Overview

Amazon’s conversational assistant, Rufus, is now showing a strong bias toward items fulfilled through FBA or Seller‑Fulfilled Prime (SFP). Recent analysis indicates that roughly 92 % of products recommended by Rufus carry the Prime badge, meaning the fulfillment choice directly affects a seller’s chance of appearing in AI‑driven suggestions. Understanding this new ranking factor is essential for any seller who relies on Amazon’s traffic.

Key Points

• Prime badge dominance — Over nine out of ten Rufus suggestions display the Prime logo, signaling the algorithm’s preference for Prime‑eligible listings.
• Predictable delivery advantage — Fulfillment methods that guarantee a specific delivery window earn higher scores, because Rufus aims to match shopper expectations for speed.
• Stock stability factor – Items with a history of staying in stock and avoiding back‑order situations receive a confidence boost in the recommendation engine.
• Customer‑experience metrics – Late‑shipment rates, damage complaints, and negative delivery feedback are fed into Rufus’s product ranking model, penalizing erratic fulfillment.
• Geographic reach impact – Sellers whose fulfillment network can serve a broader set of ZIP codes are more likely to be surfaced for location‑specific queries.
• Returns efficiency signal – Fast, hassle‑free returns generate positive algorithmic weight, while complicated return processes lower a product’s visibility.
• Seller‑fulfilled Prime parity – High‑performing SFP sellers can approach FBA visibility, but any dip in on‑time delivery or tracking accuracy immediately reduces recommendation frequency.
• Standard merchant fulfillment penalty – Listings without Prime eligibility are often filtered out of queries that imply a need for quick shipping, resulting in a noticeable drop in AI‑driven impressions.

How Rufus Determines Which Products to Recommend

1. Eligibility screening — Rufus first checks whether a product is Prime‑eligible; non‑Prime items are excluded from fast‑shipping intents.