Amazon Mimics eBay’s Mentor Program with New Seller Expert Initiative

Amazon has launched a new "Seller Expert Pilot Program" that bears a striking resemblance to eBay’s long-standing "Mentors" program. This initiative encourages experienced sellers to volunteer their expertise by actively participating and posting on Amazon’s official discussion boards. The program aims to foster a more supportive environment for new sellers by leveraging the knowledge of seasoned merchants, a strategy that eBay has successfully employed for years.

The existence of the Amazon Seller Expert Pilot Program came to light when a seller shared an invitation they received on the Amazon discussion boards approximately a week ago. This information was further corroborated by a thread on SellersAskSellers, an independent discussion forum founded by former "Amazon seller experts" who established their own platform after perceived issues with Amazon’s official forums.

According to the information shared, Amazon sent out an email on Thursday inviting select sellers to participate in this pilot program. The email, originating from the Amazon Seller Forums Team and signed by Sandy from Amazon.com Seller Support, extended a personal recognition of the recipients’ "exceptional contributions to the Amazon Seller Forums." It specifically highlighted their "consistent engagement, thoughtful responses, and commitment to supporting fellow sellers," acknowledging the positive impact they have made on the community.

The invitation presented the "Amazon Seller Expert Pilot Program" as an "Exclusive Opportunity" and a "limited invitation" extended to a select group of sellers in the U.S., U.K., Japan, and India. This pilot phase is scheduled to run from March 2, 2026, through March 31, 2026, and will initially focus on the "New Seller community group."

Participants in the pilot program are offered the opportunity to "earn" unspecified benefits, as indicated by an empty bulleted list in the original communication. The program’s operational framework involves seeking sellers who actively contribute "meaningful guidance across all Amazon Seller Forums categories," assisting fellow sellers in navigating challenges and achieving success. The expectation is for participants to continue sharing their expertise through "quality Forum contributions that address real seller needs and make a difference." Another empty bulleted list in the provided text suggests potential further details or incentives that were not fully disclosed in the initial communication.

Interested sellers were instructed to fill out a short survey by February 23, 2026, to express their interest and learn more. The email indicated that the program would be rolled out in a "tiered approach," and selected sellers would be contacted directly via the email provided in the survey with comprehensive program details and guidelines. The communication also reassured potential participants that if they did not hear back immediately, they might be contacted in a later phase as the program expands. The email concluded by reiterating the value of their contributions in creating a supportive environment for sellers to learn, grow, and succeed together, expressing honor at the prospect of their participation and formal recognition.

Further insights into the program were revealed in another SellersAskSellers thread, where a seller shared the multiple-choice options presented in an Amazon survey question: "Which topics would you feel most confident providing guidance on?" The provided options covered a broad spectrum of seller concerns, including:

• Account Health
• Advertising & Sponsored Products
• Brand Registry
• Catalog & Listing Issues
• Compliance
• Customer Service
• Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA)
• International Selling
• New Seller Central
• Orders & Payments
• Product Compliance
• Product Development
• Seller Fulfilled Prime
• Seller Performance
• Shipping & Delivery
• Taxation
• Tools & Integrations
• Other (please specify)

This extensive list suggests Amazon’s intent to cover a wide range of seller needs through the expert program.

The launch of the Seller Expert Pilot Program comes at a time when Amazon has reportedly been increasing its investment in its seller forums. In August, Amazon published a post specifically celebrating sellers who had made significant contributions to the discussion boards, signaling a growing recognition of the importance of community-driven support.

However, some long-time sellers on the SellersAskSellers platform expressed a critical perspective, noting that prior to Amazon’s overhaul of its seller forums, a vibrant and engaged community existed on the original seller forums (OSFE). One participant lamented the loss of this organic knowledge-sharing platform, stating, "The OSFE had engagement FOR FREE, they detonated that and we all warned them, VERY LOUDLY." The sentiment was that Amazon "can’t figure out where all the knowledge went and why no one is engaging or helping." This perspective suggests that Amazon had a "golden goose" in the form of sellers helping each other "for free," a resource that has now, in their view, been "GONE."

The implication from this perspective is that the knowledge and engagement haven’t disappeared entirely but have "moved" to alternative platforms like SellersAskSellers. This suggests a potential challenge for Amazon in recapturing the organic community engagement that once thrived on its own platform.

The development prompts observation of whether Amazon will continue to adopt strategies previously popularized by eBay, and vice versa, as both e-commerce giants compete for seller loyalty and platform engagement.