What to Know to Stay Ahead of the Amazon/eCommerce Planning Curve

Q4 eCommerce Preparedness

Bryson Buck, Digital Account Director, eCommerce 

eCommerce leader and former CPG sales executive with extensive experience driving sales growth on Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Amazon Prime Now, Amazon GO and Amazon Grocery

Selling during Q4 on Amazon, which includes the lucrative holiday season, requires meticulous preparation and strategic planning. As a brand owner, ensuring that your inventory, marketing, and customer service are optimized can significantly boost your sales. Here are key steps to be well-prepared for this critical sales period:

Stock Up on Inventory

Forecast demand accurately using previous years' data and market trends.
- If you are lacking for historical information, set realistic goals while ensuring you have inventory to cover any spikes in demand.8 weeks of coverage is a good benchmark for most brands.
Ensure warehouses and fulfillment centers have sufficient stock to avoid running out.
- Running out of inventory will not only cost you the sales that are missed at that time but will set your supply chain back for as long as you are out of stock.
- In “retailer fulfilled” e-commerce, you need to account for the time for the retailer to receive your product as well.During the holidays, Amazon Fulfillment can take 4-6 weeks for inventory to become available after they receive product at their receiving docks.

Optimize Product Listings

Use the MPG team to enhance product titles, descriptions, bullet points, and images to entice buyers.
Utilize keywords that are trending and relevant for Q4.

Plan Your Marketing Campaigns

Schedule and budget for sponsored ads, lightning deals, best deals and other promotional activities.
Leverage social media and email marketing to drive traffic to your Amazon listings.

Review and Improve Pricing Strategy

Monitor competitors’ pricing and adjust yours to stay competitive.
Consider offering special discounts or bundles to attract holiday shoppers.

Ensure Excellent Customer Service

Respond to customer inquiries promptly to maintain high seller ratings.
Implement a clear return policy and be prepared to handle returns efficiently.

Prepare for Increased Fulfillment Demands

Confirm your logistics partners can handle the surge in orders.
Ensure inventory is shipped into Amazon well in advance to accommodate for Amazon’s Q4 bottleneck & to ensure timely delivery.

Monitor and Analyze Performance

Use Amazon's analytics tools to track sales performance and make real-time adjustments.
Analyze customer feedback & reviews to identify areas for improvement and capitalize on strengths.

Annual Amazon Vendor Negotiations

Ben Bounketh, Vice President of Sales, eCommerce 

Former Amazon Senior Product Leader for Amazon digital products, including Echo, Fire Phone and TV, and Kindle

Navigating the complex landscape of Amazon investments can feel like a high-stakes game. With Amazon's annual vendor negotiations often demanding increased investments to grow sales and ensure competitive profit margins at a level similar to category peers, the challenge is clear. Lean margins, coupled with rising marketing and promotional costs, leave little room for brands to find extra dollars for Amazon.

To thrive in 2025, it’s crucial to enter negotiations well-prepared by fully understanding your brand’s investments and expenses on the Amazon Marketplace. Although suppliers may feel stuck or overwhelmed by Amazon’s business challenges and demands, navigating a successful outcome starts with this basic and fundamental approach: it boils down to effectively using data to show Amazon where dollars can be reallocated and where dollars are not available. It’s especially effective to highlight areas where Amazon’s platform has driven increased expenses and operational issues and remember, trade-offs are a good way to create wins.

We’ve helped many clients strengthen their ability to navigate the negotiation process. This is where MPG can add tremendous value.

Jumpstarting Sales & Seeding:The Power of Reviews and Influencers on Day 1 - A Game-Changer for Your Brand Launch

Tripp Standa, VP, eCommerce and Amazon Media 

Innovative omnicommerce leader with 15+ years of experience growing sales and scaling businesses across Amazon and big box retail

Social, Influencer, and Shoppable continue to be strong trends; Brands need to know where and when to deploy, how to continue to leverage it, and, importantly, how to connect it to broader marketing strategies. This is especially important when it comes to launching a new CPG offering. Day 1 is really a make-or-break moment, so it’s important to understand the pivotal role social reviews and influencers can have when used effectively at launch.

Reviews are no longer just a “nice-to-have” strategy; they’re essential. According to recent data, 82% of consumers are purchasing more or the same number of products from the recommendation of everyday social media users; 49% of all consumers make daily, weekly, or monthly purchases because of influencer posts, with 30% trusting influencers more today than they did just six months ago. Gen Z consumers reportedly trust influencers at a higher rate and are more likely to make daily or weekly purchases compared to other consumers. At launch, positive reviews can help you gain traction more quickly, building credibility and drawing in curious potential buyers. But you can’t wait for launch day to get started. Pre-launch, reach out to loyal customers or beta testers and encourage them to share their feedback right as your product hits the market.

Influencers, are key to launch success. Their ability to sway purchasing decisions is stronger than ever, with close to 70% of consumers trusting influencers more than traditional advertising, and over 80% purchase more of the same product based on influencer recommendations. Have them ready to share their authentic experiences with your product on launch day. The key here is to collaborate with influencers who align with your brand values and resonate with your target audience. For a successful launch, identify and engage with influencers who are genuinely enthusiastic about your product. Craft compelling campaigns that highlight your product’s unique features and make sure the content is shareable and engaging. Their endorsement can amplify your reach and introduce your brand to a broader audience almost instantaneously. We’ve actually developed a proprietary method that’s been incredibly successful in driving sales and creating a strong foundation for ongoing growth.

Reviews and influencer endorsements can create a powerful synergy. This dual approach enhances your brand’s visibility and builds a robust foundation of trust and authenticity. Remember, the goal is to create a buzz that extends beyond Day 1, fostering ongoing interest and loyalty.