Overview

On March 16 2022 Helium 10 published its weekly “Buzz” briefing, drawing attention to two pressing challenges for Amazon and Walmart sellers: unexpected slowdowns in order fulfillment and common pitfalls in pay‑per‑click (PPC) advertising. The session also delivered a step‑by‑step framework for measuring a listing’s performance against its top rivals. Sellers need to act because delayed shipments can jeopardize the buy‑box, mis‑configured PPC campaigns waste budget, and without a clear benchmark it’s difficult to assess growth or competitive standing.

Key Points

• Fulfillment slowdowns on Amazon and Walmart — Sellers reported processing times that stretched several days beyond normal windows during peak periods.
• Frequent PPC errors — Mistakes such as using the wrong match type, setting budget caps that stop campaigns early, and neglecting negative keywords were highlighted.
• Benchmarking listing performance — Helium 10 unveiled a method to compare conversion rate, traffic share, and review velocity with the three leading competitors.
• Weekly ad‑spend audit recommendation — Participants were urged to review ACoS trends each week and adjust bids dynamically rather than relying on static targets.
• Real‑world recovery story – A guest seller explained how rapid inventory reallocation, guided by Helium 10 tools, helped recoup sales after a sudden fulfillment bottleneck.

How Order Delays and PPC Issues Are Managed

1. Locate the bottleneck — Begin by consulting carrier dashboards; for example, a Walmart seller who sees a 48‑hour increase in transit time can verify the delay in the Walmart Shipping Center.
2. Add inventory buffers — Once the source is identified, increase safety stock in the affected network; a vendor might transfer an additional 200 units from a secondary warehouse to cover the shortfall.
3. Proactively communicate — Update the handling‑time field on the product page and send buyer messages about potential delays; a seller who added a “shipping may take up to 7 days” note reduced order‑cancellation rates by roughly 15 %.