If you wait until October to start prepping for Q4, you’re already behind. Amazon’s biggest sales season—Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the entire December rush—requires strategic prep that starts now.
Use this month-by-month Amazon Q4 2025 prep checklist to get ahead of your competitors, lock in your most profitable inventory, and crush your ad performance when it matters most.
Quick Guide
August: Forecast, Fix, and Finalize
Goal: Get your data in order and prepare listings and inventory before the deadlines creep up.
- Use Seller Labs Restock App to forecast based on last Q4’s sales and July’s Prime Day momentum
- Identify your top-margin holiday SKUs using Seller Labs SKU Economics
- Begin listing optimizations—focus on titles, images, and bullet copy for seasonal relevance
- Run A/B tests for main product images and value-based bullet points
- Start keyword research with a focus on giftable, seasonal, and trend-driven terms
- Confirm key FBA deadlines for inbound shipments
💡 Pro Tip: Don’t waste time or fees on dead SKUs. Prune your catalog now so your best products get priority storage and visibility.
September: Submit, Schedule, and Scale
Goal: Get your deals, ad campaigns, and inventory into the system before the October bottleneck.
- Send FBA inventory to Amazon by mid-September
- Submit Lightning Deal and 7-Day Deal requests for Black Friday and Cyber Monday
- Schedule Sponsored Product and Sponsored Brand campaigns for holiday SKUs
- Launch videos using Amazon Video Builder (free tool!) – Read our blog on How to Use Amazon Video Builder
- Start layering in coupons and testing pricing thresholds
💡 Pro Tip: September is the best time to ramp up Sponsored Display retargeting before CPCs rise in November.
October: Optimize and Go on Offense
Goal: Dial in campaigns, boost conversions, and capture early holiday shoppers.
- Analyze PPC data weekly—cut what’s underperforming
- Refresh listings with holiday keywords like “Christmas gifts for dad” or “2025 holiday planner”
- Run coupon experiments to lift conversion rates
- Leverage FBM for select SKUs if FBA space gets tight
💡 Pro Tip: October shoppers are planners. They convert early—target them with “gifts for her,” “gifts for teens,” etc.
November & December: Defend the Buy Box and Stay Stocked
Goal: Monitor margins and logistics daily while riding peak traffic.
- Use Ad Genius to monitor for CPC spikes and placement shifts
- Check SKU Economics daily to avoid losing margin on low-ROI ads
- Adjust FBM fulfillment times and shipping promises based on region
- Track price wars during BFCM weekend and respond quickly
- Plan for returns surge and post-holiday liquidation in late December
💡 Pro Tip: Use automated Buy Box monitoring tools to alert you to hijackers, suppressions, and price undercuts in real time.
Q4 Survival Tips Every Seller Should Know
- Avoid major listing edits in November—they can trigger suppressions
- Use alerts for restock warnings, ad overspend, and inventory aging
- Keep at least one fast-moving SKU FBM-eligible as a backup
Final Thoughts: Q4 Rewards the Prepared
The best Q4 sellers don’t “wing it”—they plan. Start your Q4 2025 prep now using the calendar above, and you’ll be ready to win Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the entire holiday season.
Need help turning these strategies into action?
✔️ Use the Restock App to predict inventory needs
✔️ Use Ad Genius to scale campaigns and monitor performance
✔️ Use SKU Economics to protect your margins at every stage
Ready to Streamline Your Amazon Q4 Strategy?
Don’t go into the busiest season of the year without the right tools.
Get started today with the Seller Labs Genius Bundle to access the Restock App, Ad Genius, and SKU Economics—all in one powerful platform built for Amazon sellers.