As the Spring Festival approaches, domestic sellers are eager to return home for family reunions. However, for Amazon cross-border e-commerce sellers, this holiday period presents unique challenges. Overseas markets don't observe the Spring Festival holiday, meaning store operations must continue uninterrupted.
I. Amazon's "Vacation Mode": Pausing Your Store While Protecting Rankings
1. What Is Amazon's Vacation Mode?
Amazon's vacation mode is a platform feature that allows sellers to temporarily suspend product listings during special circumstances like the Spring Festival. Importantly, this mode doesn't close your store but rather pauses your account's selling functionality. During this period, buyers cannot purchase your products, helping you avoid negative feedback due to delayed shipments.
2. How to Activate Vacation Mode
The activation process is straightforward:
- Step 1: Log in to Amazon Seller Central and navigate to [Settings] > [Account Info]
- Step 2: Under [Seller Account Information], locate [Listing Status] and click [Vacation Settings], changing the status to [Inactive]
- Step 3: After the holiday, reactivate all listings by setting them to [Active] status
3. Pros and Cons of Vacation Mode
While vacation mode prevents losses from unfulfilled orders, it's important to note that activating this feature can impact your product rankings and traffic . Listings will experience ranking drops during suspension and require recovery time after reactivation. Sellers should carefully weigh these factors before deciding.
II. Different Fulfillment Methods Require Different Strategies
Amazon sellers primarily use either FBM (Merchant Fulfilled) or FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) methods, each requiring distinct approaches during the holiday period.
1. FBM Sellers: Flexible Adjustments to Minimize Losses
FBM sellers face greater operational pressures during the Spring Festival:
- Pause advertising campaigns to reduce unnecessary expenses
- For stores with low FBM order volume , consider activating vacation mode
- For stores with significant FBM orders , implement a pre-order system with extended shipping times, clearly communicating expected delivery dates to customers
2. FBA Sellers: Maintain Sales With Proper Inventory Management
Important note: Amazon's vacation mode only affects FBM sellers . FBA products remain available even when vacation mode is activated. Therefore, FBA sellers should:
- With sufficient inventory , maintain normal operations with staff coverage for daily management
- For limited inventory , consider raising prices to both increase profits and slow sales velocity
III. Critical Pre-Holiday Preparations
Regardless of your chosen strategy, these preparatory steps are essential:
1. Advance Listing Adjustments
Modify listing status at least two days before your holiday begins to allow time for processing pending orders.
2. Set Up Automated Responses
Prepare automated reply templates informing customers of your holiday schedule and apologizing for potential delays. Timely communication maintains account health.
3. Complete All Pending Orders
Ensure all outstanding orders are fulfilled before activating vacation mode to prevent negative feedback from shipping delays.
4. Strategic Price Adjustments
Consider increasing FBA product prices to naturally reduce order volume while boosting profit margins during the reduced-capacity period.
IV. Maintaining Operations During the Holiday
1. Customer Communication
Continue responding to buyer messages within 24 hours, even during vacation mode, to preserve customer relationships.
2. Device Security
Use consistent devices for store monitoring to avoid triggering Amazon's security protocols. When accessing your account from personal computers, use private networks rather than public WiFi to prevent association issues.
V. Contingency Planning
Develop comprehensive emergency plans, potentially including arrangements with reliable third-party services for order processing and customer communication during critical situations. Stay informed about platform policy changes that may require operational adjustments.
The Spring Festival represents both a time for family celebration and a period of unique challenges and opportunities for cross-border e-commerce sellers. With proper planning and execution, sellers can enjoy the holiday while maintaining business continuity and potentially capitalizing on seasonal sales opportunities.