There’s plenty of information on the numbers, but shopping behavior during Amazon’s Prime Day event may tell an important story for what lies ahead. Digital Commerce 360 ​​and Bizrate Insights surveyed 1,008 online shoppers immediately after Prime Day to discern shopper behavior and subsequent implications.

69% were already Prime members before Prime Days or signed up just before or on the day of the event. It was a public ready to spend, and they did.

57% of online shoppers surveyed had at least some interest in Amazon Prime Days. While online shopper awareness is high, it’s important to note that 26% had no interest or no plans to make any purchases, with 4% of this group believing it was just another vacation.

Amazon is #3 in Digital Commerce 360’s new 2023 Global Online Marketplaces Report. The Global Online Marketplaces Database ranks the 100 largest such marketplaces by 2023 GMV third.

Amazon is also #1 in the 2022 Digital Commerce 360 ​​Top 1000 Database. The Top 1000 ranks North American web merchants by sales.

Buyer Information

46% of online shoppers made purchases during the Amazon Prime Day event. Among our small sample of coworker shoppers, several were simply not interested and one shared that she hadn’t bought anything for the first time in a long time due to cost-cutting measures. That said, we don’t miss it!”

81% of Prime Day shoppers spent up to $250, 47% spent $100 or less, and 53% spent more than $100.

Apparel, home, beauty and consumer electronics top the list of purchased categories

I reached out to my colleagues to see what they bought, and it followed similar buying patterns. On the consumer electronics front, we ended up getting a TV from Amazon because it was a better deal and came with a buy-it-now, pay-later option. A Samsung Galaxy S21 smartphone was in an order, and headphones were popular among this group, as was a Blu-ray player.

Home products were at the top of the list for our shoppers. Everything from a coffee machine to an outdoor bar cart and organization products did the trick. Dorm items (bedding, pillows, wall art, etc.) and supplies were timely buys. One woman said she would buy them anyway, but was glad she saved about $20.

In terms of clothing, these people took advantage of sales on jogging shorts, water shoes, swimsuits and sandals. Beauty products also saw some activity, notably Liquid IV and Laneige lip mask.

Appliances ranging from a Conair garment steamer to a Bissell portable carpet and upholstery cleaner and vacuum cleaners have also found their way to Amazon carts. Pet beds and supplies have also made their way to Amazon vaults.

Nearly half of Amazon shoppers surveyed spent more during Amazon Prime Days 2023 compared to 2022

37% of shoppers surveyed made purchases outside of Amazon. Shoppers turned to other retailers, although the numbers were somewhat limited when it came to buying from other retailers.

Mass merchants and a range of specialty retailers benefit from Prime Day sales

Walmart was the other top beneficiary of Prime Day sales among 17% of survey respondents. Meanwhile, Target saw activity among 9% of participants. The remaining retailers saw activity of 4% or less, which leads me to believe that Amazon remains the focus of shoppers. Our buyers were in tune with these findings. They also shopped at Duluth Trading and Home Goods.

1 in 5 online shoppers were aware of Prime Day advertising, spent time evaluating purchases and comparing with other retailers

The ad was hard to miss if you were online. I’ve definitely seen TV commercials while watching sports at night. There is a small group of shoppers who are prepared, pushing the work forward in finding deals and have carts ready, hoping to find some great deals when the event arrives.

Personal consumption is at stake

Buyer interest behavior includes the fact that 27% of online shoppers made a personal purchase during Prime Days. Mobile devices were a factor for 18% and mobile app purchases for 15% of survey respondents. As noted above, Prime Day shoppers are on a mission. 16% research particular brands to see if they offer deals, and 8% have actually tried new brands.

Online shoppers give mixed reviews on Prime Day 2023

Only 29% felt Amazon Prime Days matched their experiences. In fact, 19% of respondents were disappointed with the offer. Meanwhile, 16% felt it was a more limited product offering this year. Prices seemed higher to 9% of respondents.

Pricing was probably a factor in overall satisfaction. Several of my colleagues signed up for an invite-only TV deal, but weren’t chosen. Our buyers weighed in here. One said she seemed to save about 15%-20% on purchased items.

“I looked for swimsuits just to see and found them at 40% off, which was a nice surprise.” His comparison shopping was worth it, as Target school supply prices were much cheaper for folders, notebooks, pens and glue.

Finding something more than the 20% mark was significant.

“I bought the Bluetooth headphones because they were on sale and for my 12 year old son, and he’s probably going to lose them. And they were about 35% off, so it was worth it.

“Generally, the deals on the type of laptop I wanted were just fine. For a really basic laptop, they looked good. But I wanted 16GB of RAM as opposed to the more standard 8GB. I probably got about $50 off the Lenovo laptop I bought on Amazon for $515.

Stock was seen as a problem

A buyer ran into difficulties, sharing that they couldn’t checkout with the TV they wanted.

“At the time I checked to see if it was new/used, if it would ship on time, etc. it was out of stock from this seller. I did so around 9pm on July 11th.

Another tried to buy a laptop from Lenovo, but his site showed no results for laptops on Tuesday morning, likely a busy time.

“An agent I spoke to said she reported the issue. The site was back up and running in about an hour, but it’s a sign that retailers unaccustomed to huge traffic surges may have struggled to keep up with Prime Days demand.

Buyers know their prices

“I had my eye on this car seat mirror for a while,” a colleague said. It’s usually $20. It was marketed as a “Prime Day Deal” for $18.95, but Amazon said it was originally around $45.95, something crazy so they could show off that big percentage discount. I already have this mirror and bought two for my sister last year on Black Friday. It never cost $45, and I got it on Black Friday for $14. The marketing is a total rip off, but the price hasn’t come down in the two months I’ve been looking to buy it. I figured I might as well save a buck.

Another shopper added: ‘I actually bought an outdoor cart from Home Goods, took it home and the size didn’t work. So I checked Amazon, and there was a better version and 18% off for Prime Day! It got a lot of great reviews, so I’m hopeful!

Shipping Speeds Amaze Buyer

On a positive note, the shipping speed has been reported as amazing.

“I placed the order at 4pm on July 11 and it was on my doorstep the next morning (July 12) at 4:30am.

Looking forward

As we look to the future, buyers seem to be adopting a ‘business as usual’ stance. 72% of online shoppers plan to buy about the same thing for the upcoming holidays. Only 7% suggest they will buy more. One in five expects to buy less during the upcoming holiday season.

A review of potential changes to Prime membership status reveals that 71% of respondents are likely to retain their Prime membership status in the coming year. With 17% saying they are unlikely to and 12% unsure, Amazon will need to continue to give shoppers reasons to join their program as a loss of interest may be imminent for some members.

There is speculation that July’s Prime Day schedule was the first of two. Asked about spending if Amazon holds a second Prime Day event in 2023, 27% of online shoppers said they didn’t know what they would spend. 30% know that it will depend on the prices of the products promoted. Another 18% will buy nothing more or less than the initial event. Only 10% say they will spend more while the remaining 15% will spend about the same.

I’ll be interested to see if Amazon has a second Prime Day. I have to believe that’s probably on the horizon as these sales are generating big numbers. They seem to have a formula, so there’s no reason not to push the button with sellers, buyers, and sellers. I’ll be watching as it looks like it may just be a temperate holiday season with shoppers sitting on the sidelines. All the more reason to secure some of those early sales.

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