Big news for all Merch by Amazon sellers!

Starting in 2025, Merch by Amazon is rolling out important updates to its publishing, pricing, and account management systems. These changes are designed to reward active, high-performing creators and keep the catalog fresh and competitive for customers.

In this article, we’ll break down every major update, what it means for you, and how you can adapt to succeed in the new environment.

Account Tiers: Focus on Recent Performance

What’s Changing:
Previously, account tiers were determined based on lifetime sales.
Starting in 2025, tiers will now be based on the number and percentage of products sold within the last 12 months. This adjustment will allow Merch by Amazon to maintain a dynamic catalog, emphasizing recent performance over historical sales.

What This Means for Creators:

• Active, consistent sellers will move up faster based on recent results.
• Sellers who are inactive or who rely on old, unsold designs may struggle to maintain or grow their tier.
• Maintaining a fresh, active portfolio will become even more important.

Prediction:
Creators who consistently upload trending, seasonal, and evergreen designs will climb the tiers faster. In contrast, accounts with outdated designs may see their growth slow or even decline.

Variation Selection: Optimizing for Customer Demand

What’s Changing:
Not every product will immediately offer every available fit and color.
Merch by Amazon will optimize the number of product variations depending on the product's performance. Additional variations will be added only when there is proven customer interest.

What This Means for Creators:

• New designs will launch with limited but strategic options.
• Successful designs will expand with more fits and colors over time.
• Creators will need to focus on uploading highly appealing designs that quickly demonstrate customer demand.

Prediction:
Designs that perform well early will enjoy greater visibility and broader options, leading to more potential sales. Designs that do not perform well initially may receive less support.

Product Deletion: Maintaining a Fresh Catalog

What’s Changing:
Merch by Amazon is reinstating its product deletion policy.
Products that have not received a sale within the last 18 months will be removed from the catalog to ensure that only relevant, customer-driven products remain available.

What This Means for Creators:

• Older, stagnant designs will be automatically removed.
• Catalog management will become more important to avoid losing potentially valuable listings.
• Creators will need to keep an eye on aging designs and replace them with updated, more competitive ones.

Prediction:
Overall competition on the platform may decrease slightly as non-performing designs are cleared out. However, this will also raise the standard for what it takes to stay visible on Merch by Amazon.

Pricing and Royalties: Adjusting for Sustainability

What’s Changing:
While Amazon will continue to control the final list prices to ensure competitiveness, content creators can suggest list prices.
In addition, Merch by Amazon will regularly review and adjust pricing and royalties based on customer shopping trends to keep the program sustainable for all parties.

What This Means for Creators:

• Suggested prices are now even more important for maximizing royalty opportunities.
• Royalties may fluctuate throughout the year based on adjustments to pricing strategies.
• Flexibility will be key — creators should expect some changes during major shopping seasons.

Prediction:
Royalty rates will likely remain generally stable but could temporarily decrease during major promotional periods to remain competitive. Strategic pricing suggestions will become an important part of maximizing long-term earnings.

Deals: More Exposure Through Promotional Events

What’s Changing:
Merch by Amazon will conduct promotional deals, where all content creators may have their products included automatically.
During these events, design updates and suggested list price changes will be temporarily paused, but royalty rates will continue to apply based on the final sale price.

What This Means for Creators:

• Promotions can boost visibility and help sellers gain momentum with popular designs.
• There is potential for short-term royalty reduction due to sale prices but long-term benefits from new customer exposure.

Prediction:
Well-prepared sellers who upload seasonal and event-themed designs ahead of time could see major spikes in traffic and sales during deal periods.