The "Amazon Bend the Curve" initiative reportedly aims to streamline the platform's product selection by removing low-performing ASINs, thereby balancing its vast offerings with a more efficient inventory.
Amazon, long celebrated for its expansive “Everything Store” model, is now embracing a new philosophy of less is more, at least when it comes to its product catalog.
Through a confidential project called “Bend the Curve,” Amazon has reportedly removed billions of product listings, with plans to slash the total number of ASINs by at least 24 billion.
This significant purge targets unproductive items like poor-selling products, those lacking inventory, or listings inactive for over two years.
For the vast majority of Amazon sellers – 77% of whom offer fewer than 10 products, and 26% listing just one, according to Jungle Scout’s 2025 seller survey – this initiative demands careful attention, as their vital listings could be directly impacted.
Bend the Curve for a streamlined Everything Store
Amazon has quietly initiated a significant transformation of its vast online marketplace, systematically removing billions of product listings through a confidential program called “Bend the Curve.”
This initiative aims to clean up unproductive items and enhance efficiency across the platform. An internal planning document, reported by Business Insider, reveals the extensive scope of this effort.
Amazon Bend the Curve project focuses on purging “unproductive” listings, which include poor-selling items and product pages without actual inventory.
Amazon planned to eliminate at least 24 billion ASINs, or unique product identifiers, from its marketplace. The goal is to reduce the active Amazon catalog to less than 50 billion ASINs, down from 74 billion.
This strategic reduction forms a core part of CEO Andy Jassy’s broader cost-cutting measures, implemented since he took leadership in 2021.
By eliminating billions of product listings, Amazon’s retail business significantly reduces its cloud hosting costs. The company is still expanding its overall product selection, but with a new emphasis on a more streamlined and effective catalog.
Chopping off its vast product selection
The company has historically thrived on its enormous product inventory, which spans everything from everyday essentials to highly specialized items. This extensive selection has been a key competitive advantage, drawing in a wide and diverse global customer base.
strategy + business"Having a larger number of choices makes people feel that they can exercise more control over what they buy. And consumers like the promise of choice: the greater the number of options, the greater the likelihood of finding something that’s perfect for them."
The idea of offering an almost infinite selection means shoppers are more likely to find desired products, encouraging purchases and repeat visits. This vast digital inventory has provided Amazon with a powerful edge over traditional physical retail stores, which face limitations on stock.
Despite the benefits, Amazon’s digital aisles have become increasingly cluttered and outdated in recent years. This digital clutter can lead to confusion and frustration for shoppers as they navigate the platform.
While Amazon is unlikely to abandon the advantages of its massive product selection, the company is seeking a more refined approach to its offerings. Achieving a balance between broad selection and a streamlined experience presents a complex challenge.
The “Bend the Curve” initiative has reportedly sparked internal debate within Amazon, as the company strives to find this balance. Some Amazon shoppers may already be observing changes in the platform’s selection.
According to Evercore ISI’s annual online retail survey, fewer respondents now believe Amazon offers the best product variety. In 2022, a significant 84% of respondents affirmed Amazon’s superior selection.
However, this figure decreased to 79% in 2023 and further dropped to 68% last year, marking a record low in the survey’s 12-year history. This data suggests that the ongoing catalog adjustments may be influencing customer perception of Amazon’s product breadth.
Refining, not restricting its product selection
The effort seeks to improve catalog quality without reducing the actual selection available to customers. According to a company statement reported by Business Insider, Amazon removed listings that were incomplete, outdated, or failed to meet listing standards.
Amazon reported it added millions of new items to its catalog last year despite the ongoing cleanup. The initiative focuses on improving data integrity, not reducing the count of active product listings.
A key distinction made by Amazon is that “active ASINs” do not always represent the number of products customers can actually buy. Many listings removed were either inactive, unsupported by inventory, or left untouched for more than two years.
Amazon maintains that this data hygiene process has long been part of its catalog management strategy. Older or underperforming listings are regularly reviewed and phased out if they no longer meet Amazon’s quality or relevance standards.
The company clarified that there was no hesitation internally about moving forward with Amazon Bend the Curve. Guardrails were implemented to ensure selling partners and overall product selection were not negatively impacted during the process.
In parallel, Amazon has introduced new enforcement tools to manage its growing third-party seller base. Third-party sellers now account for over 60% of sales on the platform.
In 2024, Amazon implemented a “creation throttling” mechanism targeting sellers with large catalogs but poor sales performance. Over 12,000 seller accounts with more than 100,000 listings and no sales over 12 months were flagged.
This throttling feature prevented the creation of more than 110 million new listings from low-performing sellers. Nearly 3,000 sellers received warnings for approaching the enforcement threshold.
Amazon reported that several sellers improved performance or adjusted their catalogs to exit enforcement. The policy led to significant catalog cleanup, aligning with the broader Bend the Curve goals.
Some sellers were confused by the scope of enforcement, mistakenly believing their entire accounts were frozen. Amazon plans to improve enforcement definitions and communication to prevent future misunderstandings.
The company is also conducting a detailed review of deleted listings to identify recurring patterns. These insights will help refine future catalog management strategies and seller engagement policies.
What does this mean to Amazon sellers?
With Amazon’s “Bend the Curve” initiative actively removing unproductive listings, sellers must adapt to this evolving landscape to safeguard their businesses. The purge of billions of ASINs, particularly those that are poor-selling, lack inventory, or are inactive, directly impacts sellers, especially the vast majority with smaller catalogs.
Understanding these changes and taking proactive steps is crucial for continued success on the platform, and partnering with a knowledgeable Amazon agency can provide invaluable guidance during this transition.
Here are key actionable insights for Amazon sellers:
Prioritize Listing Health and Accuracy
Regularly review your product listings for accuracy, completeness, and adherence to Amazon’s guidelines. Ensure all product information is up-to-date and reflects current inventory levels.
This proactive approach can prevent your ASINs from being flagged as “unproductive” and potentially removed.
Maintain Active Inventory Management
For every listed product, ensure there is corresponding physical inventory available for purchase. Listings without actual inventory are prime targets for removal under the “Bend the Curve” initiative. Implement robust inventory tracking to prevent “ghost listings” from appearing in your catalog.
Focus on Sales Performance
While Amazon’s exact metrics for “poor-selling” are internal, consistently monitor your ASINs’ sales velocity. Consider strategies to boost sales for slower-moving items through promotions, advertising, or bundle offers.
Addressing low performance proactively can help prevent listing deactivation.
Here is a video you can watch to fix low sales on Amazon:
Refresh Inactive Listings
If you have ASINs that haven’t been updated for two years or more, take immediate action to refresh them. Update product descriptions, images, bullet points, and keywords to show active management. Even if sales are slow, demonstrating ongoing attention can help.
Diversify Your Product Offerings (Strategically)
For sellers with very few products, the loss of even one ASIN can be catastrophic. While the focus remains on quality, consider strategically expanding your product range with high-quality, relevant items to mitigate risk.
This diversification can reduce reliance on a single or a few ASINs.
Understand “Creation Throttling” Impacts
Be aware of Amazon’s new “creation throttling” feature, especially if you manage a large catalog with some underperforming accounts. Regularly review your seller performance metrics and address any areas of concern to avoid having new listings blocked.
Sellers with high listing counts and no sales in the past 12 months are particularly at risk.
Stay Informed on Amazon Policies
Continuously monitor Amazon’s policy updates and seller performance notifications. Clear communication from Amazon on policy enforcement, even if previously confusing, is an area of focus for them.
Staying informed will help you quickly respond to any changes affecting your account or listings.
Analyze Listing Patterns
Although Amazon is analyzing deleted listings for patterns, sellers can perform their own internal audits. Identify common characteristics among any of your own removed or throttled listings to refine your future listing creation and management strategies.
This self-assessment can provide valuable insights into what Amazon deems “unproductive.”
