Amazon Japan has released important updates that sellers need to be aware of, including mandatory brand name requirements for certain product categories and an upcoming promotional event offering double points to customers.
Brand Name Now Required for Six Product Categories
Effective April 26, 2023, Amazon Japan will require brand names (brand_name field) to be completed for listings in six specific product categories. This change from optional to mandatory aims to improve product detail page quality.
The affected categories include:
- Wallets (WALLE)
- Sporting goods (SPORTING_GOODS)
- Recreational balls (RECREATION_BALL)
- Stickers (STICKER_DECAL)
- Vacuum cleaners (VACUUM_CLEANER)
- Computer drives or storage devices (COMPUTER_DRIVE_OR_STORAGE)
The brand_name field will now appear as a required field when creating new listings. Existing listings submitted before April 26, 2023, will not be affected, but sellers can update brand information through the "Manage All Inventory" feature or by uploading inventory files for bulk updates.
Double Points Week Promotion Coming Soon
In addition to the listing policy changes, Amazon Japan will launch a "Double Points Week" promotion starting April 7, offering sellers a significant opportunity to boost sales and traffic.
To participate, sellers must meet these requirements by March 31:
- At least 80% of products must be in a purchasable state
- Products must offer at least 1% in points
Amazon will match the points offered by sellers, effectively giving customers double points on qualifying purchases. The maximum points Amazon will contribute per buyer is 5,000 points, not exceeding 5% of the product price.
Sellers must maintain these conditions through April 13 and can configure their point settings through the Amazon Points Center by clicking the "Update All Items" button.
Promotion Schedule:
Double Points Week: April 7 (Friday) 09:00 - April 13 (Thursday) 23:59
Important Reminders for Sellers
- Complete all preparations by March 31, including inventory checks and point settings
- Monitor official Amazon announcements for updates
- Optimize listings to maximize visibility during the promotion
These policy changes and promotional opportunities present both challenges and advantages for sellers on Amazon Japan. Staying informed and proactive will be key to maintaining compliance and capitalizing on the increased customer engagement.