The Prime Day Effect

Prime Day transactions in the US in 2022 surpassed levels from previous years, with a 41% increase compared to Prime Day 2019, a 26% increase compared to 2020, and a 7% increase compared to 2021.

One of the strongest signals of today’s consumer behavior surfaces in the social data. We spend every day on our phones, tablets and laptops. It’s an always on experience and it’s highlighting some changing interests.

Social media engagement in the lead up to this year’s Prime Day 2023, surpassed last year's numbers. Total actions on all platforms mentioning Prime Day—Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok—have surged by 90% from 2022 to 2023.

TikTok has emerged as a dominant force, recording a 91% surge in total video views as influencers like Alix Ashley Earle and Jessi Valeri helped drive engagement.

Prime Day is strategically engaging digital consumers and driving future retail initiatives.

Take note of the top-viewed videos leading up to Prime Day, such as those from retailers outside the electronics sector normally associated with this period. Retailers Drink Poppi with 7.1M Video Views and Blink closing in on 1M Views led the TikTok activity. These successes demonstrate the shift in consumer preferences, challenging legacy brands to leverage the power of social media to stay relevant and competitive.

Google Search trends around Prime Day particularly gained momentum in the final 3 days before Prime Day 2023, with queries about the event's start time and specific deals like those for clothing and Lego grabbing attention. Lego sets have gained popularity, with price cuts ranging from $10 to nearly $100 off on fan-favorite sets like the Flower Bouquet, Friends Apartment and Star Wars X-Wing Fighter.

Taking a closer look at the Lego Flower Bouquet as an example, its popularity was boosted by its appearance on ABC's Abbott Elementary on TV and around the same time it gained traction on TikTok. That momentum saw the Lego Flower bouquet record 57.3 million views across recent posts on TikTok.

We live in a multi-touch world where consumers are not watching one show, consuming one social platform, or interacting with content on a singular device. Their experience is immersive and evolving. How brands show up on each of these platforms in a meaningful, relevant, and impactful way is only possible with data that captures that cross-platform journey of the consumer.

Taking a broader look at social, when looking at top words associated with activating shoppers on social, “Deals” ranked top last year and is trending the same in 2023. However, when you dig into that data you reveal a shift in mindset marketers may find valuable.

In 2022, consumers were focused on savings with frequently used words like "best," "shop," along with "get," and "save". Jumping forward to this July, the language surrounding Amazon Prime Day in 2023 shifted slightly. Words like "early," "alert," and "soon" indicated a growing emphasis on early access and preparedness for the event.

The mention of specific products like "fire," "deals," and "tv" suggests a heightened interest in technology-related offers. The focus on early access, savings, and specific product categories highlights a more strategic shopping approach.

Our ability to measure and analyze consumer behavior within the mobile and social media spaces provides valuable insights into these signals in the shopping journey. Our State of Digital Commerce report in 2023 showed the increasing use of mobile devices in the shopping journey, as consumers more easily access and engage with relevant content and promotions on the go.

If Prime Day is any indication of the thinking of consumers in the sales seasons ahead, then a longer lead time for brand engagement with digital-savvy audiences and tapping into broader digital strategies will continue to be a measure of success.