Betting on a Prime Day outage, eBay announces 'Crash Sale'

Dive Brief:

EBay on Wednesday announced a "Crash Sale" on July 15 that includes brand deals and free shipping, according to a press release emailed to Retail Dive.
If Amazon's website crashes on Prime Day — which on Tuesday was announced would begin on July 15 —eBay stated it will introduce more deals during its Crash Sale.
EBay is running a series of sales during the month of July that includes "July 4th Savings" from July 1-7 with savings on items like stand mixers, robotic vacuums; the "Hot Deals for Hot Days" from July 8-22, which includes daily deals on tech, appliances and smart home devices; and the aforementioned "Crash Sale" on July 15, which offers discounts of more than 50% off select brands.

Dive Insight:

Now that Amazon has confirmed the date of its annual Prime Day — which will actually last two days — eBay is taking another jab at the dominant online retailer for its history of technical difficulties.

Beyond the cheeky title, eBay is offering discounts throughout the month of July on notable brands such as Adidas, Dyson and Garmin, all without a membership requirement, according to the company's press release. Aside from its attempt to compete with Amazon, the company noted that summer is a critical online shopping season. Offering discounts may be a way for eBay to snatch up additional back-to-school share.

"[E]Bay is primed to deliver exactly what shoppers want during this year's crash (sale)," Jay Hanson, eBay's vice president and COO of the Americas, said in a statement. "July has become a massive shopping season, and our summer sales include blockbuster deals that will not disappoint."

The Crash Sale is the latest chapter within the ongoing complicated relationship between eBay and Amazon. Amazon has dominated the e-commerce market for years, prompting rival retailers like eBay to step up their deals during peak shopping seasons. Not only has Amazon poached former eBay executives, but eBay has also accused Amazon of luring its best sellers away, too. On the other hand, the two companies have worked together in the past to combat mutual problems like counterfeit merchandise. Time will tell whether three-weeks' worth of discounts will boost summer season revenues at eBay.