Retailers log $7.9 billion in online sales in first 24 hours of Prime Day
At that level, it marks the 'single biggest e-commerce day so far this year,' Adobe said. It also eclipsed total online spending during Thanksgiving last year, when sales on the holiday reached $6.1 billion.
Amazon's Prime Day bargain blitz began on Tuesday and lasts through Friday. The event, first launched in 2015 as a way to hook new Prime members, has pushed other retailers to launch counterprogramming.
Walmart 's six-day deals event also started Tuesday, while Target Circle Week kicked off on Sunday and Best Buy launched a Black Friday in July promotion that began Monday.
Home and outdoor goods showed signs of strong demand during the first day of Amazon's discount event, said Kashif Zafar, CEO of Xnurta, an advertising platform that serves more than 20,000 online businesses.
Other historically well-performing categories such as beauty and household essentials saw softer demand early on, but could see demand pick up as Prime Day continues, he added.
'Early Prime Day numbers might look soft compared to last year's surge, but it's too early to call the event a miss,' Zafar said in an email. 'With four days instead of two, we're seeing a different rhythm, consumers are spreading out their purchases.'
Adobe expects online sales to reach $23.8 billion across all retailers during the 96-hour event, a level that's 'equivalent to two Black Fridays.'
U.S. online shoppers spent $14.2 billion during the 48-hour Prime Day event last year, according to Adobe.
This year's Prime Day is landing at an uncertain time for retailers and consumers as they grapple with the fallout of President Donald Trump 's unpredictable tariff policies.
U.S. consumer confidence worsened in June after improving in May as Americans remained concerned about the tariffs' effect on the economy and prices, according to the Conference Board.
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said last month the company hasn't seen prices 'appreciably go up' on its site as a result of tariffs.
Some third-party sellers previously told CNBC they were considering raising or had already raised the price of some of their products manufactured in China as the cost of tariffs became burdensome.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NBC News
5 hours ago
- NBC News
Summer discounts at Amazon, Walmart and other retailers aren't always as deep as they look
Summer discounts at Amazon, Walmart and other major retailers aren't always as deep as they seem. A smattering of markdowns during the latest round of sales events was preceded by price hikes, an NBC News analysis of e-commerce pricing shows. The NBC News Price Tracker has been following a selection of household items sold online by major retailers. The basket of goods includes everything from dishwashers to running shoes and headphones — items that aren't bought as frequently as groceries but are common enough to attract shoppers during heavily advertised seasonal promotions. Of 178 tracked items at Amazon, Walmart and Best Buy, at least two dozen saw price increases in the weeks before each of the three retailers' sales events kicked off. The price fluctuations come as consumers remain sharply more pessimistic than they were this time last year, with many hunting for bargains after months of executives' and economists' warnings about tariff-fueled price increases. Several items rose in price the week leading up to Amazon Prime Day (July 8-11), then fell once the sale started. The Keurig K-Duo coffee maker was priced at $199.99 until late June, then rose about 9% to $219.99 in the weeks before Prime Day. Its price was slashed to $139.99 during the Prime Day sale — a more than 36% discount but only 30% lower than the earlier level. The Cannon EOS R50 camera, which started at $799 in the weeks leading up to Prime Day, went up to $879 the week before Friday, July 4, and is now down to $749. The change turned what would have been a roughly 6% discount into a nearly 15% markdown. 'Amazon consistently offers the lowest prices across the widest selection of products, and we continue to meet or beat prices versus other retailers across the vast selection of products in our store,' a spokesperson for the company said. Best Buy increased some prices in the run-up to its Black Friday in July Sale (July 7-13), too. A Yamaha outdoor speaker that started at $104.99 jumped nearly 43% to $149.95 the week before the promotional event kicked off, only to return to $104.99 during the sale. An Anker charging dock spiked to $79.99 a little more than a week before the retailer's sale, when its price was cut by 20% to $63.99 — the same level as in May. In fact, the device went as low as $52.99 at certain points in both late May and late June. A Best Buy spokesperson said the speaker was priced at $104.99 for the last several months, aside from a two-day period when it was unintentionally reset to its regular price before being lowered again on July 3. The charging dock has been on clearance at $63.99 for at least a month, the spokesperson said, adding that neither item — nor three others that NBC News identified with similar price moves over roughly the same period — were part of Best Buy's July sale. Walmart made its own price increases for some items ahead of the Walmart Deals event (July 8-13), though the handful of hikes NBC News identified among the 74 Walmart-sold items in the Price Tracker occurred in May or June, rather than immediately before the summer sale. This Barbie Dream Camper set started at $65, increased to $99.99 weeks before Walmart Deals week, and fell back to $65 during the sale. A Pelonis oscillating fan, which started at $26.42, jumped to $34.99 in early June. During Deals week, it dropped to $28.38. Even an inexpensive Bic multipurpose lighter selling for $3.52 in May jumped to $4.99 in June. During the week of Walmart Deals, it returned to $3.52. A Walmart spokesperson said the company's July promotions offered 'incredible value on thousands of items' and that its 'commitment to everyday low prices extends beyond our deals events.' Walmart doesn't control the prices of the many products listed by third-party sellers on its site, the spokesperson said. Several Amazon products monitored by the Price Tracker also saw spikes beginning in May and June to levels that fell only just before Prime Day. These pricing shifts are nothing new. Retailers have been criticized for such practices for many years and typically say they constantly tweak prices to stay competitive with one another and respond to shifting consumer demand. 'Many, but not all, merchants increase prices right before the sale begins just to drop them back down to the same discounts they'd been at just a few days prior,' said Samantha Gordon, deals editor at Consumer Reports, where she said these moves are also turning up in the outlet's own price tracker. 'This can make it look like you're getting a better-than-normal deal when it's really just the everyday sale price,' she said. 'The best way to know how much you're really saving is to check prices at least two weeks before the sale starts.' The price spikes NBC News identified weren't across the board. Most of the tracked items' prices stayed flat ahead of the summer sales events, rather than climbing beforehand. It's also true that the Price Tracker zeroes in on a minuscule sample of e-commerce purchases at just five large retailers, each of which sells a vast range of products both in stores and online. But it isn't hard to find evidence of price jumps in the run-up to summer discounting periods on other retail price-tracking platforms, too. Keepa, which tracks Amazon's prices, found a pair of JBL noise-canceling headphones listed for $129.95 in the last couple of weeks of June. They jumped to $149.95 on July 3 before dropping to $99.95 for Prime Day. CamelCamelCamel, which also tracks Amazon, shows a Ninja air fryer that jumped up to $129.99 from $100 just before Prime Day, before falling to $89.99 during the sales event. The appearance of deep price cuts fueled a surge in consumer spending. U.S. retail e-commerce sales exceeded $24 billion from July 8-11, Adobe analysts said Saturday, a more than 30% jump from the same period last year that 'sets a new benchmark for the summer shopping season.' Purchases surged across key product categories reflected in NBC News' Price Tracker, with online sales of apparel rising 250%, appliances up 112%, electronics up 95% and home improvement items up 76%, Adobe found. Retailers successfully 'leaned into discounts to drive growth' among price-sensitive shoppers, the analysts said — so much so that many consumers 'traded up' to higher-ticket items that they'd forgo on an ordinary day. The share of purchases made up by the priciest items rose 20% during the summer sales period from typical levels this year, according to Adobe, with even steeper gains among top-shelf products in categories such as appliances (up 36% over average levels), sporting goods (up 30%) and furniture (up 28%). But as NBC News reported during the last fall's holiday shopping season, consumers who miss out on major retail promotions can still find plenty of discounts year-round. 'Prices rise and fall due to changing conditions,' noted shopping expert Trae Bodge, not just due to planned sales events. 'Because dynamic pricing exists, I suggest that shoppers research price histories so they time their purchases accordingly.'
North Wales Live
8 hours ago
- North Wales Live
Heatwave shoppers snap up Lakeland ice cream maker for £15 in deal stack
As another heatwave hits, we're well and truly in the midst of ice cream season, with many seeking out sweet indulgences to help beat the heat. For those who don't wish to invest in a gadget that may not see year-round use, Lakeland's Cuisinart ice cream maker is an ideal choice. The retailer has knocked £10 off the device, reducing it from £39.99 to £29.99 in their summer sale, but shoppers can get it for even cheaper. Lakeland customers who pair the discount with a limited offer from money-saving site TopCashback can make a bigger saving. Savvy shoppers signing up as new members of TopCashback can claim a complimentary £15 signup bonus, along with a percentage of additional cashback for qualifying purchases across thousands of different retailers, including Lakeland. This means new members shopping at Lakeland could effectively purchase the ice cream maker for £14.20. Cuisinart's website is also selling it for £29.99 in its own offer. This compact ice cream maker creates delicious homemade ice cream; it's a dream come true for anyone who enjoys experimenting with flavours or making sweet treats from scratch, reports the Mirror. For those seeking a trendy way to create frozen treats at home, the SLUSHi Frozen Drink Maker from Ninja, is currently paired with a complimentary Ninja travel mug, ideal for keeping your concoctions cool on-the-go. At the same time, bargain hunters will be delighted to find the Andrew James Ice Cream Maker at Amazon for an affordable £35.99. The compact Cuisinart Solo Scoops Ice Cream Maker has a 475ml capacity, perfect for whipping up small servings that cater to solo indulgences, romantic treats, or a swift dessert course. In approximately 25 minutes, you'll be savouring freshly whipped, velvety ice cream. Its slender and light design means the Cuisinart Solo Scoop is a sensible addition to any kitchen, especiallly those short on space, without causing clutter. Its convenient built-in ingredient funnel allows you to add all your favourite mix-ins during the churning process, providing the flexibility to personalise each batch of dessert. To top it off, this little kitchen wizard comes with an easy-to-understand recipe booklet. It's garnered heaps of praise online, amassing more than 1,100 reviews on Amazon and securing an impressive average score of 4.4 out of 5. An Amazon customer said: "I'm very happy with this ice cream maker. It comes with useful recipe suggestions too, making it easy to get started. The mixed berry ice cream recipe was easy to make and absolutely delicious!". A second purchaser added: "Overall, a great purchase for our fortnightly ice cream making." Another liked the device but had issues with the noise: "Works absolutely fine, ice cream lovely, three stars because it's so noisy." One customer shared a tip: "Easy to use, nice recipes included." They also highlighted the importance of preparation, noting: "You need to plan ahead by freezing the tub for 12 hours before use and pre-mix your ingredients before you pour them into the maker to churn." Other users have commended the product as an ideal choice for dessert aficionados who prefer homemade treats without the hassle of a large or costly machine. How to get Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker for under £15
Wales Online
9 hours ago
- Wales Online
Heatwave shoppers snap up Lakeland ice cream maker for £15 in deal stack
Heatwave shoppers snap up Lakeland ice cream maker for £15 in deal stack Keep cool during the heatwave with a dessert maker for ice cream and sorbets Create delicious frozen treats (Image: Lakeland ) As another heatwave hits, we're well and truly in the midst of ice cream season, with many seeking out sweet indulgences to help beat the heat. For those who don't wish to invest in a gadget that may not see year-round use, Lakeland's Cuisinart ice cream maker is an ideal choice. The retailer has knocked £10 off the device, reducing it from £39.99 to £29.99 in their summer sale, but shoppers can get it for even cheaper. Lakeland customers who pair the discount with a limited offer from money-saving site TopCashback can make a bigger saving. Savvy shoppers signing up as new members of TopCashback can claim a complimentary £15 signup bonus, along with a percentage of additional cashback for qualifying purchases across thousands of different retailers, including Lakeland. This means new members shopping at Lakeland could effectively purchase the ice cream maker for £14.20. Cuisinart's website is also selling it for £29.99 in its own offer. This compact ice cream maker creates delicious homemade ice cream; it's a dream come true for anyone who enjoys experimenting with flavours or making sweet treats from scratch, reports the Mirror. Cuisinart Solo Scoops Ice Cream Maker (Image: Lakeland ) For those seeking a trendy way to create frozen treats at home, the SLUSHi Frozen Drink Maker from Ninja, is currently paired with a complimentary Ninja travel mug, ideal for keeping your concoctions cool on-the-go. At the same time, bargain hunters will be delighted to find the Andrew James Ice Cream Maker at Amazon for an affordable £35.99. The compact Cuisinart Solo Scoops Ice Cream Maker has a 475ml capacity, perfect for whipping up small servings that cater to solo indulgences, romantic treats, or a swift dessert course. In approximately 25 minutes, you'll be savouring freshly whipped, velvety ice cream. Its slender and light design means the Cuisinart Solo Scoop is a sensible addition to any kitchen, especiallly those short on space, without causing clutter. Its convenient built-in ingredient funnel allows you to add all your favourite mix-ins during the churning process, providing the flexibility to personalise each batch of dessert. To top it off, this little kitchen wizard comes with an easy-to-understand recipe booklet. It's garnered heaps of praise online, amassing more than 1,100 reviews on Amazon and securing an impressive average score of 4.4 out of 5. An Amazon customer said: "I'm very happy with this ice cream maker. It comes with useful recipe suggestions too, making it easy to get started. The mixed berry ice cream recipe was easy to make and absolutely delicious!". A second purchaser added: "Overall, a great purchase for our fortnightly ice cream making." Another liked the device but had issues with the noise: "Works absolutely fine, ice cream lovely, three stars because it's so noisy." One customer shared a tip: "Easy to use, nice recipes included." They also highlighted the importance of preparation, noting: "You need to plan ahead by freezing the tub for 12 hours before use and pre-mix your ingredients before you pour them into the maker to churn." Other users have commended the product as an ideal choice for dessert aficionados who prefer homemade treats without the hassle of a large or costly machine. Article continues below How to get Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker for under £15
