Preparing an FBA account for the holiday season
The holiday season rewards preparation done months early and punishes everything left until December.
By Alex Tkach, CEO & Co-Founder
Check before you act. Amazon programme rules, fees, and thresholds in this article were last verified on 17 October 2023. Amazon changes them without notice. Confirm current figures in Seller Central.
The holiday season is decisive for most e-commerce businesses, and on FBA the decisions that matter are made long before the season starts.
Inventory
Forecast demand from last year's holiday sales data, adjusted for market trends, new launches, and whatever promotions you are planning.
Ship early. Demand is high across the whole network, so shipping and receiving times at fulfilment centres stretch. Inventory that arrives late is inventory that misses the season entirely.
Monitor levels continuously. Use Amazon's inventory tools to watch stock and avoid running out mid-peak, which costs both the sale and the ranking you spent the year building.
Listings
Images: clear, high resolution, showing the product from several angles.
Descriptions: detailed and accurate, with the key features surfaced rather than buried.
Keywords: update titles, descriptions, and backend search terms with the terms buyers actually use during the holidays. They are not the terms they use in March.
Pricing
Track competitor pricing with tools such as Keepa or CamelCamelCamel.
Decide on holiday discounts or product bundles in advance, rather than reacting to someone else's price drop in the middle of peak week.
Customer service
Answer quickly. Response times slip exactly when volume peaks. Temporary support is worth considering.
State return policies clearly for the season: before the returns arrive, not during them.