Amazon’s popular Prime Day 2020 sales event is being pushed back to early October. According to a document sent to third-party sellers, Amazon’s original plan for a September Prime Day has been axed, and the potential date pushed back by a month.
According to the document, Amazon is advising third-party resellers to use the placeholder date of October 5th for any promotional material linked to Prime Day 2020. Amazon warns that the date may shift and that it has yet to settle on a firm date for the yearly sales event. The document reads:
”Every year, Prime Day is a huge hit with customers, who enjoy some of the best deals of the year. A definitive date will be announced as we get closer to the event. We are looking forward to seeing submissions that offer the most delight to customers during one of the biggest shopping days of the year, Prime Day!’
This latest delay represents the third time Amazon has delayed this year’s edition of Prime Day. Although the retail giant stopped short of providing clear reasoning behind the latest shift, it safe to presume the effects of the on-going coronavirus pandemic, notably to Amazon’s distribution and logistics network, factored into the decision. Amazon Prime Day 2020 was initially penciled in for its habitual mid-summer July slot before being moved to August, then September, and now October.
As Amazon’s major yearly sale, Prime Day ushers in a massive spike in demand for products. The event draws in countless new and old Prime subscribers with a variety of deals and bargains on a wide range of the most popular products available on the platform. It appears Amazon was not confident it could source enough items and products to satisfy customers eager to make the most of the event.
The demand spawned by the lock-down measures and a huge rise in orders that Amazon struggled to handle, leading to delivery delays and shortages at its warehouses. The operation has slowly crept back to a semblance of normality since. With COVID-19 cases surging in key markets like the US and elsewhere alongside fears of an imminent second wave, the retailer is likely to experience more disruption. According to Business Insider, renewed stay-at-home measures in some regions of the US have already seen demand jump upwards, adding further pressure on Amazon’s operation.
By pushing back the sale to October, Amazon should give itself some breathing room to ensure it is suitably prepared for the rush of orders that comes hand in hand with the event. Alongside this, a delay allows the company to suss out how the situation may evolve in the weeks and months ahead and prepare accordingly.
It’s unlikely Amazon will delay Prime Day 2020 beyond October in order to avoid a clash with Black Friday and seasonal holiday sales. Nevertheless, the volatility of the pandemic means even the best-laid plans aren’t immune to unforeseen hurdles.
As it stands, it may be best to take the tentative October 5th date with a degree of skepticism ahead of official confirmation from Amazon.