Overview

Amazon has refreshed its quality standards for seller‑run promotions, tightening rules around price history, product eligibility, and content safety. The changes take effect immediately and are enforced most rigorously during high‑traffic events such as Prime Day and Black Friday. Sellers who ignore the new criteria risk having deals rejected at a time when traffic spikes could otherwise boost sales.

Key Points

• 30‑Day Lowest‑Price Rule — A deal price must be equal to or lower than the cheapest price the SKU posted in the previous 30 days, including any coupons or temporary discounts.
• Future‑Pricing Influence — Prices used in today’s promotion become part of the 30‑day benchmark, meaning tomorrow’s deals must match or beat today’s low point.
• Rating & Review Minimums — Products need at least a 2.5‑star average and a minimum of five customer reviews to qualify for any promotion.
• Content Eligibility — Listings flagged as unsafe, offensive, embarrassing, or otherwise inappropriate cannot appear in any promotional slot.
• Event‑Specific Scrutiny — Amazon applies the same rules but with heightened review during Prime Day, Prime Big Deal Days, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and other seasonal sales.

How the Updated Promotion Guidelines Work

1. Price History Check — Amazon’s system scans the last 30 days of pricing activity for the SKU. If a seller sets a Lightning Deal at $19.99, the platform verifies that $19.99 is at least as low as the lowest price recorded in that window, whether that price came from a regular listing, a coupon, or a previous deal.
2. Benchmark Update — Once the deal is approved, the $19.99 price is added to the 30‑day price log. A subsequent promotion scheduled two weeks later must therefore be $19.99 or lower; a $20.49 price would be rejected because it does not meet the new benchmark.
3. Eligibility Verification — Before a promotion can be submitted, Amazon checks the product’s average rating and review count. A kitchen gadget with a 2.4‑star rating and four reviews will be blocked, whereas the same item with a 2.6‑star rating and six reviews passes the threshold.