Today's tip · Advertising
Stop renting your own brand name. Reserve the top of search.
Sponsored Brands reserve share of voice locks branded keywords at a fixed price. In Amazon's beta, top-of-search impression share on those terms jumped from 62.7% to 99.3%, and click-attributed sales rose 143%.
Branded searches are the shoppers who already typed your name. Auction Sponsored Brands still leave gaps. Amazon's reserve share of voice goal lets Brand Registry advertisers book exact-match branded keywords for the Sponsored Brands top-of-search slot at a fixed, upfront price, for a flight of 14 to 90 days.
The beta numbers are blunt. On the same branded queries, reserved campaigns moved top-of-search impression share from 62.7% to 99.3%, lifted click-through rate from 3.5% to 4.1%, cut lost top-of-search sales from 10.3% to 0.3%, and drove 143% more click-attributed sales. US campaigns need at least five branded keywords and a $6,000 minimum spend.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday deal sourcing closes on November 13. Pair the reservation with a holiday creative refresh so the logo shoppers see matches the deal you just submitted. Plan the flight so it covers the weekend before Black Friday through Cyber Monday, not just the day itself.
Amazon Ads beta comparing the same branded search queries with and without reserve share of voice.
Source: Amazon Ads, Sponsored Brands reserve share of voice
Data desk by XENA IntelligenceThe weekend plan
- 01Open Ads Agent
Start a new Sponsored Brands campaign and pick the Reserve share of voice goal.
- 02Add branded keywords
Reserve at least five exact-match brand terms. Amazon validates ownership and shows fixed pricing.
- 03Set the flight
Choose 14 to 90 days that cover your Black Friday and Cyber Monday window.
- 04Upload creative
Use your logo, headline, collections, or video. Link the Brand Store if you have one.
- 05Watch Lost TOS Sales
In Insights and Planning, open the Brand Impression Share report and check what the reservation recaptured.
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 | Done | Seller Central News | |
| Business Hour Delivery Rate review: seller-fulfilled offers under 90% may be deactivated for Amazon Business customers | Offer | Done | Seller Central News | |
| Last day of off-peak storage for AWD with auto-replenishment | Inventory | Done | Seller Central News | |
| Confirm New Selection Program (2026) enrollment to keep launch fee credits | Fees | Done | Seller Central News | |
| Extended holiday returns begin: items bought Nov 1 to Dec 31 can come back until Jan 31 | Returns | Done | Seller Central News | |
| New commercial liability insurance requirements take effect: a $1 million policy for products in categories with enhanced safety listing requirements, with no sales threshold | Policy | Done | Seller Central News | |
| Virtual multipacks from the latest pilot wave become available to customers | Offer | In 4 days | Seller Central Help | |
| Black Friday and Cyber Monday deal sourcing closes (extended from Oct 20) | Deals | In 6 days | Seller Central News | |
| Amazon finishes rolling out lithium battery TIC compliance notifications in Account Health for US smart home and consumer electronics | Policy | In 9 days | Seller Forums | |
| Ask Amazon: Seller Assistant live Q&A in the Seller Forums, 8 AM to 5 PM PT (questions open now) | Shopping event | In 11 days | Seller Forums | |
| Black Friday | Shopping event | In 20 days | Calendar | |
| Cyber Monday | Shopping event | In 23 days | Calendar | |
| Last day to create an international FBA shipment plan covered by Amazon's 45-day related-shipment and 90-day closure extensions | Inventory | In 23 days | Seller Central News | |
| Prepaid return labels required for most US seller-fulfilled returns (heavy and bulky items excepted for now) | Returns | In 41 days | Seller Forums | |
| Last day to sign up for the free 12-month Amazon Quick Plus subscription | Offer | In 54 days | About Amazon | |
| Last purchase date covered by the extended holiday return window | Returns | In 54 days | Seller Central News | |
| Updated product bundling policy takes effect: most single-ASIN bundles must be packaged by the original manufacturer or brand | Policy | In 65 days | Seller Central News | |
| Holiday peak fulfillment fees end | Fees | In 68 days | Seller Central News | |
| Most 2027 US referral and FBA fulfillment fee changes take effect | Fees | In 69 days | Amazon | |
| Last day to return holiday purchases under the extended window | Returns | In 85 days | Seller Central News | |
| Storage utilization surcharge ends; age-based storage rates and the rewritten low-inventory-level fee begin | Fees | In 86 days | Amazon | |
| Last day to enroll in FBA New Selection Program 2026 (window extended) | Fees | In 144 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, Seller Central News, Business hour delivery requirement for seller-fulfilled shipments, Seller Central Help, Virtual multipacks, Seller Central News, New commercial liability insurance requirements, Seller Central News, New requirements for product bundles starting January 11, Seller Forums, Amazon's prepaid return label notice and moderator clarification, Seller Forums, Ask Amazon: Seller Assistant, Canvas and Workflows, Seller Forums, New lithium battery requirements (US), Amazon, 2027 US referral and FBA fee update
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 surchargeSince Sep 2026
MCF Preferred Pricing Program
Discounted Multi-Channel Fulfillment fees plus FBA credits per unit shipped. Amazon says sellers save 15% to 25% on fulfillment fees for the first six months, with no contract and one-click enrollment in Seller Central.
About Amazon, Prime delivery for MCF merchants' websitesOct 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 policyAnnounced Nov 5, 2026; most changes Jan 15, 2027
2027 US referral and FBA fee update
On average, FBA fulfillment fees rise by $0.19 per unit sold (about 0.8% of the average item's selling price). Some products go up, some go down. The FBA fuel and logistics surcharge stays unchanged. Effective Feb 1, 2027, Amazon eliminates the storage utilization surcharge, folds the aged inventory surcharge into a single age-based monthly storage rate, and rewrites the low-inventory-level fee around 28 days of supply.
Amazon, 2027 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.
top-of-search impression share on reserved branded keywords in Amazon's reserve share of voice beta
Amazon Ads, Sponsored Brands reserve share of voiceclick-attributed sales lift for beta advertisers on the same branded queries
Amazon Ads, Sponsored Brands reserve share of voiceleft to submit Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals before sourcing closes Nov 13
Seller Central News, Black Friday Cyber Monday deals deadline extendedminimum spend per US reserve share of voice campaign, with at least five branded keywords
Amazon Ads, How to set up Sponsored Brands reserve share of voiceSection 05
The playbook
3 moves for this week, then a few quick ones for the train.
Advertising
Put the product in motion inside Sponsored Products
Sponsored Products video lets you upload one to five product-feature videos per ASIN, each with its own descriptive text. Shoppers see up to three video thumbnails matched to their search and browsing history, then jump to the feature they care about before they hit the detail page.
It rides inside the Sponsored Products campaigns you already run, with the same targeting and budget controls, plus optional bid adjustments when you want the video placement more often. For a deal ASIN that still looks static in the grid, this is the weekend job: shoot or cut short clips that show the feature the deal actually sells.
Do this: In Campaign Manager, open a live Sponsored Products campaign and upload one to five feature videos on your Black Friday ASINs.
From Amazon Ads' Sponsored Products video announcement. Shoppers see up to three feature thumbnails.
Source: Amazon Ads, Sponsored Products video
Data desk by XENA IntelligenceAdvertising
Holiday ads that actually moved the needle used three formats
Amazon Ads' 2026 holiday guide says advertisers saw a 145% increase in sales using Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, and display ads during holiday gifting, compared with average category growth. That is not a single-campaign miracle. It is the three-format stack running through the peak.
We are in the November-through-Cyber Monday phase. Amazon's own advice is to raise daily budgets by 20 to 30 percent around Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and to start scaling three to five days ahead of each event. With Black Friday on November 27, the budget change belongs on the calendar for about November 22, not Thanksgiving night.
Do this: Schedule a 20 to 30 percent daily budget increase for Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, and display starting about November 22, and keep the three formats live through Cyber Monday.
Amazon Ads holiday guide 2026: advertisers saw a 145% increase in sales using Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, and display during holiday gifting, when compared to average category growth.
Source: Amazon Ads, How to boost your holiday sales in 2026
Data desk by XENA IntelligenceDeals
Amazon's own Black Friday checklist is five boxes. Tick them this weekend.
Seller Central refreshed its Black Friday and Cyber Monday readiness note again this week. The list is short on purpose: inventory received at fulfillment centers for every deal ASIN, listings (images, titles, bullets, A+ Content) cleaned up, deal prices at the minimum discount threshold with suppressed or at-risk deals fixed, Account Health clear of open warnings, and ad campaigns live or scheduled.
Deal sourcing still closes November 13. A deal that is suppressed on the 12th does not become a badge on the 27th. Run the five boxes before you submit anything else, then submit.
Do this: Open Manage Promotions and Account Health today, clear suppressed deals and open warnings, then finish remaining BFCM submissions before November 13.
Sources: Seller Central News, Get your account ready now for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Seller Central News, Black Friday Cyber Monday deals deadline extended
- Inventory: deal ASINs received at fulfillment centers
- Listings: images, titles, bullets, A+ Content checked
- Deals: minimum discount met, suppressed deals fixed
- Account Health: open warnings and violations cleared
- Advertising: campaigns live or scheduled for the event
From Seller Central News, Get your account ready now for Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Source: Seller Central News, Get your account ready now for Black Friday and Cyber Monday
Data desk by XENA IntelligenceQuick hits
04Returns
November orders can come back through January 31
The extended holiday return window is already open. Items purchased between November 1 and December 31, 2026 can be returned through January 31, 2027 (Apple brand products through January 15). It applies to FBA and merchant-fulfilled offers automatically. Budget for the longer float when you price a November deal, and keep Grade and Resell or liquidation paths ready for what comes back in January.
05Advertising
No video crew? Video Generator is already in Creative Studio
If the Sponsored Brands creative for your reserve campaign still looks like a still photo, open Creative Studio and use Video Generator for Sponsored Brands video campaigns. Amazon ships it for self-service sellers and vendors in the US, Canada, Mexico, the UK, Germany, Spain, Italy, France, and India. One click from stills to a video unit beats waiting on an agency invoice the week deals close.
Source: Amazon Ads, Video Generator for Sponsored Brands video
Section 06
The wire
What changed lately, straight from Amazon. We read the announcement so you can read the summary.
- Advertising
Reserve share of voice locks branded top-of-search
Brand Registry advertisers can book Sponsored Brands top-of-search for branded keywords at a fixed price. Beta: 62.7% to 99.3% impression share, +143% click-attributed sales.
via Amazon Ads, Sponsored Brands reserve share of voice - Deals
Black Friday Cyber Monday deal sourcing closes Nov 13
Six days left. Amazon's readiness checklist covers inventory, listings, deals, Account Health, and ads.
via Seller Central News, Black Friday Cyber Monday deals deadline extended - Advertising
Sponsored Products video and Video Generator for holiday creatives
Upload one to five feature videos per ASIN on Sponsored Products, or generate Sponsored Brands video in Creative Studio.
via Amazon Ads, Sponsored Products video
Follow for more
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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 Amazon Sponsored Brands reserve share of voice?
Reserve share of voice is a Sponsored Brands goal that lets Brand Registry advertisers secure top-of-search placements for exact-match branded keywords at a fixed, upfront price. Campaign flights run 14 to 90 days. US campaigns need at least five branded keywords and a $6,000 minimum spend.
Source: Amazon Ads, How to set up Sponsored Brands reserve share of voice
What results did Amazon see from reserve share of voice?
In Amazon Ads' beta, reserve share of voice moved Sponsored Brands top-of-search impression share on reserved keywords from 62.7% to 99.3%, raised click-through rate from 3.5% to 4.1%, cut lost top-of-search sales from 10.3% to 0.3%, and increased click-attributed sales by 143% on the same branded queries.
When does Black Friday Cyber Monday deal sourcing close in 2026?
Amazon's deal sourcing window for Black Friday and Cyber Monday closes on November 13, 2026, after an extension from the original October 20 deadline. Submit promotions in Seller Central before that date and support them with inventory already received at fulfillment centers.
Source: Seller Central News, Black Friday Cyber Monday deals deadline extended
What is on Amazon's Black Friday Cyber Monday readiness checklist?
Seller Central's readiness note lists five items: confirm deal ASINs are in stock at fulfillment centers, optimize listing quality, meet minimum deal discounts and fix suppressed deals, clear Account Health warnings, and confirm ad campaigns are live or scheduled for the event.
Source: Seller Central News, Get your account ready now for Black Friday and Cyber Monday
How should I change Amazon ad budgets around Black Friday 2026?
Amazon Ads' 2026 holiday guide advises increasing daily budgets by 20 to 30 percent around Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and starting to scale three to five days ahead of each peak event. With Black Friday on November 27, that points to about November 22 for the first bump.
What is Sponsored Products video on Amazon?
Sponsored Products video lets advertisers upload one to five product-feature videos per ASIN with descriptive text. Shoppers see up to three video thumbnails matched to their search and browsing history inside existing Sponsored Products campaigns, with optional bid adjustments for video placement.
Until when can holiday purchases be returned on Amazon in 2026?
Items purchased between November 1 and December 31, 2026 can be returned through January 31, 2027 under Amazon's extended holiday returns policy. Apple brand products can be returned through January 15, 2027. The window applies to FBA and merchant-fulfilled offers automatically.