Prime Day poached by Amazon foes

NEW YORK — The gravitational pull of Amazon Prime Day is so strong on shoppers that it’s benefiting other retailers as well, according to an early analysis from a key data group.

On Monday, the first day of its 48-hour sales event, large retailers — those that generated annual revenue of at least a billion dollars — enjoyed a 64 percent increase in online sales compared with an average Monday, according to Adobe Analytics, which measures 80 of the top 100 retailers on the web in the U.S.

That compares with last year’s 54 percent. In addition, niche retailers, those with annual revenue of less than $5 million, had a 30 percent increase in online sales.

Other retailers have introduced sales to compete against Prime Day. Walmart

has a “summer savings event” through Wednesday. Best Buy, ebay, Target and other retailers are also offering discounts.

The Seattle e-commerce behemoth said it was offering more than a million deals.

The events have also helped to encourage shoppers to make back-toschool shopping purchases ahead of that season.

This year, some used the high-profile event as a way to garner attention for their protests against Amazon.

At a warehouse in Shakopee, Minnesota, Amazon workers staged a protest Monday to raise awareness of what they say are unfair working conditions. A group of tech workers in Seattle called Amazon Employees for Climate Justice is supporting the strike.

Amazon said late Monday night that roughly 15 workers participated in the event outside of the Shakopee

fulfillment center.

On Twitter, Massachusetts U.S. senator and presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren voiced her support for the workers as well.

Amazon says it already offers what the workers are asking for.

“We provide great employment opportunities with excellent pay ranging from $16.25 to $20.80 an hour and comprehensive benefits including health care, up to 20 weeks parental leave, paid education, promotional opportunities and more,” spokeswoman Brenda Alfred said.

The company has faced labor unrest before in Shakopee and in Europe.

In New York, a coalition of labor groups planned to deliver 250,000 petitions to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ Manhattan home calling on the company to cut business ties with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and end abusive working conditions in its warehouses. And some on Twitter called for a blanket boycott of Amazon during Prime

Day.