Every year, September brings a familiar challenge for Amazon sellers: a noticeable slowdown in sales. It’s not because demand disappears or customers suddenly lose interest. The real reason lies in how buyers behave when a major sales event—like October’s Prime Big Deal Days—is right around the corner.
This shift in behavior is important for sellers to understand. If you mistake September’s quietness as a sign of weakness, you might pull back on strategy at the exact moment when preparation matters most.
Why September Feels Slower
Shoppers today are more strategic than ever. They know that Prime Day, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday come with steep discounts. When Amazon announced its fall Prime Day in October, customers learned to “wait it out” rather than buy in September.
Here’s what typically happens:
- Shoppers shop around, browse, and put items on wishlists.
- Conversion rates decrease as consumers wait for deals.
- Ads can get more impressions but fewer click-throughs because consumers are in shop mode, not buy mode.
It doesn’t mean your products aren’t sexy. It means just that consumers are holding out, saving their dollars for when they believe that they’ll get the best return.
How Sellers Can Use September Wisely
Rather than pursuing aggressive sales in this slower month, September can be viewed as a foundation-laying period for sellers. It’s the time to get your positioning strong so that when Prime Day happens, listings are optimized, visible, and ready to convert.
Optimize Listings for Peak Visibility
September is ideal for polishing titles, bullets, descriptions, and images. An optimized listing now puts you in front of customers when they’re ready to buy in October.
Run Strategic Ads to Research Audiences
Rather than driving conversions, prioritize awareness and retargeting. Capture browsing traffic in September to remarket to the same shoppers when they’re ready to buy in Prime Day.
Test and Collect Data
Use September to test keywords, creatives, and bid strategies. The data you gather can inform a better-performing, higher-ROI campaign in October.
Maintain Inventory and Logistics
Nothing destroys momentum like out-of-stocks. September provides wiggle room to inspect your supply chain and ensure your inventory is prepared to manage October’s surge.
Personally, I see September less as a “slow month” and more as a strategic month. Traffic doesn’t disappear—it shifts in intent. Shoppers are still there, browsing and researching. If you focus on nurturing those pre-purchase behaviors, you’re essentially building your October customer base in advance.
The mistake many sellers make is scaling back too hard in September. Yes, sales might look weaker, but the groundwork you lay now determines whether October becomes your biggest month or a missed opportunity.
Final Thoughts
September is no longer about chasing short-term wins. It’s about preparing for the long game. With Prime Big Deal Days landing in October, customers are in “wait-and-see” mode—but that doesn’t mean you should be passive.
The smartest sellers will use this time to optimize, test, and build awareness. When October arrives, those same browsers will return as buyers—and the brands who prepared will be the ones cashing in.
