (1600px+ recommended)
- JPEG preferred (PNG, TIFF, GIF accepted)
- At least 72 dpi
- Pure white background (RGB 255, 255, 255)
- Product must fill 85–100% of the frame
- Show the entire product
- No text, badges, watermarks or promotional messaging
- Show only what’s included in the purchase
Common issues I still see:
- Background that looks white but isn’t true RGB 255
- Product too small in the frame (so not taking up at least 85%)
- Lifestyle image used as main image
- “Best seller” or guarantee badges added
- Multiple variants shown in the main image
Listings are being suppressed for image non-compliance.
When that happens, the listing can become unsearchable until the image is corrected and reprocessed.
What to do:
- Open your ASINs in Seller Central
- View the main image at full size
- Check resolution and zoom
- Inspect the background colour properly
- Remove any borderline promotional elements
- Test how it appears on mobile
If your images were created several years ago, it’s worth rechecking them now.
3. 2026 European Fee Changes
Amazon has announced a mix of referral fee reductions and other fee increases across EU stores for 2026.
Referral fee reductions include:
- Clothing & Accessories under £15 dropping from 8% to 5%
- Home Products under £20 dropping from 15% to 8%
- Grocery and Supplements under £10 dropping from 8% to 5%
However, at the same time:
- Monthly storage fees are increasing
- New aged inventory surcharge tiers are being introduced at 366–455 days and 455+ days
- European Fulfilment Network and Remote Fulfilment fees are increasing
- Return-to-seller and liquidation processing fees are increasing
- Pan-EU oversize surcharge is increasing
Some products may become slightly more profitable, but inefficient inventory management will cost more.
What to do:
- Use the Revenue Calculator in Seller Central to preview 2026 rates
- Review your Inventory Age report
- Identify any ASINs approaching 241+ days
- Recheck margins if you sell cross-border
- Be cautious with oversize and slower-moving stock
2026 isn’t about dramatic changes (so far). The sellers who review their accounts proactively will be fine.
If you’d like help reviewing your account in light of these changes, you can find more details about how I support Amazon sellers here: www.vickiweinberg.com