This year’s Amazon Prime Day was much like others in the past: massive sales, great deals, and millions of customers. In fact, the online retail behemoth says July 15 and 16 represented the biggest ever sales event in its history.
Amazon says it generated more sales on Prime Day than during the last Black Friday and Cyber Monday combined, with consumers purchasing more than 175 million items in total. Customers also bought huge numbers of smart devices, grocery items, and other products that were delivered quickly, “making it the fastest Prime Day ever.” But as the dust settles, there are a few post-Prime Day developments to discuss.
Prime Day shipping delays
Not everyone’s Prime Day went smoothly. Some Prime Day shoppers experienced significant shipping delays that tacked on extra time to what were supposed to be two-day deliveries.
One Twitter user reported that after purchasing an Amazon Echo, his shipping time was continually pushed back. Amazon says a number of factors can result in a package being delayed, so if you’re still waiting on that Instant Pot you purchased, it should eventually show up.
“Product availability, additional preparation time, severe weather, and delivery capacity can all affect your delivery date,” Amazon said on Twitter.
Unexpected packages could be a scam
While some customers are stuck waiting for packages, others are stuck with packages they never ordered. Some consumers across the country have reported dozens of mystery items piling up at their front door.
So what’s the deal? Many of these cases are likely the result of what’s called a “brushing” scam. Third-party sellers on Amazon looking to make their products more popular will find a consumer’s name and home address and begin sending them unsolicited items. Doing so not only makes their item more prominent on Amazon’s ranking due to increased sales, but the third-party sellers will often then give themselves fake product reviews based on the items they sent you.
These brushing scams could also potentially point to a data breach. So any users who suddenly receive free things at their door should contact Amazon or the item’s seller to let them know. It also wouldn’t hurt to change your Amazon password and monitor your bank account just to be on the safe side.
Returning items
Experiencing some buyer’s remorse? Perhaps some of the items you ordered didn’t live up to the hype or maybe even show up damaged. The good thing is you can likely return it. Doing is so is fairly simple as well.
First, sign in to Amazon via your desktop or the app and head to Your Orders. Locate and select the item or items you wish to return. Under the section that states Need help with your item? is an option to Return or replace items. Let Amazon know why you are returning the item and, depending on why you’re returning the item, you may just be reimbursed without having to do anything else.
If you are asked to physically send the item back, Amazon provides instructions on their website on how to package the item and where to send it.
The sales aren’t over yet
Although Prime Day technically ended, many items on Amazon are still on sale. So if you missed out on this year’s event, it’s not necessarily too late.
Everything from espresso machines and robotic vacuums to iPads and AirPods remains on sale. It’s also worth it to check out some of Amazon’s competitors like Walmart or Target for discounts.
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