Today's tip · Deals
The deal door reopened. The loading dock didn't.
Amazon extended Black Friday and Cyber Monday deal sourcing to November 13. The inventory cutoffs stayed exactly where they were, so the extra time only helps if the stock is already on its way.
On October 22, Amazon posted a short note in Seller Central News: the deal sourcing window for Black Friday and Cyber Monday now runs to November 13. If you missed October 20, or submitted half your catalog and lost your nerve, you have 18 days from today. Prime Exclusive Discounts are the simplest way back in. In Seller Central, go to Advertising, then Price Discounts, click Create a price discount and pick Events from the drop-down.
Now read the rest of the note, because most of it is about what didn't change. Your FBA inventory still has to arrive before each event's cutoff, and for most sellers using Amazon-optimized splits that's this Wednesday, October 28. A discount on a product that isn't in a fulfillment center isn't a deal. It's a strikethrough price with a December delivery date. The fees didn't move either: $100 upfront per promotion plus 1.5% of promotional sales, with the variable part capped at $5,000.
- Day 0Today. Decide which deals you can stock.
- Day 2Oct 28: FBA cutoff, optimized splits
- Day 18Nov 13: deal sourcing closes
- Day 32Nov 27: Black Friday
- Day 35Nov 30: Cyber Monday
Deal and inventory dates from Seller Central News. Black Friday and Cyber Monday are calendar dates.
Source: Seller Central News, Black Friday Cyber Monday deals deadline extended
Data desk by XENA IntelligenceThe weekend plan
- 01Start with what's on hand
Build deals only on ASINs that are already received or will arrive by Oct 28. Check Send to Amazon before you check margins.
- 02Price it with the fee in
Add $100 per promotion plus 1.5% of deal sales to your costs before you pick the discount.
- 03Create the discount
Advertising, then Price Discounts, then Create a price discount, then Events. Add products in step 2 and finish the workflow.
- 04Turn the ads on now
Amazon says starting campaigns early gets deal ASINs indexed and gaining momentum before the event.
Section 02
This week's checklist
7 jobs pulled from this issue, in the order the deadlines bite. Tick them off as you go. Your browser remembers the ticks, nobody else sees them, and a fresh list comes with each issue.
0 of 7 done
Section 03
The seller calendar
Every date Amazon has put in writing for the season, plus the two everyone knows. October is zoomed in on the chart because that's where the trouble is.
Peak fulfillment fees run Oct 15 to Jan 14. Plus $0.32 per unit on average, with the 3.5% surcharge on top.
| Date | What happens | Type | Countdown | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime Big Deal Days (Oct 6 to 7) | Shopping event | Done | About Amazon | |
| AWD arrival deadline for Black Friday Week | Inventory | Done | Seller Central News | |
| Holiday peak fulfillment fees begin | Fees | Done | Seller Central News | |
| Original Black Friday and Cyber Monday deal deadline (Amazon has since extended it to Nov 13) | Deals | Done | Seller Central News | |
| FBA arrival deadline, minimal shipment splits | Inventory | Done | Seller Central News | |
| FBA arrival deadline, Amazon-optimized splits (most sellers) | Inventory | In 2 days | Seller Central News | |
| Last day of off-peak storage for AWD with auto-replenishment | Inventory | In 5 days | Seller Central News | |
| Confirm New Selection Program (2026) enrollment to keep launch fee credits | Fees | In 5 days | Seller Central News | |
| Extended holiday returns begin: items bought Nov 1 to Dec 31 can come back until Jan 31 | Returns | In 6 days | Seller Central News | |
| Black Friday and Cyber Monday deal sourcing closes (extended from Oct 20) | Deals | In 18 days | Seller Central News | |
| Black Friday | Shopping event | In 32 days | Calendar | |
| Cyber Monday | Shopping event | In 35 days | Calendar | |
| Last day to sign up for the free 12-month Amazon Quick Plus subscription | Offer | In 66 days | About Amazon | |
| Last purchase date covered by the extended holiday return window | Returns | In 66 days | Seller Central News | |
| Holiday peak fulfillment fees end | Fees | In 80 days | Seller Central News | |
| Last day to return holiday purchases under the extended window | Returns | In 97 days | Seller Central News |
Add every date to your calendar (.ics)Works with Google Calendar, Outlook and Apple Calendar. Re-download after big announcements.
Sources: Seller Central News, Holiday 2026, About Amazon, Seller Assistant, Seller Central News, 2026 holiday return policy, Seller Central News, Black Friday Cyber Monday deals deadline extended
Fee watch
The changes that cost money this year, newest last. If Amazon hasn't announced it, it isn't here.
Since Jan 15, 2026
2026 US fee update
FBA fees rose by an average of $0.08 per unit. Amazon added no new fee types for 2026.
Amazon, 2026 US referral and FBA fee updateSince Apr 17, 2026
Fuel and logistics surcharge
3.5% on FBA fulfillment fees, about $0.17 per unit on average in the US. Multi-Channel Fulfillment and Buy with Prime followed on May 2.
Seller Central News, Fuel and logistics surchargeOct 15, 2026 to Jan 14, 2027
Holiday peak fulfillment fees
About $0.32 more per unit on average, with the 3.5% surcharge calculated on top.
Seller Central News, Holiday 2026Holiday deal events
Deal fees
$100 upfront per promotion plus 1.5% of promotional sales, capped at $5,000, for Best Deals, Lightning Deals and Prime Exclusive Price Discounts.
Seller Central News, Holiday 2026Nov 1, 2026 to Jan 31, 2027
Extended holiday returns
Orders placed Nov 1 to Dec 31 can be returned until Jan 31, 2027, for FBA and seller-fulfilled orders alike. Budget for a slower, larger return wave.
Seller Central News, 2026 holiday return policy2027
Next annual fee update
Not announced as of Oct 24, 2026. Amazon says it gives at least 90 days' notice, and the 2026 changes were announced in October 2025.
Amazon, 2026 US referral and FBA fee update
Section 04
By the numbers
Four figures worth knowing this week. Each one is Amazon's own, linked to where they said it.
new last day of Black Friday and Cyber Monday deal sourcing
Seller Central News, Black Friday Cyber Monday deals deadline extendeddays ahead Amazon says to schedule a partnered carrier pickup before a cutoff
Seller Central Forums, Q4 inventory deadlinescategories added to FBA Grade and Resell in 2026
Sell on Amazon, FBA Grade and Resell updatesASINs you can handpick for Grade and Resell
Sell on Amazon, FBA Grade and Resell updatesSection 05
The playbook
4 moves for this week, then a few quick ones for the train.
FBA
Two days left. Make your boxes the easy ones.
Amazon-optimized shipment splits have to reach fulfillment centers by October 28 for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Amazon says inventory arriving after a cutoff isn't guaranteed to be processed in time, and its receiving teams shift to customer orders in November. You can't make the truck faster. You can make your shipment the easiest one on the dock.
Amazon's own receiving advice is blunt. Enter accurate box content information in Send to Amazon, or the shipment can lose auto-receiving and pick up a manual processing fee. Off-peak and weekend appointments get processed faster. Deal inventory belongs in dedicated boxes, apart from everything else. And if a shipment will be late, update its delivery window so the building can plan for it.
Do this: Open every shipment still in transit today, confirm the box contents are filled in, and update the delivery window on anything that won't make Wednesday.
Days before the inventory cutoff, per Amazon's Q4 guidance. For the Oct 28 cutoff, both windows have already passed, which is why accurate box contents matter so much now.
Source: Seller Central Forums, Q4 inventory deadlines
Data desk by XENA IntelligenceReturns
Let returned stock follow your price
Grade and Resell takes customer-returned FBA items and sells them as Used, so a return earns something back instead of waiting for a removal order. Amazon added five categories this year: watches, jewelry, luggage, shoes and apparel. If you sell any of those, your January returns just got a second shot at the shelf.
The useful part is pricing. Used prices now follow your New price and your discount settings automatically. Change the New price and the Used one moves with it. Edit a Used price by hand and that item drops out of automatic updates until you reset it. Enrollment is opt-in: handpick up to 2,000 ASINs, or enroll the whole catalog and exclude the ones you'd rather not see secondhand.
Do this: Before holiday returns start landing, set your Grade and Resell discount percentages and choose which ASINs are in. Then leave the Used prices alone.
As described by Amazon. Resetting your settings puts an item back on automatic pricing.
Source: Sell on Amazon, FBA Grade and Resell updates
Data desk by XENA IntelligenceSeller Central
Your tools moved. Amazon left a map.
Amazon calls the new Seller Central its biggest upgrade in a decade. Tools now sit in workspaces for supply chain, orders, marketing, finance and more. Seller Assistant is on every page, the homepage is modular, and there's one view across the marketplaces you sell in. Amazon says everyday jobs like product setup and creating coupons take less time.
Not every seller is a fan, and the replies under Amazon's own announcement say so with feeling. The fix for this week is the one Amazon points to: a page called Where to find your tools in the new Seller Central, plus the Site Map. If something you need is buried, use the Provide feedback button on any page. Amazon says it will let you know when your feedback leads to a change.
Do this: Rearrange your homepage around the next three weeks: inbound shipments, deals and Account Health. Bookmark the Site Map for everything else.
Source: Seller Central News, New features in the new Seller Central
- Workspaces for supply chain, orders, marketing and finance
- Seller Assistant built into every page
- One view across all your marketplaces
- A modular homepage you can rearrange
- A Provide feedback button on every page
Features as listed by Amazon in Seller Central News.
Source: Seller Central News, New features in the new Seller Central
Data desk by XENA IntelligenceAdvertising
Ads first, deal badge second
Amazon's deal extension note ends with advice that's easy to skim past: support your deals with a full-funnel advertising approach, and start early. The reason it gives is indexing. Campaigns that begin ahead of the event help deal ASINs get indexed and build momentum before the event starts. Switching ads on the morning the badge appears skips that runway entirely.
Do this: This week, put every deal ASIN into a Sponsored Products campaign with a budget you're comfortable running through Cyber Monday.
Source: Seller Central News, Black Friday Cyber Monday deals deadline extended
Starting campaigns early ensures your deal ASINs are indexed and gaining momentum before each event begins.
Quick hits
05Seller News
Keep the fine print in your pocket
Today's lead story was a short Seller Central News post that plenty of sellers will never notice. The Amazon Seller app has a Stay informed tab with a Seller News homepage, filters by date and topic, bookmarks for the posts you'll need later, and a Join the Conversation link into the Seller Forums. Bookmark the deal extension post. You'll want it on November 12.
Section 06
The wire
What changed lately, straight from Amazon. We read the announcement so you can read the summary.
- Deals
Black Friday and Cyber Monday deal sourcing extended to Nov 13
The window that closed Oct 20 is open again. FBA inventory cutoffs are unchanged, and Amazon says to start ads early.
via Seller Central News, Black Friday Cyber Monday deals deadline extended - Seller Central
The new Seller Central rolls out workspaces
Workspaces by function, Seller Assistant on every page, one global view and a modular homepage. A tool finder and Site Map help you find what moved.
via Seller Central News, New features in the new Seller Central - FBA
Q4 receiving tips from Amazon
Book appointments 7 days before cutoffs, carrier pickups 14 days before, give box contents in Send to Amazon and box deal units separately.
via Seller Central Forums, Q4 inventory deadlines - Seller News
Seller News on mobile
The Amazon Seller app's Stay informed tab adds a Seller News homepage, date and topic filters, bookmarks and links into the Seller Forums.
via Sell on Amazon, Seller News mobile experience - Returns
Grade and Resell adds five categories
Watches, jewelry, luggage, shoes and apparel, plus automatic Used pricing and opt-in for up to 2,000 ASINs or the full catalog.
via Sell on Amazon, FBA Grade and Resell updates
Follow for more
Tomorrow's tip, in your inbox before your coffee cools
One short email when a new issue lands. Amazon's news without the press-release voice, and one move worth making that week. No upsells, no "ultimate guides."
Section 07
Straight answers
The questions sellers are typing into search bars and chatbots this week, answered in under a minute each. Every answer is grounded in Amazon's own announcement, linked below it.
What is the 2026 Black Friday and Cyber Monday deal deadline on Amazon?
Amazon extended the deal sourcing window for Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2026 to November 13, according to a Seller Central News post dated October 22. The original submission deadline was October 20. FBA inventory still has to arrive at fulfillment centers before each event's cutoff date.
Source: Seller Central News, Black Friday Cyber Monday deals deadline extended
How do I create a Prime Exclusive Discount for Black Friday?
In Seller Central, go to Advertising and select Price Discounts. Click Create a price discount, choose Events from the drop-down menu and complete the form. Then go to step 2 to add products and finish the workflow. Amazon says deal sourcing for the event is open until November 13, 2026.
Source: Seller Central News, Black Friday Cyber Monday deals deadline extended
Did Amazon extend the FBA inventory cutoffs too?
The extension applies to the deal sourcing window. The same post tells sellers to make sure FBA inventory arrives before each event's cutoff. For Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Amazon lists October 14 for AWD, October 21 for minimal shipment splits and October 28 for Amazon-optimized shipment splits.
How can I get FBA shipments received faster in Q4?
Amazon recommends delivery appointments at least 7 days before a cutoff and partnered carrier pickups at least 14 days before. Give accurate box contents in Send to Amazon to avoid manual processing fees, book off-peak or weekend appointments, pack deal inventory in dedicated boxes and update delivery windows when a shipment runs late.
Which categories does FBA Grade and Resell support now?
In February 2026, Amazon expanded Grade and Resell to watches, jewelry, luggage, shoes and apparel. Used prices now update automatically from New prices and discount settings, and sellers can opt in up to 2,000 ASINs or enroll the whole catalog with exclusions. Editing a Used price by hand opts that item out.
How do I find tools in the new Seller Central?
Amazon reorganized Seller Central into workspaces for supply chain, orders, marketing, finance and more, with Seller Assistant on every page. To find a tool that moved, use Amazon's Where to find your tools in the new Seller Central page or the Site Map, and report gaps with the Provide feedback button.
Source: Seller Central News, New features in the new Seller Central