Effective eCommerce marketing strategies are key to increasing brand awareness and product visibility for Mother’s Day. This article will explore innovative approaches to crafting compelling Mother’s Day marketing campaigns that resonate with your audience and drive Mother’s Day sales.

The History and Evolution of Mother’s Day 

The celebration of Mother’s Day has evolved significantly since its inception in 1905. What began as a heartfelt campaign to honor mothers became a globally recognized occasion. 

The first large-scale celebration of Mother’s Day took place in 1908, laying the foundation for its widespread recognition. By 1914, President Woodrow Wilson of the United States declared Mother’s Day a national holiday, solidifying its place in the annual calendar.

Mother’s Day is observed in over 50 countries, although only sometimes on the same date. While some nations align with the traditional second Sunday of May, others choose different dates to honor mothers and mother figures. Yet, regardless of its schedule, one aspect remains constant: the tradition of gift-giving. 

As Mother’s Day approaches, it is evident how the occasion has evolved into a commercialized event, marked by a significant emphasis on Mother’s Day gifts. Just last year, the National Retail Federation reported that consumers spent more than $35 billion on Mother’s Day gifts, showcasing the immense role these tokens of appreciation play in the celebration. 

The key to success for online sellers is understanding consumer preferences for Mother’s Day gifts. By staying informed about Mother’s Day trends and products consumers will likely purchase this upcoming Mother’s Day 2024, you can strategically align your listings with popular trends and ensure they are well-positioned to meet consumer demand. This knowledge lets you make informed decisions and maximize your Mother’s Day sales opportunities.

Exploring the Different Types of eCommerce Marketing Strategies for Mother’s Day

To elevate your eCommerce store’s sales performance this Mother’s Day, adopting tailored marketing tactics is crucial.  Delve into the following eCommerce marketing strategies to comprehend the potential of each strategy in maximizing your eCommerce store’s success during Mother’s Day 2024. 

Social Media Marketing

As its name suggests, social media marketing (SMM) is a marketing approach that utilizes social media platforms to market products or brands, engage with current customers, and reach new ones. SMM dives deep into three core marketing areas: connection, interaction, and customer data. 

Social media marketing remains one of the most widely utilized marketing channels. In 2023 alone, social media ad spending reached up to $270 billion, with the United States named as the world’s most prominent social media market. 

Unlike traditional marketing methods, social media campaigns allow you to precisely target your audience based on their demographics, interests, behaviors, and more. This precision targeting can significantly boost your Mother’s Day campaigns, generating leads and potentially increasing conversions.  

This Mother’s Day 2024, the ideal social media platforms to run social media ads include but are not limited to, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok.

Content Marketing

Another marketing strategy you can use this Mother’s Day 2024 is content marketing. This approach relies mainly on creating and sharing relevant content such as articles, videos, podcasts, and other media. 

Content marketing remains a popular choice among brand owners and marketers because of the results it brings. Accordingly, 88% of people credit videos for convincing them to buy a product, while businesses have reported that they get 67% more leads than other companies. 

Content marketing aims to help online sellers and entrepreneurs increase their business’s online visibility, generate more leads, improve brand authority, and boost customer loyalty. Some popular content marketing methods include, but are not limited to, blogs, newsletters, whitepapers, emails, videos, and more. 

Search Engine Marketing

Search engine marketing (SEM), or paid search, is an effective way to enhance your Mother’s Day marketing campaign. However, this approach can sometimes be aggressive in getting you more exposure through ads by using techniques that may or may not be approved by search engines in the long term.

Advertisers often use this digital marketing strategy to increase the visibility of their eCommerce site in search engine result pages (SERPs). Search engine marketing can help drive awareness, consideration, and trust for your products or brand this Mother’s Day celebration.

Email Marketing

Email marketing is a great way to connect with potential and current customers, share updates, and establish customer relationships. You can connect with recipients through heartfelt messages or curated gift ideas sent via email this Mother’s Day 2024. 

Email marketing benefits your Mother’s Day campaign by allowing targeted promotions tailored to different customer groups. This powerful business tool boosts Mother’s Day sales and creates meaningful customer experiences.

Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing uses social media personalities to promote brands or products to followers, leveraging their trust and credibility. This strategy works exceptionally well for Mother’s Day campaigns due to its trustworthiness, which is crucial for effective marketing.

One key advantage of influencer marketing is its ability to target specific audiences. By partnering with mom influencers whose content aligns with the brand’s audience, brands can ensure their message reaches the right people. 

Moreover, influencer marketing can tap into the emotional side of Mother’s Day shoppers. This emotional connection fosters brand loyalty and drives Mother’s Day sales, making influencer marketing a valuable strategy for Mother’s Day campaigns.

Creative Mother’s Day Marketing Ideas

As Mother’s Day approaches, sellers can engage customers with innovative Mother’s Day marketing strategies. It is the perfect time to celebrate motherhood while boosting Mother’s Day sales. Utilizing creative marketing ideas for Mother’s Day 2024 allows you to express gratitude and connect with your target audience in the best way possible. 

Here are some simple yet effective marketing ideas sellers can implement to stand out and make a lasting impression on this special day.

Mother’s Day Hashtags

Strategic hashtag usage can enhance the effectiveness of your Mother’s Day marketing campaign. By incorporating relevant hashtags, you can increase the visibility of your marketing content, attracting consumers seeking Mother’s Day gift ideas. 

You can spread awareness about your Mother’s Day hashtags on social media, emails, and other channels, prompting everyone to share their special Mother’s Day stories. With smart hashtag use, you can reach more people and make Mother’s Day even more memorable.

For insights into effective hashtags for this Mother’s Day 2024, consider incorporating a blend of the following options into your marketing campaign.

General Hashtags:

#HappyMothersDay (ensures broad reach)

#MothersDay (Another popular option)

#ThankYouMom (Expresses gratitude)

Specific Hashtags:

#MothersDayCrafts (For showcasing homemade crafts)

#MothersDayGift (For Mother’s Day gift ideas)

#WorkingMom (For moms who balance work and family)

Campaign Specific Hashtags 

#WorldsBestMomContest (For a contest celebrating moms)

#MomAndMeMemories (For sharing photos and stories)

#HomemadeMothersDay (For showcasing DIY gifts)

Personalized Mother’s Day Gifts & Messages

Adding a personalized touch can significantly enhance your Mother’s Day marketing campaign. Consider offering customized gifts and tailoring your ads to align with user interests. This approach ensures your message connects deeply with consumers, making your campaign more effective and memorable.

Adding these personal touches can boost engagement, drive sales, and make this Mother’s Day unforgettable for shoppers. Some of the personalized products your eCommerce store can offer this Mother’s Day 2024 may include personalized:

• Jewelry: Necklaces, bracelets, or earrings with inscriptions like initials, birthstones, a special message, or a child’s drawing.
• T-shirts, Sweatshirts, or Pajamas: Customizable with photos, family names, nicknames, or inside jokes.
• Hats or Bags: Personalized with mom’s name, a monogram, or a special message.

Mother’s Day Rewards

Consider implementing a rewards program for Mother’s Day that offers bonus points for purchases made during the campaign. This strategy can motivate customers to engage and shop on your eCommerce site.

Alternatively, you can show your appreciation to loyal customers by providing exclusive discounts or early access to your Mother’s Day gift collection, thus fostering a sense of value and connection. 

Incorporating these loyalty-driven initiatives encourages customer retention and creates a memorable and rewarding shopping experience this Mother’s Day 2024. When developing your Mother’s Day rewards and loyalty program, consider the following tips for success:

Keep it Simple: Design a program with straightforward rules that consumers can easily understand to enhance customer engagement.

Mobile Friendly: You must ensure that your program is accessible and convenient by making it easily manageable on mobile devices.

Personalization: To foster a deeper connection with your brand, offer targeted rewards and promotions tailored to individual purchase history and preferences.

Track & Analyze: Stay on top of program performance by regularly monitoring metrics and analyzing data. 

Maximizing Sales with Mother’s Day Product Bundles 

Another tried-and-tested Mother’s Day marketing strategy is creating product bundles. By curating Mother’s Day gift bundles, you streamline your customers’ shopping process and boost the perceived value of your products.

When crafting product bundles for your Mother’s Day 2024 marketing campaign, ensure that you: 

• Know your audience’s preferences and needs intimately.
• Select complementary products that form a unified theme.
• Offer diverse bundle options spanning various price ranges.
• Incorporate personalization for that extra special touch.
• Emphasize the savings compared to individual purchases.
• Present bundles as limited-time offers to prompt urgency.

Capitalize on Mother’s Day with Free Shipping Offers

Another Mother’s Day marketing strategy you can implement for your eCommerce site is to offer free shipping this Mother’s Day. Emphasizing that free shipping is a limited-time offer creates a sense of urgency and encourages customers to act quickly, which may lead to a surge in sales during the Mother’s Day period. 

Boosting Engagement with Mother’s Day Giveaway 

Enhance your Mother’s Day 2024 marketing strategy  by captivating your audience and sparking excitement around your brand through enticing giveaways or prizes. Offering coveted rewards can be a game-changer in your Mother’s Day 2024 campaign.

By leveraging such prizes and giveaways, you increase brand awareness and foster deep customer engagement, leading to positive outcomes for your eCommerce business during this special occasion. For instance, a skincare brand could offer a deluxe spa package featuring its top products, enticing customers with the promise of relaxation and rejuvenation. 

Stand Out This Mother’s Day

As Mother’s Day 2024 draws near, many shoppers are searching online for Mother’s Day gifts or gift ideas to celebrate the presence of mothers and mother figures. Online sellers must ensure their products and brands are easily discoverable.

Leveraging the Mother’s Day marketing strategies highlighted in this guide—such as engaging hashtags, personalized gifts, and compelling giveaways—can effectively connect with your audience and enhance sales. Embrace creativity and adaptability in your marketing efforts to ensure your brand stands out this Mother’s Day and continues to resonate with customers in the future.

Selling products on Walmart can greatly enhance your brand’s visibility and increase sales. Regardless of your experience level, understanding how to maximize this platform is essential.

This article will explore critical aspects of selling on Walmart.com, providing valuable insights and tips to help you start your business and thrive in this dynamic marketplace.

Walmart: From Physical Store to Online Marketplace

In 1962, Sam Walton established Walmart, which later emerged as a dominant force in the retail industry known for its emphasis on affordability and operational excellence. Throughout its existence, Walmart expanded its business and introduced significant innovations, including Walmart.com. 

After more than two decades, Walmart’s online presence was further boosted upon its acquisition of Jet.com in 2016. Currently, Walmart remains a top competitor in the eCommerce industry, rivaling Amazon, Target, and Best Buy.

Walmart’s online platform offers diverse products with flexible delivery options, maintaining its significance in the constantly changing eCommerce environment.

Why Selling on Walmart is Beneficial

In February 2024, Walmart.com obtained a remarkable 464.89 million visitors, highlighting its extensive online reach and consumer appeal.  It also holds an impressive authority score of 99.

Source: Semrush

If you are hesitating about whether to venture into Walmart as part of your business expansion, consider these reasons to integrate your products into the extensive Walmart marketplace:

Sell with confidence on Walmart

Walmart is one of the largest retail giants globally, with an established reputation and vast customer base. Online sellers and business owners trust Walmart’s impressive global presence and financial success.

In 2023, Walmart reported a staggering revenue of $611 billion worldwide, equating to over $1.56 billion in daily revenue. With a network comprising 10,616 stores and clubs across 19 countries, including 4,618 locations in the United States alone, Walmart serves an astounding 37 million customers daily and over 230 million customers weekly. 

Aligning your brand with Walmart improves credibility and fosters trust among consumers. Walmart’s established credibility and reliability as a marketplace offers a lucrative avenue to access its expansive customer base.

Cost-Effective Fee Structure on Walmart

Walmart offers sellers a competitive pricing structure. Online sellers and business owners can retain a larger portion of their revenue because of lower platform fees and expenses. Therefore, the profitability of online sellers while selling on Walmart is increased. 

A key advantage of Walmart’s cost-effectiveness is that it does not require sellers to pay a monthly fee for listing their products on its marketplace. Instead, Walmart operates on a commission-based fee system. Sellers are charged a referral fee and a percentage commission for each sale made through the platform. The referral fee percentages are in the table provided below.

Table Adapted from Walmart: Overview of  “Walmart Marketplace Referral Fees; Retrieved: March 25, 2024, From Marketplace.Walmart

Efficient Software Tools on Walmart 

Walmart offers powerful software solutions and tools to assist sellers in managing their online business operations efficiently. Sellers can leverage Walmart’s advanced software solutions from inventory management to advertising to streamline processes, optimize performance, and enhance overall productivity. 

Below are some of the notable Walmart tools and programs designed to enhance your business on the platform:

Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) 

WFS offers Walmart sellers access to sophisticated inventory management features, real-time order monitoring, and dedicated customer support, facilitating operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. Aside from advanced inventory capabilities, Walmart Fulfillment Services affords sellers flexibility in scaling their businesses because it does not require minimum or maximum inventory. 

Walmart Connect 

Walmart Connect is Walmart’s advertising solution that empowers brand owners and sellers to engage with its extensive shopper base. Walmart Connect gives sellers access to ad campaign solutions on Walmart.com and the Walmart app, which helps increase product visibility. Some of the ad campaigns you can utilize for your Walmart business include:

• On-Site Display Ads
• Off-Site Display Ads
• Search Grid Ads
• Carousel Ads
• Brand Amplifier

Walmart Brand Portal 

The Walmart Brand Portal provides tools and resources for managing product listings, monitoring performance, and enhancing brand presence on Walmart.com. The Brand Portal is a valuable hub for brand owners to manage all aspects of their intellectual property brand management.

Aside from the main Walmart features mentioned above, other notable Walmart tools and programs include:

Walmart Repricer: This tool helps Walmart sellers manage their listing prices and close the gap between the seller’s price and the competitor’s listing price. 

Review Accelerator: This program helps you obtain authentic reviews for your listings, which in turn can help boost your sales.

Marketplace Capital: This program allows Walmart to provide fast funding when needed.

Listing Quality: This feature can help you improve listing optimization. Walmart’s Listing Quality Dashboard provides insightful recommendations to help you grow your business. 

Pro Seller Badge: This program highlights qualified sellers in the marketplace, boosting exposure and increasing conversion. 

Collectively, these Walmart features, tools, and programs are designed to empower sellers, helping them scale their businesses on the Walmart platform. 

Seamless Omnichannel Integration

Walmart supports smooth integration between its online marketplace and third-party software solutions. By leveraging Walmart’s omnichannel capabilities, sellers can enhance customer convenience and satisfaction while maximizing sales opportunities.

Streamlined Onboarding Process

Walmart provides a streamlined onboarding process for sellers, making it quick and easy to start selling on their platform. From account setup to product listings, Walmart offers comprehensive guidance and support to help sellers get started promptly. In the following section, we will detail the steps to start selling on Walmart.

Quick Start Guide: How to Start Selling on Walmart 

Walmart simplifies the onboarding process for new sellers, allowing for a fast start. Below are four straightforward steps to kickstart your selling journey on Walmart:

Step 1 – Complete Mandatory Details: Visit the Walmart Marketplace signup page, input the required information, review the terms, and create your Walmart Marketplace account.

STEP 2 – Verify Your Business: Start by submitting your business details and completing your Seller Profile. Make sure your tax information aligns with IRS records for swift business verification, enabling you to begin selling promptly.

STEP 3 – Set Up Payment Preferences: Provide Walmart with the necessary information to facilitate payments for your sales. 

STEP 4 – Configure Shipping and Returns: Customize your shipping methods and costs according to your preferences and business needs. Additionally, select your preferred returns method and carriers that align with your budget and service requirements.

Minimum Qualifications Required for Joining Walmart Marketplace

To prepare for your seller application on Walmart, ensure you meet the following minimum qualifications for joining its marketplace:

• History of marketplace or eCommerce success
• Products that have GTIN/UPC GS1 Company Prefix Numbers
• Business Tax ID(s) (SSN not accepted) or Business License Number
• Supporting documents that verify your business name and address
• Catalog that complies with Walmart’s Prohibited Products Policy
• Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) or another B2C U.S. warehouse with returns capability

Sell on Walmart with Seller Snap 

For sellers operating on both the Walmart and Amazon marketplaces, utilizing a multichannel repricer is critical to maintaining a competitive edge in the eCommerce landscape. 

At Seller Snap, we understand that selling simultaneously on both Walmart and Amazon presents a lucrative opportunity for you to expand your reach and maximize profit. Hence, we offer our Amazon repricing solution, now seamlessly integrated with Walmart, to capitalize on this opportunity.

With our software’s Walmart PriceSync feature, we empower sellers to effortlessly manage and synchronize prices between Walmart and Amazon, streamlining operations and freeing up valuable time. You can gain centralized control over sales channels, facilitating simplified price management. 

By embracing a multi-channel selling strategy, you can unlock opportunities to diversify revenue streams, expand your audience reach, and boost your eCommerce sales.

We help you stay ahead in the dynamic world of online retail, driving sustained growth and success across multiple platforms. To facilitate such integration, you must undertake these three crucial steps:

STEP 1: Enter Walmart Seller Details.

STEP 2: Create a CSV file to map Amazon SKUs to Walmart SKUs.

STEP 3: Enable Walmart PriceSync.

For comprehensive instructions on activating Seller Snap’s price propagation solution, you can refer to the detailed Walmart PriceSync Integration guide.

Join  Walmart Marketplace Today!

Ready to take your business to the next level? Begin selling on Walmart and connect with millions of customers globally. Benefit from Walmart’s competitive pricing, and software solutions such as Walmart Fulfillment Services & Walmart-Seller Snap Integration to enjoy seamless onboarding. Join Walmart now and open doors to fresh opportunities for success!

Amazon has expanded its influence beyond the consumer market by addressing the growing needs of businesses and organizations for efficient procurement processes. This led to the creation of the Amazon Business platform, marking its entry into B2B eCommerce.

This platform represents a strategic innovation, leveraging Amazon’s expertise and infrastructure to cater to bulk purchasers or business buyers‘ unique needs. Since 2015, Amazon B2B has been offering a comprehensive choice of office supplies and other essential business needs. 

Amazon Business is a testament to the tech giant’s consistent commitment to meeting the diverse needs of its customers while driving innovation in the business sector. Should you aspire to engage in the Amazon Business Seller Program, here are key insights, statistics, and trends crucial for your understanding of Amazon B2B.

What Is Amazon Business?

Amazon Business is a platform tailored to serve the diverse needs of businesses and organizations, spanning from local enterprises to multinational corporations, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, and government entities. Amazon B2B grants access to an extensive list of products, mirroring those found on Amazon.com, but with more focus on bulk purchases and specialized requirements of business buyers.

In a nutshell, Amazon Business aims to introduce bulk purchasers to a multitude of business sellers worldwide. streamlining procurement processes and ensuring access to a wide range of products tailored to the needs of the B2B market.

Benefits of Enrolling in the Amazon Business Seller Program

To engage in Amazon’s retail environment, sellers must create an Amazon Seller Central account. Likewise, would-be Amazon business selling partners aiming to operate within the Amazon Business platform must enroll in the Amazon Business Seller Program to create an Amazon Business account. This program provides various advantages to brand owners operating on the Amazon B2B platform, such as:

Access to Business Customers: The number one reason why business owners should consider becoming an Amazon Business seller is the platform’s customer base. Amazon designed a separate membership program called Business Prime, that Amazon B2B sellers can leverage. 

Selling on Amazon B2B gives you access to millions of business buyers, including small businesses, large enterprises, schools, hospitals, and government agencies. These Amazon Business customers have unique needs and purchasing behavior compared to individual consumers, which might fit your business. 

Bulk Pricing and Quantity Discounts: Amazon Business also allows business sellers to offer discounts to business buyers in the form of bulk pricing and quantity discounts. By implementing this pricing strategy, you can attract bulk purchasing customers, increasing order volumes and sales.

You can further refine your Amazon Business pricing strategy with the help of an AI Business Repricer to offer quantity discounts automatically across different tiers. Similarly, an AI Repricer can adjust prices as needed to ensure you offer the most competitive pricing to secure the Amazon Business Buy Box.

Enhanced Product Visibility: Products listed on Amazon Business are often prioritized in search results for business-related queries. This increased visibility in the Amazon B2B platform can help sellers reach a broader audience of business buyers actively searching for their products.

Access to Business Analytics: Amazon Business provides sellers with access to analytics and reporting tools. These insights allow sellers to track performance metrics, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions to optimize their Amazon B2B strategies.

Dedicated Customer Support: Amazon Business provides reliable customer support for business sellers, helping them navigate the unique challenges and opportunities of selling to business customers. Amazon Business sellers can receive assistance concerning account setup, product listings, and resolving business-related issues.

Efficient Delivery Services: Amazon B2B sellers can likewise leverage Amazon’s renowned delivery infrastructure. Amazon Business ensures prompt and convenient shipping for business orders through its multiple fulfillment centers and shipping partners worldwide, maintaining the reliable fulfillment service expected by business customers.

Support for Small and Diverse Enterprises: Amazon Business offers small and diverse businesses the chance to showcase their products to a larger market. If you are a qualified Amazon Business seller, you can compete with big corporations and major brands on the Amazon B2B platform.

Global Reach: Initially launched in the United States, Amazon B2B has expanded its presence to several other countries, including Canada, the UK, and Germany, ensuring that business sellers can have access to the international market. 

Amazon Business offers a versatile platform for businesses of all sizes to meet the demands of a diverse clientele across various industries.

Amazon B2B Market and Procurement Insights | Key Statistics

Since launching in 2015, Amazon Business has experienced significant development and transformation. With nearly a decade of operation, it becomes crucial to highlight pivotal milestones and essential statistics.  

Understanding these Amazon B2B milestones and statistics can provide valuable insights and guidance for Amazon Business sellers, aiding them in navigating the platform’s dynamic landscape and optimizing their strategies for success.

• After it was first introduced in the United States as a platform for business customers, Amazon Business expanded outside the US, branching into Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and India. (Source: Amazon Business)
• Amazon Business is the shopping destination of major companies, including 96 of the companies listed in the global Fortune 100. Currently, Amazon B2B has over 6 million active customers worldwide, contributing to the 10 billion annualized global sales of third-party sellers. (Source: Amazon Business)

• The Seattle-based company continues to invest in its Amazon B2B platform due to its significant growth potential. In Europe alone, Amazon B2B has seen impressive growth rates, with a compound annual growth rate of 25% from 2020 to 2022. (Source: eMarketer)
• Aside from the US and Europe, Amazon B2B is a popular marketplace in other countries. In particular, about 70% of B2B buyers in India, 47% in South Africa, and 46% in the UAE rely on Amazon Business for their significant procurement needs. (Source: Statista)

Procurement-Specific Insights

Here are significant findings from Amazon’s  2024 State of Procurement Data Report in partnership with KRC Research, providing Amazon B2B participants with more significant insights into procurement.

Top 5 Risks Facing Procurement (Next 1-2 Years):

• Costs and Budgets
• Markets and Supply Chain Volatility
• Security and Technologies
• Politics and Regulations
• Staffing Issues

Procurement Budget Projections:

53% of buyers anticipate higher purchasing budgets in 2024 compared to 2023.

Top 3 External Challenges in Procurement:

• Rising Costs for Purchases
• Preparing for Unexpected Economic Changes
• Working with Suppliers Unable to Support Digital Procurement Needs

Top Priorities in Procurement (Next 1-2 Years):

• Retaining and Developing Existing Talent
• Attracting or Hiring Top New Talent
• Reducing Costs in Purchasing
• Establishing or Refining Procurement Standards Across the Organization
• Building Resilient and Agile Supply Chains

Preferences in Purchasing from Certified-Seller Groups:

• 59% prefer sellers that adhere to sustainable practices.
• 40%  favor certified small businesses.
• 39%  opt for local businesses.
• 25% consider diversity-owned businesses.

Top 5 Purchasing Categories Business Procurement Handles:

• IT peripherals
• Semi-finished products and components
• Maintenance, repair, and operating items
• Finished goods or products
• Safety products

Important Purchasing Considerations for Buyers:

• The location where the products you purchase originate
• The HR policies and standards of the organizations you purchase from
• The type of transportation used to ship the products you purchase
• The Environmental, Social, and Governance or ESG policies of the organizations you purchase from
• The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies of the organizations you purchase from
• The route and the stops that the products you purchase make on their way to your organization

The key insights gleaned from procurement decision-makers and bulk purchasers allow you to make some adjustments favorable to your Amazon business. Additionally, other data relevant to Amazon’s growth and expansion reinforces Amazon’s mission to drive innovation and empower enterprises across the globe.

Amazon Business Embracing the AI Trend 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming procurement, enabling eCommerce businesses to enhance efficiency and drive informed decision-making. Business owners can extract insights from procurement data through artificial intelligence, aiding strategic planning and resource allocation. 

To capitalize on these advantages, Amazon has integrated AI technology into its business operations to ensure a seamless and convenient shopping experience for customers and sellers alike. 

Amazon acknowledges the significance of the “smart buying era” and its implications for procurement, as emphasized by Alexandre Gagnon, vice president of Amazon Business Worldwide, who stated, “At Amazon Business, we develop scalable solutions for customers and solve their biggest procurement challenges, and I couldn’t be more excited about the evolution of procurement.”

In addition to AI functions designed for shoppers’ convenience, the Amazon B2B program offers AI-powered features to enhance business sellers’ performance. Seller tools such as Amazon Repricer, Business Analytics, Business Guided Buying, and Amazon Business Spend Visibility leverage AI technology to optimize various aspects of sellers’ operations, empowering them to achieve greater efficiency and success on the Amazon Business platform.

AI Integration in Amazon Business

It is undeniable that Amazon Business and artificial intelligence are intertwined, particularly in how AI is utilized to enrich the platform’s offerings and enhance user experiences. Here are several examples of how Amazon B2B utilizes AI

Product Recommendations: Similar to its retail counterpart, Amazon B2B utilizes AI algorithms to analyze purchasing behaviors and preferences, providing tailored product recommendations to B2B customers. 

Search Optimization: Amazon B2B also utilizes AI algorithms to understand search queries better, returning relevant results even for complex or ambiguous customer search queries.

Personalization: AI enables Amazon Business to personalize user experiences based on past interactions, preferences, and industry trends. 

Supply Chain Optimization: AI algorithms are likewise used to optimize supply chain operations on Amazon Business, helping sellers better manage their inventory and shipping tasks. 

Data Analytics: Amazon also provides business sellers with AI tools to help them analyze vast amounts of data generated by transactions on Amazon Business, providing valuable insights into purchasing patterns, market trends, and customer behavior. 

Third-Party Integration: Amazon Business offers the option to integrate third-party AI software besides Amazon’s proprietary solutions. This enables business sellers to leverage external solutions to improve their operations, many of which are conveniently accessible through the Amazon Selling Partner Appstore.

Driving Innovation in B2B eCommerce

Amazon Business represents a strategic expansion of Amazon’s services into the business-to-business market, catering to the unique needs of business buyers worldwide. The Amazon B2B platform empowers brand owners and entrepreneurs to tap into a vast market while providing businesses with streamlined procurement solutions. 

Driven by a commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction, Amazon Business continues to shape the future of B2B eCommerce, leveraging AI technology to enhance user experiences and drive efficiency. As business customers navigate the evolving procurement landscape, Amazon B2B offers you an opportunity for a seamless and adaptable platform for success.

When it comes to inventory management, many online sellers trust InventoryLab. In this article, we will discuss how IL helps Amazon sellers improve the overall performance of their business. 

What is InventoryLab? 

InventoryLab is a software platform tailored for Amazon sellers, offering tools and solutions to efficiently handle inventory management, streamline workflows, and monitor profitability of the Amazon businesses.  

Benefits of Using InventoryLab for Amazon Sellers

InventoryLab offers a range of tools and features to assist Amazon sellers in various aspects of their business, including inventory management, accounting, and analytics. Using IL for your eCommerce business means access to its advanced features including the following: 

Inventory Management: IL is primarily known for its inventory management feature that allows sellers to track their inventory levels, and create shipments to Amazon fulfillment centers. Additionally, IL also helps sellers efficiently manage their stocks across multiple channels.

Listing and Labeling: IL helps sellers conveniently create and manage product listings on Amazon, including generating FNSKU labels for products.

Profit Analytics: Aside from listing and inventory management, IL provides detailed insights into sales, expenses, and profitability, allowing sellers to analyze their financial performance and make informed decisions.

Reports and Insights: InventoryLab offers a variety of reports, including profitability reports. IL also has analytics tools that help sellers understand sales trends and identify profitable items.

InventoryLab’s key advantage is its ability to simplify the complexities of selling on Amazon. This particular Amazon seller tool empowers online sellers, including Amazon FBA sellers, to run their businesses more efficiently and profitably.

How Does InventoryLab Work?

When you register with InventoryLab, all your Amazon inventory, including both active and inactive items, as well as sales data from the past 60 days, will be integrated into the software application. This process is enabled through InventoryLab’s integration with the Selling Partner API (SP-API), which securely connects to your Amazon seller account to ensure smooth data transfer.

Premium subscribers can easily synchronize all their Amazon data with IL by simply reaching out via email to request instructions. You should note that the syncing process may take up to 48 hours to complete.

Once your inventory has been successfully synchronized, Amazon sellers can enter their costs, supplier details, and purchase dates directly into IL. This step is vital as all financial reports, including sales transactions and profitability reports, depend on accurate input to provide sellers with valuable insights for informed decision-making.

InventoryLab Applications: Stratify, Scoutify, ScoutX, and Insights

To streamline the effective management and optimization of an Amazon business, InventoryLab provides sellers with multiple applications, namely Stratify, ScoutX, Scoutify, and Insights. Here’s a closer look at the important functions and benefits of each.

What is Stratify?

Inventory management is a crucial aspect of the Amazon business. As your business grows, more and more products need to be tracked, making the whole process more complex and time-consuming. In order to help Amazon sellers manage their inventory more efficiently, InventoryLab introduced the Stratify app. 

This specialized software solution offered by IL serves as a centralized platform to enhance operational efficiency and streamline tasks. Some of the key features of the Stratify app include the following: 

Inventory Monitoring: Stratify facilitates comprehensive monitoring and control of your Amazon inventory, including stock levels, product details, and listing status.

Listing:  Stratify helps sellers simplify the listing process on Amazon. Sellers can list products on InventoryLab that can be added to their Amazon Seller Central inventory data. Data feed from Stratify can take up to 70 minutes for your inventory data to be available in Seller Central.

Pricing: InventoryLab’s Stratify app also integrates repricing tools to help sellers adjust listing prices dynamically based on market dynamics. Thus, giving Amazon sellers a competitive edge when it comes to product pricing. 

Shipment Preparation: Amazon sellers can also prepare shipments effortlessly using Stratify, which aids in generating shipping labels, including options for 2D barcodes.

Accounting and Analytics: Sellers gain access to crucial accounting data, providing valuable insights into your financial performance.

In summary, InventoryLab’s Stratify app is designed to streamline inventory management and help Amazon sellers maximize their profits by providing detailed insights and analysis. 

What is Scoutify?

InventoryLab also has a mobile app that is designed mainly for Amazon resellers. Those who want to engage in Amazon retail arbitrage can use the Scoutify app. Scoutify is designed specifically for scouting products and can be used in conjunction with InventoryLab’s other tools, like Stratify. Utilizing this phone scouting application, Amazon sellers can:

• Scan the barcode of products using their smartphone’s camera.
• Assess the potential profitability of each item.
• Verify if they face any restrictions on selling an item.
• Gauge the competition by checking the number of other offers on the item.
• Review both past and current sales and purchase history of the item.

To help you maximize the functionalities of Scoutify, below is an overview of how you can use the scouting app. 

Scoutify is a valuable tool for Amazon sellers engaged in retail arbitrage or online arbitrage as it can provide real-time data and profit calculations.  Like any software product, it is essential to keep an eye on updates and user feedback to stay informed about its current features and performance.

What is ScoutX? 

ScoutX is a cutting-edge web-based product research tool designed for Amazon sellers to access critical data points for potential inventory items. It enables sellers to make informed decisions by providing insights into product sales rank history, analytics, and profitability. Below are ScoutX’s key features:

Instant Product Insights: ScoutX offers a convenient widget that succinctly presents crucial details concerning ASIN, Rank and Category, Variations, Buy Box, and more. 

Research Accelerators: ScoutX provides a curated set of icons linking to indispensable websites pertinent to product research. 

Google Sheets Integration: With ScoutX, product research has been more convenient with its Google Sheet integration, which allows you to directly incorporate products of interest into your Google sheet. Therefore, eliminating the hassle of platform switching and ensuring all critical information is centralized for easy access.

For sellers to add the items they have sourced into a sheet, the Google Sheets toggle must be turned on in the ScoutX settings and the Google account must likewise be connected to ScoutX. You can follow the steps below for Google Sheet integration.

STEP 1: Toggle “Google Sheets” to allow integration. 

Image Adapted from IL: Overview of ScoutX Page; Retrieved: March 16, 2024, From Support.IL

STEP 2: Click “Connect” to connect your Google account to ScoutX.

Image Adapted from IL: Overview of ScoutX Page; Retrieved: March 16, 2024, From Support.IL 

STEP 3: To add an item to a Google sheet, locate and click the “Add Item” button located next to the Research Shortcuts in ScoutX. A dropdown menu will appear and click “to Google Sheets.” 

Image Adapted from IL: Overview of ScoutX Page; Retrieved: March 16, 2024, From Support.IL

In essence, ScoutX offers a robust platform for product insights while simplifying the product research process for sellers. This IL application helps sellers save time when doing product research. 

Insights

Another popular feature of InventoryLab is Insights. With Insights, Amazon sellers can gain access to the Restock Report that showcases numerous data relating to sales history & forecast, inventory status, product data, and more. 

Image Adapted from IL: Restock Report – Overview; Retrieved: March 16, 2024, From Support.IL 

This feature can help sellers avoid stockouts or overstock to help maintain business efficiency. To access Restock Report, simply click the “Insights” tab on the top menu, and click the Restock Report from the dropdown menu as seen in the image above. 

InventoryLab Integration Capabilities

In addition to providing essential business solutions for Amazon sellers, InventoryLab stands out for its integration capability with diverse platforms and tools, effectively optimizing workflows and enhancing productivity. Notably, IL seamlessly integrates with Seller Snap, an advanced Amazon repricer. 

InventoryLab – Seller Snap Integration: Steps for Software Connection

To connect your InventoryLab and Seller Snap accounts, you must first enable Seller Snap integration in IL by following these steps:

STEP 1: Log in to your Inventory Lab account.

STEP 2: Go to the “INTEGRATION” page, which can be found under the “LIST” tab. 

STEP 3: Switch “ON” Seller Snap Repricer by toggling the switch.

Image Adapted from IL: Overview of Integration Page; Retrieved: March 16, 2024, From: IL Product Update Webinar

After activating the Seller Snap integration in InventoryLab, you should enable Inventory Lab integration in your Seller Snap account. To do so, you can follow the steps provided below:

STEP 1: Sign in to your Seller Snap account and select “STORE SETTINGS” within the “SETTINGS” menu.

STEP 2: Once clicked and redirected,  locate the “INTEGRATIONS” tab and select it.

STEP 3: Once you are on the integration page, look for the IL logo and click the “CONFIGURE” button underneath the logo. 

STEP 4:  When the button is clicked, a dialog box will pop up; switch on the IL integration.

STEP 5: Once toggled, a confirmation box will appear. To save settings, click the “CONFIRM” button. 

STEP 6: After clicking the confirm button, you should verify the software integration status. To do so, check the status indicated beneath the Inventory Lab icon. It should indicate “ON.”

Now that both software accounts are linked, you can leverage the software integration to efficiently oversee your pricing strategy, establishing minimum and maximum prices. The following video presentation will guide you through the process, ensuring clarity and ease of implementation.

InventoryLab Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Who Should Use InventoryLab?

Amazon sellers looking to streamline their inventory management, product sourcing, and listing activities, and those in need of cost-per-unit tracking and automated Profit and Loss (P&L) reports can benefit from IL’s advanced features and functions.

InventoryLab primarily provides solutions to three major areas of concern for most Amazon sellers, mainly:

• Product Research
• Listing
• Bookkeeping/Analytics

Can You Use Bluetooth Scanner With Scoutify App?

Yes, Amazon sellers can use a Bluetooth scanner with Scoutify. You only need to pair the scanner with your mobile device to use it to scan items on the go. Some of the commonly used Bluetooth scanners by Inventory Lab users are the following:

• Scanfob
• KDC
• Unitech
• Eyoyo
• Nadamoo

How Much Does InventoryLab Cost?

Amazon sellers can have complete access to IL at $69.00 per month for the Base Plan, and $94.00 for the Base+Insights Plan. For those preferring an annual subscription, the price of the Base Plan is $690.00 annually, and the Base+Insights Plan at $690 billed annually plus an additional $25 per month.

Can You Cancel Your Subscription at Any Time?

Yes, Amazon sellers can cancel their subscriptions at any time. Additionally, users can still access IL until their current subscription period ends. 

Streamlining Amazon Selling for Greater Success

InventoryLab is a valuable tool for Amazon sellers, helping them manage inventory, streamline workflows, and boost profits. Through its various applications like Stratify and Scoutify, you can easily handle tasks like inventory management, product research, and pricing optimization. 

The added advantage of seamless integration with Seller Snap further enhances its capabilities, ensuring competitive pricing in real time.  Overall, InventoryLab simplifies the complexities of selling on Amazon, making it possible for sellers to gain a competitive edge over competitors and ultimately thrive in their Amazon business and the ever-evolving eCommerce landscape.

If you are an Amazon seller, an Amazon holiday calendar is necessary. It can help you improve your marketing campaign and holiday shopping preparations, schedule your social media posts, and anticipate holiday sales to prepare effective holiday promotions.

A well-scheduled plan helps ensure your online business runs smoothly and maximizes profits during high-traffic periods. In an industry like eCommerce, it is vital to stay ahead of the competition and take advantage of significant opportunities to reach more customers and drive sales.

Why an eCommerce Holiday Calendar For 2024 Matters 

A 2024 calendar with holidays aims to provide online retailers and eCommerce businesses with a comprehensive overview of key dates, holidays, important deadlines, and other relevant industry events in the upcoming months. 

By clearly understanding these key dates, online retailers and business owners can plan their promotions, sales, and marketing efforts to align with these events, taking advantage of increased consumer spending and maximizing sales and revenue. 

A 2024 calendar with eCommerce holidays also provides valuable insights into seasonal trends, such as the back-to-school shopping season and other important holiday shopping events. By understanding these trends, online sellers can make data-driven decisions about their product offerings and pricing strategies.

Overall, staying informed about the current events and trends in the eCommerce industry and their impact on consumer behavior is crucial for success in the eCommerce space. By keeping up with these key holiday shopping events, online retailers and eCommerce businesses can gain a competitive advantage that can help drive growth in sales.

Holidays and Activities to Consider in 2024: A Must-Know for Online Sellers

In 2024, it is vital for Amazon sellers and online retailers to stay ahead of the curve and stay organized. For your Amazon venture or any eCommerce business to succeed, you need to keep track of important events such as holidays, eCommerce conventions, and government deadlines that could impact sales and business operations, and these may include the following: 

January 2024 eCommerce Events, Celebrations & Holidays 

January offers a great chance for online sellers to dispose of some of their Q4 inventory of the previous year by providing discounts, bundles, or even rewards to attract consumers to sign up for a mailing list.

In particular, Amazon sellers can utilize this opportunity to start the year strong by offering discounts and targeting customers who are into New Year’s resolutions and the “New Year, New Me” mindset. For January, here were some of the eCommerce activities, celebrations, and holidays:

January 1: New Year’s Day

January 14-16: NRF 2024: Retail’s Big Show & Expo

January 15:  Martin Luther King Jr (MLK) Day

January 23-27: The Outdoor Retailer Snow Show

January 26: Australia Day

February 2024 eCommerce Events, Celebrations & Holidays 

Due to Valentine’s Day, February is often regarded as the month of love. Many consumers will be searching for gifts to give to their loved ones. As a seller, it is essential to be aware of popular holiday gifts such as sweets, cards, and flowers that consumers tend to buy for this gift-giving occasion.

Considering these products can make your marketing campaigns much easier. You can prepare your online store for holiday shopping events and cater to the needs of your target audience.

In addition to Valentine’s Day, merchants can increase their sales during the month by offering deals and discounts for other significant holiday shopping events listed on the eCommerce holiday calendar. As part of your social media campaign, you should create interactive social media posts to draw more consumers to your business. 

February 1: Start of Black History Month

February 2: Groundhog Day

February 11: Super Bowl Sunday 

February 13: Pancake Day (UK)

February 14: Valentine’s Day

February 17: World Random Acts of Kindness Day 

February 19: Presidents’ Day (US)

February 19:Family Day (Canada)

February 22: World Thinking Day

February 27: National Retro Day

March 2024 eCommerce Events, Celebrations & Holidays 

Spring is in the air, and as the weather starts to warm up, it is an excellent opportunity for Amazon sellers to promote seasonal items such as clothing, outdoor gear, and gardening tools as part of their Amazon marketing campaigns.

A 2024 calendar with holidays will likewise highlight Easter Sunday and St. Patrick’s Day. Both are important Christian holidays that online sellers and business owners can leverage to promote Easter-themed products, traditional Irish food, and beverages. You should mark on your calendar the Prosper Show, an event for advanced Amazon sellers, which will be held in Las Vegas.

For March, here are some of the activities, celebrations, and holidays you should mark on your eCommerce holiday calendar:

March 4-6: The Prosper Show

March 8: International Women’s Day

March 9: Ramadan begins 

March 10: Daylight Saving Time

March 15: Deadline to file S-Corps (form 1120-S) and for partnerships (form 1065)

March 17: St. Patrick’s Day

March 17-20: Shop Talk 

March 20: First day of spring

March 20:  International Day of Happiness 

March 21: World Poetry Day 

March 23: World Puppy Day

March 23: Earth Hour 

March 24-30: Holy Week

March 29: Good Friday 

March 31: Easter Sunday

March 31: Deadline to file 1099s, if you file electronically.

April 2024 eCommerce Events, Celebrations & Holidays 

Earth Day is also celebrated in April, allowing Amazon sellers to promote eco-friendly products and sustainable living. You can employ multiple marketing strategies for this month to drive sales to your business. 

One of the most effective marketing strategies to complement your other holiday campaigns is social media marketing. With consumers spending more time on social media, launching a social media marketing campaign can be beneficial to your business. 

For April, here are some of the eCommerce activities, celebrations, holidays, and tax deadlines you should mark on your sales calendar or eCommerce holiday calendar 2024:

April 1: April Fools’ Day

April 11: National Pet Day

April 15: World Art Day 

April 16-18: World Retail Congress

April 18: World Heritage Day

April 22: Earth Day

April 28: National Superhero Day (US)

May 2024 eCommerce Events, Celebrations & Holidays 

May is a busy month for online sellers, with Mother’s Day and Memorial Day being two of the most significant events. 

Mother’s Day provides an opportunity to promote gifts and products that will showcase love and gratitude towards mothers and caregivers. Memorial Day, on the other hand, is a time to remember and honor the sacrifices of the men and women who have served in the military.

Additionally, if you wish to discover what works for your business, you can join the Seller Summit 2024. This workshop-based event aims to help you grow your Amazon business and will be held in Florida. Similarly, you can join the White Label Expo in Las Vegas.

For May, here are some of the eCommerce activities, celebrations, and holidays you should mark on your 2024 eCommerce holiday calendar:

May 1: Labor Day in China 

May 4: National Fitness Day 

May 4: Star Wars Day (“May The Fourth be with You”)

May 5: World Laughter Day 

May 5: Cinco de Mayo (US)

May 5: African World Heritage Day

May 6: Early May Bank Holiday (UK)

May 8-9: White Label Expo

May 12: Mother’s Day

May 14-16: Sellers Summit 

May 17: World Baking Day

May 25: National Wine Day  

May 27: Memorial Day

May 27: Spring Bank Holiday (UK)

May 30: National Creativity Day  

June 2024 eCommerce Events, Celebrations & Holidays 

June is an excellent opportunity for online sellers to promote Father’s Day gifts, as well as products related to summer activities such as barbecuing, gardening, and camping. 

Furthermore, you can also take advantage of this month’s activities by establishing a network and learning more about the retail industry. Although not a public holiday, you can attend the Retail Innovation Conference and Expo to be held in Chicago and the eCommerce growth conference held in New York.

For June, here are some of the eCommerce activities, celebrations, and holidays you should mark on your eCommerce holiday calendar 2024:

June 1: Pride Month begins 

June 4-6: Retail Innovation Conference and Expo

June 11-13: Commercenext 

June 14: Flag Day

June 16: Father’s Day 

June 19: Juneteenth

June 21: First day of summer 

July 2024 eCommerce Events, Celebrations & Holidays  

July is a great opportunity for online sellers to promote Independence Day sales, especially since it is a major holiday.  Customers will be looking for products to celebrate the holiday, such as flags, decorations, and patriotic-themed clothing.

For July, here are some of the eCommerce activities, celebrations, and holidays you should mark on your eCommerce holiday calendar 2024:

July 1: Canada Day 

July 1: Wimbledon Tennis Championship starts 

July 2: Made in the USA Day 

July 4: Independence Day (US)

July 6: International Kissing Day

July 7: Global Forgiveness Day

July 7: World Chocolate Day

July 9-10: Amazon Prime Day*

July 14: Bastille Day (France – National Holiday)

July 21: National Ice Cream Day (US)

July 30: International Friendship Day

*Historically, Amazon Prime Day has taken place in July. Prime Day 2023 was on July 11 and 12, and the preceding year on July 12 and 13. Based on this pattern, Prime Day 2024 is likely to happen around mid-July, possibly around July 9 and 10, as previous Prime Day events occurred on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. However, the exact date is still uncertain, and Amazon has yet to announce its exact date. 

August 2024 eCommerce Events, Celebrations & Holidays 

Compared to other months, August is a relatively slower month for eCommerce. However, online sellers can maximize their marketing campaigns with back-to-school sales, summer clearance events, and National Sisters Day promotions.

You can also take advantage of another eCommerce-related conference designed to help you increase the profitability of your business. eTail’s eCommerce and omnichannel conference will be held in Boston. 

For August, here are some of the eCommerce activities, celebrations, and holidays you should mark on your eCommerce holiday calendar:

August 4: National Sisters’ Day (US)

August 8: International Cat Day

August 9: National Book Lovers’ Day (US)

August 12-15: eTail eCommerce Conference

August 19: World Photography Day 

August 19: World Humanitarian Day 

August 21: World Senior Citizens’ Day 

August 26: International Dog Day 

August 26: Summer Bank Holiday (UK)

September 2024 eCommerce Events, Celebrations & Holidays 

September is a busy month for eCommerce, with Labor Day being one of the most significant events. Labor Day provides an opportunity to promote end-of-summer sales, clearance events, and back-to-school products.

For September, here are some of the eCommerce activities, celebrations, and holidays Amazon sellers should mark on their eCommerce holiday calendar 2024:

September 2: Labor Day (US & Canada)

September 5: National Football League (NFL) season begins 

September 8: International Literacy Date 

September 8: Grandparents’ Day

September 10: World Suicide Prevention Day  

September 11: Patriot Day 

September 13: Positive Thinking Day 

September 21: Oktoberfest Begins 

September 22: Last Day of Summer Season

September 27: World Tourism Day

September 30: International Podcast Day 

October 2024 eCommerce Events, Celebrations & Holidays 

October is an excellent opportunity for online sellers to promote Halloween costumes, decorations, and spooky merchandise. Columbus Day is also celebrated in October, allowing sellers to offer more discounts and promotions.

For October, here are some of the eCommerce activities, celebrations, and holidays online retailers should mark their eCommerce holiday calendar 2024:

October 1: International Coffee Day 

October 1: World Vegetarian Day

October 4: World Animal Day 

October 5: World Teachers’ Day (UNESCO)

October 14: Canadian Thanksgiving Day 

October 10: World Mental Health Day 

October 14: Indigenous Peoples’ Day (US)  

October 14: Columbus Day (US) 

October 16: World Food Day

October 31: Diwali

October 31: Halloween 

November 2024 eCommerce Events, Celebrations & Holidays 

November is a busy month for eCommerce, with Amazon Black Friday as one of the year’s biggest shopping events. Amazon sellers can capitalize on these holiday shopping events by offering customers discounts, promotions, and special deals.

It is the best time to pump up your marketing campaigns, especially Black Friday social media posts, to drive sales. As part of your marketing efforts, you can also introduce a free shipping campaign for the month of November.

For November, here are some of the eCommerce activities, celebrations, and holidays Amazon sellers should mark on their eCommerce holiday calendar to improve their marketing efforts:

November 1: Start of National Native American Heritage Month

November 3: Daylight Saving Time ends

November 11: Veterans Day and Singles’ Day

November 11: Remembrance Day (Canada – National Holiday)

November 13: World Kindness Day

November 28: Thanksgiving (US – National Holiday)

November 29: Black Friday

November 30: Small Business Saturday

December 2024 eCommerce Events, Celebrations & Holidays 

December is the busiest month of the year for eCommerce, with the holiday season being a critical period for online shopping. Cyber Monday, Hanukkah, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve are some of the most significant December events, providing sellers an opportunity to promote gift-giving products, decorations, and seasonal merchandise.

As part of your marketing calendar, you should remember to boost your social media marketing for the month of December. Since Christmas is not only this month’s major holiday, you should widen your marketing campaign to include other target holidays of consumers.

For December, here are some of the eCommerce activities, celebrations, and holidays you should mark on your 2024 eCommerce holiday calendar:

December 1: World AIDS Day

December 2: Cyber Monday

December 3: Giving Tuesday  

December 3: Make a Gift Day (US)

December 25- Jan. 2: Hanukkah

December 9: Green Monday

December 21: Super Saturday

December 22: First day of winter 

December 24: Christmas Eve

December 25: Christmas

December 26: Kwanzaa begins

December 26: Boxing Day (Canada)

December 31: New Year’s Eve

Maximizing Sales With the Help of an eCommerce Calendar

The 2024 calendar with holidays is a vital resource for Amazon sellers and online entrepreneurs. It gives them an overview of key dates and events that can impact consumer behavior and sales. 

This 2024 calendar with holidays allows business owners to carefully plan their strategies and take advantage of increased consumer spending during holidays and peak seasons. Online sellers can stay ahead of the competition by anticipating changes in consumer behavior by identifying upcoming holidays and celebrations. 

From an Amazon seller’s perspective, anticipating shifts in consumer behavior and trends enables sellers to coordinate their strategies with significant events and holidays, such as Christmas, Amazon Prime Day, Amazon Black Friday, and Cyber Monday. 

Overall, the 2024 eCommerce calendar is essential for an Amazon business that wants to remain competitive and succeed in today’s fast-paced and ever-evolving online marketplace. While the events and holidays listed are not exhaustive, they provide a solid foundation for businesses to plan and prepare for the year ahead.

Before the advent of telephone-based businesses in the 1960s, both sellers and customers were typically left to solve their concerns about a product or inventory item. However, as suppliers and manufacturers recognized the impact of excellent customer support on their ROI, a new era of support was introduced. 

With the current Amazon setup, seller support is not only limited to telephone-based support. Numerous platforms have been introduced for third-party merchants to reach out. Hence, decreasing the necessity of a direct Amazon seller support phone number. 

Social media, forums, review sites, and application-based platforms are readily available to help sellers with their queries and concerns. 

Understanding The Role of Amazon Seller Support 

Amazon is conscious of the significant contribution of sellers in providing a great shopping experience for consumers worldwide. The tech giant strives to provide Amazon sellers with a successful online platform, which led to the creation of Amazon Seller Support. 

The seller support team spearheads the creation of tools and programs that aim to enhance the Amazon seller experience. This organization comprises diverse members who engage sellers and assist them with their queries via Amazon Seller Central and other platforms. 

The seller support team mainly includes:

• A tech team that develops seller self-help tools
• Seller associates that help third-party merchants with their platform operations
• Leaders who are responsible for the creation of systems and business processes to help daily merchant performance

How Can the Seller Support Team Assist You?

When it comes to platform technical issues, the seller support team is the best place to start. When contacting the seller support team, you should manage your expectations. 

The Amazon Seller Support Team can assist with technical issues. In particular, you may contact the seller support team if you need help with the following:

• When you have a problem accessing your Amazon Seller Central account
• When you need assistance with uploading inventory feeds
• When you need answers to general Amazon Seller Central account questions

You must understand that numerous teams are working at Amazon, from warehousing to advertising. If the Amazon FBA seller support team is not the most appropriate team to handle your concern, they are more than happy to direct you to the correct department. 

Contacting the Amazon Seller Support Team 

To get in touch with Amazon’s Seller Support Team, the primary way is through your Seller Central account. Once logged into your Amazon Seller account, follow these simple steps to contact Amazon Seller support:

STEP 1: Once logged in to your Amazon account, click on the HELP menu in the page’s upper right corner.  Afterward, a drop-down menu will appear, click Get Help and Resources.

Image Adapted from Seller Central: A screenshot (cropped) of Seller Central Help Page; Retrieved: Feb 27, 2024, From https://amzn.to/2TeJxO5

STEP 2:   After clicking the Get Help and Resources tab, you will be redirected to the Amazon Help page. Once redirected, you can select an issue you want to be resolved.  

Image Adapted from Seller Central: A screenshot (cropped) of Seller Central Help Page; Retrieved: Feb 27, 2024, From https://amzn.to/2TeJxO5

Alternatively, if the Amazon issue is not included in the options provided above, you can also describe your concern by clicking the “My Issue is Not Listed,” a text box will appear where you can thoroughly describe your concern.

Image Adapted from Seller Central: A screenshot (cropped) of Seller Central Help Page; Retrieved: Feb 27, 2024, From https://amzn.to/2TeJxO5

STEP 3: Once you select CONTINUE, you will be directed to a different page where you can choose the category that is most relevant to your Amazon issue to refine your concern further. 

Image Adapted from Seller Central: A screenshot (cropped) of Seller Central Help Page; Retrieved: Feb 27, 2024, From https://amzn.to/2TeJxO5

STEP 4: Once you have chosen a relevant category concerning the issue at hand, a contact form will be generated. Simply scroll down on the same page. In the contact form, you can give your email or phone number so that Amazon Seller Support can contact you regarding your submitted Amazon issue. Another option is to utilize their chat, a relatively new contact method to reach seller support. 

Image Adapted from Seller Central: A screenshot (cropped) of Seller Central Help Page; Retrieved: Feb 27, 2024, From https://amzn.to/2TeJxO5

After you have submitted your concern, a member of the seller support team will respond to your issue and provide the appropriate assistance you need.

What is the Amazon Seller Support Phone Number? 

The Amazon Seller Support phone number is a highly searched contact number online. However, there is no direct seller support phone number available. 

Sometimes, Amazon sellers mistakenly call 00 1 206-922-0880 (International) or 1-888-280-4331 (USA), which is actually a dedicated customer service number for Amazon shoppers. When asked about their direct Amazon Seller Support phone number, Amazon advises sellers to contact Seller Support via the online platform. 

To contact Seller Support directly we will need to ask that you use the link we provided earlier. Once you have filled in your details, a member of our Team will get in touch. -Rebecca

— Amazon Help (@AmazonHelp) July 14, 2021

Amazon Help provides an additional channel for both customers and sellers to engage with Amazon support. This service is accessible through various social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook, facilitating convenient communication between users and Amazon’s support team.

However, in contrast to previous years when sellers would typically use a contact form to reach out to seller support via social media, Amazon now encourages sellers to directly access their Seller Central account and utilize the help center for assistance.

Image Adapted from Seller Central: A screenshot (cropped) of Seller Central Help Page; Retrieved: Feb 27, 2024, From https://amzn.to/2TeJxO5

Best Practices When Communicating With the Seller Support Team

When submitting a Seller Central form, you should observe the following:

• Be Clear

When communicating your concern or issue relating to your Amazon business, you should explain it clearly. Provide specific details of your concern to the seller support team. 

• Be Precise

Be precise and yet concise when giving information about the issue you have encountered.

• Be Direct

It is essential to be straightforward when explaining your concern. Avoid straying from the topic since including unnecessary or irrelevant details may cause your email to be redirected to other departments.

• Be Logical

When sharing your thoughts via email, you should express them logically, coherently, and in short sentences. This will help any Amazon seller support associate to understand your concern easily. Thus, avoiding misinterpretation. 

• Be Honest

Last but not least is honesty. You should be honest when sharing details of your concerns. No point lying to an associate, for it will only delay resolution or even worsen your current situation. 

Specific Guidelines for Contacting Selling Partner Support

In addition to adhering to the best practices for communicating with the Amazon seller support team, it is crucial to observe Amazon’s specific guidelines when engaging with seller support. This ensures Amazon can offer timely and accurate support for your business-related issues.

Review Case Log: Prior to contacting the Amazon seller support team, spend some time examining your case log in Seller Central.  Reviewing case logs helps you avoid opening unnecessary cases and allows you to check the status of existing ones. If your query is urgent, ensure to mark it as such to expedite the process.

One Case per Issue: For efficient resolution, it is recommended to open just one case per issue. This approach guarantees your concern is addressed promptly by the relevant seller support team and prevents the confusion or hold-ups that multiple issues in one case might cause.

Avoid Duplicate Cases: If you already have a case under review addressing a specific concern, refrain from opening another case for the same matter. Submitting duplicate cases can lead to redundant efforts; thus, prolonging the resolution process.

Adherence to Policies: Understand and adhere to Amazon’s policies when seeking seller support. Requests that conflict with these policies may be declined by Amazon to uphold the integrity of its platform. 

Request Case Extension: If you require additional time to respond to a follow-up email or case query, you can request an extension. It ensures that your concerns are addressed thoroughly without the risk of premature closure due to time constraints.

Use Amazon Seller Tools to Your Advantage 

Amazon seller problems often stem from insufficient planning and the lack of effective tools. To avoid or mitigate Amazon business problems, you should use reliable Amazon seller tools for your business’s success.

• Listing Optimization Tool

Leveraging optimization tools for your listing is essential to achieve a higher ranking on the search result pages.  There are available services online that can help you with your keyword research, image & video presentation, and other things related to listing optimization. 

• Repricing Tool

With the help of an automatic Amazon repricing software, you can increase your chances of winning the Amazon Buy Box. With a competitive edge when it comes to price wars, your sales performance will significantly improve.

• Product Research Tool

Another important seller tool that Amazon sellers should consider is a product research tool. This tool will help you avoid ordering slow-moving inventory items. Thus, potentially avoiding unnecessary expenses in the form of warehouse storage fees. 

Obey Rules, Avoid Account Issues

As an established eCommerce platform, Amazon has its own set of rules and guidelines. Beyond employing tools for listing optimization and business enhancement, you should also take note of Amazon policies to avoid future complications.

Some of the issues encountered by sellers are often caused by non-compliance with these guidelines. To avoid wasting your time and effort resolving avoidable issues, ensure to familiarize yourself with the rules set by Amazon.

Despite its critical role in the success of eCommerce businesses, a study from 2022 found that less than half of small businesses monitor their cash flow. While other financial data points may be easier and more convenient to track, cash flow gives a far more holistic view of your business’s financial health and ensures that you have the financial power to grow.

The Foundation: Understanding Your Store’s Cash Flow

In the simplest terms, cash flow is the movement of money into and out of your business. What makes cash flow different from other financial metrics, such as profit or sales, is its fluid and dynamic nature. By taking into account both the inflows and outflows of capital at a specific moment in time cash provides a far more comprehensive picture of your business’ financial health. However, this also means that cash flow metrics are evolving with every purchase or sale.

Inflows and Outflows

Cash flow can be broken down into the sources of funds compared to uses for funds, in other words, money coming into your business and money going out.

Inflows – Money coming into your business via sources of funds. Cash inflows can come from revenue, loan proceeds, investment capital, grant money, and more. It’s important to note that cash inflows aren’t calculated until they are deposited into your business bank account or accessible for use.

Outflows – Money exiting your business via the use of funds. Cash outflows include all costs of business, such as operational expenses, inventory purchases, salary payments, asset purchases, and more.

If you have greater cash inflows than outflows, your business will be exhibiting positive cash flow. Ideally, positive cash flow will organically provide your business with the capital necessary to grow. However, it’s not uncommon for eCommerce businesses to operate on tight margins or run into hiccups that cause them to dip into cash flow negative months.

Periodic cash flow monitoring can not only help alleviate these hiccups but also provide you with the relevant data to streamline your cash flow and avoid these negative months in the future. On top of that, real-time cash flow monitoring will help you establish a solid financial foundation and eventually grow your business sustainably.

Significance of Real-Time Monitoring

The uncertain nature of eCommerce means that the financial position of your eCommerce is constantly evolving. By monitoring your cash flow in real time you’ll have an up-to-date and comprehensive view of your financial health, allowing you to make data-driven decisions for your business.

Among the things that cash flow reports provide for your business, one of the most important is an understanding of exactly how much surplus cash is available to your business at a particular moment. That surplus cash can be invested into growth efforts, such as upgrading marketing or increasing buying power for a busy season, ensuring that you’re not just letting capital sit in your bank account. Making the most of capital available is crucial for growth, especially if you’ve taken on external funding so that you don’t pay interest on unnecessary funds.

Cash Flow Forecasting for Growth

Just like other financial metrics, it’s important to forecast your business’s cash flow. A cash flow forecast helps provide a sense of how your financial health will evolve over an extended period of time, allowing you to plan for future business decisions. Cash flow forecasts can be made manually by looking through sales data and combing through spreadsheets or automatically by utilizing new tools that pull information and generate projections based on historical data.

Anticipating Seasonal Fluctuations

Seasonal fluctuations can significantly impact your cash flow due to dips in sales and profits. Accurate cash flow forecasting helps anticipate these swings, allowing you to avoid stockouts, overspending, and maintain liquidity. Whether you’re cutting back on expenses and reducing inventory during lulls or increasing storage and buying more during spikes, cash flow forecasting will ensure that you’re optimized during every season.

Acknowledging typical fluctuations like a spike in sales throughout a holiday season, is one of the key differences between a cash flow forecast and more generic financial metrics like a run rate. While projections for a cash flow forecast may take longer to put together when done manually, they provide a much more nuanced and accurate picture of what your business’ financial journey will look like.

Predicting the Impact of Growth Initiatives

Cash flow forecasting also plays a critical role in evaluating growth initiatives before implementing them in your business. By projecting the financial outcomes of various strategies, you can choose the most profitable path for your business.

Now more than ever, there are a wide variety of directions to expand your eCommerce business. There’s no one right path to ensure financial success and brand recognition anymore. As more strategies to grow your business appear it’s important to understand which serves to benefit your ecommerce business the most, especially in terms of cash flow. By comparing your business’ cash flow forecast when impacted by growth initiatives you can strategically decide which opportunities to take advantage of and when.

Emergency Fund

While streamlining cash flow is crucial for success, there’s no amount of optimization that can ensure your eCommerce business is entirely immune to changes in a volatile economy. To protect your business and improve financial agility, it’s wise to build up an emergency fund that can serve as a reserve for cash flow negative periods.

While an emergency fund should be used sparingly and wisely, it can act as a financial cushion for unexpected expenses and help you maintain peace of mind. A robust emergency fund will help ensure that unforeseen costs don’t derail your cash flow growth or create pesky cash flow hiccups.

Sleep Well at Night Numbers

After building an emergency fund, many successful eCommerce business owners also build out a “Sleep Well at Night” number. This number is another type of financial reserve that helps ensure that your eCommerce business never has to dip into a cash flow negative month, while also helping keep your emergency fund available for true emergencies.

What’s the difference between the two? Your “Sleep Well at Night” number is supposed to regularly supplement cash flow. While an emergency fund should be reserved for, well, emergencies, a “Sleep Well at Night” reserve can be tapped into any time your eCommerce business has a cash flow negative month.

Whether you’re building up an emergency fund or a “Sleep Well at Night” reserve, you can do this by:

1. Determining how big your reserve funds should be. This is a question of how much capital you need to solve a problem. The bigger your business is, the larger your reserve funds will be.
2. Begin to allocate a percentage of your monthly sales to go into the emergency fund, rather than being cycled through with the rest of your cash flow.
3. Consider taking on external funding to supplement your cash flow and help provide your business with the necessary working capital to grow.

External Funding and Cash Flow

Although many eCommerce business owners are weary of taking on external funding, it can be an incredibly useful tool in boosting your cash flow. Since cash flow includes all capital available to your business at a given point in time, supplemental funding can help ensure that you avoid cash crunches that come with asynchronous sales and payouts.

Greater positive cash flow will give you the buying power to make decisions for scaling your business, rather than struggling to purchase inventory every cycle. For many businesses, external funding, like Viably, is the difference between slow burnout and sustainable growth. In fact, external funding can even be used to help build up a “Sleep Well at Night” reserve, ensuring that your business always has a healthy amount of working capital available.

A healthy amount of intentional debt can help your business grow in the long run. For many eCommerce sellers, this is the best way to afford investments with a real payoff.

Conclusion

Strategic cash flow management is the cornerstone of eCommerce growth. To truly streamline and optimize your cash flow it’s important to generate forecasts periodically, helping you plan for the future and make the best decisions for your business. Additionally, financial buffers, like an emergency fund or a “Sleep Well at Night” reserve, can work together with external funding to ensure that your cash flow remains healthy and without any growing pains.

Many profitable businesses fail due to a lack of healthy cash flow, meaning that it’s critical for success in eCommerce. Cash flow is the lifeblood of your business, so it’s important to fully optimize it now to ensure long-term, sustainable growth and success.

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About the Author:

Viably is an all-in-one free financial tool for SMBs to run and grow their business. Viably helps eCommerce business owners extend their cash flow through funding.

Valentine’s Day: A Brief Background 

Valentine’s Day is said to have originated from the Lupercalia celebration that takes place annually in the middle of February. The festival was then Christianized by Pope Gelasius I, who dedicated it to Saint Valentine, hence its current name. 

The holiday became widely recognized and celebrated in the 18th and 19th centuries, emphasizing gift-giving as an expression of love and affection. These gifts are meant to show fondness and gratitude for the person receiving them.

Valentine’s Day Sales in Numbers 

Valentine’s Day is another avenue for sellers, especially Amazon sellers, to increase their revenue in the first quarter of the year. According to the National Retail Federation, Valentine’s Day spending is expected to reach nearly $26 billion in 2023. 

Consumers are expected to allocate an average of $192.80 for the occasion, a $17 increase from previous years. Historically, consumer spending for Valentine’s Day gifts has increased, averaging around $163 since 2017. Such an allotment will likely drive Valentine’s Day sales. 

Source: Adapted from NRF’s Annual 2023 Valentine’s Day Spending, Jan 24, 2023

What Products Should You Sell for Valentine’s  | Great Gift Ideas Valentine’s Day

Being aware of popular Valentine’s Day gift items sought by consumers on eCommerce sites like Amazon can give you an edge in your Valentine’s Day sale activities. Additionally, having such information can help refine your Valentine’s Day promotion ideas. Here are some of the go-to gift shopper’s purchases during Valentine’s Day. 

Flowers  

Valentine’s Day is definitely the number one holiday for floral purchases. According to the Society of American Florists, Valentine’s Day accounts for roughly 28% of annual floral sales. To capitalize on the heightened demand for flowers during Valentine’s Day in 2024, your eCommerce store can offer complementary products that pair well with such gifts. To generate sales, you can bundle greeting cards, scented candles, and decorative or personalized vases. 

Confectionery (Chocolate & Candy) 

Confectioneries are some of the items that are highly purchased during Valentine’s Day. The American consumer considers chocolate and candy their perfect way to celebrate Valentine’s Day, which is why the Valentine’s Day season represents about $4 billion in confectionery sales annually.

Teddy Bears 

Another high-profit niche you can sell during Valentine’s Day 2024 is a teddy bear. A teddy bear is a popular gift to significant others during Valentine’s Day because it connotes the feeling of warmth and love. Furthermore, teddy bears complement other notable Valentine’s Day gifts, such as chocolates and flowers.  

The growth of eCommerce has fueled the development of the teddy bear industry. By 2031, its global industry value is estimated to reach up to $9 billion and is projected to have a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 4.3%. One of the ways to maximize sales for this particular product is to offer custom texts on the teddy bear itself. 

Beauty Products

Beauty products are another go-to product you can list in your store for Valentine’s Day 2024. Over the past years, beauty products have been highly requested gifts, especially among women. Some of the top-selling beauty products on Amazon today include but are not limited to hydrating serum, hair strengthening oil, false lash, makeup remover, and more. 

Fashion and Apparel 

Online retailers should include the fashion and apparel category in their preparations for Valentine’s Day 2024. With the consistent increase of eCommerce spending observed in the fashion and apparel products from the first week of February 2022 to 2023, there is a high probability that consumers will invest more in these items during Valentine’s Day 2024.

Valentine’s Day Marketing Strategies to Win Shoppers’ Hearts

If you wish to improve your sales performance in the first quarter of the year, you should take the necessary steps to improve your Valentine’s Day campaign. Here are some Valentine’s Day marketing ideas you can implement to give you a headstart for your eCommerce business. 

Valentine’s Day Interactive Social Media Post

One of the best ways to capture shoppers’ attention this Valentine’s Day is to create engaging social media posts. Try to create interactive social media posts that will entice your audience to participate. 

Asking people on social media what Valentine’s Day gift they wish to receive is a good marketing strategy. A simple survey question or contest will give your followers a reason to interact with your post. Thus, keeping social media engagement at the forefront of your marketing campaign. 

Valentine’s Day Gift List

Providing Valentine’s Day 2024 gift ideas on your online store or social media can benefit last-minute shoppers. Giving shoppers thoughts on what to buy for this Valentine’s Day 2024 is a good marketing strategy, especially if such a Valentine’s Day gift list is centered around your products. 

This Valentine’s Day marketing idea will improve your Valentine’s Day sales performance and your inventory movement, allowing you to highlight slow-moving products.

Valentine’s Day Product Bundles 

Another marketing idea that can help increase your sales and improve inventory movement is product bundling. This tested and proven strategy works for online retailers, including Amazon sellers. 

By grouping your inventory items together, you can make Valentine’s Day shoppers buy more than one product during a single purchase. Thus, increasing your average order value. For example, you can bundle chocolates with flowers and jewelry with greeting cards.

Such a marketing strategy is so effective that Amazon has even incorporated it on its own platform, as observed in its “frequently bought together” or “buy it with” section.

Valentine’s Day Video Marketing 

Around 96% of marketers view video as an essential part of their marketing strategy. Video marketing will not only improve brand awareness but also give shoppers a better understanding of your product. 

Nowadays, online sellers no longer have to produce their own marketing videos from scratch, as online services now cater to this requirement. To save the extra cost on online service, you can leverage user-friendly online video creator tools so businesses can easily create professional-looking videos without needing extensive time and expertise. The lack of time and expertise are no longer valid excuses for not creating a marketing video for your brand.

If you wish to increase your Valentine’s Day sales, you should consider using video for product marketing.

Valentine’s Day Direct Marketing Tactics 

Another Valentine’s Day marketing method you should consider for this Valentine’s Day 2024 is direct marketing. Direct marketing approaches such as SMS and email marketing enable you to promote your products directly to consumers. 

Additionally, direct marketing, once done correctly, enables you to target potential buyers efficiently and offer a more personalized message. It is also generally considered to be low cost while providing high ROI. 

Valentine’s Day Influencer Marketing

In addition to your social media campaign, you can expand your audience reach by collaborating with online influencers from various social media platforms. Influencer marketing is an effective strategy to help your brand or product reach more demographic-specific consumers. Influencers can promote your product and entice loyal customers to your business with relevant content.

Valentine’s Day Sponsored Ads 

If you sell on the Amazon marketplace, you can use Amazon Sponsored Ads to enhance engagement and sales conversion for the upcoming Valentine’s Day season. Sponsored Ads serve as advertising tools that enable sellers to boost the visibility of their products and enhance brand awareness, particularly during the period when Valentine’s Day spending occurs. Notable Amazon advertising options encompass Sponsored Products and Sponsored Brands.

Offer Competitive Prices for Valentine’s Day Shoppers 

Pricing defines the value that a product is worth, and the price is adjusted to a particular value suitable to both seller and customer. The price you associate with your product or brand can likewise serve as a marketing tool to help improve your Valentine’s Day sales.

To have an effective Valentine’s Day marketing campaign, you should also consider product pricing. No matter how great your marketing strategies are, if the price is not competitive, potential customers may lose interest in your product or brand.

In order to offer competitive prices for your eCommerce store, you need to research your competitors and understand their pricing behavior. However, not everyone has the resources to do so.

To overcome this challenge, online sellers use repricing software to keep pace with changes in demand for price adjustments. Specifically, high-volume Amazon sellers employ AI-powered Amazon repricers to adjust their listing prices to a more competitive level.

Maximize Marketing Strategies for Optimal Results

Valentine’s Day marketing strategies should not be used separately but rather in combination to enhance the chances of successful Valentine’s Day marketing campaigns. Combining different approaches can improve your Valentine’s Day marketing idea and overall sales performance during the Valentine’s Day event. 

Moreover, it is crucial to consider past data in any marketing strategy, as it provides insight into what was effective and what was not. It can help you identify mistakes and guide you towards successful marketing tactics, leading to a better outcome in your current Valentine’s Day marketing efforts.

The upcoming Amazon fee changes are brought about by multiple factors affecting Amazon’s business operations and the eCommerce industry in its totality. The new Amazon fees for 2024 are designed to motivate sellers to utilize the platform’s services to benefit all parties involved, facilitating faster deliveries and ensuring efficient use of space in Amazon fulfillment centers.

Amazon Fee Changes in 2024 | Summary 

As Amazon continues to invest in technology, infrastructure, transportation, and people in order to innovate its services, additional costs are bound to be incurred. The changes to Amazon fees are largely focused on fulfillment, referral, storage, unit sales, and returns processing.

As an overview of the impact of these changes in Amazon fees, an average increase of $0.15 in fees per unit sold is to be expected by Amazon sellers. However, Amazon emphasizes that such an increase is “significantly less than other logistics providers.”

To further enlighten sellers on the changes in Amazon selling fees this year, here are some core fee adjustments to be implemented in 2024. 

Amazon Referral Fees Update for 2024  

Starting January 15, 2024, there will be some changes in Amazon referral fees for apparel products, while other referral fees will remain unchanged. Apparel products priced at a certain level will be updated.

• For items under $15, Amazon will reduce referral fees to 5% instead of 17%.
• For items between $15 and $20, Amazon will decrease referral fees to 10% instead of 17%.

As mentioned, referral fees for other Amazon products will remain unchanged. You may refer on the table below for the referral fees of specific Amazon categories:

Source: Adapted from Seller Central – “Referral fee rates,” Jan 24, 2024.

FBA Fulfillment Fees (Excluding Apparel)

On February 5th, 2024, the new granular rate cards for standard-sized products and large bulky & extra-large size tiers will take effect. Moreover, starting April 15th, 2024, FBA fulfillment fee rates for the aforementioned size tiers will be implemented. 

To better understand the FBA fulfillment fees in 2024, you may refer to the chart below. 

Source: Adapted from Seller Central – “Table 1. FBA fulfillment fees (excluding Apparel),” Jan 24, 2024.

Source: Adapted from Seller Central – “Table 2. FBA fulfillment fees (excluding Apparel),” Jan 24, 2024.

Source: Adapted from Seller Central – Table 3. FBA fulfillment fees (excluding Apparel),” Jan 24, 2024.

Inbound and Outbound Fee Changes

The new inbound placement service fee aligns with the changes in Amazon seller fees for 2024. Starting March 1st, 2024, there will be an inbound placement service fee for standard and Large Bulky-sized products. The standard-sized products will have an average fee of $0.27 per unit, whereas Large Bulky-sized products will have an average fee of $1.58 per unit.

The implementation of this inbound placement service fee will commence 45 days after the products are received. It means that Amazon will start charging sellers inbound placement fees on April 15th, 2024. For reference, you can check the table below.

Source: Adapted from Seller Central – “FBA inbound placement service fee,” Jan 24, 2024.

Source: Adapted from Seller Central – “FBA inbound placement service fee,” Jan 24, 2024.

To minimize or eliminate fees associated with inbound placement services, Amazon recommends opting for the “Discounted” FBA inbound placement service, provided your shipping plan meets the criteria. This choice will significantly reduce or completely eliminate fees for dispatching your inventory to various inbound locations within the Amazon network.

In relation to inbound fees, effective March 1, 2024, Amazon will introduce an inbound defect fee. This particular Amazon fee will cover shipments delivered to the wrong fulfillment center or deleted and abandoned shipments. The below outlines the per-unit inbound defect fee amount. 

Source: Adapted from Seller Central – “Inbound defect fees,” Jan 24, 2024.

For outbound products, sellers will also observe a reduced FBA fulfillment fee rate of $0.20 per unit for standard-sized products and $0.61 per unit for large bulky-sized products for large bulky-sized products. 

Another fee update relating to fulfillment fees includes a fulfillment fee discount ranging from $0.04 to $1.32, depending on item size and weight, for eligible products in the Ships in Product Packaging (SIPP) program. 

Accordingly, items certified as SIPP will automatically receive lowered FBA fulfillment fees on each certified unit shipped. You may refer to the table below for the allotted discount per SIPP-certified unit in 2024. 

Source: Adapted from Seller Central – Jan 24, 2024.

Inventory and Storage Fee Changes

Amazon recommends that sellers using Fulfillment by Amazon ensure they have a healthy inventory level to minimize order fulfillment costs, including shipping costs.

In an effort to promote healthy inventory levels among third-party sellers, Amazon is introducing a low-inventory-level fee for standard-sized products. As per Amazon, the new low-inventory-level fee “applies if you carry consistently low levels of inventory relative to unit sales.” The said fee is set to be implemented on April 1st, 2024, and for guidance may refer to the table below.

Source: Adapted from Seller Central – Jan 24, 2024.

In relation to storage fee updates, Amazon indicated that non-peak monthly storage for standard-size product fees will be reduced. Amazon FBA sellers can expect a non-peak monthly inventory storage fees reduction to an average of $0.09 per cubic foot, effective April 1st, 2024. On the other hand, monthly storage fees for non-standard sizes will remain unchanged. 

Furthermore, Amazon will also be introducing more granular fee tiers to the storage utilization surcharge primarily affecting professional sellers. 

Source: Adapted from Seller Central – Jan 24, 2024.

Amazon FBA Fees 2024 for Removal, Disposal and Liquidation

Starting February 5th, 2024, Amazon will implement changes to its removal and disposal order fees. It is worth noting that, for Amazon sellers who place removal or disposal orders before February 5, 2024 the new fees won’t apply. For reference, you can check the table below for the updated 2024 Amazon FBA removal and disposal fees: 

Source: Adapted from Seller Central – “FBA removal, disposal and liquidation order fee changes,” Jan 24, 2024.

Amazon Returns Processing Fee Updates

Starting June 1st, 2024, returns processing fee will be implemented for high-return rate products in all categories, except apparel and shoes. This Amazon fee update is intended to address operational costs and reduce waste. You may refer to the 2024 returns processing fee table below. 

Source: Adapted from Seller Central – “Returns processing fee,” Jan 24, 2024.

Final Thought

The upcoming Amazon fee changes are relatively minimal, but will definitely affect the average fees paid by sellers. It’s crucial to thoroughly assess these fee increases in the context of your profit margins. The use of Amazon seller tools like an Amazon FBA calculator and an Amazon repricer can prove invaluable in effectively navigating these changes.

However, with an increased volume of Amazon orders due to the influx of shoppers, Amazon returns are to be expected. You might experience product returns, especially during the peak holiday shopping season. For that matter, it would be beneficial for sellers to familiarize themselves with Amazon return policies.

A Closer Look Into Retail Industry Customer Returns  

Online purchases from any eCommerce store, including Amazon, come with their own set of challenges leading to product returns. Accordingly, eCommerce return rates are estimated to rest at around 20-30%, which is 2x to 3x higher than in-store purchases. 

A recent survey highlighted clothing as the most returned online purchase, followed by other products and categories highlighted below:

According to the National Retail Federation, last year’s holiday product returns amounted to $171 Billion, and out of the said amount, $17.3 Billion were due to fraudulent returns. Accordingly, most retailers experienced return fraud in the form of:

Top Reasons That Drive Customer Product Returns  

Understanding the dynamics behind product returns is crucial, especially in eCommerce. To better grasp the reasons for product returns, here are some of the factors influencing consumers to return their online purchases. 

Incorrect Product Delivered

One of the reasons for product returns is receiving a different product from what customers actually ordered. Despite having a sophisticated fulfillment system, Amazon occasionally sends wrong packages to customers. This incorrect product shipment may result from inventory mistakes, including picking and packing of orders. 

Mismatched Items Shipped Item Different From the Description 

When selling on Amazon, you should be cautious in encoding product descriptions for each listing, especially if you have multiple variations for a single product. Online shoppers typically return orders that do not match the product descriptions or images on the website, leading to dissatisfaction and mistrust.

Size and Fit Issues

As mentioned earlier, clothing is often cited as one of the product categories experiencing product returns. The reason behind this is usually associated with fitting or sizing issues. Size discrepancies or poor fitting leads customers to return purchased items, which is why charts and detailed product information are crucial.

Order Quality Issues

Damage or defective items is another reason why Amazon shoppers return their orders. It usually occurs for products that require assembly or those electronics-related. Quality control and accurate product descriptions are essential to avoid such an occasion of Amazon returns. 

Late Delivery

Shipping delivery period is crucial for any online retail business, for any delay may prompt customers to return their orders as they may no longer need the item by the time it arrives. 

Damaged in Transit

Items can also be damaged while in transit, leading to product returns. In order to minimize such a concern, you should secure the product package and partner only with reliable carriers or logistics companies. 

Price Comparison Shopping

Price comparison is another reason why customers tend to return their orders. They will likely return their orders once they find a more competitively priced item online. Even though Amazon no longer offers price matching, shoppers may resort to providing inaccurate or false justifications for their returns in such cases.

To address this issue, implementing price optimization can be helpful for your business. Amazon sellers can take advantage of Amazon repricers or AI repricing software to automate price adjustments.

In order to avoid or minimize instances of Amazon shoppers returning their orders, it is essential to effectively manage aspects of the business that you can control, such as pricing, product listing, and product quality. Nevertheless, if returns become unavoidable, becoming well-acquainted with Amazon’s return policy can be a valuable resource for efficiently handling product returns.

Essential Insights into Amazon FBA’s Return Policy

To better handle FBA product returns, you should familiarize yourself with FBA return policies. Here are some important points you should know about Amazon’s return policy for FBA sellers. 

Amazon Return Policy Exceptions

As per Amazon, items purchased by shoppers can be returned within 30 days of delivery, with some exceptions, including those items deemed non-returnable by Amazon, and these include the following:

• Digital items such as Open software and Downloadable software products; 
• Cards such as game cards and prepaid game cards; Devices such as laptops, desktops, and kindles more than 30 days after delivery; 
• Products that are unsafe for return, including hazardous materials or items that utilize flammable liquids or gasses.

Other Amazon products that are deemed unreturnable but may be eligible for refund or replacement include the following: 

• Amazon Fresh and Grocery Items
• Amazon Pharmacy Items
• Amazon Photos Items
• Amazon Bulk Liquidations Store Items

Return Evaluation

To avoid confusion, Amazon defines a “return” as an item a customer sends back to a fulfillment center, and each item that is returned undergoes an evaluation process to determine its quality, whether it is still sellable or not. 

For items deemed sellable, they will be returned to the seller’s inventory. On the other hand, items returned that are considered unsellable will be removed from the fulfillment center. Items are classified as unsellable if they are:

• Not in the same condition as previously listed.
• Defective, damaged, opened, lacking required labeling, prohibited, or otherwise unsuitable.
• Posing health or safety risks to Amazon associates or future customers

Non-Volatile Internal Memory

When dealing with products including non-volatile internal memory, like digital cameras, if there are any indications of use, they will be classified as unfulfillable. In such situations, Amazon’s return policy recommends formatting the memory before reintroducing the item into the seller’s inventory.

Removal Orders

For returned items categorized as defective or customer-damaged, you must submit a removal order within 30 days after the returned item arrives at the fulfillment center. Alternatively, you can request Amazon to return or dispose of your unsellable inventory automatically.

Return Time Frame

Amazon customers can initiate a return request within 30 days of their order’s delivery. Nonetheless, Amazon may exercise discretion and consider accepting return requests that exceed the initial 30-day timeframe on a case-by-case basis.

Amazon FBM or Seller-Fulfilled Returns Policy

Like FBA sellers, FBM sellers must adhere to Amazon’s return policy for seller-fulfilled orders. Sellers operating on Amazon should understand the Amazon return policy and its implications for FBM sellers, as these return policies affect how they handle returns and interact with customers. Here are some key points about this Amazon return policy specific to FBM sellers. 

Return Authorization

While Amazon automatically grants US return requests for items that fall within the Amazon return policy, some products require manual authorization from sellers. These items listed below are automatically exempt from prepaid return labels:

• Handmade
• Certified pre-owned watches
• Non-physical items (for example, warranties, digital software, or digital coupons)
• Items that are non-returnable by law and dangerous goods

To manually review return requests for items outside Amazon’s return policy or those considered category-exempt, FBM sellers can follow the steps outlined below. 

STEP 1: Login into your Amazon Seller Central account. Once you are logged in, on the menu section, select Orders > Manage Returns.

STEP 2: Once you are on the “Manage Returns” page, look for the “Pending Actions” tab and search by “Pending Authorization.” To authorize a single return request, select the request you want to review. 

It is worth noting that when authorizing return requests, sellers can either use the Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) number or enter a custom RMA number. Moreover, sellers can use either an Amazon-generated unpaid return label or upload their custom prepaid return label when approving an Amazon shopper’s return request.

Response Time

Since Amazon is a customer-centric company, you should take into account your response time concerning manual authorization for Amazon returns. Amazon requires FBM sellers to respond to return requests needing manual authorization within 24 hours. Promptly responding to such a return request helps increase customer satisfaction, which could result in positive reviews.

Refund Issuance 

In response to a product return, Amazon sellers can issue a refund. For FBM sellers, you have two days to issue a refund following your receipt of the returned item. Alternatively, if you let the shopper keep the product, you can issue an Amazon refund immediately. If the seller has taken no action concerning the refund, Amazon might refund the customer and charge the amount to your seller account. 

Prepaid Return Labels

As per Amazon’s return policy, seller-fulfilled orders come with prepaid returns for US sellers because they are automatically enrolled in the prepaid returns label program. This means that Amazon provides prepaid return shipping labels to shoppers on the seller’s behalf. Sellers should familiarize themselves with prepaid return policy to ensure that their return policies align with this practice. 

Not all products are eligible for prepaid returns. There are some categories and subcategories that Amazon automatically exempts from prepaid return labels, and these include the following: 

• Handmade
• Certified pre-owned watches
• Non-physical items (for example, warranties, digital software, or digital coupons)
• Items that are non-returnable by law and dangerous goods
• Extra large or heavy items

In such cases, FBM sellers can upload a merchant-paid return label. This can be important for managing returns of certain items that do not qualify for the prepaid label program. 

Wrong Item Returned

 If you are uncertain about what to do when customers ship back incorrect items rather than their original purchase, Amazon’s return policy stipulates that sellers must follow these instructions:                              

First, you must inform the Amazon customer that they might have accidentally returned the wrong item. Secondly, you should inquire whether they want the wrong item returned to them. If the buyer indicates that they would like the wrong item back, then you can return it to them.  

Lastly, inform the customer that they can return or resend the correct item for a refund. You should inform your customer that a refund can take 3-5 days to reflect in the customer’s account to set their expectation.

Amazon FBM sellers should have a good understanding of Amazon’s return guidelines. Adhering to these rules and promptly addressing return requests is crucial for efficiently handling returns and upholding a favorable seller reputation on Amazon.

Amazon Return Policy 2024 Updates Sellers Should Be Informed Of

Amazon has introduced updates and adjustments to its return policy for this year. Here are a few of the crucial updates to Amazon’s return policy for 2024 that you should be aware of.

Amazon Returns Window Extended

Amazon recently announced that their standard Amazon returns window will be extended for the 2023 holidays. 

As per Amazon, their 2023 Extended Holiday Returns policy “requires that items purchased between November 1, 2023, and December 31, 2023, are returnable through January 31, 2024, except for Apple brand products, which can be returned through January 15, 2024.”

This Amazon return policy for 2023 holidays applies to seller-fulfilled, FBA, and Amazon retail orders.

Expanded Returns Processing Fee

Effective June 1, 2024, sellers can anticipate an expanded returns processing fee, particularly for products with high return rates across all categories, excluding apparel and shoes, which will retain their existing fees on average. This adjustment to the returns processing fee aims to manage the operational expenses tied to Amazon returns and reduce waste. 

Updated Manage Returns Tool

As Q4 2023 started, Amazon unveiled an enhanced version of the Manage Returns tool, designed to assist sellers in handling seller-fulfilled returns across multiple stores. 

Before this update, sellers had to log into their Seller Central accounts separately for each store to handle returns. With this recent improvement, sellers can conveniently access and oversee customer returns from all the stores they operate within a single dashboard in 2024. 

Amazon’s Return Policy – Frequently Asked Questions

Understanding Amazon’s return policy can be challenging, especially for new sellers. Here are responses to commonly asked questions by Amazon sellers regarding product returns regarding Amazon’s return policy.

What Can I Do With Returned Products at Amazon?

When dealing with Amazon returns, Amazon provides sellers with multiple options that help them reduce potential losses. Here are some Amazon programs to help you handle customer-returned items. 

FBA Liquidation Program

This program is designed to help sellers recover value from returned items. Through FBA liquidation, you can choose to have returned items liquidated through an approved inventory liquidator. 

When returned items are liquidated, you will get a portion of your inventory cost in the form of a net recovery value. Amazon stipulates that net recovery value will appear in your Amazon account within 60 days and no later than 90 days after your liquidation order is submitted.

FBA Grade and Resell Program

Rather than incurring costs for the removal of returned inventory, you have the option to re-list and sell qualified customer returns as “used,” thereby eliminating the need to cover costs for both inventory removal and storage of removed items.

It is worth noting that not all sellers have access to the FBA Grade and Resell program, as it operates on an invitation-only basis. Additionally, it is important to understand that product eligibility is limited to customer-returned inventory housed in fulfillment centers enabled for the FBA Grade and Resell program.

FBA Donations Program

In the event that you consider the returned item as unwanted FBA inventory and you do not want to pay for inventory removal, you can utilize the FBA Donations program. This Amazon program lets you donate your unwanted inventory to select US charities.

Sellers should also take note that not all products can be considered for donation. Amazon has stressed that an ASIN’s eligibility for donation is still subject to legal, safety, and regulatory standards. Some of the items that Amazon has identified as unsuitable for donation comprise:

• Dangerous goods (hazmat)
• Prohibited and restricted products
• Recalled products
• Products with internal memory
• Counterfeit products
• Products with safety concerns
• Defective or inappropriate for donation 

What is an Amazon Returnless Refund?

An Amazon returnless refund means the seller can refund Amazon shoppers without requiring the shopper to send the product they intend to return. This approach serves as a returnless resolution and can be accessed under “Return Settings” on the Amazon Seller Dashboard. 

What should be done if Amazon authorized a return or refund on your behalf that you believe should not have been authorized?

The seller has the option to file an appeal. It is a way for sellers to address situations where they believe a return is unjustified.

How can I dispute a refund issued by Amazon?

For sellers who think a refund has been incorrectly issued on your behalf by Amazon, sellers are eligible to file a claim for reimbursement. This can be processed under the Manage SAFE-T Claims tab. 

What is an Amazon restocking fee? 

A restocking fee is a fee that may be charged to customers who return certain types of Amazon products. The restocking fee covers the costs associated with processing returns, inspecting and testing returned products, and preparing them for resale. 

As an overview of the restocking fee for each return request, here is a guideline to help you calculate the restocking fee for eligible items.

Implications of Amazon’s Return Policy

Amazon’s return policy influences Amazon sellers’ activities in various ways. The most significant impact of the Amazon return policy is that sellers are often required to accept returns and issue refunds. The primary goal of this return policy is to guide sellers on the appropriate procedures for managing and processing product returns. 

Nevertheless, aside from strict adherence to the Amazon return policy, sellers must prioritize delivering outstanding customer service. This includes maintaining precise product descriptions to minimize, if not prevent, instances of Amazon returns and refunds.