Amazon Prime Day Deal Hunters Scrutinize Prices as Sale Nears End

Amazon’s four-day Prime Day sale ends June 26, and bargain hunters are scrutinizing prices more closely than ever amid high gas prices following the Iran war. Adobe projects U.S. consumers will spend $26.3 billion online during the event, a 9% increase from last year’s four-day sale. Shoppers are expected to compare prices across retailers and use AI tools, with many insisting on discounts of at least 30% to consider a deal worthwhile. Patrice Kihlken, a 65-year-old who recently moved from Texas to Ohio, exemplifies this trend. She plans to browse Amazon for dresses and art supplies but will only buy if prices drop significantly. “Several times the last couple of years, there has been something I’ve been thinking about and I’m like, ‘Maybe for Prime Day,’ and then you go on Prime Day, and it’s the same price it was two weeks before,” she said. Nearly 90% of Amazon Prime subscribers intend to shop the sale, according to a survey by Tinuiti Inc., but they’re also turning to the web and AI to hunt for the best offers. Over 70% of shoppers said products would need to be discounted by at least 30% for them to consider it a good deal, while 20% want at least half off. Discounts are expected to mirror last year’s, when apparel and electronics sellers offered about 23% off. Adobe anticipates back-to-school apparel to be a top category. Savannah Lopez, a Texas teacher, has turned Prime Day into an annual tradition for stocking up on school supplies, spending around $300 each year. With declining government funding for classroom supplies, she tracks prices year-round, shares classroom wish lists online, and compares deals through teacher groups and Facebook Marketplace. Inflation is pushing half of shoppers to seek deals during Prime Day, according to a survey by Numerator. The average household plans to spend about $187 during the event and will compare prices on competing sites like Walmart, Target, and Costco. If the discounts don’t meet expectations, Kihlken has a backup plan: “I’m just going to go thrifting.” Amazon ranks No. 1 on the Transport Topics Top 100 list of the largest logistics companies in North America and No. 1 on the TT Top 50 list of the largest global freight companies. It also ranks No. 15 on the TT100 list of the largest private carriers in North America, while Walmart and Costco rank Nos. 1 and 53, respectively, on the private carriers list.