The COVID-19 coronavirus is wreaking havoc across the tech industry From canceled trade shows to missed revenue targets, the deadly virus, which has infected over 76,000 people and spread to six continents, now poses a threat to Amazon Prime Day

According to the New York Times, the e-commerce giant is now working with third-party sellers to avoid running low on product inventory in preparation for the two-day summer sale event prime day 2020 is still more than four months away, but the annual sale is a major revenue generator for Amazon is still more than four months away, but the annual sale is a major source of revenue for Amazon So it is not surprising that Amazon is doing everything in its power to make this year's Prime Day run smoothly

According to Amazon, Prime members purchased more than 175 million items worldwide during Prime Day 2019 Independent and third-party sellers, in particular, generated over $2 billion in sales, making last year's Prime Day the largest Amazon shopping event ever for third-party sellers According to the New York Times, 60% of Amazon's sales come from third-party sellers, many of whom rely on China

Amazon operates by warehousing less inventory than other retailers This "lean inventory" business model allows Amazon to operate more efficiently because it does not have to store goods waiting to be sold However, this same business model also makes it more prone to supply problems, especially in the event of a major event such as the spread of a virus

To avoid supply chain disruptions, Amazon sends emails to third-party merchants to ensure that they have enough stock on their shelves for Prime Day According to the New York Times, Amazon is asking for a six- to eight-week supply of Chinese-made products, rather than the usual two- to three-week supply

"Out of an abundance of caution, we are working with our suppliers to secure additional inventory so that we can maintain assortments for our customers," an Amazon spokesperson told the New York Times

This affects all kinds of products For example, even products made in the US may rely on components made in China

Meanwhile, other brands are reducing advertising on Amazon's website in hopes of stocking up for Amazon Prime Day

Amazon did not immediately respond to our request for comment

There is still much uncertainty about the coronavirus and whether it has the potential to become a pandemic From a retailer's perspective, prices for most high-tech equipment do not appear to have been significantly affected yet However, as Amazon Prime Day approaches and as the virus continues to spread, price increases and product shortages could well occur

The best thing we can do as consumers is to keep an eye on the products we need to buy and buy them when they are in a price range we are comfortable with In other words, don't expect Amazon Prime Day to save the day