Amazon has announced that its annual Prime Day sales event will take place from July 8 to July 11, marking an expansion from the traditional two-day event to a four-day extravaganza. According to Jamil Ghani, Amazon’s vice president of worldwide Prime, the decision to extend the event was made in response to customer feedback, with members indicating they needed more time to take advantage of the deals.
The expansion comes at a time when U.S. shoppers and retailers are facing uncertainty regarding tariffs and their impact on prices and product availability. Rob Garf, senior vice president of strategy and insights at retail marketing firm Cordial, noted that this uncertainty is likely to affect consumer behavior during the event.
In the 2024 Prime Day event, U.S. shoppers spent $14.2 billion, representing an 11% year-over-year increase, according to Adobe Analytics. This year’s event is expected to face competition from other retailers such as Walmart, Target, and ByteDance’s TikTok Shop, which are attempting to lure shoppers into early spending on back-to-school and back-to-college merchandise.
To attract younger shoppers, Amazon is offering discounted Prime memberships for individuals between the ages of 18 and 24. Regular Prime subscriptions cost $14.99 per month or $139 per year. The move is part of Amazon’s strategy to entice this demographic to sign up for its subscription service.
As the e-commerce landscape becomes increasingly competitive, Amazon’s decision to expand Prime Day reflects the company’s efforts to stay ahead in the market and provide its customers with more opportunities to avail of discounts and deals.
