Amazon may delay its Prime Day event in face of coronavirus pandemic

Unusual times call for unusual measures. For Amazon, that means departing from the age-old golden rule of retail: tempting customers into buying things they don't need.

In news the company has yet to announce publicly, Amazon has reportedly decided to cancel promotions for Mother's and Father's Day, as well as postpone Prime Day, the company's flagship discount fest, indefinitely, according to the The Wall Street Journal.

Mashable reached out to Amazon for comment, but the company noted it did not "have anything to share" regarding the news.

The decision to scale back on these high-traffic sales events comes on the heels of Amazon's decision last month to remove a widget on its site that recommends similar products other consumers have bought.

In recent months, Amazon has been faced with a surge in demand for essential items due to the coronavirus pandemic. But worker strikes over warehouse conditions and confirmed cases within those environments have created logistical challenges that impact the company's ability to deliver purchases in a timely manner.

Amazon has since hired more than 100,000 workers for its distribution centers and delivery networks, and it plans to hire 75,000 more.

The company also confirmed on Monday that it will be gradually expanding the scope of its inventory once again since its announcement last month to halt the restocking of nonessential items.

In the meantime, Amazon has set up an internal team of senior executives to determine how and when the company can return to its pre-pandemic capacity. But sources familiar with the matter told TheWall Street Journalthat it could take at least another two months.

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