How to Add Holidays in Amazon Seller Central: A Step-by-Step Guide to Keep Your Account Running Smoothly

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Okay, let’s get real. If you’re selling on Amazon, you know that holidays can be a total headache. You’ve got orders piling up, customers expecting fast shipping, and maybe you just want to take a day off without ruining your seller metrics. That’s where adding a holiday to your Amazon Seller Central settings comes in. But it’s not as simple as flipping a switch. There are a few different ways to handle holidays depending on whether you’re doing Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) or Fulfilled by Merchant (FBM). Let me break it down for you.

First off, if you’re an FBM seller, you need to set your handling time to account for the holiday. Amazon doesn’t have a one-click “I’m closed for Christmas” button. Instead, you’ll go to Settings > Shipping Settings > Handling Time. You can increase the handling time for a specific date range. For example, if you’re closed on July 4th, set your handling time to 2 days instead of 1 for orders placed around that date. That way, you won’t get dinged for late shipments. But be careful: you have to do this before the holiday, not after. Amazon expects you to plan ahead.

If you’re using Amazon’s Vacation Mode, that’s a different beast. Go to Settings > Account Info > Listing Status, and set it to “Inactive.” This hides all your listings for the duration you choose. No new orders come in, but you won’t lose your inventory or seller rank. Perfect for a longer break. Just remember to set a specific end date so your listings come back automatically. And here’s a pro tip: if you’re doing FBA, Vacation Mode doesn’t affect your FBA sales because Amazon handles the shipping. So you can keep your FBA listings active while putting FBM listings on pause.

Now, for FBA sellers, adding a holiday is more about managing customer expectations. You can’t really “close” your FBA account, but you can set up holiday-specific shipping settings. For example, during Christmas, you can enable “Gift Wrap” options or add a note that shipping may be delayed. Go to Advertising > Gift Options and turn on gift messaging or gift wrap. This makes your offers more attractive during the holiday rush. Also, don’t forget to check your inventory levels. Amazon will send you alerts if you’re low on stock for a holiday like Valentine’s Day. Keep your replenishment up to date.

Another thing people overlook is the FBA Restock Limits. Amazon often increases allowed inventory during peak seasons like Prime Day or Black Friday. So log into your Seller Central and check your “Restock Inventory” page. If you see a “Holiday” tab, that means Amazon has extra storage for you. You can also create a “Holiday Date” in the Shipping Settings for FBM orders – just go to Shipping Settings > Holiday Date. Here you can pick dates like Thanksgiving or New Year’s and set an automated message to buyers that your shop is closed. It’s not a full vacation mode, but it lets customers know why their package might be late.

One more thing – if you’re a global seller, holidays might vary by marketplace. Amazon Seller Central for the US, UK, or Japan all have different country-specific holiday calendars. In the US, you need to account for major ones like Christmas, Thanksgiving, and New Year’s. But also minor ones like Labor Day or Memorial Day. Go to Reports > Holiday Calendar to see which dates Amazon considers as holidays. Amazon automatically adjusts delivery promises for some of these, but not for FBM. So it’s on you to update handling times accordingly.

Let’s talk about a common mistake: forgetting to turn off Vacation Mode. I’ve heard horror stories of sellers going on a two-week break, setting their listings to inactive, but not scheduling an end date. Then they come back and realize their listings have been down for a month, missing the post-holiday sales. Please set a timer or reminder. Also, if you use third-party tools like Trafficwave or eComEngine, make sure they sync with your holiday settings. Some tools override Amazon’s native handling time, so double-check.

Alright, I think I’ve covered the basics. The key takeaway: for FBM, use handling time adjustments or Vacation Mode. For FBA, focus on gift options and inventory management. Always check the holiday calendar and warn customers through your listings or automated messages. And if you’re really stumped, Amazon has a whole Help page called “Holiday Season Tips for Sellers.” It’s worth a read before the next big holiday hits.

Questions related to how to add holiday in Amazon Seller Central

Q: Can I set a holiday for just my FBM listings without affecting FBA?
A: Yes. Vacation Mode hides all your listings, but you can instead go to Shipping Settings and adjust handling times only for your FBM SKUs. Another option is to create a “Holiday Date” under Shipping Settings, which lets you set a message for buyers while keeping your listings active. FBA listings won’t be touched because Amazon handles their shipping.

Q: Does Amazon automatically stop shipping on holidays like Christmas?
A: For FBA, yes. Amazon’s fulfillment centers are closed on major federal holidays (Christmas, Thanksgiving, etc.), so they won’t ship orders on those days. Delivery dates automatically adjust. For FBM, no. You have to manually set handling times or use Vacation Mode to prevent orders from coming in on those days.

Q: How do I add a holiday in European Amazon marketplaces?
A: Go to Settings > Shipping Settings > Holiday Date. Some European marketplaces have separate holiday calendars. For example, Germany has Tag der Arbeit (May Day) and Spanish marketplaces have Epiphany (Jan 6). You can add up to 30 holiday dates per marketplace. Just make sure to switch to the correct marketplace before setting the date.

In summary, adding a holiday in Amazon Seller Central isn’t complicated, but you have to know your fulfillment method. FBM sellers need to manually adjust handling times or use Vacation Mode, while FBA sellers should focus on gift options and inventory. Always plan ahead, check the holiday calendar, and don’t forget to set an end date for any pauses. I hope this article helps you fully understand how to add holiday in Amazon Seller Central. If you have more questions, feel free to contact us.

Public holiday calendar.com Thank you for reading. If you need more tips on managing holidays as an Amazon seller, just drop me a message. Happy selling!