Amazon has set its peak-season timetable for 2025. On September 10, 2025, the company told FBA sellers that inventory must arrive at fulfillment centers by October 30, 2025 to qualify for Black Friday and Cyber Monday and to display the Prime badge. From November 2025, Amazon will prioritize customer orders over inbound tasks, which means slower receiving and potential delays. For sellers, this is a tight window that demands disciplined peak-season logistics planning—especially when shipping from China on ocean LCL or consolidations. (Ship-by ≠ Arrive-by: booking a vessel isn’t enough; the cartons must be received at FCs by the cutoff.)

Meanwhile, parcel carriers across parts of Europe have announced Black Friday shipping surcharges. On September 17, 2025, multiple providers released market-specific fees—these are not EU-wide and vary by country and carrier. Together, the FBA inbound cutoff and rising last-mile costs will shape pricing, margins, and delivery promises for Q4.

What the October 30, 2025 inbound cutoff means

• Exposure and conversion: Inventory that arrives by October 30, 2025 is eligible for Black Friday/Cyber Monday merchandising and Prime. Miss the date and your offers can slip behind faster competitors.
• Receiving slows in November: Amazon shifts resources to outbound orders, so FC processing times extend. Build a buffer into lead times and avoid listing items as “available” before they're actually received.
• Action steps now:

1. Work back from Oct 30. Lock supplier ready-dates, book freight, and confirm cut-offs with your logistics partners this week.
2. Mode by SKU priority. Switch top sellers to air/premium ocean or hybrid; set SKU-level margin thresholds before upgrading mode.
3. Time buffers. For South China ocean LCL, add +7–10 days beyond normal transit for FC receiving in November.
4. Handoff quality. Pre-label, palletize by FC, and transmit ASN early to speed check-in.
5. Offer settings. Update handling/ship times to reflect realistic receiving windows and protect account health.

If you ship from China, coordinate tightly across factory, forwarder, and destination trucking. Global Vertical, a China based freight forwarder can align production schedules, route selection, and FBA delivery timelines when the FBA inbound cutoff is non-negotiable.

Europe's Black Friday parcel surcharges (market-specific)

• Germany: DHL, DPD, GLS, Asendia, and Amazon plan €0.19–€0.50 per parcel during the Black Friday period.
• Austria: Most carriers (except the national Post) indicate seasonal add-ons.
• United Kingdom: Royal Mail and Parcelforce add £0.12 and £0.20 respectively; DPD holds pricing at current levels.
• France: No official changes announced yet.

Seasonal fees have become a fixture since 2019. Even modest add-ons compress margins on discounted items—especially for multi-box shipments or categories with higher return rates. Model scenarios at +€0.50 / +£0.20 to test promo depth before you launch coupons or Lightning Deals.

Pricing and operations playbook

1. Rebuild contribution margins with country-specific surcharges and Q4 ad CPCs; don’t assume last year’s math still works.
2. Prioritize profitable lanes and steer volume toward carriers with stable pricing (e.g., UK DPD this season) or throttle promos where networks run hot.
3. Bundle and right-size packaging to reduce parcel counts without hurting conversion.
4. Set clear delivery expectations in offer copy for surcharge markets; avoid over-promising during peak.

A practical calendar from now to October 30, 2025 (FBA inbound cutoff)

• This week: Finalize POs and book space; lock factory ready-dates; confirm forwarder and FC cut-offs; pre-print labels.
• Next 7–14 days: Launch a first-wave shipment for hero SKUs via faster modes; stage replenishments behind it; transmit ASNs early.
• By late October: Stagger arrivals across FCs to reduce localized backlogs; keep top ASINs “always in stock,” even if via smaller, more frequent replenishments.

Q4 rewards speed, predictability, and cash discipline. The FBA inbound cutoff on October 30, 2025 decides who gets prime exposure over Black Friday/Cyber Monday; country-level Black Friday shipping surcharges will pressure margins just as ad rates climb. Treat peak-season logistics as a P&L lever: secure space early, choose modes by SKU priority, and price with surcharges in mind. If you need end-to-end ship from China to Amazon FBA, Global Vertical can help plan timelines, book reliable capacity, and deliver to FCs on schedule.