This year, Black Friday is November 29. To be sure that you don’t miss out on your products being Prime badge-ready for Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals, plan to inbound your inventory to Amazon Warehousing & Distribution (AWD) distribution centers by October 19th. This will enable you to maximize sales and help minimize any potential delays or stockouts during the busiest shopping season of the year.

FAQs

Q1: Why is the October 19th date so important?

A1: If you send in your inventory to AWD distribution centers by October 19th, your inventory will be processed, received, and stocked at Amazon's fulfillment centers and available in Prime bin for Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales.

Q2: What is the cutoff date for FBA? Is it same as AWD?

A2: For FBA, inventory must arrive at our fulfillment centers by October 19th to guarantee your products are Prime badge-ready by Black Friday/Cyber Monday. Yes, the cut off dates for inventory to arrive at our fulfillment centers and distribution centers is the same for it to be Prime badge-ready for Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales.

For more information, go to FBA peak readiness playbook

Q3: What happens if I miss the October 19th date?

A3: If your inventory is not received in the AWD distribution centers by October 19th, there is a risk that your inventory may not be processed and stocked in time for Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals. This could lead to potential missed sales opportunities and not being able to meet your customer demand.

Q4: Can I still inbound inventory after the October 19th date?

A4: Yes, you can continue to inbound inventory to AWD distribution centers after October 19th, and we will process it per our inbound and outbound SLAs. However, we cannot guarantee that your products will be available for Black Friday/ Cyber Monday sales. It's best to follow the recommended timeline to be sure you don’t miss out on sales by being Prime badge-ready in time.

Q5: How can I track the status of my inbound shipments?

A5: You can monitor the status of your inbound shipments to AWD through the Shipment Summary page in Seller Central. This will provide you with real-time updates on the progress of your shipments, allowing you to stay informed and make any necessary adjustments.

Q6: Are there any additional fees or charges for inbounding inventory before October 19th?

A6: No, there are no additional fees or charges for inbounding your inventory before the recommended date. However, standard Amazon FBA fees will apply, which may vary based on your product category and fulfillment requirements.

Q7: What are AWD’s holiday outbound SLAs?

A7: This Holiday, for AWD, our outbound SLA will continue to be 10-14 days from raising replenishment request to inventory being received in FBA. We continue to deliver on the inbound SLA of 2-4 days, from truck arriving at distribution center to inventory being visible at the site.

Q8: How does AWD handle Auto-Replenishment during Holidays?

A8: During Holidays, Auto-Replenishment will maintain approximately 6-7 weeks of coverage (WoC) in FBA, with daily replenishment from AWD when inventory levels fall below this threshold. This helps keep your FBA inventory in stock while saving you time and effort.