Amazon reaps gains from Prime Day spending

The second day of Amazon Prime Day showed continuing strong performance in some key sales metrics.

According to data from the Numerator Amazon Prime Day Tracker, as of 1 p.m. ET on Wednesday, July 12 (day two of Prime Day 2023), the average order size was $56.07, up 5% from $53.14 in the same reporting period during Prime Day 2022.

Numerator data also shows that six in 10 households shopping Prime Day have already placed two or more separate orders, bringing the average household spend to roughly $141.53.

The top items as of 1 p.m. ET on the second day of Prime Day 2023 were Temptations cat treats, Fire TV Sticks and Liquid I.V. packets. The top categories surveyed shoppers said they purchased are home goods (27%), household essentials (26%) and apparel & shoes (25%). 

More than half (55%) of surveyed Prime Day shoppers said they purchased items they had been holding off on buying until they were on sale. More than half of Prime Day items (56%) have sold for under $20, while 5% are over $100, with the average spend per item coming in at $33.17.

Numerator also examined demographic characteristics of the typical Prime Day shopper:

• The typical observed Amazon Prime Day shopper is a high-income suburban female age 35-44. Eight in 10 (79%) are female.
• 97% knew it was Prime Day before shopping.
• 89% are members of Amazon Prime.
• 86% have been Prime members for one year or more.
• 81% have shopped Prime Day in the past.
• 60% said Prime Day was their main reason for shopping.

Salesforce: Non-Amazon retailers don’t fare as well on Prime Day

Data from Salesforce indicates that U.S. consumers have not engaged as strongly in online sales promotions non-Amazon retailers (including Walmart and Target) are running during the Prime Day event. Salesforce analysis indicates that non-Amazon retailer online sales fell 7% during the first day of Prime Day compared to the same time period in 2022.

While U.S. online buying activity increased in the 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. ET time period, this didn’t improve sales for the overall day. Other Salesforce findings on non-Amazon Prime Day activity include:

• Average discount rates fell 16% year-over-year to an average discount rate of 18%.
• The average selling price is up 6% over the 2022 edition Prime Day, which Salesforce says shows signs of continued inflation.
• Top performing U.S. categories by year-over-year online sales growth were general footwear (7%), home goods (6%), and health & beauty (flat).
• Top discount categories in the U.S. by average discount were general apparel (30%), home goods (17%), and active apparel & footwear (17%).