What Amazon Outlet Is
Amazon Outlet is a section of the marketplace featuring discounted products that Amazon wants to help move — typically overstock or slow-moving inventory. If you have FBA inventory that is ageing and approaching long-term storage fee thresholds, Amazon may suggest listing it in Outlet at a reduced price. This gives your products extra visibility and helps you clear stock before expensive storage fees kick in.
Amazon Deals Explained
Amazon offers several types of deals: Lightning Deals, Best Deals, and Deal of the Day. Lightning Deals run for a limited time (usually a few hours) with a limited quantity at a discounted price. Best Deals run for up to two weeks. Deal of the Day is a 24-hour promotion featured prominently on the Deals page.
All deals require a meaningful discount from your recent selling price. Amazon sets the maximum deal price, and you must be willing to sell at that price. There is usually a fee for running a Lightning Deal, which varies by time of year — Q4 fees are significantly higher.
Eligibility Requirements
To run deals, your products generally need a minimum review rating (typically 3.5 stars or above), a sales history on Amazon, and FBA fulfilment. Products must also be Prime eligible. Amazon reviews deal submissions and may reject products that do not meet their criteria or where the proposed discount is not compelling enough.
Not all sellers are eligible to run deals — you typically need a Professional selling account and a track record on the platform. Amazon invites some sellers to participate in specific deal programmes based on their product performance.
Are Deals Worth the Cost?
The answer depends on your goals. If you need to move inventory quickly — perhaps before long-term storage fees apply or to free up capital for new stock — deals can be very effective. The increased visibility drives sales volume that would take much longer to achieve at full price.
However, if your product already sells well at its current price, the deal fee plus the discounted selling price might not generate a better return than simply selling normally. Run the numbers before committing — calculate your profit per unit at the deal price minus the deal fee and compare it to your normal profit over the same period.
Making Deals Work for You
Time your deals strategically. Running a deal before a peak selling period can boost your product's sales rank and reviews, setting you up for stronger organic sales during the peak. Avoid running deals during the most expensive periods unless the volume justifies the higher fees.
Make sure you have enough stock to cover the deal quantity. Running out of stock during a deal wastes the opportunity and can negatively affect your listing's performance. Plan your inventory accordingly and set realistic deal quantities based on your stock levels.