Still relying on “[Important]” to make sure your message gets through?
That door just closed.

Many sellers treat Buyer-Seller Messaging like a safety net, a way to step in when something goes wrong or to add a human touch post-purchase.

But Amazon is tightening the rules.

Amazon has updated its communication policy to restrict how and when sellers can message buyers. And it’s not just about tone, it’s about control.

What’s changed:
• You can no longer flag a message as “[Important]” to override opt-outs
• Messages must now align with predefined “Permitted Message” categories
• Amazon is actively recommending sellers use its templates, which automatically include order IDs and enforce formatting and language guidelines

What’s allowed:
✔ Messages needed to complete the order (custom design, address clarification, returns)
✔ Review or feedback requests (once per order, without bias or incentives)
✔ Invoices and service scheduling
✔ Anything Amazon defines as “critical to fulfilling the purchase”

What’s not allowed:
✘ Thank you messages
✘ Marketing content or external links
✘ Emojis, oversized formatting, or images unrelated to the product
✘ Attempts to bypass buyer preferences by marking non-critical emails as “urgent”

Amazon isn’t trying to make your job harder.
It’s reshaping how buyer communication is handled, prioritizing consistency, compliance, and automation over personalization.

The strategic shift:

→ Amazon is reducing seller-led messaging in favor of system-led updates
→ Templates aren’t just convenient, they’re now protection
→ Messaging is being treated as a regulated space, not a freeform channel

This update should be a wake-up call if you still rely on custom follow-ups or manual messaging flows.

If your customer experience relies on messaging, it’s time to rethink that process.
If your templates don’t comply, you may already be at risk of message blocks or enforcement.

This is a signal that Amazon treats communication as infrastructure, not marketing.