The fourth quarter brings the most demand of the year and the most ways to lose margin. Peak fulfilment fees, deal fees, higher advertising costs and stock that arrives a week too late can turn a strong quarter into a weak one.
Know the calendar
- Peak fees. Amazon's festive peak-fee period for selected UK and German FBA orders runs from 15 October 2026 to 14 January 2027, on top of the existing fulfilment surcharge.
- Arrival deadlines. Amazon publishes warehouse-arrival dates for Black Friday deal eligibility, around 21 October for the EU stores and 28 October for the UK. These are arrival dates, not dispatch dates, so we plan production and freight backwards from them.
Margin-first promotions
Every deal starts with one question: does it pay after all costs? Before a promotion is submitted, we calculate the contribution margin at the deal price, including deal fees, peak fulfilment fees and the expected advertising cost. Promotions that fall below the agreed floor are not submitted, however attractive the extra volume looks.
- Choose the products. Promote products with healthy margin and enough stock to last through the event and beyond.
- Stack carefully. Coupons, deals and price discounts can combine in ways that are hard to see. We check the final customer price, not each discount alone.
- Advertise with the deal. Bids rise when conversion rises; budgets are set in advance so a good day does not run out at noon.
After the peak
The quarter is judged in January, not on Black Friday: profit after returns, and how much stock is left. A promotion that clears stock profitably is a success; one that sells a lot and leaves the margin behind is not.