I. New Adjustments to Amazon’s Delivery Policy
Starting from July 31, 2025, the rules for sellers to qualify for the “Premium Delivery Option” have changed:
- Previously, sellers were required to deliver 97% of orders on time within 30 days. Now, the requirement is adjusted to 92% of orders delivered on time within 7 days.
- This means more room for error, but since only the most recent 7 days of performance are considered, sellers could quickly lose eligibility if there’s a logistics issue on any given day. Therefore, sellers must monitor their delivery data from the past 1–2 weeks daily.
II. U.S. Back-to-School Shopping Trends: Opportunities for Sellers
Early shopping, but incomplete purchases
- 67% of people have already started buying school supplies for their children (more than last year), and half of them are shopping early to avoid potential tariff hikes.
- However, 84% of shoppers have only completed half of their purchases, and 47% are waiting for discounts—so sellers should run more promotions.
Clear spending priorities
- Families with K-12 students: Focus on electronics (around \(295 per person) and clothing (around \)249 per person), which account for over 60% of their total spending.
- College students: Prefer electronic devices (around \(309 per person) and dorm furniture (around \)191 per person).
Spending habits vary by household income
- Higher-income households spend more freely, while lower-income households are more budget-conscious. Many use “buy now, pay later” services.
III. Specific Recommendations for Sellers
Adapting to the new delivery policy
- Set up a “7-day logistics alert system” to track the 92% on-time delivery threshold and avoid falling below it.
- Use multiple logistics channels instead of relying on a single one.
Capitalizing on back-to-school season
- Stock up more on electronics and dorm furniture, and offer “buy now, pay later” as a payment option.
- Run tiered discounts for shoppers waiting for deals—for example, start with small discounts and increase them later.
Keeping up with supply chain and production
- Factories should produce more 3C digital products and simple dorm furniture, as these sell well.
- Maintain flexible material preparation: Ensure 7 days of safety stock, plus an extra 7 days of backup stock to prevent sudden shortages.
Amazon’s delivery rules have become more lenient but now demand better short-term stability. During the back-to-school season, shoppers are buying more but waiting for discounts. Adjust your stock, logistics, and promotions based on these trends.
Question: After Amazon adjusted its delivery policy, which logistics indicators do sellers need to focus on? How should they respond?
Answer: Sellers need to focus on the “7-day on-time delivery rate” (which must be maintained above 92%) and delivery data from the most recent 7–14 days. Response measures include establishing a daily tracking mechanism, setting up a 7-day early warning system, and using multiple logistics channels to spread risks, avoiding qualification impacts caused by fluctuations in a single channel.
Question: What are the notable shopping habits of U.S. back-to-school consumers? How can sellers develop strategies based on these habits?
Answer: The habits include 67% of consumers shopping in advance (51% due to tariffs), 84% not completing their purchases (47% waiting for discounts), K-12 families focusing on electronics and clothing, and college students needing electronics and dorm furniture. Sellers can stock up on core categories in advance, set tiered discounts to attract those waiting for deals, and offer “buy now, pay later” services.
Question: How should sellers adjust their production and supply chains to meet back-to-school demand?
Answer: In terms of production, they need to prioritize 3C digital products (with K-12 families spending \(295 per person on average) and modular dorm furniture (with college students spending \)191 per person on average). For the supply chain, they should optimize procurement cycles and establish a “7+7 flexible material preparation mechanism” to ensure 7-day delivery stability, in line with Amazon’s new policy.
