As the busiest shopping season of the year approaches, Amazon has officially released its 2025 holiday logistics schedule, outlining critical deadlines and requirements for FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) sellers. To ensure participation in major year-end events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, sellers must act fast to meet Amazon’s strict fulfillment timelines.
Key Dates for Amazon’s Peak Season
To be eligible for Prime badge visibility and inclusion in Amazon’s holiday promotions, FBA inventory must arrive at fulfillment centers no later than October 30, 2025. Missing this deadline could result in your products being excluded from some of the year’s highest-traffic sales events.
Here’s a breakdown of the most important dates:
- October 30, 2025: Final day for inventory to arrive at Amazon fulfillment centers to qualify for Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals with the Prime badge.
- November 21 – December 2, 2025: Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales period.
- November 11 – December 29, 2025: Fulfillment centers will prioritize customer order processing due to high seasonal demand.
Maintain Inventory to Avoid Low-Inventory-Level Fees
Amazon’s FBA low-inventory-level fee is designed to encourage consistent inventory levels and penalize sellers who frequently run low. However, during peak deal events, this fee is less likely to impact sellers, as it is based on a 90-day inventory performance window.
Here's how to avoid the low-inventory-level fee:
Stock up early: Send enough inventory at least 4 weeks before your deal event to maintain a strong "historical days of supply" metric.
Post-deal planning: To minimize the risk of being charged after the sales event, consistently maintain over 28 days of inventory supply.
Exemptions:
New professional sellers are exempt for their first 365 days.
New-to-FBA parent products are exempt for 180 days, if enrolled in FBA New Selection.
SKUs auto-replenished through AWD (Amazon Warehousing and Distribution) by 70% or more are also exempt.
Discount Requirements for Black Friday & Cyber Monday
To qualify for Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals, your product discounts must meet the following criteria:
- Minimum 15% off the verified reference price.
- Ensure pricing aligns with Amazon’s deal guidelines to be featured during the event.
Amazon recommends using its partnered carriers, such as Linktrans, to streamline the shipping process. Services like Amazon SEND and Amazon SPN offer real-time tracking and seamless integration with Amazon’s systems, reducing the risk of delays or lost inventory.
11 Sep, 2025
