Despite a disappointing start, Amazon Prime Day delivered a major boost to US e-commerce with spending soaring 30.3% year-on-year to US$24.1 billion (A$36.1 billion), according to Adobe.

Prime Day 2025 started on a surprising note with early reports indicating a 41% decline in sales on the first day compared to the same day of last year’s two-day event.

This year, Amazon stretched Prime Day from the usual two days to four – its longest event to date. While shoppers initially hesitated, wary of tariffs and ongoing economic uncertainty, many ultimately loaded up on household essentials rather than splurging.

The four-day shopping event, which wrapped July 11, didn’t just benefit Amazon, with competitors like Walmart and Target also running overlapping sales.

Research firm Numerator reported that two-thirds of items purchased cost under US$20 and the average household spend was US$156.

Amazon said it sold millions of its own-brand devices, including Alexa-powered gadgets, Ring doorbells and Fire streaming sticks.

While most purchases were low-cost, big-ticket items over US$100 made up just 3% of sales, according to Numerator, as consumers shied away from high-tariff imports.