Last year, the first day of Amazon Prime Day (2023) was the single largest sales day in company history. It was also the biggest Prime Day event ever for independent sellers; Amazon Prime Members purchased more than 375 million items. Looking at the numbers, Prime Day is an incredible opportunity for sellers. However, it takes planning, advertising and ensuring your inventory and product listings are optimized. Furthermore, it’s making sure you are set to stand out in a crowded marketplace.
Even if you plan perfectly, things happen. Prime Day sellers must recognize that challenges still occur and prepare for them. Past merchants have experienced everything from issues with discoverability to inventory problems. Before we move into how you can navigate these obstacles during the big event, take a moment to share the Prime Day challenges you’ve faced.
Prime Day is a pivotal event for many Amazon Marketplace sellers, offering a unique opportunity to boost sales and attract new customers. However, with this great potential comes a set of common challenges, from managing deals and inventory to ensuring product discoverability and complying with Amazon's guidelines. Navigating these obstacles during the event can be daunting. However, with the right strategies to tackle these issues efficiently, you can maximize your Prime Day success. Here are five common obstacles and how to overcome them:
#1: Issues with Deals
Setting up deals correctly is crucial for maximizing sales during Prime Day. Deals are a significant draw for shoppers, and any errors can result in missed opportunities. Common deal setup errors include incorrect pricing, failure to meet deal guidelines and last-minute rejections. For instance, a deal may be rejected if the discount isn’t substantial enough or if the product doesn’t meet Amazon’s deal criteria.
Start by meticulously reviewing Amazon’s deal requirements well in advance to ensure deal approval and visibility. Ensure your pricing is competitive and meets the necessary discount thresholds. Double-check that all product details are accurate and comply with Amazon’s guidelines. Submitting deals early allows time for corrections if needed. Utilize Amazon’s promotional tools to highlight your deals and increase visibility. Keeping your deals compliant and visible not only attracts more buyers but also enhances your overall Prime Day performance.
If a deal gets rejected during Prime Day, quickly review the rejection reasons provided by Amazon, make the necessary adjustments to pricing or product details and resubmit the deal as soon as possible. In addition, consider offering an alternative promotion, like a coupon or lightning deal, to maintain sales momentum.
#2: Inventory issues
Managing inventory during high-demand periods like Prime Day can be difficult for Amazon Marketplace sellers. Accurate inventory forecasting and stock management are essential to avoid the pitfalls of stockouts or overstocking. The challenge lies in predicting the right amount of inventory needed, balancing the risk of running out of stock, which can lead to lost sales and disappointed customers, against the cost of holding excess inventory, which can strain your cash flow and storage capacity.
One effective strategy to prevent stockouts is to analyze past sales data and trends to make informed predictions about demand. Utilize Amazon’s inventory planning tools to set reorder points and safety stock levels. Implementing a dynamic inventory management system that adjusts in real time based on sales velocity can also help. Before Prime Day, open communication with suppliers to ensure quick restocks. Having backup suppliers can provide an extra layer of security.
To avoid overstocking, monitor sales trends closely and adjust your orders accordingly. Promote slow-moving inventory through deals or bundles to free up space and capital. This not only helps maintain a balanced inventory but also maximizes sales opportunities during Prime Day's high-traffic period.
If an inventory issue occurs during Prime Day, quickly update your listings to reflect accurate stock levels and communicate transparently with customers about potential delays. Consider offering alternative products or incentives to retain customer satisfaction.
#3: Issues with discoverability
The fierce competition on Prime Day can impact product visibility, making it challenging for sellers to stand out. With countless deals and promotions flooding the marketplace, ensuring your products are discoverable becomes critical. Optimizing your product listings is a vital step in enhancing visibility. This includes using high-quality images, detailed and accurate descriptions and incorporating relevant keywords in titles and bullet points to improve search rankings.
To further boost discoverability, leverage Amazon's advertising tools. Sponsored Products and Sponsored Brands are effective ways to increase visibility and drive traffic to your listings. Sponsored Products help your items appear in search results and product detail pages, while Sponsored Brands can highlight your brand and a selection of products, driving brand awareness and sales. Utilizing these tools strategically can help maintain visibility amidst the Prime Day rush. In addition to optimizing listings and utilizing ads, consider creating Prime Day-exclusive deals or lightning deals to attract attention. These promotions can temporarily elevate your product's visibility and drive sales.
If you experience discoverability issues on Prime Day, quickly review and enhance your listings with additional keywords and check that your ads are running optimally. Increase your advertising budget temporarily to boost visibility and adjust bids for high-performing keywords.
#4: Campaign issues
Running effective ad campaigns during Prime Day can be challenging due to increased competition and fluctuating costs. The sheer volume of active promotions means that standing out requires a strategic approach to ad management and budget allocation. Sellers must start with a well-defined campaign plan with clear goals, target audiences and a flexible budget.
Optimizing your ad campaigns involves careful keyword selection, competitive bidding strategies and continuous monitoring. Allocate your budget wisely across various ad types, such as Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands and Sponsored Display ads. Utilize Amazon's targeting options to reach potential customers effectively and make sure your ad content is compelling and relevant to your audience.
If your campaigns aren’t performing well during Prime Day, closely monitor metrics such as click-through rates (CTR), conversion rates and return on ad spend (ROAS). Make real-time adjustments by increasing bids on high-performing keywords and pausing underperforming ads. Consider reallocating your budget to more successful campaigns or ad types. Use Amazon's advertising reports to identify trends and optimize your strategy dynamically, ensuring you maximize your visibility and sales throughout the event.
#5: Compliance issues (listing shutdowns)
One of the most frustrating challenges during Prime Day is dealing with listing shutdowns due to compliance issues. Common compliance issues include incorrect product categorization, misleading product descriptions and failing to meet Amazon’s strict listing guidelines. These can result in your listings being suspended or removed, causing significant sales losses during the event.
To avoid such issues, ensure all your product listings fully comply with Amazon's guidelines well before Prime Day. This includes accurate product descriptions, proper categorization, high-quality images and compliance with all relevant policies, such as safety standards and restricted product lists. Regular audits of your listings can help identify potential compliance problems early.
If you experience compliance issues on Prime Day, act quickly to resolve them. First, review Amazon's notification to understand the specific reasons for the shutdown. Correct the problems promptly and submit a detailed plan of action to Amazon, outlining the steps you've taken to comply with their guidelines. To prevent future occurrences, establish a routine process for regularly updating and auditing your listings to ensure ongoing compliance with Amazon’s policies. This proactive approach can minimize the risk of disruptions and help maintain a smooth selling experience during peak events like Prime Day.
Make Prime Day efficient and successful with Cart.com Marketplace Services
A marketplace management service makes high-pressure events like Prime Day effective and successful. Our team provides expert guidance for optimizing listings, managing inventory and executing ad campaigns, ensuring your products are visible and competitive. We also offer real-time monitoring and analytics, allowing you to swiftly address any issues that arise, such as compliance problems or inventory shortages. By leveraging our expertise and tools, you can focus on your core business operations while we handle the complexities of marketplace management. Contact our team today to find out how we can help you boost your Amazon Marketplace presence on Prime Day and beyond.
