Small Business News

Amazon Announces Small Business Support Efforts for Prime Day 2022

While Black Friday may still be several months away, there’s another retail day of note on the horizon: Prime Day. This year, Prime Day will be celebrated on July 12th and 13th in more than a dozen countries. Plus, for the first time, Poland and Sweden will get in on the fun. Meanwhile, later this year, India, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt will have their own Prime Day.

As for what deals shoppers can expect, many involve Amazon’s own devices as well as promotions from other large brands. However, the retailer is also making efforts to promote small businesses during this annual shopping holiday.

One of the ways Amazon plans to encourage shopping small this year is with their Prime Day Small Business Sweepstakes. Starting June 21st and running through July 11th, for every $1 customers spend on products from eligible small businesses, they’ll earn a chance to win some major prizes. Among them, shoppers in the U.S. will have the opportunity to win tickets to Super Bowl LVII, including a pre-game experience. Other prizes include VIP music experience, a meet and greet with the cast of Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power series, and more. Plus, “hundreds of thousands” of winners will receive Amazon gift cards. More details on the rules and prizes can be found on the Prime Day Small Business Sweepstakes site.

This Prime Day will also mark the official debut of the Small Business Badge that Amazon has been testing in recent months. This icon that resembles a classic “Main Street” storefront will appear on product listings, making it easier for shoppers to identify small and independent sellers. According to the site, they consider a small business to one that employs fewer than 100 people and has revenue of less than $50 million a year. In addition to the badge, Amazon’s Support Small landing page features various small business collections.

For example, customers can see products from woman, military family, or Black-owned businesses. Furthermore, users can explore items from sellers in their region of the country including the Pacific, Rocky Mountains, Northeast, Southwest, Midwest, or Southeast.

Since the last Prime Day, controversies surrounding Amazon have only grown. Nevertheless, while some of their moves may be questionable, it’s true that the company can also be a powerful force working for some small businesses. With that in mind, hopefully these efforts to make Prime Day successful for small businesses will pay off.