Dive Brief:

• Amazon is offering its Black Friday deals beginning Friday and running through Nov. 27, the company announced this week. 

• Ahead of the holidays, the e-commerce giant is showcasing deals across a range of categories from toys and electronics to kitchen and fashion items, per a press release.

• The company is also offering Alexa-exclusive deals, which customers can access by asking, "Alexa, what are my deals?" starting this Friday, according to the press release.

Dive Insight:

Amazon in its announcement noted that more customers are buying their holiday gifts early this year. The e-commerce giant said that it has extended its returns window, allowing most items that are shipped through Dec. 31 to be returned for free until Jan. 31, 2021. 

The company is offering discounts on various Amazon products such as select Echo, Ring and Fire TV devices. Back in September, Amazon released multiple new Fire TV and Echo products. 

The e-commerce giant has been trying to spark the holiday shopping spirit lately, which is a challenge for retailers given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The company recently released a holiday ad, and last month it hosted its Holiday Dash event and shared its holiday gift guides.

In light of the coronavirus pandemic's impact on this holiday season, many retailers have altered their Black Friday plans. Amazon shifted its Prime Day sale to October, which unofficially kicked off the shopping season. Meanwhile, Best Buy, Target and Walmart launched their own sales around the same time. More retailers, including, Dick's Sporting Goods, Bed Bath & Beyond, Dollar General and Old Navy, have shared their holiday deals ahead of Black Friday, too.

The company also stated that consumers can stream Amazon Live for shoppable livestreams with gift guides and live product demonstrations featuring influencers and celebrities.