Bookshop.org Mocks Jeff Bezos with Anti-Prime Day Promo

Bookshop.org Challenges Amazon During Prime Day

Bookshop.org, an independent online bookstore, launched a promotional campaign directed at Amazon to coincide with the commencement of Prime Day. Amazon’s annual sale event, despite being named “Prime Day,” actually spans four days this year.

Countering Amazon's Sales Event

Similar to numerous other retailers, Bookshop.org is conducting a sale in conjunction with Amazon’s major event. This strategy aims to attract customers who might otherwise be drawn to Amazon’s offers, but who could be persuaded to spend slightly more to bolster independent businesses.

While these counter-sales likely have a minimal impact on Amazon’s overall revenue, Bookshop.org’s approach targeted a sensitive area: the aesthetic design of the wedding invitations sent by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

Bezos' Wedding and Public Reaction

Jeff Bezos’ recent three-day wedding celebration with Lauren Sánchez is estimated to have incurred a cost of approximately $50 million. The event was held in Venice, Italy, a location grappling with the negative consequences of overtourism and the increasing threat of climate change-induced flooding.

Protests against the wedding were staged in Venice by hundreds of residents. Attendees included prominent figures such as Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, Sam Altman of OpenAI, and members of the Kardashian family.

The Wedding Invitation Design

Reports indicate that the design of a portion of the wedding invitation, as obtained by ABC News, appeared remarkably basic. Social media users speculated whether the simplistic, almost childlike aesthetic might have originated from Microsoft Word clip art.

Bookshop.org's Response

Bookshop.org seized upon this observation with a pointed critique of Amazon as Prime Day began.

Their message emphasized the benefits of shopping with them: “Enjoy free shipping and the knowledge that your money will go toward supporting independent bookstores, not billionaires.”

This campaign highlights the ongoing efforts to support independent businesses and offers consumers an alternative to large corporations like Amazon.