Dixons Carphone boss Sebastian James has brushed off the threat posed by the one-day promotional event that rival Amazon ran yesterday.

Dixons Carphone-owned Currys and PC World launched a flash Sale to compete with Amazon Prime Day, which James claims performed well.

He said: “If Amazon would like to make a new Black Friday in the middle of July then we are thrilled.”

James also pointed out that “you didn’t have to be a member of anything for our Sale” in reference to the fact that the Amazon promotions were designed to encourage customers to sign up to its annual subscription service, which offers customers next-day deliver for an annual fee of £79.

The Dixons Carphone Sale, which offered discounts on more than 100 products, included free online delivery.

James also expressed “surprise” at John Lewis’s decision to begin charging for click-and-collect orders under £30.

He said: “We really like to have people in our shops, we think [free click-and-collect] is a good thing.”

A combative James also said the reduction in corporation tax revealed in the Chancellor’s Budget last week “won’t make much difference to Amazon”.

Amazon has received criticism in the UK for avoiding corporation tax by routing sales through Luxembourg.

However, in May the ecommerce giant revealed it had changed its tax arrangements after setting up a UK branch of is retail company, meaning HM Revenue & Customs will now be able to claim taxes on sales made in the UK by Amazon.

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