Amazon Moves Prime Day to October to Kickstart Holiday Shopping
Amazon is shifting its annual Prime Day event to October 13 and 14 to encourage early holiday shopping and avoid pandemic-related crowds. The company is also hiring over 100,000 seasonal workers to handle the expected surge in online orders.
Amazon is moving its annual Prime Day sales event to October 13 and 14 this year after the coronavirus pandemic forces a delay from its usual July schedule. This marks the first time the shopping holiday takes place in the fall, and Amazon is positioning it as a way to encourage consumers to begin their holiday shopping early. Other major retailers are also planning to push early October deals to help shoppers avoid crowded stores later in the year.
To prepare for the massive two-day event, Amazon is currently undergoing a massive hiring spree. The e-commerce giant is bringing on 100,000 full and part-time workers to handle sorting and deliveries, in addition to trying to fill 33,000 corporate and technology roles. Prime Day always puts competitive pressure on rivals like Walmart, Best Buy, and Target, which typically launch their own competing online discounts during the same timeframe.
Amazon hopes this delayed event becomes its most successful yet for small businesses and serves as a major draw for new Prime memberships. Only Prime members have access to the over one million deals on toys, electronics, and fashion. However, shopping experts warn that consumers need to watch out for unfamiliar TV brands, spot fake reviews, and carefully verify that the advertised prices actually represent the best possible value.