If Amazon's Seller Fulfilled Prime (SFP) program was a high-stakes logistics competition, the rules of engagement have just undergone a subtle but significant revision. Effective June 29, 2025, the e-commerce giant will implement policy updates to both its SFP and Priority Delivery options in the U.S. marketplace. These changes—characterized by relaxed on-time delivery requirements but more frequent performance evaluations—present cross-border sellers with both opportunities and challenges.
The most notable adjustment involves lowering the minimum on-time delivery rate (OTDR) threshold from 97% to 93.5%. This reduction ostensibly eases operational pressures for sellers, providing greater flexibility in meeting delivery benchmarks. However, this apparent concession comes with a counterbalance: Amazon will dramatically shorten its evaluation cycle from 30 calendar days to just 7 calendar days, with assessments occurring weekly (Sunday through Saturday). Notably, SFP orders will be excluded from these evaluations.
This policy recalibration appears designed to refine SFP service standards while striking a new equilibrium between consumer delivery expectations and seller operational realities. While the lowered OTDR threshold offers sellers more breathing room, the compressed assessment window effectively raises the bar for logistics consistency. Sellers must now demonstrate sustained fulfillment excellence within tighter timeframes—a single week of underperformance could jeopardize their Priority Delivery eligibility.
For cross-border merchants navigating these changes, strategic adaptation will be crucial. Experts recommend sellers conduct comprehensive logistics audits to ensure systems can reliably meet the revised OTDR standards. Close monitoring of weekly performance metrics will become essential for identifying and addressing potential delivery issues proactively. Inventory management optimization and order processing efficiency improvements may emerge as key competitive differentiators.
Rather than representing a simple relaxation or tightening of requirements, these modifications reflect Amazon's ongoing experimentation with optimal SFP service models. In this evolving landscape, sellers who can nimbly adjust to these new parameters may gain significant advantage in an increasingly competitive marketplace.