Amazon Prime October Event: Early Access Holiday Sale

SEATTLE — Amazon said Monday that it will hold a second Prime Day-like shopping event next month, making it a major one the last major retailer to offer holiday deals earlier this year to entice cautious consumers struggling with tight budgets.

During the October 11-12 event, Amazon Prime members will get early access to discounted items. The Prime Early Access Sale follows the annual Prime Day in July.

The Seattle-based e-commerce giant has long used events like this to lure people to its Prime membership, which offers faster shipping and better deals for $139 a year. But the October event will be the first time a major sale is held twice a year.

Amazon’s retail business slowed down in recent months. And the shopping boom signals a recognition that more offerings need to be provided to consumers affected by inflation the holiday shopping season is expected to be challenging for retailers.

Last week, Target said it would start offering holiday deals in early October. Meanwhile, Walmart is extending the gift return window from October 1st to January 31st, up from last year’s November 1st to January 24th return window.

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“What Amazon wants to do is be part of that early crowd and get a bite of the cherry,” said Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData Retail. “And the best way to do that, rather than having little deals here and there, is to have a big day that’s almost like the beginning of a holiday.”

This year marks the second year in a row that consumers are expected to shop early to take advantage of holiday deals. Last year, Americans started shopping earlier to avoid delivery delays caused by disruptions in the supply chain. This year, analysts expect many budget-conscious consumers to do the same, looking to spread out their spending and get gifts before prices rise later.

Jamil Ghani, vice president of Amazon Prime, said the company will offer deals on digital goods and products that are “especially relevant for the holiday season,” unlike its Prime Day event in July, which focused on feedback, for example. subjects for school. He declined to say whether the fall sale will be a permanent fixture at Amazon in the future.

“We’re just focused on putting on a big event this year,” Ghani said. “I can’t say what’s going to happen in the future, we don’t really think about it.”