[Software] Amazon's Prime Day 2020 will start on Oct. 13

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After weeks of speculation, we're confident we know when Amazon Prime Day 2020 will start: Tuesday, Oct. 13. That date comes courtesy of CNET's Ben Fox Rubin, who broke the story on Tuesday. It was supported by a story on The Verge less than two hours later, which noted that the event will run two full days (as in recent years). In both cases, Amazon's reaction was to kick the can down the road: "Stay tuned for more details on Prime Day," a company spokesperson said. And the site's Prime Day page is basically just an empty placeholder. Those additional details are reportedly coming Sept. 27, according to the latter story, and nothing is official-official until that press release hits the wires. But these dates line up with Amazon's earlier declaration that Prime Day would be delayed until the fourth quarter this year, after the traditional July window was scratched because of COVID-19 complications. And, logistically speaking, anything after mid-October would begin to jam up against the holiday shopping window. With red-hot new Xbox and PlayStation game consoles launching in early November, pandemic-stretched supply lines and Black Friday shopping expected to be more of a season than a long weekend this year, it only makes sense that Amazon pushes its self-branded sale through the gates sooner rather than later. Watch this: Amazon Prime Day 2020: Everything you need to know 2:20 What about new Amazon devices? Even sooner than Prime Day is Amazon's product-launch event, which kicks off today at 10 a.m. PT (1 p.m. ET, 6 p.m. BST). We're expecting lots of new hardware across nearly every Amazon product line, and perhaps some new smart-home services as well. Typically, Prime Day brings price reductions on just about everything on Amazon's roster. We'll have to see if the new gear gets the discount treatment as well, given that it's happening so close to launch. One thing is for certain: Expect the usual major discounts on Kindle e-readers, Fire tablets and TV streamers, Blink cameras and the full range of Echo smart speakers. We're also expecting solid sales on non-Amazon products like iPads, Instant Pots and Bose headphones. Stay tuned to this post (and CNET in general) for all the updates as we learn more. CNET CHEAPSKATE Get all the latest deals delivered to your inbox. It's FREE! Add your email SIGN ME UP! By signing up, you agree to the CBS Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time. Where can I find more Prime Day advice? It's never too early to start learning the tricks of the Prime Day trade. For now, you can check out my main stories from last year: 5 ways to win Prime Day How to make sure that Prime Day deal is really a deal I can't wait for Prime Day. Where can I find good deals now? Yes, it's still months away. But there are still plenty of sales and deals in the meantime. See the CNET Coupons hub for new discounts from major retailers every week. Read my own Cheapskate feed, where I identify great deals every weekday. Check out CNET Deals, where we share a variety of deals from our retail partners and the web at large. Check out Amazon's own Deals Page, which is updated daily. SEE AMAZON DAILY DEALS And, as always, feel free to share your own tips for Prime Day and saving money in general! Best Prime Day tech deals Best Prime Day gaming deals Best Prime Day kitchen deals Best Prime Day fashion, beauty and home decor deals Best Prime Day business deals Best Prime Day IT deals

The sale, which usually takes place in July, was delayed amid the pandemic. Ben Fox Rubin headshot Ben Fox Rubin Sept. 22, 2020 8:42 a.m. PT 5 LISTEN - 02:36 Amazon-prime-day-3 Angela Lang/CNET Amazon's Prime Day is finally coming. The annual sale event will kick off in the US on Tuesday, Oct. 13, according to four people with knowledge of Amazon's plans. In preparation for the sale, Amazon has already blacked out vacation for its full-time warehouse workers from Oct. 13-20. The news fits with earlier statements from Amazon that confirmed the closely followed online event would take place in the fourth quarter. Watch this: Amazon Prime Day 2020: Everything you need to know 2:20 An Amazon spokesperson declined to comment on the date. "Stay tuned for more details on Prime Day," the spokesperson said. "Customers can also say, 'Alexa, keep me posted on Prime Day.'" The people CNET spoke with were unable to say how long the sale would last. Last year, Amazon extended Prime Day to 48 hours from 36 hours the year before. Prime Day was held in India this year on Aug. 6-7. CNET DAILY NEWS Stay in the know. Get the latest tech stories from CNET News every weekday. Add your email SIGN ME UP! By signing up, you agree to the CBS Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time. Like just about everything else in 2020, Prime Day was impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. The sale typically takes place in mid-July as a way to boost revenue during an otherwise slow summer retail season. Amazon delayed the event, however, as the retailer struggled to retrofit its sprawling logistics operations to handle both a surge in online orders and dozens of protocols designed to keep its warehouse workers safe. The changes delayed shipments for months. After delivery times improved, Amazon had the ability to forge ahead with Prime Day. Amazon likely will have lots of new and updated gadgets and services of its own to pitch to consumers on Prime Day: This Thursday, Sept. 24, the company will host its annual fall product launch. There's no indication as yet of what exactly to expect, but it's safe to assume that Alexa-equipped gear will take center stage. Last year's event brought gear including the Echo Dot with a Clock, the Echo Flex plug-in mini-speaker and peripherals including Echo Buds and the Echo Glow nightlight. MORE ON AMAZON PRIME Prime Day 2020: The latest updates on Amazon's big sale Amazon Prime Day is coming in the fourth quarter Walmart Plus vs. Amazon Prime: Is grocery delivery or streaming more important? The new date for Prime Day alters the dynamics of the event. Many Prime customers may end up buying their holiday gifts earlier than usual because the sale will be held much closer to the year's end. Still, Amazon isn't expected to eat into its holiday season sales by holding Prime Day so late because its sales during the pandemic have been substantially higher than usual, and that trend isn't expected to stop anytime soon. Brick-and-mortar retailers, though, may see a noticeable benefit from Prime Day since dozens of them usually promote their own discounts in parallel with Prime Day. This year has been especially difficult for traditional retailers, as lockdowns shuttered their locations for a chunk of the year and many customers have avoided going into stores. That's forced many retailers into bankruptcy protection, including J.Crew, Pier 1 and JCPenney. Likewise, the millions of smaller merchants that list their products on Amazon should