Overview

Amazon is introducing a “cases” capability inside the buyer‑seller messaging hub, allowing sellers to split conversations by order and issue instead of a single endless thread. The feature will appear as an opt‑in option over the next several months, targeting sellers who handle high volumes of repeat‑buyer interactions. Organizing messages this way can cut down the time spent locating relevant chats and improve overall response efficiency.

Key Points

• Case‑based grouping — Each conversation is linked to a specific order and topic, so a shipping question for Order #123‑456 stays separate from a return request for Order #123‑789.
• Resolution flag — Sellers can mark a case as “resolved”; any new message from the same buyer automatically starts a fresh case, preventing old threads from reopening.
• Searchable archive — Resolved cases remain in the inbox and are fully searchable, giving sellers a complete record for dispute or A‑to‑Z claim reviews.
• Opt‑in flexibility — Activation is done via a banner in the messaging inbox, and sellers can switch back to the classic view at any moment without losing historical data.
• Third‑party tool impact – Because the underlying thread structure changes, integrations that rely on continuous message streams may need to be retested for compatibility.
• Potential health boost – By making unresolved cases instantly visible, the feature can help sellers meet Amazon’s response‑time metrics more consistently.

How the New System Works

1. Case creation — When a buyer sends a message, Amazon prompts the seller to assign it to a case tied to an order number and a short topic label (e.g., “Delayed shipment”). For example, a buyer asking about a missing package for Order #A1B2C3 will open a case titled “Shipment delay – A1B2C3.”
2. Case resolution — After the seller provides the needed information and the issue is settled, they click a “Resolve” button. The system then tags the case as closed; any subsequent message from that buyer, such as a new question about a different order, spawns a brand‑new case instead of appending to the closed one.