Amazon Q4 2019 Holiday Checklist: Inventory, Storage and Ads

The 2019 holiday season is close. Black Friday falls on November 29 and Cyber Monday on December 2, which gives us a shorter run between Thanksgiving and Christmas than last year. That makes planning even more important.

Here is our Q4 checklist for Amazon sellers, covering inventory, storage costs, deals and ads.

1. Lock in your inventory

Inventory is the foundation of the season. If you run out in early December, there is no time to recover.

• Look at last year’s Q4 sales and add your growth since then.
• Check Amazon’s recommended dates for holiday shipments to FBA. Warehouses get crowded and check-in slows down.
• Watch your storage limits and your IPI score. Storage limits may cap how much you can send in.
• Have a backup plan, such as merchant fulfilling your top products if FBA stock runs low.

2. Plan for higher storage fees

Monthly FBA storage fees for October to December are more than three times the rate for the rest of the year. Send enough for the season, but avoid sending stock that will still be sitting there in January. Clear slow movers before October if you can.

3. Get your listings holiday ready

• Refresh main images and make sure they look sharp on mobile.
• Add gift related phrases where they fit naturally, such as “gift for dad” or “stocking stuffer”.
• Update your Enhanced Brand Content and Store with seasonal images.
• Check that every variation is live and not suppressed.

4. Plan your deals

Lightning Deals, coupons and promotions can boost sales during Black Friday week. Deal slots fill up and deadlines come early, so submit as soon as you can. Pick products with strong reviews and enough margin to handle the discount.

5. Prepare your ads

Clean up before you scale

Add negative keywords for search terms that waste money, and move your best search terms into exact match campaigns. This gives you control when traffic jumps.

Build awareness in November

Shoppers start researching gifts early. Use Sponsored Brands and the new Sponsored Display ads to get your brand in front of them.

Spend most on peak days

From Black Friday to Cyber Monday, conversion rates are high. Raise budgets on your best campaigns so they never run out, and bid up on proven keywords.

Keep going in December

Last minute shoppers care about delivery dates. Keep ads strong on products that can arrive before Christmas. After Christmas, many shoppers have gift cards to spend, so do not stop ads on December 26.

6. Watch the right numbers

• Daily inventory levels on your top products.
• Total sales, not just ad sales.
• ACoS by campaign, while accepting it may rise at peak.
• Organic rank changes after big sales days.

The bottom line

Q4 rewards sellers who plan early. Lock in stock, keep storage costs in check, prepare listings and deals, and save your biggest ad push for the peak days. If you want a team to help you run it, see our full service account management or request a free audit.

FAQs

When is Black Friday 2019?

Black Friday is November 29, 2019 and Cyber Monday is December 2, 2019.

Are FBA storage fees higher in Q4?

Yes. Monthly storage fees from October to December are much higher than the rest of the year, so avoid overstocking slow sellers.

Should I keep advertising after Christmas?

Yes. Many shoppers spend gift cards in late December, and some competitors pause ads, which can make clicks cheaper.