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Amazon’s annual Prime Day returns July 8–11 – doubling its usual two-day run – but economic uncertainty this year may dampen consumer enthusiasm. As Americans either delay or accelerate their purchases amid rising tariffs, those shifting behaviors are shaping Prime Day, particularly as consumers look to get ahead on back-to-school and winter holiday shopping.
CivicScience Founder and CEO John Dick shared some key pre-Prime Day insights during his July 2 webinar. He’ll return with post-Prime Day results during his July 16 webinar – get alerted when registration opens here.
Prime Day interest is down slightly from last year, with tariffs influencing shopping intent.
CivicScience’s yearly polling on Prime Day shows that interest in shopping and browsing the sale is down slightly from Prime Day 2024. Over half report intent to shop – 17% know what they want, and 37% are unsure – and 46% don’t plan to shop (+1pp from Prime Day, July 2024).
Looming tariffs are clearly dictating Prime Day plans. Among Prime Day shoppers, a slight majority (51%) report being ‘very’ concerned about tariffs, outpacing non-shoppers by 10pp.
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Spending is up from last year’s Prime Day. Those not shopping at all or planning to spend less cite cost-saving reasons.
When asked whether Prime Day shoppers intend to spend more or less on this year’s sale compared to last year’s, shoppers are nearly 10pp more likely to say that they intend to spend ‘more’ vs. ‘less.’ However, shoppers are most likely to say they will spend about the same amount as last year (38%).
Looking closely at those spending less or skipping this year’s Prime Day altogether, they’re most likely to say they’re not shopping because they’re trying to save money and cut back on spending (34%), followed by ‘I don’t need anything right now.’ Fewer cite they’re not shopping because they prefer other retailers (10%).
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Shoppers are stocking up on essentials, and roughly 15% are prioritizing things like back-to-school and winter holiday shopping.
Amazon Prime Day shoppers are most likely to have their eye on discounts on essential items they usually buy, such as cleaning supplies and beauty products. A smaller, yet still large, share anticipates using Prime Day to get discounts on big-ticket items. Some also enjoy shopping for the fun of it (16%), and a notable percentage are doing so for back-to-school (15%) and winter holiday shopping (14%).
Use this Data: CivicScience clients have access to real-time insights like these, allowing them to stay ahead of the curve and gain and retain customers amid uncertainty.
As Prime Day approaches, shifting consumer behaviors – driven by general uncertainty and rising tariff concerns – will shape how and why people shop during Amazon’s summer sales event. While overall interest is slightly down, spending intent is trending upward among those participating. Whether stocking up on essentials or getting ahead on seasonal purchases, shoppers are navigating this year’s sales event with practicality and purpose.
