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Retail
Business Fortune
10 July, 2024
In anticipation of Amazon's Prime Day, businesses are initiating early back-to-school promotions.
Walmart, Target, and Shein are hoping to inspire parents to start back-to-school shopping by offering offers on sneakers, computers, kids' clothes, and backpacks. They also hope to divert money away from Amazon, which will be hosting Prime Day on July 16 and 17. These ads are starting this week and next, on average two days earlier than in previous years, even though in many areas the start of the school year is not until late August or early September.
Target began a week-long promotion on Sunday, two days ahead of schedule, with 30% off backpacks and school uniforms, including those from its own line of clothing, Cat & Jack. In addition to being two days earlier than last year, Walmart is hosting its "largest deals event ever" from Tuesday through Thursday. Commencing on July 15, Shein is presenting a seven-week back-to-school deal, which falls two days before last year's sale and one day before Amazon Prime Day. From Tuesday until July 17, there will be a sales promotion at Bytedance's TikTok Shop.
Deloitte's Brian McCarthy says more families planned to use all their back-to-school money in July. Amazon rescheduled Prime Day and offered early discounts on Tuesday.
Prime Day boosted sales and compelled rivals to do the same. Amazon achieved record sales on the first day last year. The event also attracted shoppers beyond traditional items. Prime Day is expected to contribute 1% to 2% of Amazon's net sales for the year.
Walmart and Amazon used the same tactic ahead of the holidays, setting the trend for the earlier and earlier start to back-to-school deals. Long before Black Friday and Christmas, in October of last year, they started their year-end deals.