Amazon Q4 strategy 2025: Full-funnel tactics to drive more holiday sales

TL;DR

• Shoppers are starting earlier and spending longer, making Q4 2025 a three-month buying window. Visibility and timing matter more than ever.

• Full-funnel marketing is the key to success: build awareness early, drive consideration mid-season, and focus on conversions during peak events.

• Use Sponsored Products, Brands, and Display ads strategically to stay top-of-mind and capture intent across every shopper stage.

• Create Amazon holiday sale product bundles and festive campaigns to boost conversion rates and increase average order value.

• Protect your branded keywords, target competitor gaps, and run remarketing to maintain visibility through the entire season.

• Don’t rely solely on discounts and position premium, gift-ready products to stand out and build long-term brand loyalty.

Did you know? Brands using Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, and Sponsored Display saw a massive 121% surge in units sold during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, far outpacing their category average. 

For Amazon sellers, that number tells a powerful story: the right holiday strategy can turn browsers into buyers and maximize every sale opportunity. The 2025 holiday season is longer, more spread out, and more budget-conscious than ever. Shoppers are planning early, comparing options, and hunting for deals across nearly three months. 

For sellers, staying visible, strategic, and timely is critical for building early awareness and driving consideration to seal conversions with festive offers. This is also the perfect time to plan holiday season deals for Amazon sellers, to capture early shoppers, stand out amid competition, and maximize every sales opportunity.

Discover the trends shaping 2025’s biggest shopping season and the ad strategies that can help your brand cut through the chaos, capture attention, and drive unstoppable holiday sales.

Holiday season shopping trends in the US 

The 2025 holiday season is bringing big changes in shopping behavior. Instead of quick bursts of spending around Black Friday or Cyber Monday, shoppers are spreading their purchases over a longer period. With Thanksgiving arriving late this year (November 27), the biggest sales surge is expected to shift into December, creating a longer and more unpredictable buying window.

Holiday season shopping trends in the US 

Did you know that 14% of U.S. shoppers start their holiday shopping as early as summer, keeping the buying momentum strong all the way through the end of the year? 

For sellers, this means the opportunity to reach customers goes far beyond the traditional sale days. Shoppers will be more budget-conscious, looking for value, deals, and convenience throughout the season. 

To stay competitive, sellers need to keep their ads active, stock levels steady, and offers attractive from early November through the end of the year. Consistent visibility and smart planning will be key to capturing attention and driving sales. The brands that plan early and stay active longer will win big this holiday season.

Seasonal shopping behavior changes during the holidays

During the holiday season, consumer behavior shifts dramatically, and sellers who understand this change can capture more sales. 

From October to December, shoppers move from casual browsing to purpose-driven buying. Their focus turns to finding the best deals, meaningful gifts, and fast delivery, creating a sense of urgency that drives quicker decisions.

Unlike the rest of the year, when shopping feels routine and research-heavy, the holidays spark emotional, festive purchases fueled by limited-time offers and gifting needs. Shoppers are also more influenced by promotions, gift ideas, and shipping deadlines than by just product features or ratings.

For sellers, this means ads, listings, and creatives must feel fresh, seasonal, and time-sensitive. Regular updates, even weekly, help maintain visibility in a crowded market. Every detail, from visuals to messaging, matters more than ever. 

In short, preparing for peak season on Amazon is key to standing out, connecting emotionally, and converting intent into sales.

Full-funnel holiday marketing strategies for sellers 

For Amazon sellers, full-funnel marketing is a powerful way to reach customers at every stage of their shopping journey, not just at the point of purchase. Instead of focusing only on quick conversions, this strategy builds awareness, nurtures interest, and drives repeat sales.

Three pillars of the full-funnel marketing 

During the busy Q4 holiday season, when competition is fierce and shoppers are exploring multiple options, a full-funnel approach helps your brand stay visible and top of mind from the first ad impression to the final checkout. 

It allows sellers to attract new audiences, re-engage interested shoppers, and convert them with timely offers and trust-building messages. By reaching shoppers at every stage of their journey, sellers can guide them from discovery to purchase more efficiently. 

This approach helps drive high-intent traffic to conversion-focused ads, ensuring your budget works harder and delivers better results. Instead of chasing one-time clicks, full-funnel marketing helps attract the right audience, build trust, and convert interest into lasting sales.

For Amazon sellers, adopting a full-funnel strategy during the holiday Q4 season can significantly boost visibility, engagement, and sales by targeting shoppers at every stage: awareness, consideration, and conversion.

Here’s the winning strategy to make the most of your Q4 holiday sales:

#1 Lead-in phase

• The strategy begins with the lead-in phase (October to early November). At this stage, the goal is to build awareness and capture early holiday interest. 

• Sellers can leverage holiday-themed visuals and creative messaging to introduce products and spark curiosity among potential buyers. 

• Eye-catching graphics and festive campaigns help position your brand at the forefront before the holiday rush begins.

#2 During the event phase

• Next comes the holiday season phase (November to December). Here, the focus shifts to driving action and conversions. 

• High-intent shoppers are looking for deals and gifts, so sellers should use promotions and eye-catching creatives tailored to holiday needs, such as “Gift for Him/Her” or “Holiday Travel Gadgets.” 

• This phase is critical for capturing peak-season sales and ensuring your products stand out amid fierce competition.

#3 Lead-out phase

• It is for the (late December to New Year) targets, browsing shoppers, and post-holiday opportunities. Messaging like “New Year, New You” can engage those still looking for deals, late gifts, or personal purchases. 

• Sellers who maintain visibility during this phase can convert last-minute shoppers and even encourage early repeat purchases for the new year.

How to get started with full-funnel marketing? 

For Amazon sellers, it’s important to remember that holiday shoppers don’t make impulse purchases out of the blue. They spend time discovering, researching, and shortlisting products and brands, sometimes adding items to their cart well before sales begin. These are the products they return to when deals go live and quick decisions need to be made.

#1 Get on shoppers’ holiday radar

The awareness stage is all about getting your brand noticed early in the busy holiday season. Shoppers are bombarded with ads, gift guides, and influencer picks, so standing out is key. Effective awareness campaigns help your products make it onto shoppers’ shortlists, wishlists, or carts, setting the stage for future purchases.

What to do: 

• Sponsored Brands with broad, seasonal keywords to reach new audiences and Sponsored Display campaigns to target shoppers browsing similar items. 

• Updating your Brand Store with holiday-themed collections, gift guides, and festive visuals can also make your products more appealing and memorable.

By capturing attention early, Amazon sellers build trust and keep their brand top-of-mind when shoppers are ready to make buying decisions. Awareness campaigns aren’t just about impressions; they’re about earning a spot on the shopper’s list, and ensuring your products are considered when the holiday shopping momentum peaks.

#2 Consideration: Stay top of mind

The consideration stage is when shoppers revisit their shortlists and start comparing products. This is your chance to showcase why your brand stands out. High-quality product detail pages, optimized Brand Stores, and compelling Sponsored Brands ads help reinforce your value and keep shoppers engaged.

What to do: 

• Sellers can create Sponsored Brands video ads to highlight key product benefits directly in search results, making it easier for buyers to see why your product is the right choice. 

• Meanwhile, product listing optimization with fresh images, clear bullet points, and A+ content ensures shoppers have all the information they need to make confident decisions without any extra advertising cost.

By focusing on consideration, Amazon sellers can turn interest into intent, making sure their products remain in the running when shoppers are ready to purchase. This stage is about building trust, clarifying value, and keeping your brand top of mind during the holiday buying journey.

#3 Conversion: Seal the sale

For Amazon sellers, the conversion stage is where all your preparation pays off. By the time Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the final holiday shopping weeks arrive, shoppers have already shortlisted your products. Now it’s time to turn intent into purchase.

What to do: 

• Using Sponsored Products campaigns focused on top-performing keywords and bestsellers ensures your items appear when buyers are ready to act. 

• Pair this with time-sensitive offers, such as Lightning Deals, Coupons, or limited-time discounts, to create urgency and encourage immediate purchases.

• For best results, ensure your listings feature engaging bullet points and accurate pricing. Use Amazon A+ content examples to improve your listing and create a more engaging, trustworthy shopping experience.

For sellers, the key is strategic visibility combined with irresistible offers, guiding shoppers from consideration to checkout seamlessly. Properly executed, this final stage of the full-funnel strategy maximizes sales, moves inventory, and strengthens your brand’s presence during the holiday peak. 

Thus, incorporating Amazon holiday sale product bundles at this point can further enhance conversion rates, as shoppers are more likely to purchase curated sets that offer better value and convenience

#4 Maximize your brand’s presence on Amazon

During the holiday season, shoppers are bombarded with countless deals and ads, which means even loyal customers can get distracted. For Amazon sellers, maintaining a consistent branded presence is key to building trust and encouraging repeat purchases.

What to do: 

• Run exact-match branded keywords with competitive bids across multiple ad solutions.

• Boost visibility by placing Sponsored Products ads at the top of search results and ensure your products appear prominently when shoppers are browsing.

• Use Sponsored Display remarketing to re-engage shoppers who have previously viewed your products, reminding them of your brand.

By reinforcing your presence throughout the holiday season, sellers can protect their audience from competitor distractions, nurture trust, and maximize conversions during peak shopping periods.

#5 Protect your branded terms on Amazon

During the holiday rush, competitors may bid on your branded keywords, risking visibility and potential sales. For Amazon sellers, running dedicated branded campaigns ensures your products stay top-of-mind and maintain a strong presence when shoppers search for your brand.

What to do: 

• Set up separate campaigns for branded terms and use bid modifiers to secure prime placements at the top of shopping results. 

• Protect your campaigns further by using negative targeting, adding irrelevant terms or competitor products as negative keywords, which prevents your non-branded campaigns from competing against your own branded ads.

This approach helps sellers defend high-converting branded searches, maintain consistent visibility, and capture holiday shoppers before competitors can divert their attention, ultimately boosting conversions and safeguarding your brand’s performance during the busiest season of the year.

#6 Capture opportunities competitors miss on Amazon

During the holiday season, gaps in inventory, slow shipping, or higher prices from competitors create a prime opportunity for Amazon sellers. By positioning your products strategically, you can meet shopper needs where other brands fall short and become the reliable alternative.

What to do: 

• Leverage Sponsored Products and Sponsored Display ads to target similar items with slower delivery, higher prices, or fewer reviews. 

• Monitor products that go out of stock or end deals, and increase bids on these opportunities to capture attention from ready-to-buy shoppers.

This approach allows sellers to capitalize on competitor weaknesses, drive visibility, and attract high-intent buyers during the busiest shopping period. Staying proactive ensures your brand captures sales that might otherwise go elsewhere.

#7 Highlight premium products

Not every product needs a discount to succeed during the holidays. For Amazon sellers, positioning no-deal items as premium or seasonal choices can attract shoppers looking for high-quality, distinctive gifts.

What to do: 

• Showcase your products with Sponsored Brands video ads to highlight craftsmanship, quality, and unique features, creating an emotional connection with buyers. 

• Consider launching seasonal bundles or curated gift sets that feel thoughtfully selected for holiday celebrations.

This strategy helps sellers stand out from discount-driven competition, appeal to buyers seeking special or luxury items, and reinforce brand value. By emphasizing quality and differentiation, you can capture a segment of shoppers willing to pay for premium experiences, driving both conversions and long-term brand loyalty during the holiday season.

Final insights

The holiday season is the perfect chance to make your brand shine on Amazon. By kicking off early, engaging buyers with festive offers, and showcasing the best holiday deals on Amazon, you’ll be ahead of the competition. 

As the season progresses, don’t overlook the surge in last-minute holiday shopping on Amazon, where timely offers and strong visibility can drive powerful conversions. Protect your brand, capture opportunities others miss, and emphasize quality to stand out. With our Amazon e-commerce consultant, this holiday season can be your best one yet, driving both immediate sales and long-term growth.