Etopia

Are you Q4 ready

Etopia’s Managing Director, Asha Bhalsod

It’s that time of the year – Q4 is Amazon’s cash cow, and every brand should want to be a part of it. The e-Commerce giant breaks its own sales record every year in this brief 3-month window.

Rumours of a second Prime Day hosted in October are looming, and consumers will no doubt see massive price discounts starting from October. Traditionally, October to December is viewed as the 4th quarter, but January has become as busy and profitable for Amazon as December. With many shoppers using those Amazon gift cards to get what they wanted for Christmas; January is quickly becoming a noteworthy month for sales. This is the time to keep Amazon in stock and continue to invest strategically in Amazon Advertising. Sales in January bring plenty of traffic to Amazon, so give your business a great start to the New Year by driving conversion ad glance views.

If you’re only starting to think about Q4 now, you’re technically almost too late. Q4 planning should commence as early as January - highlighting the essential products for the year, investing in marketing to give them the boost they need on Amazon and ensuring you have sufficient stock to service Amazon’s demand during Q4. Despite the fact that this planning takes months to finalise, it’s not too late to action and implement a winning Q4 strategy.

So, how do you get your business ready for this lucrative shopping season on Amazon?

It’s easy to assume that consistently low-ranking products will continue in the same fashion over Q4. There are plenty of products that will shift a lot more volume during the Christmas run-up, so your catalogue needs to be cleaned up and optimised. If you’re a Vendor – does Amazon have accurate replenishment codes for your catalogue to enable ordering of the correct available products? If you’re a Seller – have you optimised your entire catalogue with relevant Q4 keywords?

Competition is fierce during the Q4 shopping season. A well-executed advertising strategy can be the difference between success and failure. Amazon’s Advertising is the perfect vehicle to market your products on Amazon. If you’re looking to supercharge your sales in Q4, ensure you have an Advertising strategy up and running, with optimised campaigns linking to pivotal products for Q4. During the peak months, it’s vital for these campaigns not to be overlooked and managed daily. Look at the Amazon data and ensure you have sufficient daily budgets active on your campaigns. While you try to poach customers from the competition (by bidding on your competitor’s brand names), you also need to safeguard your customer base. This means bidding on your own brand name; it helps to increase audience interaction with your brand.

Whilst Amazon Advertising is pivotal in marketing products, don’t forget the power that brand awareness can create. If you have Brand Registry activated, ensure a robust and customer-centric Brand Store is in place, with advertising campaigns linking back to your Brand Store. A Brand Store can help drive the “halo effect” of your catalogue and encourage customers to buy more products from your range. It’s not too late to include new content; ensure all content is optimised and keyword-friendly. Don’t head into the most

If you want a more in-depth and tailored action plan, email: Asha@etopiaconsultancy.com

lucrative sales period of the year without utilising all of your Brand Registry benefits. Present a cohesive brand presence with well-designed images, well-written copy, a beautiful Brand Store and an optimal landing page for your Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals during Q4.

Running out of stock during the 4th quarter can be a nightmare!

Inventory issues lead to decreased sales and momentum during a time of increased shopping traffic. Because Amazon’s FCs are already full, it can be difficult to get new shipments in. It may take a while for the store to restock, so be prepared for a long wait. You don’t want to sit with high product stock levels come January, as storage fees can eat into your margins. Holiday season sales can run right up to Christmas Eve, with many locales offering same-day deliveries. Make sure your forecast covers this critical time.

If you’re looking to capitalise on promotions during Q4, the window for submitting deals for Black Friday and Cyber Monday is open! The deadline for deals submission on both Vendor and Seller Central is 7 October.

Q4 causes a lot of hype and excitement around online selling; consumers are looking for bargains and are eager to purchase products from Amazon. It’s not too late to make sure your holiday season goes smoothly - there are still a few things Etopia can provide assistance with. If you have questions about your account, need help with marketing or content, or need a comprehensive Q4 strategy, please contact Etopia.