They say Amazon’s Buy Box can’t be trusted [Crew Review]

Want to be featured on our site and newsletters? Submit a guest post.

Hey Reader,

Millions of Amazon’s customers in the US overpaid for their orders.

That’s according to a class action filed against the company on behalf of all people who made a purchase using the Buy Box from 2016. The complaint alleges that Amazon’s Buy Box algorithm is “unfair and deceptive.” 

In particular, it is alleged that the algorithm favors Amazon's first-party retailers and third-party FBA sellers. While customers can opt to buy from other sellers at lower prices, Amazon doesn’t make it easy for them to do so.

The lawsuit cited an example consisting of two sellers who are selling the same product for different prices. One was using FBA and had a higher price than the other who fulfills the orders themselves.

There’s no hard and fast rule as to who wins the spot at any given time, but we’ve already determined the factors that can help you win the Buy Box.

Get Started on Your TikTok and Instagram Campaigns

Despite the shift in digital marketing, consumers continue to behave the same way: they buy from people they trust. In the online world, that means content creators that they’ve been supporting for a while.



There’s a trust factor created between influencers and their audience, and brands and marketers can take advantage of this. Luckily, there’s no need for long back and forths before you get your desired content published on social media. JoinBrands makes it easy for you to connect to influencers and strike a deal with them.

Connect with content creators.

Shopify’s Numbers Are Looking Good

Shopify just released its Fourth-Quarter and Full-Year 2023 Financial Results, and it seems like 2023 was a good year for the e-commerce company.

Its total revenue increased by 26% to $7.1 billion. This includes Merchant Solutions revenue ($5.2 billion) and Subscription Solutions revenue ($1.8 billion). Meanwhile, the Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV) increased 20% to $235.9 billion.

The report also included a list of the tools and programs Shopify launched last year, including Shopify Magic and Sidekick.

In 2024, the company will continue to focus on “driving innovation in an ever-evolving commerce landscape,” according to its President.

Amazon Top Terms

Explore the past two weeks and uncover the Amazon top 10 search terms that have experienced a surge in popularity during the previous two weeks, from January 28 to February 10.



In this week's Amazon top 10, keywords like "gatsby chocolate" have claimed the top spot, showing a significant increase in sales from 3 units per day to 17 units per day in the last two weeks.

This surge may be attributed to the founders' appearance on the reality TV show, Shark Tank in October 2023. Seeking support from investors, they aimed for a celebrity partnership and potential rebranding to boost their business akin to Halo Top's success.

Check out our article "Relaunching & Recovering a Product on Amazon When Sales Drop"  for a list of key strategies to help you revive the product and bring the ASIN back to its former success.

$4 Billion in 4 Trading Days

Jeff Bezos is still the highest stakeholder on Amazon, but his shares got smaller after selling around $4 billion worth of shares in just a couple of days.

The Amazon founder provided no explanation as to why he was selling this many shares, but it could be to diversify his portfolio more and slowly loosen ties with the company.



The billionaire and his fiancee, Lauren Sanchez, also moved from Seattle to Miami. Bezos said the reason for the relocation was to be closer to his parents and the operations of Blue Origin, but financial analysts say it could also be a tax move.

By relocating to Miami, Bezos may save around $600 million in capital gains tax for the sale. He’ll be effectively avoiding Washington’s 7% capital gains tax that applies to the sale of stocks worth more than $250,000.

This is the first time Bezos sold Amazon shares since 2021.

Etc.

Walmart’s $2 billion deal. Walmart is buying TV manufacturer Vizio, and the move could significantly improve its advertising business.

Creative Assistant. TikTok’s AI-powered ideation tool is now integrated into Adobe Express as an add-on to make it easier for marketers to create content.

Same effective tactics. Temu became popular after its Super Bowl ads. The company used the same marketing tactic this year, causing searches such as “what is temu” to spike.