Numerator: Amazon Prime Big Deal Days begins with lower household spend
Although Amazon Prime Big Deal Days saw a slight increase in average order size, Numerator data indicates household spend shrank from the 2025 edition.
Data from the Numerator Amazon Prime Big Deal Days Tracker, based on initial survey results from 3,688 households and 183 verified buyers participating in the event, shows that average household spend on Tuesday, Oct. 6, the first day of the two-day sales promotion, dropped 22% to $86.98 from $106.41 during the first day of the prior year’s event.
[READ MORE: Amazon, Target to host dueling fall holiday sales extravaganzas]
However, average order size rose 5% year over year to $51.03 from $48.36. Almost four-in-10 (39%) of households shopping the event placed two or more separate orders.
In an email to Chain Store Age, an Amazon spokesperson disputed Numerator's findings. “Typical of third-party studies, these estimates are wholly inaccurate and based on purchases from fewer than 200 shoppers, a tiny fraction of the tens of millions of customers shopping on Amazon during Prime Big Deal Days," the spokesperson said. "We’re pleased with what we’re seeing and hearing, with customers shopping millions of items at our lowest price of the year so far, hundreds of thousands of items discounted 40% or more, and deals from thousands of brands.”
Best sellers
The top-selling items for the first day of Prime Big Deal Days Day 2026 were Premier Protein 30g Protein Shakes, Scott ComfortPlus Toilet Paper, Lysol Disinfecting Wipes, Dawn Powerwash Spray, and Sol de Janeiro Body Spray. Two-thirds (66%) of items purchased sold for under $20, while just 3% were priced above $100, resulting in an average spend of $24.22 per item. The most commonly purchased categories were household essentials, health & wellness, and beauty.
Shopper awareness and satisfaction high
Nine-in-ten respondents were aware of Prime Big Deal Days prior to shopping and 35% said the sale was their primary reason for shopping. Deal satisfaction was high, with 58% stating they were very or extremely satisfied with the deals offered by Amazon.
Six-in-10 (61%) respondents said they also shopped during Amazon’s July Prime Day event. Among these consumers, 13% said they thought the deals were better in July and 14% thought they were better in October, while 58% thought they were about the same.
Crossover with other promotional events
The majority of respondents (55%) compared prices and products at other retailers before making their Amazon purchase. The most common comparisons were to Walmart (66%), Target (39%) and club stores like Costco or Sam’s Club (27%). Some respondents also participated in competing sales on the same day— 40% said they planned to or already had participated in Walmart Fall Deals (Oct. 7-12) and 27% said the same for Target Circle Deal Days (Oct. 5-11).
Holiday shopping off to small start
Amazon promotes its annual fall sales spectacular as the kickoff to the holiday shopping season, and one-in-five (19%) respondents said they used the sale to purchase holiday gifts, 6% purchased Halloween items and 4% purchased other holiday items like decorations or wrapping supplies. Among those who purchased holiday gifts, 23% said they completed more than half of their gift shopping during the sale.
In good news for Amazon’s holiday prospects, 79% of respondents expect to shop on Amazon again in the next three months for holiday items like gifts, decorations, wrapping supplies. More than half weren’t yet sure what they need or want for the holidays (53%), while 33% said it feels too early to make all their holiday purchases.
