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The Prime Day sales numbers are in: Shoppers spent a record $14.2 billion online over the two-day sales event, up 11% from last year, according to Adobe Analytics.
The research firm pointed to two major trends driving sales: back-to-school shopping and a product refresh cycle for electronics and home furnishings.
- Compared to average daily sales in June 2024, sales of backpacks, stationery, and school supplies spiked 216%, and sales of kids’ apparel were up 165%.
- Electronics sales rose 61% (including a 117% increase in tablets and a 111% increase in televisions), while small kitchen appliances were up 76%.
“The electronics, apparel, and furniture categories make up nearly half of e-commerce spend but [have] seen low single digit growth in the first half of 2024,” Vivek Pandya, lead analyst at Adobe Digital Insights, said in a statement. “It’s clear now that the Prime Day event has been a catalyst across these major categories, with discounts deep enough for consumers to hit the buy button and upgrade items in their homes.”
As for how these purchases were made, nearly half of online spend came from mobile devices, with sales up 18.6% from last year, while buy now, pay later orders accounted for 7.6% of orders, up 16.4% from 2023.
Discounts, as predicted, were also deeper. Here’s a quick rundown: Electronics peaked at 23% off the listed price, compared to 14% in 2023. Apparel prices were down 20%, compared to 12% last year, and home/furniture prices were down 16%, compared to 9% last year.