With Amazon Prime day shifted to fall learn what marketing and seller aspects are driving this move along with sliding through the current state of consumerism.
In light of the economic downturn, Amazon has decided to shift its annual Amazon Prime Day from its usual July date until October 13, 2020. This change comes after the impact of COVID-19 on the United States economy, as well as the global trade and distribution issues that developed after the first wave of the pandemic.
While this change initially seems like a hard blow to many distributors of online products, the new plan may in fact provide more opportunity to those who are prepared. Taking advantage of not just Prime Day, but also the now much closer holiday shopping season, FBA sellers are able to maximize summer sales without compromising on potential Prime Day income.
Why Move Prime Day?
Many FBA sellers saw a spike in sales during the COVID-19 panic-buying spree, causing listings to become out-of-stock or back-ordered for weeks at a time. This rush on services put Amazon in a bind, with many Prime users having to sacrifice their two-day shipping perks for less essential items. Knowing this, Amazon doesn’t want to repeat any logistical errors anytime soon.
Healthcare professionals and government leaders anticipate a second wave of the pandemic to peak during the fall of 2020. Should businesses and local economies close as they did in March again in August or September, many online stores will again become inundated with orders.
By pushing Prime Day to the fall, both Amazon and its sellers have more time to gather product, get it organized for shipping within warehouses, and make sure more in-demand items are listed to sell. Shifting the event date this year to later months allows for more shoppers to have funds available as they return to work, as well as for Amazon to have their warehouses ready.
Benefits of This Change
As a seller, there are several benefits to this date being pushed back. For starters, Amazon is already having summer sales throughout July, giving you opportunities to boost your sales and receive more reviews on products prior to Prime Day. Being in October this year, it also means many shoppers will be closer to their holiday shopping. Prime Day will still be nearly two months prior to Black Friday but seeing buying habits in advance can give insight into a better pricing strategy for end-of-the-year holiday sales.
If Prime Day is typically one of a store’s biggest sales events, consider how sellers can boost the traffic getting to item listings in the meantime. Are there additional SEO terms that could be added to product listings? What verbiage is in the best seller listing for a product category that could be mimicked?
Take Advantage of the Delay
Optimizing product listings now can help drive organic sales this summer, while also giving a boost to seller’s product rankings ahead of the Prime Day sales. Partner this strategy with native advertising and surprise sales to help keep items at the top of the wish list. Many shoppers are looking for deals right now as individuals are beginning to return to work after the pandemic shutdown.
As communities slowly start to reopen, more families are going back to their typical spending patterns. Take advantage of this time to make sure all product listings are targeting the key demographics of their ideal customer. Promoting these items on social media can drive additional traffic to shop and generate new sales.
Almost all shoppers reference the images associated with a product listing prior to making a purchase. Taking time to update all product listings to high-quality creative content will increase conversions for not only Prime Day shoppers, but casual browsers.
Prepare in Advance
Amazon has created a great online guide to Prime Day and how to prepare as a FBA seller. Taking full advantage of all of the tools and resources for sellers is a great way to maximize sales during Prime Day. Moving the date later in the year also allows sellers to develop a plan for how to best market each individual product within a shop.
As a seller, make sure all of FBA products are well stocked in advance of Prime Day. Doing a test sale prior to the event can help determine how many items will need to be stocked in warehouses prior to the official sale day. Consult with research from other sellers, as well as recommendations from SEO focused companies to ensure all products are positioned to sell efficiently.
Review
Changing the 2020 Amazon Prime Day from July to October may be shocking to some, but will work in the favor of seasoned sellers. Capitalizing on this time to expand product reach, improve existing copy, as well as develop newer advertising strategies will not only increase Prime Day revenue but sales throughout the holiday season.
Selling online during COVID-19 is an effort of strategy and logistical planning. Prepare in advance by stocking all FBA products prior to Prime Day to ensure there are no delays in the shipping of any purchases. Generate new leads through social media marketing and take advantage of Amazon tools to give coupons or incentives to new customers who could repeat or be upsold during a Prime Day event.
This change is not just manageable, but potentially lucrative, for all sellers who are willing to invest in improving their product listings.
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Jake Schwarzbaum
co-founder and COO of Velocity Sellers
Jake Schwarzbaum is the co-founder and COO of Velocity Sellers. He graduated from NYU Tisch with a film degree and knew early on that he liked the technical aspect of digital communication. He has worked on numerous successful marketing campaigns. Jake brings to the team a rare combination of artistic and technical talent, and left and right brain synthesis – he is someone we throw the kitchen sink at and he has become the go-to guy for making big things happen. He found his true passion in Ecommerce, analytics, and ultimately, Amazon.