The holiday season is perhaps the busiest time of the year for some Amazon sellers. This is why it is imperative to stay in stock – failing to replenish on time can result in lost sales. Each year marks a raise in online shopping and the number of purchases in 2015 are expected to jump greatly.
Amazon’s 2015 Holiday Calendar
Amazon has already prepared by hiring more seasonal workers compared to last year to handle the increased demand. It is highly advisable for Amazon FBA sellers to prepare well in time as well. They need to make sure their shipments arrive on time at the particular U.S. Amazon fulfillment center. Amazon have released their Key 2015 FBA Holiday Selling Dates calendar – download it HERE.
According to the calendar, December 4 was the last date to ensure your inventory arrives at an Amazon fulfillment center for optimal availability for delivery by Dec. 25. Be aware that there is no cut-off date for sending stock to Amazon, they receive shipments right up to Christmas Day. However, anything sent after December 4 will probably be made available after Christmas.
What to expect in January
Last thing to remember, especially for the more inexperienced sellers, is to expect a lot of returns in January. This is normal and happens every year, people buy things they did not really need, receive gifts they did not really want, change their minds, return ungifted items, etc. It is completely ordinary and part of the business. Amazon has a special Holiday Return Policy which includes items bought during the Black Friday sale and even earlier. It states that “Items shipped by Amazon.com between November 1, 2015 and December 31, 2015, may be returned until January 31, 2016”.
January has a positive side as well. In contrast (and addition) to the returns, it sometimes turns out to have more sales than some other months of the year for some sellers. This is the time for people to buy what they really wanted for Christmas but did not get, and use the cash/gift cards they received for the holidays.
