Amazon Prime Day 2020 happening in August may be a good thing for everyone

If you’ve tried to order anything from Amazon in the past few months you’ve likely noticed that the online retail giant is struggling with delivery times and stock levels on various items. Several credible reports have indicated that Amazon’s annual Prime Day event is going to be delayed from its usual mid-July timeframe to some point in August instead.

As much as we would all love to get things back to normal as quickly as possible, that may just not be what’s best right now. While it’s not fun for Amazon to delay the event, and pushing it back has a number of risks involved with it, it’s likely the best decision that Amazon could make right now.

From employee safety to stock levels, and everything in between, Amazon Prime Day 2020 taking place in August is just a smarter overall decision than trying to rush things and make it happen in July. Let’s break down when it could happen, why it should be delayed, and more.

Amazon Prime Day 2020: When will it happen?

If the new reports are true, and Amazon is going to host Prime Day 2020 in August instead of July, there are a few dates that it could be. Normally, Prime Day takes place during the second week of the month, which would put our guess at a Monday, August 10, 2020 start date. Since the event is potentially delayed, anything could really happen. All of the possible dates in August include:

• Monday, August 3
• Monday, August 10
• Monday, August 17
• Monday, August 24
• Monday, August 31

Last year, the event started on Monday morning and spanned for 48 hours. It’s possible that Amazon will keep the event the same length this year, though each of the past years has brought a longer period of time to Prime Day so we may see something like 60 or 72 hours instead.

Why is Amazon Prime Day 2020 likely being delayed?

Again, it’s not officially confirmed as of now that Amazon is “delaying” Prime Day 2020. There have been several reports that the company is looking to push the event back until August, but Amazon has not made an official statement about it. As of right now, Amazon has yet to even confirm that the company will have a Prime Day 2020 event, as that usually comes sometime in mid-to-late June.

Coronavirus has had a huge impact on everything. From supply chains to businesses being able to be open, work forces slashed, and much more. Amazon has felt the pressure from this and had to dial back on inbound deliveries to its warehouses in order to meet the demand for essential items. Recently, Amazon began allowing other companies to send products to its warehouses, but stock level are still low, and shipping times are still not what they used to be.

Additionally, employee safety is a top concern for Amazon. Right now, the company is already dealing with an increased demand and trying to navigate keeping warehouses open and operating effectively and safely. A few warehouses had to shut down for a few days each due to employees testing positive for COVID-19, and quite honestly a Prime Day event without full staffing and healthy employees is too big of a risk for any company to take.

The company has a statement on its blog that reads:

Our top concern is ensuring the health and safety of our employees, and we expect to invest approximately $4 billion from April to June on COVID-related initiatives getting products to customers and keeping employees safe.

The added stress, strain, and demand is just not something that makes a whole lot of sense right now, so it’s likely Amazon will wait until it can properly conduct the event before announcing an official date.

When will Amazon announce the date for Prime Day 2020?

As of right now, we don’t exactly know when Amazon will make the announcement. It doesn’t appear as though the company has locked in a firm plan just yet according to the reports, which means that it could really happen at any time. New things are being learned about COVID-19 daily. Rules and restrictions are constantly changing, infection rates are all over the place, and there’s just too much in the air right now to make any solid decisions about it.

Rest assured though. As soon as Amazon announces Prime Day 2020 we will be all over it and let you know the details as we receive them!

What if Prime Day 2020 doesn’t happen in August?

If Amazon is unable (or unwilling) to conduct Prime Day in August, it’s likely that the company will just skip the event all-together. Beyond August it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense ot have Prime Day, mainly because then it’s simply too close to Black Friday and the holiday shopping season.

Sure, Amazon could try and push it into September, but then parents will likely be navigating the struggles of getting kids back into schools, and whatever else could be happening then.

Is it smart for Amazon to delay the event?

In all honesty, yes. Many of the products that people love to buy are unable to be purchased right now. Have you tried shopping for a webcam or monitor recently? So many of the options are just simply out of stock, and the ones that are in-stock haven’t seen a discount since all this craziness began. Amazon simply can’t offer discounts on items that are not in-stock and available, so waiting until supplies are available for purchase makes so much more sense than rushing to host an event with a lackluster product selection.

Consumers are pushing off big-ticket purchases right now because things are so uncertain. This could have a huge impact on Prime Day sales as people may not be as willing to drop $300+ on a new TV or a hundred bucks on a new set of headphones. As things open back up and people feel more comfortable with everything happening, they are more likely to begin spending money on the extra items that they want instead of need.

Should you just wait for Black Friday or participate in Prime Day?

Normally, Prime Day sets the tone for the deals for the rest of the year. Companies are pretty aggressive, retailers like to match the offers that others have, and it’s great for everyone looking to save money. There’s no clear answer over which is better here, but if you have the funds available to you we’d suggest shopping Prime Day and stocking up for the holidays.

One big mistake people make is waiting too long. Each year people shop later and later hoping for a better deal that doesn’t always come, and then when it’s time to actually make the purchase the item is out of stock. One thing I’ve learned personally over the years is to buy it when you can, keep it in a safe place, and don’t drive yourself crazy over the idea that you could have saved a few bucks if you waited to buy it.

What kind of Prime Day deals will we expect this year?

Given the current climate and supply levels, we’d imagine that Amazon is going to be even more aggressive with pricing for its own devices. From the Fire TV Stick to the Kindle, Fire Tablet, and everything else that it has we hope to see some all-time low prices during Prime Day 2020.

In previous years we’ve also seen great low prices on Instant Pots, 4K TVs, DNA test kits, and more. There will probably be some deals on Apple’s iPad, AirPods, and more to consider, along with unlocked Android phones, computers, webcams, and more.