(Reuters) – Amazon.com’s Prime Day shopping event proved to be a resounding success, with U.S. online sales soaring by nearly 6% to reach a staggering $6.4 billion compared to the previous year, according to the latest data from Adobe Analytics. This surge in sales can be attributed to the irresistible discounts that enticed eager bargain-hunters to splurge on appliances and toys.
Given the recent economic climate, U.S. shoppers have been patiently holding out for the very best deals and discounts. Rising interest rates and food prices have certainly made consumers more cautious when it comes to purchasing big-ticket items in recent months. However, the Prime Day event provided the perfect opportunity for shoppers to indulge.
Appliances emerged as one of the top sellers on the first day of Prime Day, with online sales skyrocketing by 37% compared to average daily sales in June of the previous year. Additionally, toy sales experienced a notable increase of 27%.
According to Adobe, electronics offered the most significant discount of 16% on Wednesday, making it the ideal time for tech-savvy shoppers to make their purchases. Apparel, on the other hand, carried a discount of 13%, while toy prices were reduced by 15%.
In a bid to attract more customers, Amazon teamed up with popular travel booking site Priceline to offer exclusive discounts during Prime Day. This move comes as U.S. consumers increasingly prioritize experiences over non-essential spending.
Furthermore, leading up to Prime Day, loyal members of the Amazon Prime program were granted access to “invite-only deals.” This innovative approach allowed shoppers to specifically request invitations for products they were interested in purchasing at discounted prices.
Not to be outdone, retail giants Walmart, Target, and Best Buy also joined in on the Prime Day fun by offering their own generous discounts and deals to compete with Amazon.
The back-to-school category also experienced a significant boost in sales during Prime Day. Parents eagerly took advantage of the opportunity to snag deals on school supplies and update their children’s wardrobes at more affordable prices. Apparel sales spiked by 26%, while electronics sales experienced a respectable increase of 12%.
According to Deloitte’s separate data, a whopping 69% of shoppers relied on Amazon’s Prime Day sale to fulfill their back-to-school shopping needs.
However, despite all the excitement surrounding Prime Day, Deloitte predicts that overall back-to-school spending may decline for the first time in nine years due to persistent inflation, which has weighed heavily on non-essential purchases.
It’s worth noting that Adobe’s data is based on direct consumer transactions taken from over 1 trillion visits to U.S. retail websites.
In other news, nearly 900 Amazon workers at a warehouse in Coventry, Britain have embarked on a three-day strike from July 11-13 in response to a pay dispute. Coinciding with the Prime Day sales event, Amazon has assured customers that the strike will not disrupt their orders as the warehouse in question does not directly serve customer deliveries.
Reporting by Granth Vanaik and Ananya Mariam Rajesh in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur
Credit: The Star : Tech Feed
