Prime Day 2021 is here

Summer’s biggest deal is here: Prime Day 2021 starts today. And retailers big and small should have a lot to be excited about.

Primed to spend: In its seventh year, Prime Day and the ancillary sales events surrounding it now rival the holiday shopping season, which means $$$ for retailers.

• In 2020, US shoppers shelled out an average of $5.2 billion each day of Prime Day, which surpassed the $5.1 billion they spent on Thanksgiving Day, according to the Adobe Digital Economy Index analyzing Prime Day’s impact.
• The two-day event is predicted to approach $12 billion in sales this year, which would be up 19% from 2020—but a slowdown from the 43% growth it saw last year, per eMarketer.

The news is even better for larger retailers with IRL stores, Adobe notes: Companies with $1+ billion in online revenue experienced a 10% higher lift than those making under $10 million.

• “If they have brick and mortar stores, they can take advantage of new shopping models like buy online, pick up in-store—things we’ve got accustomed to during the pandemic,” Jason Woosley, VP of commerce product and platform at Adobe Experience Business, told Retail Brew.

Follow along: Much of the increase in e-comm spend is centered on other sales events slated this week for non-Prime members.

• Target’s “Deal Days” started yesterday and run through tomorrow, while Walmart’s uniquely named “Deals for Days” concludes on Wednesday.
• Kohl’s, an Amazon partner, is getting in on the action with a sales event today and tomorrow that offers discounts in-store and online.

Unique to Prime Day is that Amazon doesn’t have to offer the deep discounts seen on Black Friday or Cyber Monday, since retailers and consumers are simply “looking for something to rally around,” Woosley said.

+1: The most popular categories during Prime Day 2020 included books, electronics, and appliances; not so much for housekeeping supplies, apparel, and jewelry, per Adobe.—KM