Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) is using the Black Friday to Cyber Monday sales event as a way to lure in US customers to its new cashless bookstores.
Shoppers who visit an Amazon Books store and spend US$30 between 24 November and 27 November are being offered a US$10bn discount to be used on the company’s website.
Amazon launched its first bookstore in May in New York. It now has 13 stores nationwide and plans to open three in Maryland, Texas and Washingon D.C. soon.
Since the stores are cashless, consumers make purchases by using a Prime member’s account or a card payment.
On its website, Amazon is trying to attract customers with deals on flat screen TVs, toys and gadgets.
The company is expected to account for half of the e-commerce holiday spending growth, according to Bain & Co.
Amazon had captured as much as 50% of all online Black Friday sales, GBH Insights estimated on Friday afternoon.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has attempted to keep up with its online rival with similar deals while retailers Macy’s Inc., Target and Best Buy are also holding Cyber Monday bargains.
Online spending in the US will rise by almost 17% compared to a year ago to US$6.6bn on Cyber Monday, according to estimates from Adobe Systems Inc. Shoppers.
During the November-December holiday season, e-commerce spending is expected to reach about US$107bn this year, according to EMarketer.Inc.
Consumers have been increasingly avoiding the hassle of crowded stores and switching to online shopping.