FTC Hits Amazon With $2.5B Settlement, Walmart Wins on AI Traffic, and Holiday Deals Start Early

Send us Fan MailIn this week’s Selling on Giants – eCommerce News & Updates, Amazon takes a historic $2.5 billion hit from the FTC over “dark patterns” in its Prime sign-up and cancellation flows. We break down what the ruling means for sellers, how Prime members can claim refunds, and why UX design is no longer just about conversions but now a compliance risk.Meanwhile, ChatGPT has become a surprising traffic driver for Walmart, Etsy, and Target, while Amazon blocks AI crawlers to protect its $56 billion ad business. We cover what this shift means for product discovery and why sellers should prepare for AI-driven shopping funnels that bypass Google entirely.Amazon isn’t slowing down elsewhere. Multi-Channel Fulfillment is expanding to Shopify, SHEIN, and even Walmart Marketplace, giving brands Prime-speed delivery across platforms. Add in new FBA fee discounts for Amazon Business bulk orders and a fresh Image Manager tool to track ownership of product images, and Amazon continues to reshape seller operations on multiple fronts.Beyond Amazon, eBay is doubling down on resale with its acquisition of Tise, Kroger is building AI into every layer of grocery fulfillment, and Microsoft Copilot is now acting as a personal stylist. Retailers are racing to redefine discovery, personalization, and fulfillment with AI at the center.And with Q4 in full swing, Walmart is launching its “Walmart Deals, Delivered” holiday event from October 7–12, Halloween spending is projected to hit a record $13.1 billion, and Walmart Marketplace sellers are getting real incentives: the new Pro Seller Badge plus steep referral fee discounts on toys and pet supplies through January.If you sell on Amazon, Walmart, or Shopify, this episode is your field guide for where commerce is headed — from compliance risks to hidden tariff refunds to the early holiday retail calendar.Stay sharp, stay informed, and stay profitable.Read the full newsletter here: Selling on Giants Newsletter