By Aimee Picchi
October 13, 2020 / 2:48 PM
/ MoneyWatch
Amazon launched Prime Day in 2015 to enroll more members in its shopping club and increase sales in July But with the event postponed until today, October 13, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the retailer online will test whether buyers are ready to open their wallets while the economy remains weak
Despite this uncertainty, there are signs Americans are willing to spend: About two-thirds of consumers say they plan to shop on Amazon Prime Day, more than Black Friday or Cyber Monday, according to coupon site RetailMeNot
This explains why some experts are predicting that Amazon Prime Day – not Black Friday – will kick off the 2020 holiday shopping season this year, generating up to $ 10 billion in total sales for October event, according to some retail analyst predictions
Some consumers may prefer to close deals early rather than wait for the prospect of better prices later during the holiday season, especially since some big box stores like Target and Best Buy are also planning to carry deals. October to limit in-store purchases in November and December due to the ongoing pandemic
“Amazon Prime Day is going right into the holiday shopping season, so we’re preparing for a really busy mid-October through December,” said Kristin Cook, editor of Ben’s Bargains, a site that tracks retail sales « I don’t think we’ll have a big break between this and all the rest »
Amazon Prime Day is an annual sales event created five years ago to celebrate Amazoncom Inc’s 20th anniversary The company said the one-day event would have « more deals than Black Friday, » but didn’t would be available only to members of its Prime shopping club
As a strategy, it’s paying off Amazon had 40 million Prime members in 2015 on the first Prime Day.In early 2020, the company said its workforce had grown to 150 million customers
Prime Day will officially kick off at midnight Pacific Time on October 13 – or 3m EST The event will last until October 14
The best deals are usually offered at the start of the Prime Day event, Cook said Amazon also tends to roll out good deals around 8 a.m. or 9 a.m., when a lot of people are moving into their workspace and settling down in front of their computers
« Usually on the second day which is Wednesday most of the good stuff is picked up, » she said « I’d say start early and re-check in the morning »
Amazon Prime costs $ 119 per year, although consumers can sign up for a monthly fee of $ 1299 per month Amazon also offers a one-month free trial of Prime, which consumers can cancel anytime after. the initial month, their credit card will be charged for membership fees
Amazon says it has designed a new program to support small businesses, which have been particularly affected by the coronavirus pandemic
Of course, Amazon has won both kudos and critics over the years for its impact on small businesses While some small businesses rely on Amazon to sell their products, others have blamed the giant for the retail create competing products that reduce them in price
We won’t know until October 13, but experts estimate this year’s offers will be similar to previous years. Expect average discounts of around 20%, said Nathan Burrow, expert in transactions for Wirecutter
Some offers may be advertised at 70% or 80% off, but it is best to do your research to make sure the offer is as good as the one advertised One way to do this is to visit CamelCamelCamel, where you can plug in the URL of an Amazon product and see its price history, including its lowest and highest prices.
For example, Amazon has early deals before Prime Day on some of its devices and services, like $ 50 off a one-year subscription to Audible, its audiobook streaming service. Expect to see Amazon-branded merchandise on sale as well, Cook added, such as Amazon Essentials clothing.
Amazon Prime Day can be overwhelming, given the number of items that are being cut down But experts say there are strategies to get the most out of the event
First published on October 9, 2020 / 06:45
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