Why Are Amazon's New Vendor Tactics Catching Brands Off Guard? | Ft. Martin Heubel
Description
In this episode of the Digital Shelf Insider Podcast, host Shreshta Joy sits down with Martin Heubel, Strategy & Amazon Consultant at Consulterce, to break down what's really happening inside Amazon’s vendor negotiations and why so many 1P brands are feeling the pressure.
Martin explains how automation, shrinking buyer support, and aggressive margin targets are changing the rules for vendors and what brands can actually do about it.
In this episode, we cover:
Why automated negotiation systems are becoming the new norm
How tariffs and margin pressure are shaping vendor conversations
When to escalate and when to stand your ground
Handling Buy Box suppression and paused POs
What triggers CRaP flags and how to prevent them
Distribution discipline, MAP enforcement, and avoiding internal channel conflict
Hybrid strategy: when it makes sense and when Amazon blocks it
Martin also shares insights from a 200-brand vendor study across North America and Europe. Worth checking out if you're navigating Amazon right now:
https://consulterce.com/amazon-vendor-negotiation-study/
If you're a CPG leader, e-commerce strategist, or anyone managing Amazon as a 1P channel, this episode will help you understand what’s changing and how to protect your margins, listings, and long-term strategy.
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