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How to Prep Your Small Business for Amazon's Prime Seasons: Insights from the Expert

Marketing 101 – be where the customers are. And for brands that utilize Amazon – that means to have your best foot forward when there’s bound to be a spike of users exploring the store.


According to LandingCube,  Amazon’s peak season typically spans from October through January, featuring major shopping events like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the holiday gift-buying rush. However, high-volume shopping periods occur throughout the year, including other special events like Prime Day, Amazon’s own shopping event, back-to-school sales and seasonal holidays.


Diana Mungu, Program Manager for Amazon Small Business Partnerships and Education conducted a webinar for the Enthuse Foundation community on “Event Readiness: Preparing for Peak Seasons in Amazon's Store” offered an in-depth look at how to strategically plan for high-traffic periods like Prime Day and the holiday season.


Whether you're a seasoned Amazon seller or just starting out, this guide outlines key takeaways to help your business thrive during the most competitive shopping windows of the year.


  1. Start Planning Early (three to six months in advance). Peak seasons, including Amazon Prime Day (July), Back to School (August),  and the Q4 holiday rush, can be the most lucrative times for small businesses. But to maximize sales, preparation needs to begin months in advance. Diana emphasized the importance of analyzing past sales data, identifying seasonal trends, evaluating advertising metrics, and optimizing customer engagement early in the year.


  2. Know Your Fulfillment Options and Their Impact. Amazon offers three fulfillment strategies:

    • Fulfillment by Merchant (FBM)

    • Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA)

    • Seller Fulfilled Prime (SFP)


FBA is often the preferred method for sellers looking to scale during peak seasons. It allows your products to carry the Prime badge, providing access to Amazon’s 200+ million Prime members and ensuring fast, reliable shipping. However, sellers must plan for the warmer weather and stock inventory accordingly to ensure you have product in stock for all your sales, which brings us to our next point. 


  1. Master Your Inventory Strategy. Inventory management can make or break your peak season success. Diana walked attendees through best practices, including:

    • Conducting regular inventory audits

    • Leveraging tools like Amazon’s Inventory Performance Index (IPI)

    • Maintaining a 30–60 day supply to avoid overstock or sellouts


Remember Amazon’s Seller Central provides real-time inventory tracking and performance metrics, helping sellers stay agile.


  • 4. Drive Conversions with Strategic Promotions. To stand out, sellers should plan promotional tactics such as:

    • Coupons: Show up as orange badges and require the customer to "clip" them

    • Promotions: Display strikethrough pricing and apply automatically

    • Lightning Deals and Best Deals: Time-sensitive offers that increase urgency and visibility.

  • 5. Use Advertising to Your Advantage. Amazon Ads can boost visibility and sales during competitive seasons. Diana highlighted three primary ad types:

    • Sponsored Products (individual listings based on keywords)

    • Sponsored Brands (banner ads that promote your brand store)

    • Sponsored Display (retargets off-Amazon traffic)


The key to success is choosing the right bidding strategy and closely monitoring campaign performance. Tip: Avoid ending campaigns abruptly—instead, pause them to retain search term data.

  1. Tap Into Amazon’s Free Tools and Programs. Sellers can take advantage of a range of free Amazon resources:

    • Amazon Seller University – for on-demand learning

    • Service Provider Network – to find vetted help with account management

    • Support Small Storefront – where certified small businesses can be featured


Additional perks are available for businesses that qualify for Amazon’s Small Business Badge or belong to diverse founder groups (e.g., women-owned, Black-owned).


  1. Put Your Best Face Forward. Make sure your storefront is visually appealing and that your product photos are clear. For reference, here are examples from brands that have participated in our meetups with Amazon – Cheeky Cocktails, Bake Me Healthy, and SydPlayEat.


  1. Optimize Your Product Listings. Shoppers compare aggressively on Prime Day, and presentation matters. Make sure your product titles and descriptions are updated. Check out this blog post from PickFu on suggestions for ways to elevate the language around your product. 


  2. Encourage Reviews and Feedback. Respond to current reviews and determine strategies to encourage new customers to leave feedback in Amazon’s store whether through flyers or company e-mails, which brings us to the final point.


  1. Promote Outside of Amazon. Make sure your followers and customers know your product is available in Amazon’s store. Incorporate your Amazon store link on your social media channels. Send e-mails reminding customers to get their products quickly on Prime. Run out of product at a farmer’s market or demo – remind people that they can quickly order their favorites online.


Bottom Line: Like physical retailers - setting your brand up on Amazon’s store is the first step, real success comes from how you handle peak seasons. By incorporating the following tips, Amazon can be a lucrative revenue generator for your company. Remember – success looks different each year – set future KPIs based on current performance. Data informs goals.

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