Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ:AMZN) has quickly moved to again test the resolve of its retail rivals, with the launch of an eponymous festival of discounts, in July.
Having played a decisive role in exporting America’s Black Friday retailing ‘holiday’ via its online platform, this will be Amazon’s this ‘Prime Day’ sales event.
The ‘Prime Day’ sale is due to start in the evening (9pm Eastern) on July 10, running through July 11, and it will see the e-tailer discounting products simultaneously across 13 countries over a 30-hour period.
It promises to be a notable sales catalyst for Amazon, if it follows the trend set last year when the group’s online sales jumped 60% during the promotion.
For the markets, the aggressive price cutting event may be another reminder of Amazon’s margin-chrunching dominance in the e-commerce sector.
It may, perhaps, also be suggestive of what may be instore for Amazon’s ‘real world’ rivals should it land retail real estate with its US$13bn tilt for Whole Foods.