A Tuesday FYI: If you plan on using AWD for Black Friday, you need to send your inventory to AWD distribution centers by October 19. Otherwise, your items may not be ready for the event.
Of course, that’s not the only FYI moment we have for you today. In fact, we have some sizzling pieces of info, both from Amazon sellers and Amazon itself.
- Sellers’ sentiments on the holiday inventory deadline 💭
- The secret to impactful marketing with minimal effort 💌
- Higher inventory = lower fees? 📦
BIG IDEA
Black Friday is still months away, but Amazon sellers are already hustling to get ready.
This has something to do with Amazon’s deadline announcement for Black Friday inventory, which should reach fulfillment centers by October 19. Modern Retail added that the retail giant is also urging sellers to send stock in August and September to ensure enough inventory for the holiday season.
🎯 Amazon’s goal
Amazon has been breaking records, delivering over 5 billion items worldwide on the same or the next day this year. So, it’s safe to say that the early inventory deadline is the retailer’s way of maintaining speedy Prime deliveries.
However, this also raised some stuff that got sellers worried.
- Early planning pressure. Sellers now have to plan even earlier, putting pressure on their operations.
- Cash flow issues. Buying inventory early means sellers will spend money now but might not sell products right away, which can strain budgets.
- Limited storage space. Amazon’s warehouses might not have enough room for all the inventory, especially as the holidays get closer.
- Other holiday sales. A possible sale in October could make it harder to manage inventory for the rest of the holiday season.
- Seller fees. Amazon's inbound placement and low inventory fees add costs and logistical challenges.
🏁 A race against time
For sellers, it’s like navigating a “black box”—trying to balance enough stock with the risks of running out or paying extra fees. As the holidays get closer, planning ahead is more critical than ever.
But what about you? How do you feel about Amazon’s eagerearly holiday inventory deadline?
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BITES OF THE WEEK
- Drop in Demand: USPS's Priority Mail Services dropped by 40.7% as shippers prefer less costly options.
- Etsy Asks Sellers: Here’s what sellers are saying about Etsy’s modified marketplace display policies.
- Independent in India: Amazon Pay might become a standalone app in India.
AMAZON NEWS
Amazon promises sellers lower fees if they ship more items—true or too good to be true?
In an email FBA sellers received from Amazon, the company relayed a new guideline to ensure the optimization AND exemption from the inbound fee. And like what happens when there’s an update—sellers took to the forums to discuss and clarify what this means.
📌 Key points of the update
Before, you can avoid inbound placement fees by sending 4 shipments to 4 different warehouses. Now, you must create a shipment of at least 5 identical boxes or pallets to qualify for the Amazon-optimized option with NO inbound service fee.
- Each box must contain the same quantity (ex. 50 items).
- Each box must have the same item mix (ex. 25 red balls, 25 blue caps = 50 items).
Important note: If your shipment is non-compliant, you will be charged the placement fee.
🗣️ What do sellers think of this?
- Some sellers are concerned that the update will allow for different penalized scenarios. For example, if one shipment gets lost, they’ll be charged for shipping less than required.
- Other sellers think the changes could be good for high-volume sellers. Bigger shipments cost more, so waiving the fee is more budget-friendly. Smaller businesses find it more cost-effective to just pay the placement fee.
- A few said they were unaffected as they always ship 5 or more identical shipments.
In conclusion, this update should help sellers who think the inbound fees were too much.
Another solid conclusion: Amazon is taking steps to change its workflow. Let’s just hope future changes will be beneficial to sellers in general.
