This Issue's TLDR...

• How to elevate your brand's packaging in 2026
• How to trigger loss aversion in your customers
• The holiday shopping season isn't over yet

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And, be sure to read last week's issue about demand planning for 2026. Or, read my most popular issue ever: 15 Cool Hacks For Your Amazon Business.

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I want you to change your packaging in 2026.

Mostly, to help you stand out in the "sea of sameness" that is Amazon SERP and deliver a unique unboxing experience for your customers that drives brand loyalty (and brand virality).

But also, to save on those eternally frustrating Amazon FBA fees.

Let's start with the latter, first.

I've been in product development mode with a long-time client in the supplement space that does 9-figures on Amazon.

We're focused on packaging at the moment, and I'm pushing them in the direction of flat bottles, for the FBA fee savings on multi-packs.

Don't know what I mean?

Here's what these look like:

Of course, this would be branded and have "scroll-stopper" potential because it's...different.

But, the main reason I'm pushing this format is for the fee savings.

Let's say you didn't care about FBA fee savings and ALL you care about is elevating end customer shopping or unboxing experience.

Here's a few packaging formats that I've saved in a swipe file over the course of 2026:

1) Small Satchets

2) Boxes (vs Bottles)

PRO TIP: Fill these boxes with satchets

3) Lift-Top Box

This won't save you on FBA fees, but you can definitely increase AOV, and also pursue co-branding opportunities with other brands.

EXAMPLE: I recently received a Dollar Shave Club box with a Nutrafol promo insert offering 50% off.

4) Two-Part Box

5) Unique Bottle Shapes

Ever heard of Graza? Yeah, they disrupted the olive oil industry simply by introducing a new bottle form.

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Hopefully, these trigger your curiosity and creativity, as you evolve your brand's packaging in 2026!

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BEST from LinkedIn

I saw this post on LinkedIn the other day, and it reminded me of a really cool Amazon strategy that, if it makes sense for your brand, is a massive advantage.

First, read the post from Yaniv:

The post about Apple's subtle and intentional experience curation is interesting in it's own right. But, it carries an important message about Buyer Psychology.

Once a customer has something, the pain of losing it is worse than the pain of never having it.

Subtle difference, I know, but look up "Loss Aversion" and it'll make sense.

So, the strategic Amazon question is: How can you put your products in customers' hands before they buy, so that they actually buy.

Well, Oura has figured that out.

On Amazon, they sell a ring-sizing kit, effectively for free.

It comes at a $10 cost, but with a $10 credit against their future Oura ring purchase.

See what they're doing with this?

They're:

1. Giving customers psychological ownership of an Oura ring, with these sizing kits;
2. Triggering loss aversion ($10), if a customer buys the kit but "foregoes" the $10 off offer if they don't buy the ring; and
3. Building a low ASP, high velocity, high review listing on Amazon, which they can use as a "slingshot" for their actual $400 Oura ring.

Again, this strategy won't work for every brand.

But, if it makes sense for your brand and product lineup, you should consider it.

BEST from X

Brands, agencies, and retail professionals all obsess over Black Friday / Cyber Monday (BFCM), but Bryan's post is a healthy reminder that...

There's still A LOT of Q4 holiday shopping left!

This isn't exactly a new phenomenon.

Since 2010ish, holiday shopping has morphed from a crazy, door-busting weekend around Thanksgiving, to a phased shopping calendar, with distinct shopper types during each phase. (I first read about this in Mary Meeker's annual internet trend report about a decade ago)

Today, these phases -- and the specific shopper types -- look like the following:

• Evergreen Shoppers (46% of holiday spend): These are the consistent buyers who spread their purchases evenly throughout the holiday season, often shopping both online and in-store across multiple retailers as they spot deals or gifts. They represent the largest segment and saw a slight increase in their share from 44% the previous year, indicating stable, deliberate spending habits.
• Early Birds (10% of holiday spend): Efficiency-focused planners who complete most of their shopping upfront, typically at a limited number of stores to knock out their list quickly. This group prefers streamlined experiences and contributes a smaller but predictable portion of early-season revenue.
• Black Friday Shoppers (16% of holiday spend): Deal-hunters who concentrate their efforts around Black Friday and Cyber Monday events, blending in-store visits with online purchases. Their share declined year-over-year in the study, but they drive spikes in traffic and sales during peak promotional days, with online spending at brick-and-mortar sites up 3% and at pure online retailers up 7%.
• Last-Minute Shoppers (28% of holiday spend): Procrastinators who rush purchases close to the holidays, heavily favoring online options for convenience. This segment grew the fastest at 8% year-over-year, with online brick-and-mortar spend up 4% and online-only up 12%, underscoring the rise of e-commerce for urgent buys. (Source: Cardlytics)

Something to keep in mind for your final holiday push, and your Q4 planning for next year.

Thanks, Bryan, for the reminder.

Bryan Porter @jbryanporter This is just the start of gift buying on Amazon. Typically, the best 10 days in December we sell more than the "Turkey 5" average. We do 50% more sales in December than November. LET'S GO!! 9:6 PM • Dec 5, 2025 2 Retweets 55 Likes Read 1 replies

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