Our First Q4: Black Friday Reality Check, Advent Calendar Hustle, and Scaling for 2026 | Ep 29

In this episode of Marketplace Mavericks, the guys sit down and unpack their very first Q4 as Amazon sellers, from the hype to the actual numbers on the screen. John breaks down how he quietly doubled his business over Black Friday, what actually moved, and why Q4 for wholesale is a completely different animal than Q4 for OA. He talks about running coupons, squeezing margins for higher velocity, and how some wholesalers are locking in seasonal inventory as early as August and September for massive holiday runs. Pete shares how he and his wife went full road warrior in Central Texas, running a 250–mile RA loop through Walmart to scoop up Advent calendars, FBM them, and sell through all 40 units by Black Friday. They dig into why seasonal timing matters, how to read demand in tools like SellerAmp, and why some SKUs only have a 4–6 week window to shine. Blake talks Cyber Monday, seeing more random but giftable items selling, and what a “small bump” looks like when you are still in the early stages of building your catalog. The guys get honest about expectations: coming into Amazon in January, hearing the legends of Q4, and then experiencing the more nuanced reality. From there, they pivot into systems and scaling: - Why John ditched SellerBoard and moved to ConnectBooks + QuickBooks Online - Tracking true SKU level profitability, fees, returns, and cash flow - Using POs, invoices, and shipment linking to get accurate P&Ls - Setting up financial systems now to be ready for serious volume in 2025 and 2026 - Trimming unused software and “cutting the fat” from the tech stack If you are in your first or second Q4, this episode gives a grounded look at what actually happens, how to think about seasonal inventory, and why building systems matters just as much as sourcing. 📧 Have questions or want us to cover a topic on the show? Email us at: [email protected] Interested in joining Miles' program? Put "MM" in your application where it asks how you heard about it so he knows we sent you there! https://www.flips4milescoaching.com/private-inner-circle1709691968056 If you enjoy the episode, hit like, subscribe, and drop a comment with how your Q4 is going so far.