Amazon extends Prime Day to week-long sales event

Amazon extends Prime Day to a week, aiming for higher sales and new Prime memberships amid consumer tariff concerns.

Amazon is extending Prime Day to a full week, aiming to attract more shoppers and gain new Prime members. The promotion, starting Tuesday, is projected to generate $12.9 billion in U.S. sales, a 53% increase from last year.

Previously a one-day event offering significant discounts, Prime Day has expanded, now including themed days like book day and pet day. Sales growth during Prime Day has slowed, remaining in single digits recently, prompting Amazon to innovate with discounts year-round.

Shoppers are expected to look for bargains on electronics and goods potentially affected by tariffs this year, reflecting declining consumer confidence. Brandon Fuhrmann, a third-party seller, expects to see notable sales but cannot predict demand due to the promotion’s length. He anticipates outpacing regular July sales, even toward the end of the week. The longer event increases advertising opportunities, contributing to Amazon’s growing advertising revenue, which exceeds $50 billion annually.

Many sellers plan to invest heavily in advertisements to outperform competitors during this extended period. Ryan Close, CEO of Bartesian, intends to use the event to test Amazon’s advertising tools and attract attention to his products with significant discounts.

Amazon aims to recruit new subscribers for its $139 annual Prime membership, promoting benefits like rapid shipping and streaming services.