Amazon started Prime Day in 2015 to enroll more members in its shopping club and increase sales in July. But with the event delayed until Oct. 13 due to the coronavirus pandemic, the online retailer will test whether shoppers are willing to open their portfolios as the economy remains weak.
Despite this quake, there are indications that Americans are ready to spend: about two-thirds of consumers say they plan to buy on Amazon Prime Day, rather than Black Friday or Cyber Monday, according to coupon site RetailMeNot.
This explains why some experts predict that Amazon Prime Day, not Black Friday, will serve as This year marks the start of the 2020 holiday shopping seasonwhich generated up to $ 10 billion in total sales during the October event, according to some retail analyst predictions.
Some consumers may prefer to close deals rather than wait for the prospect of better prices later in the holiday season, especially because some large stores like Target and Best Buy also plan to offer October deals to limit in-store purchases in November. and December due to the ongoing pandemic.
“Amazon Prime Day is going to be the holiday shopping season, so we’re getting ready for it to be very busy from mid-October to December,” said Kristin Cook, editor-in-chief of Ben’s Bargains, a site that tracks retail sales. “I don’t think we have a big break between that and everything else.”
What is Amazon Prime Day?
Amazon Prime Day is an annual sales event created five years ago to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Amazon.com Inc. The company declared the one-day event would have “more deals than Black Friday,” but would only be available to members of its Prime shopping club.
As a strategy, this has paid off very well. Amazon had 40 million Prime members in 2015 when it celebrated its first Prime Day. By early 2020, the company said its membership had increased to 150 million customers.
What time does Amazon Prime Day start?
The official start of Prime Day is at midnight, Pacific time, on October 13, or at 3 a.m. EST. The event will run until October 14.
The best deals are usually offered at the start of the Prime Day event, Cook said. Amazon also tends to launch good deals around 8am or 9am, when a lot of people head to their workspace and install themselves on their computers.
“Generally, on the second day, which is Wednesday, most of the good stuff is picked up,” he said. “I’d say start early and re-register in the morning.”
Who is eligible for Prime Day offers?
As mentioned above, Prime Day offers are only available to Prime members.
Amazon Prime costs $ 119 a year, though consumers can sign up for a monthly charge of $ 12.99 a month. Amazon also offers a free one-month trial of Prime, which consumers can cancel at any time. After the initial month, your membership fee will be charged to your credit card.
What’s different about Prime Day in 2020?
Amazon says it has designed a new program to support small businesses, which have been especially affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
Of course, Amazon has earned both praise and criticism over the years for its impact on small businesses. While some small businesses rely on Amazon to sell their products, others have accused the retail giant of creating competing products that lower their price.
How will the discounts be compared to previous years?
We won’t know for sure until October 13, but experts say they believe this year’s offers will be similar to previous years. Expect average discounts of 20%, said Nathan Burrow, bidding expert for Wirecutter.
Some offers may be advertised with a 70% or 80% discount, but it is best to do a little research to make sure the offer is as good as advertised. One way to do this is to visit CamelCamelCamel, where you can connect the URL of an Amazon product and see its price history, including the lowest and highest prices.
What are the best Amazon Prime Day deals?
In general, the best deals during Amazon Prime Day are found on Amazon’s own products, Cook said.
For example, Amazon offers advance offers before Prime Day on some of its devices and services, such as a $ 50 discount on a one-year subscription to Audible, its audiobook playback service. Expect to see Amazon-branded products on sale as well, Cook added, such as Amazon Essentials clothing.
He noted, “Every time they have their own brands in every department you can imagine.”
What are some tips for getting the best deals?
Amazon Prime Day can be overwhelming, given the number of items that have discounts. But experts say there are some strategies to get the most out of the event.
- Look for Amazon Prime Day offer badges, which are in blue and say “Prime Day Offer.”
- Use the Amazon mobile app and tap “Watch this offer” to receive real-time alerts when items go on sale.
- Create a wish list. Amazon will notify you if one of the items on your wish list goes on sale.
- Remember that “Lightning Deals” go fast. RetailMeNot says you only have about 15 minutes to purchase a Lightning Deal product once you put it in your cart.
- Compare with other retailers. Don’t forget that other stores can offer the same product for less.
- In:
- Amazon
- Amazon Prime
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