A step-by-step guide to maximising Q4 sales with smart inventory, pricing, and advertising

If you sell on Amazon, you already know that Q4 can make or break your year. The final stretch brings a rush of demand, but also chaos. Stock moves faster, ad costs shoot up, and your competitors suddenly seem to be everywhere at once.

The truth is, it’s not the brands that spend the most who usually win. It’s the ones that plan properly.

Getting Q4 right means more than ordering extra stock or bumping up bids. It’s about thinking ahead, understanding what shoppers are likely to do, how the marketplace will behave, and how to protect your margins while still going after growth.

Here’s a practical, step-by-step way to get through it all without losing sales.

Step 1: Nail your inventory forecast

You can’t sell what you don’t have. It may seem obvious, but stock-outs in peak season do more than just stop sales; they can seriously impact your product ranking.

The best operators plan for scenarios, not just a single forecast. Look at last year’s velocity, what’s trending in your category, and any early signals like changes in search volume. From there, build a few versions of your plan — a best-case scenario, a worst-case scenario, etc.

Always leave yourself a little breathing room. If you sell via Amazon FBA, keep an eye on restock limits and delivery times. And if you’re worried about keeping pace, splitting your stock between Amazon and a 3PL can save you from disaster later on.

Step 2: Be clever about pricing

Q4 is full of shoppers looking for a deal, but slashing prices across the board can backfire fast. You want to stay competitive, yes, but not at the expense of your profit.

Start by mapping your promo calendar to the key dates and your competitors’ activity. You’ll want to know when to go in strong and when to hold your position. Then, use your margin data to draw a line. Ask yourself, what’s the lowest you’re willing to go without hurting yourself?

Remember, prices can move by the hour during big events like Black Friday. Have your rules in place beforehand, such as when to match, when to walk away, and when to double down. That bit of preparation keeps you nimble when everyone else is scrambling.

Step 3: Spend on ads with purpose

Advertising gets messy in Q4. Costs per click climb, competition for keywords intensifies, and you can burn through budget frighteningly fast if you’re not careful.

The goal isn’t to spend more than everyone else but to spend intentionally. Outsmart rather than outspend. Put your money behind products that are well-stocked and deliver healthy margins. Pull back on lines where you’re running low or barely breaking even.

Early in the quarter, broader awareness campaigns can help build momentum. But once you hit peak season, you’ll get far better returns focusing on high-intent keywords that convert quickly. Sponsored Brands and Amazon DSP campaigns still have their place, but they need a sharp strategy.

Step 4: Get your stock, pricing and ads talking to each other

A lot of brands treat inventory, pricing, and advertising as three separate jobs. That’s usually where things start to fall apart.

These levers depend on each other. Push ads hard on an item with limited stock, and you’ll sell out halfway through the event. Drop prices without checking your ad spend, and you might shift more units but end up with nothing to show for it.

The best teams link everything together. If you’ve got plenty of stock, go heavier on ads and promotions. If margins are thin, focus your budget elsewhere. It’s a balancing act, but when it’s done properly, you end up driving profit, not just sales.

Step 5: Keep a close eye on the dashboard

Even the most detailed plan won’t survive December unchanged. Search trends move fast, competitors undercut prices, and supply chains throw surprises at you when you least expect it.

That’s why you need live visibility – a simple dashboard that tracks sales, stock levels, ad performance and competitor activity in one place. When you can see what’s happening in real time, you can adjust pricing, shift ad spend, or pause promotions before they cause trouble.

The brands that win in Q4 aren’t the ones with the flashiest campaigns, but the ones who react quickly and make smart tweaks on the fly. It’s about protecting your margins while taking advantage of the rush. Forecast carefully, price with intent, spend your ad budget wisely, and stay alert to what’s happening day to day, and you’ll come out ahead and in better shape for the new year.