After months of speculation around just when Amazon would go through with its annual Prime Day sale, usually held in July, it has finally landed in mid-October. That timing could turn out to be a boon not just for Amazon, but also for the many retailers that have determined that Black Friday is much too late this year.
Normally, Thanksgiving unlocks the door to seasonal shopping. Macy’s holds its famous parade, Black Friday is the next day, and people have a few days off to get things going. Even so, in recent years it’s become something of a holiday custom for retailers to launch sales a bit before then, according to Michael Brown, partner in strategy and management firm Kearney’s consumer practice.