Black Friday and Cyber Monday represent the peak of Amazon’s annual traffic and conversions, making them a critical battleground for brands to boost sales and capture market share. However, enrollment fees have been rising wave after wave, leaving small and medium-sized sellers facing higher costs and stricter compliance risks. Under this dual pressure, choosing the right promotion type and maximizing ROI has become a core challenge.
This article will break down Amazon’s four major Black Friday promotion types and analyze fee trends to help sellers find more cost-effective participation strategies. At the same time, with ZiBird’s secure multi-account management and dedicated residential e-commerce network, sellers can ensure stable operations and safe growth during the Black Friday peak season.
What is Amazon Black Friday Deals?
Amazon Black Friday Deals are one of the biggest annual shopping events, where Amazon offers massive discounts and promotions during Black Friday. Typical formats include Lightning Deals, Coupons, Best Deals, and Prime Exclusive Discounts, covering almost every product category.
For Amazon sellers, Black Friday is not only a window to capture traffic, but also a crucial battleground to gain market share and boost product rankings.
Amazon Black Friday 2025 Schedule
Knowing the key dates is the first step in preparing for the shopping season.
- Amazon Black Friday 2024: November 29
- Cyber Monday 2024: December 2
- 2024 Event Duration: November 29 – December 2 (4 days)
- Amazon Black Friday 2025: November 28 (the Friday after Thanksgiving)
- 2025 Event Duration: Expected to last 4–7 days, with some platforms extending into early December.
Amazon Black Friday Fees Double in 2025
On August 15, 2025, Amazon announced new rules for holiday season promotions. Eligible promotion types include Best Deals (BD), Lightning Deals (LD), Prime Exclusive Discounts (PED), and Coupons.
The most striking change is the Prime Exclusive Discounts fee, which has increased from $100 (Prime Day) to $245 per promotion for Black Friday/Cyber Monday — a 2x jump.
Fee Policy Evolution
Amazon’s promotion enrollment fees have been going through wave after wave of “price hikes,” leaving sellers under mounting cost pressure.
Aug 2024: First time charging $50 per Prime Exclusive Discount event (up to 500 ASINs).
Jul 2025: Fee doubled to $100 for Prime Day promotions.
Aug 2025: Fee doubled again to $245 for Black Friday/Cyber Monday, hitting a historic high.
Seller Challenges
Cost burden: 20 promotions now cost $4,900 vs. only $1,000 last year.
Rising seasonal costs: FBA storage and shipping fees spike during Q4, squeezing margins.
ROI uncertainty: Intense competition may lead to losses despite heavy investment.
Larger sellers can absorb the cost by spreading it across many ASINs and leveraging high discounts to push category rankings. Small and medium sellers, however, are more vulnerable and may be forced out of competition.
Why is Amazon Increasing Fees?
Profit-driven: Amazon’s strategy is shifting from growth to profitability.
Traffic scarcity: Higher fees limit participation, reserving ad slots for stronger sellers.
Event quality control: Ensures only high-quality promotions make it into the spotlight.
How to Prepare for Amazon Black Friday?
Key Deadlines
Best Deals & Lightning Deals submission deadline: October 28
Prime Exclusive Discounts submission opens: September 10
FBA Deadlines:
AWD: October 9
Minimum FBA shipments: October 20
Optimized split shipments: October 30
Promotion Types
Best Deals (Z Deals): Premium exposure, ≥15% discount, $1,000/ASIN
Lightning Deals: 12-hour flash sale, ≥20% discount, $500/event
Prime Exclusive Discounts (PED): ≥15% discount, $245/event (Black Friday)
Coupons: ≥5% discount, $5 per coupon + 2.5% sales commission
Practical Tips
Inventory planning: Avoid stockouts or excess.
Promotion mix: Choose based on profit margins and product positioning.
Early submission: Secure premium slots before deadlines.
Listing optimization: Update keywords, images, and A+ content for higher conversions.
Safeguard with ZiBird
Black Friday brings a surge in traffic but also stricter Amazon account scrutiny. ZiBird helps sellers reduce risk with:
- Isolated browser profiles: Each store runs independently, preventing account linkage.
- Dedicated residential e-commerce netwoke: Clean, compliant IPs optimized for Amazon’s rules.
- Dual storage (local + cloud): Protects against tampering and data loss.
- Team collaboration tools: Seamless account switching and shared login states.
Conclusion: How Sellers Can Survive Black Friday 2025
Amazon Black Friday 2025 is shaping up to be the most expensive yet. While sellers cry “daylight robbery,” the traffic opportunity is undeniable.
Large sellers: Spread costs, focus on ROI, dominate rankings.
SMBs: Selectively participate, emphasize year-round promotions.
All sellers: Protect accounts with ZiBird, ensuring stable and safe operations.
Black Friday is not only about price — it’s about execution + security.Start using ZiBird to make your Black Friday operations safer and more efficient.