Despite calls for an “economic blackout” targeting major retailers on Friday, February 28, early data reveals Amazon sales actually increased during the boycott period.
Forbes reports that Amazon managed to defy the “economic blackout” that took place on February 28. The boycott, organized by The People’s Union USA, aimed to target major retailers and brands, but early data suggests that Amazon’s sales remained unaffected and even increased during the period.
According to analytics from Momentum Commerce, an e-commerce consulting and analytics firm, Amazon’s transactions rose by one percent compared to typical Friday patterns. This suggests that the boycott had a limited impact on the company’s sales. The data showed stronger performance earlier in the day, with sales tracking 6.8 percent above typical levels by midday before moderating in the afternoon and evening hours.
Momentum Commerce works with brands selling on Amazon and directly tracks $6 billion of sales annually, allowing them to extrapolate broader marketplace trends. The company tracked the boycott’s impact throughout the day, observing that the early increase above typical Friday levels gradually decreased as the day progressed. By late afternoon, John T. Shea, CEO of Momentum Commerce, noted that “the peak hours are a bit softer from the average Friday,” though sales remained positive overall.
Friday’s action appears to be the beginning of a series of planned boycotts. The People’s Union USA has announced a week-long boycott specifically targeting Amazon from March 7-14, with additional boycotts planned for other major retailers and brands, including McDonald’s and General Mills. However, the underwhelming result from the first effort could dampen enthusiasm for the upcoming targeted actions.
The data suggests that transforming social media campaigns into meaningful economic impact remains a significant challenge, at least based on this first attempt. The disconnect between boycott visibility and actual sales impact raises important questions about e-commerce resilience and consumer behavior that the upcoming targeted actions may help answer.
Read more at Forbes here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.
