The hoopla has begun for Amazon’s Prime Day on July 11—their summertime version of post-Thanksgiving Cyber Monday. As the following article reports, Amazon is gearing up their technology tools and marketing savvy to make this more than just a big sales day.
Want to get the early edge for bagging big deals during July’s biggest made-up shopping holiday? No surprise, there’s an app for that one, too. As part of its promotion, Amazon is pitching that shoppers use the Amazon App for “early deal” watching for Amazon Prime Day. Amazon will hold its third annual Prime Day on July 11 — but the day of reportedly extraordinary deals will expand to 30 hours this year, instead of the 24 in an ordinary ‘day.’
A string of one-day specials was scheduled for this week, too, including discounts of up to 35% off select food and household items in the Prime Pantry for “Everyday Essentials” on July 8. But anyone who has gone shopping online — or walked into a store with wide aisles and cash registers — knows that retailers don’t just want your money or your e-mail anymore. They’re now heavily marketing and reconfiguring their own apps to push deals your way as you shop.
“On Prime Day, it becomes even more important for Amazon to have the Amazon App on as many devices as possible. Amazon customers who are maybe not even thinking about Prime Day may become curious after receiving a notification from Amazon via the app,” Dengler said. Amazon even has a short, animated video with a corgi and a cat to show customers how to download its app, spot things they’d like to buy using what Amazon calls its “Watched and Wait-listed deals,” and be ready to go when the promotional prices go live.
“You’ll receive push notifications when your deals are about to start,” the video says. Amazon’s mobile app will help you track shipping, as well, and let you know when your “deal” has been delivered.
Similar to how Apple integrates its product portfolio, Amazon is making Prime Day all about connecting its own array of technology to engage and enable its online customers. Advanced online retailing will be demonstrated in force by Amazon as the Prime Day 30 hour timeframe will be a case study in up-selling, cross-selling, and delivering offers to its ever expanding base of loyalty members. Amazon’s mobile app and Alexa will prove to be game changers in making browsing, buying and paying more effortless than ever. Meanwhile, Amazon will gather even more customer intelligence from the millions of transactions that will occur on their 3rd annual Prime Day, which should set another sales volume record.
Overview by Raymond Pucci, Associate Director, Research Services at Mercator Advisory Group
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