What: Amazon Prime Day drove US online sales up by 11% to USD 14.2 billion.

Why it is important: This significant increase highlights the event's role in boosting consumer spending across various categories and solidifying Amazon's dominance in the e-commerce market.

During the 48-hour Prime Day event, US shoppers spent USD 14.2 billion online, marking an 11% increase from the previous year. Adobe Inc. reported that consumers primarily purchased electronics, apparel, and small home appliances, taking advantage of steep discounts. Amazon, capturing about 60% of all online spending during the event, set a record for the number of items sold, although specific sales data was not disclosed. The average household expenditure was slightly down from last year at USD 152. The event, which started in 2015, aims to attract new Prime subscribers and strengthen Amazon's relationship with existing members. As of March, Amazon had 180 million Prime members in the US, an 8% increase from the previous year.

Amazon Prime Day boosts US online sales by 11%