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How to prepare or Black Friday 2020 (& Cyber Monday) as an Amazon Seller

Nov 3, 2020

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Amazon sellers know the importance of being one step ahead, particularly when it comes to the close of the year. Get ready as Black Friday and Cyber Monday kick off the grand finale before the holiday season.

As the number of online shoppers reaches an all-time high, Black Friday 2020 is a key period for Amazon sellers to boost sales and amplify their profit.

Keep reading for our best Black Friday seller tips on how to prepare and thrive over this important shopping weekend.


Why Prepare in Advance?

 

Don’t Miss Out on Peak Season

 

Past years have seen Black Friday promotions rake in huge profits, the kind that every seller dreams of.

In 2019 Black Friday saw $7.2 billion in digital sales in the U.S. alone. That’s up 14% over the previous year.

If you want your Amazon sales to soar and your bottom line shoot up, this is a crucial time to make the most of.

 

COVID-19 and Online Shopping

 

One of the many changes brought on by COVID-19 has actually presented new opportunities for e-commerce, as many consumers turn to online shopping in the wake of the pandemic.

The effects of the virus have undoubtedly put pressure on the economy and while spending will be lighter for many, those who are shopping prefer to do it online with sites such as Amazon. 

If we take a look at Europe, we will see an insane increase in online shopping penetration – it has increased by 13% in Spain and 14% in Italy!

Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) and Inventory Restrictions

 

As holiday seasons tend to come with increased demand, those selling on Amazon FBA should consider that the shipment receiving process can come under strain and slow down.

Additionally, 2020 saw Amazon bring in new inventory restrictions that sellers should familiarize themselves with.

To stay ahead of the game, sellers must factor in future increased demand and put a plan in place. Getting shipments out as early as possible in the run-up to Black Friday and Cyber Monday will help to make inventory available for these crucial shopping days and the holidays. 


How to Prepare for Black Friday 2020

 

So, when Black Friday 2020 comes calling how can you be ready? Read on for our top tips and be a star seller.


Check Inventory Storage Limits

 

It’s important to know how much inventory can be sent to Amazon’s warehouse. Read up if you are subject to ASIN-level restrictions or inventory storage and avoid unwelcome surprises at an inconvenient moment.


Pre-prepare to Meet Seasonal Demand

 

Delays are an unfortunate fact of life, expect the unexpected and get in touch with your suppliers a step ahead. Leaving enough time between production and delivery will help to avoid stressful last-minute issues with your products.

Learn from the past by comparing last year’s sales patterns with the past few months. What is the holiday season trend? COVID-19 is an unprecedented global situation that’s moving many aspects of life online, have your sales gone up as a result?

As a general rule of thumb, aim to get this sorted 7-9 weeks prior to the Black Friday sales date.

Keyword Optimization

 

In order to buy your products, customers first need to find them. Adding a high volume of relevant keywords to your listing helps your product ranking as well as its presence in organic searches.

To come up with effective keywords, put yourself in the shoes of consumers; what would you type to try and find this particular product?

There are a lot of strategies for keyword optimization, but we would always recommend starting the title with your strongest keyword. Earlier, the trend was to start with your brand name, but now it’s not necessary and we wouldn’t recommend it.

Photo Optimization

 

While words can deliver the facts, photos are what really bring your listings to life. A distinctive, high-quality photo of your product grabs the shopper’s attention and can set you apart from the rest.

Infographics are an even quicker way to get product info across without the reader getting bored in a block of text. 

Thanks to the Amazon app, over 50% of shoppers are purchasing from their phones. This means that the first glimpse they’ll get of your product is the photos. For an added bonus, try to include a sizing chart and other useful visuals within the images.

Don’t go cheap when it comes to your product photos. This is also one of the key elements of why consumers would decide to buy your product.

The statistic says that the average consumer has 7 tabs opened – make sure your product stands out from those other 6 ones.

Optimize your PPC campaigns

 

Invest your money smartly in PPC campaigns and optimize your ads for conversions. Get rid of any keywords that are not converting or that cost more than your ACoS (advertising cost of sale) threshold.

The weeks around Black Friday are swimming with shoppers too so get your products high up in search results and ensure your ads are rolling before, during, and after the sale date. 

Translate Your Listings 

 

Make sure your listings are well translated and adjusted to the different marketplaces that you are currently selling on. This helps your product to be received by a wider audience base and ultimately attract more customers.

Make sure your listings are also localized. Sometimes, localization is even more important than the translation itself.

Even if you compare the US and UK marketplace, you will see that consumers use different terms for the same products (pants vs. trousers), etc. Invest some time to understand the target audience and not just literally translate your products from one language to another.

Monitor sales and performance

 

Remember, the fun doesn’t end on the run-up to Black Friday! Monitor product performance and avoid losing out on sales by tweaking your listings or PPC campaigns as necessary.

If your products are flying off the e-shelves, organize sending in more FBA inventory or use an alternative FBM shipping warehouse if this isn’t an option.

On the flip side, if sales are moving slowly, reconsider your keywords used on PPC campaigns and make some changes.

And the most important thing I can advise: Don’t do any major last-minute changes to your listings/campaigns. If your product has been doing well all-year-around, don’t do anything extreme which can affect your rankings.

NEED HELP?

 

If you need any help with your listing translation & localization, contact us. Our team at YLT-translations consists of Amazon-trained native-speaking translators for all existing marketplaces ready to help.