Customers who have been waiting for Prime day to score great deals on Amazon.com (AMZN 0.87%) will have to wait a little bit longer. The online retail leader confirmed that Prime Day, which usually takes place mid-July, will be pushed off to a later date.
No day for deals
Amazon has seen extraordinary order growth throughout the pandemic as people stayed home and relied on the shipping master to provide their home essentials.
Image source: Getty Images.
The company curtailed non-essential orders in April when the load became too great to bear amid logistical changes and new safety requirements for workers. Although non-essential orders have been reinstated, new lockdowns and a rise in coronavirus cases mean the situation may change for Amazon in the near future. That makes Prime Day, Amazon's annual two-day sales event, a challenge to pull off.
Looking toward the future
According to reports, Amazon told third-party sellers in an email that they should leave the week of Oct. 5 available for a potential Prime Day.
On top of the logistical and security details that prove difficult in the current environment, Amazon could lose out on sales because consumer spending around the country has declined during the pandemic. June's retail sales were better than May's, which were better than April's, but in most categories spending is still down year over year. Prime Day's chances for success are likely to be better in October, when the economy is expected to show greater signs of stability.
