Amazon Prime Day isn’t here yet, but sellers need to act now to get optimal results for the highly anticipated summer retail event.
The official date has not been announced yet Amazon, the popular two-day event is widely expected to return next month. Last year, it happened on July 12th and July 13th (and was announced by Amazon in mid-June.) This makes mid-July, July 11th, and July 12th a logical bet.
There is a lot for sellers. Amazon has more than 200 million paid Prime members globally. Last year, Prime members purchased more than 300 million products worldwide during Prime Day—a record, according to the company. Plus, sales traffic is higher in the days leading up to and immediately following the two-day event, so it’s more like a weeklong sales opportunity for sellers.
Of course, some of the biggest purchases go to retail giants, with everything from Apple products to Shark vacuum cleaners among the top buys of the past year. The economy has also softened and demand in the retail sector has weakened. However, this year is expected to be another big year, with 68% of consumers shopping on Prime Day, according to a report by Jungle Scout, which provides software and research to Amazon sellers.
Sellers can start preparing by getting information straight from the horse’s mouth. Amazon offers videos from Seller University on how to maximize profits on Prime Day. For example, it talks about the importance of short, relevant titles, richly detailed product listings, and keywords that can attract customers.
Here are some additional steps Amazon e-commerce platform consultants should take now for sellers to proactively prepare:
Be aware of inventory deadlines and available stock
According to Chris Compean, co-founder and CEO of Mayan, a provider of inventory and ad automation technology to Amazon sellers, Amazon recently told sellers to hold their inventory for Prime Day by June 15 in their US fulfillment centers. Sellers may consider fulfilling some orders themselves.
If possible, sellers should use data from previous years to determine the ideal amount of inventory. Without data, Compean said, a general rule of thumb is to plan to sell at least twice as much as usual for two days. In the current economic climate, inventory is hard to come by — even the biggest retailers have struggled after the pandemic boom, inflation and consumer slack in 2023 — but generally, sellers should always have 60 to 90 days of product in stock. “Generally, as long as you’re rich, you’ll be fine for Prime Day,” Compean said.
Start your Prime Day marketing two weeks early
At least two weeks before Prime Day, sellers should start increasing their visibility, says David Hutchinson, vice president of markets at digital marketing agency NP Digital. As part of this initial effort, sellers must also determine how they will compete by lowering prices, offering Lightning Deals—short-term discounts, or Prime Day coupons—or such promotions. , said it could be a few days before and after the two-day event. For example, Lightning Deals can improve brand awareness and increase sales, but they can also fail. A coupon, meanwhile, can increase visibility for sellers, but there must be enough inventory to handle potential sales growth.
Use URL links provided by Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook and Amazon
Sellers should promote the deals they plan to offer on various social media sites and on a dedicated Amazon Store page.
“You want to have customers ready to search for your brand on Prime Day,” Compean said.
Amazon allows sellers to create URLs to include in their Prime Day social media posts, so be sure to do so. “You want customers to be able to click directly on your Instagram post, go to Amazon and buy the product right away,” said Mike Scheschuk, president of small and medium businesses at Jungle Scout. “It’s the same as posting on TikTok or YouTube or Facebook or whatever social media platform you want,” he said.
Using Amazon URLs ensures that your sales analytics have a sufficient level of detail. “You’re not just watching if you get three hundred clicks as a result of one post. You can actually see what they’re getting as a result,” Hutchinson said.
Don’t be stingy – offer deals on all products
In previous years, some of the top sellers on Prime Day in the US have included beauty products, pet products, kitchen essentials, children’s clothing, toys, electric toothbrushes, electronics, and outdoor items and clothing. Of course, small businesses compete with some of the biggest brands as well for consumer dollars, with Apple products, Shark vacuum cleaners and premium beauty brands also among the top Prime Day sellers. Compean recommends sellers offer Prime Day deals on all their products to increase potential sales.
Don’t forget to advertise before and after Prime Day
Marketers should plan to spend more on advertising on high-traffic days and right after Prime Day. According to e-commerce data from Jungle Scout, average ad spend per brand increased 320% during “typical days” last year, and is up 11% from Prime Day 2021.
Budgeting can be difficult, especially for sellers who don’t have data from previous years to compare, said Dan LeBlanc, co-founder and CEO of e-commerce analytics platform Daasity. In this case, sellers should budget enough so that they don’t feel overwhelmed if the ads don’t generate revenue. A general rule of thumb is more than double a normal day. “You don’t want to throw your entire marketing budget into this week,” he said.
Check your customer reviews and product listings beforehand
Sellers should use the weeks leading up to Prime Day to pay extra attention to reviews and make their products easy to find. This can include using paid keyword research tools that help companies identify which keywords are trending on Amazon or popular on Prime Day last year.
Popular keywords aren’t always obvious, although they tend to fall into categories known as Prime Day winners. Examples that were popular on Prime Day last year included “gel nail polish,” “kids clothes,” “wall clock” and “router,” according to Feedvisor, an intelligence platform for sellers.
Marketers can also test to see which product images resonate most with customers, Scheschuk said. He said this is typically done by performing A/B testing to see what content, including product images, resonates most with customers using the Amazon-provided service. Using A/B testing, one group of customers sees one version of the content, while a second group sees another. Sellers can then review which version delivers the best results and use it next.
It’s impossible to give exact advice on images – that’s for specific A/B testing – but in general, advice for Amazon sellers suggests that images used should be clear or product or lifestyle based. It’s also good to keep the product as recognizable as possible – will shoppers be able to immediately tell what’s being advertised when they see the creative?
Get a small business badge to stand out
Many small businesses have not applied for the small business mark, which identifies the products of US-based small company brands.
“A lot of people want to support small businesses,” Hutchinson said. “All things being equal, and a few cents difference, as a consumer you’re going to side with a small business against a big corporation. That’s another way to stand out on Prime Day.”
The small business badge is free, but there are certain restrictions imposed by Amazon, which sellers can learn more about by visiting Amazon’s third-party seller management portal, Seller Central.
Amazon uses Gartner’s definition of small business to determine which vendors are eligible. This means they must have fewer than 100 employees and less than $50 million in annual revenue. In addition, according to eComEngine, which offers software to support Amazon sellers, a brand must register with the Amazon Brand Registry or participate in the company’s Handmade program for artisans.
Remember, it’s not Black Friday – keep your eyes on Amazon
Especially for Prime Day, don’t try to drive traffic to other shopping sites you might have listed, like Shopify or Walmart, because that’s not where most people will be looking for deals. “It’s not Black Friday,” Hutchinson said.
Start thinking about next year’s deadlines now
Amazon offers certain Prime Day promotional benefits to eligible businesses that meet their requirements, LeBlanc said. But the deadlines for these benefits are months in advance. Thinking ahead to next year can help vendors take advantage of these special promotional opportunities, he said.