Amazon has just launched its Black Friday deals store
Black Friday: it's either a retail Valhalla or your worst nightmare – either way, it's increasingly becoming A Thing in the UK.
And now Amazon has launched a kind of pre-Black Friday Black Friday store. Welcome to retail in 2016.
The Countdown to Black Friday store is currently only for US customers, and features almost 150 "deals of the day", including 70 per cent off some fetching-looking coats and jackets and 33 per cent off an LG telly.
It's also launched "more than a dozen curated holiday gift guides" (their words not ours…) on everything from electronics to homewares to products from its Handmade at Amazon range, aka its Etsy-killer.
It also reminded its Prime they can "use their voice to order tens of millions of products… just by asking Alexa [Amazon's voice activated personal assistant] on their Amazon Echo". So there you go. Christmas shopping made easier. Or shoutier, anyway.
“Customers love discovering the best deals on the most sought-after products, and our Black Friday Deals Store and curated Holiday Gift Guides offer them a place to do just that – plus enjoy the most convenient shopping experience with tons of super-fast shipping options,” trilled Doug Herrington, senior vice president of North American Retail at Amazon.
“This holiday season, we’re offering more deals than ever before and – for the first time ever – giving Prime members an opportunity to use Alexa voice shopping for purchasing their holiday gifts hands-free. They can make purchases simply by asking Alexa-enabled devices, like the new Echo Dot, while relaxing at home with family and friends.” Oooh. The thrill of it.
Be prepared for Black Friday 2016. See the latest deals
Don't know what Black Friday is? Here's a brief history
We made it last year…