How to Liquidate Excess Inventory After the Amazon Holiday Rush

Time to offload excess inventory and boost your business. Here are some tips to liquidate excess inventory. Discover Junglytics, the ultimate Amazon data solution for goal-focused sellers.

Isiah Kurz

January 14, 2024

The holidays are over, and you're left with a mountain of unsold merchandise. Maybe this is because you over-estimated the demand for your products, or maybe you were playing it safe ensuring enough inventory was on hand to satisfy customers. No matter what the case may be, you are eager to liquidate excess inventory. This is a good strategy because paying for storage can be expensive—and it’d be nice to reinvest some of that capital into other areas of your business.

So, how can Amazon sellers move post-holiday inventory? Here are several strategies you can use to quickly and effectively liquidate your excess holiday inventory on Amazon.

Slash Amazon Product Prices for a Quick Sell

The first suggestion is the most obvious. Simply offer deep discounts to shoppers in hopes of motivating sales. Some Amazon businesses even sell goods at cost to clear out stubborn inventory. For this latter group, the goal is not to turn a profit per se—but to liquidate merchandise quickly so they can reinvest in other products, advertising efforts, and various business activities. It’s all about recapturing invested capital and freeing up space for new opportunities.

A Junglytics data analytics dashboard showing FBA inventory by product line.

Another good strategy is to attract bargain shoppers. Fortunately, Amazon has lots of customers who appreciate discovering hot deals. Consider offering coupons and promotions to entice bargain hunters. Lightning deals and BOGO are similarly useful.

More patient Amazon sellers might take advantage of Prime Day. This is a great opportunity to piggyback on existing hype and move inventory. But since Prime Day usually takes place in July, it can be too far out for some Amazon sellers. So, make the right decision for your business.

Turning Bargain Buyers into Brand Advocates

While slashing prices or running promotions can certainly lead to a quick sale, encouraging reviews from at-cost customers can offer lasting benefits beyond just clearing inventory. For example, Amazon sellers can incentivize buyers to share their experiences—this is a powerful strategy for boosting your brand and product discoverability on Amazon.

A line graph showing the percentage of organic sales.

Offer early access to new products, exclusive discounts on future purchases, or entry into prize draws in exchange for well-written, informative reviews. You can even highlight this "reviewer incentive program" within your product descriptions or packaging, further encouraging participation.

These genuine customer voices will not only add social proof and build trust amongst potential buyers—but also push your products higher in search rankings and organic recommendations, attracting a wider audience organically.

Remember, satisfied at-cost customers can actually become your most loyal brand advocates, amplifying your reach and driving long-term growth.

So, while a quick sell is tempting, consider leveraging the power of reviews to establish a strong foothold on Amazon and pave the way for sustainable success.

Sell in Bulk to Discount Retailers

Have you ever tried partnering with wholesalers? If you have a large quantity of unsold items, consider selling them in bulk to discount retailers.

The upside is that businesses like TJMaxx can help you offload inventory without guarantees or contracts. That makes the whole process fairly easy.

The downside is that these discount retailers usually buy at a low price. This is their strategy for turning a small profit on the goods they purchase from you. But still, it’s a tried and true strategy for a reason.

Optimize Your Amazon Product Listings for Increased Visibility

Sometimes all you need to move product is to reframe your offerings. Try rethinking your target audience.

Maybe you were selling holiday dinnerware in November and December. Now looking at all the plates, silverware, and glasses in your inventory, you spark a new idea: Budget dishware for college grads or giftable silverware for newlyweds. The whole point is to attract a new market at a lower price point. Use keyword research tools to help justify your assumptions about possible search terms.

Another option is to consolidate your slow-selling products under a more successful parent ASIN. This makes it easier for customers to find related products under one offering. Benefits include boosted visibility, a perceived increase in value for shoppers, and a potential competitive edge over other sellers.

A stacked bar graph from Junglytics showing units sold by ASIN.

Utilize Amazon's Retargeting Feature

Here are two Amazon seller tools you should look into: Customer retargeting emails and virtual bundles.

To retarget repeat customers, use Amazon's email marketing tool to target past buyers with relevant product recommendations. This puts your leftover inventory in front of a receptive audience who may be more likely to convert. How? In your Amazon account go to Brands, Customer Engagement, and Create a Campaign. From here, you can select an audience and campaign to get the goods moving.

Sellers can retarget past customers with specific campaigns inside of Amazon Seller Central.

Junglytics: Customizable Amazon Business Analytics for Sellers

It’s fairly easy to overestimate or underestimate the inventory you’ll need for the holidays (or really any season). But that’s hardly the only thing Amazon sellers need to think about. Advertising, profits, margins, historical data, and so much more are on our minds—which is why Amazon business analytics tools like Junglytics make all the difference.

Junglytics is the perfect Amazon data solution for goal-focused sellers.

Thanks to Junglytics, Amazon businesses and agencies can track 40+ metrics spanning all the vital KPIs sellers need to succeed.

Historical data is especially important for determining future goals. And since Junglytics stores data for 4 years (compared to just 2 years in Amazon Seller Central), sellers can make informed decisions based on FBA inventory, units sold, profits, and more.

Explore historical data in customizable dashboards.

Time to Offload Your Excess Inventory

When it comes to post-holiday liquidation, don't be afraid to experiment with different strategies to find what works best for your specific inventory and target audience. By taking action, you can quickly liquidate your excess holiday inventory and free up resources for the new year ahead.

In search of more Amazon seller tips? Read our blog or follow us on LinkedIn.

Need an Amazon business analytics tool to help you succeed as a seller? Request a demo today.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Isiah Kurz

Isiah is an experienced content writer with more than a decade of experience in journalism, public relations, and marketing.

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