Behind the Numbers: Amazon Prime Day 2025 Explained

Episode: Amazon Prime Day 2025 Explained: Trends, Analysis and Insights from the 4-Day Event | Reimagining Retail
Release Date: July 23, 2025
Host: Arielle Fager
Guests: Zach T. Damboer and Rachel Wolf

1. Introduction to Amazon Prime Day 2025

In the July 23, 2025 episode of Behind the Numbers: Reimagining Retail, host Arielle Fager delves into the expanded Amazon Prime Day event. This year, Amazon extended Prime Day from a traditional two-day affair to an unprecedented four-day event. The move aimed to offer consumers more deals, provide brands with additional advertising opportunities, and allow Amazon more time to boost sales. Despite initial reports of a slow start, Amazon declared it the most successful Prime Day yet.

2. Analyzing Prime Day's Performance

Rachel Wolf provides an optimistic view, stating, “it would have been the biggest prime day regardless of what Amazon said because as you mentioned, it's four days versus two” (01:30). She highlights Adobe’s data, revealing a 30.3% year-over-year growth and $24.1 billion in spending over two Black Fridays, underscoring the event's success.

Zach T. Damboer adds nuance, pointing out that Adobe's numbers reflect the broader U.S. e-commerce landscape rather than Amazon alone. He mentions, “Amazon is always opaque in its recaps of big sales events” (02:03), but remains confident that sales were robust despite the lack of detailed disclosures from Amazon.

3. The Role of Tariffs and Shifting Consumer Behavior

A significant discussion centers around the impact of tariffs on consumer spending. Zach notes, “tariffs are casting a shadow over all of consumer behavior” (04:10), influencing when and how consumers choose to spend. He observes that Prime Day has accelerated the back-to-school shopping season into early July, a shift partly driven by economic uncertainties.

Rachel complements this by highlighting the types of products sold, stating, “the vast majority of what Amazon was selling were everyday essentials like protein shakes and dish soap” (05:26). This behavior suggests consumers are leveraging Prime Day to stock up on regular purchases, taking advantage of lower prices.

4. The Rise of Competing Retailer Sales

With Amazon extending Prime Day, other retailers have introduced their own sales, reshaping the retail landscape. Zach observes, “Dollar General has a sale, REI has a sale, Kohl's has a sale, Best Buy has a sale...” (06:39). Notably, Walmart and Target's sales overlapped with Prime Day, contributing to a significant overall increase in sales during the four-day period.

Rachel adds that awareness of these competing sales has grown, with “49% of people who shopped Prime Day also looked at Walmart deals and 35% looked at Target Circle Week” (07:38). This diversification allows consumers to comparison shop more effectively, enhancing their purchasing power.

5. Future Outlook: Sustainability of the Four-Day Model and Holiday Implications

The discussion shifts to the sustainability and future of the four-day Prime Day model. Rachel believes Amazon is unlikely to revert to a shorter event, stating, “they can't go back now” (08:49). Zach emphasizes Amazon's strategic advantage in ad inventory, predicting continued expansion of the event's duration to maximize advertising revenue and consumer spending opportunities.

Looking ahead to the holiday season, both guests agree that Prime Day's success signals a shift in consumer expectations towards valuing early and deep discounts. Rachel anticipates, “Amazon and all these other retailers sort of battling out to see which can have the deepest discounts” (11:15), while Zach raises concerns about inflation's impact, noting, “inflation is still very high” (13:00), which could influence consumer spending during Q4.

6. Personal Experiences with Prime Day

Towards the episode's conclusion, the hosts and guests share their personal shopping experiences during Prime Day:

• Rachel Wolf admitted, “I did not. I was very disciplined and also I actually forgot about it” (16:12), attributing her inaction to travel and jet lag.
• Zach T. Damboer shared that he purchased a new running watch and stocked up on essentials like dish soap and laundry detergent (16:27), aligning with the trend of using Prime Day to buy necessary items at discounted prices.
• Arielle Fager reflected on receiving pre-sale notifications from smaller retailers, noting an increase in diverse sales beyond traditional giants like Target and Walmart (17:45).

7. Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks

As the episode wraps up, the conversation highlights the dual impact of extended sales events on both consumers and retailers. While consumers benefit from more opportunities to save, sellers face challenges in sustaining discount levels amid rising costs and expanded event durations.

Zach concludes, “as long as you don't have that dynamic that like several years ago Gap ran into this circumstance where like consumers came to expect everything to be at least 50% off, that's a troubling place to be” (13:26). This caution underscores the delicate balance retailers must maintain between offering attractive deals and preserving profit margins.

Arielle invites listeners to stay tuned for future episodes, emphasizing the evolving nature of the retail landscape and the importance of staying informed to navigate these changes effectively.

Notable Quotes:

• Rachel Wolf: “It would have been the biggest prime day regardless of what Amazon said because as you mentioned, it's four days versus two.” (01:30)
• Zach T. Damboer: “Amazon is always opaque in its recaps of big sales events.” (02:03)
• Zach T. Damboer: “Tariffs are casting a shadow over all of consumer behavior.” (04:10)
• Rachel Wolf: “The vast majority of what Amazon was selling were everyday essentials like protein shakes and dish soap.” (05:26)
• Rachel Wolf: “49% of people who shopped Prime Day also looked at Walmart deals and 35% looked at Target Circle Week.” (07:38)
• Zach T. Damboer: “Inflation is still very high.” (13:00)
• Zach T. Damboer: “As long as you don't have that dynamic that like several years ago Gap ran into this circumstance where like consumers came to expect everything to be at least 50% off, that's a troubling place to be.” (13:26)

For more insights and analysis on the evolving world of digital media, marketing, and retail, subscribe to Behind the Numbers wherever you find podcasts.