Amazon Starting Black Friday Deals Super Early

[tubemonkey]

Amazon Unveils Black Friday-Worthy Deals Earlier Than Ever


Already??? sheeesh...

Amazon Unveils Black Friday-Worthy Deals Earlier Than Ever, Giving Customers Access to Incredible Holiday Savings Now Across Every Category

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 4, 2021-- (NASDAQ: AMZN) – Amazon today released Black Friday-worthy deals, giving customers the opportunity to start shopping now and saving big heading into the holiday season. You don’t have to wait to save—starting today, find incredible deals and deep discounts across every category, including fashion, home, beauty, toys, electronics, Amazon Devices, and many more. Plus, customers can support small businesses with thousands of deals available from independent sellers and handmade artisans throughout the holiday season. For inspiration, Amazon also unveiled its biggest-ever selection of gift guides, including its popular Holiday Toy List, Home, Fashion, Beauty, and Electronics Gift Guides, as well as guides like Stocking Stuffer Picks and Customers’ Most-Loved products. And for customers who want to start preparing for holiday festivities, Amazon’s Holiday Prep Shop expertly curates top products across various categories to help customers prepare for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, or other seasonal celebrations.

Customers can start scoring deals today at amazon.com/epicdeals, on the Amazon mobile shopping app, or by simply asking, “Alexa, what are my deals?” To check out the wide selection of gift guides and prepare for the holidays, customers can visit amazon.com/gifts and our Holiday Prep shop at amazon.com/holidayprep.

“We’re excited to help customers get great holiday deals even earlier this year, including thousands of small business products,” said Dave Clark, CEO of worldwide consumer at Amazon. “Customers can confidently shop early knowing they are receiving incredible deals starting today, letting them get a head start on their holiday to-do lists so they can truly enjoy the holiday season. And I want to thank our incredible team around the world for everything they do each day to support each other and our customers—I couldn’t be prouder to work with you all.”

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[tubemonkey]

Amazon Gift Cards -- exp 18 Dec or WSL

Now through December 18, first-time Amazon Gift Card shoppers will receive a $10 promotional credit with the purchase of $50 or more in Amazon Gift Cards, while supplies last. Restrictions apply.

Frequent fliers should expect to get the same message I got:

Thank you for your interest in Amazon Gift Cards. Unfortunately, you are not eligible for this offer.

[Dr. Drib]

I love it!

They're "excited to help us." How can one feel bad things, when a company is excited? Plus, they want to help us!

I love it!

[Gotadimple]

Plus! The supply chain is likely to be further disrupted the closer we are to the real holidays. So, buy now! This message isn't unique to Amazon, it made the news this weekend as well.

[Manabi]

Originally Posted by Gotadimple

Plus! The supply chain is likely to be further disrupted the closer we are to the real holidays. So, buy now! This message isn't unique to Amazon, it made the news this weekend as well.

Especially since first class mail's delivery deadlines got lowered/slowed down starting October 1st. Delivery times went from one to three days to one to five days. The more rural the area you live in, the more you'll be impacted, and it's going to impact an estimated 40% of people. (This is going to be a serious problem for people in rural areas that get prescriptions by mail.) Additionally USPS is increasing shipping prices from October 3rd through December 26th.

Since Amazon and a lot of the other big retailers still use USPS directly, plus UPS & Fedex's hybrid delivery (they deliver the package to the closest USPS office, then USPS handles the final stage), this holiday's shipping is likely to turn into a major disaster for people who don't buy early.

Also, if you're planning to ship gifts to friends and family directly, ship them early as well. If you wait until December, they might not arrive on time. Deliveries are going to get congested and back up over time, so by December it'll probably be too late.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by Manabi

Especially since first class mail's delivery deadlines got lowered/slowed down starting October 1st. Delivery times went from one to three days to one to five days. The more rural the area you live in, the more you'll be impacted, and it's going to impact an estimated 40% of people. (This is going to be a serious problem for people in rural areas that get prescriptions by mail.) Additionally USPS is increasing shipping prices from October 3rd through December 26th.

Since Amazon and a lot of the other big retailers still use USPS directly, plus UPS & Fedex's hybrid delivery (they deliver the package to the closest USPS office, then USPS handles the final stage), this holiday's shipping is likely to turn into a major disaster for people who don't buy early.

Also, if you're planning to ship gifts to friends and family directly, ship them early as well. If you wait until December, they might not arrive on time. Deliveries are going to get congested and back up over time, so by December it'll probably be too late.

That's definitely going to create big headaches for consumers. I stopped sending physical gifts years ago and send my gifts in the form of gift cards via email. Delivery is practically instantaneous. Couple the gift cards with email greeting cards and you have a quick and easy solution to shopping and mailing. I know it's not very personal, but it's quick and easy.

[rcentros]

I see you can get Paperwhite 4s cheap again. $75 for the Twilight Blue, 8 GB version (and again $10 more for the other colors?). 32 GB versions (all colors) are $90, which is only $5 more than the 8 GB versions, except for the Twilight Blue one(?). (Same price at Amazon and Best Buy — though Best Buy is sold out of one of the colors.)

[Manabi]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

That's definitely going to create big headaches for consumers. I stopped sending physical gifts years ago and send my gifts in the form of gift cards via email. Delivery is practically instantaneous. Couple the gift cards with email greeting cards and you have a quick and easy solution to shopping and mailing. I know it's not very personal, but it's quick and easy.

Some people do get bothered by that, but deep down I think most people prefer a gift card. It lets them pick what they want and they don't have to worry about pretending they liked a gift they didn't want. (Or pretend they didn't return it.)

[sufue]

And gift cards can be thoughtful too if you know the person well - you can pick a favorite restaurant of theirs, or sports store if they are into that, or a night at a hotel chain if they like to travel - something that gives them flexibility, but shows you still thought about them.

One of the best wedding presents my husband and I got was a bunch of Souplantation (salad buffet restaurant, known outside California as Sweet Tomatoes, now tragically defunct as a result of Covid...) gift cards from one couple. Souplantation had been integral to our developing relationship, since we ate there every week after the games in the volleyball league we played in, and then that morphed into eating there on weekends, and then a couple of times during the week as well. And we were still eating there years later when we finally got married. So those folks had known us a long time, and their gift showed it, and was really appreciated too...

[Manabi]

Originally Posted by sufue

And gift cards can be thoughtful too if you know the person well - you can pick a favorite restaurant of theirs, or sports store if they are into that, or a night at a hotel chain if they like to travel - something that gives them flexibility, but shows you still thought about them.

Yep. One example I like is if you have someone in your life that's poor for whatever reason (like people that are disabled and have to rely on Social Security) you can go with a gift card that they have to use for entertainment, instead of a general one they'd probably use on groceries. It helps to make sure they have a bit of fun in their life. Google Play/iTunes are good for most people for that purpose depending on if they have an Android phone or iPhone, Steam/Origin/uPlay if they have a PC and play videogames on it (might want to ask which of those they use first), and Playstation/Xbox/Nintendo ones if they have consoles from those companies.

A Playstation Plus or Xbox Live Gold membership are also good if they have the appropriate consoles, as those include free games every month for the duration of the membership. (I'd suggest asking if they have problems with 3D sickness in games first. As someone that does, most of the free games are unplayable. It's not too common, but it does happen.)

[tubemonkey]

Another benefit of giving gift cards is that you won't hear anyone say:

"hey, isn't that the gift card I gave you last year?"

[sufue]

Unless it's been used

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Another benefit of giving gift cards is that you won't hear anyone say:

"hey, isn't that the gift card I gave you last year?"

[Manabi]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Another benefit of giving gift cards is that you won't hear anyone say:

"hey, isn't that the gift card I gave you last year?"

With physical ones there is the risk of them misplacing it, finding it years later and realizing the store went out of business in the meantime, though. (Yep, I've managed to do this before. )

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by sufue

Unless it's been used

Originally Posted by Manabi

With physical ones there is the risk of them misplacing it, finding it years later and realizing the store went out of business in the meantime, though. (Yep, I've managed to do this before. )

Nothing says "I really care about you" more than e-gift cards and e-greeting cards

[tubemonkey]

BTW, has anyone been able to get the $10 credit from the gift card promo in post #2?