• Amazon Prime Big Deal Days in October include some non-traditional holiday deals, like chainsaws.
• It shows how Amazon is expanding holiday sales – and trying to get Prime members to buy more.
• Other retailers, from Walmart to Lowe’s, are also getting on the October sales bandwagon this year.

Many of the deals Amazon is promoting during its Prime Big Deal Days this month aren’t your typical holiday gifts.

Of course, the company describes the sales event as “epic deals leading up to the holiday season” (note the “ahead of us” here). But with other retailers also offering discounts at the same time, you can’t feel like your holiday shopping starts earlier than usual.

On Amazon, In addition to giant TVs and Apple Airpods, the discounted items also include camping gear like a tent and a pocket knife, chainsaws and other seasonal tools that many people store in their garages as winter approaches.

Many are “things we want but don’t necessarily consider as Christmas gifts,” said Luc Wathieu, a professor of marketing at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. “No one’s going to think about buying a chainsaw for Christmas, are they?”

But by holding a second annual Prime Day event on October 8th and 9th this year Amazon may market these types of items, which are usually sold at deep discounts at the end of the season, as early Christmas deals. Prime Day began as a summer sale and Amazon first held the event in July 2015. The fall version was added in 2022 (although Prime Day 2020 also took place in October of the same year due to delays caused by the pandemic).

“Things that didn’t go well during Prime Day in July can be ironed out so they can then focus on the other merchandise they want to sell during the holiday,” said Sky Canaves, a senior analyst who is covers retail and e-commerce at Emarketer, a sister company of Business Insider.

Data on U.S. consumer spending and corporate earnings this summer suggest shoppers are holding back purchases to varying degrees.

While many low-income people focus on food and other essentials, wealthier middle- and upper-income consumers still have money to spend on clothing, home decor and other small luxuries. But they are more economical than they were a few years ago.

Amazon’s Prime members tend to fit into the latter group, Wathieu said. After all, they’re willing to pay Amazon’s monthly or annual fees for Prime. “They’re a little less price sensitive” than shoppers who have to delay purchases until just before the holidays, he said.

Offering outdoor gear, garden tools and other off-season products during the October event is likely one way Amazon wants to entice Prime members to spend more, Wathieu said. “You have to see this more as a strategic move by Amazon to take advantage of their capabilities, including the fact that all of them have been talked into the Prime membership, which they have to use,” he said.

An Amazon spokesperson said: “Right now we are focused on making this year’s event special for our members and are pleased to be able to offer exclusive early bird discounts this holiday season.” The spokesperson did not directly comment on Amazon’s strategy in sourcing the deals.

“We know that saving is important to our Prime members, and we’re excited to offer our members worldwide deep discounts and millions of deals across top categories like electronics, home, toys, beauty and apparel, as well as brands like Dyson and Barbie “To be able to do that.” Speaker added.

Other retailers are offering their own October sales this year, giving Amazon competition. Walmart’s Holiday Deals sale begins October 8th, the first day of Prime Day, and runs through October 13th. Target Circle Week begins on October 6th this year.

Non-big box retailers are also getting involved. Home Depot launched its Décor Days sale on Thursday, marking the sale’s second year. Rival Lowe’s, meanwhile, will launch MyLowe’s Rewards Week on Thursday, the home improvement chain’s first October sale.

But all these sales at once might be too much for buyers. According to market research firm Optimove Insights, 67 percent said they expect to “feel overwhelmed with marketing messages” from retailers about holiday sales by November 1. The survey, conducted in July, surveyed 280 U.S. shoppers ages 21 and older from households with incomes of $75,000 or more.

Even die-hard Amazon shoppers may feel burned out on the sales, as the retailer’s October sale comes less than three months after Prime Day in July, Canaves said.

“There is a risk of holiday marketing fatigue,” she said.

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