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How to build a strategy for Prime Day or Black Friday

Maria

Client Success Manager at Amersify

Introduction

Prime Day and Black Friday are the two biggest moments in Amazon’s retail calendar — and also the easiest time to lose money if you go in unprepared.

Every seller competes for the same clicks, customers, and limited ad space. Success isn’t determined by who spends the most; it’s driven by who prepares the best.

This guide walks you through how to plan your campaigns, pricing, inventory, and operations so your brand can win before, during, and after these major events.

1. Start Early — At Least 6 Weeks Before

Amazon’s algorithm rewards momentum, not last-minute activity.

The most common mistake brands make is activating everything the week before the sale. Instead, begin preparation 6–8 weeks in advance:

Focus on rank building and keyword discovery through Sponsored Products.
Increase budgets incrementally by 10–15% each week.
Feed Amazon’s learning algorithm more data consistently to build visibility.

Tip: Campaigns started too late rarely gain traction. Amazon prioritises listings already showing strong performance prior to the event window.

2025 Update: Use Amazon’s Event Forecasting Dashboard to anticipate traffic and CPC fluctuations up to 8 weeks before the sale. It provides projections for recommended ad spend and eligible deal thresholds, helping you plan budgets more accurately.

2. Inventory and Stock Planning

Nothing kills event performance faster than going out of stock mid-sale.

Checklist:

Review FBA restock limits and ship inventory at least 4 weeks before the event.
Maintain 20–25% extra stock as a buffer.
Track inbound shipment times — Q4 fulfilment centres experience slower processing.
Verify all listings are active and free from suppressions by two weeks before the event.

Pro Insight: Monitor your Inventory Performance Index (IPI) from the Inventory Performance Dashboard. Scores above 400 ensure maximum restock capacity during peak season.

3. Pricing and Deals

Amazon favours competitive pricing and compelling offers during key retail events.

Deal Type	Visibility Level	Typical Discount	When to Submit
Lightning Deal	Event carousel	20–40%	6–8 weeks before
7-Day Deal	Event page	10–20%	6 weeks before
Coupons	Product badge	Flexible	2 weeks before
Prime Exclusive Discount	Prime-only visibility	10%+	4 weeks before

Tip: Avoid discounting your entire range. Focus on top-selling hero ASINs that can boost rank and halo sales to other listings.

4. Advertising Strategy

Pre-Event (Weeks -6 to -1):

Build keyword rank with Sponsored Products Exact campaigns.
Test creatives through Sponsored Brands Video.
Gradually raise daily budgets by 15–20% week over week to build algorithmic traction.

Event Week:

Allocate 60–70% of daily budget to proven high-performing campaigns.
Bid assertively on branded and competitor keywords.
Use Top of Search modifiers (around +50%) to secure premium placements.
Layer in Sponsored Display Retargeting for re-engagement coverage.
If eligible, test Sponsored TV or Prime Video Ads, introduced in 2025 for upper-funnel brand reach across event homepages.

Post-Event (Weeks +1 to +3):

Keep campaigns active. Many customers return to repurchase at full price.
Run remarketing campaigns for 14–21 days post-event.
Review TACOS trends — a steady or falling TACOS indicates sustainable growth.

2025 Update:

Implement Dynamic Budget Rules to let Amazon adjust daily budgets automatically when conversion rates spike. This ensures high-performing campaigns continue competing through peak shopping hours.

5. Optimise Your Creative

Event-period shoppers move quickly, so your listings must capture attention instantly.

Refresh titles, bullet points, and visuals with event-focused language (for example: “Perfect for Prime Day Savings” or “Limited Time Offer”).
Use updated A+ Content and image stacks that showcase the product in use.
Add mobile-first layouts since approximately 70% of event traffic comes from mobile sessions.

Stat: Shoppers typically read around 20% of descriptive text but interact with nearly 100% of imagery — your image gallery should communicate benefits at a glance.

6. Use Data to Guide Your Decisions

Analyse previous events using Brand Analytics → Search Query Performance.
Identify trending search terms four weeks before the sale begins.
During the event, track real-time metrics with Amazon Marketing Stream, adjusting bids and budgets by hour for cost efficiency.
Afterward, compare event TACOS and ROAS to regular timeframes to evaluate incremental impact.

Pro Insight: TACOS remains the ultimate health indicator. A low ACOS means little if total sales haven’t grown alongside advertising spend.

(For deep analysis tips, see related KB: Advertising Reporting: How to Measure Success Weekly and Monthly.)

7. Common Mistakes to Avoid

Avoid launching campaigns or deals at the last minute.

Avoid underestimating restock timing or inbound delays.

Avoid focusing only on ACOS — TACOS reflects true event performance.

Avoid budget cuts mid-event — it resets ranking progress instantly.

Avoid ending all ads after the event — post-sale traffic conversions often outperform pre-event ones.

Tip: Treat Prime Day and Black Friday as 30-day cycles rather than two-day events. The post-event halo often contributes the majority of total profit once price sensitivity drops.

FAQs

Do I need to run discounts to perform well?

No. Ads and visibility strategies can still win without discounts, though deals usually boost click-through rate and session conversion.

Should I pause ads after Prime Day or Black Friday?

No. Keep them active at slightly reduced budgets. The post-event window often delivers repeat or secondary conversions.

What’s an acceptable TACOS target during events?

Expect a temporary rise to around 10–15%. A gradual return to pre-event levels within two weeks is a sign of sustainable performance.

When should deals be submitted?

Deal submissions typically open 8–10 weeks before the event. Apply early to ensure visibility in Lightning or 7-Day slots.

Summary

Winning Prime Day or Black Friday isn’t a matter of chance — it’s preparation, precision, and pacing.

Successful brands:

Plan 6–8 weeks in advance.
Maintain inventory resilience.
Use Strategic deals to drive hero ASIN growth.
Optimise creative for fast scanning and conversion.
Analyse success through TACOS, not just ACOS.

In 2025, Amazon’s new Event Forecasting, Dynamic Budget Rules, and Sponsored TV capabilities provide more control than ever before. Treat these events as catalysts for long-term growth, not short-term spikes.

At Amersify, we help brands build structured, data-led campaigns that maximise every phase — from preparation to post-event.