There are news around Amazon: The e-commerce giant has extended its return period to four months, announced the date for Amazon Prime Day 2020 and introduced new Echo devices. We’ll take a closer look at everything in one summary.
Online trading has become even more important during the Corona crisis. After all, many people still avoid stationary stores. This could also affect the upcoming Amazon Prime Day 2020, which Amazon has scheduled for October 13 and 14, 2020 in Germany.
On both days, as in previous years, there will be “more than a million offers for prime customers”. The rush for the reduced products could therefore be greater than before if people are in a buying mood and prefer to store online due to corona.
Amazon extends return period for purchased products
Amazon seems to be aware of this, as the e-commerce giant has extended its return period for purchased products. All items you buy from October 1, 2020 onwards can no longer be returned within 30 days, but within four months.
The new regulation marks the start of Amazon’s Christmas business. The company is pursuing the following intention: friends and family should have the opportunity to return gifts they don’t like in January 2021.
The extended return period therefore also applies to products that you buy on Amazon Prime Day 2020 – and even to those that you do not buy directly from Amazon, but also from the Marketplace.
Third-party merchants are also subject to the new condition – although they should not be enthusiastic about it. After all, they have to reckon with the fact that items sold in October will not be returned until January.
Exceptions to the extended return period
But there are also exceptions. Cosmetic articles and Co. are not covered by the regulation for reasons of hygiene. And DVDs and video games whose sealed package has been opened may not be returned. Finally, Amazon does not take back personalized articles – as usual.
Echo family: Amazon introduces new, sustainable products
In addition to the extended return period, Amazon has introduced a number of new products for its language assistant Alexa, including an Echo, an Echo Dot, an Echo Dot with watch and the Echo Show 10.
The new Echo family features a spherical design and improved audio quality, according to Amazon.
According to Eric Saarnio, Vice President Amazon Devices EU, the new gadgets are “the best echo devices we have ever created. Echo and Echo Dot are impressive in design and sound great – but Echo Show 10 takes Alexa to a whole new dimension with its screen”.
The display moves along with the user and thus always stays in the field of vision – “as natural as in a conversation. Alexa is also constantly learning. In the future, just say you want to watch Netflix or make a group call.
Most impressive of all, the Echo devices are made from recycled materials and support a new power-saving mode. So Amazon is committed to sustainability. To this end, the company has even built Europe’s first wind farm for renewable energy.
Will Amazon break all sales records again on Prime Day 2020?
Amazon has not yet revealed whether the new Echo devices will also be available at reduced prices on Prime Day.
Either way, it should be exciting again this year. In 2019, with 175 million products sold, Prime Day became the biggest shopping event in the company’s history. Amazon broke all previous records and made a turnover of around two billion US dollars.
This year, the e-commerce giant could make even more money – provided that the ongoing economic crisis does not get in the way of Amazon’s customers’ shopping mood.
