Amazon Black Friday 2026: dates and tips for selling

As every good entrepreneur knows, the final part of the year is usually the most profitable in terms of revenue. It is a rule that applies to almost all businesses and also extends to e-commerce, with online sales recording a surge in turnover precisely in the last three months of every calendar year.

From Black Friday to Christmas, by way of Cyber Monday, there are many events that allow you to “cash in” with your Amazon business, capturing the attention of the consumers who crowd the marketplace. In 2026, however, the game calls for more method than ever: fiercer competition, rising advertising costs, new rules on prices and environmental claims, and logistics deadlines that arrive well in advance.

How can you arrive prepared for the event? How should you organise your Amazon storefront for Black Friday 2026?

In this complete guide you will find everything you need:

• what Black Friday is
• the dates
• how it works on Amazon
• the deadlines to mark on your calendar
• 14 practical strategies divided by work phase.

Let’s get started!

Black Friday 2026 on Amazon: the essentials

• Black Friday 2026: Friday 27 November.
• Cyber Monday 2026: Monday 30 November.
• Black Friday Week on Amazon.it: dates not yet officially announced. In 2025 it ran from 20 November to 1 December.
• Priorities: inventory under control, margins calculated before discounting, promotions chosen carefully and product listings compliant with the policies.

What Black Friday is and why it is called that

Black Friday is the name used in the United States for the Friday after Thanksgiving Day, which falls on the fourth Thursday of November. Traditionally it kicks off the Christmas shopping season and its sales, with reduced prices both in physical shops and in e-commerce and a predictable surge in consumer spending.

The origin of the name is uncertain. A very widespread explanation links it to shopkeepers’ account books, which in this period went from red (loss) to black (profit). The first documented use, however, dates back to the early 1960s in Philadelphia, where it referred to the chaos of traffic and crowds on the day after Thanksgiving.

Unknown in Italy until not many years ago, the event was “imported” from the United States, where it is a real godsend for boosting sales before Christmas. Much of the credit for this import goes to Amazon, which has been investing a great deal of energy in this combination of events for years.

When are Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2026

Black Friday falls on the day after the US Thanksgiving. In 2026 Thanksgiving is Thursday 26 November, so Black Friday is Friday 27 November 2026, followed closely by Cyber Monday on Monday 30 November 2026.

Event	2026 date	Notes
Thanksgiving (USA)	Thursday 26 November	The day before Black Friday
Black Friday	Friday 27 November	Peak day for discounts
Cyber Monday	Monday 30 November	Historically strong for technology and online shopping
Black Friday Week on Amazon.it	to be announced	In 2025: 20 November – 1 December

As is Amazon’s habit, it is reasonable to expect discounted sales to start before the Friday. In the last two years Black Friday Week started on the Thursday of the previous week and continued until Cyber Monday, for about twelve days. If Amazon follows the same pattern, in 2026 it could start around 19 November. The official calendar is usually announced in mid-November, so it is worth planning on the basis that the deals could start earlier than expected.

How Black Friday works on Amazon

For customers

Taking advantage of Amazon’s Black Friday deals is very simple. You don’t even need to be a Prime member: you just need to be registered on Amazon, although Prime customers have access to exclusive benefits, such as, historically, the ability to see Lightning Deals 30 minutes early.

As for the products on promotion, Black Friday is usually an event in which sellers can discount a bit of everything, with an emphasis on technology, partly because it coincides with the following Cyber Monday.

For sellers

Let’s say straight away that for sellers the difference is made by deadlines and tools. Goods must be sent to fulfilment centres well in advance (if you use FBA), deals must be submitted before the event and prices must stand comparison with the previous 30 days. Further on you will find the dates to mark and the promotional tools you need to know.

Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the other Amazon events

Black Friday is not the only promotional event of the year. Here is how to tell it apart from the others (check dates and rules every year in the official communications):

Event	When	Who can take part
Prime Day	Summer	Prime customers
Prime Big Deal Days	Early October	Prime customers
Black Friday and Black Friday Week	Late November	All Amazon customers
Cyber Monday	The Monday after Black Friday	All Amazon customers
Christmas deals	December, up to just before the 25th	All Amazon customers

Why Black Friday is so important for Amazon sellers

Today we no longer talk about a single day. Amazon.it organises a Black Friday week which in recent years has been further extended with earlier promotions, so much so that many consumers now think in terms of a “Black November”. For many sellers, the sales concentrated between Black Friday and Cyber Monday can account for 25-30% of annual turnover, and missed opportunities are hard to recover, because buying behaviour during the holidays has unique characteristics.

Then there is a long-term effect: Amazon rewards reliable sellers and penalises those who run out of stock or deliver late, with repercussions on ranking even in the following months.

The deadlines to mark on your calendar (autumn 2026)

Date	What happens
15 October – 14 January 2027	Holiday peak fee period, applied on some marketplaces such as the United Kingdom and Germany
21 October (EU) / 28 October (UK)	FBA inbound deadline for Black Friday and Cyber Monday
18 November	Deal submission closes for the Black Friday and Cyber Monday promotions
22-23 December	Last days to order with Prime delivery before Christmas
31 January 2027	End of the extended return window

Always check the exact dates and fee amounts in Seller Central, because Amazon may change them.

How to prepare for Black Friday on Amazon: 14 strategies in 5 phases

Black Friday is certainly a tempting opportunity for consumers, but it is also an important opportunity for anyone with a sales business. However, being on Amazon is not enough: you need the right strategy. There is no perfect recipe for every seller, but there is tried-and-tested advice. We have organised it into five phases, from planning to the post-event.

Phase 1: planning and logistics

1. Start early and build a preparation calendar

To best reach customers and find new ones, it is a good idea to act in advance. Ideally, you should launch the marketing campaign at least 3-4 weeks before (even better 6-8, if you want to test messages and creatives), varying the promotional strategy and introducing targeted lead generation actions. Take inspiration from previous seasons and apply the tactics that worked best in getting new contacts: they will also be useful for later retargeting and email marketing.

Here is a reference calendar, to be adapted to your business:

When	What to do
At least 3 months before	Analyse the previous year’s performance and the current competition
8-12 weeks before	Order from suppliers, who are often overloaded in the fourth quarter
6-8 weeks before	Prepare dedicated campaigns, creatives and advertising budgets
By 21 October (EU) / 28 October (UK)	Send goods to FBA for Black Friday Week
3-4 weeks before	Start lead generation and communication on your own channels
By 18 November	Submit deals for the Black Friday and Cyber Monday promotions
Black Friday Week – 30 November	Monitor stock, prices, advertising and customer care every day
December – January	Manage returns and reviews, analyse the results, close out seasonal inventory

2. Secure inventory and logistics

Black Friday is won beforehand, in the warehouse. If you have already sent the goods to FBA by the deadlines, monitor stock every day and set up automatic alerts when inventory falls below a critical threshold: Amazon penalises out-of-stock products with losses in organic ranking that are hard to recover. Also keep an eye on the Capacity Monitor and consider the Capacity Manager feature if the standard limits are not enough.

If, on the other hand, the inbound deadline is now behind you, consider which ASINs to manage via FBM for the peak period and communicate realistic delivery times. For next year’s supplies, remember that many suppliers are overloaded in the fourth quarter: ordering 8-12 weeks in advance avoids stock-outs.

Phase 2: offer, prices and margins

3. Clearly define the offer to propose

To bring marketing campaigns to a successful conclusion, it is essential to establish clearly and unambiguously which offer to propose. Gather current data and data from past campaigns to understand which products to focus your actions on and which commercial proposal to develop. There are many levers: discounts, bundles, special gifts, dedicated packaging.

4. Calculate the margin before discounting

A good sales volume is not enough: during Black Friday, lowering prices without a strategy can completely erode profitability. Here is a simple example. A €40 product with a net margin of 20% is worth €8 per unit. With a 15% discount (€6 less) and assuming a 15% referral fee, the margin drops to less than €3, even before counting advertising, peak fees, the cost of the deal and returns.

Before setting prices, therefore, consider all cost items, including those explained in our article on understanding all the Amazon fees, and check the ROI of your campaigns. With ZonWizard’s profit analytics you can see the real net margin of every order, even during the event.

5. Focus on bundles, spending thresholds and gifts

A category of specific products or exclusive Black Friday bundles is often what it takes to raise the level of sales. Offering a complete package at a discounted price significantly increases the average order value, and it can often be achieved with small tweaks, for example by pairing a best seller with an accessory.

Rewards linked to a minimum spend also increase conversion rates and encourage customers to spend more. On your website you can, for example, offer free shipping above a certain threshold or progressive discounts (10% from 49 euros, 20% from 99 euros). A gift with purchase makes the customer feel rewarded, as long as it is something they really want: to find out, get to know your customers well. On Amazon, the mechanics available depend on the promotional tools active on your account, so check in Seller Central what you can set up for the event.

6. Choose the right promotions, create urgency and follow the pricing rules

Offering discounts is the most direct way to increase conversions, but on Amazon it goes through the platform’s promotional tools. Among the most used for Black Friday are Lightning Deals, 7-day deals, coupons, Prime exclusive discounts and promo codes (including those designed for social channels). Historically, Prime customers have access to Lightning Deals 30 minutes before everyone else.

Time-limited discounts are also useful because they create a sense of urgency: a message that conveys urgency is more likely to stand out in a crowded inbox and to push customers to act immediately instead of waiting. A time-limited discount or exclusive access to certain items makes them feel almost obliged to take advantage of the deals before they disappear.

Three precautions: submit your deals by 18 November, remember that some promotions involve a fee (for example on the Lightning Deal or on the redeemed coupon) and choose your products carefully, because on Black Friday customers expect a real bargain.

Finally, pay attention to the European rules on promotions: when you announce a price reduction, the previous price to be shown is the lowest applied in the previous 30 days (Omnibus Directive, transposed in Italy by Legislative Decree 26/2023). Inflating prices before the event to show higher discounts is an unfair and risky practice.

Phase 3: product listings, content and SEO

7. Optimise product listings (without breaking the policies)

To strengthen the impact of your marketing actions, prepare product listings designed for people looking for a gift or a bargain, but work within Amazon’s rules:

• Do not create duplicate listings of the same product for the event: improve the existing one.
• Do not include promotional phrases in the title (such as “Black Friday” or “deal”): Amazon already shows the discount badge.
• Bring the main benefit into the first lines and the first images, and use A+ Content and videos to present the product effectively.
• If you are enrolled in Brand Registry, dedicate a section of your Store to the season’s deals.
• Include seasonal keywords such as “gift idea”, without forcing them.
• Remember that external links and invitations to take actions outside the platform are not allowed on Amazon: calls to action work on your website and social media, not inside the listing.

Watch out for claims too: since 27 September 2026 Directive (EU) 2024/825 has applied (in Italy Legislative Decree 30/2026) and generic claims such as “eco-friendly” or “sustainable” must be substantiated.

8. Create informative content and gift guides, and work on SEO

Even the “simple” creation of informative content on your website can help you bring in more conversions. Of course, the quotation marks are not accidental: there is nothing really simple about structuring a good content marketing strategy. Create content entirely dedicated to Black Friday to gain or maintain your ranking, and don’t just say that you have a discount: explain the benefits of the products you offer, giving your offer its proper value.

A gift guide is a particularly effective tool: it is a curated selection of your products, divided into categories (for her, for him, for tech lovers), easy to read and interpret. It serves to promote specific products, drive traffic and generate enthusiasm for the brand. Comparisons between models and answers to the most frequently asked questions also work well.

An SEO tip: update the same page every year instead of creating a new one, so you keep the authority you have built up. And write with AI-based search engines in mind too: direct answers in the first lines, dated and sourced data, clear tables and FAQs increase the chances of being cited.

Phase 4: advertising, social media and communication

9. Plan advertising with dedicated budgets

During Black Friday and the run-up to Christmas, the cost per click rises significantly and can even triple. Structure your campaigns well in advance, separate the event budgets from the ordinary ones (so that everyday campaigns don’t run out early) and consider dayparting to concentrate spending in the time slots with the most conversions. Also prepare in good time the creative content for Sponsored Brands video and Display, which require professional materials.

10. Communicate with customers on the right channels (and reward the most loyal)

Preview emails remain one of the most effective levers for building anticipation and standing out from the competition, but they must be used on the right channels. Amazon does not give sellers customers’ addresses and its rules do not allow marketing to buyers through the marketplace messaging. For this reason:

• send previews and dedicated codes to the customers of your website or newsletter, with their consent;
• then point those who prefer to buy there to your Amazon listings;
• use the tools Amazon makes available to registered brands, such as Store and Posts, to get customers to follow you.

Black Friday is also an opportunity to show appreciation to long-standing customers: people like to be recognised, especially when they have a lasting relationship with the brand. Reserving exclusive deals and discounts for them builds loyalty and encourages them to come back on days other than Black Friday too.

If you start today, you have about a month: the right time to start building your contact list is now.

11. Make the most of social networks and creators

Don’t forget the communicative power of social networks. From Facebook to Instagram and TikTok, social media allow you to stay in touch with your followers and create engagement. Some shoppers love the thrill of the hunt, others prefer to plan ahead: you can reach both with previews of exclusive deals, “mystery deals”, countdowns and engaging content. Start talking about the promotion a few weeks before to test the audience’s response and link to your Amazon product listings. They are also a great channel for answering customers’ questions. If you are enrolled in Brand Registry, you can measure how much external traffic turns into sales with Amazon Attribution.

It is also worth following the evolution of social commerce: where available you can sell directly on platforms such as TikTok, and with the integration between TikTok Shop and Amazon the way users discover and buy products is changing. For now the official launch concerns the United States.

12. Reduce cart abandonment

Many customers add products to their cart and then leave without completing the purchase. You need to understand why: shipping costs, delivery times, price, doubts about the product. On your website you can recover the purchase attempt with recovery emails, discount codes and special offers, even during Black Friday itself. On Amazon you don’t have access to customers’ carts, but you can work on the causes: competitive price, Prime availability, images and descriptions that resolve doubts.

Phase 5: during and after the event

13. Prepare customer care, reviews and returns

Between Black Friday and Christmas, customer contacts can increase by 200-300%. Prepare standard answers for frequently asked questions, communicate delivery times clearly and respond quickly to requests. Remember that the extended return window closes on 31 January 2027: more orders today means more returns tomorrow, so keep an eye on return reasons and protect yourself from fraudulent behaviour. Monitor reviews too: sales peaks bring feedback peaks, both positive and negative.

14. Follow up with customers after Black Friday and analyse the results

During Black Friday it is possible to sell a large number of products, but the value of a customer grows over time. You can’t just pamper them during the days of the event alone: you need to turn occasional buyers into loyal, long-term customers. Moreover, those who buy on Black Friday are often attracted above all by the discount, so it is worth understanding how many come back to buy at full price.

After the event, thank the customers of your website with a short email, ask for feedback and involve them in a survey on the service they received. Then devote time to analysis:

• compare sales with forecasts and identify the products that performed best and those that disappointed;
• evaluate the ROI of campaigns, keywords and ad formats and document the results for the following year;
• decide what to do with unsold seasonal inventory (promotions, storage until the following year, returns to suppliers), because tied-up capital weighs on cash flow;
• analyse the recurring reasons for returns and negative reviews to solve them before the next season.

What if you decide not to discount? The contrarian strategy

Some brands take advantage of Black Friday… by opposing it! You can consider a communication strategy that reassures customers that you don’t offer discounts during the event because your prices are already the most competitive all year round, or because you don’t want to devalue your products. A well-known example is the #OptOutside campaign launched by the outdoor retailer REI. It is a choice that only works if it is consistent with the brand’s positioning, but it shows that one way or another Black Friday can be turned to your advantage.

The most common mistakes to avoid

• Discounting without knowing the margin: selling a lot at a loss is not a success.
• Arriving late with the goods: inbound deadlines are early and out-of-stock products lose ranking.
• Inflating prices before the event: the 30-day rule makes this practice risky.
• Putting “Black Friday” in the listing title: promotional phrases are not allowed.
• Writing to Amazon customers with promotional emails: it is not permitted through the marketplace.
• Using generic environmental claims: since 27 September 2026 they must be substantiated.
• Not monitoring the event in real time: stock, prices and advertising must be checked every day.
• Forgetting the aftermath: returns, reviews and loyalty matter as much as Friday’s sales.

Frequently asked questions about Black Friday on Amazon

When is Black Friday 2026?

Black Friday 2026 is Friday 27 November. Cyber Monday is Monday 30 November 2026.

Why is it called Black Friday?

The origin is uncertain: a widespread explanation links it to shopkeepers’ accounts moving from red to black, while the first documented use dates back to the early 1960s in Philadelphia, to describe the chaos of the day after Thanksgiving.

When does Black Friday week start on Amazon.it in 2026?

Amazon had not yet announced the dates in mid-October. In 2025 Black Friday Week ran from 20 November to 1 December (about twelve days, until Cyber Monday) and Amazon usually announces the calendar in mid-November. Check Seller Central and the official communications.

Do you need to be a Prime customer to take advantage of the deals?

No. Black Friday deals are open to all customers registered on Amazon. Prime customers do, however, have exclusive benefits, such as, historically, 30-minute early access to Lightning Deals.

What is the difference between Black Friday and Cyber Monday?

Black Friday is the Friday after Thanksgiving (27 November 2026), while Cyber Monday is the following Monday (30 November 2026) and is traditionally linked to online shopping and technology.

By when do I need to send goods to FBA for Black Friday 2026?

The inbound deadline for Black Friday and Cyber Monday was 21 October for the European Union and falls on 28 October for the United Kingdom. Goods arriving later are not guaranteed for the event period: consider FBM for late products.

By when can I submit deals for Black Friday?

Deal submission for the Black Friday and Cyber Monday promotions closes on 18 November. Check the requirements of each format in Seller Central.

Can I send promotional emails to Amazon customers?

No, not through the marketplace: Amazon does not share customers’ email addresses and prohibits marketing communications via buyer-seller messaging. You can, however, write to the customers of your website, with their consent.

How do I know if a discount is worth it?

Calculate the net margin after fees, logistics, peak fees, advertising, promotion costs and returns. A profit analysis tool, such as ZonWizard’s, shows you the real impact before and during the event.

When should I start preparing the strategy?

At least 3-4 weeks before the event for marketing, and if possible 6-8. For logistics deadlines and promotions on Amazon, however, preparation must start as early as the beginning of autumn.

Get to Black Friday knowing how much you really earn

Black Friday is a great opportunity, but only if you know how much you earn on each order. ZonWizard helps you monitor margins, fees and net profit in a single dashboard. Try it free for 30 days, no credit card required.

And you, how are you preparing for Black Friday?