Deal Requirements
- Minimum 3.0 star product rating
- Inventory ready to cover the full promo quantity
- Discount at least 15 percent below the current Buy Box price
- No ineligible categories such as alcohol or gift cards
- Compliance with Amazon’s fee and submission rules detailed here
Submission Timeline and Fees
| Step | Recommended Timing | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Create deal draft in Seller Central | 5 to 6 weeks out | Secure a Prime-time slot before inventory planning |
| Confirm price & quantity | 3 weeks out | Avoid last-minute fee surcharges for edits |
| Ship extra FBA stock | 2 weeks out | Give FCs enough time to check in units |
| Final eligibility check | 3 days out | Ensure rating or Buy Box has not slipped |
Why Run a Lightning Deal
A well-timed flash sale can:
- Boost Best Seller Rank by flooding orders in a short window
- Clear aging inventory without permanent price erosion
- Collect fresh reviews from the surge in unit volume
SellerSonar Tips 🐠
Product Monitoring tracks Buy Box price before and after the event so you know when to raise price back to normal. Combine with Retail Issues Alerts to catch stockouts or suppressed listings that could cancel the deal slot.
Start your free SellerSonar trial and stay alert to every Lightning Deal price swing