Amazon's next annual Prime Day sale will kick off early in the morning on Tuesday, July 11 and run through July 12, the company announced Wednesday.
The e-commerce giant has held the two-day shopping extravaganza to lure people to its Prime membership since 2015. In a release, it promised Amazon-exclusive deals for members on popular brands and small business products alike.
The cost of an Amazon Prime membership has increased over the years to $14.99 per month or $139 per year — nearly twice the original 2005 fee of $79. The company advertises member perks like two-day shipping and access to its streaming service, Prime Video. Shoppers without a Prime membership can still access Prime Day deals if they sign up for a free 30-day trial.
Other retailers have taken notice of Prime Day, with companies like Target, Best Buy and Walmart holding competing sales events in recent years.
When does Amazon Prime Day start?
Amazon said the event will officially start Tuesday, July 11 at 3 a.m. Eastern time. The company's early deals, including some Alexa-enabled Echo devices and video rentals, start as soon as June 21.
When does Prime Day end?
Prime Day 2023 runs through Wednesday, July 12.
What's new for Prime Day 2023?
Amazon plans to debut an "Invite-only" deals program this year, with members signing up for a chance at "some of Prime Day’s best deals that are expected to sell out" like 75% off a 43-inch Amazon Fire smart TV.
"Members who are selected will be notified during Prime Day with instructions on how to purchase the item at the exclusive deal price," Amazon said in the release.
Backdrop of controversy:
The announcement comes as Amazon, the nation's second-largest employer, faces continued scrutiny on its business practices and treatment of workers. The Federal Trade Commission sued Amazon on Wednesday for allegedly tricking shoppers into signing up for Prime and making it difficult for them to cancel their subscriptions.
The regulatory agency said the option to purchase items on Amazon without subscribing to Prime was more difficult in many cases. It also said shoppers were sometimes presented with a button to complete their transactions — and the button didn't clearly state it was also enrolling them into Prime.
And on Tuesday, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders opened a Senate investigation into Amazon’s warehouse safety practices, his latest such probe as chairman of a committee on health and labor issues.
"The company’s quest for profits at all costs has led to unsafe physical environments, intense pressure to work at unsustainable rates, and inadequate medical attention for tens of thousands of Amazon workers every year," Sanders wrote in a letter to Amazon CEO Andy Jassy.
Amazon spokesperson Steve Kelly said Tuesday that the company had reviewed the letter and strongly disagreed with Sanders' assertions.
“We take the safety and health of our employees very seriously,” Kelly said. “There will always be ways to improve, but we’re proud of the progress we’ve made, which includes a 23% reduction in recordable injuries across our U.S. operations since 2019.”
The Associated Press contributed reporting.