Amazon is doubling its Prime Days as consumers pull back on spending
The decision to make Prime Day 96 hours instead of 48 comes as the Commerce Department reported a 0.9% decline in May retail sales.
hapabapa / Getty Images
Amazon is doubling the length of Prime Day to give consumers more time to spend, as government data shows people are scaling back their purchases.
Suggested Reading
The retail giant announced Tuesday that this year's Prime Day will last from July 8 until July 11, making it 96 hours instead of the usual 48 hours.
Related Content
Amazon is also introducing “Today’s Big Deals,” which will be themed daily price drops happening each day of the four-day sale.
Shoppers need to have Amazon Prime to access the deals. It costs $14.99 a month, or $139 a year, and gives you access to expedited shipping, among other benefits.
The announcement comes as the Commerce Department reported Tuesday that retail sales fell 0.9% in May, more than the 0.6% decline estimated. It’s a large drop-off from the 0.1% decrease in retail sales the country saw in April.
The decline came as tariff-wary consumers appear to be cutting back — or are now purchasing less after stocking up before the levies took effect.
“Americans bought cars in March ahead of tariffs and stayed away from car dealerships in May. Families are wary of higher prices and are being a lot more selective with where they spend their money,” Heather Long, chief economist at Navy Federal Credit Union, told CNBC. “People are hunting for deals and aren’t eager to buy unless they see a good one.”
Amazon's extension of Prime Day could be seen as an attempt to buck the decline in retail sales. Last summer's Prime Day set records for the company and was its biggest Prime Day ever. It brought in billions of revenue a day, according to some estimates.
While the promotion is a boon for the company's bottom line, Amazon workers have said Prime Day creates difficult working conditions inside its warehouses. A report commissioned by Senator Bernie Sanders' office found last year that Prime Day is a "major source of injuries" for workers.
“Despite making $36 billion in profits last year and providing its CEO with over $275 million in compensation over the past three years, Amazon continues to treat its workers as disposable and with complete contempt for their safety and well-being," Sen. Sanders said upon releasing the report.