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π§ Big Story:
Amazon Q1 β25 Unwrapped π¦
π Key Data:
Amazon leading beauty in EU5
π Ecommerce ecosystem news:
πΊπΈ Amazonβs Ad Revenue Hits $13.9B in Q1 2025.
πΊπΈ Walmart Sets $200K Minimum for Vizio Ads.
πΊπΈ SHEIN and ShipBob Team Up to Boost Seller Tools.
πΊπΈ BigCommerce, Silk Launch Ecommerce Hub for 5K Stores.
πΊπΈ DHL Restarts High-Value US Deliveries.
πΊπΈ FedEx-Amazon Returns Deal Falls Through.
+ over 15 handpicked hot ecommerce news from the last week you need to know π₯
Marketplace Mastery is a sharp, no-nonsense newsletter for anyone serious about thriving on Amazon and other marketplaces. Curated by Jordi OrdΓ³Γ±ez, a veteran eCommerce consultant since 2000, it delivers practical strategies, expert takes, and must-know marketplace updates.
Jordiβs insights are trusted across the industryβheβs a guest author for Helium 10, Jungle Scout, and Shopify, and collaborates with top partners like Avask. If you're navigating the complex world of marketplace selling, this is your shortcut to clarity.
Donβt gate! Recommend and share MarketMaze with your coulleage! Letβs make the e-commerce world a little smarter. Together.



Amazon Q1 β25 Unwrapped π¦
Tariffs are looming, sellers are slowing, but Amazonβs ad engine is still printing money. βUnwrappedβ shows why Wall Streetβs not sweating β yet. Here is short breakdown of Amazon Q1 2025 report
Cloud & Clicks Power Amazon βοΈ

Amazonβs retail growth is slowing, but its real moneymakers β ads and cloud β are thriving. Ads grew +18% Y/Y, now 8% of revenue. AWS jumped +17%, making up 19%. Meanwhile, online store sales (37% of total) crawled at +5%, and third-party services slowed to +6%. Total revenue hit $155.7B (+9%), beating expectations. CEO Andy Jassy warned of tariff risks and noted shoppers may be stocking up early.
GMV Grows, But Momentum Cools π§

Amazonβs GMV hit $190B in Q1, growing +5.3% β much slower than last yearβs +14%. Prices stayed flat despite tariff fears, and revenue growth fell 200 bps vs. Q4. Still, April demand looked better. Amazon says itβs protected from tariffs thanks to its wide assortment. Tariffs may shift seller power internally β some brands could gain share while others retreat.
3P Hits the Brakes, 1P Catches Up π

Third-party (3P) growth dropped to +5.4%, while Amazonβs first-party (1P) sales nearly caught up at +5.0%. Thatβs the closest theyβve been in years. Overall retail growth slowed to 5.4% from over 17% last year. Rising costs and tariff concerns are hitting small sellers hard. Amazonβs own sales give it more control in uncertain times.
Ads Still Printing Money for Amazon πΈ

Ad revenue reached $13.9B in Q1, up $2B (+19% Y/Y). Growth slowed from earlier highs, but ads still outperform every other segment. Sellers keep spending to stay visible β even as other areas slow down. Ads now bring in more money than subscriptions or physical stores, making them a key part of Amazonβs strategy.
From Bleeding to Breathing Margins π

Amazonβs US retail margins flipped from -2.9% in 2022 to +5.4% in Q1 β25. Thatβs a major turnaround, driven by ad growth and smarter operations. Margins improved +0.45 pp vs. last year. These gains come from retail, not AWS, showing that Amazon is making its core business more profitable.

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Amazon leading beauty in EU5
Can beauty brands afford to ignore Amazon in 2025?
(Or is it now a pillar of every eCommerce strategy?)

Let's look at the numbers:
β In Italy, 42% of beauty e-shoppers buy only on Amazon
β Spain: 32%
β UK: 24%
β France: 19%
β Even Germany hits 35%
And thatβs just the exclusive shoppers.
Now add in the βmixersβ (those using Amazon and other platforms), and it becomes clearβ
Amazon is not just a nice-to-have.
Itβs the anchor of the beauty omnichannel.
So the real question isn't:
βShould we sell on Amazon?β
Itβs:
βWhatβs our differentiated strategy on Amazon to scale sustainably and protect our brand?β

Inside Foodpandaβs retreat from Thailand.

Momentum Works explains the strategic retreat of Foodpanda from Thailand amid fierce competition and consolidation pressure. Itβs a candid take on operational focus and regional market dynamics. π Momentum Works
Fabletics leads athleisure adsβby a mile.

Sensor Tower reveals how Fabletics commands nearly half of ad impressions among athleisure brands, outspending even Lululemon. An eye-opener on brand visibility and digital ad dominance. π Sensor Tower
Temuβs Y2 model: The latest move in cross-border e-commerce.

Chinese Sellers breaks down how Temu is adapting to rising tariffs with a Y2 model that shifts fulfillment dynamics. π Chinese Sellers
Previously, Temu's semi-managed model required merchants to first ship products from China to US-based warehouses. Or else, sellers would face penalties. The new Y2 model streamlines this: After a US consumer orders, merchants can now directly ship from China. Goods are picked up domestically, air-shipped to the US, cleared through customs, transferred to a local courier pickup point, and finally delivered to the end customer.
The new compliance playbook for online marketplaces.
ChannelX dives into how UK regulations are tightening around online marketplaces and what platforms need to change. π ChannelX

Influencer code protection made simple
KeepCart: Coupon Protection partners with D2C brands like Quince, Blueland, Vessi and more to stop/monitor coupon leaks to sites/extensions like Honey, CapitalOne, RetailMeNot, and more to boost your DTC margins


πΊπΈ Amazonβs Ad Revenue Hits $13.9B in Q1 2025. Amazon earned $13.9B from ads in Q1 2025, up 18% from last year, with total sales at $155.7B. CEO Andy Jassy noted tariff uncertainties impacting strategy. π Adweek
πΊπΈ Walmart Sets $200K Minimum for Vizio Ads. Walmartβs $2.3B Vizio buy in Dec 2024 aims at TV ads with $200K minimum spend. Beta tests start soon, using Walmartβs shopping data, says Seth Dallaire. π Adweek
πΊπΈ Amazon Partners with Reach for Ad Data. Amazon teamed up with Reach on Feb 5, 2024, to use first-party data as Google cuts cookies. The UKβs CMA flagged 39 issues with Googleβs plan, per James Rosewell. π PYMNTS
πΊπΈ Google Boosts Ad Themes to 50 in PMax. Google raised Search Themes in Performance Max to 50 from 25, enhancing AI ad targeting. Advertisers gain more control over ad placements with this update. π Search Engine Land
πΊπΈ PayPal Launches Offsite Ads on Apr 29. PayPalβs Offsite Ads, launched Apr 29, 2025, use transaction data for off-platform ads. Mark Grether says it helps brands target better, per Publicis Mediaβs Darcy Bowe. π PayPal Newsroom
πΊπΈ Niche Amazon Agencies Gain Traction. Specialized Amazon agencies help brands target niche markets to compete. They craft tailored campaigns for better visibility on Amazonβs platform. π SevenPress
πΊπΈ Google Faces Ad Tech Breakup Demand. The U.S. seeks to split Googleβs ad tech after a monopoly trial, with phase 2 in Sep 2025. DOJβs Julia Tarver Wood says behavioral fixes wonβt stop Googleβs dominance. π The Guardian
πΊπΈ Chinese Retailers Cut Meta Ad Spend. Chinese firms like Temu cut Meta ad spend due to Trumpβs trade policies, hitting $8.22B in Q1 2025. Metaβs Susan Li says some spend shifted, but overall itβs down. π CNBC


πΊπΈ SHEIN and ShipBob Team Up to Boost Seller Tools. SHEIN Marketplace partners with ShipBob to streamline seller operations using over 60 fulfilment centres, announced at the βElevateβ event in LA. Sellers get zero fees, faster delivery, and tools like inventory tracking, says ShipBob CEO Dhruv Saxena. π SupplyChainDigital
πΊπΈ BigCommerce, Silk Launch Ecommerce Hub for 5K Stores. BigCommerce and Silk Commerce debuted the Distributed Ecommerce Hub on April 28, 2025, to manage 5 to 5,000 storefronts. It offers centralized branding and local flexibility, says BigCommerceβs Lance Owide. π GlobeNewswire
π©πͺ Commercetools Drops Spring 2025 Features for Growth. Commercetools launched new tools like loyalty offers and B2B lists in Spring 2025, with 25% API adoption in week one. Shiri Mosenzon Erez says itβs built for better customer experiences and team efficiency. π ChannelX
πΊπΈ eBay, Klarna Bring Flexible Payments to U.S. Shoppers. eBay and Klarna expanded their partnership to the U.S., offering Pay in 4 and Financing for 2.3B listings. Klarnaβs 93M users and $75B eBay GMV in 2024 drive this move, with 500K resell listings added. π eBayInc
π¬π§ Affirm, WooCommerce Offer Payments to 170K UK Merchants. Affirm and WooCommerce brought flexible payments to 170K U.K. merchants in November 2024, expanding from 2015. Bedworldβs Uzair Valli says it helps customers with no-fee plans, per Affirmβs Ruth Spratt. π BusinessWire
πΊπΈ Skypad Launches Analytics for Walmart Marketplace. Skypadβs new platform helps 4K+ brands on Walmart Marketplace with real-time sales and inventory dashboards. Gil Hakami says itβs key for retail success in fashion, beauty, and electronics. π YahooFinance
π¬π§ ClearCourse Buys GOb2b to Grow B2B Ecommerce. ClearCourse acquired GOb2b on October 10, 2024, adding to 40+ buys since 2018, serving U.K. and Ireland clients. CEOs Christina Hamilton and Paul Dorey say it boosts business software solutions. π PYMNTS


πΊπΈ DHL Restarts High-Value US Deliveries. DHL resumed B2C shipments over $800 to the US on April 28, 2025, after a week-long pause started April 21 due to new customs rules. Talks with US officials now allow packages up to $2,500 to clear customs faster. π ChannelX
πΊπΈ FedEx-Amazon Returns Deal Falls Through. In 2024, FedEx and Amazon tried but failed to partner on e-commerce returns, while UPS acquired Happy Returns in 2023. A survey says 33.4% of US consumers prioritize free returns with easy labels. π PYMNTS
πΊπΈ Amazon Bets $4B on Rural Expansion. Amazon will spend $4B by 2026 to triple rural delivery stations, adding 100K+ jobs, says SVP Udit Madan. The plan targets 13K zip codes to halve delivery times for small-town shoppers. π Supply Chain Dive
π¨π³ Chinaβs E-Commerce Hits $360.6B. Chinaβs cross-border e-commerce grew to $360.6B in 2024, up 10.8%, with Cainiao and JD Logistics building overseas warehouses. Cainiaoβs 2025 βgreen channelβ boosts logistics speed, per Hong Yong. π Voice of China
πΊπΈ US Tariffs Slam Shein, Temu. New US tariffs on May 2, 2025, axed duty-free entry for packages under $800, with 145% tariffs hurting Shein and Temu sales since February. A Zhejiang manufacturer notes rising prices and delays. π Business Today

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