Amazon Prime Big Deal Days Sales Hit $9.86B in U.S.

Amazon’s October Prime Big Deal Days generated $9.86 billion in online sales for U.S. retailers over Tuesday and Wednesday, according to Adobe data. The event, which mirrored past years’ format, attracted competing sales from retailers such as Target and Walmart. Mobile devices dominated transactions during the event, with mobile sales growing 12.8% year over year to $5.1 billion, accounting for 52% of all online sales. Adobe said mobile remained “the dominant transaction channel.” Compared to the previous year’s $9.09 billion, this marked a 7.3% increase in online activity.

High-End and Essentials Surge

Electronics and personal care products saw the largest growth in high-priced goods, with the share of expensive items rising 45% and 34% respectively during the two-day period. Across all tracked categories, “the share of the most expensive goods increased by 21%” compared to average levels for the year to date, signaling a strategic shift toward premium purchases. Household cleaning products, pet food, and apparel basics also experienced significant demand, up 55%, 45%, and 25% over typical sales levels.

Adobe reported that buy now, pay later options gained traction, with 6% of all online orders using the service, totaling $692.3 million. Adobe projected BNPL usage to increase as the holiday season unfolds, and forecast that it would drive more than $1 billion in sales on Cyber Monday.

Competitive Shopping and Inflation Impact

According to Numerator, 50% of shoppers compared prices at competing retailers like Walmart during the event. Consumers who purchased from both Amazon and Walmart spent 8% more on Amazon than average Prime Big Deal Days shoppers. Household spending on Amazon reached $114, slightly below June’s Prime Day average of $122, yet nearly double what an average Tuesday and Wednesday would be for the retailer, with Numerator noting this period was “four times the lift Walmart recorded during the first two days of its sale.”

Inflation remained a key driver, with 74% of shoppers citing it as a reason for participating in the event, up from June’s Prime Day. Numerator observed that more than a third of shoppers completed at least half of their holiday purchases during this period, while intent to shop Black Friday and Cyber Monday fell 4 and 5 points, respectively, compared with last year’s event.