Amazon Prime Day II a Rousing Success (Says Amazon)

Amazon’s first ever Prime Early Access Sale, an October event to mirror July’s Amazon Prime Day, brought big numbers to the online retailer and helped some shoppers get an early start on their holiday gift lists – or themselves.

Amazon on Thursday said the two-day event, held Tuesday and Wednesday (Oct. 11-12), saw more than 100 million items go out the door worldwide (Amazon hasn’t released sales figures yet). The event targets Amazon Prime members, a new perk added to the membership benefits.

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The hottest categories for shoppers (and Amazon) included clothing, toys, home goods and, of course, Amazon’s own devices such as Echo, Ring video doorbells and flying home-security cameras, Audible and now also iRobot (maker of the Roomba), a perennial winner (and deeply discounted) for prior Amazon Prime Days.

“Our Prime Early Access Sale was a great kickoff to the holidays, and the best part is that it’s only the beginning,” said Doug Herrington, CEO of Amazon Worldwide Stores. “Customers will find millions of must-have deals throughout the season that will help them continue to save money on gifts for loved ones.”

The most popular products during Prime Early Access Sale included the Macbook Air M1, with a surprising discount rarely seen on Apple products; Bose earbuds and headphones; the Peloton bike; Casper pillows and toppers; and Shark hair dryers, vacuums, and air purifiers. LANEIGE Lip Sleeping Mask, Apple AirPods (2nd Generation), Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides, and Crest 3D Whitestrips Professional Effects Teeth Whitening Strips were hot items in the U.S.

Best-selling holiday items and décor items sold in the U.S. included wreaths, garlands, decorative lights, and Halloween costumes, because why not holiday costumes?

Other major retailers, competitors to Amazon that include Walmart, offered ancillary sales around Amazon’s October event, like Walmart’s Rollbacks and More (Oct. 10-13) and Target’s Deal Days (Oct. 6-8).

How the October sales events for all retailers shake out for the holiday shopping season remains to be seen. Kiplinger is forecasting a “meh” season for retailers, with profits peeling off of inflation-fueled price increases rather than sales volume. The forecast is retailers will see only a 1% increase in sales, after inflation.

For inflation-weary shoppers, however, big discounts could be in the offing as retailers seek to dispose of warehouse-clogging inventory. Last-minute shoppers should rule; Christmas Eve is on a Saturday this year, and malls are seeing a post-Covid comeback in foot traffic.