Hello Sellers,
Q4 is the biggest sales opportunity of the year — but only if your inventory is in place before the rush begins. Every year, sellers miss critical inbound deadlines and lose Prime badge eligibility during the events that matter most.
Here are the dates, deadlines, and tools you need to plan a successful peak season on Amazon.ca.
Why this matters for your business
Inventory arriving after cutoff dates isn't guaranteed to be processed in time. Our fulfilment centre teams focus on receiving shipments in September and October, then shift to processing customer orders in November and December. During this time, you may experience longer wait times for delivery appointments. Plan early to avoid being shut out.
📅 Inventory Deadlines — Mark These Now
- September 16: FBA inventory must arrive at fulfilment centres by this date to guarantee Prime badge eligibility for Prime Big Deal Days
- October 28: FBA inventory must arrive at fulfilment centres by this date to guarantee Prime badge eligibility for Black Friday & Cyber Monday (Nov 19–30)
Miss these dates and your products may not be available for the highest-traffic shopping events of the year.
🏷️ Promotions & Deals Deadlines
If you're planning to run deals during peak events, these dates are important to know:
- July 8: (In Progress) Deal sourcing opened for Lightning Deals and Best Deals
- August 17: (In Progress) Price discount submission opened for Black Friday & Cyber Monday (until the events ends)
- September 29: Deal sourcing closes for Prime Big Deal Days. Deals are Prime Exclusive — only Prime members access discounted pricing
- November 13: Deal sourcing closes for BFCM. Deals run November 19–30
Price discounts require a minimum 15% off the validated reference price to be eligible. Submit yours through the Deals page in Seller Central.
💰 Peak Fulfilment Fees
Holiday peak fulfilment fees apply October 15, 2026 through January 14, 2027. Preview your peak fee rates now in the Revenue Calculator and the Fee and Economics Preview report so you can plan your pricing strategy with real-time cost comparisons.
⚡ Ship Smart — Avoid Delays
- Send shipments in August and September — don't wait until the deadline
- Provide accurate box content information through Send to Amazon. Omitting this can disqualify your shipment from auto-receiving and incur a manual processing fee
- Include tracking details (carrier name, shipping method, estimated delivery date) to help us receive your inventory faster
- Book delivery appointments early — fulfilment centres get congested as deadlines approach
📦 Manage Your Capacity
- Capacity Monitor — Check your monthly storage limits. October estimates are available now; November estimates from August 1
- Capacity Manager — Request additional capacity for fast-selling products. No upfront payment required. Performance credits from sales can offset up to 100% of the reservation fee
📊 Maintain Stock & Avoid Low-Inventory Fees
- Aim for at least 28 days of inventory based on historical demand
- Bring deal inventory into the network at least 4 weeks before your deal event to maintain a high historical days-of-supply metric
- After deals end, continue sending shipments consistently to maintain 28+ days of supply and avoid the low-inventory-level fee
- The fee won't apply to: new professional sellers (first 365 days), new-to-FBA products (first 180 days with FBA New Selection enrolment), or SKUs with 70%+ AWD auto-replenishment
What's your Q4 shipping strategy this year?
Have you already started sending inventory for peak? What's your biggest challenge — capacity limits, carrier delays, or something else?
Share your approach below — let's help each other have a record-breaking holiday season. 🍁
🛠️ Helpful Resources
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