Ecommerce weekly report · 2026 · Week 36 · 08.31 — 09.06
Blues19 News
Historical compilation: selected articles grouped by their original dates. Coverage may be incomplete; verify policies and deadlines against current announcements. Compiled:2026/10/10 11:12:44(Beijing time).
EU Customs Reform Assigns Liability to Platforms; Typhoon Disruptions Hit Shanghai and Ningbo Ports
This issue covers August 31 to September 6, 2026. There are two main themes. First, compliance requirements and platform liability are increasing. The Council of the European Union has approved the largest customs reform in decades. Non-EU e-commerce platforms will be treated as importers and must handle customs declarations, pay duties, and ensure that products comply with EU standards. Serious violations may result in fines of up to 6% of the previous year's import value, as well as the loss of customs privileges or restrictions on platform access. ZSVR and UBA have jointly published the 2026 Minimum Standard for the Recyclability of Packaging. Second, logistics have been severely disrupted. Typhoon Shandel made landfall in China three times. As of September 1, berthing delays at Shanghai and Ningbo-Zhoushan ports had reached 10 days. North Asia accounted for 54% of global port congestion, with about 2.5 million TEU of capacity waiting to berth. About 3.92 million TEU of capacity, or 11.4% of the global container fleet, was held at anchor. Freight forwarders recommend adding at least two weeks of buffer to China transit times. On the platform front, Amazon began offering Amazon Business exclusive limited-time promotions in 10 countries on August 31, and is progressively including customer service performance for seller-fulfilled orders in Account Health ratings in Canada, the UK, Belgium, Spain, and Germany. The Netherlands, France, Belgium, and Germany have introduced the Seller Challenge review process. TikTok Shop in the US has published order packaging requirements. In industry trends, TrendForce forecasts that global notebook shipments will fall 9.4% year over year in 2026, a smaller decline, while mobile phone panel shipments will total about 2.25 billion units, with the decline narrowing to 2.5%.
EU Customs Reform Assigns Liability to Platforms
Section overviewThe Council of the European Union has approved the largest customs reform in decades. Non-EU e-commerce platforms will be treated as importers and must handle customs declarations, pay duties, and ensure that products comply with EU standards. Serious violations may result in fines of up to 6% of the previous year's import value, as well as the loss of customs privileges or restrictions on platform access. At the same time, the Central Agency Packaging Register (ZSVR) and the German Environment Agency (UBA) have jointly published the 2026 Minimum Standard for the Recyclability of Packaging, which is used to assess the recyclability of packaging designs. Results are expressed as percentages, and users need to provide only a small amount of information, such as materials, design parameters, and weight. All materials are assessed using the same method. The materials do not specify either the date the reform was approved or when the 2026 standard takes effect.
Cyprus News European business and economy09.06EU Council approves customs reform, treating non-EU e-commerce platforms as importers
The Council of the European Union has approved the largest customs reform in decades. Non-EU e-commerce platforms will be treated as importers, responsible for customs declarations, paying customs duties, and ensuring that products comply with EU standards. Serious violations may result in fines of up to 6% of the previous year's import value, as well as the withdrawal of customs privileges or restrictions on platform access.
ZSVR and UBA Publish the 2026 Minimum Standard for the Recyclability of Packaging
The Central Agency Packaging Register (ZSVR) and the German Environment Agency (UBA) have jointly published the 2026 Minimum Standard for the Recyclability of Packaging, which is used to assess the recyclability of packaging designs. Results are expressed as percentages. Users need to provide only a small amount of information, such as materials, design parameters, and their weights. All materials are assessed using the same method, with no bonuses or deductions favoring particular materials.
Typhoon Causes Ten-Day Port Delays
Section overviewTyphoon Shandel made landfall in China three times. As of September 1, berthing delays at Shanghai and Ningbo-Zhoushan ports had reached 10 days, the worst since the pandemic. North Asia accounted for 54% of global port congestion, with about 2.5 million TEU of capacity waiting to berth. About 3.92 million TEU of capacity, or 11.4% of the global container fleet, was held at anchor. Freight forwarders recommend adding at least two weeks of buffer to transit times from China, affecting seasonal goods such as toys, electronics, and clothing. The materials do not provide specific freight cost increases caused by the delays or identify specific routes beyond shipments from China.
Tech Times Technology and Industry Trends09.05Typhoon Shandel makes three landfalls in China, with berth delays at Shanghai and Ningbo ports reaching 10 days
Typhoon Shandel made three landfalls in China. As of September 1, berth delays at Shanghai and Ningbo-Zhoushan ports had reached 10 days, the worst since the pandemic. North Asian ports accounted for 54% of global port congestion, with approximately 2.5 million TEU of capacity waiting to berth. Globally, approximately 3.92 million TEU of capacity, representing 11.4% of the container fleet, was held up at anchorages. Freight forwarders recommend adding at least two weeks of buffer time to shipping schedules from China. Holiday goods such as toys, electronics, and apparel that are not loaded onto vessels by mid-September will not reach the U.S. West Coast before the November peak shopping season.
Business Promotions Launch in 10 Countries
Section overviewStarting August 31, 2026, sellers can create limited-time promotions exclusive to business customers through Amazon Business Deals in the US, Canada, the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, Mexico, and Australia. Discounts can run from 1 hour to 30 days and can be set as either a fixed price or a percentage discount. Standard promotions require a minimum discount of 10%, while events such as Prime Day, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday require at least 15%. Meanwhile, the Amazon Business business-hours delivery rate requirement will take effect on September 30, 2026. It applies to seller-fulfilled Amazon Business orders on Amazon.com, with a threshold of 90%. Seller-fulfilled offers may be deactivated if sellers do not meet the threshold.
DAM Law Firm: Amazon Legal Matters and Account Compliance09.05Amazon to enforce Business Hours Delivery Rate requirements from September 30
Amazon's Business Hours Delivery Rate requirements will take effect on September 30, 2026, and apply to seller-fulfilled Amazon Business orders on its U.S. marketplace. Sellers still below the 90% threshold on September 30 will receive warnings. Sellers that remain below the threshold on October 30 may have their seller-fulfilled offers for Amazon Business customers deactivated. FBA offers and regular retail offers are unaffected. The metric is calculated over a rolling 14-day period and has been displayed in Account Health as a reference metric since 2023.
Amazon launches Amazon Business Deals with exclusive promotions for business customers
Starting August 31, 2026, sellers can use Amazon Business Deals to create exclusive, limited-time promotions for business customers in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, Mexico, and Australia.
Amazon launches exclusive Amazon Business promotions, available in France from August 31
Amazon announced that starting August 31, 2026, sellers can create exclusive, limited-time promotions for business customers in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, Mexico, and Australia.
Amazon launches exclusive Amazon Business promotions in ten countries
Starting August 31, 2026, sellers can create exclusive, limited-time promotions for Amazon Business customers on Amazon's marketplaces in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, Mexico, and Australia. Discounts can run for one hour to 30 days and can be offered as a fixed price or a percentage discount.
Amazon Business introduces exclusive, limited-time B2B deals
Starting August 31, 2026, sellers can use Amazon Business Deals to create exclusive, limited-time deals for business buyers in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, Mexico, and Australia. Deals can run for one hour to 30 days, with either a fixed price reduction or a percentage discount. Standard deals require a minimum discount of 10%, while high-traffic events such as Prime Day, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday require at least 15%. Products must have a rating above 3.5 stars, be in new condition, and meet pricing and seller performance requirements.
Amazon launches exclusive Amazon Business deals across ten marketplaces
Starting August 31, 2026, sellers can use Amazon Business Deals to create exclusive, limited-time discounts for business customers. The feature is available in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, Mexico, and Australia.
Customer Service Scores Added to Account Health
Section overviewAmazon marketplaces in Canada, the UK, Belgium, Spain, Germany, and other countries are including customer service performance for seller-fulfilled orders handled by the seller in Account Health ratings or performance assessments. Sellers can earn up to 12 points based on three metrics: a buyer contact rate below 0.50%, an average response time below 12 hours, and a buyer dissatisfaction rate below 4.5%. Performance below the average on these metrics will not restrict selling privileges; ratings increase only when customer service performance is strong. The rule has been rolled out across the marketplaces listed above. Whether it applies to other marketplaces has not been confirmed.
Amazon Canada adds AHR points for customer service performance on seller-fulfilled orders
Amazon Canada has updated its Account Health Rating (AHR), awarding up to 12 additional points for sellers' performance when they handle customer service themselves for Fulfilled by Merchant (FBM) orders. The points are based on three customer service quality metrics: buyer contact rate, average contact response time, and buyer dissatisfaction rate. The buyer contact rate must be below 0.50%, the average response time below 12 hours, and the buyer dissatisfaction rate below 4.5%. Amazon stated that good performance on these metrics can only increase AHR scores, while below-average performance will not restrict selling privileges.
Amazon UK adds customer service performance bonus points to the Account Health Rating
Amazon UK announced that sellers can now earn up to 12 additional Account Health Rating (AHR) points based on three customer service quality metrics for seller-fulfilled orders where sellers handle customer service directly. The three metrics are: a buyer contact rate below 0.50%, an average contact response time under 12 hours, and buyer dissatisfaction below 4.5%. Below-average performance will not restrict selling privileges. Sellers can view their customer service performance in Feedback Manager.
Amazon Belgium adds customer service quality metrics to the Account Health Rating
Amazon Belgium announced that sellers can now earn up to 12 Account Health Rating (AHR) bonus points based on three customer service quality metrics for seller-fulfilled orders where sellers manage customer service directly: a buyer contact rate below 0.50%, an average response time under 12 hours, and buyer dissatisfaction below 4.5%. Only good performance on these metrics can increase the AHR score; below-average performance will not restrict selling privileges. Sellers can view their customer service performance in Feedback Manager.
Amazon Spain adds customer service quality bonus points to the Account Health Rating
Amazon Spain has added customer service quality scoring for seller-fulfilled orders to its Account Health Rating. Sellers can earn up to 12 points based on three metrics: a customer inquiry rate below 0.50%, an average response time under 12 hours, and a customer dissatisfaction rate below 4.5%. The rating can only increase as a result of good customer service performance; below-average performance will not restrict selling privileges. Sellers can track their customer service performance in Feedback Manager.
Amazon Germany adds customer service quality scoring for seller-fulfilled orders to seller performance
Amazon Germany announced that seller performance assessments will begin to include customer service performance for seller-fulfilled orders when the seller handles customer service. Sellers can earn up to 12 points based on three customer service quality metrics: a buyer contact rate below 0.50%, an average handling time for initial buyer contact below 12 hours, and a buyer dissatisfaction rate below 4.5%. Performance scores increase only when sellers perform well on these metrics. Below-average performance will not restrict selling privileges. Sellers can track their customer service performance in Feedback-Manager.
Seller Challenge Expands to More Marketplaces
Section overviewAmazon has introduced Seller Challenge in the Netherlands, France, Belgium, Germany, and other marketplaces for sellers enrolled in Account Health Assurance or Seller Performance Protection. After exhausting the standard appeal channels, sellers can request a review of eligible product-level policy decisions. Sellers may submit up to three challenges every 180 days. A specially trained or qualified team handles the review and aims to issue a decision within 48 hours. Sellers may include additional materials with their submission. If a challenge is accepted, the original decision is overturned and the product is relisted. On Amazon Germany, each unsuccessful challenge becomes available again after six months. TikTok Shop in the US also published Order Packaging Requirements on September 3, listing ten prohibited packaging practices and setting fixed standards for nine product categories across three areas of responsibility: inner packaging, outer packaging, and labeling.
TikTok Shop issues US order packaging requirements, prohibiting ten types of packaging practices
On September 3, 2026, TikTok Shop published “Order Packaging Requirements” on its US Academy, listing ten types of prohibited packaging practices and setting fixed standards for nine product categories across three areas of responsibility: inner packaging, outer packaging, and labeling.
Amazon Netherlands launches Seller Challenge, allowing sellers enrolled in Account Health Assurance to request reviews
Amazon Netherlands has launched Seller Challenge for sellers enrolled in Account Health Assurance. After exhausting all standard appeal channels, sellers can request up to three reviews of eligible product-level policy decisions every 180 days. A specially trained team handles the reviews and aims to issue decisions within 48 hours. Sellers can submit supporting materials with their requests. If a challenge is accepted, the original decision is overturned and the product detail page is restored. After an unsuccessful challenge, sellers must wait six months before applying again. This feature is an optional benefit. Sellers can check whether they are enrolled in the program through the banner in the upper-right corner of the Account Health dashboard.
Amazon France launches Seller Challenge, allowing sellers enrolled in Account Health Assurance to request reviews
Amazon France has launched Défi vendeur (Seller Challenge) for sellers enrolled in Account Health Assurance. After exhausting standard appeal channels, sellers can request reviews of eligible product-level policy decisions, with a maximum of 3 requests every 180 days. A dedicated team communicates review decisions within 48 hours, and sellers can attach supporting materials when submitting a request. If a challenge succeeds, the original decision is overturned and the product is relisted. Unsuccessful challenges can be resubmitted after 6 months.
Amazon Belgium launches Seller Challenge for Account Health Assurance
Amazon Belgium has introduced Seller Challenge for sellers enrolled in Account Health Assurance. After exhausting the standard appeal options, sellers can request a review of eligible listing policy decisions, up to three times every 180 days. A dedicated team handles reviews and aims to issue a decision within 48 hours. Sellers may include additional materials with their appeal. If it is accepted, the original decision is overturned and the product is relisted. Sellers can check the banner in the top-right corner of the Account Health dashboard to confirm whether they are enrolled in the program.
Amazon Germany launches Seller Challenge to protect seller performance
Amazon Germany has launched Seller Challenge for sellers enrolled in the Seller Performance Protection feature. After exhausting the standard appeal options, sellers can request a review of eligible product-level policy decisions. Sellers may submit up to three challenges every 180 days. A qualified team will review each challenge and aims to issue a decision within 48 hours. Sellers may include additional materials with their submission. If a challenge is accepted, the original decision is overturned and the product is relisted. Each unsuccessful challenge becomes available again after six months. Sellers can check the banner in the top-right corner of the Seller Performance dashboard to confirm whether they are enrolled in the protection feature.
- 2026-W41EU Abolishes Customs Duty Exemption for Small Parcels; U.S. CBP Proposes Changes to Low-Value Goods Entry Declarations
- 2026-W40China and U.S. cut tariffs on $60 billion worth of goods and extend trade truce
- 2026-W39Amazon expands $1 million liability insurance requirement as Strait of Hormuz traffic plunges
- 2026-W38U.S. shipping rates near peak as EU compliance measures roll out in quick succession
- 2026-W37Houthis take control of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait; oil tops $100