Amazon doubling its Prime Day
Amazon is aiming to kickstart the holiday shopping season early this year.
The company will hold its annual Prime Day over two days in October, after the pandemic forced it to postpone the sales event from July.
It’s the first time Prime Day is being held in the fall, and Amazon is positioning it as a way to get people to start their holiday shopping.
Even before Amazon’s announcement Monday, major retailers have said they plan to push shoppers to start their holiday shopping in October and offer deals earlier, hoping to avoid crowds in their stores in November and December.
Prime Day, which will run Oct. 13 and 14 this year, is sure to put pressure on rivals to offer deals around the same time. In past years, Walmart, Best Buy and Target have offered their own online discounts during Prime Day.
In fact, Target announced Monday it also will hold hold a sale event Oct. 13-14.
Amazon started the sales event in 2015 as its answer to Singles’ Day, a shopping holiday in China popularized by Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba. Prime Day has become one of
Amazon’s biggest shopping days, since it offers some of its deepest discounts of the year.
A National Retail Federation survey released earlier this month found most retailers surveyed expected consumers to begin holiday shopping in October
Retailers have had to re-evaluate their Black Friday sales schedules as they try to adjust to changing customer shopping preferences and keeping their stores safe with holiday crowds.
In anticipation of more shoppers using its contactless services, Target announced last week it would have twice as many workers dedicated to its drive-up and order pickup services during the holidays.
Like Walmart and Best Buy, Target has said it will be closed Thanksgiving Day.