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Leading into Black Friday, is Prime Big Deals Day all it’s cracked up to be?

Asha has 10 years eCommerce account management experience, including at Amazon and managing the Amazon/eCommerce businesses at Tomy UK and Melissa & Doug. She now runs Etopia Consultancy, to help brands create their eCommerce strategy and grow their Amazon business, and can be contacted on asha@etopiaconsultancy.co.uk for guidance with trading on Amazon.

In recent years, the retail landscape has seen a significant shift in the lead-up to the holiday shopping season. Traditionally, Black Friday has been the undisputed king of discounts and deals, signalling the official start of the holiday shopping frenzy. However, the emergence of Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days (or Prime Fall event as it has historically been called), has challenged this long-standing tradition. What has the impact been over the past few years to the retail world - and does this event live up to the hype?

Prime Day, introduced by Amazon in 2015, quickly became a global shopping event known for its exclusive discounts and deals for Prime members. Initially held in July, it paved the way for other retailers to host their own sales events. In 2020, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Amazon postponed Prime Day to October, dubbing it "Prime Day Fall." The move proved to be an ingenious one, as it marked the unofficial beginning of the holiday shopping season, pre-dating the traditional Black Friday sales.

Prime Day in October has gained traction for several reasons – but is it all that is cracked up to be?

• Early holiday shopping: By launching in October, Prime Day encourages consumers to start their holiday shopping early, thereby spreading out the holiday season's retail demand. This not only benefits consumers but also helps brands to manage their inventory more effectively. With Christmas sales in toys coming later and later, this event has kick started holiday shopping early – a move which many brands will not argue with.

• Extended sales period: While Black Friday typically offers a single day of deals, Prime Day in October creates an extended and prolonged period of discounts. This prolonged shopping window allows consumers more time to browse and make informed purchase decisions. The products that are reviewed highly and have a good price discount will no doubt be favoured by consumers.

• Competitive pricing: Amazon's competitors, both online and brick-and-mortar, have jumped on the bandwagon, offering their own discounts and promotions during Prime Day October. This competition drives prices down and ensures consumers have multiple options to choose from. This surely isn’t healthy for any brands with deep promotions in the market for a prolonged period of time.

Black Friday made its way to the UK & EU market around 2010. While it had been a predominantly US shopping event taking place on the day after Thanksgiving, it started to gain popularity in the UK as retailers and consumers embraced the concept of Black Friday sales and discounts. It has since

become a significant shopping event in the UK & EU. With Prime Day in October gaining prominence, the future of Black Friday is challenged. With limited budgets to invest in promotions, which promotional event is more significant and which event do brands need to invest in?

This year, Prime Day's Big Deal Event featured robust promotions in the Toys & Games category. Many items were available at discounts exceeding 40-50% off their recommended retail prices, and notable brands put substantial efforts into this event. It will be intriguing to see if similar promotions are repeated during the upcoming Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. Initial indications suggest that this October's Prime Day was Amazon's most successful one to date. This event encouraged consumers to begin contemplating their holiday shopping in advance, even though the unusually warm October weather might not have naturally steered thoughts toward the holiday season. Typically, Black Friday kicks off the holiday shopping season, and many brands have sat in anticipation on orders as Christmas shopping felt like it was getting later and later. Does this Prime event pave the way to kick start Christmas shopping?

Whilst Prime Day in October has gained traction and investments from brands, Black Friday has not lost its significance entirely. It continues to draw crowds, both online and in physical stores, thanks to its deep discounts and iconic status. However, the shift toward online shopping and the convenience of Prime events have reshaped the way consumers approach their holiday shopping. Consumers are waiting for these deal events and if their desired products are not on promotion at one event, they will wait for events such as Black Friday & Cyber Monday to catch a bargain.

Prime Day in October has undeniably disrupted the traditional holiday shopping calendar. While it may not replace Black Friday entirely, it has become an essential milestone in the lead-up to the festive season. For consumers, this means more opportunities to snag great deals and get a head start on holiday shopping. And for brands, it means adapting to changing consumer preferences and ensuring their sales strategies align with the evolving retail landscape. Whilst some brands will prefer not to be a part of both events, promotions are just one way to drive brand awareness in the constantly evolving Amazon world. Consider that in peak events, as traffic is high, there are creative investments in Amazon Advertising or other wider marketing that could perhaps get the same results - and maybe even more profitably.

As we navigate these changes, one thing remains certain: the holiday shopping season will continue to be a thrilling time for both shoppers and businesses alike, with Prime Day and Black Friday at the forefront of the action.