Forget Prime Day 2020: Amazon planning early 'Summer Sale'

Amazon Summer Sale
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Here's further proof that Amazon Prime Day is moving to September. A new report indicates that Amazon is planning a "Summer Sale" to let brands "sell excess inventory," reports the New York Times

The sale is also intended to show consumers that Amazon is back up to speed and can provide Prime members with its signature next- or same-day delivery. 

The coronavirus pandemic severely impacted Amazon's operations. An unprecedented spike in sales forced the company to focus on essential items only, temporarily suspend services like Amazon Pantry, and pause its Amazon Shipping service

While Amazon sales skyrocketed during the pandemic, the company also lost ground to its competitors during this period. Prior to the pandemic, Amazon accounted for 42% of online spending in the country. By mid-April, its numbers had fallen to 34%, reports Rakuten Intelligence (subscription required). The company was so backed up that it removed its "Today's Deals" section from its homepage in an attempt to lessen sales and demand. (It only recently restored it). 

As a result, Amazon's "Summer Sale" is also an attempt to keep Prime Day momentum alive. Prime Day has become such an important event that Amazon's competitors tend to hold Prime Day-like sales of their own in mid-July. Without an official Prime Day, that means Amazon could lose even more ground to its competitors. 

So what kind of deals can we expect from an Amazon Summer Sale? It's likely the event will be very similar to Prime Day, but without the branding. So you could see deals on Amazon hardware, 4K TVs, home items, and kitchen appliances. 

Can't wait till July? Make sure to follow our coverage of the best Amazon deals right now, as well as the best cheap TV deals

Louis Ramirez

As deals editor at Tom’s Guide, Louis is constantly looking for ways to avoid paying full price for the latest gadgets. With over 10 years of deals-hunting experience, Louis price checks against multiple retailers and searches high and low for the best deals to bring readers. A born-and-bred New Yorker, Louis is also an avid swimmer and marathoner. His work has appeared on Gizmodo, CNET, and Time Out New York.