How to Prepare for Amazon Prime Day, Walmart Plus Week & Target Circle Week in 2024
April 30, 2024
Calling all those who sell online! It’s time to get moving–the biggest week of e-commerce is near, and you need to start preparing. We’re talking about Prime Day, Walmart Plus Week, and Circle Week–the days-long sales bonanza that all occur at the same time each summer. By now, most deadlines for submitting deals have already passed, but there is still time to get your strategy buttoned up and ready. This first post in our e-commerce summer sales series will give you a place to start.
Key Takeaways
Amazon Prime Day, Walmart Plus Week, and Target Circle Week are all touching down at the same time this summer, and it’s time to prepare for all three. While this can seem daunting, each presents an opportunity for sellers to increase visibility and sales. Refining your strategy, analyzing your inventory, offering standout offers, and following the above best practices will help you stand out in the crowd.
Sale Logistics
In years past, Amazon ruled the e-commerce playground during the second week of July with its record-breaking Prime Day event. In recent years, however, marketplaces like Walmart and Target have thrown their own major sales events at the same time to push the competition.
Amazon Prime Day
What? Amazon’s biggest sale of the year.
When? Usually two days in mid-July (July 12-13 in 2023). 2024 dates have yet to be announced–follow us on LinkedIn to stay tuned.
Who? Prime members only.
Walmart Plus Week
What? One of Walmart’s biggest sales of the year.
When? Three days that overlap with Prime Day – 2024 dates will likely be announced right after Amazon announces when their Prime Day sale will take place.
Who? Everyone, but Walmart Plus members get early access to deals the day before.
Target Circle Week
What? Target offers week-long sales events multiple times throughout the year, with one overlapping Prime Day and Walmart Plus Week.
When? A week in the summer during the other sales events (2024 dates TBD).
Who? Target Circle members, a loyalty program that is free to join!
How to Prepare
- Optimize your content and get your deals ready. Note: You can create Amazon Prime exclusive discounts at any time before or during the event if it meets eligibility requirements.
- Make sure your stock will be the same across marketplaces. If you expect high sales volume, prioritizing fulfillment and prompt deliveries is crucial. Amazon’s FBA inventory cut-off is June 20th, so make sure your inventory arrives at fulfillment centers by then.
- Account for same-day pickup. Remember that customers might flock to Walmart and Target over Amazon because they can get their orders faster using same-day pickup.
Your approach to each marketplace should essentially stay the same, with some nuances:
- Either offer the same deals or feature different products across marketplaces. If this practice isn’t followed, you risk getting your listings shut down or rolling the buy box.
- Differ your promotion strategy for each marketplace.
- Consider how your customers’ shopping behaviors vary between marketplaces. What your Amazon customers are shopping for might be different from your Target customers’ shopping habits. Make sure your content speaks to these different audiences.
Macarta is Here to Help
If you are looking for additional support during these major sales events, our team at Macarta is here to help. We are a multinational full-service marketplace agency specializing in retail media to drive growth and sustained success for our brand partners. Reach out to us here, and let’s get started!
Stay tuned for the next piece in this series, which will go into greater detail about how to prepare for Target’s summer Circle Week.