Amazon
Amazon Prime Day, the mega-retailer’s two-day shopping event offering discounts on everything from clothing to 4K TVs, laptops, blenders, airfryers and Instant Pots, is set for June 21 and 22. The event offers deals to members of Amazon’s Prime service and usually takes place in the middle of the summer. Due to the ongoing pandemic, it was postponed to October last year.
Intended to boost sales and sign ups for Prime memberships, Prime Day puts a major tent pole event on the calendar during the typically slower time of year for online retail. It is not uncommon to find offers from competitors during this period as well. This year, customers who aren’t subscribed to Prime may have a little more incentive to sign up, as MGM’s recently announced acquisition should bolster Amazon Prime’s media library.
Every Prime Day is accompanied by a measure of controversy surrounding the retail giant, whether it be workers’ strikes held around the world on various Prime Days or Amazon’s questionable and illegal treatment of workers, aggressive union-breaking tactics and downright hostile behavior. CEO Jeff Bezos, Forbes 2021’s richest person in the world, has also faced sharp criticism from activists and politicians.
Partly in response to some of these concerns, Amazon says it is spending more than $100 million helping small businesses during Prime Day, while also offering incentives to customers, such as a $10 credit for spending that much at selected small businesses.
Amazon hasn’t released the full list of deals on sale yet, as there are often surprising “flash” sales on a daily or hourly basis, but some deals have been announced. We can also expect discounts on Amazon’s first-party hardware and services like Echo devices and Amazon Music.
Below are some of the early deals you can get your hands on right now.
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