US online sales during Amazon.com's Prime Day shopping event rose 6.1% to $12.7 billion from last year, as inflation-hit Americans hunted for discounts on the e-commerce platform. Amazon said over the two-day event, prime members bought more than 375 million items worldwide and saved more than 2.5 billion dollars on several deals, making it the biggest prime day event ever. The average order size rose to 54 dollars from 52 dollars last year.

Amazon defies inflationary odds with unbeatable deals on Prime Day

A German trade union called on workers at seven Amazon warehouses to go on strike on Monday for several days to coincide with the global Prime Day promotion. 
 
Verdi said it was organising the three-day strike as part of a long-running battle with the US&nbsp;tech giant in Germany over better pay and working conditions. 
 
"The workers in the mail order centres have to cope with the rush of customers and don't get a cent more for the additionally intensified workload," said Verdi representative Orhan Akman in a statement. 
 
Germany is Amazon's biggest market after the United States, and the Verdi union has been organising strikes at Amazon in the country since 2013 to protest low pay and poor conditions. 
 
An Amazon spokesperson said the company offers excellent pay and benefits. It has said during past calls for strikes over 90% of employees in the logistic centres worked as normal. 
 
Earlier this month, Amazon said it will guarantee an entry-level wage at its German warehouses of 12 euros ($14.25) an hour from July, which will rise to at least 12.50 euros per hour from autumn 2022. 
 
Amazon holds Prime Day to boost summer sales. The member-only discounts are an important way Amazon markets Prime, a fast-shipping and media-streaming service that incentivises subscribers to do more shopping on Amazon. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

A German trade union called on workers at seven Amazon warehouses to go on strike on Monday for several days to coincide with the global Prime Day promotion. Verdi said it was organising the three-day strike as part of a long-running battle with the US tech giant in Germany over better pay and working conditions.

A German trade union called on workers at seven Amazon warehouses to go on strike on Monday for several days to coincide with the global Prime Day promotion. Verdi said it was organising the three-day strike as part of a long-running battle with the US tech giant in Germany over better pay and working conditions. "The workers in the mail order centres have to cope with the rush of customers and don't get a cent more for the additionally intensified workload," said Verdi representative Orhan Akman in a statement. Germany is Amazon's biggest market after the United States, and the Verdi union has been organising strikes at Amazon in the country since 2013 to protest low pay and poor conditions. An Amazon spokesperson said the company offers excellent pay and benefits. It has said during past calls for strikes over 90% of employees in the logistic centres worked as normal. Earlier this month, Amazon said it will guarantee an entry-level wage at its German warehouses of 12 euros ($14.25) an hour from July, which will rise to at least 12.50 euros per hour from autumn 2022. Amazon holds Prime Day to boost summer sales. The member-only discounts are an important way Amazon markets Prime, a fast-shipping and media-streaming service that incentivises subscribers to do more shopping on Amazon. (With inputs from agencies)

German union calls for Amazon workers to strike on 'Prime Day'

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amazon-workers-in-germany-strike-over-pay-verdi-union-says-236173/amp">Amazon.com</a> Inc's &lt;AMZN.O&gt; Prime Day is now a major marketing opportunity and shopping event in the annual calendar for other US <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/us-delegation-to-discuss-indias-new-e-commerce-rules-during-trade-talks-235262&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwj0oZi0gbnjAhUMr48KHXruCrEQFjAEegQIAhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw3a1jsroKojRA5VApIzrXx-">retail companies</a>, rivalling the Thanksgiving holiday's Black Friday as a driver of sales.

Walmart Inc &lt;WMT.N&gt;, Target Corp &lt;TGT.N&gt; and eBay Inc &lt;EBAY.O&gt; all run their own special promotions to coincide with the annual sale, which this year Amazon has stretched to two days.

Target announced deal days which will run on the same days like Prime Day - July 15 and 16. Walmart offered promotions from July 14th-17th, while eBay announced a July 15 "crash sale."

"As the awareness of this shopping moment continues to build, we see this as a great opportunity to showcase our competitive advantage on price and inventory," an eBay spokesperson said.

Amazon's break-neck pace of growth, which has seen increasing numbers of shoppers ordering online instead of going to brick-and-mortar stores, is pushing other retailers to respond as they seek to remain competitive.

"There is this enormous halo effect to Prime Day," said Jaysen Gillespie, head of analytics and data science at ads firm Criteo, adding that non-Amazon retailers should experience large increases both in traffic to their websites and in sales.

"The rest of the industry is taking advantage of the free marketing that Jeff Bezos is providing, and they should really send him a thank you card saying, 'Hey, thanks for the awareness marketing - we'll take care of the conversion and close the deal now on our websites.'"

Some retailers also flaunted no membership fees.

Customers have to join Amazon Prime to get discounts during the 48-hour event. US members of the club pay $119 per year for benefits including one-day shipping, and they tend to buy more goods, more often from the Seattle-based retailer.

The mid-summer shopping event is estimated to bring in $5.8 billion in sales this year for Amazon globally, compared to $3.9 billion last year, according to Coresight Research. Amazon does not disclose figures for revenue generated during Prime Day shopping events.

Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group &lt;BABA.N&gt; reported sales of $30.8 billion during its 24-hour online retail frenzy Singles' Day in 2018.

Last year, when Prime Day lasted 36 hours and faced technical glitches, online shoppers bought more than 100 million products worldwide, at the time recording the largest daily sales for Amazon's own brand of Echo smart speakers, while the Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote and Echo Dot were the best-selling devices.

Other top-selling products around the world were table salt in India, Coke Zero and Kleenex tissues in Singapore and electric toothbrushes in China.

Pop star Lady Gaga announced a line of beauty products exclusively for sale on Amazon last week, which is available for pre-order during the promotional event.

"It's Christmas in July," said Tom Caporaso, chief executive of loyalty platform Clarus Commerce, citing company research that shows roughly 50% of consumers say they search other retailers to find the best price on Prime Day.

"That's telling you that consumers are definitely in the buying mode but are not 100% loyal to Amazon," he said.

To coincide with Prime Day, more than 2,000 workers at seven Amazon sites across Germany went on strike over pay and conditions for logistics workers for at least two days, labour union Verdi said on Monday.

Other protests have been planned across Europe and the United States, including at an Amazon warehouse in Shakopee in Minneapolis, where workers have scheduled a work stoppage and are demanding improved work conditions.

Employees are also calling on the company to do more to combat climate change and cut alleged business dealings with the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

"Events like Prime Day have become an opportunity for our critics, including unions, to raise awareness for their cause, in this case, increased membership dues," an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement on Monday.

"These groups are conjuring misinformation to work in their favour, when in fact we already offer the things they purport to be their cause — industry leading pay of $15 per hour, benefits, and a safe workplace for our employees."

Democratic presidential candidates and US Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren on Twitter threw their support behind the striking workers.

Shares of Amazon edged up 0.4% on Nasdaq shortly before the close of trading.

Amazon.com Inc's <AMZN.O> Prime Day is now a major marketing opportunity and shopping event in the annual calendar for other US retail companies, rivalling the Thanksgiving holiday's Black Friday as a driver of sales.

Amazon.com Inc's <AMZN.O> Prime Day is now a major marketing opportunity and shopping event in the annual calendar for other US retail companies, rivalling the Thanksgiving holiday's Black Friday as a driver of sales. Walmart Inc <WMT.N>, Target Corp <TGT.N> and eBay Inc <EBAY.O> all run their own special promotions to coincide with the annual sale, which this year Amazon has stretched to two days. Target announced deal days which will run on the same days like Prime Day - July 15 and 16. Walmart offered promotions from July 14th-17th, while eBay announced a July 15 "crash sale." "As the awareness of this shopping moment continues to build, we see this as a great opportunity to showcase our competitive advantage on price and inventory," an eBay spokesperson said. Amazon's break-neck pace of growth, which has seen increasing numbers of shoppers ordering online instead of going to brick-and-mortar stores, is pushing other retailers to respond as they seek to remain competitive. "There is this enormous halo effect to Prime Day," said Jaysen Gillespie, head of analytics and data science at ads firm Criteo, adding that non-Amazon retailers should experience large increases both in traffic to their websites and in sales. "The rest of the industry is taking advantage of the free marketing that Jeff Bezos is providing, and they should really send him a thank you card saying, 'Hey, thanks for the awareness marketing - we'll take care of the conversion and close the deal now on our websites.'" Some retailers also flaunted no membership fees. Customers have to join Amazon Prime to get discounts during the 48-hour event. US members of the club pay $119 per year for benefits including one-day shipping, and they tend to buy more goods, more often from the Seattle-based retailer. The mid-summer shopping event is estimated to bring in $5.8 billion in sales this year for Amazon globally, compared to $3.9 billion last year, according to Coresight Research. Amazon does not disclose figures for revenue generated during Prime Day shopping events. Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group <BABA.N> reported sales of $30.8 billion during its 24-hour online retail frenzy Singles' Day in 2018. Last year, when Prime Day lasted 36 hours and faced technical glitches, online shoppers bought more than 100 million products worldwide, at the time recording the largest daily sales for Amazon's own brand of Echo smart speakers, while the Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote and Echo Dot were the best-selling devices. Other top-selling products around the world were table salt in India, Coke Zero and Kleenex tissues in Singapore and electric toothbrushes in China. Pop star Lady Gaga announced a line of beauty products exclusively for sale on Amazon last week, which is available for pre-order during the promotional event. "It's Christmas in July," said Tom Caporaso, chief executive of loyalty platform Clarus Commerce, citing company research that shows roughly 50% of consumers say they search other retailers to find the best price on Prime Day. "That's telling you that consumers are definitely in the buying mode but are not 100% loyal to Amazon," he said. To coincide with Prime Day, more than 2,000 workers at seven Amazon sites across Germany went on strike over pay and conditions for logistics workers for at least two days, labour union Verdi said on Monday. Other protests have been planned across Europe and the United States, including at an Amazon warehouse in Shakopee in Minneapolis, where workers have scheduled a work stoppage and are demanding improved work conditions. Employees are also calling on the company to do more to combat climate change and cut alleged business dealings with the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). "Events like Prime Day have become an opportunity for our critics, including unions, to raise awareness for their cause, in this case, increased membership dues," an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement on Monday. "These groups are conjuring misinformation to work in their favour, when in fact we already offer the things they purport to be their cause — industry leading pay of $15 per hour, benefits, and a safe workplace for our employees." Democratic presidential candidates and US Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren on Twitter threw their support behind the striking workers. Shares of Amazon edged up 0.4% on Nasdaq shortly before the close of trading.

Amazon rivals ride on Prime Day marketing as protests unfold

More than 2,000 workers at seven <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amazon-warehouse-workers-in-minnesota-set-walkout-on-prime-day-234450">Amazon</a> sites across Germany have gone <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amazon-warehouse-workers-in-minnesota-set-walkout-on-prime-day-234450">on strike over pay for at least two days</a>, labour union Verdi said on Monday.

The walkouts, under the motto 'No more discount on our incomes", started overnight and coincide with Amazon's Prime Day when the US online retail giant offers its 'Prime' customers discount deals. Germany is its second-biggest market after the United States.

Amazon has faced a long-running battle with unions in Germany over better pay and conditions for logistics workers, who have staged frequent strikes since 2013.

"While Amazon fuels bargain hunting on Prime Day with hefty discounts, employees are being deprived of a living wage," Verdi retail specialist Orhan Akman said in a statement.

Verdi said the strikes had hit Amazon's sites in Werne, Rheinberg, Leipzig, Graben, Koblenz, as well as at Amazon's two sites in Bad Hersfeld.

Amazon did not provide exact numbers for how many employees were striking but said participation was limited and had no impact on customer deliveries.

"The company must finally recognise the collective wage agreements for the retail and mail order sectors," Akman said. "Wages and salaries at Amazon must no longer be determined in the style of a lord of the manor."

Verdi also demanded that collective bargaining agreements be made binding across Germany's retail sector.

"A universally binding collective agreement would then apply for Amazon too," said Akman.

An Amazon spokesman said the company was a fair and responsible employer even without having a collective agreement in place, adding: "In our fulfilment centres, our wages are at the upper end of what is paid in comparable jobs."

Amazon runs 12 warehouses - which it calls fulfilment centres - in Germany. Earlier on Sunday, Amazon said it plans to open a new warehouse in Germany this year and create more than 2,800 jobs with permanent contracts.

More than 2,000 workers at seven Amazon sites across Germany have gone on strike over pay for at least two days, labour union Verdi said on Monday. The walkouts, under the motto 'No more discount on our incomes", started overnight and coincide with Amazon's Prime Day when the US online retail giant offers its 'Prime' customers discount deals.

More than 2,000 workers at seven Amazon sites across Germany have gone on strike over pay for at least two days, labour union Verdi said on Monday. The walkouts, under the motto 'No more discount on our incomes", started overnight and coincide with Amazon's Prime Day when the US online retail giant offers its 'Prime' customers discount deals. Germany is its second-biggest market after the United States. Amazon has faced a long-running battle with unions in Germany over better pay and conditions for logistics workers, who have staged frequent strikes since 2013. "While Amazon fuels bargain hunting on Prime Day with hefty discounts, employees are being deprived of a living wage," Verdi retail specialist Orhan Akman said in a statement. Verdi said the strikes had hit Amazon's sites in Werne, Rheinberg, Leipzig, Graben, Koblenz, as well as at Amazon's two sites in Bad Hersfeld. Amazon did not provide exact numbers for how many employees were striking but said participation was limited and had no impact on customer deliveries. "The company must finally recognise the collective wage agreements for the retail and mail order sectors," Akman said. "Wages and salaries at Amazon must no longer be determined in the style of a lord of the manor." Verdi also demanded that collective bargaining agreements be made binding across Germany's retail sector. "A universally binding collective agreement would then apply for Amazon too," said Akman. An Amazon spokesman said the company was a fair and responsible employer even without having a collective agreement in place, adding: "In our fulfilment centres, our wages are at the upper end of what is paid in comparable jobs." Amazon runs 12 warehouses - which it calls fulfilment centres - in Germany. Earlier on Sunday, Amazon said it plans to open a new warehouse in Germany this year and create more than 2,800 jobs with permanent contracts.

Amazon workers in Germany strike over pay, say 'No more discount on our incomes'

Amazon warehouse workers in Minnesota scheduled a walkout on Monday during the online giant's "Prime Day," to press demands on working conditions and job security.

The job action -- described as a six-hour strike -- is being organised by Awood Center, which works with East African immigrants in the midwestern state, according to a statement on the group's Facebook page.

The centre said the Amazon warehouse employees in the suburb of Shakopee "were the first to ever sit down and discuss working conditions with Amazon management."

Meg Brady, a warehouse worker participating in the job action, said she expected some 100 of the estimated 1,500 employees to walk off, and noted that key issues include workplace ergonomics and job security.

"The work is very repetitive and leads to injuries, and Amazon hasn't made investments in their workstations," Brady told AFP.

"Amazon demands the best from its employees, and we want the best from management."

Brady said the warehouse includes many temporary workers and that employees may be dismissed arbitrarily.

"You can have a bad day or a pain in the back and a manager can come up and say, 'You're done,'" she said.

The Awood Center statement added that these employees "are still struggling to make these critical jobs ones that are safe, reliable and where the majority East African workforce is respected and promoted to leadership positions."

An Amazon spokeswoman disputed claims by the organizers that most of the jobs were "unstable."

"On average, 90 per cent of Amazon associates at the Shakopee fulfilment centre are full-time Amazon employed," the spokeswoman said in an email.

"Year-to-date, over 100 temporary associates have converted to full-time Amazon positions. Just this last week, more than 30 were offered Amazon roles."

The statement added that Amazon "offers already what this outside organization is asking for -- we provide great employment opportunities with excellent pay -- ranging from $16.25 to $20.80 an hour, and comprehensive benefits ... we encourage anyone to compare our pay, benefits and workplace to other retailers and major employers in the Shakopee community and across the country."

The job action comes on one of Amazon's most important days for retail -- marked by big promotions and a concert by Taylor Swift -- to draw attention to its Prime membership program.

The walkout will be followed by a rally joined by Amazon workers from Seattle, according to the Awood Center.

Amazon warehouse workers in Minnesota scheduled a walkout on Monday during the online giant's "Prime Day," to press demands on working conditions and job security.

Amazon warehouse workers in Minnesota scheduled a walkout on Monday during the online giant's "Prime Day," to press demands on working conditions and job security. The job action -- described as a six-hour strike -- is being organised by Awood Center, which works with East African immigrants in the midwestern state, according to a statement on the group's Facebook page. The centre said the Amazon warehouse employees in the suburb of Shakopee "were the first to ever sit down and discuss working conditions with Amazon management." Meg Brady, a warehouse worker participating in the job action, said she expected some 100 of the estimated 1,500 employees to walk off, and noted that key issues include workplace ergonomics and job security. "The work is very repetitive and leads to injuries, and Amazon hasn't made investments in their workstations," Brady told AFP. "Amazon demands the best from its employees, and we want the best from management." Brady said the warehouse includes many temporary workers and that employees may be dismissed arbitrarily. "You can have a bad day or a pain in the back and a manager can come up and say, 'You're done,'" she said. The Awood Center statement added that these employees "are still struggling to make these critical jobs ones that are safe, reliable and where the majority East African workforce is respected and promoted to leadership positions." An Amazon spokeswoman disputed claims by the organizers that most of the jobs were "unstable." "On average, 90 per cent of Amazon associates at the Shakopee fulfilment centre are full-time Amazon employed," the spokeswoman said in an email. "Year-to-date, over 100 temporary associates have converted to full-time Amazon positions. Just this last week, more than 30 were offered Amazon roles." The statement added that Amazon "offers already what this outside organization is asking for -- we provide great employment opportunities with excellent pay -- ranging from $16.25 to $20.80 an hour, and comprehensive benefits ... we encourage anyone to compare our pay, benefits and workplace to other retailers and major employers in the Shakopee community and across the country." The job action comes on one of Amazon's most important days for retail -- marked by big promotions and a concert by Taylor Swift -- to draw attention to its Prime membership program. The walkout will be followed by a rally joined by Amazon workers from Seattle, according to the Awood Center.

Amazon warehouse workers in Minnesota set walkout on 'Prime Day'

Amazon shares rose ahead of the world&#39;s largest online retailer&#39;s own version of Black Friday, while its new service to help set up &#39;smart homes&#39; weighed on rival Best Buy.

Prime Day, a 30-hour sale set to start at 9:00 pm EDT (0100 GMT Tuesday), is Amazon&#39;s biggest marketing push of the year, with deals to draw new subscribers to its Prime shopping club. US members pay $99 per year for streaming video and two-day shipping.

Amazon shares closed up 1.8 per cent at $996.47 on Nasdaq.

&quot;Prime Day is the big overriding story and what&#39;s moved the stock up today,&quot; said Trip Miller, managing partner at Gullane Capital Partners in Memphis, Tennessee, which has a long position in Amazon. Miller said Amazon&#39;s dominance could be seen in how a long list of retailers&#39; shares fell on Monday.

Baird Equity Research analysts have estimated that Prime has about 60 million US members, based on an April survey. Amazon does not disclose the number.

&quot;It&#39;s a real test to see if they can raise that number,&quot; said Kim Forrest, senior equity research analyst at Fort Pitt Capital Group in Pittsburgh. She said an Amazon disclosure on the number of subscribers and their location &quot;would be telling, to see how big of a phenomenon this is.&quot;

Spreading out

&nbsp;Among the stocks hurt by Amazon was Best Buy, which fell 6.3 per cent to end at $54.23 in its largest daily percentage drop since late May 2016. The decline was partly prompted by reports of an Amazon service launched earlier this year, similar to one from Best Buy, that helps customers set up a &#39;smart home&#39; with Amazon&#39;s voice-controlled assistant Alexa, analysts said.

Best Buy&#39;s Geek Squad, which offers in-home product installations and repairs, has helped distinguish the electronics retailer from its rivals.

&quot;Today&#39;s news reflects what we know, Consumers love technology but frequently need help getting the most out of it,&quot; said Jeff Shelman, senior director of external communications at Best Buy.

Investors punished Best Buy shares on a growing concern that it stands to lose if Amazon branches out into its business. &quot;That&#39;s the vision investors and even competitors have of being &#39;Amazoned,&#39;&quot; said Fort Pitt Capital&#39;s Forrest.

Amazon&#39;s announcement last month of the acquisition of Whole Foods Market sent stocks of food retailers, producers and packagers, among others, reeling.

Fears about Amazon&#39;s new service, which is offered only in seven top urban areas on the US West Coast, may be overblown, Forrest said.

&quot;I think investors are overestimating the power of Amazon and underestimating the cost to enter all of these new markets and their geographies. America is a big place.&quot;

Amazon shares rose ahead of the world's largest online retailer's own version of Black Friday, while its new service to help set up 'smart homes' weighed on rival Best Buy

Amazon shares rose ahead of the world's largest online retailer's own version of Black Friday, while its new service to help set up 'smart homes' weighed on rival Best Buy. Prime Day, a 30-hour sale set to start at 9:00 pm EDT (0100 GMT Tuesday), is Amazon's biggest marketing push of the year, with deals to draw new subscribers to its Prime shopping club. US members pay $99 per year for streaming video and two-day shipping. Amazon shares closed up 1.8 per cent at $996.47 on Nasdaq. "Prime Day is the big overriding story and what's moved the stock up today," said Trip Miller, managing partner at Gullane Capital Partners in Memphis, Tennessee, which has a long position in Amazon. Miller said Amazon's dominance could be seen in how a long list of retailers' shares fell on Monday. Baird Equity Research analysts have estimated that Prime has about 60 million US members, based on an April survey. Amazon does not disclose the number. "It's a real test to see if they can raise that number," said Kim Forrest, senior equity research analyst at Fort Pitt Capital Group in Pittsburgh. She said an Amazon disclosure on the number of subscribers and their location "would be telling, to see how big of a phenomenon this is." Spreading out Among the stocks hurt by Amazon was Best Buy, which fell 6.3 per cent to end at $54.23 in its largest daily percentage drop since late May 2016. The decline was partly prompted by reports of an Amazon service launched earlier this year, similar to one from Best Buy, that helps customers set up a 'smart home' with Amazon's voice-controlled assistant Alexa, analysts said. Best Buy's Geek Squad, which offers in-home product installations and repairs, has helped distinguish the electronics retailer from its rivals. "Today's news reflects what we know, Consumers love technology but frequently need help getting the most out of it," said Jeff Shelman, senior director of external communications at Best Buy. Investors punished Best Buy shares on a growing concern that it stands to lose if Amazon branches out into its business. "That's the vision investors and even competitors have of being 'Amazoned,'" said Fort Pitt Capital's Forrest. Amazon's announcement last month of the acquisition of Whole Foods Market sent stocks of food retailers, producers and packagers, among others, reeling. Fears about Amazon's new service, which is offered only in seven top urban areas on the US West Coast, may be overblown, Forrest said. "I think investors are overestimating the power of Amazon and underestimating the cost to enter all of these new markets and their geographies. America is a big place."

Amazon up ahead of Prime Day, new service hits Best Buy

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