Amazon discounts Skechers, Columbia, and apparel
Amazon is using a fresh round of discounts on footwear, apparel and home goods to pull early seasonal demand forward, with the steepest cut in the slate reaching 47% on Skechers and savings of up to 43% on Columbia and other brands.
The timing matters because Amazon’s marketplace is leaning on high-velocity promotions to keep shoppers spending even as broader retail sentiment stays mixed. Adalytica’s consumer-spending gauge shows sentiment in “Greed” territory at 74, but retail-goods spending sentiment remains in “Fear” at 20, suggesting households are still selective and deal-driven.
That makes promotion depth a bigger draw for Amazon and its brand partners than full-price selling power. The five featured offers span Columbia hiking shoes, Skechers sneakers, Geox footwear, an Acer Chromebook Plus and household items, all positioned as practical purchases for back-to-routine and autumn needs.
For Amazon, the broader story is that discounting remains a traffic engine heading into the critical fourth quarter. For investors, that can support marketplace volume and conversion, but it also raises the question of how much of the quarter’s growth comes from margin-eroding promotions rather than pricing power.
The stock itself has been volatile, with Amazon closing at $253.71 on Sept. 18, above its 50-day moving average of $255.84 but still below its summer highs. Technical readings such as RSI around 36 and a negative MACD suggest momentum has cooled even as the shares remain well above the 200-day moving average near $240.30.
Columbia, meanwhile, enters the promotion period with its own supply-chain issues in view after warning in its latest 10-Q that disruptions could delay fall inventory and limit its ability to meet wholesale and direct-to-consumer demand. That means Amazon’s discount showcase also reflects a wider retail backdrop: brands are trying to convert cautious shoppers before inventories and margins get squeezed.
The immediate catalyst for investors is whether these promotions translate into stronger traffic and order volume without excessive price compression. The next read on Amazon’s retail momentum will come with the holiday-selling season, when discount depth, inventory flow and consumer demand will determine who wins the quarter.
| Entity | Gains | Losses |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | ▲Higher traffic, conversion | ▼Margins from deeper discounts |
| Shoppers | ▲Lower prices, more choice | ▼Full-price buying power |
| Columbia, Skechers, Geox | ▲Inventory turnover, visibility | ▼Pricing power |
| Rival retailers | ▲— | ▼Share to Amazon promotions |