Amazon’s Prime Day 2025 wasn’t a flop despite consumer hesitation
The company says it achieved record overall sales figures.
Amazon’s Prime Day wasn’t the disaster some feared. But behind the success, there is a deeper story of consumer caution.
The world’s largest online store called this year’s event “the biggest Prime Day ever,” yet, as usual, offered no real numbers to back it up. What they did say was that the four-day event — expanded for the first time from its usual two — surpassed any previous comparable stretch. But without hard data, it’s hard to gauge just how impressive that really is.
What we do have comes from Adobe Analytics, which tracks online spending across U.S. retailers. According to Adobe, U.S. e-commerce sales during the July 8–11 window hit a record $24.1 billion (this figure is not broken down by individual company), a 30.3% increase over last year’s two-day sale or the equivalent of two Black Fridays ($10.8 billion in online spend). It is also slightly above their earlier forecast of $23.8 billion.
Emmanuel Oyedeji
There was also a striking surge in the role of artificial intelligence. Adobe reported that generative AI-driven traffic to retail sites jumped a staggering 3,300% year-over-year, outpacing projections. It highlights how shoppers are starting to lean on chatbots and AI-powered browsers as shopping assistants. But the spike is more about momentum than market share. AI still trails far behind traditional channels like email and paid search, which continued to dominate conversions during the event.
While it was a relief that the shopping festival wasn't the disaster some had feared, there were clear signs of underlying consumer caution. A separate analysis by Momentum Commerce showed that during Prime Day’s first two days, sales were down 35% year-over-year. Only by day three did things rebound sharply, jumping 165% compared to last year. That shift suggests many shoppers were sitting on their hands early, possibly waiting to see if deeper discounts would appear, not exactly a sign of eager consumer confidence.
This caution showed up in what people bought. According to Numerator, Prime Day shoppers mostly reached for necessities — clothing, groceries, pet supplies, and household basics. Two-thirds of items sold were under $20, while just 3% topped $100. The focus on essentials reflects how many consumers are still wary of inflation and uncertain about what’s ahead.
That said, some shoppers did break out their wallets for bigger purchases. Online sales of appliances more than doubled compared to daily averages in June. Electronics were up 95%, and categories like home and garden, tools, and baby products all saw significant gains. But these are typically one-time purchases, and history suggests that surges like this often pull demand forward, leaving quieter months ahead.
What complicates Amazon’s story further is the rising competition. Walmart, Target, Best Buy, TikTok Shop, and others all ran competing sales, often longer, and without requiring a membership. That puts pressure on Prime, which now costs $139 a year. And while Amazon still leads in product range and logistics, those advantages are no longer exclusive.
At the end of the day, Amazon still delivers what customers value most: fast shipping, easy returns, and reliable service make big bank, topping the previous years. But now it feels more like a really long clearance aisle. Whether this strategy will pay off in subsequent Prime Day events remains to be seen.
Henry Chikwem
