Amazon Prime Day 2024: Dates, Deals & Tariff Impact

Amazon Announces Return of Prime Day Amidst Tariff Concerns

Amazon has announced the return of its annual Prime Day sales event, scheduled for July, as reported by the e-commerce giant on Tuesday.

Potential Impact of Tariffs on Sales

Consumer demand for this year’s popular sale may be affected by the potential for increased tariffs on goods. Amazon intends to showcase the effect of President Trump’s tariffs by displaying the tariff costs alongside the total price of products on its website, according to Punchbowl News.

White House Response

The White House quickly criticized Amazon’s decision to display tariff impacts, labeling it “a hostile and political act” as stated by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt during a Tuesday morning press briefing.

She further added, “This reinforces the importance of Americans choosing to buy American-made products.”

Amazon's Clarification

Amazon responded swiftly, informing The Washington Post – and subsequently publishing the statement on its blog – that displaying import charges was initially considered solely for its budget-friendly Amazon Haul store, not the main platform. Reports indicate that Donald Trump contacted Amazon founder Jeff Bezos to express his concerns.

Prime Day and Tariff-Related Seller Actions

With Prime Day still several months away, the extent to which tariffs will influence this year’s sale remains uncertain. Reuters reports that some Amazon sellers are already withdrawing from Prime Day due to tariff pressures, while others are scaling back the quantity of discounted items they plan to offer.

Prime Day's Role in Boosting Sales

Prime Day traditionally provides Amazon with an opportunity to stimulate sales during a typically slower period by offering discounts on its own products and those from third-party sellers.

The company highlights that small and medium-sized businesses currently account for over 60% of sales within Amazon’s store, and they sold more than 200 million items during last year’s Prime Day event.

The retailer also confirmed that the previous Prime Day saw the highest number of items sold in the event’s history.

Prime Day 2024: Categories and Features

This year, Amazon states that Prime Day will feature deals across more than 35 categories, including electronics, kitchen items, beauty products, and apparel.

While specific deals haven’t been revealed yet, the sale will include “socially trending items” and “creator favorites,” alongside exclusive Amazon products.

Global Expansion of Prime Day

For the first time, the event will be held in Ireland this year, alongside a return to numerous other global markets.

These markets include Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the U.S., and the U.K.

Launch of Amazon Luxury Goods Selection

On Tuesday, Amazon also introduced a new selection of luxury goods on its site, curated in partnership with Saks.

This addition to Amazon’s Luxury Stores will showcase prominent brands such as Dolce & Gabbana, Balmain, Etro, Stella McCartney, Giambattista Valli, Erdem, Fear of God, Jason Wu Collection, Rosetta Getty, Johanna Ortiz, Chantecaille, and La Prairie.