Amazon Prime Day: Could This Year’s Event Eclipse Black Friday?

Attention all Amazon Prime members! It’s the time of the year to indulge in your shopping desires at rock-bottom prices. If you’ve ever participated in the manic shopping frenzy known as Black Friday, then you’re going to love what Amazon – America’s leading online shopping destination – is laying out. But bear in mind, to enjoy these exceptional deals, you need to be an Amazon Prime member, with memberships going for as low as $10.99 per month or $99 annually.

Aptly branded by the site as an ‘epic day of deals,’ Prime Day guarantees a litany of benefits for its savvy shoppers – benefits that include free two-day shipping on eligible purchases, unlimited access to an extensive catalogue of movies and TV shows, unrestricted reading, infinite photo storage, early bird access to lightning deals, and same-day delivery within select areas!

The eagerly awaited Prime Day is a one-day exclusive global shopping extravaganza for Prime members and is scheduled to take place next month on July 11th, running for a total of 30 hours, kicking off at 6pm on Monday until midnight on Tuesday. This window provides a sizeable chunk of time for customers to browse, select, and place orders for discounted items without feeling rushed.

Prime Day had its debut in May 2015 with Amazon keen on rivaling Black Friday. While it ran into some teething problems then when suppliers ran out of stock, 2016 was a turning point. Prime day sales hugely improved, delivering an impressive shopping experience that resulted in a multitude of sales. The event was a tremendous success that propelled Amazon’s growth ever since. To draw from the highlight reel, sales included 90,000 TVs, 2 million toys, 200,000 headphones, 14,000 Lenovo laptops, and much more.

An intriguing fact: many Prime Day prices are on par or even exceed those of Black Friday. According to a review by blackfriday.com, a majority of deals during Prime Day in 2015 and 2016 had a better value proposition than Black Friday. In 2015, 64% of Prime Day deals were the better option, rising to a promising 77% in 2017. Both shopping events were neck and neck with a 10% tie on prime deals.

Yet, it would be premature to claim that Amazon has managed to make Black Friday redundant. While Amazon may not always be the best choice in terms of price and selection diversity, it boasts a brand appeal that draws in consumers. Not to mention, the incentive of the Prime membership scheme, which has tipped the scales in Amazon’s favor.

And for those of you not yet part of the Amazon Prime family, there’s a silver lining. Amazon is offering a free 30-day trial membership, so even if you’re not a member, you can partake in the Prime Day opportunities and savor the benefits of membership. The best part – you can cancel anytime during the trial period without incurring a penny of expenditure!