The MCP war and my software stack

Helium 10, SoldScope, Jungle Scout, SellerSprite, Sellerise, AMZScout and MerchantSpring are all shipping MCP servers, which means you can pull their data straight into an AI chat instead of logging into seven different dashboards. Same data, no tabs. So far, so cool.

As happened back in the early AI days, would you now pay for a tool without MCP? They feel outdated, do they?

Watch your software stack over the next few months: the tools that survive will be the ones with unique data and a fair price per month, not the ones with the prettiest UI.

Which brings me to my case: I was once paying over 1,500 € a month in Amazon software with 2 all in one seller tools to cross-check data, bulk listing editor, repricer, P&L, feedback manager and the kitchen sink.

One of my main tools used to cost $49/month and now costs triple, with fewer monthly uses for keyword and product research. Another went from $69 to $149 and hasn't refreshed its product and keyword DB in ages.

I cut my stack to three tools ($29 all in one, $19 P&L, $50 repricer) for $98/month.

What I value most doesn't show up in any pricing table: you write to them, humans answer fast, and when you propose an improvement, they ship it.

Your software includes human contact + reasonable price + data quality + MCP?
Man, I’m absolutely in.

🗞 News

👉 FTC sues Amazon over ad pricing joined by 22 state attorneys general. They’re alleging Amazon overcharged advertisers by manipulating its pricing and auction systems. The complaint claims Amazon may have taken more than $20 billion through "hidden surcharges" dating back to a 2019 auction change, including an undisclosed "soft reserve price" added without notice. Amazon called the lawsuit misguided and says its auction systems saved advertisers $8 billion between 2021 and 2025.

👉 E-commerce is taking share from stores again U.S. e-commerce grew 12.2% in Q2, its fastest in five years, and hit a record 17.1% of all retail spending. Total retail grew 6.7%, so roughly a third of that acceleration is just higher prices, leaving real growth near 8%.

👉 Alexa now tells shoppers when to buy Amazon launched "Update Me When" inside its Alexa for Shopping assistant, sending personalized notifications when something relevant happens: a favorite brand launching a new line, a tech company releasing a product, an author dropping a new book.