Overview

On November 23, 2022 Helium 10 released its weekly “Buzz” episode, highlighting three Amazon updates that directly affect sellers: the launch of Amazon Health Assurance, modest revisions to U.S. referral and FBA fees, and a detailed checklist for Black Friday readiness. The changes reshape cost calculations, compliance obligations, and seasonal inventory tactics, making them essential knowledge for anyone operating a storefront on Amazon.

Key Points

• Health Assurance rollout — Amazon now obligates sellers of health‑related items to submit safety documentation, aiming to curb counterfeit and unsafe products.
• Referral fee revisions — Select categories, such as Health & Personal Care and Sports & Outdoors, see a 0.5 % increase in referral percentages, nudging up overall expense for high‑volume merchants.
• Long‑term storage fee hike — The per‑cubic‑foot charge for inventory stored beyond 365 days rises from $0.15 to $0.20 for standard‑size units and from $0.30 to $0.35 for oversized units.
• Removal fee increase — Amazon adds $0.10 per unit to the cost of removing standard‑size inventory, encouraging proactive stock management.
• Black Friday timeline — Sellers are urged to lock in inventory levels and advertising plans by early November to capture premium placement during the holiday surge.
• Helium 10 tip — The weekly tip stresses leveraging the Inventory Performance Index (IPI) dashboard to identify excess stock before the new storage fees take effect.

How Amazon Health Assurance Works

1. Eligibility screening — Sellers offering products in regulated categories—dietary supplements, personal care, medical devices, etc.—must enroll in Health Assurance. Example: A vendor listing vitamin C tablets must provide a Certificate of Analysis before the SKU becomes active.
2. Document upload — Required safety data sheets, third‑party lab results, and compliance certificates are uploaded to a dedicated portal inside Seller Central. Example: A brand selling silicone facial masks attaches a lab‑verified biocompatibility report to satisfy the program’s standards.