In case you missed all the fun and chaos, let’s recap what happened with variation themes on Amazon over the last week. On August 19th, Amazon announced they would be deprecating thousands of variation themes starting September 2nd. Due to seller backlash and outrage, Amazon has revised their statement as of August 26.
Amazon's Original Variation Theme Announcement:
On August 19, Amazon sent shockwaves through the seller community by announcing they would be deprecating a massive number of variation themes (over 65,000 to be exact). This included popular themes used across categories like color, size, pack count, and style. Sellers were told they had until September 2 to update and restructure listings, otherwise, those listings could be suppressed or broken apart.
Amazon's Revised Variation Theme Statement Post Seller Outrage:
After an immediate flood of seller backlash, Amazon walked back their decision just a week later, on August 26. The company stated they would not move forward with deprecating the themes and that they only intended to remove redundant themes that were not needed. They also clarified that they will not be deprecating common themes like color and size.
How Can Sellers Remain Compliant with Variation Themes on Amazon?
Even though Amazon has put a pause on these changes for now, sellers should still prepare for the eventual updates to variation policies. Here are a few best practices:
- Audit current listings: make sure your variation families follow Amazon’s guidelines and that you’re not combining products that don’t belong together.
- Stick to approved variation themes: use only the variation themes Amazon allows in your category to avoid suppression risks.
- Stay updated: Amazon may roll out new timelines or adjustments to rules, so keep a close eye out! We will be keeping this article up to date as well.
If you're a client looking for more information, contact your account team! If you’re interested in learning more about how Blue Wheel can aid in your brand efforts in online marketplaces, schedule a consultation with our team, we would love to hear from you.
Julia Asburry is the Senior Marketplace Support Analyst at Blue Wheel, where she plays a vital role in enhancing Account Health and Customer Service management. Her work empowers our clients to not just sustain, but truly thrive in the eCommerce landscape. With over half a decade of diverse experience in the industry, she wears many hats within the organization, bringing a wealth of expertise that propels us forward and helps set us apart.
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