It seems like just yesterday we were cooling down after the inaugural 4-day Summer Prime Day marathon. As with many things, a successful Q4 and HVE period on Amazon is the embodiment of the 5Ps - “Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance”.
In this post, we will explore key preparation elements when planning for Amazon’s infamous events - Prime Big Deals Days (PBDD, aka October Prime Day) and T12/BFCM (Turkey 12/Black Friday Cyber Monday - scheduled this year from 11/20-12/1).
The main topics we will cover are:
To support these events, Amazon outlines various deadlines, with the most important being when Inventory should be delivered to warehouses to guarantee availability and when certain Deal Types close submissions. Below, we have outlined the main elements of these! Please note, “Self-Service Deals” are Best Deals (BDs) and Lightning Deals (LD). If you have a VM/CSM/SAS AM, please be sure to connect with them on special opportunities.
Deal Sourcing
Prime Exclusive Discounts: Sourcing starts 8/13
Self-Service Deals in Seller Central deadline: 8/21
Inventory receiving deadlines
AWD: 9/29
FBA Minimal shipment splits: 9/10
FBA Amazon-optimized shipment splits: 9/19
Deal Sourcing
Prime Exclusive Discounts: Sourcing starts Mid-Sept
Self-Service Deals in Seller Central deadline: 10/7
Inventory receiving deadlines
AWD: 10/9
FBA Minimal shipment splits: 10/20
FBA Amazon-optimized shipment splits: 10/30
*PEDs are open for the event from the sourcing start date until 12 hours before the event ends
Once you are aware of core deadlines for these events, it is time to back into your assortment and ensure appropriate forecasting and inventory coverage to support participation. Be wary of Amazon’s various inbounding constraints, which can happen at a macro level due to FBA Capacity and Storage Types, or at an item level if it is deemed to be overstocked. Both can cause havoc during preparation. Being aware of these pitfalls and preparing ahead of time supports potential escalations or pivots such as leaning into FBM, submitting for capacity increases, or simply modifying your promotional cohort.
Beyond that, it is important to note that both fulfillment and storage costs increase during Q4! Holiday peak fulfillment fees will apply from October 15, 2025, through January 14, 2026.
Proper planning with these and utilizing LTL can help support unit coverage and balance out additional Q4 costs. Even so, during these peak periods, FCs get backed up, and being proactive/ahead of these deadlines is of the utmost importance.
For most events, there are 4 core self-service promotional types. They are listed below with their key requirements. Please note these are subject to change and often have a rating requirement as well.
According to Amazon, “Last year's Prime Big Deal Days was our largest October event ever and Black Friday Week and Cyber Monday had record sales and a record number of items sold.” Given the expectation for this year to be even bigger, it is time to get to work!
Our team of marketplace experts, including Strategy, Ops, Retail, Media, Creative, and more, can help you excel during upcoming HVEs and the larger Holiday period. For a fantastic festive season, reach out to us today to get started!
Additional resources: FBA Peak Season Readiness Playbook, SC Holiday Prep Guide