Selling on Amazon, TikTok Shop or Temu is becoming more competitive, but the biggest change in 2026 is not simply competition.
The platforms are putting more emphasis on seller verification, product compliance, delivery performance and operational standards, while fulfilment costs are also changing.
For UK businesses already selling online, or planning to launch across several marketplaces, here are some of the changes worth paying attention to.
Amazon UK: Higher Fulfilment Costs and a Major Featured Offer Change
Amazon has introduced several changes in 2026 that UK sellers should factor into their margins and marketplace strategy.
FBA Costs Have Increased
From 17 April 2026, Amazon introduced a 1.5% fuel and logistics surcharge on Fulfilment by Amazon fees in the UK and several European markets.
Amazon says this works out at roughly £0.05 per unit on average, although the actual amount varies according to the size and dimensions of the product. The same 1.5% surcharge was extended to Multi-Channel Fulfilment in the UK from 2 May.
Five pence may not sound significant, but across thousands of orders it becomes another cost that needs to be built into pricing.
Amazon Has Changed Featured Offer Eligibility
One of the more interesting changes came on 20 July 2026, when Amazon removed the separate seller-eligibility requirement for the Featured Offer in the UK and EU. The Featured Offer is what many sellers still refer to as the “Buy Box”.
This does not mean every seller automatically wins it.
Amazon still evaluates factors including competitive pricing, delivery speed and seller performance when selecting which offer appears prominently. What has changed is that sellers are no longer filtered through the previous eligibility stage before being considered.
For sellers sharing listings with several competitors, this could mean a wider pool of offers competing for the same position.
AI-Generated People Now Need to Be Identified
Amazon has also introduced a disclosure requirement for product images containing photorealistic AI-generated people.
Sellers using these images in listings or A+ Content are now required to include specific metadata identifying synthetic performers. Images containing real people, including images that have simply been edited using AI tools, are treated differently.
This is worth watching because AI-generated product photography is becoming increasingly common among marketplace sellers.
Amazon Ads Payment Changes Affect Some Advertisers
Amazon also changed payment arrangements from 1 August for a limited group of advertisers who were contacted directly.
For those affected, seller or vendor account balance deductions can become the default payment method unless another eligible option is selected. This is not a platform-wide change affecting every advertiser.
Our View
None of these changes makes Amazon fundamentally harder to use, but they reinforce something we regularly tell e-commerce businesses: margins should not be calculated once and then forgotten.
Fulfilment fees, advertising costs, returns and marketplace rules change continuously.
A product that looked profitable six months ago may not have exactly the same economics today.
TikTok Shop UK: Performance Standards Are Becoming More Important
TikTok Shop continues to be one of the most interesting e-commerce channels in the UK, but the platform is also becoming much more structured.
The days when sellers could simply upload products and concentrate almost entirely on viral reach are gradually disappearing.
Shop Performance Score Has Changed
TikTok updated its Shop Performance Score (SPS) system during 2026.
The score now looks across areas including:
Product satisfaction
Fulfilment and logistics
Customer service
On-Time Delivery Rate
After-sales handling
Instant-message dissatisfaction
TikTok removed the previous 24-hour response rate from the SPS calculation and replaced it with other customer-service measures.
For sellers, the important point is that operational performance can influence more than customer satisfaction. TikTok says stronger Shop Performance Scores can affect access to platform benefits, traffic opportunities and features such as affiliate marketing.
Delivery Performance Matters
TikTok has also consolidated more of its fulfilment monitoring around On-Time Delivery Rate (OTDR).
A healthy OTDR is currently 90% or above, and it applies to both Ship by Seller and Ship by TikTok orders, although responsibility for courier-related delays differs depending on the fulfilment method.
For sellers shipping orders themselves, tracking standards are also important. TikTok says sellers using “Shipped by Seller” should maintain a Valid Tracking Rate of at least 95% and use recognised integrated carriers. Falling below that level can lead to enforcement measures such as order-volume limits.
Corporate Sellers Have a New Account Requirement
From 1 July 2026, TikTok Shop UK introduced another change affecting corporate stores.
Where a corporate seller links a new official TikTok account, or relinks one after unlinking, the account must now be an Organization Account rather than a personal account.
TikTok describes these as accounts controlled by verified businesses and linked to a business licence or equivalent business qualification.
Seller Information Can Be Checked Again
Opening the shop is not necessarily the end of verification.
TikTok Shop UK says it conducts targeted checks to make sure seller information remains accurate and up to date. Where information cannot be verified, sellers may be asked for additional documentation or face enforcement under platform policies.
Our View
TikTok Shop is gradually moving from a fast-growth marketplace into a more mature e-commerce ecosystem.
Content still matters enormously, but sellers now need to pay just as much attention to company information, fulfilment, product compliance and account health.
A good TikTok video might bring the orders in. The operational side of the business has to be capable of handling them.
Temu: Verification and Product Compliance Are Becoming Harder to Ignore
Temu’s growth model has been different from Amazon and TikTok Shop, but its marketplace is also moving towards more formal seller onboarding and regulatory scrutiny.
Business Sellers Should Expect Proper Verification
Temu’s current Seller Center requires businesses to provide company information as part of onboarding.
Depending on the applicant, Temu may also request information relating to beneficial owners, legal representatives or company executives, together with identity and address documentation.
For legitimate businesses this is not unusual, but it means sellers should have their company structure and KYC documents organised before beginning marketplace onboarding.
Regulatory Pressure on Temu Has Increased
The regulatory environment surrounding Temu has also become considerably more serious.
On 28 May 2026, the European Commission fined Temu €200 million under the Digital Services Act after finding that the company had failed to properly assess systemic risks connected with illegal products being offered to EU consumers.
The Commission’s investigation included concerns surrounding product safety and the likelihood of consumers encountering illegal goods on the marketplace.
Although this is an EU regulatory action rather than a UK marketplace rule, it demonstrates the wider direction in which large online marketplaces are moving.
Product traceability, seller identity and compliance documentation are becoming more important, not less.
Our View
Temu is no longer interesting only because of cheap products and rapid growth.
For serious sellers, the opportunity increasingly comes with the same responsibilities seen on more established marketplaces: verify the business, understand the product rules, maintain proper documentation and build a fulfilment model that can survive closer scrutiny.
Businesses relying on incomplete company information or weak product documentation may find marketplace verification increasingly difficult.
What All Three Platforms Have in Common
Amazon, TikTok Shop and Temu have very different business models, but their direction in 2026 is surprisingly similar.
The platforms increasingly want sellers who can demonstrate that they are real businesses operating with proper documentation and reliable processes.
That means e-commerce businesses should pay attention to more than simply finding profitable products.
The foundations now matter:
Correct company information
Clear ownership and director records
Identity verification
Appropriate business banking or payment arrangements
Accurate VAT and tax information where applicable
Product compliance documentation
Reliable fulfilment
Account-health monitoring
Keeping marketplace information consistent with official company records
For international founders operating through a UK company, that last point can be particularly important.
Details provided to a marketplace, bank, Companies House and payment provider should make sense when viewed together.
Preparing a UK Company for Marketplace Verification
At Knightsbridge Nominee, we work with international founders establishing and operating UK companies, including businesses preparing for e-commerce marketplace and payment-provider verification.
Depending on the circumstances, this may include company formation, a UK business address, nominee director services, corporate documentation and support preparing the company for third-party verification.
Marketplace, bank and payment-provider approvals are always determined by the relevant provider and cannot be guaranteed.
If you are planning to launch a UK company for Amazon, TikTok Shop or Temu, it is usually better to structure the company and documentation correctly before submitting applications rather than trying to repair inconsistencies after an account enters additional review.
Speak to Knightsbridge Nominee about preparing your UK business for e-commerce operations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I Need a UK Company to Sell on Amazon UK, TikTok Shop or Temu?
Not necessarily in every situation. Eligibility depends on the marketplace, seller type, country of establishment and the programme being used. TikTok Shop UK, for example, supports different seller categories and requires applicants to complete its registration and verification process.
Does Having a UK Company Guarantee Marketplace Approval?
No. Incorporating a UK company does not guarantee acceptance by Amazon, TikTok Shop, Temu, a bank or a payment provider. Each organisation performs its own verification and risk assessment.
Why Do Marketplace Applications Sometimes Request Additional Documents?
Marketplaces may need to verify the identity of the seller, business ownership, address, product compliance or other information connected with the account. Requirements can also change as platforms update their policies.
This article was reviewed on 12 August 2026 and reflects publicly available platform information at that date.
Amazon, TikTok Shop and Temu can change their policies, fees and eligibility requirements at short notice. Sellers should always check the relevant platform’s current Seller Center or policy documentation before making important commercial decisions.