Amazon’s Washington State Ad Tax: What Sellers Need to Know
Reading Time: 3 minutesAmazon recently announced a significant change for sellers advertising in Washington state:…
In a move aimed at enhancing product quality and boosting buyer confidence, TikTok Shop has launched category-based benchmarks for product listings. This update is designed to ensure that sellers meet minimum performance standards specific to their product categories, helping maintain consistency and trust in the marketplace.
The introduction of these benchmarks signals TikTok Shop’s growing focus on structured eCommerce. As the platform rapidly scales, the new system will likely reward high-performing sellers while filtering out low-quality listings. But what does this mean for TikTok Shop sellers?
TikTok Shop’s category-based benchmarks set specific performance metrics that sellers must meet to maintain visibility and sales. These benchmarks will apply to pricing, shipping time, return rates, and customer satisfaction within each product category.
The goal is to:
1. Stronger Competition Within Categories
Sellers will now be judged against others in their specific product category. This means that low-rated products may struggle to rank or even be flagged for removal if they do not meet category standards. Sellers who exceed benchmarks may see a boost in visibility and sales.
2. Pricing Strategies Will Need to Be More Competitive
If your pricing is significantly higher than the benchmark for your category, your product may rank lower or even receive a warning. This will push sellers to align pricing with market expectations or justify premium pricing through better service, faster shipping, or higher-quality listings.
3. Shipping & Return Performance Will Be More Scrutinized
With shipping times and return rates becoming category-specific metrics, sellers who consistently delay shipments or experience high return rates may face penalties or reduced visibility. TikTok Shop is pushing sellers to optimize their logistics to maintain compliance.
4. Customer Satisfaction Metrics Will Become More Important
Buyers’ ratings and feedback will now directly impact a product’s ranking within its category. This means that customer service, response times, and product descriptions must be on point to avoid negative reviews that could hurt visibility.
With category-based benchmarks, TikTok Shop is shifting towards a more structured, competitive eCommerce ecosystem. Sellers can no longer rely solely on virality—product quality, pricing, and service standards will now dictate success.
For high-performing sellers, this is an opportunity to stand out, rank higher, and drive more conversions. However, for those who fail to meet the standards, the risks of reduced visibility and lost sales will increase significantly. Now is the time for sellers to analyze their category benchmarks, optimize their operations, and stay ahead of the competition.
Reading Time: 3 minutesAmazon recently announced a significant change for sellers advertising in Washington state:…
Reading Time: 14 minutesBlack Friday–Cyber Monday used to be a weekend. Now it’s a pressure…
Reading Time: 2 minutesKey Updates Shopify is deprecating the “Sell from all locations to all…
Reading Time: 2 minutesWhat’s New Amazon has published a Data Processing Addendum (DPA) for Multi-Channel…
Reading Time: 2 minutesKey Highlights AI-driven traffic to U.S. retail sites will increase by 520%…
Reading Time: 3 minutesDid you know, a new one-tap ordering feature from Amazon is set…
Reading Time: 2 minutesWalmart has overtaken eBay to become the No. 2 U.S. retail eCommerce…
Reading Time: 2 minutesA new step in AI-driven commerce offers merchants direct access to hundreds…
Reading Time: 2 minutesAmazon has officially launched Amazon Haul in Spain, a budget-focused storefront designed…
Reading Time: 2 minutesOpenAI is bringing ecommerce transactions directly into ChatGPT with the debut of…
Reading Time: 2 minutesAmazon has introduced a new FBA multi-unit discount for Amazon Business orders,…
Reading Time: 2 minutesNews Summary At its recent Etsy Up event (September 2025), Etsy unveiled…
Reading Time: 2 minutesNews Summary eBay has rolled out an update that now defaults all…
Reading Time: 2 minuteseBay has announced its acquisition of Tise, a Nordic consumer-to-consumer (C2C) social…
Reading Time: 3 minutesWalmart’s seasonal practices and incentives around holiday shipping have evolved, impacting seller…
Reading Time: 2 minutesAmazon has revised its variation themes policy for 2025. Instead of removing…
Reading Time: 8 minutesEvery sale you make online in the UK comes with a cut.…
Reading Time: 3 minutesHeads-up: eBay is changing what U.S. personal and financial data appears in…
Reading Time: 2 minutesAmazon has expanded Multi-Channel Fulfilment (MCF) and the broader Supply Chain by…
Reading Time: 9 minutesIt’s mid-October. The whiteboard is covered in timelines, SKU codes, and a…