Ecommerce news: Amazon updates and Etsy Wholesale closure

In the news this week: Amazon Enhanced Brand Content is available to more sellers, Amazon's response to the new Australian tax requirements, and Etsy Wholesales closure. 

Amazon Enhanced Brand Content

Amazon A+ Enhanced Brand Content is now available to ‘Professional Sellers’, which means that third party merchants selling their own branded products on the Amazon marketplace can now opt-in to the features designed to increase their brand profile.

Enhanced Brand Content enables you to describe product features in a different way by including a unique brand story, enhanced images and text placements. It can result in increased traffic, higher conversion rates, and increased sales.

To use the Amazon A+ feature, you need to register and be accepted as a brand owner through the Amazon Brand Registry process- you’ll only be able to use it for your products that are part of your approved brand catalogue.

Find out more about Amazon Enhanced Brand Content here.

Amazon.com no longer available in Australia

In response to Australia’s new Goods and Services Tax requirements, Amazon has announced that Australian shoppers will no longer be able to purchase from its international sites from 1 July 2018. Australian shoppers that try to visit Amazon.com or any other international Amazon site, will be redirected to Amazon Australia.

The new GST laws come into effect 1 July, and require businesses with a turnover of A$75,000 per year to register for GST and charge 10% tax on low value items imported into Australia.

Amazon’s response to the new tax requirements means that Australians will now only be able to purchase from the Amazon Australia site. Find out more about online retail in Australia here, and more about the new GST requirements here.

Etsy Wholesale closure

Etsy has announced that the Etsy Wholesale marketplace will close at the end of July. Etsy Wholesale is a marketplace for business to business wholesale transactions. In the announcement Etsy said:

“Unfortunately, running a separate marketplace built around the needs of wholesale sellers requires a big investment of resources. So we’ve made the tough decision to close the Etsy Wholesale platform.”

Sellers on Etsy Wholesale will be able to accept new orders until 28 June, and will have until 31 July to fulfill them, when Etsy.com/Wholesale will no longer be available.